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News for Session 3

State of the Fleet

ZG5L Princess

  • Fuel remaining: 391 Units
  • Fuel outlook: Pessimistic.
    • 52 units of fuel have been used in the last 3 weeks.
    • Acquisition of 125 units of fuel from mining operations was lower than hoped due to atmospheric conditions.
    • At current rate of consumption, ZG5L fuel supply will deplete in 157 days.
  • Hull integrity: Good
  • Ship repair report:
    • Catastrophic damage reported across the ship following Jump.
    • This amount of damage is considerably higher than expected.
    • Repair time has not been sufficient to repair all damage.

Location

  • Location of ZG5L Princess: Elentis 227a
  • Celestial Bodies: G0V Dwarf Star
  • Planetary Bodies: Small earth-sized orbiting planets, including one cataclysmically destroyed with large amounts of debris floating about the atmosphere.
    • Entering the atmosphere of this planet is risky:
      • Hull 1 is sufficient but presents problems for long term presence. Hull 2 is necessary for long term operations without incident.
      • Experienced piloting is required to avoid catastrophic collisions with debris.
      • Heat in the planet's crater is high
  • Other Notable Features: Tachyon Signature of planet now eclipsed by Tachyon signature of ZG5L

Fleet

  • Ships Responding: 48
    • Ships in Elentis 227a: 44
    • Ships in Deep Space Sector 1: 3
    • Ships in GX-870: 1 (and UCSS Faith)
  • Estimated Total Population: 1812
    • Population Counts aboard some ships are still not confirmed.
    • The St Nikolaos believes its figure is now consistent at 665.
  • Details: The Fleet.
    • Incorrect or out of date information should be reported to The Lobby.

Sensor Readings

The following low level readings have been gleaned by the Advanced Long Range Scanners aboard the Slipstream and are presented for general information, listed clockwise as per the Space Map

  • Deep Space Sector 3
    • Nothing of interest detected
  • GX-870
    • Black hole detected. UCCNZFJ signal detected from ship purporting to be the UCSS Faith.
  • Deep Space Sector 4
    • Now visited, nothing else of interest detected.
  • Elysium V
    • Previously visited food planet
  • Deep Space Sector 1
    • Mars-sized planetary body detected. Planet is 90% ice.
  • Deep Space Sector 1
    • Nothing of interest detected
  • Deep Space Sector 2
    • Nothing of interest detected

The following information has been shared by readings from ships in the Fleet:

  • Heracles II
    • Very dense asteroid field.

Bolygo Press Release

Following expeditions past Elentis 227a toward Nova 8 and Psion 445b, Bolygo has announced its findings of a potentially habitable planet in Psion 445b, a planet sustaining plantlife of questionable use to human life, and detected a nebula further past these planets. Information can be found with the updated Space Map.

Princess Sabotaged!

At the moment of jumping, numerous explosions rocked the Princess ZG5L, causing damage far in excess of what is usually suffered. Investigations into what happened were hampered by much of the equipment only being serviceable in the third week of the cycle, but are now complete. Shortly before the conference, the following message is sent around the fleet from Magnus Hammarberg:

To all captains, crew, and citizens of the Fleet,

You are all aware of the excessive damage suffered by the
ZG5L after our most recent jump. Our investigations have now concluded, and I am afraid I must report confirmation of what has been feared. The damage was primarily caused by a series of power overloads in various vital ship systems, however these power surges occurring in this pattern naturally should be a nigh impossible event.

I am therefore of the opinion that this was an act of intentional sabotage.

The
ZG5L engineering team has been working very hard over the last week to bring the ship back up to some semblance of functionality - but as you can imagine, the task has been far too great to complete in a single week. To completely fix the damage that has been caused would require another three weeks or so of work, in my estimation, effectively requiring us to skip the planned upcoming jump.

I can confirm, however, that it
is possible for the ZG5L to jump as planned at the present time - but at grave cost. While most ship systems have been jury-rigged to a level where they can just about operate successfully, there are two in particular that can only perform as required if operated manually. As you know, the ZG5L is bathed in fatal levels of radiation during the spooling process. To jump the ship without spending several weeks to fully repair it would, therefore, require the sacrifice of two members of crew, to operate the manual equipment.

I do not want to do this. I do not want to sacrifice members of my crew. But it has been agreed by myself and Captain Holttman that, if the will of the captains of the fleet at the next conference is for the
ZG5L to jump, then it will jump. The fairest way to select those who will operate the manual systems has been determined to be by a random draw. The effected crew members will be notified shortly.

While I have much work to be getting on with regarding this matter, I will attend the next conference to discuss this matter with those who have further concerns.

Yours,
Magnus

Distress Signals from Pandora 12

Distress signals having been detected coming from Pandora 12 (one sector out from Heracles II). They use UCCNZFJ codes and protocols and are sending a message in plaintext:

“DISTRESS CALL from UCSS Persistence. Calling any and all UCCNZFJ ships. DISTRESS CALL from UCSS Persistence

Standard Quarantine Procedure

Grayson Security have published the following protocols for Quarantine. These are expected to be followed by all ships in the Fleet – violation of these protocols will be seen as threatening the Fleet and will be dealt with as such.

  • A ship may be quarantined by the order of its own Captain or the order of senior authority within the Fleet.
  • A quarantined ship must stay 10 LY (1 Sector) away from the Princess at all times.
  • Nothing is to leave a quarantined ship.
  • Any ship or objects that come into contact with a quarantined ship becomes subject to the quarantine.
  • No communications are to be accepted from a quarantined ship until at least 1 week with no sightings of apparitions aboard the ship.
  • After 1 week of no apparitions sighted, the quarantined ship may leave quarantine with approval of two Captains, one of which must be of senior authority within the Fleet (namely Captain Holttman, Captain Stride, and Captain Rodchenko)

Battle of Lyndanisse and la kesma'ecikre Quarantined and Released

Following reported survival of encounters with apparitions or apparition-like creatures in Elysium V in which 3 crew members of the Lyndanisse were reported to have lost their lives, the Battle of Lyndanisse and la kesma'ecikre have spent the last week in Quarantine, observed by the crew of the Fire Escape from an appropriate distance.

The Brain Scanner has been used by the crew of the Fire Escape and no apparition infestation has been found. The ships have been cleared as clean and are now out of quarantine and clear to interact with the Fleet. All three ships (Lyndanisse, ecikre, Fire Escape) are still in Deep Space Sector 1, where they jumped after escaping the apparitions.

St Nikolaos Angry After Quarantine

Small riots have broken out across the St Nikolaos (most of which have since been quelled) in the aftermath of the quarantining of the ship at the end of the previous conference. Refugees aboard the ship have complained that the quarantine was unnecessary and blocked access to much needed food and medical help.

Some ships did enter the quarantine zone in order to assist, but members of EESTF were met with force and angry opposition upon arrival. Matthew Cartwright has made it clear that the Quarantining of the St Nikolaos, even though it is now over, will not have been without consequence.

Statement of Support from UIC

The following statement has been drifting around the fleet for the last week or so - it's origins appear to be the Union of Independent Captains.

“To all captains in the Princess fleet,

We would like to introduce ourselves as the Union of Independent Captains, a collective of captains who have pledged to defend the ideals of life, liberty, and happiness for all humans. We respect the need for security, but we must recognise that these ships will be our homes for longer than we anticipated, and giving up on freedom of expression and a reasonable right to privacy for an indeterminate length of time is simply unacceptable. Our website may be viewed here, and contains a brief summary of our goals, a list of our members, a copy of our constitution, and information on how to apply for membership of the union.

While we thank the EESTF for their zeal in defending the security of the fleet, we must condemn their attitude towards Captain Chu and the Slipstream. We believe that Captain Chu should have the right to run her own investigation, accepting any help she wants and rejecting any she would rather not take. We agree with Captain Holttman that, in the event of apparitions being sighted aboard a ship, the quarantine procedures outlined should be followed, and if necessary enforced by the EESTF and Grayson Security - but there is no evidence to suggest that apparitions are aboard the Slipstream, and thus the EESTF are well beyond their remit in demanding a role in this investigation, if Captain Chu does not welcome them. The UIC hopes that a thorough investigation may be undertaken by Captain Chu, with a speedy resolution, and would offer our services should they be welcomed.”

Escher Stryer - PI

The following advertisement makes its way through the fleet:


Escher Stryer - Private Investigator

Rumours of my insanity have been greatly exaggerated.

Rates very reasonable - sufficiently interesting work will be undertaken pro bono.


Medical Supplies Problems

Many ships' captains are happy with the new fleet-wide logistics for medical supplies, ensuring that every ship has what they need, however Layne Cosh is warning everyone not to trust it implicitly, since they received a supply of one medicine which did absolutely nothing at all when given to patients. Investigations of how this occurred are ongoing, they say.

Marian Stride: The Truth

Captain Marian Stride: hero of the fleet, and architect of Earth's evacuation, or something else? Could it be possible that behind her unshakeable exterior - and that's a word you're going to be hearing a lot of, unshakeable - lies a shocking web of lies, corruption, and neglect. Through the diligent work of those valiant people aboard this ship, who strive to uncover the truth, I can now bring you the answers. Though I ask - no, beg -  of you that you sit down before reading any further; you will need it, for what is about to be revealed.

I am in a position to reveal that Captain Stride, and in fact the entire EESTF, is deceiving you. They claim authority over you by way of might,  with a moral authority that derives from their heroic efforts in the evacuation of Earth. This version of events could not be further from the truth. My sources, who I cannot in good conscience reveal as they now fear for their safety, have leaked me information showing that the EESTF played but the smallest of roles. Not only that, they enacted an extended campaign of corruption: preferably acting to save those who could pay, claiming the actions of the true heroes of the Escalation (who perished during it) as their own, and attempting to consolidate power solely among their own. Her overzealous support of the recent quarantines have shown how little she truly cares for the plight of refugees aboard the fleet.

And yet there is more to say, dear readers. Not only Captain Stride, but also her close Lieutenant, Bradley Bells van Dalen, have lost their children due to Stride's negligence. Stride -  so selflessly - adopted a pair of orphans after their parents died to apparition attacks. Truly a noble act. And yet, not long after they were found missing; the site of their disappearance covered in blood. This surely raises chilling questions: why did she leave her children alone and in the care of only a nanny? If she was able to escape, why not her children? To add to this damning picture is the fact that the ship containing her trusted Lieutenant's children was sent out first among their evacuation efforts. It was destroyed. Did she not stop to think what would have happened to the forward guard in such a situation? Why were those ships civilian?

I hope that I have not disturbed you too much with these questions, but I feel obliged to let the fleet know the truth. And I will continue to ensure that they do, as should you, dear readers.

— Amber Matsumo

From Earth, Yours Sincerely

Recently, a film produced by the crew of the Centennial Chicken has been circulating to high popularity. The film is a philosophical surrealist action film which takes place on Earth and beyond. Its action scenes are thrilling, its dialogue witty, and its message clear: unelected authoritarian military forces taking charge can only lead to humanity's destruction.

The film stars Tai Pullman, Knight, Lara Stryer, Escher Stryer, Ezra Whateley, Ray Dawson, and Katherine Hart and can be downloaded from the Spacebook with ease.

Opportunities for Learning and Teaching!

Several people on Spacebook are sharing their stories of going to the Memorandum and being taught some basic, but essential, medical and technological skills by Lexi Daniels and Julian Shepard. It seems that Wren Walker has set this up, as a first step towards getting some kind of formal school system going. It's still very ad hoc at present, but most people (particularly those who are now using Spacebook to post proud pictures of their kids) seem to think this is a great idea, and wonder why no-one else started a school before.

HERMES (Heightened Emergency Response and Medical Exercises in Space)

We are pleased to announce the formation of a new group of medical professionals, who have come together to address the immediate health concerns facing the fleet and to prepare for any medical emergencies that may arise.

Members of HERMES have all committed to follow its principal objectives, which include offering free treatment to all members of the fleet, and supporting existing protocols, including quarantine protocols, however appropriate.

For a full list of members and objectives, please see here: Link

If you would like to request HERMES' support, please get in touch.

Yours,
Dr. Apollo Leonard

Market and Currency Introduced

A Fleet wide marketplace has been created to great success thanks to the work of various individuals across the Fleet. Legitimising and organising the St Nikolaos marketplace, this system allows users to buy and sell goods across the Fleet in exchange for a new currency: Scion. Everyone who signs up to the system receives 10 Scion for use, and the market place can be found for access here.

[OOC: Please detail any and all trades in minor actions as before, even if they appear in your major actions or on the market page]

Free Meditation Sessions!

Adverts have been appearing throughout the fleet recently for free group meditation sessions, designed to relieve the stresses and tensions brought about by recent events. The sessions are organised by a group called the Dreamers of Humanity, and though originally only available on the Slipstream, dedicated members of the group are now hosting sessions on the St Nikolaos as well.

Benefits of the sessions - according to those who have been to them - include lowered anxiety, happier moods, and less weird dreams.

The Spacebook

The social network founded by Wren Walker has now advanced to have the features it was advertised with and has soared in popularity across the Fleet. “The Spacebook” packs all the functionality of early 21st Century social networking tools, complete with a crisis alert system to allow you to declare your ship safe after a crisis.

The tool has proven very popular, though already trending on the network following the exposé about her past is the phrase “#MarianSucks”, as well as “#loseTheThe” (in reference to the name of the network).

Hephaestus Gang War Resolved

Thanks to the hard work of certain members of the fleet, the issues of sabotage aboard The Hephaestus appear to have been resolved. The cause of the incidents seems to have been a feud between two groups of engineers, which has since been 'resolved'. Captian Layne Cosh had this to say:

“I am truly grateful to everyone who has helped resolve this issue. Accidents aboard The Hephaestus are now at an all time low, and I anticipate that my crew will be able to keep up with their workload now that they are fully focused on the job at hand.”

THIS CAT STARTED PLAYING WITH A TOY AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Thefts on the Memorandum

A photo of a very collapsed dinosaur skeleton amongst museum exhibits is circulating on Spacebook, with the following comment from a visitor:

OMG you won't BELIEVE whats hapnd on the Memorandum, u no that giant skeleton thingy they have well it's all broken and there's like guards everywere asking questions and I herd there was loads of stuff stolen, u no like in those films were ppl break into secret vaults and steal diamons and theres lasers and stuff I'm sure it was just like that - anyway theyve defo got some work to do to put this thing back together lol!

Woden Morello and Laurie McLaughlin have so far been unavailable for comment.

OOC Notices

Firstly, thank you to everyone for remembering to document your jumps: it made this week so much easier to process. Now that a currency and trading system has been created in the setting, we'd ask you to be equally diligent with noting any trades you make down in your minor actions, even if they are mentioned in Major Actions – it seriously helps us out.

Secondly, this week we may be rotating the crewing of the Lobby so that some GMs can have a break to sit down (and others get to stretch their very long legs): if you go to the Lobby and find Tom isn't crewing it but someone else is, don't panic, that's meant to be the case.

Thirdly, Joe (Marco Stikk's phys-rep) has been amazing and created an interactive map available here. Feel free to use it, though any issues should be reported to Joe, not the GMs!

Finally, a reminder that if you find yourself OOC uncomfortable with a topic of conversation during sessions that you are always able to ask OOC for the conversation to change with no judgment, and as ever if there's something you'd like the GMs to be aware of to avoid bringing up in turnsheets then please feel free to let us know.

news/3.txt · Last modified: 2016/05/10 14:17 by gm_joshua