Galnet News

Continuing our popular series on significant episodes from human history, noted historian Sima Kalhana discusses the development of the hyperdrive.

"Hyperspace technology originated in the early 22nd Century, but it wasn't until the 2800s that consumer ships began to take advantage of it."

"The first commercially available hyperspace system was known as the 'Faraway Jump'. The Faraway system was far from perfect, however, depending on a complex network of monitoring satellites, branch lines, stop points and rescue stations – which took hundreds of years to establish – to operate smoothly."

"It was around this time the phrase 'witch-space' first appeared, reflecting the inherent dangers of early hyperspace technology and the strange 'corridor' a ship travelled through during a hyperspace jump. Some even believed witch-space was haunted by 'ghosts of ships that went into Faraway and didn't come out again'. It is certainly true that a number of ships never reached their destinations."

"The original hyperdrives were powered by a fuel known as quirium, the formula for which was a closely guarded secret. When this formula was lost, the hyperspace industry suffered a major setback. A number of different drives strove to fill the void left by the quirium drives, but it was the Type 2b that proved most popular. Unfortunately, ships equipped with a 2b left behind a hyperspace 'cloud' at their entry and exit points, making it all too easy for malcontents to track and ambush these vessels."

"In the late 3290s, a new hyperspace system emerged that immediately rendered the Type 2b obsolete. Jump times were reduced to mere seconds, as they had been with quirium drives, without any loss in jump range. Journeys that had hitherto been considered unfeasible were now within the realms of possibility."

"Even today, hyperspace remains poorly understood. Many pilots have reported glimpsing inexplicable lights, and even structures, within the witch-space tunnels. It may be centuries before all of its mysteries are unravelled."

This report presents the latest data on expansion and withdrawal among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to have expanded into new systems:

Fawaol Patrons of Law

Durius Dominion

Allied Herthans Front

Betel Free

Lao Gobe Coalition

Sui Xenates Indie Union

Jaques

Labour of Kalads

Revolutionary Abazates Democrats

Styra Empire League

Expansions occur when a minor faction reaches a sufficient level of influence and there is a populated system within striking distance. Expansion is costly, so when a faction expands, the wealth and development level of the system it controls are temporarily reduced.

Here are the latest factions in withdrawal:

Ross 754 Labour

Labour of Ethgreze

Revolutionary Heheng Future

Labour of Geras

Ross 210 Pro-Alliance Party

Ciguru Republic Party

LHS 3384 Progressive Party

Emperor's Will

Codorain Network

Nahuatl Guardians of Tradition

Factions are considered to be in withdrawal if their level of influence within a system drops below a certain level. If the faction's influence remains low for a total of five days, the faction must leave the system entirely. If the faction manages to increase its level of influence, it remains in the system.

Media outlets throughout the galaxy are abuzz with news of an event that many are interpreting as an encounter with non-human life.

According to reports, an independent pilot by the name of Commander DP Sayre was interdicted en route to the Aries Dark Region XU-O b6-3 by a highly unusual ship bearing no resemblance to any known human craft.

As the Commander's ship was plucked from hyperspace, all their systems were completely disabled. The mysterious craft subjected the pilot's vessel to some kind of scan before departing, at which point the hapless Commander's ship returned to life.

Commentators reviewing the pilot's recording of the event have noted strong similarities between the mysterious craft and the shipwrecks found in the Pleiades Sector AB-W B2-4 and the HIP 17862 system.

Is the ship a Thargoid vessel? This is the question many are asking.

We will continue to bring you up-to-the-minute updates on this story.

This report presents the latest data on conflict among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to experience a civil war:

Lords of Ngaliba

Avan Labour Union

Coalition of Ngaliba

LTT 377 Purple General Corp.

V886 Centauri Corporation

HIP 32350 Industries

Independents of Duamta

Mooramoora Union Party

Allied Ualapalor League

New Zeta Tucanae Free

Civil wars occur when minor factions compete for control of major assets such as starports. When a faction is involved in a civil war, the standard of living, development level and security level in the system it controls are temporarily reduced. Combat activities can bring a civil war to an end.

Here are the latest factions to experience war:

Colanja Gold Power Services

Cemiess Commodities

Ross 754 Universal and Co

Kokary Liberals

Chamunda Crimson Gang

Crimson State Group

HIP 19773 Shared

Liberty Party of LP 751-1

39 Tauri Interstellar

Alioth Pro-Alliance Group

Wars occur when a minor faction invades a star system controlled by another minor faction. For the duration of the war, the standard of living, wealth level and security level in the disputed system are reduced. Combat activity between the two warring factions determines the outcome of the conflict. If neither faction succeeds in dominating the other, the war ends in a ceasefire.

Clauss Incorporated has announced that its festive appeal received the enthusiastic support of the galactic community, with hundreds of pilots taking to their ships to transport personal gifts from Frost Dock in the Njambalba system to Clauss Port in the Santa Muerte system. Nicolas St Clauss, CEO of Clauss Incorporated, released a brief statement:

"We're delighted with the response. We'd like to thank the galactic community for helping us spread joy through the galaxy."

In addition to offering generous remuneration, Clauss Incorporated has promised to reward those who made the largest contributions with special festive prizes.

The Alliance has announced that its campaign to build a planetary outpost in the California Nebula has received the enthusiastic support of the galactic community. Hundreds of pilots responded to the appeal for construction materials by delivering geological equipment, hazardous environment suits and surface stabilisers to Tshang City in the Furuhjelm III-674 system.

The campaign also received the support of hundreds of combat pilots, who protected those delivering commodities by neutralising agitators in Furuhjelm III-674.

Alliance Prime Minister Edmund Mahon released a brief statement:

"I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to those who supported this campaign. Remember – the Alliance means freedom."

Pilots who contributed to the initiative are now free to collect their rewards from Tshang City in the Furuhjelm III-674 system.

Balones Gold Touch Systems has placed an open order for materials for use in a forthcoming project. A bulletin from the organisation confirms that pilots who deliver mined osmium, praseodymium and methanol monohydrate crystals to Tiedemann Dock in the Balones system will be generously rewarded.

A spokesperson for the organisation elaborated on the nature of the project:

"The purpose of this programme is to develop a number of advanced deep-space probes – ones that will reveal more about what lies beyond the borders of our galaxy."

"We at Balones Gold Touch Systems believe galactic civilisation is on the cusp of a paradigm shift. The alien shipwrecks and the Synuefe ruins leave no room for doubt: we are not alone in the universe."

"Knowledge is the currency of the future. Not money. Not weapons. Knowledge. And how best to acquire this knowledge? With the instruments that Balones Gold Touch Systems is developing."

The campaign begins on the 5th of January 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Last month, the Colonia Council launched the first in a series of initiatives to determine which organisations would join the rapidly expanding Colonia community. The Council has now launched a second initiative, once again giving the galaxy's minor factions an opportunity to establish a permanent presence in the Colonia Nebula.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the organisation said:

"We were delighted with the response to the first initiative, which demonstrated a clear commitment to the Colonia community."

"For this appeal, we are once again asking pilots to deliver a specific commodity to Jaques Station on behalf of their chosen organisation in order to earn a migration visa."

"At the end of the campaign, the ten factions that have made the largest contribution will earn the right to settle in one of the systems we have targeted for colonisation. A new planetary outpost will be constructed in the system for the organisation's sole use."

The campaign begins on the 5th of January 3303 and will run for four weeks. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

This report presents the latest data on democratic activity among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to hold elections:

Order of Ethgreze

HIP 8593 Empire League

Vanayequi Independents

Coquim Industry

GCRV 4654 State Interstellar

Junga Interstellar

The Pilots Federation

Sol Workers' Party

Independents of Mildeptu

Modgud Commodities

Elections occur when two minor factions with a similar political structure resolve a conflict over ownership and influence within a system.

This report presents the latest data on health issues among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to experience famine:

HIP 73428 Exchange

HIP 19773 Shared

HIP 105577 Boys

HIP 10570 Constitution Party

Zelano Systems

Junga Interstellar

Dulos Defence Party

Allied Ualapalor League

Chicoana Silver Travel Corp.

Auste Gold Ring

When a faction is affected by famine the standard of living in the system it controls temporarily decreases. Combat activity has no effect on influence while a famine is active. Completing food-trade missions can bring a famine to an end.

Here are the latest factions to experience an outbreak:

HIP 105577 One

HIP 22145 Gold Mafia

Kvenland Services

Order of Ethgreze

Zeaex Flag

Conservatives of HIP 41984

Cuicatec Gold Power Co

Hatmehit Purple Crew

HIP 9610 Jet Legal Systems

Traditional Auste Dominion

When a faction is affected by an outbreak the standard of living in the system it controls temporarily decreases. Combat activity has no effect on influence while an outbreak is active. Completing medicine-supply missions can bring an outbreak to an end.