Galnet News

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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

The Reign of Emperor Hengist Duval

In respect of the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval the planned article for this week has been moved to next week so that historian Sima Kalhana relates some of the key moments from his life.

Emperor Hengist Duval was the 15th in the Imperial Duval bloodline to lead the Empire and he saw a great deal of change in his comparatively short reign. He was born in 3163, only a few days before the death of his grandfather Hender Saik Duval. Some claim that the spirit of Hender had already passed to Hengist such were the similarities in looks and manner noted in Hengist’s later years.

When his father, Hesketh Duval, died in 3233, Hengist assumed his place on the throne. The live broadcast of the coronation created an impression of a serene transition. However lurking beneath this appearance lay significant tensions. Most significant of which was the growing power of the Senate which had developed during the extended period of his father’s illness. A parallel with the situation with Hengist’s coma can be seen in recent months.

At the start of his reign the cold war between the Empire and the Federation was starting to thaw, a process which continued for decades, although friction has recently resumed with the rise of certain powers like President Hudson and Senator Patreus.

Hengist’s reign witnessed a major technological advancement with the introduction of the new frame shift drive. This sped up travel between stars systems and even inside systems by an incredible margin. It created a more quickly shifting political, military and commercial landscape as reacting or causing changing became much easier.

Hengist fell ill early in 3300, and he managed to continue light duties throughout the first half of the year. His sickness worsened as the year progressed and during this time he remained in seclusion with only rare visits to the Senate. At the turn of 3301 he slipped into a coma. Many expected him to not awaken from the coma and it was a great surprise when he recovered several months later.

Near the close of 3300, Hengist decreed that his only legitimate child, Harold (who is Aisling Duval’s unmarried father), was not of sound mind and so unfit for rule, and in any case had no legitimate children himself. Following this announcement Arissa Lavigny-Duval declared that she was the illegitimate child of Hengist. The Emperor supported this claim by announcing his forthcoming marriage with Arissa’s mother, Florence Lavigny, and was expected to formally adopt Arissa and cement her claim to the throne.

With his murder and the marriage not completed the succession to the imperial throne is again not clear cut and many fear the potential instability this could cause to the Empire if not decided quickly after the Emperor’s funeral.

Leaked Footage of Emperor’s Assassination

In a move sending shockwaves of revulsion throughout the Empire, an independent newsfeed, Russell Networks, based in the Tulill system, has broadcast what is claimed to be a holographic recording of the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval.

Imperial networks are refusing to show the footage and all levels of imperial society are outraged at this insult to the Emperor’s memory. The recording’s authenticity hasn’t been confirmed, but it does clearly show someone who looks like Brendan Paul Darius attacking the Emperor. As the Emperor passes by Senator Patreus’ entourage Darius is seen to lunge from the group. He then stabs the Emperor several times with a blade and inflicting severe facial injuries until being taken down by the nearest guards. In it, others in Patreus’s entourage, including Senator Patreus himself, appear to move to try to stop the attacker, and do appear to be genuinely surprised and shocked.

Chancellor Anders Blaine condemned the broadcast in a statement and refused to comment on its veracity.

Millions Pay Respects

Millions of senators, patrons, clients, citizens and slaves from across the Empire are making the journey to the Hall of Martyrs on Capitol in the Achenar system to pay their respects to the late Emperor. The queue to view the Emperor’s body already stretches several miles from the Imperial Palace, with the waiting time now measured in days. Naturally, senators, patrons and clients each have their own entrances.

Palace officials have announced that the viewings will continue, at all hours, until the final funeral preparations begin on the eve of the funeral. Volunteers from the palace staff will aid the mourners and keep the line moving.

The Imperial Naval Infantry will also be stationed along the ever-lengthening line – not because of security concerns, but to ensure the welfare of the waiting people. The population of the city swelled beyond normal capacity during the wedding celebrations, and the influx of mourners has pushed the city to bursting point. Along with the military deployment, local residents are providing those in the queue with food and drink.

Those unable to make the journey to Capitol have created memorials in their own cities, starports and colonies, and are assembling to give their respects.

GalNet Weekly Expansion List

Each week, GalNat presents a list of 10 of the 1,642 minor factions currently expanding into new systems (*).

HIP 73293 Guardians of Tradition

Yembo Interstellar

Tapones Corp.

Jimai Noblement

New Hun Cruacoc Labour

Workers of Wintii Confederacy

Fu Haras Patrons of Law

Paemani Monarchy

Kupoli Fortune Limited

United Wang Dana Free

Expansion occurs when a minor faction reaches a sufficient influence rating and there is a populated system within striking distance. The act of expansion is a costly one, and the wealth and development rating suffers during the period of expansion.

* Data is correct at time of publishing.

Chancellor Blaine Issues Statement

With no clear successor to the Emperor, Chancellor Blaine has accepted the task of governing the Empire until the succession has been determined. He reiterated his statement that the matter would be resolved after Emperor’s funeral. He then revealed more about the investigation into the regicide:

“Officers from the Imperial Guard and Imperial Intelligence Security Service have begun their investigation and are being provided with the resources they need.

“The assassin has been identified as Brendan Paul Darius. Senator Patreus has confirmed that the man was a member of his entourage, and the Senator is helping with the investigation. Darius killed the Emperor in a savage attack using a concealed blade, and a separate investigation has been launched to determine how he was able to sneak a weapon into the Emperor’s presence.

“Darius was killed by the Emperor’s Guard during the attack, and we have as yet been unable to determine his motive for the murder.”

For the remainder of the session, the gathered senators offered support and words of condolence to the Imperial family.