<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>The green world of Erie was discovered in 679 AS Although the Pennsylvania system is located relatively close to New York, it took some time before Liberty became interested in its exploration. Planet Erie was the only planet in the system with environment suitable for human colonization. The ecosystem is well-developed, rich in plantlife and various reptilian-like lifeforms of various sizes. The climate is slightly colder then ideal for humans, but tolerable. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>Liberty considered the resettlement of "undesirable" elements from Manhattan to Erie, but early surveys found that various microorganisms and even some of the larger carnivores on the planet would put any colonists at risk. Unwilling to provide the lower class citizens they were planning to resettle with the weapons they'd need to defend themselves, the planet was considered unsuitable by Liberty. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>It were groups of Zoners that were the first to settle on Erie. In 761 AS, the first group landed planetside, soon followed by number of small groups from all over Sirius. These early settlers brought few materials with them, but used what the planet had to offer instead - small settlements built largely out of native wood, with a palissade to keep various predators at bay were built over the course of a few years. This form of settlement continues to this day, which allows the Zoners to continue to expand on the planet despite attempts by Liberty to prevent this. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>Liberty however was not willing to allow an independent planet to exist inside their borders. It considered the young colony a security risk, as there was no form of law enforcement planetside, which meant criminal groups could also freely land and build settlements for their own purposes. When the level of criminal activity became intolerable, even for the usually indifferent Zoners, the Liberty Police Inc. (LPI) stepped in to correct the situation. It is rumored that no small amount of bribing by the Liberty Security Force (LSF) preceded this move. An orbital docking ring was established on Erie in 782 AS, and some more modern settlements followed soon after. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>Most of the local Zoners reacted negatively Liberty's moves, and some even started to assemble resistance detachments in order to start a guerilla war in case Liberty will overstep its bounds. Liberty officials were witty enough to see economical benefits that the presence of Zoners provided, and avoided a conflict by declaring Pennsylvania an independent system under Liberty protectorate, which offered the Zoners economical and political freedom. Moreover, Liberty would build a system of trade lanes to allow safer and faster travels between Pennsylvania stations and New York. While the system is supervised by Liberty governor, the Zoner cities on Erie are self-governed and enjoy complete autonomy, unlike some of the Zoner space stations that have been completely taken over by Liberty corporations. </TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>The green world of Erie was discovered in 679 AS. Although the Pennsylvania system is located relatively close to New York, it took some time before Liberty became interested in its exploration. Planet Erie was the only planet in the system with an environment suitable for human colonization. The ecosystem is well-developed, being rich in plantlife and various reptilian-like lifeforms of various sizes. The climate is slightly colder than ideal for humans, but tolerable. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>Liberty considered the resettlement of "undesirable" elements from Manhattan to Erie distasteful, but early surveys that found that various microorganisms and even some of the larger carnivores on the planet would put any colonists at risk allayed these concerns somewhat. Unwilling to provide the lower class citizens they were planning to resettle with the weapons they'd need to defend themselves, the planet was considered unsuitable by Liberty. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>It was groups of Zoners that were the first to settle on Erie. In 761 AS, the first group landed planetside, soon followed by number of small groups from all over Sirius. These early settlers brought few materials with them, but used what the planet had to offer instead - small settlements built largely out of native wood, with simple palisades to keep various predators at bay, were built over the course of a few years. This form of settlement continues to this day, which allows the Zoners to continue to expand on the planet despite attempts by Liberty to prevent this.</TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>Liberty, however, was not willing to allow an independent planet to exist inside their borders. It considered the young colony a security risk, as there was no form of official law enforcement planetside, which meant criminal groups could also freely land and build settlements for their own purposes. When the level of criminal activity became intolerable, even for the usually indifferent Zoners, the Liberty Police Inc. (LPI) stepped in to correct the situation. It is rumored that no small amount of bribing by the Liberty Security Force (LSF) preceded this move. An orbital docking ring was established on Erie in 782 AS, and some more modern settlements followed soon after. </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT> </TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>Most of the local Zoners reacted negatively to Liberty's movements, and some even started to assemble resistance detachments in order to start a guerilla war in the event Liberty overstepped its bounds. Liberty officials were shrewd enough to recognise the economic benefits that the presence of the Zoners offered, and avoided a conflict by declaring Pennsylvania an independent Liberty protectorate, which provided the Zoners economic and political freedom. Additionally, Liberty would build a system of trade lanes to allow safer and faster travel between Pennsylvania and New York. While the system is supervised by a Liberty governor, the Zoner cities on Erie are self-governed and enjoy complete autonomy, unlike some of the Zoner space stations that have been completely taken over by Liberty corporations. </TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>A Xeno who piloted the Ogre was, by contrast, a subtile and neat young man who joined the terrorist faction after his father, one of the Freeport 7 destruction survivors, was killed in Liberty in 800 AS The killers were never found, and goverment attempted to hush up his case. Desperate and unable to find justice, the man started seeking revenge instead, finally sticking to the Xenos of the Milford Base. His clumsy but unpredictable manner of fighting, along with incredible luck, allowed him to survive in numerous fights with the Liberty Police; even after his ship was damaged and disabled, he was able to eject from his dying ship and escape in another Xeno's craft.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>The Xeno who piloted the Ogre was, by contrast, a subtle and neat young man who joined the terrorist faction after his father, one of the Freeport 7 survivors, was killed in Liberty in 800 AS. The killers were never found, and the Liberty government swept the case under the rug. Desperate and denied justice, the man began to seek revenge instead, finally affiliating with the Xenos of Milford Base. His clumsy but unpredictable manner of fighting, along with incredible luck, enabled him to survive numerous fights with the Liberty Police; even after his ship was damaged and disabled, he was able to eject from his dying ship and escape in another Xeno's craft.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>Bethlehem is a Zoner installation built in 780 AS Unlike larger Philadelphia, it remained independent from Liberty civilian authorities after the House took Pennsylvania under its control. Its inhabitants mostly keep to themselves, trading food and Helium gathered from the nearby nebula for anything they might need. </TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>Bethlehem is a Zoner installation built in 780 AS. Unlike the larger Philadelphia, it remained independent from Liberty civilian authorities after the House took Pennsylvania under its control. Its inhabitants mostly keep to themselves, trading food and helium gathered from the nearby nebula for anything they might need. </TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>Pennsylvania houses a large populace of Liberty Rogues, many of whom are family members of other Rogues who operate in more dangerous areas of Liberty. Niverton is a relatively safe hideout for them, since the base is fairly remote and does not see a lot of Navy or Police scouts intruding on it. The asteroid field is nearly impassable for capital ships, so even if the Navy would discover Niverton, there is not a whole lot they could do about it. </TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>Pennsylvania houses a large population of Liberty Rogues, many of whom are family members of other Rogues who operate in more dangerous areas of Liberty. Niverton is a relatively safe hideout for them, since the base is fairly remote and does not see a lot of Navy or Police scouts intruding on it. The asteroid field is nearly impassable for capital ships, so even if the Navy came to discover Niverton, there is not a whole lot they could do about it. </TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>Albion is a Liberty Rogue heavy fighter that was carrying cardamine from the Niverton Base in 816 AS The ship flew directly into the Liberty Police ambush on the edge of the Appalachian Asteroid Field. Albion's pilot was captured and sent to Sugarland, while the ship was left drifting somewhere in the asteroid field, stripped of all - or most - goods and equipment it had onboard.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>The Albion was a Liberty Rogue heavy fighter that was carrying cardamine from Niverton Base in 816 A.S., when the ship flew directly into a Liberty Police ambush on the edge of the Appalachian Asteroid Field. The pilot was captured and sent to Sugarland, while the ship was left drifting somewhere in the asteroid field, stripped of all - or most - goods and equipment it had onboard.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>Light fighter "Lenox" was patrolling Appalachian Asteroid Field when a mine set up by the Xenos on one of the asteroids exploded, completely destroying the other two ships that formed the patrol. Pilot of the Lenox is nowhere to be found.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>The light fighter "Lenox" was patrolling the Appalachian Asteroid Field when a mine placed by the Xenos on one of the asteroids exploded, completely destroying two other ships that formed its patrol wing and disabling the ship itself. The pilot of the Lenox is nowhere to be found.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>