Galnet archive

Freelance Report: Gilya Signature Weapons Return to Markets

Gilya Signature Weapons, a rare trade commodity prohibited in a number of jurisdictions, are once again in production at Bell Orbital in the Gilya system. The development is the result of intervention from various commercial interests, priests from Sacra Oculus, and the independent Commanders of the Pilots Federation.

A spokesman for the Gilya Law Party said: "The return of this extremely sought-after commodity has made Gilya an independent and commercially profitable high tech system."

In addition to Gilya Signature Weapons, the system now produces progenitor cells and combat stabilizers, and has two lucrative black markets.

Commander Light Fingers

Sacra Oculus

Freelance Report: Canonn to Make Deep-Space Rendezvous

An escape pod containing Canonn scientist Shannon Day has been miraculously recovered by an explorer named Commander Josh Hawkins, according to transmissions received from his ship.

In his transmissions, Commander Hawkins revealed that he was able to extract Shannon Day's pilot log from her escape pod. From this he discovered that her ship had been sabotaged by Socha Korbemile, the former Canonn member who betrayed Dr Arcanonn.

Now, the Canonn Interstellar Research Group has announced that two scientists – Commanders Bowen the Kotoc and Julian McCoy – have been dispatched to find Commander Hawkins and bring Day's escape pod home to Thompson Dock in the Varati system.

When news of Day's rescue reached Dr Arcanonn, he requested that her escape pod be recovered as quickly as possible, but it is not yet known why she is so important to the scientist.

Commander Lord Zoltan

Freelance Report: First Expedition to Rho Cassiopeiae Confirmed

Commander turkwinif, flying an Anaconda specially outfitted for long-distance hyperspace jumps, has become the first pilot to reach Rho Cassiopeiae. The class-F hypergiant star is notable for being visible to the naked eye from Earth, and for being positioned in a particularly hard-to-reach area of what explorers call the Formidine Rift.

Many pilots have previously tried to reach Rho Cassiopeiae, and their lack of success led many to consider the star beyond the reach of current technology. Commander turkwinif reported that reaching the system required careful route planning and the use of numerous FSD fuel injections.

Commander Finn McMillan

Freelance Report: Fuel Rats Reach Milestone

A Fuel Rats public relations official has announced that the collective has now succeeded in rescuing more than 10,000 stranded pilots.

Comprising a widespread network of voluntary search and rescue agents, the Fuel Rats has maintained a success rate of over 95% since its foundation in June 3301. On average, the group saves 36 pilots a day.

"The Fuel Rats is the only collective entirely dedicated to such rescues," said the representative. "For a cooperative based on volunteers, donations and goodwill to reach such a milestone in less than a year is impressive."

"When I look back at our anarchic beginnings, and see this ragtag bunch of misfit explorers expand into this remarkable cooperative, I am humbled."

The representative also explained that the group is planning a memorial service for all those the Fuel Rats failed to save. The service is currently planned for the 5th of May 3302 and is scheduled to run for one week.

Commander Kerenn

Freelance Report: Humanity's Dream

On this date 1,341 years ago, humanity achieved a dream it had harboured for generations. For the first time, advanced rocket technology propelled a human being beyond the boundaries of Earth and into space.

To commemorate Yuri Gagarin's historic flight, pilots gather every year at the M. Gorbachev starport in the Sol system from 18.00 UST onwards to swap first-flight stories and buy rounds at Tereshkova's Hangout. A member of station personnel said:

"For some, it's quite a pilgrimage. We've had pilots from Sothis, Quince, Fehu and Canopus in previous years. People want to see the cradle of humanity and remember the moment when the dream of touching the stars was realised. It's a time for looking back and looking forward. We spent many millennia dreaming that dream, and it's been just over a thousand years since we achieved it."

Commander Stateira Eleshenar

Sentient Life | Interstellar Press

Freelance Report: Commander Claims Sovereignty over Sagittarius A*

Unusual news has emerged from the galactic centre, where an independent pilot has declared herself 'Queen of Sagittarius A*'.

Commander Lysianassa, the self-proclaimed monarch, made the 26,000 light year journey in a fully armed Federal Corvette with heavy bulkheads and prismatic shields. Most explorers travelling to the centre of the galaxy are lightly armed, if at all.

The legality and morality of Commander Lysianassa's right-by-conquest approach has been hotly debated by independent pilots. Lysianassa claims to have brought law and order to an otherwise anarchic system, thus protecting defenceless explorers, but not all agree. Some recognise the authority of 'Her Royal Majesty Queen Lysianassa', but others claim she is nothing more than a criminal with delusions of grandeur.

There are currently no provisions in interstellar law about the neutrality of Sagittarius A*, but it is widely considered a heritage site for humanity.

Commander Queen Jezza

Freelance Report: Firefly Fandango Theory Disproven

Weeks after Dr Arcanonn shared Commander Engalo's report of a 'firefly fandango' between the unknown artefacts and meta-alloys, he has issued this update:

"After Engalo's research was published, our science teams set to work, trying to identify whether an interaction was indeed taking place. Soon after, many Commanders – including Locastan, Criosx and Engalo himself – came to the conclusion that what they were witnessing was most likely a product of the distortion field surrounding the Unknown Artefacts."

"The field seems to diffract light in the Artefact's vicinity, causing objects around it to appear in duplicate. After close observation, it was concluded that what appeared to be pairs of dancing fireflies were actually duplicates of the same firefly."

"I commend the teams for their hard work, and am pleased to be able to cross this phenomenon off our list of investigations."

Commander Lord Zoltan

Freelance Report: Buckyball Racing Club Announces Total Recall Event

The Buckyball Racing club has announced that it is hosting a ship and buggy race called 'Total Recall'. The event is being funded by a major manufacturer of SRV tyres in exchange for data on high-speed vehicle handling on a variety of planet surfaces.

Following observations that their tyres do not appear to leave tracks, a spokesperson for the company said: "We've been investigating this anomaly for some time. With the data provided by the BRC, we plan to start developing the next generation of high-performance 'TrakMark' tyres very soon".

The event will run out of Schneider Relay in the Epsilon Indi system from the 2nd to the 10th of April 3302.

Commander Alec Turner, Buckyball Race Organiser