Philadelphia Station

From Discovery Wiki
Philadelphia Station
Owner
Deep Space Engineering
Location
G-5, Pennsylvania

CLASS: Frontier

GRAVITY: Complete

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 1420

Philadelphia Station was built in 758 AS by disaffected Houston drifters looking to escape from the poverty and corruption of Texas. These colonists quickly affiliated themselves with the Zoner movement, recruiting like-minded individuals from Freeport 2. Philadelphia was constructed in orbit of Planet Bruin as a midway point between Texas and Planet Erie, with the Zoners landing Erie’s first settlements later the next year. During this early period, the station acted as a vital lifeline for supply ships and colonists traversing the remote Pennsylvania frontier, providing amenities and refueling. The arrival of Deep Space Engineering (DSE) construction ships in 774 AS signaled Liberty’s renewed interest in the system, changing everything. The completion of the New York Jump Gate shortly after toppled Philadelphia’s business model overnight, as supply shipments rerouted and Liberty corporations began to arrive.

While desperately looking for ways to sustain the station, the Zoners discovered the unusually high concentrations of Neon in Bruin’s atmosphere. With neither the expertise or capital to set up gas harvesters, Philadelphia was facing destitution by 778 AS. It was only after Liberty Police Incorporated (LPI) deployed to secure Pennsylvania that DSE offered an investment package. This provided the necessary facilities in exchange for a significant ownership stake, and a near-exclusive Neon contract for Universal Shipping. The station council reluctantly agreed to the deal, however many residents reacted negatively to the encroaching Liberty presence, and departed for Erie. Over the decades, DSE incrementally expanded its investments and control over the station. By the time of Liberty’s annexation of the system in 830 AS, Philadelphia was a de facto DSE refinery, possessing only a nominal Zoner presence.

Bribes & Missions Offered

Bribes
Missions


Commodities

Imports
Commodity Price
Energy Field Equipment 33$
Liberty Ale 28$
Medical Equipment 48$
Heavy Water 118$
Oxygen 3$
Water 3$
Food Rations 33$
Kyushu Rice 46$
MOX 46$
Pharmaceuticals 27$
Consumer Goods 17$
Synth Paste 18$
Industrial Materials 23$
Xenobiotic Filters 37$
Passenger Cabin (Liberty) 15,408$
Xeno Relics 222$
H-Fuel 118$
Exports
Commodity Price
Deployable Mining Container 50,000$
Crew 201$
Neon 2$
Criminal Cells (Liberty) 13,662$
Toxic Waste 30$
Mining Machinery 18$


Ships sold


Ship Class Price
Surveyor Heavy Fighter 11,408$
Scraper Very Heavy Fighter 11,729$
Arrastra Bomber 43,176$
Civilian Gunboat Gunboat 855,006$
Asteroid Miner Heavy Miner 207,905$
Mining Drone Light Fighter 7,604$


News

[835 AS] Interspace voids Coronado Trade Lane policy

SCOTSDALE REFINERY -- 835 -- Ageira Technologies and Deep Space Engineering have threatened to sue Interspace Commerce over an insurance dispute. Interspace provided a loss prevention policy for Coronado’s Trade Lane construction project, however the financial giant says the policy is now void. Describing the Jericho Pulse as an “act of god”, Interspace exercised force majeure clauses to deny compensation claims. Local transports caught in the blast are similarly out of pocket. Liberty itself has yet to comment on the situation, however the prospect of starting over with massively increased risk premiums has thrown the project’s future into question.

[835 AS] Coronado disaster sparks panic

YUMA -- 835 -- Public data feeds have lit up with distress calls from Coronado, after a system-wide EMP pulse wreaked havoc. Emergency requests for aid have been issued by the Crayter Republic and IMG, with early reports indicating that the system’s Trade Lane project has been destroyed. Ageira has confirmed that the Jump Gate remains unaffected thanks to post-Blackout safeguards, allowing relief to be delivered from Bretonia and Liberty. Panic erupted on many Liberty worlds after footage was released showing an energy field around the moon Jericho, seeming to indicate another activated alien site. President Hawthorne has called for calm, and reiterated that security forces were moving to contain the situation.

[835 AS] Senator avoids assassination attempt

PLANET DENVER -- 835 -- The 14 year old daughter of Senator James Woodson has been killed in a “monstrous” bomb attack on her Denver home. Senator Woodson was attending Congress on Manhattan at the time, issuing a speech calling for harsher economic sanctions against Kusari. LPI leaks have blamed The Order for the attack, however force insiders claim many believe the murder may have been a botched Kusari assassination attempt against hostile politicians. Senator Woodson has withdrawn from public service to grieve, with knowledgeable sources claiming the devastating loss has led to a traumatic amnestic episode.

[835 AS] Interspace addresses Pennsylvania piracy

PLANET ERIE -- 835 AS -- Interspace has issued a new report describing Pennsylvania as the most dangerous of Liberty’s core systems. Since Erie’s annexation, Zoner Militants have been responsible for the majority of strikes against corporate and government entities on Erie and in space, however this has begun to change. LSF raids targeting dissident leaders appear to have set back Militant activities, while Liberty Rogue and Xeno attacks have continued to rise -- driven by the influx of impoverished Liberty settlers seeking a fresh start. LPI sources admitted that the Militants continued to be a severe problem, buoyed by disgruntled Zoners and reconstituting Insurgency survivors.

[835 AS] Erie camps scheduled to close

PLANET ERIE -- 835 AS -- For several years, internment camps on Erie have held captives from the Insurgency Campaign. Most were residents of the Commonwealth terrorist state, or Insurgency combatants. Newly appointed governor Mike Davis has confirmed that the last of the camps will be emptied by year’s end, as court backlogs are cleared and captives finally processed. Common sentences include corrective labor on Planet Houston. While most internees once possessed Liberty citizenship, some were Bretonian Refugees. Bretonia publicly applauds Liberty’s apprehension of Insurgency “terrorist agents”, but it is believed private negotiations on repatriation have been a point of contention for some time.

[835 AS] LSF Director dismissed after congressional grilling

PLANET MANHATTAN -- 835 -- Following a four-hour closed congressional hearing, Adam C. Maxwell has been officially dismissed by President Hawthorne as a Director of the Liberty Security Force. Congressmen cited a loss of confidence following the destruction of the DSE Construction Ship Robert S. Peary in Ontario, and the gross mismanagement of the Battlecruiser Lehigh’s deployment in the system. Sources familiar with the investigation have blamed the systematic withholding of intelligence from the Liberty Navy for the fiasco, resulting in a botched emergency response to terrorist attacks.

[835 AS] Leaks reveal Ontario alien technology

MANHATTAN -- 835 -- The neural net is abuzz with speculation and worry after sensor readings of an active alien facility in Ontario were widely distributed. The datafeed claims the source of an enormous beam of energy is an ancient alien ruin on Planet Sudbury. Inert alien ruins are often discovered in the remote Edge Worlds, enticing adventurers and scientific expeditions. According to professor Johan Miller of the Hammer Institute, the discovery of an active Daam-K’vosh site is “unprecedented”. In an attempt to reduce panic, government officials have confirmed that steps have been taken to secure Liberty’s borders, and reiterated that there is currently no threat to Liberty’s people.

[835 AS] Gallic threats raise Tau fears

SCALPAY OUTPOST -- 835 -- The Taus are once more on edge, after Gallia threatens the use of force to retrieve the Tau-23 to Tau-31 Jump Gate. Bretonia constructed the first Jump Gate in the system, which was later annexed during the Gallic War. Bretonia was gifted the current Gallic Jump Gate by Kusari during their invasion of Gallia, and has held it since -- with Gallia formally ceding its Tau claims through the Treaty of Rishiri. Bretonia has historically refused to discuss the Gate’s status until its own demands on the extradition of war criminals and payment of Gallic War reparations are met. The Bretonian government has warned that Gallic aggression or threats “will not be tolerated”.

[835 AS] Lend-Lease ships return to Liberty

CORDOVA -- 835 -- Liberty’s Hawthorne administration has ended the wartime Lend-Lease program with Bretonia. The initiative saw Liberty provide large loans and huge quantities of military materiel during the Gallic War, throwing the beleaguered House a vital lifeline. The sudden development sees most remaining Liberty capital ships in Bretonian service returned to their parent House with immediate effect. Anonymous Bretonian sources have expressed dismay with Liberty’s insistence on an expedited return, arguing it undermines domestic security at a critical moment of Armed Forces’ preparations for a major deployment.

[835 AS] Bretonia and Rheinland call for de-escalation

CURACAO -- The governments of Bretonia and Rheinland have called on Kusari and Liberty to attempt formal talks, amid fears that continued escalation and military friction could spark war. Queen Carina and Emperor Frederick have offered to mediate an emergency summit on Planet Curacao after Kusari and Liberty imposed mutual sanctions that are already having rippling effects across Sirius. Gallia’s Grand Marshall de Varax meanwhile has condemned Kusari as a “belligerent and destabilizing actor”, and called for Liberty’s demands to be met. Neither Kusari or Liberty has agreed to attend, with each demanding pre-conditions be met by the other. Gallia has not received an invite.

[835 AS] Liberty and Kusari trade sanctions

DESHIMA -- 835 -- Liberty’s President Hawthorne has announced sanctions targeting key Kusari high-tech industries, blocking their access to advanced Superconductors and funding. This came following a “security incident” in the Independent Worlds, and a failed Farmers Alliance attack on Deshima Station, which Liberty says is part of a state-endorsed campaign of terrorism against its citizens. Kusari has dismissed the claim as “lurid nonsense”, and responded by banning the export of Optronics to Liberty until its “economic coercion” is ended. Liberty has vowed to increase pressure until Kusari takes steps to eradicate the Farmers Alliance and root out their backers.

[835 AS] Alliance attack on Deshima thwarted

DESHIMA -- 835 -- The Bounty Hunters Guild have confirmed a major terrorist attack on Deshima Station has been thwarted. “Agents of the Farmer’s Alliance were apprehended while attempting to smuggle a large-yield dirty bomb aboard,” confirmed chief security officer Bill Parker. The attempt was foiled thanks to precautions put in place following the deadly Alliance attack on Roppongi Station in 832 AS. According to Parker, “this was the exact same playbook”. The detained crew and fissile material are believed to have been provided to the LSF; Kusari has lodged a furious complaint with Manhattan about the unauthorized interference in its own investigation.

[835 AS] Hinsdale Refinery fully operational

HINSDALE REFINERY -- 835 AS -- Executives from Deep Space Engineering have cut the ribbon on the newest Platinum-processing line at Hinsdale Refinery. This officially launches full operations at the largest ore-processing refinery in Colorado since the collapse of the industry over two centuries ago. This comes mere weeks after the Liberty Supreme Court ruled in DSE’s favor over the long-running Galileo Platinum dispute; Kusari vehemently opposes the ruling. The opening was marked by a significant security presence, largely driven by the increased tensions with the Kusari Empire.

[835 AS] Liberty court rules on Platinum dispute

MANHATTAN -- 835 -- Liberty’s Supreme Court has issued its verdict on the Galileo Platinum dispute between DSE, Samura and Kishiro. Ruling in DSE’s favor, the court has ordered the Kusari corporations to end all mining activities in Galileo, and pay compensation to DSE for losses. Kusari’s courts have objected to the ruling, calling it an “unprecedented breach of protocol” due to the Liberty court’s failure to consult and reach a mutual finding on issues of cross-border law. Liberty has threatened to deploy the Navy to evict illegal miners, while Kusari has warned that this would be interpreted as an “illegal act of hostility”.

[835 AS] Galileo on the brink

GALILEO -- 835 -- Following an unspecified “security incident” in the Independent Worlds, military forces in Colorado and Shikoku have been ordered to high alert. Observers have raised alarms as the Liberty Navy and Kusari Naval Forces surge to their respective borders, warning of a heightened risk of “accidental escalation” in Galileo. Despite urgent calls for information from local system representatives, the governments of Kusari and Liberty remain tight lipped, other than confirming Manhattan and New Tokyo were in “active dialogue”. Both Houses have since put traffic controls in place, and are actively stopping and searching shipping entering their mutual borders.

[835 AS] Omega-11 lanes open for business

BADEN BADEN -- 835 -- In a ceremony hosted on Baden Baden, Ageira, DSE and DHC officials toasted the first Diamond shipment to use Omega-11’s newly completed Trade Lane. The troubled project was beset by many delays owing to the dangerous conditions, frequent attacks, and -- at times -- alleged sabotage. EFL Oil & Machinery has been a staunch critic of the project, while Rheinland has reveled in its status as a battleground market, where Ageira and EFL vie for influence. Despite the strained smiles at today’s ceremony, Ageira is well aware of Rheinland’s intent to play them against their bitter rival to secure favorable deals.

[834 AS] New governor appointed to Erie

PLANET ERIE – 834 -- Veteran political troubleshooter Mike Davis has been dispatched to Pennsylvania as Planet Erie’s new governor. Davis’ policy team is renown for presiding over the economic regeneration of Planet Denver, and guiding the controversial LPI sweeps that pushed out many less affluent citizens. Since its annexation in 830 AS, Erie has continued to prove troublesome for the Interim Administration there. Davis’ appointment as governor appears to indicate a directive from Manhattan to finish pacifying the unruly frontier, to pave the way for full assimilation as a core Liberty territory. Governor Davis has his work cut out for him, as previous efforts have been violently resisted by Erie Militants.

[834 AS] H-Fuel prices spike as market volatility increases

MANHATTAN -- 834 -- H-Fuel prices across Sirius have spiked after demand for future supply contracts surged. This unusual increase has been driven by Liberty corporations who are buying up all surplus stocks, although what has provoked the sudden frenzy remains unknown. Universal Shipping and Synth Foods both declined to comment on their own significant increase in buying activity, however many have noted that neither has the storage capacity to account for the excess. Share prices for Kishiro, GMG and Samura all rose on the news, despite Kusari warning that it may impose export caps on H-Fuel to limit market volatility and curb inflation.

[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] LPI commissioner sentenced following Erie probe

PLANET ERIE -- 833 -- Helen O’Shea, Pennsylvania’s former LPI Commissioner, has been sentenced on corruption charges over the mismanagement of Erie’s planetary internment camps. The facilities were constructed to temporarily hold prisoners from the Liberty Insurgency while the courts cleared sentencing backlogs. Following allegations of human trafficking, the LSF launched a major investigation, discovering that as many as 10 percent of inmates were suspected of having been sold to traffickers. O’Shea is the latest and most high profile prosecution to date, and is expected to serve a ten year sentence at a minimum security penitentiary on Planet Los Angeles.

[832 AS] Explosions rock Erie's capital

PLANET ERIE -- 832 AS -- Citizens of Lake City awoke this morning to rippling explosions targeting the LPI garrison. While no group has yet claimed these attacks, the LSF was quick to accuse Erie Militants. Twenty three LPI officers were killed, with eighteen more wounded. The Erie Interim Administration was quick to condemn the attacks, which resulted in the single largest loss of serving officers since the end of the campaign against the Insurgency. A crackdown on suspected militia groups is expected in the coming days, following the deployment of further Marine reinforcements to the troublesome frontier planet.

[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] 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] Rampant human trafficking on Erie

ERIE -- 830 AS -- Scandal has rocked Planet Erie after videos leaked of LPI guards loading Insurgency prisoners onto Freelancer Vincent Ruthen’s Dromedary freighter. Public records indicate Ruthen has prior convictions for trafficking, while the freighter's manifest falsely claimed it was shipping Neon to Planet Denver. Outraged Zoner communities claim this is the "tip of the iceberg", describing widespread abuse at LPI operated internment camps. A Police official denounced the allegations of corruption, stating that "all prisoner transfers have been conducted within the framework of the legal code". He refused to comment on the evidence presented. The Erie Interim Administration has formally requested the LSF investigate the situation.

[830 AS] Liberty annexes Planet Erie

PLANET ERIE -- 830 -- The Liberty Navy has launched Operation PESTICIDE to annex Pennsylvania, following the collapse of talks between Liberty and Zoner authorities. President Hawthorne declared that Liberty could no longer tolerate a "lawless frontier" within its very core, and that the Zoners had repeatedly refused to extradite criminals and terrorists from the Pennsylvania protectorate. The recent destruction of an LSF satellite was the straw that broke the camel's back. Militias congregating around Planet Erie were routed following the Zoner Carrier Pinnacle’s destruction. The Battleship Alma then secured Erie’s orbit and landed Marines to impose Liberty law on Lake City. Surviving militants have vowed to resist Erie’s occupation.

[830 AS] Trouble in paradise on Erie

PLANET ERIE -- 830 AS -- Since the destruction of Williamstown Depot near Planet Tremont, Liberty and Erie's autonomous Zoner government have been locked in a standoff. Liberty has long suspected the Insurgency attack on its logistics station was facilitated by informants on Erie, and has accused the Zoners of allowing Insurgency and Xeno operatives to roam the planet with "impunity". This morning, a missile streaked from Erie's wilderness, shooting down an orbiting LSF satellite that had been tracking "terrorist activities". Liberty has accused Zoner militias of the attack, and ordered Erie authorities to hand over the perpetrators, and all Insurgency affiliates. Zoners have denied responsibility, calling the attack a “Liberty false flag”.

[829 AS] Navy bloodied by Pennsylvania strike

WILLIAMSTOWN DEPOT -- 829 -- The Liberty Navy have been struck an embarrassing blow in their campaign to scour the Insurgency from the Independent Worlds. The Navy has been carrying out combat operations across Kansas, but staging its forces and logistics from Pennsylvania. In an attempt to disrupt the Navy’s inevitable advance towards their heartlands, the Insurgency launched a surprise raid on Williamstown Depot. Liberty authorities have tersely commented that search and rescue efforts are still ongoing, but it appears the fuel and munitions store detonated after being struck by multiple torpedoes. When asked for comment, President Hawthorne stated simply that she would not discuss ongoing combat operations.

[828 AS] Cortez cleanup begins after delays

CURACAO -- 835 -- DSE has accepted a cleanup and salvage contract to address war debris in Cortez. The Aruba Debris Field has long been a cause for complaint by Orbital Spa and Cruise, over concerns that the unsightly wreckage would blight local tourist attractions. The site does not obstruct traffic, so clearance has been of low priority to both Bretonia and Liberty. This appears to have changed following a significant Orbital contribution to a clean-up fund. DSE was appointed as the primary contractor, as preferred subcontractor ALG does not have capacity for the job. The Rheinland group is facing manpower constraints following the Rheinland Civil War, and exploding demand for battlefield salvage across the sector.

[828 AS] Shotgun Diplomacy

ERIE -- 828 AS -- In a turn of events for the quiet system, the Liberty Navy press corps has released information about an incident involving a Slave Liner. Spokesperson to the CNS Bradley Stern addressed the conference by stating the ship had refused to comply with orders issued by patrols, and that it was being conducted in a manner that raised all manner of red flags. The Delaware was forced to position itself such that the ship was forced to stop, and when a cargo scan was conducted it was revealed that the Liner was carrying a vast quantity of munitions. With its secret loose, the Liner attempted to escape and was promptly disabled by secondary cannon fire.

Upon further investigation, the Navy has successfully identified the ordnance being transported as being sourced from Rheinland. Going as far as to state that they contained serial codes which correspond with weaponry used by Rheinland's own Military. Naturally given the circumstances around the discovery of these weapons and Liberty's history of hot and cold relations with the neighboring House, it is expected that this development will lead to further scrutiny when it comes to potentially suspicious activity.

[828 AS] Samura Debuts Next Generation Surveyor

NEW TOKYO -- 828 AS -- Samura Spokesperson Kenichiro Watanabe introduced a new line of Next-Gen Surveyors to the Consumer Utilities Convention Keynote Expo to thunderous applause: "The Surveyor is more than just a ship, it's a symbol of ingenuity and industrial development to all the Sirian Colonies. It's a pattern that dates back to our origins in the Sol system, and it's a pattern that will persist for many generations to come. Just as we have adapted to meet new challenges, so too must the Surveyor to meet emergent needs."

The Next-Gen Surveyor is slated to roll out multiple updates ranging from technological optimizations to upgraded armor and firepower capabilities. Many of the new modifications directly address a recent study by the Sirius International Institute of Statistics and Economics, citing up to 32 percent losses by BMM and Kruger Minerals to piracy and related factors.

The ship's expanded armour increased the ship's mass by almost 50 percent, which forced Samura's Surveyor team to completely overhaul the ship's power delivery system, powerplant, and hull. The new ship utilizes a power delivery system integrated into the super-alloy frame. The integrated frame was torture tested at the Aso High Altitude Proving Grounds, and sports certifications as best in class for maneuvering with a load under high Gs.

Though time will tell whether the upgrade will prove successful in addressing the increase of piracy, the stock market has greeted the welcome news with a 15 point general increase, and a relative high for Samura and mining sector stocks.

[823 AS] Liberty and Rheinland formally end conflict

NEW BERLIN -- 823 -- President Powell and Chancellor Neumann have signed the Treaty of Atka formally ending the state of war between their two Houses. 6 years of devastating conflict has seen tens of thousands killed and both Houses severely economically damaged. The agreement sees Rheinland cede all claims on Planet Atka, while Hudson and Bering are split in half, creating two security zones. The boundary between these two zones remains neutral territory, to be policed by the Bounty Hunters Guild under a joint contract. In return, Liberty has agreed to immediately end all economic sanctions, and fund 85% of the Jump Gate cleanup and reconstruction project.

[817 AS] Liberty Declares Border Security Zone

HUDSON -- 817 -- In a significant escalation to ongoing tensions, Liberty has established a Border Security Zone in the two Independent Worlds of Bering and Hudson. President Powell announced that the Liberty Navy will maintain a blockade along what Liberty deems its zone of control. This is purportedly to prevent intrusions by the Rheinland Military, and thwart attempts to facilitate terrorist attacks in Liberty territory. All civilian shipping bound for Liberty through the affected systems are now being stopped for mandatory inspections. Rheinland has furiously condemned the move as military aggression, and called the deployment a flagrant violation of the Boorman Treaty.


Rumors

Universal Shipping
  • Titanium is in high demand on Philedelphia. The Basic Alloy manufacturing process uses it in moderate quantities, but Liberty does not have a source of the material anymore. We have to import it from abroad, usually from Bretonia.


  • Philedelphia manufactures a small quantity of MOX. There is some controversy about having a nuclear fuel production plant in orbit of an inhabited planet, but the DSE officials who own that plant insist it's safe. I doubt they'll be closing it anytime soon. With LD-14 lost Liberty will need alternatives to Bretonian fuel.


  • There are many small factories on Philedelphia, but the largest ones are the Basic Alloy plants. Basic Alloys are so widely used that you can take them almost anywhere, especially to Shipyards and Manufacturing Stations.


Samura Industries
  • Basic Alloy is a commodity that is in demand in Kusari. Our nation does not have many raw materials, so we need to import a lot of those. We usually ship it to Yokohama Shipyard in New Tokyo.


  • The Xenos are a problem for us. Those barbarians have cost the loss of countless transports and lives, and their numbers keep rising. The Liberty Police is either incapable or unwilling to put an end to their attacks, so we've had to start sending stronger escorts and ship less frequently.


  • Aluminium has become a problem for Liberty now that Bretonia has lost control of Leeds. Rheinland has plenty of it, but with the war going on, that's a dead end - for them. Samura can turn a tidy profit by shipping it via the Sigmas to Kusari, and then back to Liberty.


Bounty Hunters Guild
  • As far as pirates are concerned, you've got the Liberty Rogues and Xenos out here. The Rogues are generally easy to deal with. Your basic thugs with big lasers and bigger ships that usually flee rather then confront us Hunters. The Xenos on the other hand are fanatics who love nothing more than to get into fights, even if it ends up costing them their lives.


  • This is a bit of a backwater system for Liberty, which means there's more smuggling going on then actual attacks. Not to say that there's no trouble here - there's always work for a Bounty Hunter in systems where Freeports exist, because that's where most criminals go to lay low for a while.


  • There's a Junker base near one of the moons of Sayre. I tailed a Junker leaving from Eerie to find it. Probably a smugglers nest, since there's no scrapfields in Pennsylvania. I doubt the Liberty Police will do much about it, they've got their hands full guarding the Gate and Lanes. All the better, it's a good spot for me to pick up a mark or two.


Zoners
  • I'm not drunk enough yet to start blabbering. Here's a thought: Buy me another round!


  • Say, Zoners are leaving Pensylvania, are they not? Anyone got some details about that? Yes? No? Maybe? Should I start packing? I don't think so.


  • Did you know that the hull plating on those Zoner Whales is brittle as chalk? Not common knowledge that! Some Rogue told me that it takes less than a Vengeance 1st generation to punch a clean hole into those. Makes you wonder why they even bother to attach them. Someone probably got rich producing that crap.


Deep Space Engineering
  • Life used to be different here, before all these corporate windbags moved in. Us Zoners don't like being told how to live, but that's exactly what Liberty does all over Sirius. Manhattan fashion. Yech. I'd sooner go skyclad.


  • ALG handles waste disposal here at Philadelphia. Their HazMat Canisters are irreplaceable. Since we started storing Toxic Waste in them, we haven't had a single hazardous leak. ALG is prompt picking them up to haul out of here too.


  • A few days ago, the captain of the Anaconda told me that they had just discovered new properties of Hessian Tears. Yes, I guess its just about weapons research again... but the point is that due to those new discoveries the prices have increased significantly.


  • The LPI maintains a garrison here on Philadelphia. This Trade Lane hub is a convenient spot from which to patrol to the New York Gate, Erie, and Bethlehem. The Rogues cause a lot of disruption in these parts, without constant patrols. The Prisoners brought back in by the LPI get transported off to the Texas prisons. Most of of them are actually from Erie. The Zoners talk and talk about peace and neutrality, but they sure do like their brawls with offworlders down there.


  • If you've got your own ship, then you should talk to the dealers down at the space port. Erie's main export is Neon. You can ship it to Freeports, research stations, storage depots, all the major planets. People are mad for Neon, brother. Stark raving mad for the stuff!


  • Have you seen the Dublin races finale? Pretty intense! I loved how nearly every one of those ships ended up wrapping themselves around one of the course rings. But I bet its all fixed long before they even start the engines.


Liberty Police, Inc.
  • The Zoners are a rowdy bunch. Down on the planet the LPI has adopted a tolerant approach. We simply don't have the manpower to enforce Liberty law on that entire planet. On this station it's a different story, as there's only a few hundred people here. It is easier to keep order on spacestations.


  • We run regular patrols around the bases and Trade Lanes, right up to the New York Jump Gate. If you stray away from the lanes or bases however, you're on your own. Not even the Navy patrols much in the deep reaches of this system. Pennsylvania is just too big for that.


  • Samura pilots often file complaints about Xeno attacks. We do what we can to prevent them, but frankly, there's just too much ground to cover. What annoys me is the tone in which they complain, as if they're entitled to be escorted. That doesn't help to motivate our officers.


  • Smuggling is a problem here in Pennsylvania, more so then piracy. The Junkers are probably involved, although we've only been able to catch them once or twice. Most of the time, the cargo they carry is legit when we scan them.


  • Our patrol ran into a few Rogues harassing an Universal convoy the other day. First it was the Universal ships that tried to run, but when another patrol arrived, we had the upper hand. Even the Universal escorts decided they'd join in for a bit of payback. Can't say I blame them.


  • Dealing with the Xenos is often easier done then said. They'll usually avoid a confrontation, so we just approach them at half engines and give them time to run. Unless they've got it in for some foreigner convoy, in which case we usually have to blast every single one of them before they do the same to us -and- that convoy.