| Kensington Shipping Platform
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- The Gold run from the Hood used to be a cake walk back when the Mollys weren't really our enemies. That all changed when the Corsairs came to town. Corsairs have been hurting our operation pretty badly. We lost two Gold shipments in a row last month. If we spot the Mollys and Corsairs going at it, we usually help the Mollys out if we can.
- I'm based in Cambridge most of the time, where Beryllium at Cardiff is mined - I've just shipped a load of it here. Cardiff was the founding operation of the IMG, and it's been going ever since it was established. We usually pick up our Mining Machinery here for the return trip.
- We're just stopping by to pick up basic supplies for the Hood in Dublin. We usually get Food, Water, Oxygen, Pharmaceuticals, and such. There are lots of miners to support out there. We handle those supply runs ourselves - saves the Gateway boys the need to cross into Dublin. The Mollys and Corsairs run a lot of ambushes in Dublin. Some of our pilots are more used to that kind of Borderworld-ish nature.
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| South Shields Refinery
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- We spent nearly a decade walking the tightrope of neutrality through the Gallic War. That almost came to nothing during the Aland Crisis, as Bretonia wanted to collectively punish the Guild, and Gallia wanted to "protect" us by occupying South Shields as a forward base. We burned every political favor and ounce of goodwill we had banked to keep South Shields neutral and avoid that. Many of our Omega brothers resent us for what they see as a lack of solidarity, but there was really no other way.
- Scouting the Tyne Ice Field to look for new deposits of Hydrocarbons has become more dangerous lately. After a long lull, the Outcasts have returned in a big way. We think they're probably protecting their smuggling routes. Stray onto one of those by accident, and they'll kill you dead without a second thought. Back during the War, it actually wasn't so bad. All the fleet action kept the Outcasts away.
- South Shields was one of the IMG's largest bases, up until Singapore -- and Aland, back in the day. Operating margins are pretty tight now. Ironically the Gallic War actually helped a bit with that -- we got a special dispensation from Bretonia to continue selling Water to the citizens on Leeds, which the Gallic occupiers also appreciated. Bretonia desperately needed raw materials too, and purchased our Hydrocarbons at a premium. Of course, after the Glassing, everything went to shit.
- After the Gallic War ended, the Guild tried suing Liberty over the loss of Freeport 4 to force them to build a replacement. The California courts tossed the case, record quick. They argued that Liberty had wartime powers that basically let them steal from us. Soon after they auctioned off the rights for a replacement station, and the Guild weren't even invited to bid. Universal is squatting on our rightful turf now, and I hear there's a drought brewing in California. Shame. Wonder where all the ice miners went?
- The South Shields fuel plant found its feet around 805 AS, after we picked up some ex-Kruger techs who were looking for work after the Colony Wars. H-Fuel resynthesis is an expensive process, and not very efficient. Our backers thought we were mad to try it, but it lets us maintain a private fuel reserve for the Guild's exclusive use. Normally we're deep in the red on this project, but whenever there's a crisis -- a local war, supply disruption in the Sigmas, whatever -- prices spike and we can make good money selling to the market too.
- I was from Freeport 4 originally, put in my years mining Water for California. Dirty work Liberty's corporations didn't want to do. They paid us their thanks in 821 AS, when the Liberty Navy seized the station to hold off the Gallic invasion. There were lofty promises that the Freeport would be returned after the crisis had passed. Of course, by '25 it'd been destroyed and those promises went with the wind.
- A lot of the young pups here ask why the Guild didn't grab Middlesbrough rather than the Tyne when we first struck claims. What they don't realize is how much smaller the Guild was back in the 690s -- we didn't have the capital for an operation like Middlesbrough, and Hydrocarbons were a cheap and profitable operation to set up. Our forebears still got a few jabs in; they contested BMM's claim on Middlesbrough and refused to back off until BMM agreed to an out of court settlement. That's what paid off our first cracking plant.
- Don't head towards the Barrier wisp east of here -- The Craster. The Armed Forces warned us to stay clear of it, saying it's restricted space. That's enough for me, there's nothing of value in those nebulas anyway. BMM learned that the hard way back in the 650s. One of the local Bounty Hunters mentioned he was attacked in there, by Bretonian military ships. He was pretty pissed off about it too.
- Our escort fighters are some of the best in the Colonies, rivaling the military in skill -- you need that to survive Outcast attacks. South Shields' security wing ended up under-strength for most of the Gallic War, because many of our lads joined up with the Armed Forces. They forfeited their Guild membership when doing so, but that's the difference between us and BMM -- we won't bind people with contracts against their will. Folk choose to remain with the Guild. That's one of the things that draws people to our organization.
- South Shields primarily refines Hydrocarbons and Water from the Tyne Ice Field's dirty ice. The Outcasts are the main issue there, but they'll often leave us alone if we stay out of their way. In the old days, we made most of our credits selling purified Water to Leeds, but those days are obviously long gone. The war changed a lot.
- The IMG has its own set of home-grown weapons now. Originally, we'd use whatever we could buy off the markets in Bretonia and Rheinland, but that stopped being practical. BMM, Daumann and Kruger would pull all kinds of dirty tricks, including selling us faulty replacement parts. The "Vampire" series are loosely based on the Bretonian Splitters, but heavily modified so they don't consume as much power. Our escorts are happier knowing that their guns haven't been sabotaged by a jealous rival too.
- South Shields was the first station built in Newcastle. The IMG wanted a foothold in the system before Bowex and BMM could shut us out, and we managed to get in just in the nick of time. You see, by Bretonian law, a system linked to Bretonia by Jump Gate becomes subject to heavy regulations and additional colonial taxes, but any preexisting stations get grandfathered in as permitted structures. We used the same loophole in Tau-23, much to BMM's annoyance.
- Most of our pilots come from Liberty and Bretonia. A lot of workers from Freeport 4 ended up here. Some Red Hessians or Mollys who don't want to be on the wrong side of the law anymore also join up with us. That's why we have a number of Rheinlanders working in Bretonia and vice-versa. Some people need to leave their home to be safe. The IMG doesn't much care about your past so long as you clean up your act.
- BMM and Bowex have been trying to force us out of the system ever since Bretonia built their Jump Gate from Leeds. Bowex in particular feels we "stole" Newcastle out from under their feet. We're not worried, their lobbying has no chance of succeeding. We were building the first parts of South Shields before Bretonia was even done surveying this system. Bureaucracy slows Bowex and BMM down a lot, so we were able to seize the opportunity first.
- I've done near 35 years working for the Guild now. I'm getting ready to hang up my tools and retire to Cambridge. I've got enough in my pocket to pay for the visa, live out the rest of my days with my wife in the rolling hills. Working the Guild is a hard life, but I've built something that's truly mine. Now I can live out my twilight with the people I provided for.
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| Dounby Station
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- The remains of Reunion station and the mine field still linger near the Languedoc hole, the Royals have renamed it "Cordes" now. It's best to stay clear unless you have business there. Most of the mines are still active, and can chew through your shields in seconds. Even if you make it to your escape pod, who will risk their neck to pull you out of there?
- Several Council and Gallic Navy wrecks still float among the asteroids here. There's also a few near the minefield around the Languedoc hole. If you're interested in a deep scan of Gallic ships, checking one of those out should get you what you need. Some of them might even have some equipment left on them.
- We come across Gaians every now and then here in Orkney. I'm not sure where they are coming from, we're a long way from the Harris terraforming project. Not sure what they're doing out here either, unless they've thrown in their lot with the Gauls.
- This system used to be the most quiet corner of Tau space. Sure, there were Outcasts here, but that's the Taus for you. But aside from the occasional scrapes with those, and a lost Gaian now and then, noone ever bothered to go here. Until the Council blew through that ruddy minefield...
- A few days before the Gallic Navy started to pour into this system by the hundreds, a large fleet of Council transports moved through, heading to Tau-23. I'm not sure where they have gone to from there, but the convoy was massive.
- The Outcasts use the same jumpholes we do to move around the area. They often have raiding parties waiting at the jumpholes, so we don't go anywhere without a few escorts. Our transports and freighters are small and well armed. The Houses don't like that, but it is how we stay alive out here.
- The Gallic Police and Gallic Navy don't like going into the asteroid fields. I guess they have grown to rely on their big guns. Can't say I blame them, since they seem to have a lot of those, but big aren't much help asteroid fields. Suits me, us miners prefer to be left alone anyway.
- We've detected small amounts of Cobalt and copper in the Westray field which this base is in. Nothing to write home about yet, but we're not done surveying the entire asteroid field. There might be isolated pockets worth mining. I'm sure Gallia will buy up whatever resources we can mine here.
- Bretonia used to claim this system as part of their house. Well, I've yet to even see a single Bretonian vessel down here, aside from those belonging to the Guild. Bretonia didn't give a damn about this corner of space, a mistake they are now paying for. The Gallic Navy moved every last ship fighting on that front exclusively through here.
- I hear our prospectors found another small patch of Cobalt in the Westray. The density is very low though, so mining the stuff will be slow. Still, if it is enough to keep this base running and everyone on it breathing, I'm not one to complain.
- Dounby was originally intended as an exploration outpost from which we could survey the asteroid fields and planets in this system. That's mostly out the window now, we're still on a Gallic supply route and too close to their space. If Gallia starts to expand, Orkney is likely to be their first port of call. Besides, initial surveys didn't reveal much of use in this system anyway, aside from the resouces here in Westray.
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| Freistadt Base
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- Many IMG miners are sympathetic to the Hessian cause. This has more to do with who these miners are then the IMG: Many of our members are ex-Daumann or ex-Kruger workers who were badly treated by these companies. The Hessians hate the Rheinland mining consortiums for the same reason.
- Watch out for the gas pockets in this system. If you fly through one of those, you are going to become a permanent fixture of your ship. You will melt right into your seat. I've seen it happen; some fool was not being careful and -- kapow! -- vapor.
- It's easy to get lost in here if you leave the Trade Lanes. It's a dangerous system to live in, but being friends with the Hessians helps. Well, not friends, but not enemies either. Imagine getting lost and then beset by pirates. It's over pretty quick.
- I hear word that Dresden is running out of raw materials to mine. That's why it doesn't surprise me to see Daumann sniffing around here. If I had to wager, I'd say they are just testing the waters for a larger operation in Omega-7. They weren't here ten years ago when Dresden was still doing fine. You wait and see. I'm right.
- Usually IMG has to compete with BMM for resources within systems. Here in Omega-7, BMM knows that it would be too costly to start operating where we have already laid stakes. No, this system was left to us. Now I just hope that the Rheinland companies will do the same.
- The Hessians don't really attack us, so that is good. We don't have to fear for our physical safety, but Gateway does all the shipping to this base and their convoys often get attacked on the way in. So the pirates do make our lives a bit harder sometimes, but I'm not going to try and explain that to the Hessians who come here.
- Kruger and Daumann both continue to expand into the system, which forces us to move out further and further from Freistadt in search of new claims. Those blasted companies keep mining out the fields we find, and there's little we can do about it. At least the Hessians give them more grief then they do us.
- Omega-5 is the site of a full scale war between the Corsairs and Hessians. The two factions are vying for control of this critical Jump Hole crossroads in the Omega Sector. Within the area of the no-man's-land and the Hammen Hole are numerous dead ships from both sides. Most are picked clean, but there are some that may still yield some weapons.
- The Republican freight train Bremerhaven was attempting to evade a Corsair attack along the Trade Lane when it blundered into the Furstenfelde gas pocket and was disabled. Attempts to rescue the crew and its cargo of Engine Components were unsuccessful. The drifting ship serves as a reminder of the dangers of venturing off the safe path in the Walker Nebula.
- We were the first ones in this system that decided to try and scratch out a living, mining metals. Recently, the large corporations from Rheinland have moved in; both Daumann and Kruger. It is disturbing to see them coming into our space. Many of us became IMGers to get away from those damned companies.
- This base was left behind by the companies that built the Trade Lanes and Jump Gates in this system. What we mine is the amount that will buy us the Food and supplies we need from Freiburg. We don't need to amass a fortune or anything like that. Just trying to get by.
- This system used to be free from pirates, but after the revolt, the Hessians gathered together and started attacking shipments moving between Rheinland and Bretonia. A lot more of us miners came here after the revolt as well. Daumann and Kruger are both evil companies that worked us for nothing but promises and heartache. I hope the Hessians kill them all.
- The local word is that one of the early Corsair raiding parties into Omega-7 headed straight into the Gubenfelde gas pocket just south of the Omega-3 Gate. It is believed that the remains of at least three ships are still in there.
- The Hessian movement opposes the current expansionist, militaristic government of Rheinland. They're fighting a war on two fronts: One with the Rheinland military forces, the other with the Corsairs. If they could concentrate all their forces on Rheinland, I bet they could beat the military back easily.
- I'm glad I don't work for Kruger anymore. No sir, I wouldn't step foot on that base of theirs for anything. You can bet the men there are working obscene hours, eking out profits for the executives in New Berlin -- and getting shot up by Hessians.
- A Red Hessian attack on the Kruger freighter Monschau failed when the ship attempted to flee. Unfortunately, it flew straight into the Ebersfeld gas pocket that separates the IMG mining area and the Elbich Mining Facility. No one has yet dared to retrieve the cargo of Silver, as the risk of explosion is too high.
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| Java Station
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- We operate this base here because of the rich Niobium deposits. Once it is mined, our pilots ship it out to Holman. From there we don't really care what happens.
- The IMG has treated Gallia just like any other house. We offer to sell them the Niobium and Beryllium we mine in this system. I think Gallia's just using us in that respect, not wanting to risk their own miners against the Outcasts. Those brutes attack us at any chance they get. They're nothing new to us, but the Gallic companies have never come up against such a vicious enemy, I'd wager.
- The Gallic Navy has a heavy presence in this system now. You don't want to get in their way. True, they've thus far left us be and focused their efforts on the neighboring houses, but we don't know how long that is going to last. That king of theirs is a warmonger, I tell you.
- The IMG has gone deep into the riskiest areas of Sirius space looking for valuable minerals. The most dangerous post you can man for the IMG is Falkland, which is hidden among the asteroids of Tau-37. The Outcasts do not know its location, or they would have destroyed it for certain.
- Lots of people who come here think we are a pretty strange breed. It's true we are loners, but if you want to meet some strange ones you should check out the wackos in Tau-37. Those guys get a rush from knowing that Outcasts might kill them at any time.
- It takes a lot to keep an operation like this running. One thing we always need more of is Mining Machinery. We pick it up in Holman, and the surplus is shipped to Falkland.
- The IMG freighter Barossa is believed to have been ambushed by the Outcasts in the Malvinas Cloud while making a routine shipment of Niobium to Java. The Outcasts left the ship adrift after the fight, as a warning to others in the system. The Outcasts have no need for Niobium, so the ship might still have it's cargo.
- It sure is good to see someone who isn't a miner around here. I know there are Gallic and Kusari folks here too, but company staff are usually jerks who can't wait to get out of here. They all think we are weirdoes. You don't think I'm strange, do you? I've been out in the Edge so long I don't even know what's normal anymore.
- Sure, the Outcasts attack this base every once in a while, to disrupt our operations. Their real focus however is on the Gallic Navy now that they've moved in in force. Still, it's kind of a rush, knowing that an Outcast might be sitting there, in the Niobium field, waiting to smoke you. I always get goosebump when I get sent out there, so I guess I like it!
- More than anything else, this is Outcast space. You have to respect that or else they will bury you. Don't underestimate the Outcasts. Generally they leave us alone, but that is because we are smart enough to stay out of their way.
- After the Gallic Navy overran the Council in Languedoc, a lot of ships passed through Tau-23, heading south. It was a hush-hush operation but the size of it has thrown off a lot of rumors. One of them is that an entire planet was evacuated, but I'm not sure if I believe it. Where would you leave that many people?
- The IMG signed a nonagression pact with Gallia mostly because we were pressured into it. The Guild also didn't warn Kusari or Bretonia about an impending attack. I doubt they would have listened, the Council had sent the same warnings months ago and were ignored.
- Niobium is an important Commodity that can be used for several things. That's why we come this far to get it. Once we bring it back here from our mining operations, it is shipped to Freeport 6, and the Zoners take it from there.
- This is dangerous space out here, and the other guys you see here in the Border Worlds are veterans. Anyone who comes here before they are ready doesn't last very long. If you are a Zoner it's a little different, but then the miners you see out here are a different breed, too.
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| Freeport 6
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- The IMG has gone deep into the fringes of Sirius to look for valuable minerals. The most dangerous post you can man for the IMG is Falkland; it's hidden among the asteroids of Tau-37. The Outcasts do not yet know of its location, which is probably why that base still exists. Java is not a whole lot safer, but it is bigger and has better defenses.
- The Niobium deposits found in the systems north of this one are incredible. The best IMG pilots ship Niobium to Liberty and Bretonia from Falkland or Java. Getting to Bretonia is difficult these days, as the Gallic folks don't like the idea of us IMG pilots supplying their enemies. Still, IMG pilots know how to get around outside of the Jump Gates and Trade Lanes, it is how we prospered, and still do.
- This system was one of the reasons that Interspace became an insurer and not a lender. It was the loans that Rheinland and Kusari took from Interspace to finance these Border World Jump Gates and Trade Lanes that bankrupted the two houses. They defaulted on their loans to Interspace and embargoed Liberty to make their point. Interspace chose to take the loss rather then scuttle the Gates and Lanes - something they probably could have done, but that would have meant war.
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| Holman Outpost
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- Holman isn't on the frontline anymore. Wouldn't surprise me if it happened again though. Last time we saw a war this big was when Rheinland started to create a mess all over Sirius. They ran out of steam pretty quick though. What did they call it, the "Nomad" war?
- I used to work for BMM until I discovered that they didn't care about me. That's why I joined the IMG -- to be my own boss. I get paid for the amount of Water and Oxygen I mine -- not some set salary that is always going to keep me under someone's thumb.
- Kusari got ambushed in this system. The Kusari battleship Yamaguchi sustained heavy damage, and was cut off from Kusari. It withdrew into Bretonia, and from what I've heard, has now joined with Bretonian forces against Gallia. The Bretonian battleship Macduff which was defending Harris also got hit hard.
- Being an independent miner isn't a picnic, but at least we don't have to answer to some corporate task master. That's why we can expand more quickly than the larger corporations, like BMM. They paid tremendously for Jump Gates to Tau-23; we used Jump Holes and got there first, and that's why the Niobium is ours.
- If you want to be a successful IMG miner, you have to know the locations of Jump Holes. There are at least two in this system: the Hole to Edinburgh is in the west of the system, and the Hole to Tau-29 is due north of this base just beyond the parallel of the sun.
- We've begun selling water and oxygen to the Gallic Navy. They've got quite an overstretched supply line as is, and if we weren't selling it to them I suspect they'd seize this mining operation for themselves. Bretonia isn't going to like us doing this, but what choice do we have?
- The IMG brings Niobium to this base from our station in Tau-23. That is a dangerous piece of space, but we get regular shipments from Java. The Outcasts often attack those convoys on the way back, stealing supplies they can use themselves.
- We used to supply the terraforming operation on Harris with water. Terraforming a desert world takes a lot of water after all, and bringing the Leeds kind wasn't what Planetform had in mind. The Kusari and Gallic invasions have ground that operation to a halt. We don't make nearly as much as before, and all these Refugees crowding the station do not help either.
- The Whetstone never completed its scheduled run from Holman to the Tau-31 Gate construction site. The cargo of Robotics is likely still intact because it is not valuable enough to the Outcasts to haul away. It most likely lies somewhere in the system's northwest quadrant.
- I'm glad that Gallic Battleship has finally left. This station has suffered enough damage for one war. We're still trying to repair the damage the Yamaguchi did when it was stationed here.
- Our ships are one of the few Sirian factions that don't draw much attention with the Gallic Navy. Some of our transports make their way into Gallia to pick up some exotic supplies and bring them here, or further into Sirius. If you try and cross the lines into Bretonia with those, the Gallic Navy will shoot you down.
- This is the first of the Border World systems north of Bretonian space, and from here it gets crazier the farther you go. I like it here because it isn't too dangerous, but you still get away from colonial control. Mining Water and Oxygen isn't too profitable, but it's a job. Sometimes we are contacted to pull asteroids out of the Trade Lanes, too.
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| Singapore Shipyard
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- While IMG shipyards usually accept commissions by other factions, Singapore doesn't get many of those. The occasional Freelancer or Zoner may stop by, but the remote location of this yard doesn't make it easily available to people. The kind of folk that do come here for a commission usually don't want the authorities to know about it. I don't like it, but that's how it works out in the Borderworlds.
- Quite a handy packet they have here. Most of the raw materials needed to keep this yard afloat are imported from the Timor and Java mining bases. But that's just the bulk minerals, for the hightech stuff we still rely mostly on imports. Most of it used to come from Bretonia, but nowadays we import most from Kusari. With the war and all, it's easier that way.
- Most of the craft being built or overhauled here are large asteroid miners, or large transport ships. Very large ships require a spacedock to lock them down while they are being maintained. Even for smaller ships such a dock is useful, because the facilities and lighting a dock offers make working on a ship much easier.
- Watch out if you go towards the nearby nebula. Large parts of it have highly unstable gases, which tend to react violently with standard engine exhausts. Heavy shielding helps a lot - fighters are advised to stay out of there unless on the short stretch to Tau-39. Bigger ships can often evade raiders by going into a nebula like that - smaller craft will quickly succumb, but stronger ships can shrug the explosive blasts off, and even intentionally trigger them to damage any pursuers.
- Seen my beautiful ship in the dry docks? She's a lovely one alright. Haven't had a chance to get her a proper overhaul for months now. Our normal docks were too full and Aland is just too far away. This shipyard's got plenty of room though, and a brilliant equipment setup too.
- When the Colonials left they took everything they could with them, leaving nothing behind for the Gallic invaders. Except this shipyard. It's too large to be deconstructed and moved, but it's well hidden. We keep it operational for our own needs.
- The Colonials handed over official control of the station to us soon after the Gallic invasion started. Thanks to our neutrality, the shipyards have been kept out of Gallic hands. Our mining fleet has definitely benefitted from having such a large shipyard at their disposal. When the Colonials controlled the station it was mainly used for military purposes. Now all of its capacity goes to our mining fleet.
- I hear the Gallic's want to colonize Borneo. The Colonials had enough trouble when they had a steady flow of resources going for it, how do the Gallics think they will manage it with their supply lines getting hit by the Outcasts all the time?
- The exploration cruisers we operate are generally built here. We used to build fullsized carriers as well, but getting the necessary construction materials has become much harder without the Colonial industry supporting the shipyard. Importing parts is impractical because of the remote location of this yard.
- Singapore is the second largest shipyard the IMG has, second only to Aland in Omega 3. Singapore handles most of the large ship construction and maintenance in the Tau region. Anything Jakarta can't handle gets sent here.
- It is both a blessing and a curse to be this remote. The closest friendly bases are those in the neighboring Tau-39 system, but those won't be quick to respond if there's trouble here. Luckily, there's rarely trouble here, since the Outcast bases are even further away then our own, and Gallia hasn't shown any intention to give us trouble here.
- Most of this system has fallen under Gallic influence now. I suspect they wanted it as a flank to hit Kusari on, but that fight seems to have ended. I'm not sure what they want with this system now. Borneo isn't ready for habitation, and aside from this station, there's only the Minato civilian spaceport left.
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| Madeira Base
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- Yeah, I used to be a Hessian. Why'd I give it up, you ask? Honestly, I'm not cut out for the fighting. It never sat right with me that we were killing and robbing the people we were supposedly fighting for. Normally, being a Hessian is for life and you don't get to just leave, but with how close they are with the Guild, there wasn't much my former superiors could do.
- Before the civil war in Rheinland, I ran a small business on Stuttgart with my wife. When the Imperialist riots broke out, we knew we had to escape. We sold it all at a deflated price and hitched a ride with a Guild transport. The military government here had a shocking shortage of administrative staff, so now we help coordinate supply deliveries with IMG bases elsewhere in the Omegas. I'm not actually sure we're any better off than we would have been if we'd stayed.
- We’ve had a lot of refugees pouring in lately. Between the Gallic war, our beef with Bretonia, the Rheinland civil war, and now this mess with the backstabbing Crayter "Republic," there’s no shortage of hands around here. That’s good news, though - it means we can shove more of ‘em out there to hunt for silver and whatever else might be worth something. Sometimes, you gotta toss enough bodies at a problem to get it solved. Think they all make it back? Nah, we’d risk starving the station if they did.
The Corsairs don’t know exactly where this base is, but they don’t care - they’ll slaughter any miner they catch out in the field. Honestly, I’ve started seeing it as a win-win situation. Cold? Yeah, maybe. But we’ve got way too many mouths to feed for what the station can handle right now. Guess that changes if we strike it big with a juicy deposit somewhere. Until then, it is what it is.
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| Freeport 10
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- The toughest and bravest miners in all of Sirius work at the Falkland. Death looms over all of our heads every day, but we have a good hiding spot and the Niobium profits are incredible, so long as we can keep the Outcasts off our backs.
- An identifier from one of our destroyed ships came back online a few days ago. That is very strange, since we are certain that the ship was destroyed. Whoever cloned the ship I.D. is a cruel deceiver. The dead pilot's wife has been frantic hoping he's still alive since the signature came back up.
- Almost all of the basic supplies used in Falkland are brought there by us from this base. It's a dangerous run because we could be discovered by the Outcasts. If they followed us back to our base, we would all be killed.
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| Falkland Base
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- Falkland is supplied almost entirely by the Zoner base in this system. We can't make supply runs too frequently for fear of being discovered by the Outcasts, and when we do we send our best pilots
- The Bounty Hunters are often a valuable decoy. They've tried to patsy us for their activities a few times, but I don't think they know we use them as well. A few well-placed rumors on Freeport 10 can cause Hunters and Outcasts to clash at a position of our choosing, which distracts them long enough for one of our convoys to slip through. Most of the time.
- We don't get many visitors here. We like it that way. The fewer people that know about this base, the better. If the Outcasts get wind of us being here we'll be under constant attack. Like Java, but worse.
- Niobium mining is the only thing we are here for, and the only thing we are concerned with. That, and staying alive long enough so that we make enough to get out. Basic supplies come from the Freeport and from Java, but we have to stockpile a bit since you never know when the Outcasts might take out a shipment.
- Some dirty Bounty Hunter paid me for poor old Rodney's ship identifier. I didn't know the jerk would use it right here in this system; I thought he'd be setting traps somewhere else. If they find out I'm the one who sold it to him, the other miners are going to kill me.
- The IMG freighter Barossa is believed to have been ambushed by the Outcasts in the Malvinas Cloud while making a routine shipment of Niobium to Java. The Outcasts left the ship adrift after the fight, as a warning to others in the system. The Outcasts have no need for Niobium, so the ship might still have it's cargo.
- It's not for everyone, living on this base, under the constant threat of annihilation by the Outcasts. Were it not for the value and rarity of Niobium, noone in their right mind would have set up shop on the Outcasts doorstep. But we have.
- Mining Machinery is brought here from Java. If we are going to leave the system, we will take the Niobium we have mined and deliver it to Freeport 6, where it can be distributed.
- The slave revolt has been a tipping point in our struggle against the Outcasts here. And while the revolt did fail in ousting the maskers from their position of power entirely, it has leveled the playing field for the rest of us. We plan to send envoys to Freeport 10 as a show of support, together we might deter any acts of aggression the "victors" of this war might be planning.
- This base can't last. It is too remote, even for the Guild. If the Outcasts ever attack it in force there'll be nothing we can do. We don't have the number of ships that they have, and we can't call in a house navy like BMM would. I hope there's an evacuation plan, or there's going to be hundreds of dead miners when the time comes. I also hope I'll be long gone by then.
- There's two kinds of miners on Falkland. Those who have no choice, and those who have no fear. Those who have no choice come only for the credits. If they live long enough to make what they need, they'll run back to the colonies. Those who have no fear never leave Tau-37. Eventually the Outcasts see to that. How long they survive depends on how well they handle themselves in space combat.
- This place is as far away as you can get from house space. We are in the middle of nowhere unless you count the Outcasts. Me, I don't give them lads any mind. If they kill us, then they kill us, a man doesn't control when his ticket gets punched.
- My brother works for BMM. There is no way I would ever do that work. BMM will work you to death and then dock your pay for sleeping on the job when you keel over. I've got my pride. I don't need some damn overseer yelling at me about corporate profits and what not. It's just me, the Niob and the Outcasts out here. And the Outcasts you can shoot back at.
- The richest deposits of Niobium aren't directly around this base but further northwest. The Outcasts know this as well, and have been looking for our base in that direction as a result. Their raiders are also much more numerous in that field, so watch your back if you go there.
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| Planet Gran Canaria
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- We'll usually side with the Mollys if we see them and the Corsairs clash. The Corsairs are driven only by greed. The Mollys are simply fighting for what they feel is theirs by the sweat of their brows. If you've been treated like a slave for most of your life, wouldn't you demand compensation from your captor? That's how most Mollys feel towards Bretonia, and especially BMM.
- I've just delivered a group of settlers to the surface. Ah, right. Refugees. Well, I suppose that depends how you look at it. Regardless, the Zoners don't seem to mind our people making a home for themselves here, although sharing a planet with the Corsairs is bound to be a battle in the making.
- Freighter runs like these don't pay much more than a borderworld run. The people who take them however are a different breed. Supply of our military is vital to keeping IMG alive in the southern Omegas. I don't have the skill to be a fighter pilot, but by doing this, I can do my part for the guild.
- I'm here on vacation. I used to work on the Guild's gold mining operations out of Hood, in Dublin. Recently I found a very rich gold asteroid, almost solid gold, out in the Hood field which was supposed to be mined out! Not sure how it got there but I'm not complaining, me and my crew can take the rest of the year off.
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| Planet Tangier
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- The Coalition commissars are strict with their own men, and keep a close eye on the few foreigners that pass through. They mostly leave us alone though, probably because we couldn't pose much of a threat to them even if we wanted to.
- The lads back at Madeira haven't found much silver or copper in this region of the Walker. Some of them have turned to buying slog -- or "carix", I guess -- from the Mollys who produce the stuff. Only a few Guildsmembers partake; most of what they buy gets smuggled into Rheinland. I don't feel so good about sellin' the shite to people down on their luck, I've heard nasty rumors about what it does. But the money's really good, and the Mollys are our friends. God knows they need the support right now.
- I came here as part of Alistair's crew from Pecos. I don't give a damn what he says, I miss the snow and ice. Thank god this coat is fire-retardant.
- The Hessians are an extremely militarized organization, especially on the Omega front. The Hammen Hole is no joke. But these Coalition guys take it to another level entirely. I wouldn't mess with them if I were you.
- I used to work for Kruger in Sigma-15. It's a hell of a change of pace, but Tangier isn't so bad. The volcanoes are absolutely beautiful - it's like the planet itself is happily offering its riches up to us with every eruption. The Hessians are a rough crowd, but with them and the Coalition keeping us safe, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be working. It's good to be free.
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| Barrier Gate Station A
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- The Guild were overjoyed when the Armstrong went down, even more when the Crayter Republic moved in afterwards. That put an end to Liberty's plans for Coronado, while Crayter were good friends who'd shut the Outcast menace down. Then Crayter got snared by Liberty supplies, corporations, and debt. After they betrayed us at Aland, what had looked like a great deal became a nightmare.
- We rotate shifts from our Copper refineries on Pecos so that everyone has a chance to get off-world for a while. Ever since DSE set up their own refinery, business hasn't been doing so hot. Folks come here for the less... legal fun, that can help wash away worries. Watch the casino though. They say the Outcasts are behind it, and they'll kill a man who racks up too much debt.
- Folks aren't sure exactly who blew up the Armstrong. Allegedly pirates, but who really knows? My money is either on the Outcasts who were worried about their smugglers, or Crayter, who wanted Yuma for themselves. People think that last one is a reach, but knowing what we do now, could you really say they wouldn't?
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| Pecos, Camp Lister
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- Jericho is the Guild's biggest local concern right now. We figured from the radiation field that there might be fissiles on the moon and had planned on pushing Crayter out so we could land mining probes. Seems unlikely anyone is getting down there now, and no-one knows what it'll do next.
- We've got no love of Liberty here. When they occupied Freeport 4 during the Gallic War, some of the ejected Guildsmen ended up here. I understand it was the GRN that killed '4, but Liberty made promises to return our property, like for like. After the war, they auctioned off the lane junction to Universal Shipping, didn't even let us bid. Liberty's word is worth a handful of credits.
- I've got your poison, if you've got the credits. Since the Jump Gate to Cortez opened, imports have been cheaper. Price of Copper crashed too, what with DSE muscling in. That said, word is that they might not be around much longer, Jericho burned them pretty bad.
- We know there's a big smuggling route through this system. It's a long way from this base though, so we have no reason to go looking. You learn that quickly in the Taus. Outcasts will kill for bad reasons or no reason at all, but when they're on business, you avert your eyes and let them be. Usually they'll pass on by.
- Interspace would never insure our operations in Coroanado, said they were "too risky". Of course, they still underwrote the Cortez Jump Gate and gave DSE a policy -- the hypocrites. Not that it seems to have done DSE much good. Apparently Interspace is refusing to pay out for Scottsdale, calling the Jericho Blast an "act of god".
- For the first few decades, there were only a handful of us breaking ice on Pecos. That rose to a few hundred during the Tau War, as crews from Java joined us to get out of the firing line. When we leased land to Crayter refugees during the Gallic War, we were probably outnumbered ten thousand to one, at least.
- DSE converting their Gate Construction Site into a Copper refinery was a real nightmare situation for the Guild. Copper prices were already falling, and Liberty was obviously using them to get their claws into Coronado. In that sense, Jericho did us a favor. The electro-pulse hurt Pecos, but hit Scottsdale far worse.
- I was recently took a trip to Falkland. That place is a mess. The Gallic War really took a toll on the folks there, and it never really got better. Jericho going bang was god-damn terrifying, but I'd still rather be here than Tau-37.
- We don't often venture into the nearby Barrier nebula, at least not into the parts that aren't charted. Ships get lost there and aren't seen again. I've heared rumors on Barrier Gate that smuggler ships sometimes vanish too. Better to stick to open space when possible, at least you see what's coming. Assuming Jericho doesn't toast you, anyway.
- The Guild's resolved to stand our ground here. Jericho could blast us again, but we'll weather the storm, whatever it takes. That's the benefit of being in the Guild -- mutual aid. When we're in trouble, we rally together. The lads at Holman have already placed Optronics orders with Gateway, and then we'll ship them the last leg ourselves through the Barrier Pass.
- We've expanded the refineries here recently, meaning we can use bigger machinery and employ more workers -- and there's more than ever fleeing BMM. We don't mine much of the Copper here on Pecos any more, most of it comes in from the Sierra Vista if you want to try your hand.
- There's plenty of weird things in Coronado, places you shouldn't go. As of recently, most people have put Pecos on that list. When the shield went up on Jericho, damn near all our sensors burned out. Luckily most of our colony is underground and that seems to have taken the worst of the edge off, but we're going to have an uphill job getting everything fixed up.
- After being forcibly evicted from Tau-44 by the Gallic Royal Navy, the Crayter Republic came here. We erected refugee camps on Pecos and leased land for their temporary hab-blocks. We paid out of pocket for that, to protect their people. That makes their treachery at Aland Shipyard all the more painful.
- The old Crayter refugee camps were clustered around thermal vents for heating. They're all abandoned now, the settlers got sent off to Yuma. Any lagging behind got kicked out after the Nagapasa Incident. The hab blocks will fall apart over the next few years, probably. They were never built to last.
- The IMG and Crayter used to be best pals, back in the day. We gave them material support while they were finding their feet in Tau-44, and in exchange, their fighter wings made Tau-23 feel safe for the first time in a generation. Of course, it all went to pot with the Gallic War...
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| Barrier Gate Station B
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- The Guild were overjoyed when the Armstrong went down, even more when the Crayter Republic moved in afterwards. That put an end to Liberty's plans for Coronado, while Crayter were good friends who'd shut the Outcast menace down. Then Crayter got snared by Liberty supplies, corporations, and debt. After they betrayed us at Aland, what had looked like a great deal became a nightmare.
- We rotate shifts from our Copper refineries on Pecos so that everyone has a chance to get off-world for a while. Ever since DSE set up their own refinery, business hasn't been doing so hot. Folks come here for the less... legal fun, that can help wash away worries. Watch the casino though. They say the Outcasts are behind it, and they'll kill a man who racks up too much debt.
- Folks aren't sure exactly who blew up the Armstrong. Allegedly pirates, but who really knows? My money is either on the Outcasts who were worried about their smugglers, or Crayter, who wanted Yuma for themselves. People think that last one is a reach, but knowing what we do now, could you really say they wouldn't?
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| Barrier Gate Station C
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- The Guild were overjoyed when the Armstrong went down, even more when the Crayter Republic moved in afterwards. That put an end to Liberty's plans for Coronado, while Crayter were good friends who'd shut the Outcast menace down. Then Crayter got snared by Liberty supplies, corporations, and debt. After they betrayed us at Aland, what had looked like a great deal became a nightmare.
- Folks aren't sure exactly who blew up the Armstrong. Allegedly pirates, but who really knows? My money is either on the Outcasts who were worried about their smugglers, or Crayter, who wanted Yuma for themselves. People think that last one is a reach, but knowing what we do now, could you really say they wouldn't?
- We rotate shifts from our Copper refineries on Pecos so that everyone has a chance to get off-world for a while. Ever since DSE set up their own refinery, business hasn't been doing so hot. Folks come here for the less... legal fun, that can help wash away worries. Watch the casino though. They say the Outcasts are behind it, and they'll kill a man who racks up too much debt.
- The Crayter Republic withdrew to here after being forced out of their own system in the Taus by the Gallic Navy. They use our Pecos base as a refuge for now, but will likely want to try and inhabit Yuma. But they have to solve the same problems DSE faced in their attempts, in removing the native plant life. I think they have a good chance, they've got more resources out here than just a single survey vessel.
- I'm sure we'll catch the blame for the Armstrong's demise, but what the hell was DSE thinking sending an unescorted survey vessel out this far? Those arrogant bastards have themselves to blame. I hear not a single lifepod made it out, which would account for several hundred dead. I wonder if any of them made it to the planet surface.
- The DSE survey vessel Armstrong was destroyed in a pirate attack. Can't say I'm unhappy about it. We know damn well that this is a prime smuggling route into Liberty, and I think the Rogues were as unhappy with DSE nosing around here as we were. I guess they finally did something about it, which is more than I can say for the IMG.
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| Lewes Shipping Platform
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- I've just dropped off a load of Super Alloy and I'll make a quick trip with Mining Machinery to Toronto before heading back to Scarborough with Platinum.
- I can believe that LPI is too chicken to retaliate for Red Deer Station, but that doesn't mean the Navy should sit around on its thumbs. I guess the Admirals figure the Rogues would never be so brazen as to attack us directly like that. I bet that's what those poor schlubs at Red Deer thought just before the station exploded.
- Bowex is busier than ever these days. The end of the war with Kusari has created some interesting trade opportunities. Hopefully we'll be poised to exploit them to the hilt.
- I've heard some quiet chatter that we're selling Military Vehicles to the Council's planets, up in Gallia. That's probably a good move. The more the Gallic Royal Navy has to worry about their rear area, the less they can focus on the front line against us.
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