"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Spa Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 12 January 827 A.S.
A Frenzy of Fireworks
The VIP passengers of the Breezewood were treated to a spectacular display of pyrotechnics courtesy of OS&C's security division.
The liner was running a route from luxury liner Barbados when an urgent message came through regarding a new installation by Liberty Rogues in the system. OS&C pilot Derek Shelton was torn between fulfilling escort duties for the Breezewood and securing the system for civilian traffic. Fortunately, the pilot did not have to choose.
"I've been aiming for a long time to set something like this up for the Breezewood," said Captain Jonathan Seabourne. "A spectacular explosion, a show of force against the pirates who would threaten us, and a unique experience to share with friends when they get home, everybody wins!" Breezewood diverted to the installation giving its passengers ample time to take in the sights while Shelton expertly took down the escorts and destroyed the facility in a Taurus class shuttle.
"it was quite the show," said one passenger in the observation lounge. "My only complaint was it happening too quickly, I barely had time to finish my first drink, let alone order another!"
Seabourne did go on to say that the Rogues are not to be underestimated. "There were a lot of things working in our favor to make this operation happen," he went on to say. "It was a new installation, barely online with several clear vulnerabilities. We got lucky with our timing. Next time, if there is a next time, the Rogues will be better prepared, and I never underestimate any threat to my ship."
The two vessels continued on without incident to drop their passengers off in Omicron Theta.
An Unusual Toll
The Gallic Royal Enclave, the royalist remnants of the once mighty Gallic Fleet caught in the outer reaches of their former kingdom, have been flexing their muscle as of late. While the mosaic of Gallic elements opposed to the crown continues to coalesce into a new confederation, those still loyal to the old ways have entrenched themselves in Aquitaine and are desperate to secure valuable supplies for their continued war effort.
A group of Gallic fightercraft stopped the liner Breezewood while travelling through the Leeds system. "I was worried at first," said Captain Seabourne. "Breezewood takes pride in its role in the late stages of the war. We personally evacuated over 100,000 from Leeds and were there to serve last drinks to the allied pilots at the final Battle of London. The Gallic fleet, to its credit, let us proceed with humanitarian evacuations during the war without interference. But I had no idea if this iteration of Gallia would maintain that same civility."
It turned out that Seabourne's fears of Gallia's soldiers turning terrorist were unfounded. After a search of Breezewood's eclectic inventory, they demanded only some of the Gaian Wildlife from the menagerie and a few bottles of the ship's finest vintages. "Truth be told, our sommelier was moderately happy it was Gallics who were raiding the supply," said Seabourne. "At least he could be confident these drinks would be fully appreciated. We once had to turn over our stock to some Xeno pirates in Liberty. They drank a $10,000 wine straight from the bottle."
"It was the only time I saw my sommelier cry, and I was there when the communication about the birth of his first child came through."
A Trading of Tales
Of course, Gallia isn't the only group that suffered during the war that has trouble putting the past behind them. Breezewood was traversing Tau-31 when it ran into the Queen.Carina's.Revenge, a Bretonia privateer hunting for Gallic supply lines.
"At first, there was the natural mutual suspicion between a privateer and a transport," said Seabourne, "but it quickly became clear that I wasn't a friend of the Enclave and that he wasn't an enemy of the corporation."
The vessel was captained by a former resistance fighter, intent on avenging Leeds upon the remnant of Gallia responsible for the crime against humanity. The crew of the two vessels shared several hours of pleasant dialogue, swapping tales from the war they both experienced from opposite humanitarian and military perspectives. "It's odd being a transport captain and finding yourself having so much in common with someone who raids transports for a living."
Breezewood requested permission to make pick up on several Enclave lifepods floating in the area which were returned to New London for processing. "You always feel bad about leaving a lifepod in space," said Seabourne. The captain himself had to hit the pods during the war when the shuttle DayTripper was shot out from under him in Leeds orbit. "It is a common courtesy that, god forbid I ever find myself on the receiving end of Enclave munitions, I hope they would return. They seem like a people that strive for honor in all they do."
"With one notable exception."
A Room with a View
As commercial ties with Gallia continue to strengthen, Orbital Spa and Cruise is continuing to expand commercial access to the reclusive former kingdom.
The Zurich system provides ready access from Rheinland to Gallia, and the socialites of Manhattan are raving over its primary attraction: the Oerlikon Stellar Observatory. The positioning near the system's unusual phenomena has been a boon to the youth of Sirius looking for something new and different, and the observation decks have found themselves hosting breath taking selfies alongside award winning research.
EFL, the owner of the base, also handles most of the tourism trade in Gallic space after its acquisition of Solar Engineering's hospitality assets. While the war took its toll on catering to tourists in Gallia just as it curtailed OS&C operations in Sirius, both sides now seem to be tentatively reaching out for mutual benefit.
The Zurich corridor is of particular use to an OS&C that is increasingly wary of travelling through Kusari space. Rumors of a pivot away from Kusari towards Gallia are fiercely denied by Seabourne, who also serves as an OS&C director by virtue of the White Spa Lines initiative. "The loss of the Mackinac hit us all hard, of course," said Seabourne, "but we have not abandoned Kusari. Rather there are only so many routes the Breezewood can run, and we are choosing to focus on Gallia to establish the brand there at the current time."
"Once we have a more secure foothold," said Seabourne, "We'll re-allocate our routes accordingly."
White Spa Lines A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise Planet Curacao, Cortez System
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