"Tales From Where Angels Fear to Tread" A White Star Lines Publication, A Division of Orbital Spa and Cruise 30 March 827 A.S.
A Call for Help
Planet Curacao is almost fully recovered from its damage from the Gallic War. The watery resort world made for a frustrating target for the crown's invaders by simply not having many viable targets worth the time and ammunition of the Royal Navy. The invaders settled for wrecking the docking ring of OS&C's crown jewel before a combined Liberty and Bretonian fleet finally pushed them back on the Cortez front. But while the wrecks of Yukon and Bethany will continue to serve as stark reminders of the conflict for years to come, Orbital Network Express is now stepping up operations to get the last planetside remnants of the war fixed.
Captain Jack Ashton, director of ONE, announced ealier that, "As a part of the continuing redevelopment of Orbital Spa and Cruise's portfolio, the board of directors have tasked ONE with the repair of the, still functional, docking rings orbiting Planet Curacao. It is therefore my pleasure, as the newly appointed director of Orbital Network Express, to publish this public tender for delivery of the materials needed for this repair."
Docking rings are notoriously tricky devices to repair, so massive amounts of Industrial Materials, Industrial Hardware, Polymers, PlasFoam Conduits, and Solar Panels needed to bring docking operations back to 100% to planet Curacao. Traders from all over Sirius are invited to pitch in, with appropriate bonuses to be awarded to those who help bring the flagship resort world of OS&C back online. Interested traders are invited to apply here.
A Unique Flotilla
Sirius is home to scores of different ship configurations, each perfectly suited to its myriad tasks. From the distinctive fins of an Enterprise-class liner to the fish-like curves of Bretonian fighters to the utilitarian stoutness of Rheinland vessels, trade-lane traffic is always a veritable cornucopia of design philosophies. Still, some models prove more popular and well suited to the needs of a dangerous and unforgiving cosmos. Some models get pushed to the brink of obscurity in favor of more pragmatic ships. Still, sometimes the fates align to allow these rare sights to be seen from a single porthole, much to the delight of the ship-spotters who frequent OS&C vessels.
The Triton Expeditions vessel OS&C|TE-Suzume under captain Keiko Hamada is herself a rare site. The Geisha-class luxury yacht, unlike her more utilitarian Democritus cousins, is an absurdly whimsical sight among the stars. Featuring delicate decorative features, external statues, and the distinctive fins of all Kusari craft, she looks like a traditional temple grew tired of worldly concerns and decided to ascend to the heavens. Such a rare ship would be a worthwhile spectacle on its own, but she would shortly be joined by two other rare sights in the sector.
The Gaians have seen a dip in their activity since they were betrayed by the Enclave. Originally siding with the Gallic invaders against Bretonia to protect planet Gaia, their movement was gutted when the planet was taken over by the King's rump state and its wildlife razed by its oil production facilities. Caught between a desperate Gallic crown and a triumphant but still heavily militarized Bretonia, the Gaians find themselves with little room to maneuver. That didn't stop the Gaian gunboat Fist_of_Gaia from attempting to shake down the OS&C vessel, partly out of desperation, partly out of the old grudge between the two groups over eco-tourism issues that seem positively benign compared to the ecological holocaust on the surface today.
However, what captain Keiko Hamada's ship lacks in armor and weapons her captain makes up for with charm. "We made a hidden system-wide distress call and hoped for the Warden, a hope that not would be disappointed. We kept the Gaian distracted and gave the Warden enough time to change her course."
HMS-Warden, a lend-lease battlecruiser, arrived on the scene and stated "Spa and Cruise vessel, I suggest you make yourself scarce." Lend-Lease battlecruisers were mass produced in Liberty to aid a Bretonia on the brink of total anihilation and most ended up making the ultimate sacrifice for Queen and Country. Designed to hold the line against the mind-boggling firepower of the Gallic fleet, the gunboat stood no chance against one of the rare specimens that survived the war.
"Like her name, she was a true Warden for us" said Captain Hamada.
A Question of Compatibility
Orbital Spa and Cruise prides itself for being a truly inter-house organization that has ascended beyond its original Liberty charter. With captains and vessels from all across Sirius, it is a point of pride that all four houses are well represented in the Luxury fleet. With the four becoming five at the end of the Gallic war, efforts are now underway to bring Gallic captains into the fold as well, and every Gallic captain deserves to captain a Gallic ship.
Captain Marcel Dumas in conjunction with an initiative under White Star Lines is seeking to bring something novel to the skies of Sirius: a Lucullus class luxury liner flying OS&C colors. "I can't forget nor deny my roots," said the former Gallic noble who fled to Liberty during the war and now longs for the luxury vessels his family flew in the old Kingdom. For its part, OS&C wants not only another unique experience to offer passengers, but also a chance to be a bridge builder across all 5 houses of humanity. "I will confess," said Jonathan Seabourne, captain of the Breezewood and chairman of OS&C, "I really want a group photo of the great luxury liners of humanity to adorn my wall, each decked out in OS&C livery. And such a photo would not be complete without Gallia's contribution to making the stars a little more luxurious."
The Gallic visa office has voiced its support for the project, saying "We are glad to see that even far from his house, a true Gallic man never forget his roots." And OS&C seems to have found a kindred spirit in CEO Jeremie Dupont of EFL Oil & Machinery. "You see, I too have been eyeing up Sirian ship designs and the Renzu has caught my eye," said Dupont. "From the price tag alone to the unmatched quality I have been dying to have one as a private vacation destination for myself and friends."
With the acquisition of a refurbished Shukensha-class liner on the secondary market by White Star Lines, OS&C is ready to make the trade of a lifetime to bring a signature piece of Gallic ship design to Sirius. But those looking to book tickets will sadly have to wait. "There is a lot of incompatibilities between OS&C technology and the Lucullus. Essentially, we can run the ship to our standards but only by diverting all power from weapons systems. I'd rather not send a defenseless ship out to space, so once we have the trade, she'll be spending time in dry dock until our engineers can figure something out."
No word yet on when the ship-swap will occur, but both EFL and OS&C have expressed an interest in making an event out of it, "A celebration of the closing of wounds," said Seabourne. Rumors of a possible encounter in Leeds are just that at the moment, but the most visable scar of the war would be a fitting background for this next step of reconcilliation. As Captain Dumas said, "I, and OS&C too, believe that this cooperation will be vital to improve and strenghten the bonds of peace and prosperity between our Company, Liberty, Sirius, and the Confederacy itself."
> > > > Closing Transmission < < < <
OS&C|Breezewood
Captain Jonathan Seabourne, Editor-in-Chief, Wanderlust Magazine
![[Image: Luxury_liner.png]](https://discoverygc.com/wiki/images/b/b8/Luxury_liner.png)
![[Image: TJjjjiZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/TJjjjiZ.png)
![[Image: PojtqNs.png]](https://i.imgur.com/PojtqNs.png)