10 AUG 3301
Portrait of a Bounty Hunter
Social historians sometimes have a tendency to focus on the rich and powerful, forgetting that the people who dwell on society’s margins can also have an impact on the shape of the galaxy. In this new series, we take a look at some of recent history’s less well-known figures, and shine a light on their unique achievements. Our first episode explores the life of the bounty hunter Ziva Eschel.
Ziva Eschel began her career in the Federal State Police, spending ten years as a Viper pilot in the Beta Hydri system. She left the force shortly after she and her partner were imprisoned by the Judas Syndicate on the infamous Black Mausoleum. Eschel escaped with her life but her partner was executed, and, due to the unique status of the Mausoleum, the Beta Hydri authorities were unable to bring his killers to justice.
After quitting the Federal State Police, Eschel acquired a lease on an old Sidewinder and began a career as a bounty hunter operating out of Beta Hydri. Her approach relied more on careful planning and preparation than flashy flying, but she nevertheless progressed to larger and more dangerous scores, upgrading her ships and finally settling on the Dragon Queen, a highly customised Fer-de-lance.
Eschel is not a public person and has eschewed several invitations to syndicate her operations to ‘Federation’s Most Wanted’, but in police and bounty hunting circles she is known to be both cautious and dangerous, and also meticulous in adhering to the law – a rare trait in her profession.
Eschel and the Dragon Queen were last seen heading for Jackson's Lighthouse, possibly in pursuit of the notorious Red Hourglass.
10 AUG 3301
Where's Walden Now?
Today marks 36 years since the last ‘Walden Day’, the annual celebration of the great leader across all four continents of Lave, where prefects, primes and factors would try to outdo each other with how much love they could show the planet’s ruler.
Lave in 3301 does its best to forget the past. Years of relative prosperity and capitalist competition between the LFO, the Defence Party and the Workers of Lave reflect the different social classes of the planet’s regions. Each formed out of different parts of the old regime and its adversaries. But the question remains, what actually happened to Doctor Hans Walden?
The holovid footage of his execution has been replayed countless times on hundreds of programmes. Some preach conspiracy, others see tampering, but most agree that Walden’s clone research, journals, and the numerous patents sold to Imperial contractors bearing his name point to his having experimented with the duplication of his own genetics.
Since 3265, the government has released no evidence of hidden scientific laboratories on Lave or any of the plotted asteroids in the system. Rumours of a secret colony on Lave II have never been confirmed, either, but the rumours keep resurfacing. Yes, Walden was executed during a live vidscreen broadcast...but was that the only Walden? Could there be others, lurking out there on a nearby planet, waiting to return? If there are any clones left, forgetting the past won’t help us deal with the future.
10 AUG 3301
Patreus Reacts Angrily to Crowd’s Taunts
Some elements of the lower-level Imperial political scene have challenged Senator Denton Patreus to explain his connection to Brendan Paul Darius, the assassin responsible for the murder of the Emperor during the wedding ceremony with Florence Lavigny. Since the revelation of the assassin’s identity the senator has steadfastly refused to comment, but responded angrily to accusations from a vocal minority in the crowd outside the senate.
“The notion that I might somehow be linked with the murder of our most loved Emperor is offensive. It does bring dishonour and shame upon me that a man in my employ could perform such a heinous act, but it was certainly done without my knowledge. The thought that I allowed such a man near his august presence torments me.”
He also added that the full resources of his office were being made available to the officers in the investigation and that he would aid them in any way he could.
More responsible commentators agree that the accusations are ridiculous. Speculation remains however as to why the man killed the Emperor and whether he was acting alone or for another party.
10 AUG 3301
Pirates Defeated in Bast
Official sources at Hart Station have confirmed that efforts to eliminate pirate vessels targeting medical supply ships in the region have been resoundingly successful. The Union of Bast Liberals, which placed bounties on the pirates, has stated that a total of 1,869 independent pilots helped to thin the bandits’ numbers, thereby allowing the much-need Cerberus antidote to reach systems affected by the disease. Consequently, the Cerberus Plague has been eliminated from the following systems:
Cantjarisni
Rajukru
HIP 10175
Amahu
Leerham
BD-11 4280
Louguala
Altair
39 Tauri
Kamorin
Delta Phoenicis
Kappa Ophiuchi
Murung
LTT 14850
Gali
Cauani
LTT 6705
Watha
Asgaa
Svent
A spokesperson from the Union of Bast Liberals said: “There are times when the words ‘thank you’ just don’t seem adequate. These pilots have saved literally thousands of lives, so, on behalf of all those they have helped, we want to offer our sincerest gratitude.”
10 AUG 3301
GalNet Weekly Economic Report
In this weekly digest, the latest GalNet data is compiled to show the economic state of a short list of minor factions and the star systems they inhabit (*).
Here are 10 of the 3,788 minor factions currently enjoying an economic boom:
Shenich Legal Solutions
Nijuna Company
Heheng Freedom Party
Labour of HR 244
LHS 221 Vision Systems
Koskit Company
Gongalungul Comms Organisation
5 G. Capricorni for Equality
Ditian Imperial Society
Official V640 Cassiopeia Front
When in boom, the wealth of the system is increased for the duration and all trade missions have double the effect on influence. Boom can also positively increase a minor faction’s influence. Boom can be entered by consistent trade profits and completed trade contracts. Booms tend to last until they naturally expire or until some other indicator takes precedence, such as famine.
Here are 10 of the 54 minor factions experiencing an economic bust:
Values Party of BD+26 2184
New HIP 18187 Flag
Law Party of YZ Ceti
Tialocan Jet Raiders
Justice Party of AZ Cancri
Sosoling Purple Netcoms Network
HIP 19758 Empire Consulate
NLTT 12619 Confederacy
Forculus Ltd
Values Party of Jitani
The wealth of a system diminishes while in bust and the minor faction’s influence is also lessened. The effect of trade contracts and actions do not contribute to boom while a bust is active. A bust generally has to run its course before ending.
* Data is correct at time of publishing