Current events from our local system

Buck Nuggets — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 04:10:51 +0000

Tensions in the solar system are on the rise...

After a long era of relative peace in the Gamma Achilles system, a new faction has seemingly appeared out of the cold dark nothing. They have been sowing discord and shaking up a long standing status quo. For a time this new faction was mostly rumor until a blatant, brutal and hostile takeover of the SPRT District Headquarters on Earthlike happened. News of the event spread across the system faster than a solar flare.

SPRT, an organization that actively promotes themselves as nothing more than another trade and mining operation, yet have been accused on numerous occasions of theft, piracy and other larcenous and nefarious activity. SPRT always officially denying any involvement and blaming it on “Unsanctioned rogue elements, who may or may not have been affiliated.”

Until the defeat of their planetary base, the best information they had about this new faction were short bursts of incomplete telemetry data; a couple blurry pictures of unfamiliar hull designs recovered from the computers of crumpled burning wrecks, the few ships that escaped and made it back, with no living crew, the autopilot set on “Flee;” and one recorded radio conversation:

[Marked- “CLASSIFIED. For SPRT Level 9 or higher only!”]
Sam: “Command, come in.”
Command: “This is Command, what do you want?”
Sam: “This is Sam, captain Vulture 12, got a craft on scanner, don't recognize it, but it isn't one of ours and it looks...rich! It is armed, nothing new, I can take it. Launching drones, turning and burning, weapons hot!”
Command: “Proceed, you are going to do what you want to anyway. Oh, and Sam, do it right this time, that last one you almost got caught. When yer' finished don't forget Corpo's share and I do believe your dues are in the rear as well.”
Sam: “Yea, yea. Drones have reached the target! I'm right behind them to finish up! This won't take lon...What the hell? The drones did nothing, they are getting ripped apart!? It is like this thing has shields or something?!
Command: “Repeat. Did you say “shields?” What is the call sign of that ship?”
Sam: <Sounds of bullets shredding armor plating and a panicking crew.> “Affirm, I said “shields. Oh God, we're too close!”
Unidentified Crew: “Cap, all drones gone, targeting is down, only 30% thrusters online, we've lost a ...!?”
Sam: “Shit, missiles. Lot going on right now Command, having trouble making it out. My comm's on the fritz. Requesting backup! It, it is “S... M...” <Sounds of electricity arcing and a fist sharply hitting a console> “Damn this thing!”
<Sounds of an explosion and the crinkling and tearing of metal, then static>”

But, after the days long siege and capture of their base on Earthlike, it soon became painfully obvious the name of the group daring to attack them, a group with the resources and enough superior technology to beat them repeatedly, easily. Oddly enough, this new faction calls themselves “The Space Muppets, SMP, or Muppets for short.”

...

Discovered and colonized nearly a century ago, Gamma Achilles, now commonly shortened to GA, showed promise for its resemblance to the Sol system and rich resources. Being considerably further out than most systems along the “PEP!,” Primary Expansion Path, a slogan the HED corporation still pitches in hopes of getting people to take their route and use, and pay for, their services; GA never seems to get any visits nor interference from HED or other Federation authorities. The rare new arrival, usually not willing to talk about his past, being about the only visitor the system ever sees. Being so far out, anyone leaving is also rare as it is generally much easier to make one's way locally, than to attempt to squeeze any profit out of risking a very long trade haul to another system.

Generations of GA citizens only remember living in times when the trade factions mostly kept to their own business, respected each other's borders and honored their trade and other agreements. Trouble was sometimes had with a random Lupis Gammis attack, most people just call them wolves, the occasional pirate, or a skirmish with the native insectoid race for anyone foolish enough to venture into their territory, but even the “Spiders” kept to themselves and didn't cause anyone grief or harm as long as they were left alone. Events had never gotten bad enough for anyone to agree upon and organize any form of local police, each of the trade organizations and corporations more than capable and powerful enough to merit out their own extreme justice to any pirate careless or unlucky enough to be exposed, so even pirate operations and shenanigans were kept to a minimum. It had been a relatively peaceful and prosperous existence for all. Had been, but not anymore, chaos and uncertainty are the newest arrival to the sector.

Reaction to the news of this new faction, “Muppets,” are mixed with some groups regarding them as heroes for what they have done with SPRT, some having engaged in limited trade, some are attempting alliance, trade or non aggression deals with them, while other groups are more suspicious and concerned over the power this group displays and are worried they are just another pirate group, but stronger, and their own assets could be next. With little hope of Federation or corporate assistance, nearly everyone is scrambling to acquire this new technology for themselves, and develop and improve their existing weapons and defenses. Especially SPRT, currently in a panic after the damages and loss they have endured, they are fervently working to bolster their ranks, increase patrols and drone production, and improve their tech and tactics.

Meanwhile whispers of yet another new allegedly extremely hostile faction and their attacks around the system outskirts are starting to make their way around the airlock. Some have quickly associated the blame upon these new Muppets, others claim the “Spiders” have suddenly gone on the offensive, while more observant individuals have pointed out numerous differences in the reports and M.O.

A couple ships with jump technology have escaped these attacks and describe grim vessels decorated in a strange and macabre manner, their relentless pursuit and assault, all attempts at radio communication or to parlay have been ignored entirely. Most system pirates would simply incapacitate the crew and steal the goods it carried, leaving the crew and ship in good enough shape to repair and make another haul to be robbed later, and no one seeking to avenge the death of a loved one. The insectiod race has still never been officially documented off their home planet.

In contrast, two ships have been recovered recently in the outskirts region, both of them with much of the stations, quarters and corridors awash with blood, a few scattered pieces and small parts of bodies strewn about, the cargo left behind. One was recovered with a sole surviving engineer, found bruised, wounded and covered in congealed blood and entrails, cowering and shaking in the fetal position in a hidden cubby, crying and muttering incoherently to himself. He is being held in suspicion of involvement and for questioning, but so far has only been able to utter one word that anyone or the interpreter computers can understand. “Reavers.”

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