Credits

Old Expanses - Credits
-----------------------

This circa 1200 Old Expanses data, originally created by GDW, was
previously published in the Traveller Navigator software put out
by Planet III (which is currently available as freeware over the
net, see http://www.davtechsys.com/ftp.htm, or if that doesn't
work, see ftp://ftp.davtechsys.com). This data was converted to
Galactic format by Lewis Roberts (lewis@chara.gsu.edu).

Coalition News Service (1201)

COALITION INFORMATION NETWORK

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AURORA RC
GOVT HOUSE AURORA (O535/AUBAINE, 8576646-8), 01/V111/1201
Coalition Secretary General Lon Maggart appeared today in a remembrance
ceremony at the monument to the Twelve Traders, on the first anniversary of
its dedication here at the Reformation Coalition Navy headquarters. Maggart
cited the Coalition's detennination to spare no effort to recover or
confirm the fates of all crews. He honored the crews by calling them "the
first ripple of a wave of recovery and renewal that will sweep across human
space, and which will know no shores. It was their willingness to face this
danger that calls us to follow them, and it is they whowill someday be
remembered as those who first painted a new dawn across human history.

Insiders say that his remarks were timed to assist him in his struggle to
pass the so-called "Ship Bill," intended to appropriate funds for two
additional Aurora-class clippers for RCES forces. Citing budgetary limits,
the Coalition Assembly has proposed deferring the purchase of the keels
that will be laid down at Aubaine's Standard Astrotronics yard later this
month. The options for these vessels would then be picked up by member
worlds, presumably Oriflamme. That would make these the first Aurora-class
clippers not directly controlled by RCES, a move which Maggart strongly
opposes, and to which he alluded in his address today. "These traders did
not go into the unknown piecemeal. They went out under one banner, and
under one vision, and it is that same vision that calls us after them. Had
they sailed away each for her own reason, or only for the benefit of an
elite few, their loss would not move us,and their sacrifice would not unite
us. History is made not by an aggregate of individuals, but by diverse
people united by a vision that pares away their selfish appetites and calls
them to actions beyond themselves, in the name of something greater than
themselves.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Maggart laid a wreath on the Trader
monument To the Dawn," which was dedicated a year ago today. He departed
immediately, as he is scheduled to preside one week from today over the
Assembly on the first anniversary of its establishment.

Among the assembled observers, Maggart's remarks were taken as criticism of
recent unilateral operations undertaken by Oriflamme and other worlds on
the trailing face. They were also clearly a response to the Centrist
charges that Aubaine and its supporters are opposed to a Coalition
Constitution, and seek, in the words of Count Bourgund of Oriflamme, "to
preserve a flaccid assemblage of half-hearted govemments, devoid of
structure, devoid of vision, devoid of a future."

A Centrist-leaning dignitarypresent today was overheard to call Maggart's
speech "more of that Aubanian pious preaching. This is real life, not
Sunday school. The clipper ships at issue in the Assembly will be the
eleventh and twelfth clipper hulls lad down.These two building ways will be
available following the delivery of Thunderchild and ex-llilek Kuligoon to
RCES.

The 12 trading vessels honored were dispatched in 1199 from various worlds
around the periphery of the then Dawn League, with hopes that they would
open up new star faring contact in the Wilds of Diaspora. As the months
went by without word from any of these ships, speculation grew increasingly
strident, resulting in the dispatch of several armed rescue missions to
recover the crews or to discover information about their fates. To date,
portions of only three of the crews have been recovered, and five of the
traders have never been accounted for.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE
RC ASSEMBLY HALL, AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 07/Vlll/l 201
Ililek Kuligaan, renowned remnant, was called before the Assembly today to
explain his refusal to have an RCES clipper named for him. His remarks, for
which the press was allowed access to the hall, were characteristically
blunt.

'You can't name a ship after a living person, especially not me. You can
say what you like about me after I'm dead, because I won't be around to
make you a liar. But why make some poor kids wear my name on their sleever
when I might still do something to make them ashamed? You're better off
naming it aftersomeonewho is safely dead. Dead, packaged, and marketed, of
course.

"However, since you were so kind to name it after me, I claim the right to
name it myself, and hereby change the name to Immanuel Kant That way you
can keep the initials, and you don't have to worry about him embarrassing
you. He was a finer man than me, and also unlike me, Kant was so reliable
that people used to set their watches by him. Having his name around will
remind people to think about some important things.

"What things? Fortunately I have with me a quote from the good Herr Doktor.
"It says, 'Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in
your own person or that of any other, never simply as a means, but also at
the same time as an end.' What that means, for those of you who don't speak
deathless prose, is: Give a damn about the people around you. We Imperials
forgot that lesson once, and we continue on at our peril if we ever forget
it again.

"Thank you. I hope you people haven't blocked me in again."

The clipper, the sixth of the class built, will be delivered from Standard
Astrotronics' Aubaine yards this month. was named for Professor Kuligaan by
a special motion in the Assembly earlier this year.

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RCES MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: PUBINFO, DISTRIBUTION: UNLTD, AUTHORITY LCDR LUCAS
RCES HQ AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 12/V111/1201

RCES has modified its deployment policy so that its Aurora-class clippers
and their associated Manta-class fueler will no longer be considered
indivisible tactical units. Each clipper constructed has been delivered
with a Manta fuel which, until now, her deployed, trained, and operated
exclusively with the clipper it was delivered with.

Under the new policy, Mantas will be assigned to clippers on an
as-available basis, to simplify maintenance, repair and deployment
scheduling. This policy has come n response to the difficulty in getting
Cull CTAILNO 20062F) repaired in time to deploy witl mothership Eos (TAILNO
10062).

Rather than delaying the departure of Eos on her coming cruise, it was
decided to give her Eagle (TAILNO 20071 F) which had just returned with
Aube (TAILNO 10071). New built Manta-class fuelers will be assigned tail
numbers the main series, rather than in a subsidiary series, and existing
Mantas will be redesignated as opportunity allows.

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RCES MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: NOTICE TO STARFARERS, DISTRIBUTION: MANDTY,
AUTHORITYCDORE MASSIE RCES BASE ORIFLAMME (1235/ORIFLAMME, B846857) NOTICE
TO STARFARERS

Hiver convoy is due to arrive Oriflamme within two week, of 16/IX/1201. ID
callsign is CONDUIT PENNY 1-6. Authentication procedures are available to
authorized craft.

Unless authorized, stay well clear of convoy CONDUIT PENNY 1-6, as they
will be travelling under Wilds rules of engagement

See also RCES Report 3: Interstellar Rules of Engagement, available at all
RC-affiliated starports.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE
RCES YARD AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 20/V111/1201

The Coalition cruiser Trigger arrived in port today following an expedition
into Diaspora. Although the crew are still in debriefing and none have yet
appeared in public, rumors are already circulating that Triggerhas had a
very difficuIt cruise. Stories of high casualties among the crew and of a
pitched battle are being heard. Notably, no lots of cargo have yet been
downloaded from Trigger for Auction.

RCES Headquarters has made no statement as yet.

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RCES MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: PUBINFO, DISTRIBUTION: UNLTD, AUTHORITY LCDR LUCAS
Saosy AUBAINE (0738/AUBAlNE, A78A884-C), 25/V111/1 201

The Reformation Coalition Exploratory Service, in conjunction with the
Standard Astrotronics Orbital Shipyard, Aubaine, announces the sealing of
RS Maggart, the first unit of the Croup IV Aurora-class clippers. RS
Maggart was sealed on 25M11/1201 at the orbital building ways of Standard
AstrotronicsAubaine yard.

The ceremonial act of sealing a starship is the orbital construction
equivalent of launching an ocean-going vessel or a spacecraft constructed
on a planetary surface. Itis traditionally considered tobe one of the most
significant milestones in the career of a spacecraft, as it is now capable
of preserving life. It is at the sealing that spacecraft are traditionally
christened with their /lames, following the obligatory pressure test. Once
a ship is sealed, its interior spaces are no longer in vacuum, but are
maintained by artificial life support, which allows the vessel's
construction to proceed to completion in a "shirt sleeves" environment.

RS Maggart is the first of a class of greatly modified Aurora-class
clippers, called Group IV. The Group IV is also called the "Stretch" Aurora
because of its greater overall length, allowing the clipping of more
multimission modules to the ship's open spine. This greater carriage
capacity also requires the Group IVs to have a new engineering section to
allow maneuver and jump at the same performance as the earlier members of
the class. RS Maggart is named for Burton L. Maggart (1110-1 1 95), First
Minister of Aubaine and one of the founders of the intentellar accords that
led to the League of the New Dawn, and ultimately, to the Reformation
Coalition. Burt Maggart was also the father of the current Coalition
Secretary Ceneral, Lon E. Maggart.

RS Maggart was christened by Enlilli Maggart, wife of First Minister
Maggart and mother of the Secretary General.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: BUS/POL, AUTHORITY
CIN/AUBAINE RC ASSEMBLY HALL, AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 17/X/1201
KEYWORDS: CSAARC, AAS, FIJA

Speaking against "the inefficiencies of Efficiency," junior Fijan delegate
Catarrhina Mohler launched a campaign to rationalize I I the "pervasive"
influence of the Committee for the Standardization of Armament and
Ammunition in the Reformation Coalition, better known as CSAARC.

"Although the Committee fulfills an important role in husbanding the scarce
resources of this Coalition and should continue to do so, certain of its in
itiatives come under the heading of micromanagement and actuaIly waste
energy, rather than conserving it. Now is the time, while CSAARC is still a
relatively new organization, that we establish guidelines to ensure that
CSAARC's oversight is confined to the rational use of resources, rather
than the worship of the least common denominator."

Speaker Mohler introduced as evidence the Reformation Coalition Automatic
Assault Shotgun (RCAAS), recently adopted by CSAARC as the standard combat
shotgun of the RC forces. Mohler demonstrated that, although the weapon
itself is manufactured at tech level 10, it is not completed until it is
fitted with a laser sight manufactured on a tech 9 world. Because tech 10
worlds are capable of manufacturing more compact laser sights, the
installation of a TL-9 sight on the weapon results in a combat shotgun
"which is 40% more expensive than it needs to be, and which is 7% heavier
than it ought to be." Mohler also produced internal RCES reports which
evaluate the weapon as overweight.

"These are not the type of savings which we can afford. Rather than seeking
to divide the production of each weapon across tech level 9 and 10 worlds,
CSAARC's efforts would be better spent ensuring that each world's
productive capacity was used to build complete systems. This would mean
that Trybec and Fija would install locally built sights on locally built
weapons, while worlds like Oriflamme, Baldur and Nike Nimbus were allowed
to concentrate their full attention on building weapons from start to
finish that are optimized for their technology."

Mohler asked that the Assembly create a panel to evaluate, define and, if
necessary, modify the mandate of CSAARC. Mohler's motion was tabled after
minimal discussion. Delegates from Oriflamme, originally one of the
staunchest opponents of the creation of CSAARC, provided the margin of
defeat.

CSAARC was established in 1200 to coordinate the design and production of
weapons and ammunition by Coalition memberworlds. The Assembly sought to
preserve the Coalition's limited manufacturing base by concentrating it on
the production and support of standardized designs optimized for available
technology, and based on common relic equipment. CSAARC has since expanded
its mandate to include the creation of new designs unique to the Coalition,
for example, the controversial 5.5mm assault rifle.

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RCES MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: NOTICE TO STARFARERS, DISTRIBUTION: MANDTY,
AUTHORITY COMMANDER, RCES DAWN BASE (TRYBEC/0336/AUBAI NE, B443610-A),
26/X/1201 KEYWORDS: VIRUS, HAZARD TO TRAVEL, VAMPIRE

RC space forces have issued a Notice to Starfarers for the Arvid
(0131/Aubaine) and Mitchell (3034/Khulam/Diaspora) star systems. These
systems appear to present an active Viral or vampire threat, and are to be
avoided until more information becomes available.

Arvid is thought to be connected to the disappearance of several vessels,
including Dawn League Ships Reine Soleil and Elise, although it is not
known by what mechanism these disappearances were caused, or even if they
were the result of a single cause.

Mitchell is believed to bethe base of an active and growing vampire fleet,
and is probably connected to the loss of Dawn League Ship Hellos, missing
since 19/X1/1199.

RC space forces will attempt to evaluate and neutralize these threats.
Private exploration is not advised. Exercise extreme caution when entering
or passing nearthese systems, and if possible, avoid passing through them
at all. Even gas giant refueling is considered to be hazardous in these
systems.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: COV/MIL, AUTHORITY
CIN/AUBAINE RCES HQ AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 21/X1/1201 KEYWORDS:
COSMIC FIRE, DROYNE, PROTEST

Reporter Cabrielle Diabla, twice winner of the Nimbus Palm for Excellence
in journalism has filed a freedom of information demand with the RCES to
gain access to orders and planning documents pertaining to "Operation
Cosmic Fire."

Diabla made a public statement to call attention to the demand which she
was filing, and to explain the background of the demand. Diabla explained
that Cosmic Fire took place on Daaliisa (2725/Promise/Diaspora) some two
months ago, and that involved attacks on "apparently peaceful alien
Droyne," and that for the operation the troops were obliged to remove
insignia, and take steps that this operation would not be connected to the
Reformation Coalition. "This operation was piratical in appearance, if not
in fact," Diabla said.

"I am not some fruit-loop peacenik who imagines evil motivations whenever a
forceful act of will is committed. I am pursuing this story because I was
aboard the ship when this operation was conducted, and I spoke to the
troops when they left and hey returned. They were deeply disturbed by the
operation. They felt they had done something wrong. I am not looking to
blame these troops for carrying out a mission in good faith. What I am
looking for is the reasons why the mission was ordered."

Cabrielle Diabla is a well-known and experienced military reporter. She has
accompanied and covered numerous operations under Dawn League and Coalition
auspices for several years, including the famous annexation of Vezina.
Diabla wrote a book on the Vezina operations, entitled, "Say Good Night,
Hoss," which won her her second Nimbus Palm, in 1200.

Diabla's demand for documentation is complicated by the fact that not all
RC memberworlds recognize full information rights, which allows such worlds
to deny access to commonly held RC documents in which they have a
proprietary interest.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE
RCES HQ AUBAINE (0738/AU BAINE, A78A884-C), 28/Xl/l 201 KEY1NIIRDS:
TRIGGER. RCES, COURT MARTIAL, MASSACRE

After months of speculation, the RCES has lifted the veil of secrecy that
was wrapped around the most recent mission of RCS Trigger following her
return from Diaspora in Scorpio. Trigger's captain and several ot her
officers are to be tried for dereliction of duty in allowing the alleged
massacre of civilians on Montezuma on her last cruise, RCES officials
announced today.

Details are still sketchy, but it appears that several of Trigger's ground
troops were killed by unusually high technology weapons in the hands of
unknown Montezuman troops over a period of several days, and an attempt to
capture the assailants misfired and resulted in the death of as many as 500
Montezuman civilians. Testimony gathered from Trigger's crew, and
reportedly from Montezuman witnesses and undercover informants, indicates
that the operation was poorly planned and degenerated into a vengeance
mission.

Anonymous sources report that the "Trigger Incident" is proof of the wisdom
of the RCN's program to divest RC-contrdled vessels of all private
ownership shares. Because of the rapidity with which the Dawn League (and
later, the Coalition) had to assemble a space force, itwas often obliged to
obtain starships by buying a bare majority of iharer of the vessel, leaving
the remainder of the vessel's ownership in private hands. It has been
argued that such private or speculative ownerrhip runs counter to the ideal
of military order and discipline advocated by many RC leaders. In Assembly
session, Senior Balduri Delegate has referred to speculative free-lance
operations as "no better thah reckless privateering, one step away from
piracy."

CIN sources confirm that Trigger carried a 44% private ownership load, and
that her crew contained a high proportion of free-lance personnel, both
situations acknowledged by the RCN to contribute to "decreased mission
reliability and performance standards."

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: COV/MIL, AUTHORITY COMMANDER,
RCN/CIN AURORA RC NAVY HEADQUARTERS, AURORA (OS3S/AUBAINE, B576646-B),
6/Xll/1 201 KEYWORDS: TENDER, BATTLE RIDER, CLIPPER, MANTICORE

The Reformation Coalition Navy(RCN) has completed negotiations for the
purchase of six Manticore-class system defense boats (SDBs) from the Aubani
Navy, with an option for more to follow. These vessels are being purchased
to give the RCN a battle rider capability when used with Aurora or
Maggort-class clippers. These SDBs are modified versions of the standard
Shukugon( Dragon) class TL-12 SDBs, manufactured for centuries in the Last
Imperium. The Manticores are distinguished from the basic Dragons by the
absence of the Drogon's missile barbettes and fuel purification plant.These
are replaced by a spinal meson gun which gives the Manticore a powerful
short-range punch, sufficient to disable much larger vessels.

The Monticores, which have been used up to now in the system defense of
Aubaine, will be used as "battle riders," carried into combat one or two at
a time by RCN clippers configured as "tenders." The battle rider concept is
an old one, and reflects a permanent principle of interstellar combat.
Given the fact that interstellar jump driver and their supporting systems
make significant demands on the mass and volume of a starship, two
spacecraft of equal size, one equipped with jump drives, and one without,
will demonstrate vastly differing utilizations of space. The ship without
jump drive will have a great deal of additional space that can be allocated
to weapons, armor, defensive screens, fire control, ammunition, greater
maneuverability, and fuel, and will therefore be a better warship, albeit
unable to travel between star systems on its own. In a confrontation
between these two ships, the nonjump-capable vessel should beat the
jump-capable starship every time. This fact is the basis of the system
defense boat. By extending this concept to include large jump-capable ships
which carry these nonjump capable warships from star to star, the battle
rider concept is born.

The jump-capable ships. called tenders, carry several nonjump-capable
ships, called riders, or battle riders, into enemy star systems. The battle
riders detach and engage the enemy, and are recovered by the tender
following the battle. The drawback to the battle rider concept is the fact
that a losing battle rider force has a very hard time withdrawing, as
battle riders cannot simply jump out of the battle to a safe system. The
requirement to rejoin the large, non-maneuverable, and poorly defended
tender in order to escape creates a vulnerability that ensures that a
defeated battle rider force is usually annihilated, whereas a defeated
jump-capable force is usually much less severely mauled.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE
RCES HQ AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 24/XII/1201 KEYWORDS: COSMIC
FIRE, DROYNE, DAALIISA, RCES, INQUIRY

RCES Headquarters announced today that a full inquiry would be convened to
establish the particulars of the controversial Operation Cosmic Fire,
conducted on the planet Daaliisa three months ago. It has been claimed that
the operation was an unjustifiable use of Coalition military force, and by
attacking the neutral native Droyne population, unnecessarily poisoned
relations with the inhabitants of the world for the forseeable future.

Witnesses are scheduled to include Commodore Sean Lathrop, RCES Chief of
Operations, members of the RCES Long Range Planning Croup, Captain Cynta
Lawter and other crewmembers of RCS Aube, and Gabrielle Diabla, the
reporter who first brought the event to public attention.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/ORIFLAMME
BOURGUND SHIPYARDS ORIFLAMME (1235/0RIFLAMME, 8846857-9), 24/X11/1201
KEYWORDS: RESISTANCE, TERRORISM, ORIFLAMME, MAGGART

The resistance movement on Oriflamme continuer to escalate, today with an
apparent attempt to murder Technarch-Director Antonin Karlsruhe. Karlsruhe
is the feudal holder of Bourgund Shipyards, which has been held by the
Karlsruhe line since the Nemyer recovery began. At 0715 local time this
morning, a bomb destroyed Karlsruhe's office at the Bourgund headquarters,
injuring three Bourgund retainers. No one was killed by the blast, which
did an estimated Cr 500,000 damage. Karlsruhe was not scheduled to arrive
until 0830, so it is unknown if the the explosion was a mis-timed attempt
to kill the technarch or a simple attempt to cause property damage.

No group has claimed responsibility for this act, but investigations are
under way.

In a related story, anonymous threats have been reported against the life
of Coalition Secretary General Maggart who is scheduled to visit Oriflamme
in just over two months There is as yet no official confirmation of the
seriousness of these threats, nor the identity of those making them.

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  Some material on this page is from the Traveller game system and is used
     with permission. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future
 Enterprises. (R)1977-1996 Far Future Enterprises. Portions of this material
             are Copyright (c)1977-1997 Far Future Enterprises.

Coalition News Service (1202)

COALITION INFORMATION NETWORK

COALINFONET, CLASS NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: UNLTD, AUTHORITY BALDUR
COLONIAL OFFICE NANNAGRAD BALDUR (1032/ORIFLAMME, CAAA756-9), 05/1/1202
KEYWORDS: COLONY, BALDUR, ORIFLAMME, POYZEN

The recently founded Baldur Colonial Office today announced the departure
of its first colony mission to the uninhahited world of Poyzen (1736/50
Skire X-787000-0). The colony, co-sponsored by Orlflamme, is intended to
provide an additional source of raw materials for Baldur, and to expand
trade and development along the so-called "Back Face of the Coalition.

The colony is the first of what is expected to be a series of similar
projects run directly by Baldur without Reformation Coalitiorn oversight.
Dimitri Rostov, Senior Manager of the Colonial Office, takes great pains to
explain that this is not a challenge to Coalition authority, but rather a
recognition of the importance of such missions and the need for Baldur to
establish itself as a strong partner within the RC,rather than a weak
member, too dependent upon other worlds.

Said Rostov, "We can't wait for Assembly consensus. Our future is too
important to wait for some argumentative body to pencil us onto a schedule.
Also, we are tired of being the 'sick man' of the backside. Baldur is more
dependent upon technology imports than any other world of the Coalition,
and we are eager to pull our own weight and offer something back to the
Coalition. And if that gives us a stronger voice in the Assembly, so be
it."

The Baldur Colonial Office has an unusual feature: one of its senior
managers is an Oriflammen, Stefan Burg, present to coordinate the
Oriflammen contributions to the colonial projects. The Oriflammen
cooperation with the venture stems from the fact that Baldur has no
open-air agricultural population, and the farmers needed for any successful
colonial venture must come from elsewhere. This contribution is being
coordinated by the Oriflamme Bureau of Relocation. Burg appeared with
Rostov in the joint announcement and proclaimed Oriflamme's support of the
Balduri initiative.

"Because the Coalition is currently committed to the coreward strategy as
seen in the Title II mandate of official areas of operation, attempts to
consolidate areas outside the AO, particularly along the trailing frontier,
must be taken on by individual worlds. As the largest human population in
theCoalition, Oriflamme is more than capable of taking on these duties
herself without cutting back on her commitments to joint RC operations. No
other world is able to say this, and we are proud to step forward and take
responsibility."

Poyzen, the colony site, is unusual in planetological terms, in that it
originally had an atmosphere classified as tainted, due to volcanic
pollutants in its atmosphere. However, the world's volcanism has passed
into a dormant phase, and the planet's atmosphere has cleaned itself up to
the point where it is no longer rated as tainted. The world is thought to
be uninhabited, having only been the site of a LastImperium scout base
destroyed in the Collapse.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY RCSA PAO RCSA
COMPOUND, VRASSTADT, AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 12/1/1202 KEYWORDS:
BOOTSTRAP, S0 SKIRE, RCSA, RCES, SHIP BILL

The Reformation Coalition Services Administration today announced the
establishment of a new bootstrap project in the So Skire subsector, on the
trailing face of the Coalition. This bootstrap operation is unusual in that
it is being backed by joint RC resources, but is outside of the Primary
Area of Operations mandated for such joint operations.

The target world for the operation is So Skire (1732/So Skire X-667843-1),
a cold world whose inhabitants live in several island chains along the
world's equatorial belt. One of these island nations was determined by an
earlier survey operation to be amenable to off-world contact, and will be
the center of focus of the upcoming bootstrap operation.

Bootstrap operations, unlike the more colorful "smash and grab" operations
conducted by the RCES, are long-term projects intended to incorporate
low-tech worlds and nations into the Coalition by gradually winning their
loyalty via technical, medical, military, and social assistance. Because
these operations are essentially intensive confidence-building projects,
they are often referred to as "hearts and minds" operations within the RC
bureaucracy. Bootstrap operations come under the purview of the RC Services
Agency, which serves as the supervising body for the assembly of personnel,
equipment, and support, but the bootstrap teams are naturally staffed by
representatives of many RC organizations, including the RCES and RC Marine
Corps. The coordinating officer for the So Skire operation, for example, is
]erszy Kaminski, seconded from RCES for this mission.

Until this announcement, it had been understood that RC bootstrap policy
was governed by Title II, the Assembly measure that codified the Primary
Area of Operations in the wake of the coreward-consolidation debate. Title
II mandates the confinement of joint RC-funded expansion operations to the
AO, which does not extend to the trailing subsectors, in which So Skire is
located. Inside sources report that this non-AO operation is a quid pro quo
offered to the Orifiamme delegation to unblock the stalled Ship Bill
legislation, which was finally passed last month. The Ship Bill provides
funding to the RC to allow the purchase of new Aurora-class clippers under
construction in the orbitaI yards of Aubaine. Had the RC been unable to
come up with funds to purchase these vessels, it was understood that their
options would be picked up by Orlflamme to equip its planetary navy. The
RCN and RCES strongly opposed the diversion of these important vessels from
RC service, and RCN and RCES positions are usually strongly supported by
the Assembl)/s federalist voting block. However, on this issue, the
federalist block was split because many federalist delegates fear that the
measure will only further centralize power in RC hands, to which
federalists are opposed.

As if to underscore the urgency of resolving the Ship Bill controversy, the
bootstrap team will be transported by RCS Immanuel Kant, newest of the RCN
clippers, whose recent completion vacated one of the building slips which
was promptly used to begin construction of another clipper.

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COALINFONET EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH COALITION SECRETARY GENERAL LON E.
MAGGART

A dozen years ego, Lon E. Moggart burst upon the scene of reconstruction
government with his characteristic vigor; Leaving his mark upon Aubani
planetory defense, power distribution, and human-Scholli relations, among
other areas. As a member( the first Coalition Assembly, he was elected its
Secretary Ceneral by a wide margin, and has spent the 15 months since the
defining the office, often colliding with the intended formal definition of
his duties.

Spending time with "the SG" as he is called by his staff is a vivid
experience, and is more akin to spending time with a natural force than
with an ordinary man. Maggart is almost constantly in motion, whether
springing to a pile of reports to extract a significant document, hoisting
his boots up onto the edge of a table to tip himself back in his chair, or
grabbing on unusual large mug of coffee, slurping a mouthful of the
scalding liquid, and then slamming the mug back down to slosh its contents
onto the table. His informality is at once charming and disorienting, as
one is not always sure how to behave around such a dynamic figure. At the
some time, one is unaccustomed to finding that such an activefigure is also
keenly intelligen thoughtful, and quite well-read. However, the SG is
friendly and open, and one is rapidly drawn into the whirlwind arena of
this active leader who does not have enough hours in a day.

CIN is proud to present excerpts from this exclusive series of interviews
with the Secretary General.

IN: Your central message as Secretary General seems to be the importance of
uncity. But your leading opponents in the Centrist movement condemn your
policies and then themselves call for unity. What is going on here?

SG: What you have to understand is that a lot of people are fighting over
this concept of unity. Federalist unity, coordinated centrist unity, racial
unity, economic unity. I don't care about all of that stuff.

I'm trying to awaken people to a different kind of unity. We're already in
this together, the whole Coalition, because we can still become like all
those dead planets out there if we don't keep our noses clean. Unity is not
a concept to argue over, it's a reality to accept, and then move on from
there.

I'm continuously surprised at how quick people are to split themselves into
little groups as soon as they get their backs about a centimeter away from
the wall, and I'm trying to get people to come to grips with the fact that
we have no Ieeway to act like that. I want people to recognize the
importance of this situation, and start coming up with some answers about
how we're going to keep this crap from happening again. I'm just looking
for an intellectual response here. Any intellectual response.

CIN:And what kind of response have you been getting back?

SG: Spotty.

CIN: What of the reports that have been circulating that there will be
attempts against your life on your upcoming Gemini tour of Oriflamme?

SG: I try hard not to worry about stuff that I can't control. When I visit
Oriflamme I will be making a lot of public appearances, so there are a lot
of places where I could be vulnerable. But my job is not to protect myself,
my job is to lead this Coalition, and to communicate some important
messages to our people. Oriflamme is one of the crucial members of this
organization, and deserves my undivided attention. So I am working on what
I can control: preparing to communicate and listen to the people of
Oriflamme, and not on what I can't control: making sure I stay alive. Now
the chief of my security staff should be losing a lot of sleep, because it
is his job to make sure that I don't get shot.

CIN: These death threats could come from Oriflammen separatists, hard-core
Centrists, feudalists, right-wing humanists, antisubinfeudationists, or
even from the Oriflammen resistance in order to discredit their government.
Who do you believe that it is behind these threats?

SG: I don't care.

CIN: But surely you--

SG: I said I don't care, and I mean I don't care. And I'II tell you why. I
know that those threats don't come from the people of Oriflamme. If the
threats are real, they come from fringe elements who do not represent the
people of Oriflamme, and I want to make it clear to you in the media, and
to every Coalition citizen that these threats do not reflect on the people
of Oriflamme, and I will not stand for any implication that they do. Do I
make myself clear!

CIN: Eminently, Mr. Secretary

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE RC
NAVY HEADQUARTERS, AURORA (0535/AUBAINE, B576646-B), 8/11/1202 KEYWORDS:
RCN, SHENK, STARFARING ORGANIZATIONS

Unofficial RCN sources confirm rumors that there is a starfaring
organization operating somewhere in the Shenk subsector, immediately to
coreward of the Oriflamme subsector. Indications are that this organization
is a human government rather than a vampire fleet, although such
assessmentsare only tentative.

Details of the size or extent of operations of this group are not
available, but it is known that they operate in the Shenk Rimward Main, and
have been observed to operate starships in the 30,000 displacement ton
range, significantly larger than any starships apemted by the Reformabon
Coalition. The operations that have been observed are not consistent with
either Free Trader or Mercantile Guild activities as these new activities
are much more extensive.

It is not known at this time whether or not this organization presents a
threat to the Coalition, although the characteristics of their shipping
indicate that the potential is there.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: ENT/GEN, AUTHORITY
CIN/AUBAINE BRUSMAN CULTURAL CENTER, BRUSMAN, AUBAINE (0738/AUBAINE,
A78A884-C), 19/11/1202 KEYWORDS: ART, CATS (FELIS FAMILIARIS),
INTER-SPECIES MORPHIC RESONANCE

Today saw the long-awaited opening of the exhibition "Why Cats Paint: A
theory of feline aesthetics" in the newly renovated Bridget Wing of the
Brusman Cultural Center.

"Why Cats Paint' is a lavish celebration of the largely unappreciated
aesthetic sensibilities of cats, and is described by its organizers as also
functioning as an experiment in inter-species morphic resonance and
formative causation.

In addition to paintings by acknowledged masters Tiger, Bootsie, Misty, Lu
Lu and Wong Wong, the exhibition features works of sculpture and cat
performance art, the first of its kind to see public exhibition. The
centerpiece of the show is the magnificent Breakfast, commissioned
specifically for this show from Tiger, leader of the spontaneous
reductionist school.

Show organizers Heather Bush and Burton Sliver were on hand for the gala
reception, along with two of the featured artists, duo painters Lu Lu and
Wong Wong.

'Why Cats Paint: A theory of feline aesthetics" will remain open in the
Brusman Cultural Center's Bridget Wing through the end of Capricorn.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CDORE S.
LATHROP RCS THUNDERCHILD, IN ORBIT, MARAX (0726/THOEZENNT, D57366D-6),
22/11/1202 KEYWORDS: MARAX, DLS HORUS, RESGUE MISSION, DECAPITATION STRIKE,
RCMC

A combined Reformation Coalition force under the command of Commodore Sean
"Hammer'' Lathrop has chalked up another conspicuous success here on Marax,
rescuing the 12 imprisoned crew of the Dawn League trader DLS Horus, held
in captivity for more than a year by TED Ushugaam II. Horus was one of the
original 12 ill-fated 'Trading scouts" dispatched in 1199 on exploration
missions from which none of them would return. Horus was declared overdue
on 3/XIV1199.

RC intelligence services received infonnation from unspecified sources that
the Horus crew, under Captain Julianne Einhatta, were being held by
Ushugaam's forces in an underground stronghold in the "Cleft Bagvoot," a
system of rift valleys in the high desert of Marax. The stronghold is the
preCollapse headquarters of the Marax planetary defense system, and was
heavily defended by batteries of TL10 planetary defense missiles. Due to
the deep subterranean location of the Cleft Bagvoot stronghold, it could
not be attacked directly from orbit, but could only be assaulted by troops
on the ground in the valley itself.

This required a daring assault spearheaded by drop troops who neutralized
the missile batteries, paving the way for the landing of heavy
reinforcements from orbit. The force included units from the Reformation
Coalition Navy, Reformation Coalition Marine Corps, Oriflammen Marine
Corps, Nimban Army, plus Freelancers and volunteers from Baldur, organized
as Task Force Strike Marax.

The task force consisted of three companies of troops plus an engineer
platoon and RCN orbital support commanded from task force flagship
Thunderchild, Captain Pat Ritter commanding.

The RC forces were faced by elements of three battalions of Marax troops,
equipped to tech level 9 or 10. The initial RC lodgement was seriously
threatened by the arrival of relic heavy armored vehicles of the
"Abomination" design. These fission powered behemoths were impervious to
the drop troops' weaponry, and had eventually to be destroyed by orbital
missile fire. The attack was ultimately successful, resulting in the
clearing of the stronghold and the rescue of all 12 Horus crewmembers. The
TED Ushugaam is also believed to have been killed in the action.

The commanding officer of the System Naval Forces (COSYSNAVFOR) Captain Pat
"Who Me?" Ritter, described it as, "a textbook operation. It's right there
in the first chapter, under 'Goat Rodeos: How to Organize Them for Fun and
Profit.""

With the recovery of Horus' crew, nine of the 12 Dawn League traders are
now thought to be accounted for. The fates of traders Damerlicht, Dawn and
Reine Soleil are still unknown.

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RCN MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: PUBINFO, DISTRIBUTION: UNLTD, AUTHORITY COMMANDER,
RCN RC NAVY HEADQUARTERS, AURORA (0535/AUBAINE, 8576646-8), 25/11/1202
KEYWORDS: RCN, SHENK, STARFARING ORGANIZATIONS, MISSING SHIP

The Commander, Reformation Coalition Navy regrets to announce that the
Reformation Coalition Ship Marathon Victrix (TAILNO 10050) is missing and
presumed lost in routine operations in the Shenk subsector. Marathon
Victrix is a sloop of the Victrix class, displacing 400 tons and carrying a
crew of 26. She was completed at Trybec and was employed primarily in
frontier patrol duties.

The navy is unable to confirm or deny whether the loss has any connection
with the speculated existence of a foreign starfaring power operating in
the Shenk subsector, but is undertaking an inquiry to establish the cause
of the ship's disappearance. RCN and RCES vessels operating in the
subsector have been ordered to operate at a higher level of vigilance for
the duration of this inquiry.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AURORA
CIN OFFICES, AURORA (0535/AUBAINE, 8576646-8), 25/11/1202 KEYWORDS: RCN,
SHENK, MISSING SHIP, SHIP DEPLOYMENTS

RCN forces are operating at a high level of readiness following the
announcement earlier this afternoon of the loss of RCS Marathon Victrix in
the Shenk subsector. All leaves have been cancelled for RCN ships in the
Aurora system, and it is expected that all naval vessels present will put
to space while they are fully crewed.

Expected to depart are the sloops Coral Sea Victrix, Riggins Victrix,
Kelley Victrix, and the clippers Aurora and Apollo. Their destination is
presumed to be the Shenk Rimward Main, via Eos, Ra and Fisher's World.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

RCN MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: PUBINFO, DISTRIBUTION: UNLTD, AUTHORITY COMMANDER,
RANAVACT RA NAVAL ACTIVITIES OFFICES, RA (0931/ORIFLAMME, E68659A-6),
8/III/1202 KEYWORDS: RCN, SHENK, STARFARING ORGANIZATIONS, MISSING SHIP,
SOLEE

The following message was delivered to RCN forces operating in the Shenk
subsector:
"In the name of the Empress Solee, the Christen Overtak, Her Brilliant
Majesty Gabriella Ramstatten, I, Amaraan Abas, The Voice of Solee, declare
to you Her most grave displeasure at your activities in the territory of
the Soleean Empire.
"The surviving crew of your starcraft Marathon Victorious are being held
for crimes against the interests of the Empress Solee, for which the
penalties are death. However, it is Her Brilliant Majesty's pleasure to
commute these sentences to life imprisonment at hard labor, pending the
payment of reparations by your Reformed Coalition.
"We expect the most rapid compliance with this generous offer."
The message has been forwarded to the highest levels of the RC government.
RCN throughout the Thoezennt, Shenk, Aubaine and Oriflamme subsectors are
being placed on the highest level of alert.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE "
RC NAVY HEADQUARTERS, AURORA (0535/AUBAINE, 8576646-8), 2/111/1202
KEYWORDS: COSMIC FIRE, DAALIISA, DROYNE, CYNTA LAWTER, VIRUS

Cynta "Sinner" Lawter, the youngest line captain in the Reformation
Coalition Navy, today resigned her commission amid growing controversy
surrounding the Daaliisa raid, code named Cosmic Fire. Lawter has come
under increasing criticism for her handling of recent operations by RCS
Aube into the Promise subsector. Charges by centrist Assembly
representatives that Lawter flagrantly disregarded the limits of the
Primary Area of Operation and exceeded her authority in planning and
executing raids had been dismissed by senior federalist members of the
Assembly. The recent disclosure of the violent and covert nature of the
raid on the Droyne of Daaliisa, however, has caused federalist support for
Lawter to crumble amid concern that the raid will alienate the Droyne both
on Daaliisa and elsewhere. Delicate diplomatic negotiations with Droyne
enclaves are reportedly in progress on several worlds.

Lawter has refused to comment publicly on the controversial raid, except to
say, "This is not about the Droyne; it is about Virus, and it's not going
to just go away."

COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/ORIFLAMME
DEVILS THRONE, ORIFLAMME (1235/ORIFLAMME, 8846857-9), 8/111/1202 KEYWORDS:
ORIFLAMME, MAGGART, COALITION POLITICS, TERRORISM, RCMC, ORIFLAMME MARINE
CORPS

Bare-chested Secretary General Lon Maggart has completed his second day of
goodwill tours on Oriflamme, following two full days of closed-door
meetings with senior Oriflammen technarchs in Dobroye.Although experiencing
a chilly yesterday, these tours are fast becoming a public relations
spectacular. Each stop on the tour appears to be more enthusiastic than the
one before, thanks to the Coalition leader's disarmingly vulnerable
demeanor.

The first of yesterday's appearances, in and around the capital of Dobroye,
were subdued events. This was due in part to the pubic association of the
Aubani Secretary General with its major Coalition rival, but was mostly the
result of the heavy security evidence each of these events. Widesecurity
zones and phalanxes of local police, soldiers or Marines served to distance
the Secretary General from his audience. Clearly dissatisfied with these
arrangements and the effects they werecausing, Maggart departed from his
prepared remarks while attending a children's league sporting eventin a
Dobroye suburb.

"You can't tell from looking around here that I am your leader, can you, or
that you are the people I have promised to serve. It doesn't look like we
belong togethor at all." With this the Coalition Assembly leader stepped
from his podium and pushed his way through the security cordon into the
crowd, shaking hands and speaking with adults and children. When he
returned to the podium he began unbuttoning his ceremonial burgundy tunic,
explaining, "A boy in the rwod just asked me why everyone here is supposed
to be afraid of me, and that made me think. And I decided that maybe it's
because so many people tell me that I'm supposed to be afraid of you."
Removing his tunic, Maggart exposed a bullet-proof ballistic garment, which
he then removed, leaving himself exposed from the waist up. "Well, I guess
that's pretty stupid, because there is not point in my being here if that's
the only thing we have in common." Then the remarkably trim and muscular 47
year old official threw the protective garment into the crowd to the sound
of wild cheering and put his tunic back on.

In the remainder of his speeches yesterday, and all of his appearances
today, Magart laced his calls for unity and Coaltion common cause with
references to his actions of the previous day, often in response to calls
from or signs in the crowds gathered to greet him. Following his arrival at
one of the construction bays of the Bourgund Shipyards, struck by a
terrorist bomb just weeks ago, the assembledworkers remained on their feet,
cheering, drowning out the attempts to introduce the SG. Finally Maggart
stepped to the podium and drawled, "Well I guess by now you'll be wondering
what the old man looks like," then opened his tunic to show the crowd he
wore no armor.

Maggart capped off this fourth day of his vist to Oriflamme by observing a
live firepower demonstration by the Oriflamme Marine Corps and the
"Spearhead" Brigade RCMC, at Devil's Throne Training Range. Maggart who is
protected exclusively by Oriflammen Marines in the form of his Secretarial
Guard, watched while the 4th "Dagger" Battalion, RCMC staged a meteoric
assualt to seize a landing zone, defeated a simulated attack by grav tanks
from the 1st Oriflamme Marine Division, and held the perimeter until
reinforcing Intrepid grav tanks could be landed from orbit. Behind the
cover of the fusion spitting tanks, the Marines then simulated a breakout
from teh lodgment, to the approving applause of their Coalition
commander-in-chief. While flames still lapped at the edges of fusion
-blasted craters, Maggart and his party moved out onto the field to
congratulate the young Marines and thank them for their performance.
Members of the SG's official party refuse to comment officialy on his
daring behavior of the past two days and all are visibly tense during his
appearences. One remarked, "You could say he is crazy, or that he knows
what he's doing, I guess we'll know for sure in a few more days."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT DISTRIBUTION: PUSH, AUTHORITY CIN/AUBAINE RC
ES HQ AU BAl N E (0738/AUBAINE, A78A884-C), 21/1 1 1/1 202 KEYWORDS:
COVENANT OF SUFREN, DLS LADYELISE, MISSING SHIP, PROMISE, STARFARING
ORGANIZATIONS

The normally unflappable citizenry of Brusman were electrified by the twin
announcement of the recovery of the survivors of the Dawn League ship Lady
Elise and the opening of relations with the .Covenant of Sufren, a
previously unknown starfaring civilization

The announcement followed the successful return of a rescue mission
dispatched to the planet Promise in the Promise subsector. Although
returning personnel ware sequestered for debriefing, unofficial reports
described a nightmare world inhabited by Virus-infected advanced technology
robots.

The Covenant of Sufren is apparently a small group of inhabited worlds to
coreward of the Coalition, but with a governmental structure and social
outlook similar to our own. Senior assembly representatives have expressed
cautious optimism concerning the possibility of cooperation between the two
governments.

DLS Lady Elise was one of the first Dawn League warships outfitted to
discover the fate of the original 12 diplomatic vessels. The vessel
disappeared without a trace in 1200, and was long since thought to have
been a victim of Vampire activity. Initial reports seem to confirm that
theory.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intelligence Directive RCES HQ Aubaine 3/III/1201 Attention All Crews

RCES crews operating in Thoezennt Subsector are advised to be alert to any
weapons or technologies which can be linked to the Mercantile Guild, and
asociation of taders believed to be reponsible for distribution of
weaponary to objective worlds throughout the Area of Operations. Human
intelligence and concentration of low-tech weapons suggest thelocation of a
local manufacturing center in Thoezennt of adjacent regions.

Any intelligence relating to the specific location or locations should be
forwarded immediately to RCES HQ on Aubaine.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
RCES MIL TRAFFIC, CLASS: NOTICE TO STARFARERS, DISTRIBUTION: MANDTY,
AUTHORITY COMMANDER, RCES DAWN BASE (TRYBEC/0336/AUBAINE, B443610-A),
12/IV/1202
KEYWORDS: VIRUS, HAZARD TO TRAVEL, VAMPIRE

RC space forces have issued a Notice to Starfarers for the entire Khulam
Main, including all worlds connected by jump-1 routes from Montezuma
(2836/Khulam/Diaspora) to Khesanadu (2731/Khulam/Diaspora) star systems.
These systems appear to present an active Viral or vampire threat, and are
to be avoided until more information becomes available. Recent reports
indicate that at least two free traders have been lost in the Khulam Main
to vampire activity in the last three months, and one RCES multi-mission
scout was recently posted as past due and is now presumed to be lost.
RC space forces will attempt to evaluate and neutralize these threats.
Private exploration is not advised.
Exercise extreme caution when entering or passing near these systems, and
if possible, avoid passing through them at all. Even gas giant refueling is
considered to be hazardous in these systems.

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COALINFONET, CLASS: NEWSREPORT, DISTRIBUTION: REDFLASH, AUTHORITY CIN/NIKE
NIMBUS RE NAVY ADVANCED HEADQUARTERS, NIKE NIMBUS (0732/AUBAINE,
C447789-9), 18/IV/1202
KEYWORDS: NIKE NIMBUS, RCS EOS, VAMPIRE FLEET, VIRUS

After a protracted and costly battle in far planetary orbit, a large
vampire ship was damaged and today withdrew from the Nike Nimbus system.
The vampire vessel was believed to be a former Imperial destroyer of the
Midu Agashaan class. Some surface bombardment of Nike Nimbus was carried
out before the attack was broken off.
Coalition casualties were heavy in the operation. A combined squadron of
the RC Navy and Nimban Navy vessels engaged the vampire ship, and a number
of vessels were badly damaged. RCS Eos is known to have been lost with all
hands. Other ship losses, if any, are unknown at this time. RCS Eos, an
Aurora-class clipper, is the first Coalition major naval combatant to be
lost in combat.
The death toll on the ground has already topped 30,000, and many others are
still missing and feared dead, making this the worst disaster in the short
history of the Coalition and Dawn League.
Sources close to the regional naval staff report that the need to shift
fleet assets coreward and trailing in response to the growing threat from
the Soleean Empire has left the spinward frontier under-protected. The
losses suffered here today can only mean that fleet assets will be
stretched that much thinner.

  Some material on this page is from the Traveller game system and is used
     with permission. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future
 Enterprises. (R)1977-1996 Far Future Enterprises. Portions of this material
             are Copyright (c)1977-1997 Far Future Enterprises.