The developing situation in the Omicrons has already cost an untold amount of human lives, and put the very future in question in the minds of the local residents. But for those whole call House space their home, the problem is simpler: the sudden lack of alien imports. After the first refugee ships started arriving from Zeta, canny smugglers made a run on existing supplies, with some sitting on their stock, and some cashing out immediately. What followed was a predictable shortage of alien relics, as all parties involved busied themselves with the various warlike developments. With Liberty and Kusari gearing up for a potentially prolonged conflict, this scarcity could not have come at a worse time for both Houses.

The lack of confidence in steady supply lines has forced Core shareholders to demand an urgent retooling of company priorities. With the Kappa situation at least partially stabilized, it was time to move their Omicron assets to secure the now-lucrative alien relic market. Incentives were developed for all types of operations: extraction, transportation, and security were all part of one coherent package which would ensure the continued prosperity of Liberty-based shareholders. To compete with the Libertonian pipeline, Kusari has chosen to enlist veteran Hogosha smugglers, who could be relied upon to provide their own convoys. These individuals also had the necessary contacts to ensure that the provided incentives trickled down to the Corsair extraction groups who have continuously operated out of Delta. With access being tight and the sources of the relics limited, a heightening of hostilities was all but unavoidable.

An even greater danger to both Liberty and Kusari-bound elements was not posed by their competitors, but by the re-positioned Order patrols. With Zeta completely lost and Mu secured for the immediate future with the destruction of the Hakodate, more forces could now be spared for alien artifact interdiction. With the nomads breathing down everyone's neck, it was only a matter of time until an unlucky shipment got caught and infected, potentially leading to a whole new Nomad war, and this could not be allowed to occur. Ironically, the same shipments which have attracted the Order's concern also interested the local Outcast operatives, but for a completely different reason. With Malta regaining its reputation as a player in local affairs, influential Dons could again pay top credit for any recovered intact shipments. While some have discussed establishing their own extraction operations, most have agreed that their crews would do what they did best: prey on fools who skimped on security.