| Thames Outpost | |
| Owner | |
| Bretonia Mining & Manufacturing | |
| Location | |
| D-6, New London |
CLASS: Edmunds
GRAVITY: Complete
DOCKING: Yes
AMENITIES: Yes
CREW: 250
An old space station from Bretonia's age of expansion, Thames was designed to function as a hub for in and outbound cargo for Planet New London, and a storehouse for BMM Gold exports from Dublin. In 826 AS, Thames found itself in the middle of the Battle for Planet New London, the largest fleet battle in human history. It is believed that Thames survived the battle with minimal damage because Gallic forces had intended to use the station as a staging depot for a terrestrial invasion once orbital space had been secured.
With the loss of Graves Station in 831 AS, Thames saw a sharp drop in traffic, although some Gold continued to be stocked as a result of confiscations by the Essex blockade. When the Battleships Essex and Somerset were sent for overhauls in Cambridge, the BAF temporarily requisitioned the Outpost as a patrol base. Following the 835 AS Invasion of Dublin, BMM has resumed Thames' administration, and has begun constructing smelting facilities in anticipation of a surging stock of Gold.
Bribes & Missions Offered
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Commodities
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Ships sold
| Ship | Class | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Surveyor | Heavy Fighter | 11,408$ |
| Scraper | Very Heavy Fighter | 11,729$ |
| Arrastra | Bomber | 43,176$ |
News
| [835 AS] Freiburg targeted in terrorist strike |
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FREIBURG STATION -- 835 -- Emergency responders have rushed to Freiburg Station after a serious terrorist attack killed 7 Gallic visitors. 3 Gull-class Transports attempted to ram an IDF Shipping convoy moored to the station, exploding once they hit their targets. 1 of the vessels was successfully disabled by the station’s defense grid. The assailants had just arrived from Omega-7, broadcasting the convoy shipping papers of a small export company based on Freeport 1. RFP officers believe the Gallic ships were the actual target, and have suggested either the LWB or Bretonian radicals could be responsible. Bretonian and Rheinland authorities are cooperating to investigate the incident. |
| [835 AS] Coronado disaster sparks panic |
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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] Gallic threats raise Tau fears |
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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] Recapture of Dublin commences! |
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BATTLESHIP ESSEX -- 835 -- Admiralty representatives have confirmed that the Bretonian operation to recapture Dublin has been initiated. Defense commentators have long assumed the Bretonia Armed Forces would breach the system via a Jump Hole believed to be concealed within the Cumbria Asteroid Field. Forecasts predicted a bloody advance, given the Mollys renown expertise as ambush fighters, and prolific use of concealed mines. Despite this, Bretonian officials confirm that the Battleship Somerset has established a bridgehead in the system without casualties. “This will be a quick operation,” Admiral Rowley noted. “The Mollys cannot stand in open space.” |
| [835 AS] Lend-Lease ships return to Liberty |
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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 |
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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] Arrests made after Freiburg killings |
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FREIBURG -- 835 -- Freiburg patrons scattered in terror after a bar disagreement between Bretonian and Gallic customers escalated to murder. Witnesses report an IDFS officer said “something about Leeds” to a drinking Bowex transport team. Within moments, a brawl erupted, with Gateway employees assisting their normally bitter rivals. “There was a flash of light and three bangs, and before I knew it, two Bretonians and a Gaul were dead,” bartender Benno Gramann explained. The RFP have held six Bretonians on suspicion of murder and released two Gallic citizens on bail, sparking outrage in Bretonia. |
| [834 AS] Police Authority lands blow against Slog |
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CARLISLE -- 835 -- Following a series of raids, 74 people have been arrested on Planet Carlisle in connection with the production of Slog. The outlawed narcotic has wreaked havoc on industrial towns across New London, Carlisle and Sprague, with some calling it the "working man's scourge". Chief Inspector Harry O'Donnell confirmed that a suspected laboratory was stormed by armed constables, resulting in the seizure of narcotics and equipment. Anonymous sources allege a number of those arrested were biochemists employed by Planetform Incorporated. |
| [834 AS] H-Fuel prices spike as market volatility increases |
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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] Notorious privateer released from prison |
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NEWGATE -- 834 -- Henry King has been released from Newgate Prison on parole, having served a 5 year sentence. Leading a squadron of privateers, King rose to fame for daring strikes on Gallic supply lines across the Taus and even Languedoc. It is believed that King had the largest personal bounty in Gallia for his exploits, which were recently adapted for holoreel in the feature-length hit, “Blade and Blaster”. King continued to attack Gallic Confederacy targets after the war’s end, and was arrested for piracy upon returning to Bretonia. When asked for a statement by journalists, he replied “444” before climbing into a waiting shuttle and departing. |
| [834 AS] Senior admiral unexpectedly retires |
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NEW LONDON -- 834 -- In an unexpected move, Lady Watson has announced her retirement from the Armed Forces, resigning her commission as an Admiral with immediate effect. Admiral Watson had been tipped as the most likely candidate to lead Bretonia’s pacification of Dublin, prompting surprise and concern among commentators. The Admiral’s office issued a curt statement advising that she was stepping down to spend more time with her grandchildren. Despite this, anonymous Whitehall sources claim the admiral was disgusted by the treatment of Admiral Byng, and had reached “breaking point” over alleged political interference in the planning and disposition of the upcoming campaign. |
| [833 AS] Gold insecurity invites crisis |
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WATERLOO -- 833 -- Interspace analysts have published a report on the continued volatility of sector-wide Gold supplies, claiming that further instability invites disaster. The reports note the pressures placed on advanced Optronics, Bio-Neural Processor and Quantum Multiplexor manufacturing were already causing spiraling cost increases in adjacent market sectors. Market analysis also indicates that the bulk of Bretonian exports now consist of recycled and in some cases adulterated materials, likely indicating that stockpiles are running low. Interspace has called upon House authorities to collectively find the means of addressing the Dublin question before economic crisis becomes inevitable. |
| [833 AS] Queen greets troops during military tour |
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PORTSMOUTH -- 833 -- Queen Carina has conducted a tour of the First Cruiser Flotilla, marking the launch of the Agincourt class destroyer. Developed by BMM shipwrights using the hard-won lessons of the Gallic War, the Agincourt has been described as a potent blend of traditional Bretonian engineering and modern innovation. Phasing out the aging Crecy class, the Agincourt’s enhanced fire control systems and hardy armor will allow it to excel in the roles championed by its forebear. The Queen also celebrated the pivotal role played by the Cruiser Flotillas in saving Bretonia from Gallic tyranny, bestowing them with the ceremonial “Royal” title of Household troops. The First Royal Cruiser Flotilla is expected to be fully outfitted by year’s end. |
| [833 AS] Admiral found guilty over Dublin disaster |
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BATTLESHIP ESSEX -- 833 AS -- A military tribunal has found Admiral James Byng guilty of failing to do his utmost to prevent the loss of Dublin and the New London Jump Gate. The charges concerned the deployment and disposition of forces under Byng's command, the botched boarding of Graves Station, and his order to retreat from the system. The admiralty judges commuted a capital sentence to dishonorable discharge, noting exemplary service during the Gallic War. Representatives speaking on Byng's behalf decried the tribunal as a sham, claiming he was being scapegoated for broader failures. The Battleship Essex continues to maintain a blockade of Dublin, with orders to prevent smuggling in the Cumbria Asteroid Field. |
| [833 AS] Cambridge on the Line |
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NORFOLK -- 833 AS -- The number of recorded Corsair incursions across Cambridge has increased by 193%% in the last 3 years. According to Captain Edwards of the Battleship Norfolk, this is simply a result of the successes in detecting and reacting to attacks. "You can't respond to a Corsair you don't know is there," he noted. "The Cambridge Line ensures we know when and where to deploy our resources for maximum effect." Retired Major Jane Gilliam disagrees. "The Line was never fit for purpose," she says. "The Regents lobbied London to keep it, and so the pantomine continues." It is speculated that the spike in Corsair raids may have been prompted by increased resistance elsewhere, or a shift in their internal politics. Regardless of their true motivations, Interspace Commerce has recognised the elevated peril and adjusted its premiums accordingly. |
| [832 AS] Houses outraged by Roppongi attack |
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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. |
| [831 AS] 'Slog' banned throughout Bretonia |
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NEW LONDON -- 831 -- The drug 'Slog,' otherwise known as Carix, has officially been banned across Bretonia. It is now a criminal offense to possess or distribute this drug in any quantity. The strict prohibition comes in response to the rising popularity of this dangerous substance, which has ravaged the Bretonian working class. Authorities claim the Slog trade creates extreme public health hazards, and has strong links to the funding of terrorism. Despite this, journalists have suggested that the government’s real fear lies in decreased productivity, which Bretonia's struggling post-war economy cannot afford following the loss of Dublin. |
| [831 AS] Gate corps clash over 'Blackout'! |
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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] Bretonia announces Poole draw-down |
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NEW LONDON -- 831 AS -- The Bretonian government has announced a controlled withdrawal from the Poole system, citing ballooning costs and difficult post-Dublin state budget. Poole was once of critical importance to Bretonia, briefly hosting a Supergate to Liberty during the Gallic War, and acting as a launching point for Bretonia's colonial ambitions in Omega-49. This importance declined after the war and the abandonment of Gran Canaria. The cost of policing the frontier system has significantly outweighed tax revenue for many years. DSE has already confirmed that it will begin deconstruction operations soon, with Jump Gate and Trade Lane components expected to be removed by 833 AS. |
| [831 AS] Bretonian focus turns on Mollys |
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SHEFFIELD -- 831 AS -- The Bretonia Police Authority has announced the eradication of the Molly movement is their top priority. Following the loss of the Dublin system, the dangerous terrorist movement has leaped to the top of Bretonia's most wanted board. Bounties on Molly terrorists have doubled, with Guild Hunters flocking to the beleaguered House. Sheffield Guildmaster Tina Hale commented that, "these are Edge World rates for domestic threats." Despite that, prospective Hunters should be cautious, as the Mollys are notoriously cunning fighters. The crackdown appears to be having some effect, as reports of Molly attacks on shipping in Cambridge and Newcastle have already fallen. |
| [831 AS] Pulse phenomenon linked to Blackout |
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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] Gruesome reports as Dublin falls |
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Grotesque broadcasts have issued from Graves Station after Molly saboteurs captured the base. The terrorists filmed the execution of senior BMM officials with pickaxes, murdering station administrator Dame Helen Raleigh and maintenance chief Harland Streeve. The Battleship Essex was quick to respond to the atrocities, dispatching a boarding force to retake Graves. Unwilling to face justice for their crimes, the hijackers detonated the station, murdering all aboard. Simultaneous suicide attacks against the New London Jump Gate forced the Essex's withdrawal. The Government has stressed that this withdrawal is temporary, and that a blockade will be imposed while forces are assembled to pacify the system. |
| [831 AS] 'Blackout' causes jump network failure |
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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. |
| [831 AS] Cost of Rebuilding too High? |
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NEW LONDON -- 831 AS -- Bretonia continues to face a difficult and lengthy recovery process following the conclusion of the Gallic War. The Bretonian people initially accepted this, and quietly pledged to come together and struggle on. While Bretonia is now witnessing an extraordinary rate of growth, it has come at the cost of severe cuts and harsh industrial quotas. Professor Timothy Ball of the Economic Review Institute says, "the recovery we've witnessed so far has been uneven, mainly benefiting Bretonian corporations and Crown agencies. If dividends of recovery are not felt by the average citizen, this inequality could become a major point of domestic political contention." |
| [829 AS] Marauding in Manchester |
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MANCHESTER -– 829 AS -- Reports from the Manchester system have now been confirmed by BPA and Bretonian intelligence officials: Liverpool Border Station, guarding over the Magellan Jump Gate and serving as the command center for police operations in the system, has been destroyed in what is being deemed a terrorist attack. Yesterday at 2200 hours SMT, nearby Sheffield Station and Kingston Border Station received automated distress signals from Liverpool, indicating an emergency aboard the station. Guild patrols redirected from Sheffield arrived on the scene within minutes, finding the border station destroyed. Search and rescue operations headed by Guild and BPA units commenced immediately and successfully salvaged several escape pods bearing several dozen survivors, who were immediately delivered to hospitals on New London. BPA spokesperson Sandra Halling held a press conference earlier this morning. According to joint police and BIS investigations, Liverpool was destroyed by antimatter explosives planted aboard the station. Their detonation caused a catastrophic chain reaction, resulting in the station's own reactors melting down and exploding. Of the estimated one-hundred-twenty persons on board at the time of the attack, seventy-eight have been reported as dead or missing. \So far, no party has taken credit for this heinous attack. However, Bretonian police surmises that it was likely perpetrated by either the criminals known as the Mollys or the infamous pirate organization, the Lane Hackers. The attack occurred following a significant redeployment of local Armed Forces units to the Cortez system for the purpose of joint operations with Libertonian security forces. This, says Halling, may have allowed terrorist sympathizers to exploit undermanned BPA patrols and smuggle illegal explosives through Manchester's ice fields, onto Liverpool Station. While investigations continue, Bretonian Police Authority has reinforced patrols within Manchester and established traffic controls at Kingston Border Station and Birmingham Station. Traffic to and from Liberty has been advised to reroute through the Cortez system. |
| [828 AS] Samura Debuts Next Generation Surveyor |
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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 |
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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. |
Rumors
| Bretonia Mining & Manufacturing |
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