[CIU] The Vanishing of HIP 89396

[Gemai]

Preface

This story is based on a persisting feature - a bug in fact - in the game of Eliteangerous with implications for the world at large.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ems-with-ghost-stations?p=4183021#post4183021

The story is open and ongoing. Everyone is free to add to the narrative by actions ingame or by a grander narrative unless it affects the major factions in question and contradicts the story so far. Comments and critique are wanted and allowed.

Part 2: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...of-HIP-89396?p=4195832&viewfull=1#post4195832

Part 3: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...of-HIP-89396?p=4199907&viewfull=1#post4199907

Part 4: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...of-HIP-89396?p=4208509&viewfull=1#post4208509

The Vanishing of HIP 89396
​

Excerpt from the 'Worker's Right' newsletter, Manite

The WMLU (Workers of Manite Labour Union) still hasn't reestablished communications with their missing mining colony in HIP 89396. Contact has been lost for months after its initial setup had turned out profitable results and the whole crew on the planetary base manning nearly 350-thousand people has disappeared nearly over night. First suspicions of delayed communication turned into fear of planetary storms or quakes and soon began to culminate in a first search party.
Yet, continuous search parties turned up empty-handed all around the whole system. Nothing was left on the planetoids, not even signs of a staged attack by a hostile force. Only one report of the quarantine fleet did incite suspicious rumours.
"Unlike the planets, we finally found signs of the colony around the rings of the class III giant A4. All that was left around the half destroyed asteroids and beacons of the resource mining site was debris and agonizing silence. While we did find a threesome of pirates hiding out near Manite to strike and apprehended them, they did nothing to clear up the mystery. Worse, the prismatic view of the nearby gas giants from the ring had many men mutter superstitious nonsense in fear, talking about voices in the void. I won't deny this place is ominous, but we had to apprehend a man who fell to his knees, muttered about the all-seeing eyes and the endtimes and then stormed for the torpedo controls. With the bay undeployed, this of course might have severe repercussions. The man might be prosecuted for attempted murder and high treason. For now he was resigned."
It remains to be seen if the Labour Union with their recent successes around Manite and their allies of the Communist Interstellar Union expanding fast nearby will try again to establish another base here. With the cause for this phenomenon still unknown, any new attempts seem far too risky to be carried out, leaving the riches of HIP 89396 doomed forever.
A local researcher of the CIU has called for the moons to be combed once again. If there is anything out there... or was, it must have left a trace. While this might halt their efforts to establish new riches elsewhere, Commander Vivien Gemai of the CIU stated: "The life of nearly half a million people and those that might come after them is more important than another chunk of painite for our already booming economy."
If this new endeavour will turn up more or just add to the body count of missing people is to be seen. For now all one can do is wish for the lost souls of HIP 89396 of the Workers of Manite Labour Union to be alive and well somewhere on the ground.

This was Eliana Karamazov, signing out.

 

[Divine Cerinian]

Excerpt from the 'Worker's Right' newsletter, Manite

The WMLU (Workers of Manite Labour Union) still hasn't reestablished communications with their missing mining colony in HIP 89396. Contact has been lost for months after its initial setup had turned out profitable results and the whole crew on the planetary base manning nearly 350-thousand people has disappeared nearly over night. First suspicions of delayed communication turned into fear of planetary storms or quakes and soon began to culminate in a first search party.
Yet, continuous search parties turned up empty-handed all around the whole system. Nothing was left on the planetoids, not even signs of a staged attack by a hostile force. Only one report of the quarantine fleet did incite suspicious rumours.
"Unlike the planets, we finally found signs of the colony around the rings of the class III giant A4. All that was left around the half destroyed asteroids and beacons of the resource mining site was debris and agonizing silence. While we did find a threesome of pirates hiding out near Manite to strike and apprehended them, they did nothing to clear up the mystery. Worse, the prismatic view of the nearby gas giants from the ring had many men mutter superstitious nonsense in fear, talking about voices in the void. I won't deny this place is ominous, but we had to apprehend a man who fell to his knees, muttered about the all-seeing eyes and the endtimes and then stormed for the torpedo controls. With the bay undeployed, this of course might have severe repercussions. The man might be prosecuted for attempted murder and high treason. For now he was resigned."
It remains to be seen if the Labour Union with their recent successes around Manite and their allies of the Communist Interstellar Union expanding fast nearby will try again to establish another base here. With the cause for this phenomenon still unknown, any new attempts seem far too risky to be carried out, leaving the riches of HIP 89396 doomed forever.
A local researcher of the CIU has called for the moons to be combed once again. If there is anything out there... or was, it must have left a trace. While this might halt their efforts to establish new riches elsewhere, Commander Vivien Gemai of the CIU stated: "The life of nearly half a million people and those that might come after them is more important than another chunk of painite for our already booming economy."
If this new endeavour will turn up more or just add to the body count of missing people is to be seen. For now all one can do is wish for the lost souls of HIP 89396 of the Workers of Manite Labour Union to be alive and well somewhere on the ground.

This was Eliana Karamazov, signing out.


http://images.akamai.steamuserconte...630/358305717A5E2B3CC7FF6A11826EB875F6A84995/

http://images.akamai.steamuserconte...742/E3827F87633C00AA701F45A6A6D7E0BBAB1BE4B3/

http://images.akamai.steamuserconte...920/2949AB8B5A65F7BFB834A548D9EFE8D4B066B21E/





Story based on a persisting 'feature':

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ems-with-ghost-stations?p=4183021#post4183021

Interesting, I'll have to fly out there and check it out myself sometime.

 

[Gemai]

Detriment of Truth

​

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/030702-1

The TGS has arrived in HIP 89396. CMDR Erlfeld seperated and has decided to look for remnants of the initial fleets around the local belts. He better turn up with proper scans which do not involve the contents of the belts. We aren't here to survey for more riches, yet.
With a short drive-by around A4, the rest of our group was able to confirm the prismatic phenomenon of the twin gas giants. It is a pure refraction of light, if beautiful. We took several scans and different perspectives of the planetoids to allay any superstitions or fears about this system. We can't risk for it to take hold in the general consciousness of our people. We are well aware that this won't work for the truly devout or fanatic. An effort was made nonetheless.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/030702-2

While preparing and submitting the local scans, I personally have studied the previous reports of the Manite Defense Forces regarding the quarantine and their own search parties on the side. Therefore it is my personal belief that their direct approach was to their full capacity. There is no fault with the fleet. If the colony was able to establish a major base before their disappearance, we would have found it, unless it disintegrated. A silly notion in fact and just another superstition.
This leads me to believe that the colony was still in a provisional state when the events occured. Thus, we will use our advanced survey vessels and their specially designed scanning equipment to look for remnants of miners or the local defensive fleet; debris so small, the military scanners wouldn't pick up. If they didn't advance to a landborn habitat, there must have been a refueling station or supply depot moving around the system depending on the planets they probed for a permanent settlement. If we find the data beacon, we might be able to reconstruct the last days of the colony.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/040702-1

CMDR Erlfeld and his wingmate CMDR Lateweather have brought me informations about the P-O-P resources around the system. I had access to the notes of the advanced probing team and was part of it myself, so I knew about the rough riches. Now that we got a more detailed report this only proves the wealth of our lost mining colony. It is to be noted that this only accounts for spaceborne resources. The true wealth on the ground was to be established by the colony itself.
Still, this was a direct violation of my order and a clear abuse of communal manpower for non-approved activities by the Union. It remains to be seen if CMDR Lateweather can be held accountable, but his superior Erlfeld was admonished and stripped of command for this endeavour. He and Lateweather now follow CMDR Sheraz to the outer giants to look around their rings for remnants.
The search around the primary sun turned out empty-handed. The debris of the mining beacons was already known and no ships were in the vicinity. It was a pre-setup for a later permanent mining operation. The colony never was here to begin with.
CMRD Chekov decided to repair some of the beacons that highlighted profitable zones inside the huge asteroid ring of A4. Mining operations can resume for our independant miners, albeit without any protection from the vanished local fleet. The quarantine fleet has order keep people out, not hunt those within. If there are still pirates around or sublight smugglers, nobody can help them.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/040702-2

Following the accounts of abandoned probing sites around AB1, I ordered only a small fraction of our group to comb the space around it. The colony must have moved on to research the contents of the moons and rings around AB2 if the previous records are correct. We will focus our research for any debris of ships around that area.
There have been no more insubordinations or strange ideas inside the group. Now all finally work for the common goal.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/040702-3

A minor signature turned up 230 ls away from the giant AB2. It was minor source of radiation. If there was any sun nearby, it might have been hardly noticeable at all. Further inspection lead to the discovery of a destroyed probing ship. Damaged limpets were scattered inside the debris and nearly nothing was left. This vessel didn't suffer an accident, it was attacked. The cause remains unknown, but its remants are charred beyond recognition. Scans of the nearby suns indicate no supernovae, so a gamma ray can be excluded. Further, the signature of the radiation doesn't fit a gamma ray. It is my belief, that this vessel was attacked by a hostile force. We will recover parts of the debris to investigate the exact cause for the charring. Luckily with a supernovae excluded from the perpetrators, the blackbox might yet be salvagable.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/040702-4

The blackbox has been recovered and the data is still mostly intact. The last moments are missing, but from the rest we can roughly estimate the location of the fueling and storage depots around the time of its destruction. It indicates the last coordinates for the flight computer to be near AB2. We are on the right track. We expect to reach the position of the mobile outposts later this day.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/040702-5

The team was devastated when we finally reached the area around AB 2 and its inner moons. With the help of the recovered locations, it took us only between an hour and two to find both locations.

It is my sad duty to report that the defensive fleet, including their carrier, and most likely most of the colony were completely wiped out or taken hostage. After some discussion, we considered to only embed a short statement about our findings with the video feed, but our further discoveries warranted a proper report.

Whatever happened here did come unexpected. The whole fleet has been destroyed in a small array around both stations, some even without any signs of defensive maneuvers. The reason is simple. The central stations on both ends have been completely destroyed from the inside, leaving only debris. They certainly have damaged many ships onboard and around them and added to the confusion. While this could be an act of sabotage from anyone, this includes our carrier which was not open to public personnel. CMDR Chekov noted that the reactor might have malfunctioned and that a thermal weapon might have been used to make our major installations overheat and explode. Either the emergency measures were faulty or the enemy took them out at the same time. They never had a chance and couldn't even man their Cobra fleet. This attack was planned with military precision on an unsuspecting victim. This is nothing less than an act of war. The potential use of heat weaponry lead CMDR Chekov to suggest the probing ship and the smaller parts of the flight might have suffered the effects of intense plasma. If we truly fight an enemy with heat and advanced plasma weaponry, they can not be underestimated. At least all seem to have died quickly. The attackers took good care to give their victims a proper burial by fire. No one was to leave alive.

With the fate above ground confirmed, we now follow the traces of the colony to the primary moon of AB 2. With the stations blown up from the inside, the best chance to find their central data core is on the nearest source of gravity. And maybe someone survived on the ground. Tomorrow, we will dispatch crews all over AB 2 A. My wing will descend to the north pole.

[Embedded Encoded Passage, Authority Level 12 – Special Agent Gemai to Central Command]

While the attackers did make short work of our defenders and might have taken away their own victims of the attack, we still found leftover foreign debris and a signature beacon. It will be send over shortly, but it seems to belong to a certain local corporation we engaged in the past, the 'PCI' of Pand. If they are actually involved or did only supply the station with ships for a new profit potential has to be seen. They were down on their luck after they lost the Manite war and have retreated since. Surely they wanted in on the profit we could make here. But their presence and their lack of contact past the events seems odd. Maybe they feared we'd blame them for this. In truth it only made them more suspicious. If this goes public unproven, it might stage an outcry and a lust for a preemptive war with Pand. We can not let past conflicts lead this investigation. We have to be careful whom we blame for these events, especially if mislead ideology clouds our judgements. I secured the beacon and submitted the data in this report. The 'local' data has been 'lost' and the TGS expects to find nothing more.

We should advise our local news agencies to keep to the facts and sprinkle only minor allegations in a special edition. If we can draw the PCI out of their self-imposed blockade of communications by implying the connection of certain elements, we might be able to ascertain their assets. I don't think the PCI is capable of fielding a full fleet of mercenaries or personal defense force equipped with heat weaponry. The truth is still out there.


If this is used for baseless propaganda to stage a war with 'the enemy', I swear I will resign!

 

[Gemai]

Excerpt from the 'Worker's Right' newsletter, Manite 05.07.3002


Mining Colony found by TGS! HIP 89396 annihilated!

With the help of the CIU's TGS, the WMLU has finally achieved assurance over their colony's fate. After having found the remants of a lone mining ship in dark space around AB 2, the group was able to locate the gaveyard of the HIP 89396 fleet and the destroyed fuel and depot station that accompanied the expansion effort. No survivors were reported. The local search and rescue team made it absolutely clear that the strike was a cowardly and coordinated attack of military proportions, including heat weaponry and sabotage. First allegations immediately fell to the only nearby power known to stage a military coup on Manite less than a year ago, the PCI of Pand. With sanctions still in place, a trade conflict may have arisen over the local riches found in HIP 89396. Others voiced the idea of a fear of expansion into their local cluster.

On attempts to get a statement from the PCI, no answer was received. All communications have been severed. It is to be seen if this is an admittance of guilt or a defensive maneuver to prepare for the oncoming storm. Either way first voices around Manite have uttered the idea of finally removing this corporate stain from our neighborhood once and for all. This time the fight should be taken to them!
While the research team still denies any clear perpetrator, the surrounding systems are gearing for war. In the eyes of the people, someone has to answer for this crime and currently the PCI might be the one to take the brunt.


The Federal Union of Futeno and the Onuris Confederation sent their deep regrets over the loss to the Workers of Manite and wish them success in a new attempt to reestablish the colony in the near future, now that the baseless superstitions had been subplanted by the cruel reality.


In other news, the Communist support inside the Federal System of Montet has grown since...

Unlikely Allies
​

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/050702-1

We have descended to the planet, following the coordinates we found in orbit. With a first sweep of a nearby crater, we found an abandoned outpost of the colony that had been established here, full with data of local probing sites. This will be our local base for now and all data will be secured. We may yet find survivors, as all these sites were independant and meant to conduct long lasting reasearch about the planets crust. Our only hope is that any survivors still have oxygen after all this time.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/050702-2

The descend to the pole probing site was uneventful, the structure visibly intact. Nearby signatures indicated three areas with increased radiation. Most likely those were all groups of fusion drills operated by the same installation. The installation itself didn't respond to our hails, so a direct approach was chosen.
CMDR Zimmer noticed that the drills had been operating for over several months, two already starting to break down. This didn't seem like sloppy work. Many holes were already deep down into the crust and even the output of Pyrophillite and Goslarite had been compromised by the continued exposure. The data is valuable and proves AB 2 A to be a profitable planet for geo-mining, including Lepidolite and Rutile as well. Yet, the silence didn't bode well for the installation, which was indeed found abandoned. The neural interface was still intact and I was able to extract the lattest informations aside of the research. The 'Retreat Order 7-A2' had been issued months ago. It is doubtful anyone is left on this planet. And sadly doubtful anyone survived.

Research Report HIP 89396-VG1/050702-3

In the light of the abandoned site, our team decided to at least save all the research data that had been gathered in absence. It turned out the perfect perimeter set around the installation wasn't meant for a proper research, and it didn't belong to further fusion drills. One was the leftover radiation of a grade 4 frame shift drive of an ASP-E that exploded upon emergency activation in close proximity to AB 2 A's gravity field. The same charring marks as before indicate this was an attempt to escape pursuers which sadly failed. [Name Retracted] didn't make it. A body was recovered and will be taken home to his home system for a proper burial among friends and family.
The last source of radiation led to the crashed data core of the fueling depot in orbit. With our team preparing the site for its transportation, I resign myself again to the void above to recapitulate and sort our findings. The other probing sites turned out empty as well. 'Retreat Order 7-A2' was issued everywhere. No doubt we will find other wrecks or if they made it out wrecks whereever they went. There is no one left down here.

[Some time later, in orbit near the 'Prismatic Eyes']

As the lights on her communicator came to live, Vivien reacted surprised. Maybe they did find a survivor? After all she only asked for a final report after her moment of silence. The signature however wasn't from TGS, and neither was it part of the Quarantine Fleet. This didn't bode well! Without delay she rerouted energy to her weapons, started to track the source and brandished her multi-cannons. The source waited for her in the shadow of A2, right under the prismatic corona.
Still paranoid, Vivien finally decided to accept the hail.
„I like your attitude Commander. I am Captain Kurt Browning and your caution is well deserved as we know who coordinated this strike against your peaceful mining operation. Despite what your mindless propaganda implies to the public, the PIC of Pand had no hand in it. Of course ideology is so easy to rile up.“
Vivien didn't disarm her stance and closed in, carefully examining the situation. On the side she searched the neural network for any info on this 'Kurt Browning'.
„Get to the point, Captain. You already transgress the quarantine of our sector. I have all right to apprehend you.“
„You can try. But how do you think we got here? Jump? Like my travel, this as well was an interstellar cruise attack! If you wish to still stop the unravelling events, we can supply you with the evidence you need.“ He brandished the weapons on his Assault Ship, it was a plasma accelerator and two railguns, the weapons used for the battle around AB 2.
„The PCI is as much a victim as you in this case. It was a setup. I would even say the PCI is the real victim, ripe for your taking. All the vultures want is the spoils of your big war and maybe one or two more systems under their sway. Be not deceived. Our enemy, is the same. We are not your enemy! After all, their attacked was forcefully coordinated and staged from our sphere in Reed Landing, which we of course had to supply.“
„You were part of this?! Why shouldn't I blow you up right now?“
„Because you can't. We both know I could have killed you by now. You aren't exactly flying a military vessel.“
Vivien couldn't do anything but consent to herself that she wouldn't win. But she could try. There was always the chance to lure him into A2's atmosphere.
„Don't give me that look CMDR. This is an honest proposal. It is time to bring back order to our rotten home. The colony in HR 6680 was never meant to be the hole it evolved into. Our party offers order and we hope with your help they will soon supply us with their death in return for our efforts. Hear me, CMDR, a rebellion is brewing in the CSB-Syndicate and we want the CI to help us win. The moment you declare, we secede. The moment you attack, we will strike out against the Crimson among our home. All we ask is for our two core sectors to be left alone once we win at your side. Law will come back to HR 6680 and its outer system. We will strike at Crimson, you will strike at Silver. Blue will have no chance once its allies are dead and crumble soon after. What do you say?“
During his monoluge, Vivien had downloaded all she could find about her adversary. He was part of the CSB-Syndicate, at least on paper. It was already clear he had his own agenda. He hailed from the imperial core and was more than familiar with a direct hierarchy. There were some stories about dishonor and exile, but nothing she did care about. He was, however, wanted in 28 systems for over half a million and seems to have moved to HR 6680 eight years ago.
„It is not my place to decide these kind of things. I can however relay your message to my supervisors and then...“
„Direct supervisors!“
His calm voice became strangely aggressive. Vivien didn't expect this reaction and did seem confused for a second.
„Pardon?“
„We know about you, Vivien Gemai. We ask that you relay this message to your central command, not some willy-nilly administration in between. If this message isn't news by next week, we consider you an enemy as well. HR 6680 is a free system and no one, syndicate or other, has the right to interfere in our internal matters. The people of HR 6680 will rule themselves and all that deny us our right will face the consequences.“
The communicator ended its service before Vivien could mutter her disapproval when her systems lit up: 'Frame Shift Drive charge detected.' So he was gonna run. Well if there was evidence to be had, she would just follow his trails. With a change of a simple setting, her ship was ready to follow his wake, but then all systems flared up.
'Warning, weapon charge detected! Warning, thermal weaponry detected!' Before she could reroute power back to her engines to high wake out of the Captain's way herself, her shields had already been flooded with the intense heat of his weapons. 'Warning, shields offline. Critical Heat! Critical Heat! Criti...cal... He...
As her ship went dark and everything around her disappeared, the last thing she felt was the gravitational wave of the witchspace being ripped open by Captain Browning. She wouldn't be able to follow him. All she had left was the painful stare of the prismatic eyes on her roasted cockpit, her failure. Hoping her emergency oxygen was enough to help her over the time until either the fleet or her comrades came to her aid, she activated the manual security system, releasing a beacon to the void to call for emergency. This 'friendly' meeting didn't bode well for future conflicts.

 

[Gemai]

Excerpt from the 'Worker's Right' news, Manite 07.07.02

After the loss in the landslide election in Tjupali two weeks ago in which the United Tjupali Democrats faced a resounding defeat, the CIU has used it's new mandate from the supercomplex of Harrison City to support the local populace in the nearby system of Anagori to sway for their own independance from their base in Ramsay City.

As of today, the Anagori Purple Transport Industries has renounced its claim to the people of Anagori, stating their presence to have always been simply business related. With the huge amount of strikes and economical sanctions imposed on the duality of Anagori – Alkadjar, the Trade Company finally saw reason and retreated to the nearby system of Alkadjar with all their assets still intact.
Spokeswoman of the CIU, Odette Owen, thanked all those that made this 'Independance without Bullets' possible. With another 5 million people finally free from exploitation and fear, the future for the Tjupali cluster seems on the rise. Both systems asked to join the Core Worlds of the Communist Interstellar Pact. Their acceptance is but a formality as they compose major parts of the populace around their region and are close to the dual capital of Anagorovici-Manite.
Anagori faced many instabilities long before the CIU came to their aid, even without the recent uprisings. In light of the past 'business' conducted in Anagori, the CIU expects a rise in violence, as the local syndicate lost its trade partner. With the local Scorpii Cartell at large many people, especially opposition groups 'disappeared' in what most think to be a slave arrangements. With the outcries finally heard and answered, it is doubtless the local syndicate and their allies will strike back to take revenge for lost profits. The people of Anagori are willing to take their stand and the whole of the Communist Interstellar Pact will stand by them. The CIU will not make any deal with slavers!

In further news, keeping to their promise of a communist revolution by peaceful and democratic means, the UTP now forms the strongest opposition force in the local parliament and in the surrounding boroughs of Tjupali. As of yet, the Tjupali State Group has not been ousted and all their assets remain intact. The CIU promised to uphold this peace as long as the TSG doesn't abuse its monopoly over the local markets. Otherwise the CIU would intervene in the name of the people. While local economists feared a sudden downfall in productivity, the fallen sanctions in the CI might prove yet to open up new markets for the TSG. It remains to be seen if the company will accept this new horizon or push for more in a bid to steer the system to a new election or active campaign against the CIU. For now the new government hopes to reunite the system against their common enemies of the Scorpii Cartell.



For Whom the Bell Tolls

The conference room had been well prepared. A slight undistracting tune, as generic as an elevator jingle, was playing in the background with several kinds of beverages present for comfort during the speeches soon to be held.
Secretary Kennedy Fernandez of the WMLU, formal speaker of the CIU Odette Owen and the ambassador Derek Stokes from the Revolutionary Union Party of HIP 86385 were already present. After they had aligned their own stance for the meeting beforehand, they finally went ahead and invited the waiting envoys and legates of HR 6680 into the room.
Without any delay, the pair of a woman and a man in business suits rose to the occasion and went ahead towards the door, leaving the other two women outside behind. While the group of five inside the room was exchanging formalities, Councillor Natalie Murphy calmy rose from her own self-imposed exile, far away from the previous two consorts seats.
„Aren't you coming, dear? The conference is going to start soon. Surely you want to address your own position in the meeting. All shall be heard. The voice of my people and yours.“ As if to try and win her over, the Councillor finally addressed the other silent person with an open hand to help her sit up. Vivien however only gave her a glance, her left hand slowly moving up her own head from when she lowered it onto her pad to read the local news.
„I am the backdrop Councillor Murphy. So please go ahead and declare your stance while I will make sure 'All shall be heard' without incident.“
„Nonsense!“ Councillor Murphy took the strong stance and just decided to 'gently' force her opposite to stand up. „Who would attack us in the heart of Iren? Now, put that thing away and follow me inside. You are my wingwoman today.“
Vivien, who had decided the situation to be unthreatening, if unnerving, unravelled the Councillors grip with the same 'gentle' force she had used to elevate her.
„I am not joining you. Believe me, I have to stay here for, special reasons. If you crave company that much, I am sure I find a reason to 'apprehend' you for a drink later.“
Her little sidejab was more a joke than a serious offer and the Councillor only gave her an proving look in return, lifting one brow with a wink of smile.
„I'll pass. Whatever the result, the news will be huge for us. There can be no delay.“ Vivien gave her an approving nod when she finally turned around and entered the room to join the formalities. Her pad still in hand, Vivien swiped to another menue to address her own matters. With Councillor Murphy and the federal delegation of HR 6680 and Montet inside, there was only one wildcard missing, and it would be huge. Meanwhile the doors closed in formal silence before her.

A few minutes passed, then a quarter... then nearly half an hour. Vivien was studying the newest informations about the Scorpii Cartell and its intensive slave trade, when the sound of well-made shoes alerted her to the arrival of their last guest. Too late of course, but in his eyes, he always came 'just in time'. All only started when he arrived.
„Ah, what a lovely lady the void has bestowed upon my eyes! Are you my aid for today's meeting or am I still asleep? What a welcome surprise!“
„We both know you don't use your eyes anymore, Executive Chan. So cut it out.“ With a quick input of her fingers, more reflex than attention, the pad was decoded and sealed to be stowed away. The aged man that came before her was Daren Chan, leading manager of the export branch inside the PCI of Pand and at least partially a cyborg. „Don't be like that Lady Gemai, you know I enjoy our meetings. Last time you visited us, the markets of Pand reacted with delight. So when we got the real news behind 'the news' how could I decline to personally come and see you again?“
„Not interested.“
Vivien lifted her hands in the gesture of a V with Daren Chan complying. Hands raised he stoicly accepted a little search after Vivien used the local scanners to ascertain his weaponry.
„Do you do this to all your guests, or is it just me? I already went through four of these checks on this station.“
„Don't get me wrong Executive, you are the only one with questionable motives regarding this situation.“
„You hurt me, Lady Gemai. So little trust in so much friendship. Besides this whole search...“
„...is pointless“. They ended his sentence unisono.
„I know. That is why we had you walk through four different sensor units to scan your insides.“
Vivien finally finished her little search around Chan with him clearly elated.
„I knew you just wanted to touch this.“ Chan put his head to the side with a contingent smile.
Vivien decided to play along, gently strifing over his coat and walking around him with a drawn out „Maybe...“ on her lips. Then she pressed a button and Chan's legs cramped up.
„Or maybe I just rigged you with encoded EMP-emitters to help me stop you if you act up inside.“
With the first emitters dying down, the control came back to his legs and Executive Chan stood back up.
„You...“, he panted in slight surprise, „.. you are really the only woman that makes me feel so... special. Lady Gemai, I double my offer from last time. You should come and work for us, we would even pay for your ship. That's a clear step up.“ Chan was quickly back to his game.
„Denied.“ Vivien stepped aside and stretched out her arm to the double door with the conference room. „So, please, be 'their' guest.“
„The pleasure will all be mine.“ Three fingers of his right hand formed like a colt to greet his lady once more, the Executive went forth to his new stage. Pand had much to lose if this situation was resolved in the wrong way, but Vivien already knew that Pand wouldn't be on the receiving end here. Her only question was for whom the bell tolls and who would rise from the ashes.

It didn't last long until the entrance of Executive Chan had heated up the debate loud enough to even be heard outside. Loud quarrels over outsiders interfering in internal matters, sanctions to be upheld... Kurt Browning, and other matters soon took to the floor. All was discussed, quick and violently. Violent enough in fact, that Odette saw it fit to slam her hands on the table... while activating the emitters in Chan's body. Standing inside the now open doors which were coupled to the activation of the emitters was Vivien, shaking her head in disapproval over the situation. Her head was half burried in her palm.
„Whom am I to escort, Lady Owen?“
The Federal Agent, Envoy Pauline Hewitt, had actively engaged Chan in a heated debate because he supported the independant party around Councillor Natalie Murphy in their strife for an independant HR 6680, while Pauline Hewitt was arguing to merge HR 6680 with the Federal System of Montet under the local loyalists around Councillor Agustin Soto.
The local communists stood divided, Derek Stokes advocating for independance and Manite for the strong arm of the Federation. Before the systems could be open to real democracy, something both sides promised with a chance to vote to join the CI in a fair election, they needed peace and stability, something Montets connections to the Federation could ensure.
„All will find their own way once their heads have cooled down. As for our decision...“ Odette Owen looked to her partners, Derek Stokes now willing to remain neutral and shrugged. „The efforts around HIP 86385's spearheaded invasion on the CSB-Syndicate in Lu Dong Bin and the Silver Group will support the Federal Party of HR 6680 in their claim for power past the war in the sphere of the Crimson group. This all under the promise of fair elections in the upcoming elections with full tolerance of communist parties. Until that time, the Federal System of Montet has to adhere to the promise of ousting the remnants of the syndicate from their respective systems. If through these actions they achieve the good will of the populace, they will have achieved the right to keep sovereignity over the HR 6680 cluster and formally annex it. If they fail the people of HR 6680, we will step in instead. The decision has been made. Now including the collective fight and sanctions against the HR 6680 Law Party that already seized the nearby system in an attempt to build their own dictatorship, are there any questions left?“ Owen looked around. Vivien looked down at the crinching Chan on the bottom as he slowly got control of his limbs again.
„Alright. This decision is final. You are dismissed.“
Councillor Murphy seemed saddened, but the chance to finally be free was more important than full independance. Maybe one could only have one thing at a time. As she left, Vivien saw a dishearted woman so unlike the gentle figure she met before. The federal pair meanwhile happily chatted away, and despite the war against the CSB-Syndicate that was brewing focused on the Councillors potential future and positions inside the soon 'Free SYSTEMS of Montet'. Vivien hated to chose between two wrongs in politics.
As all aside of Odette excused themselves too, only the three of them were left behind. Chan, who had secured control of his mouth again gently tugged at Vivien's leg.
„Care to... lift my spirits?“
Vivien looked back down, Chan still as certain as ever and shoke her head.
„We both know I can't lift either. Your body or your spirit.“
„A man can dream... right? Hehehe.“ This time his chuckle was nearly pitiful.
„What grade was the shock you used?“ She looked back at Lady Owen. „3. He's playing with you.“ Odette shook her head with a motherly and exhilarated smile.
Being called out, Chan quickly rose up and corrected his clothes. „Well thanks for the invite, ladies, I guess I will have to return to Pand then. This will hit like a bomb. All the metal you all will need for this little war to repair ships, buy weapons... we import those, you know? Care for a contract?“
„Those weapons you exported to the syndicate in the first place? You are still sanctioned by the CI Executive Chan! We will not use your resources for this war and if you despite their attept to betray you still harbor business with them, you will be punished. The CI is independant.“
„Why do you women keep hurting me!“ He made a dramatic pose, but then glanced to Odette's hands. „Oh I don't mean literally. We are all friends in this. Both blamed by a criminal syndicate that killed our people. Yours more than ours, granted, but let's bury the old hatchet and join hands. Business is about meeting people. Let's learn more about each other, join hands for a glorious future!“
„You are dismissed, Executive Chan.“ Odette handed the switch over to Vivien who gave her own second one to Chan too. „There are no copies. But feel free to destroy them or purge your body on your way home. Don't make me repeat myself.“
The Executive took the switches, nodded in a rare formal gesture and excused himself. „Spokewoman, Lady Gemai. It was my pleasure. Don't be strangers, business is a fluid concept. No need for grudges.“
With that he finally left.

„He's... special.“ Vivien tried to keep formalities intact.
„He's an envoy, no matter his conduct. Just make sure you don't fraternize too much with our enemy.“ Odette turned on the screen in the room which started to play the news about the Anagori Revolution.
„Tomorrow, this will be in the news as well. We don't expect our border worlds to remain peaceful so we will defend the sector while you help the government of HIP 86385 to expand and take the bridgehead of Lu Dong Bin. Your friend Kurt Browning will also see this as a declaration of war. So get your Meadow geared up. Your survey is done for a while. You might even want to ask your old contacts in the Empire to move up your order of a Clipper. The war will take a while.“
„Why me?“ Vivien didn't understand her leading role as CI contact in this.
„Well this war is your child. Most of the CI would have been happy with a phony war with Pand. There is much griefance to be had for their past actions and with us announcing a shared fate and shaky alliance, many will be unhappy. I will need most of our agents to calm the masses.“
„But I don't think all corporates are evil, Spokeswoman. He is right, business changes. I doubt he has any interest in betraying us.“
„Well let me tell you one thing then. You weren't here last year to see the blockade and the damage they have done to Irens without any provocation. The PCI of Pand is evil! If they could, they would sell the remnants of their black souls to gain access to our markets again. Don't - fraternize - with - the enemy, agent. Dismissed!“



Headline from the 'Worker's Right', Manite 08.07.02

The Freedom Alliance goes to War!

​

A new temporary alliance between the Peoples System of HIP 86385, the Federal System of Montet and insubordinate elements in the crime worlds of the CSB-Syndicate formally declared war on the syndicate itself in an attempt to avenge their sabotage on the colony of HIP 89396 leading to thousands of deaths. The CI declared not to annex any systems by force and respect the local governments, only supplying the members of the alliance with resources to conduct their efforts and sending battleships to repay their losses in kind. New informations indicate that several survivors might have been sold into slavery. Reckon units were dispatched to look for signs of them in the slave sectors of the Scorpii Cartell. While some prisoners might yet be found in the CSB-Syndicate itself, no negotiations will be conducted during the war and they might potentially be executed.
Take heart comrades, that any death will only fuel the anger of the Communist Interstellar Pact. With a major power of the region finally going to war to root out the CSB-Syndicates influence once and for all, the whole Col 285 Sector may soon breath a sigh of relief and it is my hope that many independant commanders rise to the occasion to once and for all eradicate this pirate haven. To this end all facilities have been opened up for fighter pilots, independant or aligned and even the corporation of Pand that was falsely blamed by the Syndicate has cut all ties with their shady partners and imposed sanctions against all parties involved on their side.
Pilots of the galaxy, if you are without crime, the CI will work day and night to deliver the materials you will need in this war for a fair price. The whole CI stands behind you brothers and sisters in this effort for freedom. Join us and freedom will prevail!

From the windows of the galaxy, this was Eliana Karamazov, signing out.