Galnet archive

Freelance Report: Buckyball Racers to Chauffeur Students

Grant Academics, whose slogan is 'We Make Learning Easy', has announced a partnership with the Buckyball Racing Club to provide students with chauffeurs during the upcoming Spring Break vacation. The most talented pilots in human space will escort students from the Exigus campus to the biggest tourism hotspots in the region.

"Students will be entirely safe in the hands of these veteran pilots," said a member of the Grant Academics board of directors. "I have personally interviewed the BRC member coordinating the event. Commander Seneh is a Grant Academics alumnus and recent inductee to the Pilots Federation, and she has assured me that the BRC will closely monitor its pilots."

The BRC chauffeurs will be available from the 18th March and will return those under their care to the Exigus campus no later than 26th of March.

Commander JAK

Buckyball Racing Club

Freelance Report: Dr Arcanonn Speculates on Palin's Disappearance

Dr Arcanonn of the Canonn Interstellar Research Group has spoken out about the disappearance of Professor Ishmael Palin:

"I hope that the professor is safe, but I feel a growing sense that he is no longer with us. As was recently made public, I am currently in hiding because a credible threat to my life was received. My fear is that the dark forces that sought to end my life have intercepted Palin on his way to Maia b1ba."

"We were told that the Diamondback Explorer that made the 'high-speed pass' at Obsidian Orbital appeared to be looking for something. Could it have been looking for the professor?"

"We didn't always see eye to eye, but Professor Palin is – or was – a great scientist and he is sorely missed."

Commander Lord Zoltan

Freelance Report: Diamond Frogs Bring Hope to LFT 37

An initiative by the Paladin Consortium to deliver water purifiers to recently liberated imperial slaves in LFT 37 has been declared a rousing success, due in part to the actions of the Diamond Frogs private security firm.

Diamond Frog pilots were hired by the Paladin Consortium to run interference within the system, preventing opportunistic raiders from picking off the cargo vessels making deliveries to Onnes Gateway.

Though there were a few close scrapes, Commander Kermit Laphroaig praised the tenacity of his fellow mercenaries, and reported that despite the overwhelming hostility of the operational area none of his pilots lost their cool in the face of adversity.

'Disc' Commander Felix Dyson - Radio Skvortsov

Freelance Report: Galactic Base-Jumping Open Round One

The first round of the Galactic Base-Jumping Open will take place on Saturday the 6th of February at 10.00 pm UTC (5.00 pm EST).

The event will take place at the 'monolith' on Altais 2B (coordinates 46 1.8) – a six-kilometre high tabletop that is ideal for SRV base jumping.

The event is rated as 'moderate', and the categories are best crash, best trick, best base jump, and monolith base-jumping champion.

So get your SRV planetside, and join in!

Commander PeachSlicesV

Freelance Report: Detail of Dr Arcanonn Death Threats Revealed

Nelson De Rosa, chief of security for the Canonn Interstellar Research Group, has released a statement to the media:

"Dr Arcanonn has been receiving threats from crackpots for months, but this time the threat was more credible: that if he visited Professor Palin in Maia he would be 'terminated'. A meeting between the two scientists had indeed been planned, but was not common knowledge."

"We've now determined that Socha Korbemile, the doctor's research assistant, had been leaking sensitive information to an unknown source for some time. We are now probing possible links to Varati-based groups that have previously obstructed our research, and to the intruders who infiltrated Christian Dock in November last year."

"We are also looking for Dr Huros, whose militant views on alien life have previously brought him into conflict with Dr Arcanonn. I want to eliminate him from our investigation as soon as possible, so I would appreciate any information on his whereabouts."

Commander Lord Zoltan

Freelance Report: Conflict Erupts at Obsidian Orbital

Anti-meta-alloy protests have spilled into violence during the final day of Professor Ishmael Palin's request. Groups of protestors blockaded the entrance to Obsidian Orbital, and as talks between station personnel and the protestors broke down, tempers flared. One of those gathering meta-alloys for Professor Palin offered this first-hand account:

"I received a message from one of my wing-mates that things weren't looking good at Obsidian, but I had a full hold, so I had to go. As I dropped into Maia I saw that my ship's computer had put me about eight kilometres from the starport. Then I saw the Cutter coming at me with hardpoints deploying, and the next thing I knew I was taking fire!"

"My Asp isn't the best when it comes to a head-on fight, but I knew if I could get through the mail slot I would be fine. I boosted like hell and just managed to make it through. I lost my shields and about 50% of my hull, but I managed."

For the time being, it's a dangerous game in Maia.

Commander Manfred Winfred

Freelance Report: Pilot Breaks Eight-Hour Sagittarius A* Barrier

Buckyball champion Commander Alot has broken the eight-hour barrier for a trip from Sol to Sagittarius A* in his ship, Rhonda the Anaconda. Having failed in his first attempt to set a sub-eight hour record by just six seconds, Commander Alot ultimately succeeded in completing the 25,900 light year journey in 7 hours, 56 minutes and 41 seconds. He announced his success in characteristically matter-of-fact style at 2.00 pm on the 24th of January: "That's. More. Like it."

No stranger to the Sagittarius A* Buckyball challenge, Commander Alot has made the trip no fewer seven times. He has more or less dominated the number-one slot since first wresting it away from the original record holder, Commander Anuranium, in April 3301, when he completed the run in 11 hours and 46 minutes.

As tributes from fellow Buckyball pilots poured in, the 'fastest pilot in the galaxy' confirmed he would be taking a well-earned break from the cockpit, although he said he hoped to catch up with the Distant Worlds expedition later in the year.

Commander Alec Turner

Freelance Report: Dr Arcanonn Receives Death Threats

Dr Arcanonn from the Canonn Interstellar Research Group has released a statement to the galactic media:

"I am now working from a new laboratory, two kilometres underground, at a secret location. My colleagues have forced me to relocate in the interests of my own safety. The death threats began shortly after I urged the galactic community to search for the barnacles. As word reached us of fellow scientists disappearing under mysterious circumstances, we realised the threats were not idle."

"But the work must go on. I urge you to continue to gather meta-alloys for Professor Palin. He is our best hope to solve the station malfunctions. But stay out in the open, away from those fostering the irrational idea that this endeavour will lead to our annihilation."

Commander Lord Zoltan