- Only a few years have passed since the Nomad Wars, but the pirate situation in the border worlds has now reached epidemic proportions. Many of the larger factions now have larger craft to attack the unsuspecting trader or company transport. The war of words between the Corsairs and Red Hessians has now escalated to all out war, with Omega 5 declared a designated war zone. Enter at your peril.
- The smaller pirate factions seem to have been upgrading as well, with many now using small and maneuverable freighters to ferry various goods to their bases. These small convoys are not the easy pickings they once were, and caution is advised should you decide to attack.
- While the Nomads were resolutely beaten during the war, "it's only a matter of time before they return" claimed Edison Trent, Liberty representative of the Order and hero of the Nomad Wars who has been monitoring the situation. There have been many reported sightings already in numerous systems, with the house naval forces on a heightened state of alert.
- The discovery of an asteroid eating, spacefaring lifeform, the 'Razid', has caused a major stir in academic circles. This creature apparently consumes the minerals it finds in the asteroids for nourishment. It's eggs have become somewhat of a collectors item due to the high concentration of a diamond like substance which is much sought after for research purposes. The four main houses have declared the 'Razid' creature a protected species, with heavy penalties aimed at anyone caught in possession of the valuable eggs.
- The emergence of the Simian Trade Federation was another major coup for the Zoners after one of their pilots came to the aid of a stricken convoy populated by an intelligent Simian species, capable of spaceflight. The Simians major export, banana beer, is now a favourite tipple of the masses. Its numbers are controlled by the Zoners who are undermanned to say the least regarding the distribution of this most popular beverage. Much favoured by the pirate clans as well, some in the press claim that the 'Beer Wars' have started, with many convoys coming under attack from pirates. Many independent traders have sought to locate the source of this magnificent brew, but the Zoners are staying very tight-lipped about the location of the Simian homeworld, preferring to sell you the item themselves. Search at your own risk.
- A major upgrade across Sirius has been the update of the popular tradelane system by Ageira Technologies. They claim their new tradelanes are easier to dock with, plus they can be seen from much farther away due to their new 'Illumo' lighting system. Dock with one today to experience it!
- A more bizarre rumour currently doing the rounds in many space bars, is the alleged sighting of a sleeper ship motoring at speed through the outer reaches of some systems. Some would say the pilots who claim to have seen the ship, have had a bottle or two too many. The major houses have sent out a few ships in an attempt to try and track the vessel, assuming it exists of course! If it does exist, the obvious question is who built it? Is there anyone aboard? More importantly, where have they been? More on this when we have something to report.
Stay tuned for the latest news...
Wow......good story....