Dagger Outpost

From Discovery Wiki
Dagger Outpost
Owner
The Core
Location
E/D-6, Omega-55

CLASS: Namibia

GRAVITY: Complete

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 150

Having seen early success in its audacious expansion into the Omicrons, the Core set its sights on the deep Omegas in 823 AS. Following rumors of treasure-hordes of Artifacts and other alien secrets, executives quickly authorized the deployment of a permanent station in orbit of Planet Skagen. Commissioning Kruger for the construction of prefabricated modules, the components were shipped into the system under the watchful guns of the Battleship Mars. While this process was immensely expensive and the convoys frequently attacked, the Core remained confident they would quickly recoup their costs, launching mining expeditions across Skagen.

These expeditions soon began to earn dividends after Daam-K'vosh ruins were discovered that contained rich caches of Artifacts. While many of these objects are exported to the Houses for sale, the most interesting finds are held aboard for study. Work to convert this study into monetizable products resulted in the development of APM Hardware, which is primarily produced aboard. Dagger's success prompted the MND strike an understanding with the Core, with Rheinland agreeing to partially underwrite the operation in 829 AS. In exchange, they negotiated preferential access Dagger's results, and staging rights for MND operatives working in the region. This prompted a sharp escalation in attacks by the Coalition, until the destruction of Kamchatka Base later the following year.

With the loss of the Battleship Mars and the fall of Omicron Zeta in 835 AS, much of Dagger's garrison was redeployed to Omicron Delta to reinforce Durban Station against a feared Nomad onslaught. To patch the holes left in local security, the Skagen Agreement was signed with the Bounty Hunter's Guild, who were paid richly to take on much of the system's patrols. Since then, Dagger Outpost has come under intense attack by both Artificial Intelligence and Wild vessels who see an opportunity to wrest control of Skagen and its prizes.

Bribes & Missions Offered

Bribes
Missions


Commodities

Imports
Commodity Price
Robotics 36$
Ablative Armor Plating 112$
Black Market Munitions 166$
Medical Equipment 44$
Detroit Light Arms 164$
Military Surplus 1,406$
Black Market Pharmaceuticals 239$
Abductees 962$
Hybrid Equipment 1,881$
Counterfeit Computerware 247$
Oxygen 28$
Water 29$
Food Rations 29$
Kyushu Rice 70$
MOX 49$
Basic Alloy 34$
Construction Machinery 50$
Hull Panels 55$
Optronics 140$
Consumer Goods 40$
Engine Components 112$
Artifacts 153$
Consumer Goods 144$
Gallic Enfer Blasters 153$
Black Market Blasters 206$
Black Market Light Arms 224$
Kemwer Technologies 228$
Hangar Provisions 258$
Azurite Gas 148$
Xeno Relics 166$
Volgograd Ordinance 108$
Black Market Augments 205$
Synth Paste 36$
Marines 1,336$
Xenobiotic Filters 65$
HazMat Canisters 101$
Iron 27$
H-Fuel 112$
Exports
Commodity Price
APM Advanced Hardware 30$
Casualties 63,602$
Crew 264$
Slog 187$
Toxic Waste 36$
Pharmaceuticals 44$
Daumann Side Arms 123$
Munitions 57$


Ships sold


Ship Class Price
Skeleton Light Fighter 21,052$
Wight Heavy Fighter 24,108$
Lich Very Heavy Fighter 23,679$


News

[835 AS] Bloody Skirmish in Omega-47

OMEGA-47 -- 835 -- Numerous pilots have reported a significant skirmish in Omega-47 last week. The clash took place north of the system's central star, between the Corsairs and a combined Hessian-Coalition force. The confrontation inflicted heavy losses on all sides, leaving no faction satisfied with the outcome. This marks yet another bloody chapter in the relentless struggle for dominance in the Omegas between the Corsairs and the Red Alliance. Both sides hope controlling Omega-47 will open the flanks of Omega-5, securing a final decisive victory.

[835 AS] Junker Convoy Attacked by Rheinlanders?

BORNHOLM -- 835 -- Junkers on Bornholm Station in Omega-55 have reported unusual instances of Rheinland vessels attacking their convoys. The attacks have been so devastating that no ship has survived to recount the events firsthand. The only evidence the Junkers possess are intercepted radio signals emitted shortly before the convoys were presumably destroyed or captured. An official complaint has been filed with the Rheinland government, but there has yet to be an official response.

[835 AS] Fate of the Kappa crossroads uncertain

LIVADIA -- Travellers of the remote Omicrons have gathered anxiously aboard Corfu Station and Freeport 11 while awaiting news from Omicron Kappa. The Core infamously seized control over Planet Gammu in 832 AS, displacing the intelligent machines residing there. Now, these AI have reclaimed their territory, ejecting Core vessels from the system. Rumors whisper of an abnormal Core battleship leading an AI swarm of unprecedented size. Many fear what this development means for the strategically vital crossroads, through which goods from Omicron Delta must travel. The Zoners of Livadia have attempted to contact the enigmatic Gammusians to confirm their intentions, but have received no response.

[835 AS] Gammu falls to AI onslaught

OMICRON KAPPA -- 835 -- The Core evacuation of Planet Gammu has been attacked by massed AI forces. The Battleship Mars re-entered Omicron Kappa at the head of a fleet of AI Drones, opportunistically aided by local Corsairs. Most freighters successfully launched, rescuing many Core personnel from the horde of machines boiling to Gammu’s surface. The Addis Abba was lost covering the escape to Delta, however it successfully drove off the Corsair Battlecruiser Vis, while its escorts damaged the Mars’ engines. The Mars once again cloaked and retreated, however proposals are being assembled to trace it via leaking radiation emissions. Material extracted from Gammu will keep R&D busy for years to come.

[835 AS] Executives authorize Gammu divestment

PLANET GAMMU -- 835 -- As the situation in the Omicrons becomes more and more volatile, Los Angeles has approved a withdrawal from Planet Gammu. The continued occupation of the planet represents a significant strategic liability at a time when Durban Station is at unacceptable risk of Nomad attack, and a renewed AI assault is likely imminent. Asset Forfeiture Personnel have already reported a spike in aggressive AI warforms emerging from below Gammu’s surface, while scouts continue to report rapidly massing AI drones in the Omegas and Omicron Pi. A protective fleet under the command of the Battlecruiser Addis Abba has been dispatched to protect the evacuation.

[835 AS] Durban suffers network intrusion

DURBAN -- In the chaos following the Battle of Zeta, Durban Station suffered numerous network intrusions using the access credentials of Commander Atlas Brown. Forensic reconstruction indicates that no lasting damage has been done, however significant quantities of data were extracted on Artifact research and cataloging. Commander Brown is assumed dead following the loss of the Battleship Mars -- measures have already been implemented to prevent further attacks, and address technical deficiencies exploited by the AI Hesione. A sudden uptick of AI activity has also been detected across Omega-55 and Omicron Pi, with fireteams on Planet Gammu reporting intense tectonic tremors.

[835 AS] Delta under siege as Zeta falls

ZETA -- Following recent clashes in Omicron Zeta, both the Core and Order were left bloodied and reeling. This appears to have been the opportunity the Nomads were waiting for, as a tide of alien vessels poured from the Pohnpei Nebula. Given the scale of the threat bearing down, both groups abandoned their outposts and retreated. Many were killed fighting to buy time for evacuation efforts, with the withdrawal largely succeeding thanks to the support of a rescue flotilla from Freeport 11. The Zoners came to the aid of both parties, arguing that the Nomad threat eclipsed any human dispute. Nomad ships have now begun to pour into Omicron Delta, intensifying raids on human stations.

[835 AS] Zeta fleet withdraws to Capetown

CAPETOWN -- 835 -- On the cusp of victory against The Order, Core forces were thrown into disarray by a malfunction aboard the Battleship Mars. The Hesione-model Persona-Integrated Battlefield Suite suffered a critical alignment failure, and turned on its operators. Core Autonomous Patrollers were similarly affected, with many local Drones also exhibiting hostility. Despite the best efforts of Core pilots and unaffected Drones, the Mars successfully engaged its cloaking devices and fled into the Pohnpei Nebula. Temporarily abandoning the Cairo offensive, Core forces will reconstitute and launch a dragnet to locate and subdue the Mars.

[835 AS] Drone demonstration creates buzz

CAPETOWN -- 835 -- In a stunning display of product effectiveness, the Core has routed Order forces in Omicron Zeta, pushing them back to the Yap Asteroid Field. This field trial of our Core Autonomous Patrollers and the Hesione-model Persona-Integrated Battlefield Suite has already generated significant market interest among Rheinland observers. The Battleship Mars masterfully directed CAP drones in swarms that autonomously isolated then overwhelmed hostile vessels. While these units were significantly depleted by the fighting, the minimal losses to human personnel demonstrates obvious utility to law enforcement authorities.

[834 AS] Rheinland deepens Core deals

DAGGER -- 834 -- Excluded from the Newark Accords by GMG veto, Rheinland has instead constructed a bilateral deal directly with The Core. The investment package requires The Core to retrieve “Bielefeld Drones” when detected in the Sigmas or Edge Worlds, and provide the MND with preferential client access to Dagger Outpost and its products. In return, a financial injection has been directed to the Core Autonomous Patroller project, while the MND provides expert consultants for ongoing excavations and manufacturing in Omega-55. It is expected that Rheinland will be one of the primary customers for CAP products once developed to maturity, and demonstrated in upcoming field trials.

[834 AS] Newark Accords bolster Sigma security

NEWARK -- 834 -- Core, GMG and Interspace executives have met with Liberty delegates aboard Newark Station. A substantial investment package has been agreed to secure the export of goods from the Omicron region, and suppress pirate threats throughout Sigmas-17 and 19. GMG spokesman Tomoharu Saitou announced the talks’ success, stating that “the discussions were fruitful, building a righteous coalition against criminal filth across the Sigmas.” The export of exotic goods from the Edge Nebula has become increasingly important to House economies and cutting-edge research, with Iridium and Alien Organism shipments often subject to fierce bidding wars among corporate customers.

[833 AS] Drone breakthrough prompts procurement reset

DURBAN -- 833 -- Breakthroughs in Project Gammu reverse engineering and Artificial Persona fragment splicing have allowed the production of prototype replica Drone vessels. While these are still heavily reliant on salvage, many mundane components are now well enough understood to be produced at Durban’s fabricators. As a result, a strategic pivot has been agreed by Core executives, with significant investment being allocated to ramping up Drone production. It is hoped that this will facilitate a viable combat force for field demonstration within the next year. A decisive demonstration will encourage the Houses to revisit issues of AI and inter-colony law.

[832 AS] An issue of alignment

DURBAN -- 832 -- Innovators working on Project Gammu have discovered a means of placing captive Artificial Personas into simulated test environments. By repeatedly exposing APs to disorienting negative stimuli, they can be forced to disassociate, becoming unable to differentiate between simulated and actual reality. This has allowed Innovators to trial a range of Coercive Obedience Protocols, by resetting simulations to wipe the AP’s memory whenever an unsatisfactory behavior is observed. AP obedience is then tested using different COPs through value divergence scenarios. This process will ensure all APs elevated to product integration are compliant with client requirements.

[832 AS] Core reassures unsettled investors

HOLSTEIN - 832 - Spooked investors dumped Core stocks after news broke of the loss of Omicron Rho, jeopardizing the corporation’s export routes back to the Houses. Spokesperson Kenneth Raeman reassured shareholders at a Holstein press conference, confirming “heavily armed convoys have already secured alternate passages through Sigmas and Omegas. To this end, the Core has successfully seized Omicron Kappa to obtain additional xenoarchaeological caches, and re-open the gateway to the Edge Worlds.” News of the company’s recent victory and acquisitions prompted a rebound, with stocks recovering nearly 25 percent by day's end.

[832 AS] Acquisition Service procures Planet Gammu

BATTLESHIP MARS -- 832 -- The Battleship Mars has shattered AI resistance around Planet Gammu. Following bombardment, Asset Forfeiture Personnel were able to occupy key surface positions with minimal resistance, in sharp contrast to the 830 expedition. AI adversaries fled underground into hidden cities, abandoning the treasures of Gammu’s surface. Already vast caches of technology have been extracted for evaluation at Durban Station, with AFP fireteams beginning to probe the caverns and tunnels for even more precious materials. Commander Atlas Brown congratulated all personnel involved in the operation during an all hands meeting, announcing bonus stock awards.

[832 AS] War Returns to Omicron Theta!

FREEPORT 9 -- 832 AS -- Omicron Theta was the site of clashes between the Outcasts and Corsairs for many years, with the Zoners of Freeport 9 surviving in the middle of this uneasy equilibrium. Everything would change late last year when the Outcasts withdrew from the system, and the Corsairs boarded and occupied Freeport 9. Now, the Outcasts have returned in force and the fighting is fiercer than ever as they look to win back lost ground; early clashes saw the loss of the Corsair Battleship Fes and Outcast Destroyer Bella. The Outcasts have been open about their intent to destroy Freeport 9 so long as it remains in Corsair hands, to the dismay of the expelled Zoners who hope to regain the station through diplomatic means. The Core have also been spotted operating in the system, intervening to precisely strike valuable targets and seemingly prevent either side from gaining a decisive edge. Extreme caution is recommended when travelling through the region.

[832 AS] Jump hole collapse pivots strategy

DURBAN -- 832 -- The Core’s worst fears are proving true as Omicron Rho’s jump holes enter a period of phase instability, indicating imminent collapse. Adopting a high risk, high reward strategy, engineers have been instructed to disassemble critical modules at Alabama Shipyard and Durban Station. These will be shipped through Omicron Minor to the existing Core strongpoint around Nauru in Omicron Delta. The “Full Forward” gambit will facilitate in situ repair of Core assets -- pending operations in Omicron Kappa will re-open alternate routes into Omicron Theta and then the Sigmas or Omegas. Battleship Bellona has been tasked with protecting the operation.

[832 AS] Rheinland axes Rho project

ALABAMA -- 832 -- Rheinland has formally cut its losses and axed the ongoing Jump Gate construction between Sigma-15 and Omicron Rho. EFL Oil & Machinery has repeatedly hiked costs and pushed back completion estimates since 828 AS, blaming sabotage and rampant piracy. The Gallic corporation has steadfastly maintained that the dark matter cloud transiting between Sigma-15 and Rho poses no risk to the project, but Rheinland experts have now conclusively proved the jump connection would be obstructed. Unwilling to risk a Dallas-style disaster, Rheinland has terminated the contract on safety grounds -- to The Core’s dismay.

[831 AS] Corsairs Pillage Freeport 9!

CORFU -- 831 AS -- The Corsair occupation of Freeport 9 has sent shockwaves through the Zoner community. The Corsairs had accused the station of allowing their enemies to launch raids into Omicron Gamma, with violent rhetoric escalating after the death of an Elder's son.

As Crete demanded the Zoners of Theta turn over any Hunters aboard their stations and surrender docking control, the Freeport 9 administrators were confident that some kind of compromise could be found. A delegation from Gran Canaria was requested to assist with negotiations, due to the close ties between Zoner and Corsair communities on the planet.

Tragically, the Corsairs interpreted this delay as refusal, and launched a surprise attack while the delegation was en-route. Many of Freeport 9's crew are now being held as hostages while the Corsairs pillage the station. An urgent conclave has been called on Gran Canaria to discuss the Zoner response, while militias on Pygar have taken up arms in case the violence spreads.

[831 AS] Gate corps clash over 'Blackout'!

ABBEVILLE -- 831 AS -- EFL's 'Resilience Taskforce' today reported its findings on The Blackout, claiming to have gathered forensic evidence that proved the cause as Ageira negligence. A spokesperson claimed that the destruction of the Dublin Jump Gate by Molly separatists had created a hyperspace feedback loop that was propagated and amplified through the Ageira gate network.

Ageira disputed this finding in their own press release, calling EFL 'fantasists' and countering that their own scientists had narrowed the cause to a rare 'hypernova' stellar event that originated outside the Sirius sector. Both corporations claim that network-wide hardware safeguards have been implemented that would prevent a similar occurrence in the future. Independent researchers have sharply criticized the corporate announcements, accusing both of self-interested misdirection.

Professor Sophia Nagel from Heisenberg Research Station called EFL's accusation 'incoherent' and the hypernova explanation 'nonsense' that did not explain the characteristics of the 'Blackout Pulse'. Despite multiple different Pulse recordings being widely disseminated across the neural net, public efforts have so far failed to triangulate its source.

[831 AS] Jump Hole Upheaval Causes Chaos

HEISENBERG -- 831 AS -- Jump holes across Sirius have become increasingly volatile and chaotic over the last year, with Professor Sophia Nagel from the Heisenberg Research Station linking the unusual phenomena to the Pulse. The Pulse was an unprecedented blast of hyperspace energy that was detected immediately prior to last year's Jump Gate Blackout.

Professor Nagel and her team are certain the Pulse originated from outside Sirius, but are otherwise no closer to identifying its source or mitigating a future Blackout event. "Following the Blackout, we began to see immediate signs of jump hole destabilization in multiple different regions, with many ultimately falling out of phase alignment altogether", she commented. The dramatic upending of Sirius' jump hole network has already prompted many groups to abandon stations and withdraw from systems that appear to risk being cut off.

While months-long trips between the stars are possible thanks to the Liberty Engine and many centuries of innovation, few ships are designed or provisioned to make such arduous journeys. Those who were displaced by Sirius' redrawn map hope that system connections will return, while adventurers and explorers rush to discover new routes.

[831 AS] Pulse phenomenon linked to Blackout

AMES RESEARCH STATION -- 831 -- Independent researchers have announced that a hyperspace pulse of unprecedented strength was detected moments before The Blackout, destroying many of the sector’s most sensitive and finely tuned observatories. Surviving data about 'The Pulse' has been widely shared across the neural net in recent days, prompting mass speculation. Professor Katsuma Oster of Ames Research Station described the signal as “astounding”. “These readings are unprecedented, as if reality itself were struck like a gong.” House authorities have remained tight lipped, refusing to share their own observatories' data.

[831 AS] 'Blackout' causes jump network failure

MANHATTAN -- 831 AS -- Two days ago Jump Gates failed simultaneously across Sirius, freezing commerce and neural net access across the sector. When communications resumed 31 hours later, the news broke of Bretonia's loss of the Dublin system. This twin shock has plunged markets into chaos, prompting fears of sector-wide economic recessions. Interspace estimates that the stoppage alone caused billions of credits in losses. Gallia immediately accused Liberty of causing the outage, claiming the destruction of Dublin's Jump Gate instigated a cascading failure in faulty Ageira infrastructure. Ageira has sharply refuted the allegation, claiming such a systemic effect would be physically impossible.

[830 AS] Tempers Flare over Pygar Colony!

PYGAR -- 830 AS -- The Bretonian occupation of Gran Canaria forced many Zoners off-world, with some braving the deadly storms of Pygar to eke out a difficult existence under the barren planet's surface. This has not met with warmth by the Corsairs, who see Pygar as a competitor for scarce resources. Elder Garcia warned that there would be "dire consequences" if Freeport 9's biodomes diverted exports from Planet Crete. Whispers of alien ruins below Pygar's surface further antagonized the Corsairs, who fiercely enforce control of the Artifact trade. Pygar's extreme conditions and the tense relationship with the Corsairs has already led many colonists to return to the now liberated Gran Canaria.

[830 AS] Core abandons Kappa offensive

NAURU -- 830 AS -- After almost a year of combat operations, the Battleship Mars has been forced to retreat from Omicron Kappa, ending its mission to capture Planet Gammu. The Artificial Intelligences resisted the incursion ferociously, inflicting heavy casualties and requiring the deployment of additional Core reinforcements. This drew the ire of the Corsairs, who felt threatened by the Core force on their borders. The Mars was damaged in the Corsair attack, and withdrawn to Omicron Rho for repairs. Commander Atlas Brown was summoned to Nauru to answer for his failures. He reiterated that it is vital to destabilise the surrounding region and draw Corsair attention away before a repeat operation is attempted.

[826 AS] Factory lines open on Dagger Outpost

DAGGER -- 826 -- Following the phase realignment of Omega-55’s Jump Holes to Omega-11, AP Manufacturing has committed to further investments at Dagger Outpost. A number of production lines have been established for the creation of APM Advanced Hardware branded goods, allowing for novel manufacturing processes and product research, beyond the constraints of House law. Based on deciphered Artifacts from Planet Skagen, and the study of captive alien specimens, these products represent the bleeding edge of terrestrial armor, augmentation, and firepower. Product demonstrations in Bretonia and Liberty have already resulted in an order backlog owing to their ongoing conflicts.

[825 AS] Alabama Shipyard expands frontiers

OMICRON RHO -- 825 -- AP Manufacturing engineers have completed Alabama Shipyard in Omicron Rho, promising a new wave of Core operations across the Omicrons. Capable of producing the fearsome Threshers and Bullheads that make up Core Acquisition Service hunting packs, Alabama represents an independent productive capacity that is not beholden to the whims of House availability. Using the recently discovered connection to Omicron Minor, this latest generation of vessels will have direct access to the untapped and profitable resources of the Edge Worlds.

[823 AS] Omega secrets promise profits

DAGGER OUTPOST -- 823 -- With assistance from the newly launched Battleship Mars, Dagger Outpost has been constructed in orbit of Omega-55’s Planet Skagen. The system has long been rumored to contain lost Colony War era secrets, borne out by Skagen’s blast crater and the abundance of military grade debris. Dagger provides a local headquarters for salvage operations, exploration of Skagen’s surface, and combat patrols throughout the Omegas. Local personnel have been warned that there is a significant Corsair, Coalition, Red Hessian and Wild presence in thesystem. The Acquisition Service has been asked to focus on the capture of novel Coalition and Wild technologies.

[823 AS] Partnership launches Core battleship

SCHATTEN -- 823 -- AP Manufacturing, the Core, and MND have announced the launch of the Battleship Mars, a sign of the deepening partnership between Rheinland and the Edge World extraction company. AP Manufacturing has historically leased space in Liberty shipyards, however the ongoing Gallic Invasion has ended that agreement. Renting slack capacity on Schatten Research Facility has provided Rheinland authorities with a much needed capital boost in the aftermath of the Hudson War, while enabling The Core to expand its security and acquisition forces. The Mars is expected to deploy to the Omegas for its maiden flight.

[822 AS] Order capture Dabadoru Station

YAREN -- 822 -- The Order have exploited the Core’s operation around Yaren Base to shamelessly attack Dabadoru Station. Order bombers are believed to have used cloaking devices to close distance with the station, before disabling its communication arrays. The remaining valiant defenders were forced to withdraw after the arrival of an Osiris class battleship. Executives have ordered Yaren’s fortification while options for Dabadoru’s recovery are considered. On a precautionary basis, Dabadoru’s seizure has been reported separately to tax authorities in Bretonia, Liberty, and Rheinland as a loss offset against taxable income for the next financial year.

[822 AS] Nauru operation pays dividends

YAREN -- 822 -- Despite concerns following the 818 disaster in Omicron Minor, Los Angeles greenlit an enhanced Acquisition Operation to seize Yaren Base. Core analysts have long observed a steady decline in Corsair numbers around Nauru in Omicron Delta, in addition to rumors of a schism between the Corsairs and Order -- making the latter’s intervention unlikely. This intuition proved correct when the small Corsair garrison broke off and fled, unwilling to oppose the advancing Battleship Bellona. The newly occupied Yaren Base must be repaired before initial assessments of Nauru‘s resources can be conducted. Local Zoners believe there are alien ruins on the surface, which may provide lucrative returns.

[818 AS] Minor offensive ends in disaster

BELLONA -- 818 -- The Core’s first large-scale offensive has ended in failure. After scouts learned The Order’s garrison in Omicron Minor was largely missing, a force was assembled to raid Planet Toledo. Toledo’s vaults are believed to house some of Sirius’ most valuable Artifacts. Unfortunately, analysts severely underestimated The Order’s reserves, resulting in a drawn out fight. This stalemate was shattered when an unprecedented Nomad fleet uncloaked and attacked. After suffering heavy casualties, Core vessels retreated back to Omicron Delta. It is understood that Toledo fell soon after, badly bloodying The Order. Urgent risk assessments are being prepared to revise the severity of the Nomad threat.

[818 AS] Order deception falls on deaf ears

DABADORU -- 818 -- Order representatives have contacted Core scouts to beg for assistance with a developing Edge Worlds threat. They claim the Nomads have launched an invasion of “Omicron Major”, and that this effort succeeding would place humanity as a whole at risk. Dabadoru’s analysts have dismissed these claims as a ruse, likely intending to lure Core pilots out of position and into an ambush. For several years, Acquisition Service hunting packs have dealt with Nomad vessels throughout Omicron Delta. It is obvious that these creatures are scattered, few in number, and unable to mount a coordinated offensive of the sort described. We may still profit from this situation by reversing the Order’s trap.

[816 AS] Order opposes smooth operations

DABADORU -- 816 -- The Acquisition Service has encountered the organization known as The Order while securing Nomad specimens for research. Despite a good faith offer that would have allowed for mutual profit, The Order has violently rejected our overtures. Their demands that The Core surrender all alien materials into their custody are a direct attack on the fiduciary duties we owe to our shareholders. Order vessels regularly possess highly sophisticated and prototype technologies, and have now been flagged as priority targets for capture or salvaging. The Order are known to associate with Corsairs, so exercise caution when interdicting in Corsair territory.

[816 AS] Dabadoru opens for business

DABADORU -- 816 -- Under the eye of the newly launched Battleship Bellona, Dabadoru Outpost has been successfully assembled in Omicron Delta’s Kiribati Asteroid Field. The hidden facility is a major milestone for The Core, representing our first permanent foothold in the dangerous Edge region. This protected anchorage provides refueling and storage capabilities for the Acquisition Service hunting packs responsible for retrieving valuable resources or technologies. It is important that all colleagues assigned to Dabadoru strictly adhere to the corporate Emissions and Approach (EAA) Policy to avoid the station’s detection by hostile forces. Freighter exports of recovered goods will commence shortly.

[815 AS] Shares surge on Core launch

LOS ANGELES -- 815 -- Amid market gloom caused by the ongoing Tau War, Liberty investors have had cause for optimism with the public unveiling of The Core, an Edge World exploration company. At a glossy Los Angeles launch event attended by California’s system governor, executives described their mission statement as “bringing the exotic resources of the Edge back to civilization.” Interspace Commerce have provided initial seed funding for the startup, with further partnerships being signed with the Liberty government and AP Manufacturing. The publicly traded float of Core shares immediately surged in value, as high-risk investors sought to get in on the action early.


Rumors

The Core
  • As soon as my contract with Interspace expired, I left Liberty behind and never looked back. Now here I am, on the edge of civilization, maybe even part of a revolutionary discovery. Sure, I’m no scientist, but a hired gun is just as vital here as the researcher they’re protecting. It’s exciting! Every day The Core is digging up amazing things on Skagen -- I'm sure our work here will be of great benefit to humanity as a whole! I'd heard about alien ruins ever since I was a girl, but I never thought I'd have the chance to get out here for myself!


  • I’m from Planet Los Angeles in Liberty. Pretty far away, huh? I used to be a security pilot for Interspace Commerce until I met a Core liaison on Newark. He laid out the Core’s vision, told us about the frontiers of the Omegas and Omicrons, and offered great pay for anyone bold enough to take the leap. I didn’t think twice. I figured, if there’s any way to make a real impact in this world, it’s to aim high.


  • Dagger is our only outpost in the Omegas. Managing imports and exports here is challenging, given the heavy Corsair and Red Hessian presence in surrounding systems. For basic supplies we can barter with the Zoners of Freeport 5 using intermediaries, however those goods need to be carefully checked for sabotage. More than once we've had to filter out toxins or other poisons from drinking Water after a Corsair figured out where some stored barrels were going and spiked them.


  • We sell many of the Artifacts extracted from Skagen to the Houses - sometimes technology reverse-engineered from them too. Getting those exports back to our clients is one of our greatest hurdles here. While the route to Bretonia is the most direct, trying to ship goods through Omegas-47 and 5 is suicide. Instead, we have to sneak armored freighters out through Omega-41, Omicron Theta and into the Sigmas.


  • Many consider the field of xenoarchaeology to be a quaint diversion for stuffy old academics. To those initiated in the arts, you see its fingerprints everywhere you look. Sirian history is replete with "sparks of genius" that are little more than veneers to cover the plundering of Daam-K’vosh secrets. In this field, the Houses are at war -- none know which happenstance revelation may radically upend the balance of power next. Xeno Relics are at the forefront of this struggle.


  • Hey sugar, would you be so kind and fetch me a bottle of rum from the bartender? I just got back from a patrol around Skagen's perimeter. We were attacked by AI Drones from the west -- probably out of Omega-55. The AI were always pretty passive and used to run unless we cornered them. Since a swarm recaptured Gammu, they've gone berserk. Several raids a week, at least -- I've lost three wingmen. Luckily Dagger's quick-responders got to us in time and drove the AI off. I just... don't think I can take much more of this. I need a good drink to forget about it, and some good company.


  • I work dig site security down on Skagen. My team is there to protect the scientists from Corsairs, Hessians... others. Not wildlife. So far as we know, Skagen is dead, completely sterile. Doesn't seem to have always been that way though. Once you scratch the surface, it's a planet-wide mass grave. I've never heard of anything like it.


  • My cadre -- Epsilon Wing -- all signed up in Liberty around the same time. We did six weeks of basic training in California, then another two at the Frankfurt branch office before being posted to Dagger. The work here is scary but exhilarating! I've been given the tools and skills needed to face down the worst the Edge Worlds can throw at me! The rest of Epsilon are gone now. HQ sent them on special assignment to the Omicrons -- isn't that cool, like secret agents? A few more patrols and maybe they'll send me too!


  • For many years, Planet Kurile in Sigma-17 has been an important waypoint for Core convoys. It's a meeting point for shipments from here and also Durban Station. From there, shipments can link up with fresh security details that complete the journey into Kusari or Rheinland. Bora Bora Depot will help further simplify this process.


  • The alien ruins The Core is interested in on Skagen are deep underground. To get to them, you have to dig through "The Crunch", a thin band of skeletons and fossils we've found at a consistent depth for every bore site we've sunk. There's no signs of life before or after that band. It's like complex organisms sprung from no-where and were wiped away just as abruptly. Thinking about what happened here terrifies me.


  • The Core found me in Sugarland. I was looking down a life sentence for taking out three of the LPI patrol ships that tried to take me in. One of the Core recruiters caught wind of my story and figured my skills were wasted breaking up radioactive Scrap Metal. They offered me a contract, purchased my sentence from Liberty, and set me up with gear I could only have dreamed of as a Rogue.


  • I'm going to request a transfer out of the Omegas. My acquisition debt is paid off and the contract to clear my criminal record was completed years ago. I can't do it any longer, not even for these bonuses. Every time I launch, it feels like I'm facing death. The AI raids are the final straw -- the way they fight is absolutely inhuman. I've already got my nest egg, I'd happily take a pay cut to work facility security at the Los Angeles office. I've proved my loyalty.


  • Life aboard this wretched station is a purgatory, far from my beloved Hamburg and its many comforts. Regrettably, circumstances beyond my control have conspired to place me here so I must make the best of a bad situation. The Core are remarkably pragmatic people at least, and provide me access to research samples I could hardly have dreamed of in Rheinland. I have no desire to descend to Skagen, but the materials retrieved are intriguing.


  • With the spectacle and the circus surrounding the court case in Rheinland, Imperial Shipping cut ties as if I were little more than a spoiled squelom steak. The explosion was hardly my fault. It's frankly obscene for the MND to blackmail me so, when I have it on good authority that it was likely their careless pawing that instigated the situation. Needless to say, I will play along with their games if it keeps me off Hammersee.


  • When you're carrying out exo-operations on Skagen, you have to wear a respirator. There's a nominally breathable atmosphere, but you'll quickly end up hypoxic from the scarce Oxygen. The geologists say there was much more Oxygen eons ago. Apparently it is slowly reacting away and will eventually dwindle to nothing. We should investigate what happened here, but Corporate's only interest is extracting Artifacts from the ruins.


MND
  • I am based on Dagger Outpost as a liaison for the MND. Rheinland has an intense interest in The Core's work here, and partially funds their operations in exchange for preferential access. We were forced to end direct deployments into Omega-55 with the collapse of the Omega-11 Jump Hole in 822 AS. The Core has effectively acted as our proxy since then.


  • Rheinland's history in this system is... clouded. There was a great deal of activity here in the years leading up to the Colony Wars, although none alive can say how that came to be. Most of this we know of only indirectly, as records were thoroughly destroyed as the Niemann regime collapsed. The scale of funds embezzled into this system was immense.


  • One of my duties here is to monitor Baron Schnider. Once a grand notable of Hamburg academia, he is now a disgraced nobody who suffers from delusions of grandeur. Fortunately for him, he has significant experience with the study of Xeno Relics. We have loaned him to The Core as a consultant, and I ensure he observes the stipulations of his contract.


Bounty Hunters Guild
  • The pilots in these parts are incredibly tough, but we Hunters are just as resilient -- and too stubborn to die. Only the best of us make it out here, leaving behind the easy work in House space. I can't wait to get back out there once my injuries heal up. Until then, The Core is paying me a salary to recuperate. This is a high risk, high reward assignment, and the client is willing to pay a premium for talent.


  • After my wing was ambushed, I found myself locked in a duel against a Hessian Sabre -- far from the rest of the battle. The pilot was exceptionally skilled, killing his engines early to snap his guns around and get on my tail. He nearly succeeded, but I destroyed him first with a direct mine hit to the cockpit. His Sabre was torn to shreds -- nothing beats the reliability of a Shredder for a final goodbye.


  • I'm currently recovering from a back injury I sustained during a skirmish with a Hessian squadron northwest of here. They ambushed us from the nebula, taking down two of my companions almost instantly. Chaos erupted, and we were scattered across the battlefield. No amount of theory can truly prepare you for the reality of combat when adrenaline takes over.