Traveller News Service Update

Local News for 046-1112

Lunion/Lunion Date 045-1112 The repair of Downport Dock A-3 continues to be delayed as the damage caused by the crash-landing of the Shafer's Lament on 001-1112 was more extensive than first thought. Downport Spokesman Garran Hemet'j announced that arrangements have been made with the 1043rd Reserve Fleet to bring in two elements of the fleet's Construction Brigade, along with heavy equpiment, to expedite repairs to the damaged airlock and lift platform.

Lunion/Lunion Date 045-1112 Lisurion Highport officials announced today that the upcoming Hell's Leap Invitational scheduled for 50-1112 has been delayed until 55-1112. Offical statements indicate that the delay is due to alignment problems with the competition's sled-launch systems.

Lunion/Lunion Date 045-1112 Lunion Supreme Council President Mariah Hault-Dewalt's condition continues to worsen. Acting President Gwen Sishlah announced in her morning briefing that Lunion General doctors have had difficulty finding an appropriate donor for the ailing President, and are considering other alternatives such as artificial organs. President Hault-Dewalt was taken to Lunion General late in the evening of 37-1112 complaining of nausea and sharp lower back pains, and has since suffered complete kidney failure.


Out-System News Updates

Quar/Chronor  021-1112 In an official statement issued today, the Imperial government formally declared all worlds in the Regina, Jewell, and Lanth subsectors to have reverted to their pre-war travel classifications. With this announcement, the last of the emergency proclamations enacted during the recent war are withdrawn, and life in the Marches returns to normal.

Excalibur/Sword Worlds  018-1112 After over three year's worth of evaluation, the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service and the government of Excalibur issued their final report on the excavations on the third moon of Excalibur. Baron Arvin Hault-Devros, IISS liaison to Excalibur's government was quoted in a press release accompanying the publication of the report: "The excavations have revealed evidence of an interstellar intelligence in the sector, predating the arrival of Humaniti. Their physical remains indicate that they were unrelated to any known sophonts in the region, but their technology was barely capable of interplanetary travel – they do not appear to have developed the jump drive in any form.We have found remains that are consistent with a sublight colony ship of unknown design."

Hault-Devros re-emphasized that no Ancient artifacts have been located at the site.

Genetic material from the excavations on the third moon of Excalibur is being sent to several universities throughout the Imperium, including the University of Sylea. A representative of the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service made the announcement, saying that the samples would be carried by special Scout couriers because of the importance of the findings. "It is to be hoped," said a representative of the IISS, "that the samples will confirm the discovery of a previously unknown sophont race."

Dingir/Solomani Rim  243-1111 System defence forces were scrambled today at the emergence of an unidentified vessel from jump. The vessel was later identified as the Terran Confederation battlecruiser Ark Royal, lost over 3,000 years ago. Officials later issued a brief statement that the ship was in Naval hands and an investigation was underway.

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Lunion - frozen hell-planet above, technologically maintained, thriving world of billions below. A strategic world, for both war and trade, Lunion has been a key world in the Spinward Marches for hundreds of years. Travellers, businessmen, mercenaries, explorers; Lunion sees them all. The locals like to keep things nice and neat, but they don't interfere with business unless business interferes with them. All in all, a good place to find a fortune - or lose one.

One ship and one crew, among thousands that pass through the airlocks evey year, are just starting out. Will Lady Fate smile on the Sirius Moonlight, or will tragedy befall her? Only time, and the wits and willpower of her crew, will tell.

Our story opens at GaerddaV'shon, a restaurant at the edge of Startown and the local jurisdictions. Fine dining, fine liquor, and fine company can all be had here. Deals jotted down on the backs of napkins have made fortunes for those with good timing and good luck. People have been broken, too - Lady Fate is fickle, but she always wins her share in the end.

"See Cap, I was trying to synchronize the activation circuitry of the plasma injectors when I discovered an inverted e-m signal. I checked the read-out and saw an oscillating pulse pattern! I attempted a rapid quantum inversion through the auxiliary plasma inversion matrix and that's when the power plant suffered a phased gravimetric emission... that was that bump... which I'm pretty sure was caused by thermal phase interference.... so.... it might get pretty cold on board for the next day or two until i can get it all worked out." JB says with a grin.

Buzz half-listens to the engineer as he scans the menu screen in the tabletop. Tapping the display, he orders a round of dark, yeasty shugili-microbrew for the assembled crewmembers.

"We lift in seven days," the captain replies, "but we'll start loading cargo before that, so get it sorted out as soon as you can."

Buzz raises his voice slightly, to catch the attention of the others around the table. "I'd like to take a moment to talk about crew responsibilities, if I may. Most of you have no experience serving aboard a merchanter, so I want to make sure everyone is familiar with everyone else's roles aboard the Moonlight.

"As I'm sure you've gathered by now, JB here is our engineer, with responsibility over the drives, power plant, and life support. That includes regular inspections and maintenance as well as dealing with starport staff on shore lines while we're in port." He pauses while the server delivers the drinks around the table. "You'll also handle the technical side of SPA inspections, but leave the administrative issues to me."

He nods to Dr Pradesh. "We're fortunate to have an actual surgeon aboard the Moonlight. In addition to providing any necessary treatment or preventative care, Doctor Pradesh, you're also responsible for updating our fitness records and health clearances when we're in 'port."

"Force Commander Hendricks," he continues, nodding to the Marine, "is our master-at-arms, with responsibility for ship security. That means monitoring passengers and cargo for hazards. You'll need to work closely with the doctor and Aron, our steward."

He turns to the young man. "Aron, you catch the steward's duties, with responsibility for hospitality services - meal prep, housekeeping, that sort of thing." Buzz sips his brew. "I don't expect to carry any passengers for our first jump - that's our shakedown - but we will probably fill our cabins for awhile. You'll also work with me on some special assignments when we're in port." The captain looks closely at Aron, hoping he follows his meaning.

"Any questions before we move on to how we're going to make our profits?"

"Does that mean I wear a monkey suit?"  Aron asks while wondering what half the stuff on the menu is.  Well, it would be rude to turn down hospitality, right? What's the most expensive thing...  

"Ohy. Yeah... I, uh, ran a ship store on my last... merchanter. Candy, coffee... stuff like that. I kin put a, um, can out for donations. Lemmee know what ya want."

Hendricks just nods and has a sip of his drink. He puts it down almost immediately with a smirk on his face: "How about some real men's drinks, Aron? This one tastes like perfumed breast milk or something."

He turns to the captain: "And what is this place, anyway? I don't suppose you brought us along for the nice conversation. Are we supposed to meet someone or somethin'?"

"A monkey suit?" Buzz hesitates, unsure of the reference. "Uh, no. Our uniforms are utilitarian - no one booking passage with us is expecting an Oberlindes liner. White for me, you, and Hendricks, gray-green for JB, and light blue for the doctor.

"I've also taken the liberty of ordering body pressure suits for each of us, as the baselayer under our uniforms. They provide general protection from heat and cold and with gloves, soft helmet, and vacuum belt you can be protected from vacuum for a short time as well."

"As far as this restaurant, Hendricks . . . let's talk about how we operate on the business side.

Buzz sips his brew for effect, then resumes. "Free traders exist on the margins of interstellar commerce. We buy what we can, whatever the megacorps and the large lines leave us, that is, and sell it for what we can get. Sometimes that's a good slice and sometimes we're fighting over crumbs with all the other crews just like ours trying to do the same thing.

"So, each of you draws a full salary each month, commensurate with your billet and qualifications, paid out of ship's revenues. That's a steady income, guaranteed, the same as if you were serving aboard a subbie on a regualr route.

Buzz takes another pull at his brew. "I've also set up a privately-traded corporation, Moonlight Merchanters. Each of you may buy stock in this venture amd earn a quarterly dividend, in addition to your ship's salary. The stock price is ten credits per share, with a minimum of 1000 shares. The revenue raised is then invested in cargo that we sell on spec. We go where the profits are best, to maximize our returns."

"That's all by-the-numbers legitimate business practice, of course. We can make a profit, and if we're lucky as well as smart. we can look forward to a comfortable retirement on some backwater world to stretch our credits a little further."

The captain leans in, and lowers his voice, making the other strain to listen. "You can be sure that's all the megacorps and their Imperial lackeys will leave us, and they won't give us even that much willingly. Play the game by the house's rules and the house wins in the end. Which is why we need to change the game, trade in cargos with a better margin than we can expect on the open market.

"And so, Hendricks, the reason we are here tonight, in addition to the fine food and drink, it to establish ourselves in the many eyes watching us as reputable traders." He smiles slightly. "'cause only the dregs are never found outside a startown dive."

JB grins and nods, "You can count me in for 4000 shares Skipper."

Dr. Pradesh, still not intoxicated enough for his metamorphosis from sullen refugee to witty conversationalist to take place, listens attently and nods as the Captain mentions his attributions. The man's obviously not an experienced traveller and more than a little edgy towards the prospect.

"Of course, uh, Captain sir. I expect, uh, to see each and every one of our crew for a full physical and possibly, ah, some tests. Regarding, uh, health clearances, I might have some, ah, some catching up to do regarding travel-related, uh, health notifications and, *ahem* alerts."

He takes a sip of his shugili beer and seems quite pleased with it. After a second sip, he mumbles half to himself, "Fascinating stuff, the shugili fermentation process. Our cousins from Vland deserve more credit than we give them for it." Following a third, satisfied sip, a more relaxed countenance smoothes the good doctor's furrowed brows.

Tension returns, though, when the subject changes over to corporations and shares and alternatives to the open market, driving the doctor back to the safety of his brew.

Aron passes a hip flask of raw grain alcohol under the table to Hendricks to spice up his drink.

"So... uh... white jumpsuit... um... 1000 shares... tenk share..." He sighs mournfully. "Short."

After a moment's thought. "Whadda 'bout... um... speck-u-live cargo? Fer crew, I mean."

While waiting for an answer he pats the pockets of his grubby jumpsuit for a stub of a grease pencil and a tattered note pad to write on.

Buzz nods at the engineer. "Contracts are waiting for you all back aboard the moonlight. Once the signed documents are returned to me, your stock certificates will be issued. All pretty much boilerplate, though you're welcome to have an attorney dirtside go over it with you.

"And it's just ten credits per share, Aron," the captain adds. "Ten thousand total to buy in. If anyone is short, I can arrange a small personal loan, with a deduction from your salary to cover repayment."

His voice drops again. "As far as off-the-books trading goes, we share the risks so we take equal share of the profits. As much as practicable, we don't use either corporate accounts or personal funds. Loans from private lenders can be used instead. It costs us more in interest, but we avoid any stain on our legitimate business operations.

"Most of all," he finishes, "we want a reputation as reliable brokers, in both our on- and off-the-books dealings. It's how we get repeat business."

"I've been thinking about our course," Buzz continues. "Lunion is good place to pick up industrial products, and there are any number of worlds where we can sell them profitably. I'm thinking about the ag world Capon. Right now we're limited to J-1 due to our available computer power, so out to Capon and back via Shirene is ten weeks. By then I'm hoping we can upgrade our software to enable jump two."

The merchanter swigs down the last of his brew. "Looking at the subsector charts, I think Adabicci and Rabwhar offer some interesting potential for off-market trading. We'll start gathering the intelligence we need to see what kinds of oppportunities are out there.

"In the meantime, keep your eyes and ears open. Business opportunities can come from many different directions." Buzz leans back in his chair. "Long term, we're on the ragged edge of the Imperium. The Sword Worlds are just a few jumps away, as is District 268 and the Five Sisters. All sorts of oppotunities beyond Imperial space for entrepreneurs to consider, so work your contacts, like the Navy and Marines, for intel.

"But right now, I'm hungry."

Hendricks accepts Aron's offer under the table without even thinking about it. He listens to the Captain making his speech while tasting his drink again. He makes a face, this time indicating that the beverage got a clear upgrade that washed over his mouth like a gulp of pure engine fuel. He puts down his drink saying this time, with a voice slightly smothered by the heat: "Now that's what I'm talking about."

Hendricks doesn't seem to care much about the details of the operation. He ticks at the mention of 'risks'. That's when he grabs his drink anew and declares as he lets his back rest against his chair: "Alright. I'm in."

JB, after sitting silently for a bit, says as the dinner is finishing up, "AH! I think I know what the problem is. Can I be excused to get back to my girl Cap? I think I've figured it out."

After conducting business through the first part of dinner, Buzz is content to let the others make small talk, tossing off an anecdote or two to keep the conversation moving.

On returning to the ship, the captain distributes copies of the contracts for buy-in to Moonlight Merchanters, each with its rough patch to collect the signatory's DNA, and exchanges a few private words with each crew member. Afterward he settles into hs cabin and studies his hand computer, compiling his list of things to do and studying trade data for the subsector.

JB stops his tinkering with the power plant long enough to take care of the contract, transfer the 40k creds, and return the contract to the Captain.