Bowex Database

[jammi]

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Memo #1095812-1/5: Required reading.

We've taken the more appropriate extracts from a popular history book, so it should all make sense. Ah yes, men and gentleladies, as a part of our Next Generation Bowex movement with all it's rather awe inspiring steps into the future, you're now being forced to learn about our past. That is a direct order from management, so get your reading spectacles out sharpish. Chop chop!

And yes I've already, ahem, read all this. Expect a small fine if you don't read it. And we do know if you've read it. Really, we do. There's computer men we've hired for the purpose. ~Maloney

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Document #1920182-1/11: Past and present, tributary corporations.

Bowex's earliest roots can be found in the Bretonia Exploration & Trade Company, founded in 66 A.S. As well as early inter-system trade, BE&T were responsible for the discovery of and initial surveys of Leeds, Manchester, and Cambridge, as well as the playing a major role in the subsequent colonization of Planets Leeds and Cambridge through the facilitatation of BE&T transports. Despite the fact that colonial authority of Leeds was granted to the Bretonian Manufacturing Company by Prince Harry XII, actual communication and traffic between the stars was entirely BE&T's domain.

Because of the vast startup costs of any spacing combine, BE&T maintained a virtual monopoly on nonmilitary Bretonian spacing interests well into the third century AS, estabishing contracts with Ageria in 132 AS to construct the Leeds-London Jump Gates. By 203, those contracts had been long completed and purchased in full by BE&T. The branch of BE&T, Bretonia Trade Networks, which maintained the tolls on the was the main reason BE&T was capable of buying out its competitors in 310.

~A Bretonian Odyssey; Corporate Conglomerate's 66 A.S - 816 A.S. Sir Arthur Lemming

Cambridge Shipping, which was founded in 263 just after Omega Three was discovered, grew to dominate much of the Bretonia/Rhienland trade outside of the proprietary BE&T gate network. Most of it's trade was conducted serving as an intermediary between Republican Shipping and BE&T in the border worlds.

Cambridge Shipping came to gather many lucrative shipping contracts from Republican Shipping, which would enable them to purchase goods at the manufacturers rates. This allowed them to make large profits by selling the same goods to BE&T for a markedly higher price. This was a source of much tension between the two companies, and helped set up the circumstances of the Great Buyout of 310.

~A Bretonian Odyssey; Corporate Conglomerate's 66 A.S - 816 A.S. Sir Arthur Lemming

Heirs Re Group was founded by a conglomerate of private investors during the industrialization of London and Leeds. The company grew to provide the premier spacing insurance of early Bretonia. The group also brought in revenue from ownership of many of the private banking and loan organizations on both Leeds and London. It was a heavy investor in the Cambridge 20 research projects, especially during the famines of 282.

~A Bretonian Odyssey; Corporate Conglomerate's 66 A.S - 816 A.S. Sir Arthur Lemming

//Massive thanks go to Unselie for the dedication and time poured into Bowex. She wrote this history material, and for it we're all grateful. -Later expanded on by myself and other members.-//

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[jammi]

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Memo #1095812-2/5: Required reading.

Hullo there! I've got some more reading for you now. It follows on from the previous exerts, and is again, a mandatory experience. So, no shirking from duty and trying to avoid it! That means you Mr. Bellock! Now, I do believe you've all got something to be doing. ~Maloney

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Document #1920182-2/11: The buyout and merger of 310.

In 310, BE&T found itself sitting atop, by that point, six jump gates in three systems which the Heirs Re Group had been trying to seize for decades. Bouyed by Republican Shipping and Cambridge Shipping investments, Heirs Re led a boycot of BE&T interests by independent shippers, and later a short sale of BE&T stocks, intentionally selling at lower than equitable prices to cripple the BE&T bastion. Because it was unwiling to risk the gate network as collateral for any substantial loans, BE&T was forced into bankruptcy, and seized by the crown.

Prince Henry XXI, now in possession of the Gate network and a decimated home economy, mortgaged the gate network to Interspace Commerce and used the proceeds to buy Cambridge Shipping and Heirs Re Group, both hit hard by their gambit, and forced the merger of the three into Border World Exports, which he awarded a Royal Charter and assigned to the task of paying off the mortgage on the now public Gate Network, while BMM was granted a contract from Interspace to begin construction on Bretonia's first tradelanes.

The Borderworld Exports Combine which emerged from the collapse of 310, though it was originally an enterprise of considerable risk, benifited from the merger in multiple forms. It owned and ran its own banking, investment and insurance concerns, formerly the Heirs Re Group, dominated inter bretonian trade from the BE&T contracts, and was easily outcompeting Rhienlandish interests in the Omegas, as Republican Shipping had seen its longtime omega competitor, Cambridge Shipping, added to the powerhouse of the native Bretonian economy. ~A Bretonian Odyssey; Corporate Conglomerates, 66 A.S - 816 A.S. Sir Arthur Lemming

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[jammi]

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Memo #1095812-3/5: Required reading.

Why hello there! It's me again. Once more, you're required to read the following. It's a brief synopsis on the fleet's most venerable of craft, the Henry VIII. This veritable gold mine of social and historical importance has formed a critical core of our very corporate image for several centuries now. It is management's wish that you now learn more of this truly extraordinary vessel. That will be all. Get reading! ~Maloney

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Document #1920182-3/5: The Historical Assets of Borderworld Exports.

The Henry VIII was originally crafted in Southampton Shipyard two-hundred and fifty one years ago in 568 AS. The VIII was originally the ruling Monarchs (Queen Elizabeth IV) personal liner. Three years after the Queens death, fifty seven years later, the VIII was due to be decommissioned and torn apart to create a new generation of Liner. Instead of being consigned to a grim death at the hands of a welding saw, Borderworld Exports recognised its potential as a future corporate flagship.

After placing a bid on the then derelict Liner, the hulk was sold on at its scrap price, much to the jubilation of the Bowex Board of Directors. It was in general agreement that the VIII was an investment well made. Bowex immediately set to renovating the ship at their facilities at Scarborough Shipyard, investing millions of credits into the project and creating employment for hundreds of people throughout the development.

The VIIIs refitting was eventually completed in 639 AS, fourteen long years after Bowexs initial purchase, placing the ship at a venerable age of 71. After this the VIII came into active service as Bowexs flagship, where it played host to a plethora of diplomatic meetings and social occasions. The Liner could frequently be spotted in New Londons orbit, although its role as Bowexs flagship often took it abroad to all three Houses.

Over the following centuries, the VIII gained a reputation as a well maintained and stylish ship, and was a frequent destination for senior employees for rest and relaxation. However, the aura of peace and tranquillity that surrounded the ship was shattered after the blight of war fell over Bretonia, with the encroaching Kusari invading the Leeds system.

The Liner was sometimes used to evacuate refugees from Planet Leeds itself, and move them to Port Jackson on Planet Sydney where they could begin a new life, or simply bide their time until it was safe to return home. These duties raised public opinion of Bowex as a company, as well as the public profile of the ship itself. During such operations, the VIII wouldn't be seen without a powerful escort, consisting of escort fighters and heavy transports.

The VIII was scheduled for refits at Baltimore Shipyard in Liberty on it's two-hundred and fiftieth birthday, due to the strain placed by the war on Bretonian shipyards closing them to public access. The ship underwent modernisation and upgrades, although the primary purpose of the refits was to overhaul the interior in preparation for it's upcoming role as a museum ship orbiting Planet New London.

The VIII will be embracing this role from the 21st of February, 818 A.S, when it will be officially opened by the Prime Minister. In the same ceremony, the latest addition to the fleet, the Royal Liner Victoria will be announced as the new corporate flagship.

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[jammi]

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Memo #1095812-4/5: Required reading.

Ah your knowledge, much alike Kusari's fast food industry and Liberty's deficit, is ever growing! Or at least it shall be once you've been forced to read the below corporate document, detailing the latest addition to our fleet, the to-be corporate flagship Victoria. I need not tell you this is mandatory, do I? And for those niggling dissidents, yes, I do read these documents too. For example I could describe the ancestry of our great corporation in Cambridge Shooters, Hears Ree and BEAST. See, I know just as much as you, if not more! Now hop to! We're not paying you to complain! ~Maloney

[color=#FFCC66]Corporate Internal Memo #1920182-4/5: Modern Day Assets of Borderworld Exports.

The Victoria I was originally commissioned in early 817 A.S. as a memorial to the terrible loss of the Bretonian men and women killed during the war, specifically the fall of Glasgow Outpost and the lives of employees lost therein. Shortly after the fall of Glasgow, national and corporate moral was at an all time low - it was decided that a new symbol of hope was required to rekindle national pride and ferocity.

The ship had to be authorised specifically by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Sir Edward Grey, in order to circumvent the ban on non essential public ship construction in Bretonian nationalised shipyards. Taking almost a year to construct, the external hull was fabricated at Scarborough Shipyard, while internal components were outsourced to independent contractors on Planets Leeds and New London.

Part of the reason for the approval was the amount of work it would generate for the populace as a whole, although rumours hint that the support of the majority of the Cambridge Deans (who had been promised access to the construction site for their students of solar engineering) may have played quite a role in influencing the decision.

Designed on the same principles as the VIII, the Victoria is extravagant to the extreme - a sign of Bretonia's progress into the future, unphased by war or strife. There are a number of business conference rooms, as well as sleeping quarters for crew and guests.

When the Victoria's commission was first announced, bookies all over New London and Leeds opened shop to take bets on which ship would take the crown of the next corporate flagship: the Victoria or the Majestic Skies? - those who placed their money on the Victoria are now a little richer.

The shuttle bay's rear wall is ostentatiously clad in black marble, in which are carved the names of every single man and woman who fell in the defence of, and during the capture of LD-14 and Glasgow Outpost. This sets a sombre, yet dignified setting for all who enter.

The Victoria will be officially declared Bowex's new corporate flagship on the 21st of February, 818 A.S, when the Henry VIII will be retired from the role in order to act as a museum ship orbiting New London. A separate opening ceremony will be held after the VIII's, attended by all of Bowex's senior management, various members of the aristocracy and several high profile politicians. Employees, members of the public and foreign citizens are also welcome to attend, once the price for a ticket has been paid.

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[cmfalconer]

Good day all. Another small set of required reading. The first is the entrepreneurial vision of Captain Gerome Bertram Hollingsworth.

Corporate Internal Document #1920182-4/5: Historical reference of Company Subdivision Holdings - Majestic Skies

The Majestic Skies was to be the first of a new batch of Royal Liners commissioned by Bowex in 798 AS in response to the rise in tourism industry in and around the Sirius sector. With the positioning of the OSC Hawaii and OSC Shetland in 791AS, Orbital Spa & Cruise got the jump on the burgeoning industry, but Bowex was not to be outdone.

In 795 AS, plans were first drawn for this new Royal Liner, originally named Phoenix, as it was to rise from the old designs of the venerable Liners of old such as the Henry VIII and the Britannia. The keel was first laid in 797 AS at Southampton Shipyards, with final construction happening at Scarborough Station. The name of the new ship was changed after a passage in a communique from Queen Carina herself, read at the christening ceremony, stated "[color=#FFFFFF]May this new Royal Liner, and those that will follow her, soar the majestic skies of Bretonia for generations to come." (Queen Carina - Royal Communique 27A341, 798 AS)

The newly christened Majestic Skies could not have come at a worse time for Bowex, and it's new division Bowex Cruise Lines. In it's first year of service, the upper crust of Bretonia and Liberty both enjoyed the many luxuries of the ship. But the closed-door policy of Rheinland and the insular Kusari remained off-limits to the ship, and to Bowex Cruise Lines. In 799, the keel of the second ship, the Tranquil Skies, was put on hold as military buildups throughout the sector caused a push at Southampton and Scarborough for "more economical" ships.

The Nomad war, and subsequent strife between the Houses of Bretonia and Kusari, caused the sister ship's keel to be converted into what is now the battleship Ark Royal, completed in 809 AS. As such, Bowex Cruise Lines is still only operating the one ship. With tensions lessened with Rheinland, the Skies did open new routes, whisking passengers and elites to the vistas of Munich, the Sigmas, and the upper Omegas.

Because of the turmoil of the Nomad War, Bowex used it's substantial influence in Sirius corporate economics to barter trade deals with Orbital Spa & Cruise that allows the Majestic Skies to use their bases as a port of call for next to nothing. Also because of recent wars between Houses, the Majestic Skies can also from time to time be seen flying Refugees from the stricken planet of Leeds to Port Jackson, allowing the poor souls who have lost everything a modicum of luxury before they are repatriated on Planet Sydney (or Grand Canaria, as it is colloquially known).

Though it did lose the battle to become Bowex's new flagship to the Victoria I, the Majestic Skies continues to be one of the prides of Bretonia; a symbol of the Queen's power and grace as it makes its way throughout Sirius.

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