Interstar Chronicle 03 - 161 (SDW)

From: Eitzenberger Thomas <tcsx@sgtc03.avl.co.at>

Date: Tue, 06 Feb 1996 00:00:00 +0000

>
>INTERSTAR CHRONICLE
>	VOLUME 13	03.161	NUMBER 3
>
>INTERSTAR CHRONICLE
>* Published monthly by the Interstar Foundation
>as a service to ships, cities, and settlements in
>Dark Well Space.
>
>* Although independent submissions frequently
>appear in this publication, the editors do not
>guarantee their accuracy. The editors are not
>responsible for correct spelling or grammar in
>submitted material.
>
>* An article, story, or classified may be submitted
>as an EMail message to mindgate@macnexus.org
>or as a text file on a 3.5 inch disk formatted for
>MS-DOS or Macintosh. Graphics may be
>submitted in GIF format.
>
>
>
>
>
>REPORT TO SPACE - PART III
>By The Independent Eye
>
>I, like many others in space, would rather die
>fighting, then to be killed without a decent chance.
>Unfortunately for Storm, his killers were not so
>decent. Data tapes and security films smuggled to
>me show the final episode in the colorful life of
>Storm McNeil.
>
>Apon boarding Irriium, McNeils security droids
>fanned out taking up a simple heavy left defensive
>fighting position. But in moments it was over, battle
>droids appeared everywhere. Storm and his security
>unit opened fire as did the battle droids. The security
>droids eliminated several battle droids but the more
>efficiant aiming system of the battle droids cut the
>security units down. McNeil dashed shooting toward
>the air lock only to find it locked. Thru the small
>port hole Storm watched the Blackwatch backing out
>of dock, one can only wonder his thoughts. It ended
>quickly with hundreds of blasters shooting. There
>were so many, several droids shot each other. City
>personnel, unaware of the situation, activated the
>city defense systems. The conspirators had
>considered this and changed the city defense orders.
>All that was needed now was to destroy the last bit
>of evidence, the city. To Gecko or Montoya it didnt
>matter. The city, a recent loss in the lottery, would
>be no loss to Storm Opportunities. A few nukes and
>Irriium was a memory. Now plant fictitious stories in
>the Chronicle and start the fake tears and sobs.
>
>If this three part report angers those in the Gang of
>Four... oh well. I fear your group like I fear the
>mouth of Farstar, the pathetic gall of Kon Nor, or the
>brainless stupidity of Gor Bar. I am the Independent
>Eye, I fear nothing.
>				                  "Good Hunting"...
>
>
>
>
>
>FINANCIAL REPORT
>NX	964M	496	126M	0.5%
>SP	237K	1,401K	99K	0.0%
>Monthly Interest Rate: 0.2%
>M=million K=thousand
>
>
>
>
>
>STORM OPPORTUNITIES
>By Inigo Montoya - SO Blackwatch
>
>SO/C Smugglers Cove (Rispir System) - Yeah I'm
>Pissed! I agreed to take control of the SO
>Blackwatch upon the death of McNeil and lead the
>Storm Opportunities' armada into the dark future. At
>the helm of this battle-proven ship, I was promised
>glory in combat through both overt and covert
>actions. You have betrayed me just as surely as you
>betrayed Storm McNeil! You have taken a military
>organization which was both respected and feared by
>all in Known Space and turned it into another
>helpless guild of longhaulers!
>
>First you ordered my ship into drydocks and had her
>overhauled into a cargo boat. Who's going to follow
>an unarmed cargo boat into harms way?
>
>Next, you dispatched the SO Blackwatch to the
>B'Norg home system to retrieve and tow some long
>forgotten and useless city! "Sure," I said, "I will do
>this task, which is obviously beneath me, to repay
>Warmaster Gordon Gecko for restoring my
>command aboard the infamous SO Blackwatch upon
>McNeil's death." Then he will surely transform my
>ship once again to its former self and death will be
>mine to allot.
>
>Within days of leaving Rispir, as yet unidentified
>forces attacked the very gates I was traveling and left
>me stranded and unarmed on the FEBA (Forward
>Edge of the Battle Area) in BN territory. Did you lift
>a finger to save McNeil's former ship or me, you
>trusted comrade, Gecko? No! You didn't so much as
>give it a second thought! Or did you, while you were
>compromising my route to the would be assassins! If
>it were not for my good luck and the incompetence
>of the attackers, your little plan may have succeeded.
>How much did you have to pay these whipping boys
>of the UC to botch another job?
>
>Gecko, you have taken a proud and respected
>organization and brought disgrace and humiliation to
>us all! You have surrounded yourself with dwarves
>that you may appear a giant! You are systematically
>removing all the warriors which McNeil
>painstakingly recruited and trained and replacing
>them with mindless idiots without the capacity to
>challenge you! I openly invite you to deny thses
>truths, Gecko. You have no choice but to deny them
>as you have no honor and the web you wove to win
>control of Storm Opportunities is about to ensnare
>you. I am a warrior and whatever I have done in the
>past was done on orders from my superiors; you
>Gecko!
>
>I am returning to SO/C Maax with your stinking city
>in tow. However, if you do not immediately restore
>the SO Blackwatch to her former configuration and
>status, and return the focus of Storm Opportunities to
>that of "black" operations, I will personally take you
>out in true Storm Opportunities' fashion, an honor
>you did not afford Storm McNeil! Your head will
>adorn my comms panel as proudly as Ash's head
>adorned McNeil's.
>	Inigo Montoya
>	War Minister, Storm Opportunities
>	(the only member left with 'nads!)
>
>
>
>
>
>NEWSWATCH
>News In Brief
>
>Glade System: Nexus Research has reopened NX/C
>Alexandria to general trade, and dock workers report
>that the market for new ship parts and other
>equipment is booming.
>
>Juno System: A spokesperson for the Rebel
>Alliance ship NA Nocturne stated that the Alliance
>will not allow the Endeavor Liberation Front (ELF)
>to steal all the glory in eliminating the Bnorg and
>that Alliance ships will be in action against the
>Bnorg "very soon."
>
>Loram System: There have been no raids against
>First Imperium holdings in the system for months,
>but FI combat forces are maintaining a high state of
>readiness. Long range patrols to outlying planets and
>asteroids have been observed, but so far there has
>been no news of enemy units discovered.
>
>Meire System: A pair of Bnorg ships blasted apart
>the city of BN/C Fliirii with  beams and nuclear
>missiles last month. The BN city was undefended.
>The two ships were flying simply "BN" on their
>transponders as is typical of Bnorg vessels.
>
>Yule System: Urr Nation officials report that the Urr
>population repatriated to the UN by the Bnorg have
>settled in and that there are now "a lot of cubs in
>training."
>
>
>
>
>
>NEW FACES
>In Dark Well Space
>
>Kitsumo, Chen	FI/E Kitsumo Ridge
>Lt. Kitsumo looks forward to serving the empire in
>this new base, fullfilling and expanding to
>boundaries of the First Imperium.
>
>
>
>
>
>REGISTRY DATA
>New
>NX/C Laz Something
>NX/C Lomroc
>
>Registration Changes
>None
>
>
>
>
>
>ALLEGIANCE PRESIDENTS
>BN	Gor Bar	BN Whiis Puur
>FI	Kon Nor	FI/C Delta Alpha
>NX	Maukiirous	NX/C Nexus Prime
>SC	Thomas Rexx	SC Kashshaptu
>SO	Gordon Gecko	SO Corporate Raider
>SP	Sterg Reinhart	SP Star Of India
>SW	Justin Fox	SW Sweet Angeline
>UC	Kren Greyclaw	UC Thurrie Ten
>UN	Reezarrk Eihzen	UN Haar Gdat Roarr
>
>
>
>
>
>
>SO PRESIDENT INTERVIEWED
>Denies Role in McNeil's Death
>
>SO/C Maax (Quade System) [Galactic Press
>Incorporated] - In an unexpected interview, Gordon
>Gecko, President of Storm Opportunities, has seen
>fit to honor this reporter with the factual account of
>the assassination of one of the Dark Well's most
>famous sons, Storm McNeil. It is hoped that this
>account will put to rest the "flagrantly libelous
>accusations made both by certain prominent SO
>ministers and other miscreants external to Storm
>Opportunities."
>
>GPI: Good morning, President Gecko. I thank you
>for this opportunity and I'm sure the rest of Dark
>Well Space is anxious to hear your words.
>
>GECKO: Thank you, thank you.
>
>GPI: Perhaps we should start by examining just who
>is responsible for Storms death, Mr. President.
>
>GECKO: As good a place as any. Identification is as
>convoluted as might be expected. There have been
>many leads and tantalizing clues but the trail of guilt
>has spread far out beyond the sphere of Storm
>Opportunities.
>
>GPI: You mean to say there are other, non-SO
>individuals involved?
>
>GECKO: I should think an uneducated half-wit
>would have deciphered that fact for himself. No, I
>speak of more staggering implications than that.
>Collusion on such a scale as to surprise even the
>most devout Machiavellian soul.
>
>GPI: You speak in riddles, Mr. President.
>
>GECKO: Mmmmmm... Concisely: Storms death
>was orchestrated at the highest levels of multiple
>governments; agents were insinuated into SO offices
>for the express purpose of intelligence gathering
>against the office of SO president; individuals were
>bribed and bought both within SO and within other
>allegiances to coordinate covert operations and,
>finally, high level negotiations were held with chief
>executive officers of Storm Opportunities to solicit
>support and to put the coupe de gras to the operation
>that would end the life of Storm McNeil.
>
>GPI: Was John McGregor one of these "senior
>executive officers?"
>
>GECKO:(Chuckle) Would that the corruption had
>stopped at that level. No, CMgr. McGregor WAS
>thought at one time to be the chief instigator of this
>action. However, he was but the grease on the gear.
>
>GPI: Then I take it your investigation has yielded
>further results?
>
>GECKO: Yes, well, it would not be far from the
>truth to say the command chain of SO has had "root
>rot." However , I am well known for expunging any
>chancres in the organization and I will continue to do
>so.
>
>GPI: Can you be more specific? For instance, what
>about the allegations of Min. Montoya?
>
>GECKO: Eh? Oh, Min. Montoya, yes. Perhaps it
>would not compromise the investigation to say that
>there have been "tenuous" indications of complicity
>in both the Ministry of War and Foreign Ministry.
>
>GPI: Then you DO suspect Min. Montoya to be
>involved in the assassination?
>
>GECKO: Now, don't put words in my mouth. I said
>there seem to be some indications of Ministry
>involvment. These will be dealt with as is customary
>in SO.
>
>GPI: Mr. President, what of the allegations in the
>press and those made by Min. Montoya? You are
>openly accused of conspiring with the very elements
>you state were the actual participants in Storms
>demise. In fact, others would have the universe
>believe you are the "senior executive officer"
>involved, if I may use your own words, and are the
>primary reason Storm is not with us today. [ed.
>note--Mr. Gecko became perceptibly red in the face
>at this moment. What was the significance of this
>could not be said.]
>
>GECKO: Let us be candid. The comments made in
>the press are the idle ramblings of a demented soul
>without even the most simple grasp on reality. They
>are, without doubt, nothing more than the intellectual
>fecal deposits of a deranged lack-wit who has
>nothing better to do than conjure up the most
>improbable of scenarios. So, for this "press", there is
>nothing left to be said.
>
>GPI: Well, there is still the matter of Min.
>Montoya's allegations.
>
>GECKO: Min. Montoya's views are his own. But
>this is for certain: I will brook no disrespect in the
>ranks. Min. Montoya will perform his duty as
>commanded by this office or he will be summarily
>executed for failure to comply. It is my judgment
>that SO modify its fundamental policy and function,
>and, by god, Min Montoya will comply to the letter.
>I could give a damn whether or not he approves of
>corporate strategy or whether he thinks we should
>take out the Darkwell in one giant conflagration. The
>end result is the same: He obeys or he dies. And
>mark my words Montoya, [ed. note--Mr. Gecko was
>shouting at this point and severely overloading the
>microphone] if you are found to be even remotely
>connected to any person, alien or beast that is less
>remotely related to the killer(s) of Storm McNeil, I
>shall visit such misery upon you that you will be
>persuaded to reconsider your birth!
>
>[ed. note--At this point Mr. Gecko flew into an
>unintelligible rage and stormed from the meeting
>room. Difficult as it may be to gleen the actual truth
>from anything that has been said by anyone up to
>this point, it is the opinion of this reporter that Storm
>Opportunities is having a crisis that may rock it to its
>foundations; at the very least, some kind of shake
>down is in the wind]
>
>
>
>
>
>TECH CLEANUP RESULTS
>20 Items Get The Axe
>
>Here of the results of the recent Technology Cleanup
>survey: ten items that players picked as being the
>most useless or unused, plus ten items that the GM
>picked. All these items will disappear from the game
>at the end of the 06-161 turn. If you have any of
>these items you'll probably want to recycle them
>before that time.
>
>The Player Picks:
>1. AH Crew
>2. AH2 Crew
>3. Bronze Goods
>4. CIU
>5. F85 Mining Unit
>6. Farslayer
>7. Iron Goods
>8. Longshore Droid
>9. Ore Complex D
>10. Stone Goods
>
>The GM Picks:
>1. D100 Assault Rider
>2. D101 Weapons Droid
>3. D103 DARV
>4. D104 DPAL
>5. D105 DC Unit
>6. D106 E3U Missile
>7. D107 SAS Armour
>8. D109 Soovvaa
>9. D110 Haataach
>10. D111 HUWV-C
>
>
>
>
>
>NOTES FROM THE GM
>Electronic Realities
>
>Thanks to lots of cool new technology, more and
>more people are getting connected to the Internet.
>This includes a lot of SDW players too. This is good
>news for just about everybody except for the poor
>little Interstar Network BBS. It hasn't been getting
>much use lately. Who wants to make a long distance
>phone call when a local call to the Internet will do?
>The number of players visiting our BBS has dropped
>to one every other day or so.
>
>What should we do? Move forward of course! We're
>going to retire the BBS. The last day of service for
>Interstar Network will be Tuesday February 6th.
>After that, the Mindgate phone number will be
>exclusively devoted to faxes--good news for those
>of you who fax in your turns.
>
>But, you ask, "how do I get in touch with Mindgate
>in cases of dire emergency!?" Easy--you can now
>send EMail to mindgate@macnexus.org. Please do
>not EMail your turns.
>
>There are plenty of other electronic resources
>popping up too. Several allegiances have existing
>World Wide Web (WWW) home pages or planned
>pages in the works. Lots of SDW related information
>is available. Try out these pages:
>
>The First Imperium (FI) home page:
>http://www2.cdepot.net:80/~terry2/fi.html
>
>The Urr Nation (UN) home page:
>http://flinux.tu-graz.ac.at/~eitzen/sdw.html
>
>The Nexus Research (NX) home page:
>Is said to be coming "any day now."
>
>Yours truly, the GM, also has a personal page you
>might want to check out.
>
>http://bbs.macnexus.org/~david peterson
>
>This one's on a brand new server which has been
>having sporadic software lockups so if it doesn't
>answer, try again in a few days. I'm told that the
>bugs will be out in the next few weeks (hopefully by
>the time you read this).
>
>If you have a web page with SDW content, or an
>EMail address that's not yet on the player contact
>list, please drop us a note. We'd like to see everyone
>get connected.
>
>Happy modeming!
>
>
>
>
>
>ORPHANED POSITION LOTTERY
>Cities
>None
>
>Expeditions
>NA/E Quiet 2
>NA/E Quiet 3
>
>No further information is available on these
>positions.
>
>If you would like to be considered for this drawing,
>send a 3x5 card in for each position in which you
>are interested. The 3x5 should contain the name of
>the position, your name (player name), your
>allegiance, and your Mindgate account number. A
>random drawing for each position will be held.
>Winners will automatically receive a 'tween turn
>for the position unless the winner's account is
>insufficient to cover the 'tween turn charge ($1.00),
>in which case a new winner will be drawn.
>
>
>
>
>