Planet Kyushu

From Discovery Wiki
Planet Kyushu
Owner
Kusari State Police
Location
F/E-4, Kyushu

DIAMETER: 13,820 km.

MASS: 5.98 x 10e24 kg.

TERRAIN: Terrestrial

TEMPERATURE: -38°C to 40°C

ESCAPE VELOCITY: 11.99 km/sec

First surveyed in 65 AS by Isao Yoshida, Kyushu possesses arable land and an ideal climate for rice farming. While the independent farmers of Kyushu provided much of the basic Food stuffs for New Tokyo for over three centuries, Shogunate development directives in the late 790s would see Samura assume control under a government contract. Samura would immediately reorganise the planet’s independent plantations into collectives that were forced to grow strains of genetically engineered Samura rice. The Kyushu farmers would increasingly struggle to recoup the costs of these changes due to competition from Synth Foods, whose products are more popular among Kusari’s youth.

Living standards on Kyushu have declined with profits, leading to the rise of the Farmers Alliance terrorist group who viciously target Synth Foods. This situation would worsen with the overthrow of the Shogunate in 817 AS, as the new Republic further liberalised trade restrictions, and withdrew Samura’s governance contract. With the return of the “Imperial Exiles” to Kusari in 823 AS, Kyushu would - with Samura backing - revolt against the Republic. For the duration of the civil war, Kyushu would be the acting capital of the Emperor. After two years of conflict, the Shogunate would be restored, with Kyushu remaining under government administration.

Kyushu’s farmers would face further shocks in late 833 AS, as unprecedented storms wracked the planet. These colossal typhoons have dominated Kyushu’s monsoon season, devastating coastal settlements and destroying many of the rice plantations. The severe disruption to Kyushu’s Food production infrastructure has already caused prices to spike across Kusari, with Synth Foods exploiting the situation. An enormous response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the storms is also ongoing, with Samura calling for the return of the Kyushu governance contract to allow them to respond flexibly and effectively to the disaster.

Bribes & Missions Offered

Bribes
Missions


Commodities

Imports
Commodity Price
Prisoners 198$
Crew 386$
Copper 126$
H-Fuel 117$
Pharmaceuticals 36$
Consumer Goods 24$
Ageira Gate/Lane Parts 564$
Vacationers 558$
Passengers (Liberty) 612$
Passengers (Bretonia) 576$
Passengers (Rheinland) 625$
Passengers (Gallia) 581$
Xeno Relics 222$
Exports
Commodity Price
Deployable Mining Container 50,000$
Sake 16$
Oxygen 13$
Water 12$
Food Rations 23$
Luxury Food 30$
Robotics 34$
Medical Equipment 40$
Fertilizers 23$
Passengers (Kusari) 309$


Ships sold


Ship Class Price
Tetsu Heavy Fighter 15,608$
Hagane Very Heavy Fighter 24,979$
Kin Freighter 22,876$


News

[834 AS] Kusari minister cancels ALG contract

NEW TOKYO -- 833 -- Shortly before the execution of the Roppongi cleanup contract between ALG and the Kusari government, the Minister of Industry and Development personally intervened to void his department’s negotiations. Citing "security concerns and political unreliability", the Minister disqualified ALG from further involvement. The contract was then awarded directly without tender to Samura Heavy Industries. ALG has condemned the move as “the lowest and most despicable of state corruption”, and threatened to take immediate legal action to protect their investments and reputation. Samura has pledged prompt action to make New Tokyo’s orbit safe -- despite the Keiretsu having no experience in this field of work.

[833 AS] Gold volatility taxes Kusari economy

HONSHU -- 833 -- Kusari has been among the hardest hit by the severely damaged Gold market over recent years. This situation appears only to worsen as Bretonian stockpiles are depleted. Share prices in the high tech manufacturing industries of New Tokyo and Honshu plunged on the recent release of an Interspace report predicting crisis in Gold-reliant market sectors. When pressed for comment, Kusari’s trade ministry declined to respond, referring instead to the Ministry of Defence. Lord Tazuka of the Kusari Office of Intelligence confirmed that discussions were presently ongoing with counterparts in Bretonia, and that progress was anticipated in the near future.

[833 AS] Kishiro and Synth Strike Landmark Deal

DESHIMA -- 833 -- Kishiro Technologies and Synth Foods have announced a landmark cooperation agreement for the distribution of Synth Paste in Kusari. Food prices and inflation have soared across Kusari in the aftermath of devastating storm surges on Planet Kyushu, prompting Kishiro to partner with the Liberty agri-corporation to address the market disruption. Issuing a joint statement, Kishiro’s Mayumi Higa said, “we have taken decisive action to bring down food costs throughout Kusari, and give consumers access to the flavors and nutrition they demand.” The Ministry of Trade pointedly offered no comment on the deal, beyond advising recovery efforts were well underway in Kyushu, and should not adversely affect the next harvest season.

[833 AS] Relief Convoy Arrives In Kyushu Orbit

Today a combination of Samura, independent, and government backed relief vessels arrived in orbit of the storm-stricken Kyushu, setting up a temporary depot in the planet's low orbit to better organise the distribution of relief supplies. Fighting through high winds, freighters deliver construction supplies, emergency generators and other relief materials to where they're needed most.

Battleship Matsumoto and its task force remain in the Kyushu system to protect the fragile transports from vultures among the Blood Dragons or Golden Chrysanthemums. Some Farmer's Alliance vessels have even been glimpsed to patrol the routes left largely unnoticed by the wider Naval blockade of the system, and have subsequently been given some leniency by Naval Forces and State Police patrols.

While the relief effort is now well underway, criticism has been leveled at Samura for the prioritisation of rebuilding profitable farming infrastructure over the care of the local populations. Spokespeople for the company have repeatedly assured that displaced victims of the storms that continue to ravage the planet are being cared for to the best of their abilities, but that supplies are strained and not all communities are yet able to be reached.

[833 AS] Kyushu Faces Rising Temperatures And Falling Profits

Kyushu, the key to Samura's monopoly on the organically-grown food industry, has faced rising ocean temperatures lately, owing to a vast temperature surge in the mantle plume underneath its largest ocean. This has been compounded by the resultant eruption of several underwater volcanoes, releasing enormous quantities of greenhouse gases into the planet's atmosphere.

Partially as a result of the geological activity, the equatorial monsoon season produced some of the strongest tropical storms ever recorded on Kyushu since its colonisation. These storms devastated the world's agricultural sector as they blew through the most fertile tropical lowlands, destroying as much as 20%% of the planet's annual crop yield, on top of damage to infrastructure and tragic loss of human life.

Many rural communities are reported to be struggling, with some farming communities still remaining flooded ghost towns even a month after the worst of the storms abated, though smaller-scale tempests still rage around the equator. A Samura spokesperson outlined the company's intent to restore the planet and its communities to full productivity by the middle of next year, despite the ongoing circumstance.

[832 AS] Battleship Matsuda Meets Its Demise!

It had long been rumored that the grand Battleship Himeji had not been lost in the Tohoku system as previously thought; That it had been brought back and given a second life by the unlawful elements that are the antithesis of the Kusari state. This rumor had been proven true as the Kusari Office of Intelligence reported movements of a Meiji-class Battleship in the Kyushu system, deploying Golden Chrysanthemum fighter wings that seemed to deliberately target Kusari patrols in the northern part of the system.

Immediately upon learning of this, Battleship Matsumoto and its battlegroup were redeployed from Hokkaido, and within two days were poised and ready to face this new threat. Only a short few hours later, a patrol of fighters reported a warship with the transponder reading Battleship Matsuda operating in the relative open, heading for but not yet reaching the relative safety of the Seiran Dust Cloud.

Matsumoto itself departed with its escort to confront the Chrysanthemum battleship, close to the edge of the nebula. Within minutes of it coming into sensor range, bomber and fighter squadrons from both sides closed in and opening salvos were exchanged between the battleships. It didn't take long before the KNF's preparation was shown to be well worthwhile; their superior numbers whittled down or otherwise preoccupied the Chrysanthemum's fighter force leaving a variety of openings in the Matsuda's defensive cover for KNF bombers to exploit.

While the Matsumoto was withstanding a heavy beating from the guns of its older sister, it was plain that the Matsuda was slowly being whittled away as its shields began to fail and the very same engine design flaws that had rendered it immobile in KNF service were now exploited by bomber wings to once again cripple the warship.

After several more minutes, the Matsuda's escape pods began to eject from the ailing battleship, picked up by Chrysanthemum fighters as they fled deeper into the Seiran dust cloud. It didn't take long thereafter for the ship's powercore to falter and fail completely, culminating in a vast explosion that reportedly almost turned night to day on the dark side of Planet Kyushu, if only for a split second.

Matsumoto itself sustained moderate damage in the engagement, relatively untouched by Chrysanthemum bombers however still suffering the ill effects of Matsuda's anti-capital weaponry. Despite its damage, it remains deployed in the Kyushu system to continue the blockade of the cardamine trade and to serve as a show of force to any who would challenge the might of the Emperor.

[831 AS/747 AGS] Gate Corps Clash Over 'Blackout'!

ABBEVILLE -- 831 AS/747 AGS -- EFL's 'Resilience Taskforce' today reported its findings on The Blackout, claiming to have gathered forensic evidence that proved the cause as Ageira negligence. A spokesperson claimed that the destruction of the Dublin jump gate by Molly separatists had created a hyperspace feedback loop that was propagated and amplified through the Ageira gate network.

Ageira disputed this finding in their own press release, calling EFL 'fantasists' and countering that their own scientists had narrowed the cause to a rare 'hypernova' stellar event that originated outside the Sirius sector. Both corporations claim that network-wide hardware safeguards have been implemented that would prevent a similar occurrence in the future. Independent researchers have sharply criticized the corporate announcements, accusing both of self-interested misdirection.

Professor Sophia Nagel from Heisenberg Research Station called EFL's accusation 'incoherent' and the hypernova explanation 'nonsense' that did not explain the characteristics of the 'Blackout Pulse'. Despite multiple different Pulse recordings being widely disseminated across the neural net, public efforts have so far failed to triangulate its source.

[831 AS/747 AGS] 'Blackout' Causes Jump Network Fail

MANHATTAN -- 831 AS/747 AGS -- Two days ago Jump Gates failed simultaneously across Sirius, freezing commerce and neural net access across the sector. When the network resumed 31 hours later, restored communications broke the news of Bretonia's loss of the Dublin system. This twin shock has plunged the market into chaos, prompting fears of sector-wide economic recessions. Interspace estimates indicate that the stoppage alone caused billions of credits in losses. Gallia immediately accused Liberty of culpability for the outage, claiming the destruction of Dublin's jump gate instigated a cascading failure in faulty Ageira infrastructure. Ageira has sharply refuted the allegation, claiming such a systemic effect would be physically impossible. Independent researchers in Cologne and the Edge Worlds have also announced that a hyperspace pulse of unprecedented strength was detected moments before The Blackout, with data about 'The Pulse' being widely shared across the neural net in recent days. House authorities have remained tight lipped, refusing to comment on their own observatories' data.

[828 AS] Birds of a Feather

STUTTGART -- 828 AS -- Many of the LWB’s remnants took up the Imperial cause during the Civil War, hoping for an isolationist government that would expel Synth Foods from Rheinland. These pilots were left feeling betrayed and enraged when this failed to happen. Lacking funding and resources, they looked abroad to find support. An unexpected benefactor was found in Kusari’s Farmer’s Alliance, who fight a near identical battle against the Liberty corporation. The Alliance has provided leadership, funding and resources to relaunch anti-Synth operations in Rheinland as a wing of their own organization. It remains to be seen how this united Farmers Alliance will impact affairs on the wider stage, with the security forces of both Rheinland and Kusari already strained by internal conflict and crime.

[825 AS] Ibusuki station massacred - Kusari enters war!

SAIGON -- 825 -- In a furious speech, Prime Minister Yukihara Reijiro of Kusari has declared a state of war against Rheinland. This follows the destruction of Ibusuki Survey Platform in Sigma-21, 12 hours before Rheinland's eviction ultimatum expired. Despite Rheinland's protests that it was not responsible for the act, Kusari has accused the Battleship Bayern of the murders, releasing the station's final distress calls that begged Rheinland forces to cease fire. As a result, Kusari has mobilized the Kusari Naval Forces to begin joint military operations alongside the Gas Miner's Guild. The Prime Minister has ordered Rheinland to withdraw all of its forces from the Sigmas immediately or face Kusari's fury.

[825 AS] War Returns to the Sigmas!

SIGMA-21 -- 825 -- Rheinland has declared war on the Gas Miners Guild (GMG), with both sides claiming to be victims of acts of unprovoked aggression. Rheinland has announced its intent to expel the GMG from Sigma-15 and 21, which it considers to be claimed territory. The GMG in return aims to enforce treaty terms from the end of the 80-Years War that it says establishes Guild sovereignty over the entire Sigma cluster. Kusari has offered to mediate the dispute, while Liberty and Bretonia have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities over fear of disruption to the sector’s strategic H-Fuel supplies. Rheinland has advised it will not obstruct Sigma H-Fuel shipments by vessels operating under neutral flags. Interspace has substantially raised premiums for convoys in the region.

[804 AS] Treaty of Honshu eases Colony War wounds

HONSHU -- 804 -- Dignitaries from Rheinland and Kusari today ratified the Second Treaty of Honshu, officially normalizing relations between the two Houses and ending Kusari’s embargo. Rheinland has formally accepted sole culpability for the Colony Wars and agreed to a 20 year reparations package. This includes preferential rates for Kusari corporations on military goods and resources needed to rebuild the Kusari Naval Forces, and financial compensation for the damages inflicted in Honshu itself. Chancellor Steller offered his sincere condolences to Kusari over the war, and promised a brighter future of mutual prosperity.

[801 AS] Kusari imposes embargo on Rheinland

NEW TOKYO -- 801 -- Shogun Edo has announced that a full economic embargo of Rheinland will be imposed by Kusari due to the outrages of the Colony Wars. Liberty’s President Jacobi has taken a leading role in mediation between Rheinland and the other Houses, with the Provisional Rheinland Government offering a message of condolence to the Kusari people for the actions of the toppled previous regime. Despite this, Kusari has remained resolute that no normalization of relations will be considered until full reparations are made for the devastation in Honshu and New Tokyo, and the many crimes Kusari alleges were perpetrated there.


Rumors

Kusari State Police
  • The Blood Dragons are becoming bolder by the day here. They are even growing heedless of the military presence. Their attacks range all over the system, but they focus upon Samura's research facility and Kyushu food shipments.


  • Much of our time is devoted to rerouting Gaijin from this system into Shikoku. The populace of Kyushu does not look well upon foreign business entering the system, or any part of Kusari for that matter. This system is the home to the Farmers Alliance, after all.


  • Though this system has limited resources, its proximity to the barrier makes it valuable because of the possible Commodities that can be exported into the Border Worlds. Many planners believe that this system is the gateway to Kusari expansion in the barrier. We were on track to dominate the Taus, then Gallia happened.


  • The Hogosha don't really bother anyone in this system; they are usually just passing through. We can't divert manpower from the really dangerous criminals to see that Hogosha activity is one hundred percent legal. We let them slide a bit.


  • The police patrols that originate from the Kyushu planet cover the two dust clouds on the eastern half of the system. I fly a patrol that skirts the Seiran Dust Fields. The men in the other patrol wing keep an eye on activity going on in the Hayate Dust Fields.


  • As farming technology has improved, the added efficiency has left many of the Kyushu youth with little or nothing in the way of jobs. We lose many of them to jobs in New Tokyo or Shikoku. Often times these youngsters will never return. I don't expect things will get better soon. The government is more inclined to cooperate with foreign companies. I tell you people are only going to get angrier here in Kyushu.


  • This planet is known as the garden planet of Kusari. We have been growing rice here since 65 AS, when the first settlers arrived. Samura has organized the farmers into collectives to make Food production more efficient. Recent advances in technology have seen increased food production here, and Kyushu looks set to take back some of the ground they lost to Synth Foods in recent years.


  • In 400 AS the Kusari government began offering huge corporate incentives to relocate operations here. It was mainly an effort to curb overpopulation problems in New Tokyo. Of the two keiretsu, Samura was the one who decided to invest in Kyushu.


  • The Kusari police usually operate only in the eastern half of Kyushu. We keep a watch on the Trade Lanes and Jump Gates leading into New Tokyo, and the military keeps an eye on the half of the system that leads from Kusari space into the Border Worlds.


Samura Industries
  • Kyushu is the recipient of Luxury Goods, Side Arms, and Engine Components from New Tokyo. These fine products are sent here to keep the people of Kyushu satisfied, armed, and on the move.


  • If you would care to cross the Border Worlds, there is business you might conduct for us in Freeport 6. They send us the Spaceship Crews for R&D, in return we take them Consumer Goods and other basic supplies.


  • The Farmers Alliance focuses its attacks on foreigners' commodities moving through Shikoku, especially those produced by Synth Foods, who undermines the hard work that we the farmers do. The Alliance has also been known to make accidental attacks on Kishiro shipping convoys moving through the system. How unfortunate for Kishiro, to think I used to have some sympathy for them. Not anymore, not after their betrayal of our Emperor and our people.


  • Samura saw that this system was a perfect opportunity to really break into the Food market. We grow the finest Foods in all of Kusari in Shikoku. When the government offered us incentives to relocate investments here, we jumped at the chance.


  • The Bio-Neural Processors we are shipping in from Gallia will give us new inroads to the technology market. Perhaps you could be a link in that chain?


  • The H-Fuel we get from Shinjuku and Sapporo is distributed throughout Kyushu. It is not as lucrative a run as others, but relatively easy.


  • The Food grown here is shipped to every system in Kusari space and into the Border Worlds. Oxygen and Water produced here is shipped to every base in the system. Samura is the heart of this system and Kyushu feeds Kusari.


  • Fertilizers make their way here from Shinkaku in the Border Worlds. In return we send them H-Fuel. It is a very beneficial relationship.


NOTE: Page generated on the 07/06/2024 at 15:55:47 UTC