Planet New Tokyo

From Discovery Wiki
Planet New Tokyo
Owner
Kusari State Police
Location
D-6, New Tokyo

DIAMETER: 14,802 km.

MASS: 6.01 x 10e24 kg.

TERRAIN: Oceanic

TEMPERATURE: -35°C to 39°C

ESCAPE VELOCITY: 12.01 km/sec

Settled in 5 AS, New Tokyo is the capitol of the Kusari Empire and, with nearly 11 billion people spread across various island groups, its most populous planet. Despite (or perhaps because of) this crowding, New Tokyo is a vibrant world with centuries of history and some of the most advanced technology in the colonies. Due to the lack of available land on which to farm and build, the Kusari have economised land use, and much of their technological advances have been geared towards constructing huge glittering skyscrapers and even entire "tower cities", packing as much as possible into as small a space as possible. To foreigners, Kusari architecture often feels cramped.

It is a vibrant world with centuries of history and some of the most advanced technology in Sirius, but it is not without conflict. Kusari culture is in a transitional state, with a relatively small feudal-style aristocracy leading an increasing number of citizens who are developing a stronger sense of individuality. Bureaucrats and corporations wrestle with the popular media and the younger generations over how best to handle the rapidly increasing changes in Kusari society.

Bribes & Missions Offered

Bribes
Missions


Commodities

Imports
Commodity Price
Ablative Armor Plating 76$
Black Market Munitions 147$
Casualties 36,953$
Cracking Catalysts 62$
Energy Field Equipment 22$
Gin 66$
Hydrogen 17$
Liberty Ale 52$
Medical Equipment 56$
Nanotubes 42$
Rheinbier 55$
Rum 57$
Stabiline 117$
Titanium 40$
Tungsten 34$
Vodka 81$
Whiskey 38$
Zinc 53$
Military Surplus 976$
Black Market Pharmaceuticals 114$
Slog 155$
Abductees 902$
Hybrid Equipment 2,137$
Counterfeit Computerware 142$
Cobalt 49$
Food Rations 43$
MOX 41$
Super Alloy 92$
High-Temperature Alloy 79$
Superconductors 64$
Construction Machinery 33$
Hull Panels 33$
Polymers 16$
Optronics 37$
Luxury Consumer Goods 95$
Engine Components 32$
Cardamine 192$
Consumer Goods 197$
Artifacts 219$
Consumer Goods 224$
Black Market Blasters 147$
Bio-Neural Processors 101$
Black Market Light Arms 129$
Kemwer Technologies 237$
Azurite Gas 174$
Xeno Relics 205$
Volgograd Ordinance 237$
APM Advanced Hardware 156$
Cryocubes 125$
Gaian Wildlife 343$
Holotainment Bands 136$
Black Market Augments 84$
Nanocapacitors 66$
Neon 37$
Pineal Amulets 82$
Osmium 553$
Prometheum 42$
Quantum Multiplexors 37$
Tobacco 64$
Vacationers 53,583$
Wine 75$
Hypnotainment Bands 194$
Industrial Materials 15$
Xenobiotic Filters 59$
HazMat Canisters 112$
Nox 191$
Consumer Goods 196$
Passenger Cabin (Liberty) 37,555$
Passenger Cabin (Bretonia) 51,068$
Passenger Cabin (Rheinland) 38,664$
Passenger Cabin (Gallia) 51,781$
Passenger Cabin (Omega) 81,450$
Passengers (Omicrons) 76,800$
Iron 31$
Bioproduce 14$
Alien Organisms 18$
Hessian Tears 230$
Molybdenum 227$
Deuterium 203$
Gold 239$
Wildcat Gold 243$
Niobium 161$
Copper 240$
Diamonds 227$
H-Fuel 76$
Iridium 269$
Platinum 143$
Aluminium 176$
Osmiridium Panels 552$
Osmian Platinum Foil 449$
Osmiridium Cylinders 738$
Osmian Platinum Crystals 668$
Shigeakiki 183$
Advanced Directing Mount 7,681$
Multi-Mode Focusing Chamber 7,373$
High-Precision Barrels 7,187$
Armored Gun Housing 7,635$
Particle Ram 9,015$
Cryogenic Stabilization Matrix 7,778$
Exports
Commodity Price
Deployable Mining Container 50,000$
Oxygen 2$
Water 2$
Hangar Provisions 250$
Scientists 200$
Passenger Cabin (Kusari) 10,000$
Robotics 20$
Sake 26$
Luxury Food 48$
Kyushu Rice 15$
Basic Alloy 12$
Optical Chips 14$
Pharmaceuticals 29$
Consumer Goods 28$
Synth Paste 45$
Cigars 163$
Tea 37$
Fire Pearls 52$


Ships sold


Ship Class Price
Starflier Light Fighter 14,610$
Startracker Heavy Fighter 21,316$
Starblazer Very Heavy Fighter 20,537$
Tetsu Heavy Fighter 21,608$
Hagane Very Heavy Fighter 24,979$
Shirogane Bomber 70,156$
Kin Freighter 22,876$
Tsuyo Light Fighter 1,458,352$
Shihai Very Heavy Fighter 1,942,966$
Armored Transport Transport 38,506$
Transport Transport 46,006$
Large Transport Transport 91,006$


News

[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] Kusari diet passes sweeping defense budget

NEW TOKYO -- 835 -- Kusari’s national diet has passed a sweeping defense budget, allocating significant additional funding to fleet readiness, modernization, and shipbuilding. This has included extensive military contracts for Kure, Yukawa, and Yokohama Shipyards, with Kishiro Technologies and Samura Industries both announcing record hiring programs in response. The new budget also ended the remaining reconstruction funding grants for Planet Kyushu, noting Governor Toho’s termination of the local state of emergency.

[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] 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] Ginza Bazar draws crowds

GINZA -- 835 -- The newly opened Ginza Bazar has proved to be an immediate hit. Funded by a combination of local proprietors and the New Tokyo Development Committee, Ginza aims to rekindle the tourism trade that was badly damaged in the aftermath of the Roppongi terrorist attack. Boasting a free shuttle service to Planet New Tokyo and a wide range of concourses and restaurants, the Bazar has been an instant hit with New Tokyo’s youth. Kusari’s government has also rented a wing of the station, and has relocated foreign diplomatic staff there, from their temporary offices on Planet New Tokyo.

[834 AS] Kyushu state of emergency ended

PLANET KYUSHU -- 834 -- Governor Ikkaku Toho has rescinded the state of emergency on Planet Kyushu, confirming that much of the devastating storm damage has been repaired. Despite this, many farmers were driven to bankruptcy by the disaster and are now struggling to adapt to Synth Foods’ much enhanced presence within Kusari. Governor Toho has requested enhanced subsidies for Kyushu Rice in response, however New Tokyo has declined, advising that the Empire has other pressing funding requirements that must take priority.

[834 AS] Narita renovations bolster strategic independence

NARITA -- 834 -- The completion of long-running works to expand the capacity of Narita Outpost have been jointly praised by the Ministers of Economy and Defense. The ambitious project saw the station’s storage capacity radically expanded, allowing it to service a wider range of foreign trade, and hold larger reserves of goods. “This much needed modernization will tap into the river of prosperity that flows through Kusari, while deterring malign interests who seek to damage Kusari by curtailing access to goods and markets,” noted Trade vice-minister Okazaki.

[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] Samura struggles with fraudulent claims

SHINJUKU -- 834 -- Following the loss of Roppongi Station, Interspace withdrew most of their services from Kusari. Samura gleefully filled this void, establishing its own domestic insurance brokerage. Samura rapidly encountered trouble when Interspace refused to provide access to its proprietary USI system. This ubiquitous Trade Lane scanner allows Interspace to accurately track cargo shipments for insurance premiums. “Before USI was implemented, we had centuries of experience in fraud mitigation. Samura will learn the hard way,” one IC analyst noted. Samura is believed to have incurred significant losses on insurance in recent years.

[834 AS] Joint statement condemns Gallic trade deal

MANHATTAN -- 834 -- In a rare moment of unity, the governments of Bretonia, Crayter, Kusari and Liberty have issued a joint statement condemning Rheinland for the Treaty of Oerlikon -- a sweeping free trade agreement with Gallia. All have fought wars against the Gallic Union’s predecessor states, and maintain that there are unresolved wartime disputes the Union refuses to address or accept responsibility for. The group sharply rebuked Rheinland’s intent to provide the Gallic military dictatorship with access to dual-use industrial materials. These will likely be used to revitalize the Gallic Navy, destabilizing surrounding regions. Rheinland responded that it seeks to integrate Gallia into the Sirian economy, creating peace through mutual prosperity.

[834 AS] Kusari minister cancels ALG contract

NEW TOKYO -- 833 -- Shortly before the execution of the Roppongi cleanup contract between ALG and the Kusari government, the Minister of Industry and Development personally intervened to void his department’s negotiations. Citing "security concerns and political unreliability", the Minister disqualified ALG from further involvement. The contract was then awarded directly without tender to Samura Heavy Industries. ALG has condemned the move as “the lowest and most despicable of state corruption”, and threatened to take immediate legal action to protect their investments and reputation. Samura has pledged prompt action to make New Tokyo’s orbit safe -- despite the Keiretsu having no experience in this field of work.

[833 AS] Gold volatility taxes Kusari economy

HONSHU -- 833 -- Kusari has been among the hardest hit by the severely damaged Gold market over recent years. This situation appears only to worsen as Bretonian stockpiles are depleted. Share prices in the high tech manufacturing industries of New Tokyo and Honshu plunged on the recent release of an Interspace report predicting crisis in Gold-reliant market sectors. When pressed for comment, Kusari’s trade ministry declined to respond, referring instead to the Ministry of Defence. Lord Tazuka of the Kusari Office of Intelligence confirmed that discussions were presently ongoing with counterparts in Bretonia, and that progress was anticipated in the near future.

[833 AS] Stabline prices spike after Atka destruction

SIGMA-17 -- 833 -- Cryer’s share prices have tumbled on the news that Atka Research Station has been destroyed by brutal Outcast pirates. The remote station served as the primary manufacturing point for the revolutionary drug Stabline, which had promised to eradicate Cardamine dependency across the Colonies. Spokeswoman Alicia Fisher confirmed that critical staff and research materials were successfully evacuated due to the timely intervention of private security forces and the GMG. She noted that adequate Stabiline stockpiles exist to “manage demand for priority clients” while a replacement facility is sourced. Cryer has begun emergency negotiations with the governments of both Kusari and Bretonia to explore options.

[833 AS] ALG reports escalating attacks in New Tokyo

NARITA OUTPOST -- 833 -- In recent months, ALG employees have reported a sharp increase in intimidation attempts by suspected Hogosha agents. The Rheinland-originating corporation says its Kusari-based personnel have been subjected to stalking and harassment, with several managers forced to leave Narita Outpost after personal information about their families was leaked to Farmers' Alliance terrorists. The corporation says these threats are linked to the ongoing negotiations for the decontamination of Roppongi Station. State Police have advised they are investigating ALG’s allegations.

[833 AS] Kyushu Faces Rising Temperatures And Falling Profits

Kyushu, the key to Samura's monopoly on the organically-grown food industry, has faced rising ocean temperatures lately, owing to a vast temperature surge in the mantle plume underneath its largest ocean. This has been compounded by the resultant eruption of several underwater volcanoes, releasing enormous quantities of greenhouse gases into the planet's atmosphere.

Partially as a result of the geological activity, the equatorial monsoon season produced some of the strongest tropical storms ever recorded on Kyushu since its colonisation. These storms devastated the world's agricultural sector as they blew through the most fertile tropical lowlands, destroying as much as 20%% of the planet's annual crop yield, on top of damage to infrastructure and tragic loss of human life.

Many rural communities are reported to be struggling, with some farming communities still remaining flooded ghost towns even a month after the worst of the storms abated, though smaller-scale tempests still rage around the equator. A Samura spokesperson outlined the company's intent to restore the planet and its communities to full productivity by the middle of next year, despite the ongoing circumstance.

[832 AS] Roppongi cleanup negotiations enter final stages

WICHTER STATION -- 832 -- After a demanding pre-tender selection and contract negotiation process, ALG are on the verge of finalizing a new deal for the deconstruction of the Roppongi Wreck in the New Tokyo’s orbit. The station was destroyed early last year when a dirty bomb was detonated aboard by the Farmer’s Alliance. The new contract would be a significant milestone for ALG, providing both high profile, valuable work, but also a significant expansion of the corporation’s relationship with the otherwise conservative Kusari market. ALG already handles much of Kusari’s Toxic Waste disposal from civilian corporate shipyards.

[832 AS] Battleship Matsuda Meets Its Demise!

It had long been rumored that the grand Battleship Himeji had not been lost in the Tohoku system as previously thought; That it had been brought back and given a second life by the unlawful elements that are the antithesis of the Kusari state. This rumor had been proven true as the Kusari Office of Intelligence reported movements of a Meiji-class Battleship in the Kyushu system, deploying Golden Chrysanthemum fighter wings that seemed to deliberately target Kusari patrols in the northern part of the system.

Immediately upon learning of this, Battleship Matsumoto and its battlegroup were redeployed from Hokkaido, and within two days were poised and ready to face this new threat. Only a short few hours later, a patrol of fighters reported a warship with the transponder reading Battleship Matsuda operating in the relative open, heading for but not yet reaching the relative safety of the Seiran Dust Cloud.

Matsumoto itself departed with its escort to confront the Chrysanthemum battleship, close to the edge of the nebula. Within minutes of it coming into sensor range, bomber and fighter squadrons from both sides closed in and opening salvos were exchanged between the battleships. It didn't take long before the KNF's preparation was shown to be well worthwhile; their superior numbers whittled down or otherwise preoccupied the Chrysanthemum's fighter force leaving a variety of openings in the Matsuda's defensive cover for KNF bombers to exploit.

While the Matsumoto was withstanding a heavy beating from the guns of its older sister, it was plain that the Matsuda was slowly being whittled away as its shields began to fail and the very same engine design flaws that had rendered it immobile in KNF service were now exploited by bomber wings to once again cripple the warship.

After several more minutes, the Matsuda's escape pods began to eject from the ailing battleship, picked up by Chrysanthemum fighters as they fled deeper into the Seiran dust cloud. It didn't take long thereafter for the ship's powercore to falter and fail completely, culminating in a vast explosion that reportedly almost turned night to day on the dark side of Planet Kyushu, if only for a split second.

Matsumoto itself sustained moderate damage in the engagement, relatively untouched by Chrysanthemum bombers however still suffering the ill effects of Matsuda's anti-capital weaponry. Despite its damage, it remains deployed in the Kyushu system to continue the blockade of the cardamine trade and to serve as a show of force to any who would challenge the might of the Emperor.

[832 AS] Houses outraged by Roppongi attack

NEW TOKYO -- 832 -- Kusari has received blistering criticism from the other Houses after the destruction of Roppongi Station. Roppongi hosted House embassies in Kusari, and was a major business hub for foreign companies. Liberty’s President Hawthorne is said to be “incandescent” over the attack, which killed Ambassador Luisa Mason and her aides. She has threatened consequences unless Kusari exert all “means and resources” towards the Farmers Alliance’s eradication, and announced the LSF will be taking “enhanced measures” to protect Liberty citizens. Interspace Commerce has quadrupled its bounties on Alliance targets. Kusari has opened an inquest into the attack.

[832 AS] Terror in Tokyo orbit!

ROPPONGI -- 832 -- In the worst terrorist attack in recent Kusari history, the Farmers Alliance have detonated a dirty bomb aboard Roppongi Station. Emergency responders are still working to rescue victims, however the known death toll has already risen to the thousands. Planet New Tokyo has gone into immediate lockdown amid fears Roppongi may break apart and rain radioactive debris upon the capitol. The Farmers Alliance broadcast a manifesto the following day, accusing Roppongi of “corrupting the soul of Kusari’s youth” -- alleging the widespread sale of the drug Cardamine. Interspace has condemned the attack as a barbaric and senseless atrocity.

[832 AS] Interspace auditors re-open files

ROPPONGI -- 832 -- Interspace auditors working aboard Roppongi Station have reportedly re-opened the historic claims file relating to Osaka Storage Facility. The Samura station was allegedly destroyed through Blood Dragon sabotage in 822 AS, shortly after Samura purchased what some have called a “significantly overvalued” insurance policy. Insider Interspace sources claim the investigation was launched after random spot checks in seemingly unrelated cases detected anomalies that linked back to Osaka. Neither Interspace nor Samura have responded to requests for comment.

[832 AS] A foul wind

KYUSHU -- 833 AS -- Ravaged by the worst storms in Kyushu's history, bustling farming communes have been thrown into total disarray. Local authorities are struggling to address the severe infrastructure damage caused by the violent typhoons and flooding, while the number of dead and missing has risen to the tens of thousands. Many communities are directly calling for external aid, as assistance from Imperial authorities has been slow to arrive. In response, Samura has demanded the restoration of their planetary management contract, which they claim will prevent imminent food insecurity. What was forecast to be a bountiful harvest now only offers grim tidings.

[832 AS] Cardamine Withdrawal Epidemic!

MANHATTAN -- 832 AS -- Reports of Cardamine withdrawal-related hospitalizations have surged to unprecedented levels, with a specific hospital on Planet Manhattan recording a staggering 450%% increase compared to the previous year. A growing number of addicts are seeking emergency medical care, apparently unable to obtain their regular dose of the highly addictive drug. Symptoms of withdrawal rapidly progress into severe sickness, pushing many of these individuals into critical condition.

While this troubling trend is observed throughout the Sirius colonies, Liberty is bearing the brunt of the crisis among the four major Houses. Remarkably, even Rheinland, where historical data indicated low Cardamine consumption, has witnessed a notable rise in medical cases linked to the illicit narcotic. Experts postulate that the extensive black market responsible for Cardamine distribution might be facing a shortage, or worse, that Outcast factions deliberately curtail the supply to bolster demand. Regrettably, no law enforcement agency has been available for comment on these concerns.

The long-standing debate over Cardamine's controversial nature, juxtaposing its euphoric and purported medicinal qualities with the genetic alterations it inflicts upon long-term users, continues to echo. A key point of contention revolves around the plight of innocent consumers caught in this crisis. Yet, according to independent polls, a substantial majority of our viewers maintains that the substance must remain banned.

In response to this escalating crisis, Cryer Pharmaceuticals has announced a forthcoming press conference. During the event, the company intends to unveil plans for an expanded production of Stabiline, their touted "wonder drug". This announcement promises affordable access to Stabiline for all patients grappling with Cardamine withdrawal, sparking a remarkable 15%% surge in Cryer Pharmaceuticals' stock following the revelation.

[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] Bretonia withdraws from Dublin system

WATERLOO -- 831 AS -- Markets are down across Sirius after the twin shocks of The Blackout and Bretonia's retreat from Dublin. Molly separatists have destroyed Graves Station and the New London Jump Gate, forcing Bretonia from the system. The separatists declared their rule over Dublin and its Gold, while Bretonia has imposed a strict blockade. With Gold production effectively ceased, legal supplies are limited to Bretonian stockpiles. Technology, manufacturing, and shipbuilding sectors are all expected to be adversely impacted. Interspace Commerce has downgraded Bretonia's sovereign credit rating, citing increased risk of default following the loss of Dublin's critical state revenue.

[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.

[828 AS] Birds of a Feather

STUTTGART -- 828 AS -- Many ex-LWB remnants took up the Imperial cause during the Civil War, hoping for a government that would expel Synth Foods from Rheinland. They were left feeling betrayed when these promises were abandoned. Lacking resources, the fighters looked abroad to find support. They found Kusari’s Farmers Alliance, who fight a near identical battle against the Liberty corporation. The Alliance has provided leadership, funding and resources to relaunch anti-Synth operations in Rheinland as a wing of their own organization. It remains to be seen how this united Farmers Alliance will impact affairs on the wider stage, as the security forces of both Rheinland and Kusari are already strained by internal conflict and crime.

[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.

[828 AS] Harris conference mends wounds

PLANET HARRIS -- 828 -- Delegates from Bretonia, Kusari and the Crayter Republic have met on Planet Harris, announcing the ratification of the Harris Treaty. Kusari and Crayter had come to blows the previous year, after the KNF militarily evicted Republic forces from Tau-31. Despite this, it appears the three parties have found common cause in their mutual mistrust of the newly formed Gallic Union. Despite historic grievances, each has tentatively agreed to come to one another’s aid in the event of a conflict with Gallia in the Taus, while also guaranteeing military and economic access to Tau-23.

[825 AS] Ibusuki station massacred - Kusari enters war!

SAIGON -- 825 -- In a furious speech, Prime Minister Yukihara Reijiro of Kusari has declared a state of war against Rheinland. This follows the destruction of Ibusuki Survey Platform in Sigma-21, 12 hours before Rheinland's eviction ultimatum expired. Despite Rheinland's protests that it was not responsible for the act, Kusari has accused the Battleship Bayern of the murders, releasing the station's final distress calls that begged Rheinland forces to cease fire. As a result, Kusari has mobilized the Kusari Naval Forces to begin joint military operations alongside the Gas Miner's Guild. The Prime Minister has ordered Rheinland to withdraw all of its forces from the Sigmas immediately or face Kusari's fury.

[825 AS] Rheinland demands Ibusuki destruction

IBUSUKI SURVEY PLATFORM -- 825 -- Rheinland has issued an ultimatum for Ibusuki Survey Platform in Sigma-21 to be abandoned. The 48 hour warning has been provided to allow Kusari citizens time to evacuate from the jointly Kishiro and GMG operated station before the Battleship Bayern enforces the order. Kishiro Technologies has announced that it has assumed full administration of the platform to avoid being dragged into Rheinland's conflict with the Guild. Rheinland has reiterated that the platform must be abandoned, while the Bayern continues to advance towards Planet Saigon. Kusari has reacted with outrage to the development, threatening immediate repercussions if neutral Kusari citizens or property are harmed.

[825 AS] War returns to the Sigmas!

SIGMA-21 -- 825 -- Rheinland has declared war on the Gas Miners Guild (GMG), with both claiming to be victims of unprovoked aggression. Rheinland announced its intent to expel the GMG from Sigma-15 and 21, which it claims as territory. The GMG in turn aims to enforce treaty terms from the end of the 80-Years War that it says establishes Guild sovereignty over the entire Sigma cluster. Kusari has offered to mediate the dispute, while Liberty and Bretonia have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities over fear of disruption to the sector’s strategic H-Fuel supplies. Rheinland has advised it will not obstruct Sigma H-Fuel shipments by vessels operating under neutral flags. Interspace has substantially raised premiums for convoys in the region.

[824 AS] Rheinland completes Colony War reparations

HONSHU -- 824 -- Rheinland and Kusari officials have met in a somber memorial service, commemorating the losses of the Colony Wars. The occasion marks the 20th anniversary of the Second Treaty of Honshu and the final reparations payment for damages Rheinland inflicted during the conflict. The Treaty arrangement also included privileged access to Rheinland markets for Kusari corporations, to facilitate the reconstruction of the Kusari Naval Forces. This special deal has now lapsed, meaning Kusari will be required to pay full market rate for goods and services. Samura and Kishiro stock prices have fallen on the news, amid hopes an extension would be agreed.

[814 AS] Reichstag Condemns Bretonian War

NEW BERLIN -- 814 AS -- Rheinland's Reichstag today issued a statement condemning Bretonia’s use of concealed mines in defense of Planet Harris. The open letter accuses Bretonia of violating the Boorman Treaty, which prohibits the militarization of House border worlds, and bans the use of passive weapons that pose severe danger to civilians in those same territories. The statement concluded with calls for Bretonia to withdraw from Tau-31 immediately. Chancellor Rheinhardt’s government has refused to endorse the motion, clarifying that this expression by individual representatives is not Rheinland’s state position. Controversially, a first draft of the statement has also been leaked, revealing criticism of attacks on neutral civilian shipping by the Kusari Naval Forces was removed.

[813 AS] Rheinland responds to Tau events

NEW BERLIN -- 813 AS -- Rheinland’s Foreign Office has issued a formal statement regarding the escalating tensions between Bretonia and Kusari in the Taus. Rheinland has condemned Bretonia for what it calls “diplomatic brinkmanship” over territorial disputes, leading to escalation that may now realistically result in war. The Foreign Office called for both sides to pause and consider independent mediation in either Rheinland or Liberty. Reichstag members also expressed their sympathy for the IMG’s plight, as the civilian organization finds itself caught between two belligerent powers. Chancellor Steller has confirmed he will attend the Los Angeles Summit called by President Jacobi for promoting peace between the colonies.

[807 AS] Colony War demilitarization complete

ODER SHIPYARD -- 807 -- With the deconstruction of the Battleship Goethe, the Rheinland Government has announced that the post-Colony War process of demilitarization has been completed. The Federal Audit Office has also provided a damning report to the Schweizer Commission, indicating that the bulk of the hulls examined were built to cheap, 80-Years War grade, rather than the modernized standards billed for by Daumann and Republican. Opposition politicians have called for the corporations to be charged with fraud. Addressing the Reichstag, Councillor Stellar announced that the day "closed a door on a dark period of Rheinland’s history".

[805 AS] Houses ratify Denver Convention

PLANET DENVER -- 805 -- President Jacobi has thanked House delegates for attending a much anticipated summit on Planet Denver. The President requested the meeting shortly after the Colony Wars’ conclusion, however progress was blocked when Kusari refused to attend alongside Rheinland. With those issues now resolved, talks were held on a range of issues including economic recovery, naval limits, and joint security. Notably, the ratified Denver Convention upheld laws tightly restricting the trade of alien Artifacts, and explicitly prohibited research on “live” Artifacts. Several clauses were ultimately removed from the Convention, with provisions on border world resource exploitation being dropped over Bretonian and Kusari disagreements.

[804 AS] Treaty of Honshu eases Colony War wounds

HONSHU -- 804 -- Dignitaries from Rheinland and Kusari today ratified the Second Treaty of Honshu, officially normalizing relations between the two Houses and ending Kusari’s embargo. Rheinland has formally accepted sole culpability for the Colony Wars and agreed to a 20 year reparations package. This includes preferential rates for Kusari corporations on military goods and resources needed to rebuild the Kusari Naval Forces, and financial compensation for the damages inflicted in Honshu itself. Chancellor Steller offered his sincere condolences to Kusari over the war, and promised a brighter future of mutual prosperity.

[801 AS] Provisional Rheinland Government demilitarizes

POTSDAM -- 801 -- The Provisional Rheinland Government has begun urgent and immediate demilitarization. PRG representatives advised this was an absolute necessity to prevent Rheinland’s imminent financial collapse, and had been a requirement for both Bretonia and Liberty to drop heavy reparation demands. It is expected that these cuts will reduce the Rheinland Military’s headcount by over 80%%, leaving tens of thousands unemployed. This will reduce the force to levels last seen in 794 AS, prior to Chancellor Niemann’s build-up program. Already huge formations of capital ships have been mothballed in orbit of Potsdam, awaiting shipyard space for deconstruction.

[801 AS] Kusari imposes embargo on Rheinland

NEW TOKYO -- 801 -- Shogun Edo has announced that a full economic embargo of Rheinland will be imposed by Kusari due to the outrages of the Colony Wars. Liberty’s President Jacobi has taken a leading role in mediation between Rheinland and the other Houses, with the Provisional Rheinland Government offering a message of condolence to the Kusari people for the actions of the toppled previous regime. Despite this, Kusari has remained resolute that no normalization of relations will be considered until full reparations are made for the devastation in Honshu and New Tokyo, and the many crimes Kusari alleges were perpetrated there.

[801 AS] Colonies Rebuild, Chancellor MIA

NEWS ARCHIVE - 801 AS

MANHATTAN -- It's been nearly two weeks since hostilities between Rheinland and the other Houses came to an abrupt end, and peace has settled over the colonies. Despite many lingering questions, government officials remain tight-lipped about what has triggered this sudden change. President Jacobi pardoned the leaders of the military coup against her, who are all recovering from what has been officially called "encephalitic viral infections." Insiders speculate that these infections may be linked to recently discovered evidence of a bizarre mind-control plan initiated by the Chancellor to bring down the major Houses.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor and several of his staff are still missing at this time and together face a long list of charges. Newly appointed government officials in Rheinland are now looking into recent events and are said to be enlisting even Liberty's help in their investigation.

In other news, LSF Commander Jun'ko Zane and freelancer, Edison Trent, both former enemies of the state, have been granted full pardons and have received the Lone Star for bravery, the highest decoration any individual in the colonies can receive. Though the details of their heroism have been sealed by executive order, they were honored today in a ceremony by President Jacobi, who said, "I, Liberty and the rest of the colonies owe you both a debt of gratitude. It is through your efforts, and people like you, that Sirius will embrace the future. We salute you."

[801 AS] Rheinland ends all hostilities

FULDA -- 801 -- With the disappearance of Chancellor Niemann and the installation of the Liberty-backed Provisional Rheinland Government, an immediate cessation of all hostilities has been ordered. Rheinland forces have begun withdrawals on all fronts. Reports from Kusari have confirmed that the Northern Fleet has retreated from New Tokyo and Honshu, however it has not returned to Rheinland or recognized the authority of the PRG. Government sources believe the fleet may have deserted, with Rheinland's remaining loyalist security forces being ordered to high-alert as a precaution against pro-Niemann coup attempts.


Rumors

Kusari State Police
  • The Kanto Field is directly behind Tokyo. It was once Kusari's most important mining area, many centuries ago. Now it has become a criminal gathering place. The Hogosha keep things under control for us in there. In exchange, we let them do as they please around their base, Kabukicho.


  • The most difficult assignment for a Junsa like me is at Sapporo, within the clouds of Hokkaido. We must protect Samura's interests there at all costs. At least that's what Tokyo says. So we help protect a system that should be the exclusive domain of the Naval Forces.


  • We in Kusari are changing our traditional ways and Kishiro is an example for the future. Unfortunately, Samura wishes to preserve the past. They are too close with the Hogosha, who are far more unscrupulous than they would like to admit. Rather than reforming their agricultural production methods to resist the advance of Synth Foods, they have chosen to expend their resources on lobbying the government and backing the Farmers Alliance.


  • The Hogosha are not really criminals, like the GC or the Blood Dragons. They may engage in questionable behavior around Kishiro and foreign shippers' storage areas on occasion, but will never directly attack any ship. Artifacts are harmless trinkets. All this fuss with the bans outside Kusari seem rather extreme to me.


  • Bounty Hunters are not welcome in Kusari space, outside of the Shikoku system. The Kusari State Police prefers to take care of its own criminal problems. We do not need to rely on uncouth foreigners like the Bounty Hunters Guild to perform this task.


  • Life in State Police is not as simple as it once was. We and the Hogosha had an agreement. Smuggling Artifacts is fine, but not Cardamine. The Golden Chrysanthemums have disturbed this harmonious balance. They insist on importing drugs into Roppongi, where we cannot watch them carefully. IC is not very concerned with their activities, so there is little we can do.


  • Frankly speaking, I do not understand why we must persecute the Blood Dragons so strongly. They are not indiscriminate pirates like the Outcasts or Corsairs, only attacking Kishiro when they need supplies. Samura has a deep hatred for the Dragons that has not diminished over the centuries. Nonetheless, Samura employees are civilians going about their lawful business. So I must follow orders...


  • We believe there is a Jump Hole in the Kanto Field that leads to Kyushu and points beyond. From there, the Blood Dragons and Golden C. can access our system and attack the Kusari people. We are certain that the Hogosha know its location, but they will not tell us, as it is most likely used for Artifact smuggling.


  • The youth of New Tokyo are developing dangerous habits. They prefer the taste of inferior foreign Foods like Synth Paste to superior Kyushu brands. What little extra money they have goes into buying Libertonian Luxury Goods and smuggled Cardamine.


Hogosha
  • We supply all the Artifacts for Kusari and Liberty. It's been good for us, although the ban has been bad for business. It's all Liberty and the LSF's fault. What harm are these trinkets ever going to cause anyone? If you're interested in making some deliveries, stop by our base in the Kanto, behind Tokyo.


  • Tokyo is the only place we can buy Light Arms legitimately within Kusari. It's very controlled here -- not like Liberty, I hear. We don't have rabble like the Rogues and Xenos in Kusari -- just misguided souls like the Golden C. and those Blood Dragons.


  • I'm visiting this great city to pick up some supplies for our base in the Kanto. There's a great little sushi bar down the way that I always visit. You have to try the purple sea urchin, although it might be an acquired taste for a Gaijin like you.


Kishiro Technologies
  • My ship, The Kamakura Maru, just completed an arduous journey from New London with a shipment of Gold. Now I have to leave it in Yukawa for several months. Somewhere in Tau-29, the Outcasts attacked, and a missile penetrated the aft bulkhead of reactor core 3. We patched it up, but it was close call.


  • Kishiro competes directly with Samura in the New York-New Tokyo Luxury Goods and Niobium trade. We both suffer equally in Libertonian space at the hands of the Rogues and Xenos. Once we enter Kusari, we are targeted by different kinds of pirates. The Blood Dragons attack Samura mercilessly. We Kishiro merchants are targeted by the Farmer's Alliance. The Farmers will never forgive us for turning our backs on the monarchy.


  • Kishiro supplies many of the bases within this system, at least those that are not Samura owned. I don't like Tokyo. It always feels like Samura's heavy hand is at work here, even after they lost power. In Honshu the city is much smaller and the ocean cleaner, but neither planet offers much arable land. Our Kusari ancestors came from many light years away in search of more space -- how ironic that we landed here.


  • Kishiro has been patient with Samura's antics in Hokkaido, but we must not squander too much in that endeavor. Gallia is expanding into the Tau systems as we speak, obtaining the mineral wealth that Kusari so sorely needs. Rather than carrying on their feud with the Blood Dragons, the government should ask the Dragons to lay down their arms and begin real talks, not simply continue the old feuds.


  • Samura won't let us land on Yokohama, so we must deliver our Shinagawa produced Optical Chips here instead. For the same reason, we ship Aluminium and Diamonds here rather than complete the journey to Kyushu, which is effectively a Samura base.


  • We have a large factory staffed with foreign workers at the Deshima Station in Shikoku. Producing Kusari Consumer Goods cheaply and efficiently is the only way to stay competitive with LPI, who uses free prison labor to keep its production costs down.


Orbital Spa & Cruise
  • Your best bet at making good money here with Orbital is the Consumer Goods runs to the Hawaii. Everyone needs the essentials, and even more so when you are light years from civilization.


  • I'm the Orbital rep here in Tokyo. It's my job to coordinate the delivery of supplies to the Hawaii cruise ship in Sigma-19. I also do the local marketing, trying to get the wealthy and upwardly mobile Tokyo clientele to come out to our little ship and see the magnificent view of the Edge.


  • It's always raining here -- worse than New London. At least you can get Synth Paste here. That was a major coup by Synth Foods. Word on the street is that the government couldn't pay for that Jump Gate in Hokkaido and asked for a price break. Manhattan made a deal by offering a free loan in exchange for access to the Kusari Food market. It worked like a charm in Rheinland.


Samura Industries
  • My ship is just passing through, and it's good to drink real Kusari beer again. We normally do the Superconductor run from Denver. Tomorrow we'll drop by our company offices in Shinjuku, and then head to Kyushu with the bulk of the load. We often bring Ship Hull Panels on the return trip.


  • I just sold a shipment of Manhattan Luxury Goods for the spoiled brats of our Shibuya district. The trip from Liberty is tiring, given the threat of Xeno and Lane Hacker attacks. Then you must contend with those crazy Golden Chrysanthemum pirates, who would rather steal their designer clothes than buy them like a proper Kusari woman.


  • They just unloaded my ship's Luxury Food from Junyo at the Tsukiji fish market. Junyo is Samura's most exciting project. We have transformed a sterile ocean moon in Shikoku into Kusari's top seafood production area within 50 years. The secret is the Alien Organisms from Kurile in the Sigma-17 system. They have not only oxygenated Junyo's oceans in record time but have provided cheap and abundant Food for the shrimp and fish farms.


  • Samura handles our share of Kusari cargo runs across the Sigma-13 system to Rheinland. Trade with Rheinland has opened up a lot in recent years. Crossing the Sigmas can be perilous, and I don't trust the GMG to assist me if I run into trouble. Out there, we Samura look after our own.


  • Almost all Kusari shipping stops in Tokyo. My family is here, but I don't see them often. It is a lonely life, that of a tanshin funin. We just brought a load of Fertilizers from Shinkaku in Tau-29. I'm transferring to an armored transport leaving for Hokkaido on a Marine deployment to the Matsumoto within the next hour. Hokkaido is not an easy trip. Maybe I'll have some whiskey before I go.


  • Kusari industrial might is shared between the two diversified corporations of Samura and Kishiro. Tokyo is the only neutral ground for the two giant companies. Kyushu is Samura territory and Honshu is Kishiro country. We are the older, more established concern, founded in the early days after the Arrival.


Synth Foods, Inc.
  • We will prevail in our battle with Samura. Their farmers are using outdated methods and seeds to grow crops. More importantly, we are not reliant on planets. Plans are underway on Deshima to build an expansion wing of 50 biodomes. Soon we will crush the farmers of Kyushu.


  • Synth Foods is now shipping directly to Honshu from the Deshima facility. Kishiro is far more accepting of Synth Foods. They accept the change as inevitable, as Kusari simply does not have the arable land to increase Food production on its own.


  • That damned Farmers Alliance attacked us just as we left the Shikoku Gate. The State Police is not pursuing those Samura henchmen like they should. Yea, they've opened up their Food market, but they looked the other way when we lost a ship.


Universal Shipping
  • We're delivering some of Detroit's finest personal Light Arms to the Kusari State Police. Then I'll probably pick up some supplies for the Roppongi Station, high above this planet. I prefer it up there. You can get Liberty Ale and other things from home.


  • As part of the Sirius Commerce Pact, Universal and other Libertonian companies cannot own any permanent bases within Kusari space outside of New Tokyo. So we rent space from IC on the Roppongi Station and use it as our transfer point for Construction Supplies and Jump Gate Parts for the project in Hokkaido.


  • Universal handles part of the Luxury Goods trade between Manhattan and Tokyo. It is a very competitive route, but there's room for three. We usually pick up Niobium for the return trip. If only we didn't have those dark Independent Worlds to cross, where the bandits are always waiting.