The Junkers Congress

This is a player faction. For the affiliated NPC faction, see Junkers

The Junkers Congress
Origin
Alignment	Quasi-legal
Profile
Date of founding	unknown
Founder(s)	Vladimir Tinkerbell
Current leader(s)	Chief Arbiter Hannibal Bishop
Base of operations	unknown
Primary role
To provide security for all Junkers throughout Sirius
Secondary role
Smuggling, Extortion, Power-brokering, Covert Ops

History

Where there’s junk, there are the Junkers. They’ve been around since the earliest days of the Trade Lanes. Descended from the working classes, they developed within the House systems as a sort of necessary evil, handling the dirty work that no one else would. They do well salvaging valuable materials from the ever-increasing debris fields throughout Sirius, with the notable exception of Kusari. To this day they remain held at bay by the Hogosha. Anyone who deals with Junkers knows they live by a strict code; if you're not a Junker, you're not part of the family. A Junker will double-cross a non-Junker without a second thought, and they're fiercely protective of each other. Most House corporations consider the Junkers to be simple criminals, but Junkers will occasionally do favors for the police, turning in the odd, mid-level criminal or letting them know about the occasional drug shipment. So despite some harassment, the police stop short of shutting them down. The infrequent police cleanup operations are little more than exercises in public relations, though there's no love lost between the two groups. The Junkers make their official money from salvaging debris within the fields, but also have a good deal going with various criminals, who like their "no questions asked" policy. Tolerated by the governments, Junkers sometimes deal in contraband, but they are extremely hard to catch red-handed. They are frequently patronized by the criminal element for the refuge they offer within the often hostile territory of House capitol systems. Liberty has two groups: a major population in the New York system, and a smaller enclave in Texas. The Junker base of operations in New London is located near the shipyards within the Southampton Debris Field. In New Berlin they scavenge the remaining pockets of industrial waste and scrap within the asteroid fields. A more recent foray -- a departure -- is a base in the Border Worlds. Attracted by the ALG operation in Sigma-13, they have set up shop near the facility and do most of the dirty work, picking off the best loot from the old ships for themselves. It also serves as a convenient launching point for Cardamine and Artifact runs into New Berlin. Long-distance smuggling has now become well established within the faction, and has led to the opening of yet another far-flung station, Bornholm Depot in Omega 15. Bornholm serves as a gateway from the Rheinland systems to the Omegas and also provides employment for skilled Junker labor rebuilding captured and salvaged warships into the ubiquitous "Pirate Hessian Cruiser". These vessels are primarily recovered Red Hessian wrecks left behind from clashes between Red Hessian and Corsair Forces in Omega 41 and even Omega 5 and also salvage from the occasional Bounty Hunter -- Red Hessian encounter in Omega 15 itself.

The need for additions to the Junker's CSV fleet has become more clear as more powerful ships and weapons have been fielded throughout Sirius and as the concern over the Nomad and Wild threats become more relevant to Junkers who now trade and work in territories where these hostiles are frequently encountered. In addition, Kusari dislike of all things Junker has only increased and given more confidence to groups such as the Hogosha, Farmer's Alliance and even the Kusari naval and police forces -- which has resulted in increased aggression against Junkers traveling through Kusari space. Against this tableau, many independent bounty hunters and mercenaries have felt it is an acceptable option to engage Junkers at will when encountered away from house authorities. Nomad "Keeper" incursions have reached Manhattan itself and this has been a great concern to many Junkers as have Wild attacks right on the doorstep of Yanagi Depot. And -- of course -- the Xeno threat continues to be in the Junker's laps in Liberty as even more skilled and aggressive fighting groups spring from their ranks with better weaponry than the simple Starflier.

In response to these threats, Junkers have fielded ship designs such as the Turanic Raiders Freighter and the Collector fighter. The Puerto Rico system --off of Texas system in Liberty -- has been fortified as a Junker military system (and home of the Junker Guards Party and Junker Congress). Shipyards, smelters and command bases have been built there to build the next generation of Junker ships. Plans have been presented and are being considered for a new hybrid fighter-bomber and a transport-salvage vessel. Several ships have been brought there for custom refitting though specific types and purposes are not known.

With the rise in threats, Puerto Rico and the military guards have become important to Junkers as a symbol of hope and strength and as a promise of refuge if trouble should ever come to them. The uncertainty and danger in Sirius today makes relying on the protection of houses that barely tolerate Junkers unreliable and has prompted some Junkers -- the Junker Guards Party -- to begin to consider real change.

Four commonly-held primary principles govern the operational motives of the Junker Congress:

Power -- Profitability -- Security -- Freedom

Objectives

• Present an independent force (Junker Guards Party) to deal with independent lawfuls and criminals who attack Junkers and to enforce Junker base rules with non-Junkers.
• Develop an effective defensive force to make Junkers more appealing as allies or supporters and to deter aggression from enemies and their allies.
• To establish a political party system that all Junkers can participate in and benefit from while still retaining their independence.
• Develop covert and overt intelligence and prepare countermeasures to possible future hostilities by the Nomads (with the Keepers as an example), the Wild (das Wilde as an example) and the Phantoms.
• To aggressively operate within the Kusari economy as a show of presence.
• To strengthen ties to and support for the Golden Chrysanthemums and Blood Dragons.
• To deter Hogosha and Farmers Alliance operations outside of Kusari space and to hinder their operations within Kusari space even with military force.
• To develop greater cross training and shared construction projects with Red Hessain ship engineers.
• To demonstrate the ability of the Junker Congress to encourage reliable and responsible behavior by Junkers within house space.
• To provide a forum for Junkers and non-Junkers alike to express grievances with one another in.
• To provide for overall security of Junker life throughout Sirius by providing for its defense and interests.
• Secure Puerto Rico as a "capitol system" for all Junkers and to contribute towards its growth and

development.

• To establish Junker Guards Party headquarters at Yanagi Station in Sigma-13 and to resist and monitor

Wild incursions there and then broaden salvage activities to new areas made secure.

• To encourage the development of new Junker-centric ship types and lines.
• To assist other responsible Junker groups in trade, building, security, diplomacy and self-defense.
• To generate funds through trade, combat missions, bounties, escorts and other practices throughout Sirius.

Recruitment

• Discovery Members are free to apply, and are allowed to join if sponsored by a member.
• .:j:. Party leaders and/or a Congressional action may terminate membership of any member at any time at their sole discretion.

Diplomacy

Allies

Harvesters

Enemies

Wild

Xenos

Nomads

Coalition

Hogosha

Phantoms

Farmers Alliance