| Versailles Station | |
| Owner | |
| Imperial Shipping | |
| Location | |
| E/D-6/5, Ile-de-France |
CLASS: Palace
GRAVITY: Complete
DOCKING: Yes
AMENITIES: Yes
CREW: 2480
Versailles was commissioned by King Richard V "The Hedonist" as a lavish and decadent royal palace. The project suffered repeated delays due to royal interference and infighting courtiers, finishing 20 years later in 607 AGS (691 AS). Richard V had passed away the year before, while his son, King Louis III "The Austere", never resided at Versailles over security concerns and disdain for his father's wasteful frivolity. Following renovations ordered by Queen Beatrix in 645 AGS (729 AS), Versailles' over-sized Royal Police garrison, expansive interiors and extravagant design made it a popular winter palace for Gallic monarchs and senior nobles.
This would change with the advent of the Second Gallic Civil War, as its proximity to the Saint-Cloud Asteroid Field made Versailles a popular target for Maquis terrorists. Following a particularly damaging torpedo strike in 719 AGS (803 AS), the decision was made to tow Versailles from its orbit near Billancourt to the protective envelope of Planet New Paris' defense grid. Despite this, the Trade Lane junction the palace once occupied still bears its historic name as the Versailles Junction. With the fall of the Gallic monarchy in 742 AGS (826 AS), the station was inherited by the Parisian Assembly who promptly shuttered it over its bloated operating costs. The Gallic Union took possession of the station late the following year, with military assessors dismissing it as a gaudy strain on the state budget. Historic and cultural artifacts were quickly auctioned off, while the station itself was sold to IDF Shipping.
Badly battered by the loss of wartime contracts, IDFS hoped to utilize Versailles as a profitable luxury hotel for executives and dignitaries visiting New Paris. Unfortunately, Versailles' extreme running costs put this endeavor firmly in the red, with the hotel running at a loss until 750 AGS (834 AS) when IDFS decided to divest the property. After negotiations with Burgundy's Gonzaga Society collapsed, offers were considered from Orbital Spa and Cruise, and Rheinland's Imperial Shipping. Due to financial support and backing by the Rheinland government, Imperial's bid was successful in early 751 AGS (835 AS). Imperial hopes their attempt to create a Sirian commercial and diplomatic enclave will be more successful than their predecessors' efforts.
Bribes & Missions Offered
| Bribes |
| Missions |
Commodities
| Exports | ||||||||||||||||||
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Ships sold
| Ship | Class | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Aurochs | Freighter | 24,876$ |
| Gallic Repair Ship | Repair Ship | 35,175$ |
| Gallic Transport | Transport | 416,557$ |
News
| [751 AGS] Bretonian assassins target convoy |
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FREIBURG -- 751 -- Despicable Bretonian assassins have once more targeted Gallic citizens on Freiburg Station in Stuttgart. In the latest provocation, a moored IDF Shipping convoy was attacked and destroyed by Bretonian transports loaded with bombs. “Now more than ever, we must set aside our differences and come together as one House to oppose foreign tyranny,” Grand Marshall de Varax boomed during a speech to the Parisian Assembly. De Varax further vowed to obtain justice for the slain crew, and root out Gallia’s enemies wherever they may hide. Bretonia was recently ordered to return the stolen Jump Gate of Tau-23 -- it appears they have provided their perfidious answer. |
| [751 AGS] Bretonia must return stolen Jump Gate |
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BATTLESHIP DE GRASSE -- 751 -- During Kusari’s invasion, the Gallic Jump Gate between Tau-23 and Tau-31 was occupied, and then unlawfully transferred to Bretonian custody. Kusari claimed this excluded the Gate’s status from peace negotiations, as it was no longer within their legal control. Grand Marshall de Varax has now issued a blistering decree to Bretonia, ordering the Gate’s immediate return to Gallic ownership. It is intolerable that Gallic state industrial secrets remain in the hands of a foreign House that has time and again demonstrated its hostility to the Gallic people. The Grand Marshall has warned of “dire consequences” should his demand be refused. |
| [835 AS] Bretonia and Rheinland call for de-escalation |
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CURACAO -- The governments of Bretonia and Rheinland have called on Kusari and Liberty to attempt formal talks, amid fears that continued escalation and military friction could spark war. Queen Carina and Emperor Frederick have offered to mediate an emergency summit on Planet Curacao after Kusari and Liberty imposed mutual sanctions that are already having rippling effects across Sirius. Gallia’s Grand Marshall de Varax meanwhile has condemned Kusari as a “belligerent and destabilizing actor”, and called for Liberty’s demands to be met. Neither Kusari or Liberty has agreed to attend, with each demanding pre-conditions be met by the other. Gallia has not received an invite. |
| [751 AGS] Gallic citizens murdered in Rheinland |
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FREIBURG -- 751 -- Scenes of savagery have unfolded on Freiburg Station, Stuttgart. Bretonian thugs murdered a Gallic transport officer after spotting him in the station bar. Rheinland authorities have already detained six of the assailants for the brutal crime. Gallic Union officials have issued revised guidance for transport crews in Rheinland, recommending Gallic citizens travelling abroad acquire Union personal permits for Enfer Blasters. “This will enable you to defend yourself against the foreign assassins of Bretonia and Kusari,” noted Wildau Cultural Attache Nicolas Jetté. |
| [750 AGS] EFL resets industrial relations on Quillan |
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QUILLAN -- 750 -- Activating emergency powers in Quillan’s management contract, EFL have announced that several local Workers’ Unions are to be dissolved with immediate effect. The fuel giant argues that these organizations have fomented dissent as activists, rather than representing their members' interests. After clashes with protesters, Languedoc Seigneur Ansel Bousquet has offered the assistance of Marines from Nimes Station. GMS has issued a formal protest to New Paris over the move, insisting that the Worker Unions form an integral part of a productive industrial environment. |
| [750 AGS] Gallic Union celebrates settlement anniversary |
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NEW PARIS -- 750 -- Celebrations have been conducted across Gallia, marking 750 years since the arrival of our great Sleeper Ship on New Paris. This culminated with the spectacle of a vast military parade on New Paris, attended by dignitaries from across the Union. As our soldiers marched along the concourses of Ile du Palais, they were saluted by Grand Marshal Louis de Varax and his cabinet of Seigneurs. In a rousing speech, the Marshal praised Gallia’s glorious history, while railing against treacherous internal enemies, and the perfidious plots of Bretonia, Kusari and Liberty. “While we are united, Gallia is unstoppable!”, he declared in a closing message. |
| [750 AGS] Decisive victory against the Maquis |
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NEW PARIS -- 750 -- The Gallic Navy has announced the withdrawal of border control checkpoints across Ile-de-France, citing an improving security situation. Parisian Seigneur Ansel Lussier sharply rebuffed reports of losses inflicted by Maquis attacks, calling them seditionist lies. “They want to distract from the devastating defeat inflicted on the radicals by Naval and Gendarmerie counter-terrorism crackdowns,” he declared. “The Maquis are a spent force,” he continued. “We no longer need the checkpoints because the colonies have been pacified.” New Paris businesses have reacted positively to the news that trade restrictions will ease. |
| [750 AGS] Versailles' future uncertain |
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NEVERS -- 750 -- During a shareholder meeting on Nevers, IDF Shipping officials confirmed that Versailles Station continued to be a concern for the group, posting quarter-on-quarter losses. The former royal palace occupies a prestigious position in orbit of New Paris, and is among the most luxurious and culturally significant Gallic orbitals. IDF is believed to have received several offers from foreign organizations looking to purchase or lease Versailles, including Orbital Spa and Cruise and Rheinland’s Imperial Shipping. It is speculated that IDF plans to make a final funding pitch to Nevers’ elite Gonzaga Society early next year before considering these proposals. |
| [749 AGS] Unions threaten strike on Marne |
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PLANET MARNE -- 749 AGS -- Unrest on Marne has simmered since the recent state visit of the Rheinish Emperor. Concerns about what a trade deal with Rheinland would mean for the people of Marne has dominated discussions, before turning to outrage with the publication of the ratified treaty text. Champagne labor unions have decried the agreement as a sham, accusing military leaders of cutting economic deals they were unqualified to negotiate and did not understand. The Gallic Metals Service has expressed deep concerns about the removal of tariffs on Rheinland imports, arguing that its expensive Marne operations will not be able to compete without harsh cuts. Worker representatives have called for a general strike. |
| [749 AGS] Grand Marshal secures economic victory for Union |
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NEW PARIS -- 749 AGS -- The Grand Marshal has declared a decisive victory in trade negotiations with Rheinland. Military envoys successfully pressed the Rheinlanders for concessions as recompense for a number of insulting breaches of diplomatic protocol during the recent state visit. As a result, excellent rates on imported minerals have been secured, in addition to the removal of tariffs on Gallic agricultural surplus. The Treaty of Oerlikon will be an enormous boon to rebuilding Gallia's strength and greatness; Bretonia, Kusari and Liberty's furious criticisms of Rheinland for their forward thinking is simply evidence of their weakness and fear. |
| [748 AGS] Lorraine Evacuation Nearing Completion |
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ORLEANS -- 748 AGS -- According to the information released by the Ministry of the Interior, the evacuation of the Lorraine system is proceeding ahead of schedule. The final convoy of refugees from Metz has arrived in the Orleanais system, pending resettlement onto Orleans in the coming days. As of now, only EFL staff and a token Navy garrison remain in Lorraine to oversee the deconstruction of the remaining infrastructure. According to official projections, the docking ring and the remaining Trade Lanes will be dismantled and shipped back to the core worlds by the end of next month, with Jump Gate shutdown following soon after. Once a beacon of our national ingenuity, Metz was the site of the experimental Metz Mirror Array, more commonly known as the MMA project. The project was intended to assist the terraforming operations through a sophisticated array of orbital mirrors. The array would redirect additional sunlight onto the equatorial band of Metz, further raising local temperatures on the otherwise icy world. Decried by its detractors as a "fool king's endeavour", the ambitious project never had the opportunity to prove its capabilities, as the nearly complete array fell victim to Kusari's invasion of Lorraine. With the array gone and supplies severed, the terraforming project and the biosphere it maintained collapsed during the occupation, leading to widespread famine across Metz. Unfortunately, in the wake of King Charles' gambit in Bretonia and the near complete destruction of Lorraine and Languedoc by Kusari forces, the Union government has declared the system a total loss and ordered a full evacuation of the planet. |
| [831 AS] Gate corps clash over 'Blackout'! |
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ABBEVILLE -- 831 AS -- 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] Pulse phenomenon linked to Blackout |
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AMES RESEARCH STATION -- 831 -- Independent researchers have announced that a hyperspace pulse of unprecedented strength was detected moments before The Blackout, destroying many of the sector’s most sensitive and finely tuned observatories. Surviving data about 'The Pulse' has been widely shared across the neural net in recent days, prompting mass speculation. Professor Katsuma Oster of Ames Research Station described the signal as “astounding”. “These readings are unprecedented, as if reality itself were struck like a gong.” House authorities have remained tight lipped, refusing to share their own observatories' data. |
| [831 AS] 'Blackout' causes jump network failure |
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MANHATTAN -- 831 AS -- Two days ago Jump Gates failed simultaneously across Sirius, freezing commerce and neural net access across the sector. When communications resumed 31 hours later, the news broke of Bretonia's loss of the Dublin system. This twin shock has plunged markets into chaos, prompting fears of sector-wide economic recessions. Interspace estimates that the stoppage alone caused billions of credits in losses. Gallia immediately accused Liberty of causing 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. |
| [746 AGS] Leaks reveal secret Rheinland negotiations |
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OERLIKON -- 746 -- The Sirian neural net is abuzz with news of a potential trade deal between Gallia and Rheinland. An inept Rheinish functionary leaked sensitive details on the talks after losing an unencrypted datapad. The notes include unfounded criticism of our peerless military negotiators, no doubt provoked by feelings of inadequacy after humiliating defeats at the conference table. Our great government has rebuked Rheinland’s attempts to disparage EFL’s work on the Sigma-15 Jump Gate projects, recognising that this is a mere distraction from their own failure to secure the space. Marne’s Governor Courcelle has praised the Grand Marshal's excellent strategy, asking only that he consult with industrial representatives as proceedings progress. |
| [743 AGS] Gallia Reunited? |
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NEW PARIS -- 743 AGS -- After having come to the peoples aid on more than one occasion during the Kusari invasion of Gallia, the Enclave has been officially recognized and accepted as part of our government. The acceptance and incorporation of the Royal Enclave comes amid sweeping changes in our governmental body to a military structure to ensure swifter and more capable responses should such a cowardly invasion occur again. Many fear the incorporation of the Enclave will lead to the Sirian Houses recognizing Kusari's claims of Gallia still having and utilizing weapons of mass destruction like the Warwolves used during the Glassing of Leeds, though rumors have already started to spread that the dismantling of these weapons is a concession the Royal Enclave has agreed to do. As one of the first acts of the new government, a controversial peace treaty has been signed with Kusari, giving the invading House rights to Tau-53 and mining rights to Tau-23. While some voice discontent with this agreement, the government has pointed out that the war has led to an increase in criminal activity in Gallia that requires immediate attention to control. One government official was cited saying "We have done well for centuries on our own, if Kusari wants to burn bridges with this agreement we will simply focus on our own development and our relations with Rheinland instead." |
| [742 AGS] Second Gallic Civil War has Ended! |
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NEW PARIS -- 742 AGS -- The Second Gallic Civil War ended in a ceasefire last Saturday, as Royalist forces under command of Rear Admiral Bastien Savatier de Fontenoy received the order to surrender from the Grand Duchy of Burgundy, a royalist secessionist polity formed in a state of emergency by the Duke of Burgundy. In the absence of the King or any heirs, Valentin Trintignant, Duke of Burgundy, gathered the support of the nobility of Burgundy, the Marquise de Vandoevres and Marquis de Roanne in Lorraine, while offering the Vicomptesse Allos de Metz, Grande Maitresse de l'Office Royal des Eaux et Forets the financial support needed to continue their terraforming operation in Lorraine. The Duke initiated talks last week to discuss the glassing of Leeds and the Crown's imminent defeat at the hands of Allied forces in Bretonia. Only minutes after the Council's Fleet moved on Planet New Paris, Trintignant declared himself Grand Duke of The Grand Duchy of Burgundy and authorized the surrender of the Royal Navy. His haste in calling for a ceasefire likely saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Gallic citizens threatened by collateral damage from battle over Planet New Paris. While most Royalist ships in Gallia's core systems recognized and surrendered to the authority of the Duchy, Admiral Savatier did not, and slipped the Rocroi away from the site of the battle in the confusion. Battleship Rocroi and her cohort remain at large, but have not been seen or heard from since the battle. The Council reciprocated not only the ceasefire but also with the formation of a new governing body. The systems of Champagne, Picardy, and Orleanais declared their independence as the Republique of Gallia, a decision which appears to have been in the works for some time. Unlike the ad hoc vassalage of the Duchy, the Republique presented itself with a fully fledged constitution and complete governing body, led by President Orianne Castaignède, the former Governor of Marne. The systems of Languedoc and Languedoc both formed provisional governments following the fall of the Monarchy, however both declined invitations to join the Republique. This decision could be linked to the significant losses both systems incurred on account of the Council's direct and indirect interference during the Second Gallic Civil War. Officials from Gap and Quillan are rumored be engaged in preliminary talks with the Minarchy of Provence, who have extended offers of free trade and protection to the two war torn systems, which seem reluctant to view both the Duchy and Republique as having the best interests of the historically poor region in mind. Ile de France, possessing no noteworthy standing military of its own following the mass exodus of nobles to the Gallic Hebrides, has declared itself a neutral, autonomous territory. This decision was grudgingly accepted by the Republique, aware of its low reputation among Parisians owing to decades of royal propaganda. Such a move was seen as the best way to demonstrate the fall of the Monarchy and secure the former seat of royal power without bloodshed. In response political instability after the Exodus of the King, the Acting Viceroy of Ile de France, a former low ranking regional official who now speaks for the political associations on New Paris, has called for the Republique, Duchy, and Minarchy to send diplomatic representatives to the negotiating table, where it seems the future of Gallia will be decided in the weeks to come. |
| [735 AGS] Sirian Campaign Picking Up Steam |
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NEW PARIS -- 735 AGS -- The Royal Navy is claiming victory after victory in the Bretonian colonies. After successfully flushing out what appears to have been local pirate forces, our forces took the sparsely inhabited "Edinburgh" system with only token resistance. The first real test of our forces against the enemy came in the toxic wasteland called Leeds, where the first heavily inhabited planet lays. Enemy resistance was stiff, but our forces have managed to gain the upper hand in virtually the entire system. This puts the Gallic Expeditionary Forces in a position to strike at New London, and the heart of Bretonia. Military analysts predict that all organised Bretonian resistance will falter if New London falls, and that taking London itself would mean a quick end to to the war, avoiding needless bloodshed. |
| [734 AGS] The Reconquest Begins |
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NEW PARIS -- 734 AGS -- King Charles XI addressed the nation today to announce the beginning of the Great Reconquest, the reclamation of the rich and fertile regions of Sirius stolen from the rightful control of Gallia by the Libertonian and Bretonian traitors. "My faithful subjects! We have stood by long enough while the ravenous remnants of the Alliance feasted upon the lands they have eyed for themselves from long before the landing! We know what they did to assure themselves domination, we know that they led Coalition forces to our sleeper launch site so that they may escape like the rats that they are, and take the best of this region for themselves. All their actions must have consequences! Starting from today, they will be running once again. They will run, or they will be included into the rightful control of House Gallia! Hail the reconquest!" The crowd gathered at Ile du Palais cheered throughout the speech. The first Royal Navy units are expected to reach and pacify Tau-23 within days, officially marking the first step on the road to victory. |
| [733 AGS] The 2nd Gallic War: True Goals of the Council |
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BRIANCON -- 733 AGS -- The so-called Second Gallic Civil War that was inspired by the Council two decades ago is nowhere near its ending. The Council, the powerful and wealthy group formed mainly by Royal Navy and Royal Police deserters, and financed by semi-legal businesses and criminal cartels of the Core Worlds, is sometimes described as a revolutionary movement. Yet, through the course of the war the Gallic media collected evidence that Council is nowadays more like a state within a state, having its own bureaucracy, enforcement agencies, and even newly established oligarchy that came into fortune due to the war. The Council leaders claim that their goal is to change the government of Gallia and overthrow the monarchy, in addition to breaking the isolation of Gallia from the rest of Sirius worlds. According to our today's expert Robert Broussard, Doctor of Economy and senior consultant of Solar Engineering and Ile-de-France Shipping, the Council never had an intention to overthrow the New Paris monarchy. "Our information on the Council agenda is mainly based on their own public announcements and press releases. Yet, New Paris is so far from the Gallic Border Worlds that the Council will not be able to overtake the Core Worlds by force, even if all Border Worlds fall under their supreme rule," - Broussard says, - "On New Paris and other prominent worlds of Gallia, public support for the warlike actions of the Council is relatively low, and the Council is aware that the chances to inspire revolts in the heart of our nation are very slim." Independent analysts estimate black market operations in Gallia rising by 150%% during the last 30 years. At the same time, frequency of pirate attacks had risen twice in the Core Worlds, and more than three times in the Border Worlds. This unprecedented wave of piracy occured mainly because of the demand for various smuggled goods that the Council generates, and because of the overall chaos caused by the war. Royal Police was caught unprepared by this new dangerous tendency, unable to defend corporate and civilian shipments. The pirate groups are expected to grow even larger now that the path to Sirius was breached by the Council in Languedoc. Being able to take advantage of this new development, pirate groups like the Unione Corse, Gallic Brigands, and Maquis now plan their expansion into Sirius, searching for new markets and recruiting more pilots. The Council supports those pirate groups almost openly, in return for their help against the Royal Navy. Sporadic raids of Brigands and Maquis never cause significant losses, but play a crucial role in delaying Navy operations against the Council. Almost every asteroid field and nebula in Gallia is now swarmed with ships of various unlawful groups. It remains unknown for how much longer the Council resistance will continue, but it is already evident that there are forces within the Council and within the pirate groups interested in using the war as a source of income. For the Council leadership, political struggle and the well being of their own people appears to be less important than gaining personal wealth and power. This is the reason why the Council would never support any peace negotiation initiatives. |
| [735 AGS] Cardamine the New Scourge of Gallia? |
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NEW PARIS -- 819 AS -- Royal Police spokesmen dismiss media reports of widespread abuse of the new drug Cardamine within Gallic society, but arrests for drug related offenses seem to be on the rise. Cardamine, which has an unknown origin, seems to have spread throughout the upper tiers of Gallic society quietly, and has only received media attention after becoming a dominant force in street level crime. Some blame contact with Sirius as the source of the problem, pointing to a conspiracy among the Sirius Houses to afflict Gallia with degenerate addictions. One prominent politician called for investigation of the Junkers as the likely culprits who introduced Cardamine to Gallia, but so far his allegations have been seemingly ignored by the Royal Police. Inquiries to the Royal Navy about whether Cardamine has shown up in cargo interdictions on Gallia's borders have gone unanswered. |