Issue #30
Monday, August 15th, 2005Pets Unlimited at Tribune HQ
The operations director at Tribune HQ was fired last week after a brain-fried idea of beginning a ‘pets’ division of Tribune HQ. With the success of domesticating Alf, the local Space Worm, the director thought he could go ahead and try it out with other space creatures. Be he didn’t want to enter the arena small, he wanted to enter with a bang. And with a bang he did. A medusa entered the Tribune HQ vicinity early last week and the director found his PERFECT opportunity to begin his domesticating project. The director had it all planned out, he would send out freighters with ‘nets’ to capture the beast, then punish the beast for being bad, reward it for being good, and before long, he’d have his very own medusa to sell on the open market.
Several assistants remarked that he repeatedly quoted that: “The plan is foolproof!”
The plan didn’t quite go quite as well as expected. The freighters were destroyed, the medusa ripped through Tribune HQ, and any ships moving through the area were turned to derelict space hulks. Tribune HQ put out a distress call, and whether the medusa was defeated by Federation forces, a wandering fighter, or simply got irritated and moved on is still undetermined (no survivors wanted to exactly stick around to find out).
Repairs have been underway for a solid week now, and it’s likely to be another few weeks before HQ is up and running at 100% again. Tribune HQ’s legal department has been on duty for the last week solid trying to settle losses to life and limb based on the director’s ‘great’ idea. At least 600 cases have already been settled with likely another several thousand yet to come. It wouldn’t be all that unlikely that the director find a bounty on his head in the near future.
[Editor: All complaints regarding Medusa Allison need to be sent to the complaints department via the Tiacken Tribune.]
The Crabs Cometh
Toying with the laws of the universe is kind of like playing tag with a Tiackenian sand shark. You may win a round or two, but eventually, you’ll get eaten alive. The lesson is learned once again with Exotic Matter. Last week we reported that Ska’ari scientists were able to hasten the ability of Exotic Matter to reproduce with a special formula that was added to EM fields across the universe. Unfortunately, there was a side effect. Apparently a sloppy Ska’ari scientist left behind scant traces of his DNA on the formula for at least one EM field and the code was enough to allow his DNA to mutate within the field.
And mutate it did.
Thanks to the Ska’ari, the Bedaho system is officially swarming with mutated crabs that attack all who enter the system. Outside of shooting the things down, there currently seems to be no way to rid the system of these vermin. Let’s hope scientists were much less careless in their release of the formula throughout the galaxy.
Fragging Crabs (by Tightwad)
As I was sitting in the Pilots Lounge in the Space Port at Capella, a news bulletin flashed on the screen.
“Leading scientists of the Federation caution traders against travelling through Bedaho.
The Federation’s most advanced scanner on Earth is picking up rapidly propagating life signs coming from the exotic matter source in Bedaho. If these new life forms are hostile, they have to be stopped before they endanger all surrounding sectors.”
After I picked myself back up from my chair, I immediately called my co-pilot. “What’s on our docket for the next flight” I asked, with concern in my voice. “Not much” he replied, “Just a quick trip to the Bedeho Sector for some E-matter.
I was afraid of that. Why did I always take the dangerous jobs? Of course, yesterday that job was mundane, and I was only doing it as a favor to a friend who was finding E-matter supplies running low. “Can we scrap that job?” I asked my co-pilot Trolly? “Not a chance” he replied, “you still owe him big from that drunken Gambling spree.”
“I was not Drunk” I replied. “I was simply a little stressed”
“Yeah, that’s what they all say” was his snooty reply. Maybe I should fire him. I could pilot the ship without him I am sure…it was only a Hercules after all. Of course that would require me to actually DO something, which I try to avoid.
“OK, but did you see the news?” I asked. I knew he hadn’t, but he was seeing it now. “Maybe we should go check them out, I have a Pod I haven’t used in days.” Trolly didn’t find this very funny. He had to share a Pod on the last ‘Accident’ with our Dug. But we had given our word, and as King of Rashkir, I felt it was my responsibility to at least try to fulfill my contract.
After sending Trolly to oversee the refueling, I went to speak to the local Missile Vendor. We had become acquainted recently as I had discovered an affinity for trying impossible things, like getting into firefights without weapons.
I loaded up on some lv111 missiles, and we were off. The jump to Bedeho was peaceful enough. Someone had even killed the Space Crystal which usual impedes travel. I got within sight of the Star Base, and suddenly my path was blocked by the weirdest crab I had ever seen (Even weirder than Ambrosia, who keeps telling me she should be Queen of Rashkir).
We engaged the Exo-crab in combat, once again without guns, and let it shoot at us. Its rounds didn’t find their target very often; for once I wasn’t letting Trolly pilot the ship. I unleashed 5 missiles in it’s direction, and 4 found their mark. The E-crab appeared to be close to death, it’s armor was gone. I quickly purchased 2 more missiles, and finished it off.
How they knew, I will never understand. By the time we docked at the Star Base, the GNN had already announced our Victory. We were the first pilots to kill one!!!
Our elation was short lived as we watched from the safety of the SB as they propagated quickly. The one I had killed was replaced by 3 more. Soon every free bit of Space was covered with them. We waited for a Fighter to show up, as one was bound to do, and as soon as a path was cleared we headed home with our Cargo of E-matter, and a story for our posterity.
High Level Buildings
Interested in owning a high level building? Make sure you do the research before you decide to begin upgrading. Yes, the inputs into the building decrease somewhat as the building production increases, however, the cost of the increases at the higher levels are so enormous that the break even point is often 7 or 8 months away. This does not include the cost of any defenses you may have to add.
However, it continues to be done either as a personal goal – or upgraded for having no other alternative to producing needed materials for a system. Catheryne of the Space Monkeys lives up to the Monkey insanity in her announcement of building a minimum level 10 space farm in Begreeze. Reactions to the announcement ranged much like any announcement. Good luck to Catheryne in her endeavor – and for all the high level upgraders for that matter.
[Editor: I’m sure I”ll get bombarded with “Level 10? That’s nothing! I have a level x building” and I really am curious as to what the largest building is out there. Make a comment on the biggest building in the comments if you have a level 12+]
Operation Loose Dragon – Part Deux
Red Cell lost the first battle of this little ‘disagreement’ when they failed to take down the military outpost leading to the Wayaan dragon den. However, the failure was a temporary thing. With a renewed effort, Red Cell (& Co.) went back at the QI outpost and managed to take it down. With the wall down, coalition forces swept through the blocked QI dragon den pillaging and raiding.
From an outsiders standpoint, QI was in a tough spot. Red Cell seemed to have public support on their side (seeing as the coalition was made up of many different independent and allied forces) and the rebuilding of an outpost strong enough to withstand another solid attack would cost in the order 15+ million. You also had to have the materials on hand and someone ready to put the MO back up extremely quickly. Oh, and your major source(s) of income had just been raided. And you’ve spent an unknown but likely good chunk of change in hiring the Guard to come and help out. QI looked to be in a rough spot – but they had one last trick up their sleeve.
The Scorpion Guard turned up at the doors of Red Cell and managed to strip a military outpost and then destroy it leaving a nice path for SG into Red Cell space. Much like Red Cell’s venture into QI territory, SG managed to inflict some damage before retreating.
Shortly after the Guard’s attack, Quinto Imperio and Red Cell declared a cease-fire while the two groups worked out an agreement. The agreement was pounded out that included a pull-out by the Scorpion Guard (or at least cessation of the contract), QI leaving the dragon den, and no aggression by either party. So far, it looks like both parties have kept to their word.
Terrorizing Technocracy
After a broken word (for a morally questionable project), a pilot named Dipstick began a crusade to destroy as many Technorcacy pilots as possible. The subjects don’t have to be fighters – Dipstick is just out to destroy as many Tech pilots as possible, traders and fighters alike. Dipstick has given Technocracy an ultimatum of 5M credits as well as having the leaders kicked from the alliance before he stops his crusade. For obvious reasons, that’s unlikely to happen and the hunt for Dipstick goes on.
So far, it looks like the first person to have destroyed Dipstick was Lenderz, who happened to be passing by and caught Dipstick waiting in ambush. Going back to a nearby base, Lenderz bought a new laser, and loaded up with missles to try to take Dipstick down. Sixty to seventy rounds later – Lenderz got the kill.
How much longer will Dipstick go on? Time will tell.
Citizens of Tiacken: Feel it? The calm before the storm?
The storm is coming – make no mistake. But this time – who will be the predator, and who the prey? We SHALL NOT be the prey! Keep your wits about you because when you least expect it, it will be here.