"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 14 September 826 A.S.
Some Unexpected Fireworks
Orbital Spa and Cruise is known for providing unique experiences to the planet-bound denizens of Sirius, but with the unexpected help of some Universal Shipping vessels, the passengers of OSC Breezewood were treated to a spectacular show even by the standards of the White Spa Lines flagship.
Breezewood was conveying socialites to the Hawaii when she passed a USI convoy. Mastadon class transports are a favorite of "shipspotting" passengers, those who seek to see the various classes of ships going about their business in Sirius. The sleek art-decco lines are particularly striking for what is ostensibly a utilitarian vessels. Breezewood will often stop and announce when suitably interesting ships are flying nearby, but these ships had something in store for even the common passenger not obsessing over checklists of liberty transports.
"Something was going wrong with the convoy," said Jonathan Seabourne, captain of the Breezewood. "The ships were trying to get into an automated formation, but somehow found themselves on opposite sides of Junyo's docking ring. Junyo may be a moon, but she still has a docking ring for a reason: her atmosphere and gravity well are more than enough to tear apart any ship not small enough for atmospheric flight."
Mastodons are not small enough for atmospheric flight.
"My gut told me those ships were not going to escape Junyo unscathed. We decided to watch and see what would happen."
Sure enough, one of the transports flew too close to the watery moon. The resulting stresses ripped apart the vessel in a matter of moments, filling Breezewood's portholes with a spectacular fireball as the USI ship's atmosphere combusted and dissipated into the vacuum of space. The passengers were awed, but Seabourne knew he now had a job to do.
"We immediately went into SAR [search and rescue] mode. Fortunately, our alcohol storage is still fairly empty and so we had space to take on the pilots and crew without having to rearrange anything. We got the four pilots and thirty crew down to the surface safely, this time using the mooring fixture instead of attempting an impromptu atmospheric landing!" A Whole New World?
With the war with Gallia finally winding down, OSC is actively pursuing the opportunity to open up the sites of Gallia to commercial traffic. OSC prides itself on the ability to build connections, both literal and metaphorical, between the houses of Sirius. From the vineyards of New Paris to the orbital palaces of the former Monarchy, Gallia offers breathtaking sites for the residents of Sirius to sample.
However, there is the minor of complication of exactly who speaks for the provisional government of Gallic space. At the current time, Gallic territory is split between a collection of former nobles that have broken with the crown and a republic lead by former council members with various other factions also cutting out their slice of the Gallic pie. Further complicating the matter is Liberty being at war with Gallia, making OSC vessels technically eligible as contraband being property of a Liberty chartered corporation. Until the diplomatic situation is cleared up, Gallic space will remain under a black travel advisory. However, most OSC captains expect the situation to change soon, and veteran Orbital travelers are eagerly jockeying for the right to be on the first WSL vessel to brave the gap to a whole new world.
A Game of Logistics
With Breezewood making her return to regular commercial service after her heroics in the Leeds evacuation, her captain is taking the opportunity to present a little game to the independent captains of Sirius.
"We had to restock the vessel from scratch. The luxury food, the holotainment bands, the dancing girls. So I thought, why not invite the rest of Sirius in on the fun?"
For the forseeable future, Breezewood is offering 10 million credits to any vessel that helps her restock her bar. "If you bring us 10 units of any beverage we don't have on board, the credits are yours." Seabourne when on to explain that he wanted to promote interaction across various factions to help refill Breezewood's drinks at the small cost of draining WSL's coffers.
"All publicity is good publicity," said Seabourne. "And, you never know when having a friend who remembers you will come in handy."
"Besides, most of our passengers will find it amusing to see us on the recieving end of overpriced drinks!"
Current Travel Advisories
Green - No reported incidents of piracy or terrorism
Yellow - Reports of Piracy, OSC vessels may be stopped and have money demanded of them
Red - Reports of terrorism, OSC vessels may be fired upon or have personel kidnapped
Black - OSC vessels are actively hunted by the controlling factions in Black space
Liberty, Rheinland, Kusari space are Green status
Bretonia is returning to Green status now that its jump gates are stabilized and secure
Tau systems are Green status. The Crayter republic has secured the routes from Bretonia to Kusari with no reported incidents.
Hispania Space remains Black, Corsair and Outcasts forces are considered existential risks to OSC vessels in their territory
Gallic Space remains Black, until the diplomatic situation is resolved, no Liberty Chartered vessel is advised to travel in Gallic controlled space White Spa Lines is Recruiting!
Do you think you have what it takes to join the White Spa LInes family? Captains of impeccable bravery and uncompromising hospitality are encouraged to apply and help bring the wonders of space to the masses. Apply today!
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 28 September 826 A.S.
A Non-Stop Flight
The end of the Gallic conflict opens up numerous new routes for OSC patrons. Gallia's rich and powerful looking for something new to experience have frequented planet Baden Baden for years often operating through intermediaries and legal fictions. While the luxury planet located in neutral Rheinland space has hosted creme of Gallic society, OSC has always avoided complicating its diplomatic position as a Liberty chartered corporation by avoiding Gallic space.
However, the OSC liner Breezewood under captain Jonathan Seabourne completed what is hoped to the first of many OSC trips between Gallia and Sirius. The manifest lists 3,000 of Gallia's most important families whose influence (and members) survived the war and the current local political instabilities. Many were eager to reach out and build the bridges needed to help humanity heal and reconcile after a decade of bloody conflict. Orbital Spa and Cruise was, of course, happy to play its part in bringing people together.
One complication is the current administration of Gallic space which is currently split between several rival factions. All of the factions are tolerant of one-off OSC trips, but House Gallia has several more pressing issues to resolve before it can turn its attention to routine commercial service to Sirius. In the meantime, the courtiers of Gallia's famed residences and palaces will have to continue to use their power and influence to jockey for the limited number of OSC seats.
A Close Encounter
OSC Liner Breezewood is well known among "ship spotting" enthusiasts for getting her passengers up close and personal with the rarer and more impressive vessels in Sirius space. However, the venerable White Spa Line flagship outdid herself with a once in a lifetime sight for her passengers: a nomad battleship.
Nomads, the enigmatic aliens that were left behind by a predecessor race in Sirius, are generally hostile to any human presence in what they percieve to be their masters' territory. They usually stick to the outskirts of settled space, plaguing wayward convoys in the far reaches of the mysterious omicron systems. This one, however, managed to wander deep into human space, into the New London system itself.
Breezewood passed the purple jelly-fish like vessel on its way to Rheinland space. However, seeing that the large vessel was not pursuing, Captain Seabourne turned the ship around to investigate further.
"It wasn't assuming any kind of aggressive stance," said Seabourne. "I knew most of these passengers would never get a chance like this again. I trusted my gut that the strange whale-like noises it was emitting showed curiosity more than aggression, and so we backtracked to see what it was up to."
For several spell binding minutes, a wary Breezewood kept its distance as the large alien vessel undulated its way through the system, its bio-luminescent tendrils outlining a motion closer to swimming than flying. "The passengers were mesmerized," said Seabourne. "Once the other vessel turned to get a closer look at us, I of course hit the cruise engines to get out of there, but it was a treat to see such a vessel, though disconcerting to see it so close to home."
While communication with the vessel via radio was, of course, impossible, many passenger nevertheless labelled the ship with the name "Ish'tar" independently of each other. Nomads are rumored to have some kind of telepathic link they use for communication, and many passengers felt that the ship was caressing their minds even at a distance of several kilometers. "Once I heard about the Ish'tar phenomena," said a visably relieved Seabourne, "I felt like a small fish that managed to break away from an angler fish's lure. Next time, perhaps I won't be quite so cavalier!"
An Unexpected Guest
Capital ships in capital systems are nothing new. New London has been the front lines of a war for several months and saw its fair share of battleships from both sides enter and leave the system. However, rogue (lowercase r) fleets seem to be getting bolder, to the pleasure of ship-spotting OSC tourists and the chagrin of thinly stretched house navies.
A navy man by the same of Sawyer on board LNS Monitor relayed a story of a recent Maltese incursion into New York space with the Liberty Navy unable to scramble a suitable response to 5 Hispanic capital ships in its core space. Earlier, a Coalition force was also spotted in Liberty's capital. Combined with sightings of Nomad battleships in New London, and the safety of house space itself is starting to come under scrutiny. However, fleets are of less concern to OSC vessels than pirates or terrorists, usually only demanding payment of "taxes" for civilian liners to pass. OSC's carefully maintained diplomatic relationships ensure that passengers will enjoy safe flights where the only fireworks are pre-planned pyrotechnic shows.
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 12 October 826 A.S.
A New Coat of Paint
Orbital Spa and Cruise took the Gallic War harder than most Liberty Corporations, with individual captains and organizations like White Spa Lines operating almost as independent franchises along increasingly hostile routes. However, after months of behind the scenes preparation, the premier passenger service in Sirius and beyond is ready to re-assert itself on the sector.
A new re-branding effort under the OS&C banner is afoot with new logos and livery, and the ships of the fleet are eagerly reporting in for new coats of paint. The OS&C liner Breezewood recieved hers at Baltimore shipyard much to the delight all who saw her. "THAT LOGO IS Awesome," said one denizen of Sirius while another said, "I [redacted] love that logo!!!!" The new logo, a stylized Enterprise class liner in gold, will soon be a common sight across all of Sirius. Even as many in the fleet embrace more streamlined Renzu built liners, the Enterprise will always be the flagship vessel in the OS&C fleet.
A Temporary Membership
Captain Jonathan Seabourne has acquired many titles in his 20 plus years of service to OS&C. Captain of the Breezewood, a hero of the Leeds evacuation, editor-in-chief of Wanderlust magazine. To all this, he can now temporarily add another: Unioner Pilot.
The Breezewood was making its way through Rheinland space when it found itself stopped by the infamous Unioner pilots Van Hamburg and Riehl, (better know by their callsigns Jan.Van,Hamburg and UN|Hellion). The Unioners had been productive, pirating several vessels resulting in dozens of escape pods from myriad factions littering the space near the New Berlin jumpgate to Frankfurt. In a surprising show of humanitarianism, the Unioner pilots asked Breezewood to make pickup, which it did by offloading various alcoholic beverages to make room in its cargo hold. Conditions were cramped, but the cargo pods held enough atmosphere to offload the motley assortment of bounty hunters, pilots, crew, prisoners, Red Hessians, police officers, and VIP on nearby New Berlin.
"We were afraid of the possibility of the prisoners starting a riot," said Captain Seabourne. "Fortunately, the Bounty Hunter and Police we picked up could provide sufficient security. Most of our passengers merely noticed a slight delay on on their journey. Fortunately, the pilgrims we were carrying were in no rush to get to Baffin."
After the exchange, the Unioners bestowed a temporary membership into their organization onto the Breezewood, giving her 30 minutes of time to escape the system unmolested. "I gladly took them up on the offer," said a grateful Breezewood, "though I am glad the 'membership' has expired. That would be a hard one to explain to the Rheinland military next time we're passing their battleships!"
A Friend in Need
Xeno and Hacker ships were out in force again in New York, but the Navy and LPI were able to protect and serve the Breezewood. The liner was buzzing Manhattan on its way to Rheinland and the Omicrons beyond when LNS Monitor under Captain Sawyer ordered the ship to make a hard burn for Manhattan. While Breezewood made a hard push for the Texas gate via Fort Bush and the Missouri, Sawyer's gunboat engaged the pirates alongside LPI officer LPI-Alban.Jankowski[O] and LPI's SWAT response unit. The pirates managed to get the upper hand on Liberty's defenders, but their actions bought enough time for Breezewood to make a safe getaway. The passengers and crew remain in Liberty's debt.
Current Travel Advisories Liberty - While the increased presence of hacker and rogue ships in New York is concerning, LPI and LN currently are keeping it from interfering with OS&C Operations. Bretonia - No reported incidents of piracy Kusari - The emergence of a new Farmer's Alliance branch, the Nokua, is creating concerns for OS&C operations deep inside Kusari. They seem willing to negotiate for now, but future actions are difficult to anticipate Rheinland - Increased Unioner activity does not pose an existential risk to OS&C liners or passengers, but vessels traveling through Rheinland space should expect to be stopped and fines and/or taxes assessed Galia - After a successful initial route by Breezewood including a scan by the provisional authorities, Galia can now be given the benefit of the doubt and commercial service opened. However, the political situation is still unstable and subject to change.
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 5 November 826 A.S.
A Brave New World
Freeport 11 is usually thought of as the edge of "civilized" space. The austere Zoner station, deep in the heart of Omicron Delta, is about as far away from house space a human being can get without being in something with engines attached. Most who visit the station are there to leave their old lives behind, hoping that the lightyears traversed by jumpgate to get there will let them outrun their personal demons, at least for a little while. But for the Breezewood's latest excursion, the hardy outpost marked a return to civilization.
The White Spa Lines flagship had just returned from a journey to deep space, visiting systems whose names barely appear on navigational maps. Following the advice of a trader named Arrow_of_Vengence, Breezewood traversed Omicron Rho to find a jump hole to Omicron Minor deep inside one of the nebulas. Omicron Minor, home of the former legendary base of the Order, proved to be a mesmeric stopover point. The ruined remains of planet Toledo stand as a massive tombstone for the hundreds of Order and Core fighters whose cold corpses still orbit the ruins of the world they fought so intensely over. The once icy world still radiates the heat released from the Nomad bombardment years ago that finally did in the system.
Omicron minor held one more sight to behold, however: a massive Nomad jumpgate leading even deeper into the Nomad worlds. The intrepid Breezewood managed to activate the alien technology, arriving the eerie blue clouds of Omicron Iota. "That system was utterly baffling," said Jonathan Seabourne, the Breezewood's captain. "The Nomads were on a whole different scale than humanity. They built artifacts, for lack of a better term, that utterly dwarfed the Breezewood. They had weapon platforms bigger than moons, gates and tradlanes that could accomodate entire space stations, and endless fleets of their mysterious warships."
Those warships are what ultimately ended Breezewood's excursions. Having outrun several Nomad cruisers and gunships, the liner was depleted of shield batteries and down to her last handful of nanobots. "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots," said Seabourne, quoting a well known maxim of space travellers everywhere. "But there are no old, bold pilots!"
Breezewood managed to take a more direct path home to Freeport 11, opening up the possibility for future excursions deep into the Omicrons for patrons willing to risk close encounters of the third kind.
A Tossed Itinerary
White Spa liners are different from the core of OS&C's fleet. These ships don't run standard cruises with timetables and printed destinations. Rather, liners like Breezewood enjoy the freedom to find their own adventures, hoping from port to port wherever the stars lead them. Captain Seabourne's most recent adventure in Nomad space, for example, came from pursuing rumors of disappearing ships in Omicron Psi. "We're not here to be glorified bus drivers," said the smiling captain and director of the White Spa Line initiative. "We're here to tell good stories, and adventure doesn't come knocking during regular business hours along pre-determined routes."
"Not that there's anything wrong with that," he added to the amusement of the OS&C crew in the room. "Those routes are the bread and butter that sustains the company and gives us the freedom to explore. Those routes are once in a lifetime opportunities for planetbound folk. Fortunately, space is a big place, always with something new to offer even the most jaded of interstellar travelers."
Breezewood is currently docked at Freeport 11 in Omicron Data. Where she heads next, not even her captain currently knows.
Current Travel Advisories Liberty - Recent actions to strengthen LPI under chief Holiday and the withdraw of the Liberty fleet back to home space has left OS&C confident about running routes through its charter house's space Bretonia - The ongoing resolution of the diplomatic fallout from the Gallic War still has an uneasy peace in the region, though this is not projected to last given the power vacuums in the region Kusari - Several of Breezewood's crew remain held hostage in Kusari space, adding extra risk to OS&C operations there Green - Intelligence reports that Unioner vessels that have held OS&C vessels hostage have been dealt with. Despite the ongoing political situation, OS&C is confident in the Rheinland Military in its ability to keep tradelanes secure for travellers Galia - No reported incidents of piracy or major diplomatic changes that affect OS&C security
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 22 December 826 A.S.
A Solemn Celebration
Orbital Spa and Cruise directors gathered on Curacao to bid a formal farewell to the passengers and crew of the luxury liner Mackinac. The "Mighty Mack" was lost last month in a secretive series of events that have come to be known as the "Kabukicho Affair." Whether the liner was specifically targeted by increasingly xenophobic Kusari terrorist elements or was merely caught in the crossfire of rival criminal networks remains under investigation.
Representatives of the Kusari government and the Hogosha who valiently tried to defend the liner in her hour of need paid their respects as directors took turns sharing stories of their visits to the vessel. A flyby of OS&C shuttles then dropped 900 wreaths one at a time into the warm tropical waters of the pleasure planet. Each wreath accompanied by the reading of the name of a passenger or crewmember lost and the ringing of a bell.
Friends and family of the lost were in attendance, though at this time it is unknown how many have taken up OS&C's generous offer of free cruises for life for immediate family members.
Mackinac is survived by her sister ships Hawaii, Shetland, and Barbados.
An Uncharted Detour
The luxury liner Breezewood is well known for travelling off the beaten path but today's journey was unusual even by her standards. The flagship of OS&C's White Spa Lines initiative certainly charged where angels fear to tread when she found herself taking an unregistered jump anomaly to uncharted space.
"We were trying to scout a new route from Baden-Baden to Gran Canaria [Exeter] via the jump hole rich system of Omega-5," said Jonathan Seabourne, captain of the Breezewood. "The Omega systems form two distinct chains, one that links Rheinland to Bretonia and one that links Bretonia to more exotic locales. We were hoping to find a crossover between the two paths. Instead, we found a freelancer."
Freelancer Joshua.Graham guided the luxury liner into the heart of the Hammen Hole, a wreck-filled no-man's land that is a byproduct of the seemingly eternal power struggle for the system. There, an unregistered jump anomaly took the ships to an uncharted system. "I couldn't even tell you how far we were from Sirius proper," said Seabourne. "Our nav computers simply weren't calibrated to zoom out that far!"
The system mostly consisted of a dense blueish asteroid field that took all of the skill of the Breezewood's bridge crew to navigate through. The luxury liner was not alone. A Gallic miner was working the field in an attempt to extract some sort of new, rare material to send back home, implying at least one link to the system via Gallic space. There were also rumors of other artifacts and anomalies in the system, in particular the presence of a wreck indicating that humanity had been here before. "I can neither confirm nor deny anything," said Seabourne. "You'll just have to ask the lucky passengers who were there."
A Welcome Return
The end of the Gallic War marks a return to business as usual for OS&C operations. Repair crews are bringing Curacao's docking facilities back to full capacity and ships are running routes through pacified warzones. The greatest symbol of the end of hostilities, though, is the long overdue return of luxury liner Shetland to commercial service.
"The Pony" had been trapped in the Newcastle system since the start of the Gallic war and was quickly volunteered into a hospital ship. After the initial threat subsided, OS&C found it was too risky to extract the aging vessel for refit and so it remained in service to the crown. With the signing of the Sydney Accords, Orbital was finally able to give the Shetland a long overdue refit and servicing. Initial passenger reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with only one notable disappointment.
"I was hoping to see bloodstains!" said one veteran OS&C passenger. "There's no sign of the war at all! Just a plaque in the lobby. If it weren't for the [deliberately retained] plasma scarring on the outside, you'd think this was a brand new ship!"
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 28 December 826 A.S.
An Overdue Return
Five members of the Orbital Spa and Cruise family were finally brought home. For months, the crewmembers of the Breezewood were "guests" of the Nouka, a xenophobic Kusari criminal organization. The OS&C liner had been cornered by their fighters while flying through Kusari space. Rather than risk the destruction of the vessel, five members of the ship's crew bravely volunteered to serve as hostages. They would suffer so the passengers would remain safe.
After weeks of fruitless negotiations, there was finally a breakthrough, leading to a meet up between the Breezewood and the Nouka ship Okuninushi near Freeport 6. The Nouka recieved an undisclosed sum and the hostages were returned. "The only hiccup," said OS&C Captain Jonathan Seabourne "was that we lacked a compatible docking configuration for the Breezewood. Fortuantely, we are equipped as a SAR [search and rescue] vehicle, so our unfortunate crewmates had to endure once last piece of misfortune." Once payment was recieved, the crew were ejected in lifepods and picked up by the passenger liner with no further complications.
The Breezewood returned to Curacao where the crewmembers were reunited with their families. OS&C has provided each crewmember with generous severance packages for their sacrifice, though understandably none of the five wished to return to service in the corporation.
A New Addition
OS&C Liner Breezewood, flagship of the White Spa Lines initiative, has gotten yet another feature to enhance the experiences of her passengers. The storied pleasure craft entered Tau-37 a "simple" Enterprise class liner. She left as a miniature carrier.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Zoners of Galileo and their manufacturing capabilities on Freeport 12, Breezewood now sports a self contained docking facility for small ships. "This will allow us to provide greater security and comfort to VIPs who wish to bring their own transportation or accommodations to the ship," said Captain Seabourne. "It also allows the opportunity for extended day trips. Our shuttles really functioned as a small fleet that tagged along with the mother ship. Now, we can provide repair facilities in the field and give our passengers an easier path to board them."
A Show of Force
A bachelorette party in Manhattan orbit was treated to more excitement than they bargained for.
The OS&C shuttle Daytripper was entertaining approximately 100 young socialites when a Liberty Rogue fighter decloaked near Trenton. Despite the abundance of stationary weapons platforms in the area, the Rogue managed to deftly outmaneuver the incoming fire and make its demands of the small vessel.
Fortunately, help was in the area. The police gunboat Sugarland conveniently arrived on the scene, forcing the Rogue to recloak and giving the Daytripper an opportunity to flee. A resulting confrontation between the gunboat and the Rogue resulted in the destruction of the latter, though the former was also forced to flee Manhattan orbit after a misunderstanding with an incoming Navy patrol.
"I'm glad the police showed up when they did," said Ruby Maddox, one of the young women being entertained aboard the shuttle. "Daddy warned me that even a quick trip to orbit had its dangers and that even the turrets couldn't guarantee my safety from Rogues. Thank goodness the police showed up in person!"
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 12 January 827 A.S.
A Frenzy of Fireworks
The VIP passengers of the Breezewood were treated to a spectacular display of pyrotechnics courtesy of OS&C's security division.
The liner was running a route from luxury liner Barbados when an urgent message came through regarding a new installation by Liberty Rogues in the system. OS&C pilot Derek Shelton was torn between fulfilling escort duties for the Breezewood and securing the system for civilian traffic. Fortunately, the pilot did not have to choose.
"I've been aiming for a long time to set something like this up for the Breezewood," said Captain Jonathan Seabourne. "A spectacular explosion, a show of force against the pirates who would threaten us, and a unique experience to share with friends when they get home, everybody wins!" Breezewood diverted to the installation giving its passengers ample time to take in the sights while Shelton expertly took down the escorts and destroyed the facility in a Taurus class shuttle.
"it was quite the show," said one passenger in the observation lounge. "My only complaint was it happening too quickly, I barely had time to finish my first drink, let alone order another!"
Seabourne did go on to say that the Rogues are not to be underestimated. "There were a lot of things working in our favor to make this operation happen," he went on to say. "It was a new installation, barely online with several clear vulnerabilities. We got lucky with our timing. Next time, if there is a next time, the Rogues will be better prepared, and I never underestimate any threat to my ship."
The two vessels continued on without incident to drop their passengers off in Omicron Theta.
An Unusual Toll
The Gallic Royal Enclave, the royalist remnants of the once mighty Gallic Fleet caught in the outer reaches of their former kingdom, have been flexing their muscle as of late. While the mosaic of Gallic elements opposed to the crown continues to coalesce into a new confederation, those still loyal to the old ways have entrenched themselves in Aquitaine and are desperate to secure valuable supplies for their continued war effort.
A group of Gallic fightercraft stopped the liner Breezewood while travelling through the Leeds system. "I was worried at first," said Captain Seabourne. "Breezewood takes pride in its role in the late stages of the war. We personally evacuated over 100,000 from Leeds and were there to serve last drinks to the allied pilots at the final Battle of London. The Gallic fleet, to its credit, let us proceed with humanitarian evacuations during the war without interference. But I had no idea if this iteration of Gallia would maintain that same civility."
It turned out that Seabourne's fears of Gallia's soldiers turning terrorist were unfounded. After a search of Breezewood's eclectic inventory, they demanded only some of the Gaian Wildlife from the menagerie and a few bottles of the ship's finest vintages. "Truth be told, our sommelier was moderately happy it was Gallics who were raiding the supply," said Seabourne. "At least he could be confident these drinks would be fully appreciated. We once had to turn over our stock to some Xeno pirates in Liberty. They drank a $10,000 wine straight from the bottle."
"It was the only time I saw my sommelier cry, and I was there when the communication about the birth of his first child came through."
A Trading of Tales
Of course, Gallia isn't the only group that suffered during the war that has trouble putting the past behind them. Breezewood was traversing Tau-31 when it ran into the Queen.Carina's.Revenge, a Bretonia privateer hunting for Gallic supply lines.
"At first, there was the natural mutual suspicion between a privateer and a transport," said Seabourne, "but it quickly became clear that I wasn't a friend of the Enclave and that he wasn't an enemy of the corporation."
The vessel was captained by a former resistance fighter, intent on avenging Leeds upon the remnant of Gallia responsible for the crime against humanity. The crew of the two vessels shared several hours of pleasant dialogue, swapping tales from the war they both experienced from opposite humanitarian and military perspectives. "It's odd being a transport captain and finding yourself having so much in common with someone who raids transports for a living."
Breezewood requested permission to make pick up on several Enclave lifepods floating in the area which were returned to New London for processing. "You always feel bad about leaving a lifepod in space," said Seabourne. The captain himself had to hit the pods during the war when the shuttle DayTripper was shot out from under him in Leeds orbit. "It is a common courtesy that, god forbid I ever find myself on the receiving end of Enclave munitions, I hope they would return. They seem like a people that strive for honor in all they do."
"With one notable exception."
A Room with a View
As commercial ties with Gallia continue to strengthen, Orbital Spa and Cruise is continuing to expand commercial access to the reclusive former kingdom.
The Zurich system provides ready access from Rheinland to Gallia, and the socialites of Manhattan are raving over its primary attraction: the Oerlikon Stellar Observatory. The positioning near the system's unusual phenomena has been a boon to the youth of Sirius looking for something new and different, and the observation decks have found themselves hosting breath taking selfies alongside award winning research.
EFL, the owner of the base, also handles most of the tourism trade in Gallic space after its acquisition of Solar Engineering's hospitality assets. While the war took its toll on catering to tourists in Gallia just as it curtailed OS&C operations in Sirius, both sides now seem to be tentatively reaching out for mutual benefit.
The Zurich corridor is of particular use to an OS&C that is increasingly wary of travelling through Kusari space. Rumors of a pivot away from Kusari towards Gallia are fiercely denied by Seabourne, who also serves as an OS&C director by virtue of the White Spa Lines initiative. "The loss of the Mackinac hit us all hard, of course," said Seabourne, "but we have not abandoned Kusari. Rather there are only so many routes the Breezewood can run, and we are choosing to focus on Gallia to establish the brand there at the current time."
"Once we have a more secure foothold," said Seabourne, "We'll re-allocate our routes accordingly."
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 25 January 827 A.S.
A Daring Escape
There are many ways ship captains defend themselves from the hazards of travelling in deep space. Some invest in thick hull plating and impenetrable shields. Others prefer the mantra that offense is the best defense, flying ships bristling with weapons to deter would be pirates. For one OS&C captain, however, a combination of speed and moxie proved to be just enough to get their passengers delivered safely.
Captain Bob De Silvis was flying a commercial route between Liberty and luxury liner Hawaii when he was accosted on the last leg of the journey through open space in Sigma-19 by a vessel identified as GCMiki. The pirate coyly asked the captain, "You wanna cut your engines, pal?" The OS&C captain simply replied, "When I dock."
The chase was on between the pirate and the Democritus class luxury yacht. While OS&C vessels are not known for their offensive firepower, they do carry a multitude of tricks up their sleeves. As captain De Silvis raced to the protection of the Hawaii, he ejected a constellation of countermeasures behind him from the yachts dual droppers. The pirate managed to fire three missiles at the ship, but none of them made it through the flak. The resulting explosions not only signaled the safety of the vessel, but also provided some unexpected fireworks for the socialites on board.
The bold luxury captain made it safely to the liner where, true to his earlier promise, he finally powered down in the safety of the Hawaii's hold.
An Unexpected Escort
As any traveler of the skies of Sirius will tell you, the sector is home to dozens of factions with competing or conflicting interests and motivations. Most of the time, this leads to unfortunate firefights between ideological rivals. Sometimes, it leads to strange bedfellows.
The luxury liner Breezewood was flying pilgrims from Rheinland through the Omegas to Nottingham when it encountered a Coalition Typhoon class warship designated TSB|Vltava under command of a captain named Zyma.
The Coalition, the descendants of the communist governments of Earth that forced the Alliance sleeper ships to fleet to the Sirius sector 800 years ago, holds true to its ideological origins. Sworn enemies of the inequalities they perceive as capitalist decadence, they have declared permanent war against those who hoard excessive wealth. The Breezewood, well known for catering to the elite of Sirius, would seem to be a perfect target.
But the Coalition is not a mere collection of ideological brutes, it seems. Zyma entered into formation, not a battle stance, with Captain Jonathan Seabourne's Breezewood and the two had a pleasant, if sometimes tense, exchange about the evolving political situation in the Omegas. The two parted ways amicably when the OS&C liner arrived at Freeport 1.
"At the end of the day, I think everyone, regardless of the flag they fly, just finds space to be a little bit lonely," said Seabourne. "The Breezewood's a lover, not a fighter, and I was glad to have an exchanging of words rather than laser fire with captain Zyma."
"Of course," he added, "I would not be terribly surprised if our next meeting ended up being less cordial. That's Sirius for you."
A Fabricated Flotilla
Orbital Spa and Cruise ships are well known throughout the system for their comfort and luxury, but what happens to such vessels whey they are no longer up to the high standards of the luxury fleet? As technology marches on, even the most venerable vessels become outmoded and new ships must take their place to meet the evolving needs of the sector's upper crust. Fortunately, such vessels are perfectly suited for the needs of many organizations that don't cater to the creme de la creme.
In a deal announced at planet Curacao, White Spa Lines director Jonathan Seabourne was pleased to announce that three Democritus class luxury yachts were to be refitted for delivery to the Zoner organization GRG. Supervisor Rick Mortar had agreed to purchase the vessels for 80 million credits each to cover the cost of the refitting and delivery, plus a few miscellaneous expenses.
"Everything OS&C does is to make Sirius a little more luxurious," said Seabourne. "We're not used car salesmen, we are cruise directors. I couldn't help but include some rare wines and cheeses in the ship's larder to help the GRG celebrate their new acquisitions."
The "new" GRG vesses Evadne-1, Eos-1, and Erebus-1 will hopefully serve their new masters for many years to come, providing a safe haven from the day-to-day stresses of life as one of the most influential zoner corporations in Sirius.
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 30 January 827 A.S.
A Surprise Scylla
Jump gates allow for inter-system travel without the use of cryo-pods or generation ships, both of which would make luxury vacations to the stars an impossibility. But even the most advanced Ageira technology can't overcome their biggest flaw: it is impossible to know what is waiting for you on the other side. A Liberty Rogue destroyer found that out the hard way, much to the amusement of the Breezewood's passengers.
The White Spa Lines flagship was taking on Manhattan socialites bound for Curacao when her captain struck up a conversation with several nearby Navy fighters. "I've worked with Jeremiah Sawyer before," said Jonathan Seabourne, captain of the Breezewood and director of the White Spa Lines division. "I was alarmed by the unusual amount of Navy and LSF hardware on patrol and wanted to know if everything was ok, it seemed like overkill for routine patrols."
It turned out that Lt. Sawyer and another navy officer, Lt. Commander Marcus Robinson, were in fact out in force in response to a Hellfire legion raid on LPI assets in Liberty. The navy fighters offered to escort the Breezewood out of the system. "I never say no to friendly firepower," said Seabourne. "Plus, it gets a little lonely flying the same trade lanes again and again!"
Robinson took point with Sawyer in the rear, sandwiching the Breezewood as the three ships made their way to the California gate. Seabourne was about to exit the trade lane near the gate when an unexpected ship jumped in from the other side.
"We activated emergency protocols and dropped out of the lane. Long range scanners picked up a Liberty Rogue contact, a big one. We moved out of weapons range while the Navy moved in to do what they do best."
The uninvited guest was the notorious Rogue Destroyer DeathCollector, likely looking to sneak into New York to wreck havoc under the noses of a distracted Navy. fortunately, the criminal capital ship severely underestimated the vigilance and capabilities of Liberty's defenders. The two fighters moved to engage. The destroyer started to move away from the tradelanes when it became clear its weaponry could not land consistent hits against the Navy aces. However, the weaponry of the fighters seemed incapable of downing the destroyer's shields. Fortunately, the fighters were not trying to destroy the enemy vessel, merely distract it.
In an inspiring display of inter-branch cooperation, the Navy reached out to the LSF battlecruiser Lakenheath. The mighty warvessel expertly traversed the tradelanes to arrive on scene and quickly dispatch the troublesome Rogue. "The resulting display of firepower made for a spectacular show for our patrons lucky enough to be in the starboard lounge at the time," said Seabourne. "Those on the port side just had to be satisfied with surviving a potentially deadly pirate encounter thanks to the Navy."
The Breezewood made it safely to Curacao with no further incidents. The debris field from the DeathCollector seemed unusually small for a vessel of its size, and its escape from the battle can not be ruled out. "The Navy beat him once," said Seabourne, "If he's still out there, I'm confident they will beat him again."
A Grand Tour
The Enterprise class liners of OS&C are well known across Sirius. Names like Hawaii, Shetland, and Barbados conjure up images of luxury and forbidden pleasures in the minds of all residents of the sector. But who said that the rest of the luxury fleet can't have a little fun?
Captain Jack Ashton of the Democritus class luxury yacht Boundless_Pleasure will be putting the vessel's name to the test as OS&C unveiled a new planned route stretching from OS&C vacation worlds to deep space casinos. The vessel will embark from Baden-Baden before travelling to planet Eerie and then to New Tokyo. From there, the yacht plans to head into Gallic space to the famed Monte Carlo freeport to give its fortunate passengers a chance to try their luck.
The vessel is expected to be packed to the gills with VIP's and money to burn, but space is limited for the journey expected to take place sometime after February 2nd. Platinum and gold reward tier members have been clamoring for tickets to the unique journey, and OS&C is currently considering a lottery system to decide who will attend. It makes sense to use a lottery to distribute tickets for a cruise to a casino. After all, if you're not lucky enough to win a ticket, you're probably not lucky enough to do well with Monte Carlo's zero-gravity craps or high stakes hyper-baccarat.
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 7 February 827 A.S.
A Passport to Paris
The Gallic Confederation continues to coalescence from the scattered groups that rose up against the monarchy during the Gallic war. The Parisian Assembly is re-establishing norms throughout Confederation space, seeking to take her place among the Houses of Sirius as a peaceful peer rather than a vengeful conqueror, and Orbital Spa and Cruise is pleased to be one of the first bridges helping to make it happen.
With the establishment of Gallia's visa office, foreign companies now have a legal presence in Gallic space for the first time. OS&C was one of the first to apply for a B-2 visa allowing all Orbital ships to transport passengers to and from Gallia. "With our borders open to tourism," wrote the Assembly, "we hope that this will turn into a fine partnership."
However, some sticking points remain. Gallia's contraband laws are currently being debated and possibly updated, but until the former King's decree against exotic dancers is formally struck from the books, his word technically remains law. "One way or another, this question remains open," said Nathan de Montfort, Speaker of the Parisian Assembly. "Until then, the transportation of dancers across the territory of the Confederation [is] still an illegal activity. Alas, there can be no exception so far."
Captain Jonathan Seabourne of the liner Breezewood has made it clear that he does not intend to visit Gallia if it means having to leave "the girls" behind. "They're as much a part of the ship as of the rest of the crew," said Seabourne. "I wish other captains good fortune in Gallia, but for now we will wait, and watch, until we can visit New Paris in full compliance with both Confederation law and the expectations of our passengers for quality entertainment."
A Tongue Too Far?
Captain Jack Ashton continues to make preparations for the inaugural flight of the Boundless Pleasure to Gallia. Such a journey requires medical staff on hand for any emergencies that might happen in deep space, but the cross-border journey necessitates doctors that are as skilled with their tongues as they are with their hands.
"I have been informed by the administration," said Captain Ashton, "that it is necessary that at least one of the members of the medical team provided speaks one of the four major languages spoken in Sirius and Gallia."
Fortunately, Med Force Enterprises, the premier medical group in Sirius, was more than up for the recruitment challenge. "The great thing about Med Force Enterprises," said Dr. John "Doc" Holliday, founder of the humanitarian group, "is that our people come from all houses so at the least, each has their native tongue and a majority are bilingual." It seems every passenger on the Boundless Pleasure will be in good hands if things go wrong and will be in good company if things go according to plan.
Some Friendly Fire
The Shukensha class of liner is a durable and luxurious vessel, well suited to take on the more dangerous corners of Sirius while transporting her charges in comfort. However, Captain Theobald Franklin was not expecting to have to put his vessel's endurance to the test in the heart of Liberty Space.
The Reverie was transporting Envoys from New Tokyo to Grand Vista Orbital for a symposium when it was stopped in Manhattan orbit by the Navy secondary fleet vessel Inceptor. The gunboat demanded the liner to stop, which Captain Franklin complied with. Some confusion over the travel papers for the envoys somehow escalated into the launching of two torpedoes into the side of the Reverie. At point blank range, both hit their mark.
The first shot drained the shields while the second ravaged the hull. However, recent hull armor modifications and some skillful damage control by first mate Mathew Davis ensured that the hull was not breached. The Navy ship apologized for the "accidental" fusillade, but fortunately the only casualty of the event was a culinary one. "Our chef is furious," said Captain Franklin. "His kitchen is completely messed up and a huge pot of tomorrow's goulash was ruined!"
The unfortunate incident does serve as a demonstration of the strength of the passive protections of OS&C vessels, and even provided a source of pride for the crew and passengers aboard. Precious few can say they've been on a ship that was torpedoed, though that club is an exclusive one for a reason.
> > > > Closing Transmission < < < <
OS&C|Breezewood
Captain Jonathan Seabourne, Editor-in-Chief, Wanderlust Magazine
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