Bargains with the Devil

It seems some of my fellow citizens in the Jubla Enterprise Corporation have unwisely sought to deal with the Dark Star Outlaws. While there is now law preventing them from doing so, yet, they still find themselves in trouble.

It seems they have sought to bargain with the Outlaws for rights to construct a mining ship in orbit around Saybluhn 8, a gas giant. The deal has turned against them in the final stages and the pirates have attacked.

I immediately contacted the Navy and asked them what assistance they were lending. They informed me that a nearby frigate, the Wrath of Farseth, was patrolling a nearby gas giant, Saybluhn 7. He informed me that a mining facility in that area had also come under attack from the Outlaws. They would need to deal with those pirates before coming to the assistance of the Saybluhn 8 facility.

The Wrath of Farseth was soon backed up by a large contingent of Navy vessels, all intent on protecting our interests in orbit of Saybluhn 7. The Fist of Kurana aided the Wrath of Farseth in attacking the Lamented Advocate.

Navy reinforcements arrive at Saybluhn 7.

The Navy (green triangles) engage the Lamented Advocate (grey triangle).

The other three Navy ships were directed to attack the pirate base. They arrived just as the mining stations shields were failing.

The Navy arriving on the left. The centre features the Smashing Bandit, a pirate frigate.

Much to my surprise the Navy reinforcements bypassed the mining station entirely and instead proceeded to attack the pirate station instead! I immediately contacted the Supreme admiral and informed him that he was to save the lives of the miners. It was not their fault their masters were fools for negotiating with pirates! He immediately acquiesced but there was a grudging tone.

At this time I noted that the Wrath of Farseth and the Fist of Kurana had the Lamentable Advocate in full route. A smaller pirate escort, the Final Moon, was reinforcing but I felt confident that two larger Navy frigates would be able to destroy it easily with the Advocate routed or destroyed.


I turned back to the battle at Saybluhn 8. Thing's were going badly. The mining facility was just barely hanging together and the two smaller Navy escorts were taking a pounding. I sent and override order that they retreat. Luckily, the combined fire on the Bandit had forced his commander to rethink his future. He was turning from the station.

It was a doomed affair, however. The station exploded, taking the lives of 53 personnel onboard with it. May Haak have mercy on their souls.

Once the escorts had disengaged from the station they could be ordered to turn and support the Mortun Guardian as it fought to avenge those murdered by the Smashing Bandit. Within moments the Bandit exploded. Justice was served, at the least. I ordered that the ships regroup at Saybluhn 7 before launching a final assault against the base.

I ordered that the escorts wait at Saybluhn 7 whilst their shield recharged. The frigates made the charge and hyperspaced into orbit around Saybluhn 8 and started their attack.


After a brief respite the escorts were ordered in to provide additional support. They did not arrive in time to contribute to the demise of the Dark Star Outlaws base of operations. Not a single vessel of the Haakon Bloc was lost due to the admirable command of those vessels by their captains. They well all receive commendations from my office.

The lose of the mining station is a tragedy but one that could have been prevented if the stations investors had not been so greedy. Doubtless another will soon be built, a far sounder plan now that the pirate station has been destroyed.

Now I must end my account of events. The press will want a statement.

Inaguration

I have spent much of my life waiting for this moment as has my family. Finally, a Urathesh has ascended to the rulership of the Haakon Bloc. I believe the Guild Observer had a rather fetching likeness of me in today's broadcast.

An excerpt from the Guild Observer.

This is a great time for our people but not one without cause for trepidation. This world we live on is not our home of old. Indeed, many thousands of years ago our ancestors were driven to this place. Their tales tell of "demons from the sky", a menace from the dark depths beyond the galactic border. But while many fear what we may find further out in the cosmos, I do not! I am Urathesh and we pride ourselves on our boldness! We will prosper in this galaxy as we prospered hundreds of years ago on the Agol peninsula, as we prospered decades ago on Haven and as we do so now, in the wider system.

A map of Haven and the surrounding space, including all spacecraft and orbital facilities.

The New Haakon system. Haven is marked as the large green hexagon and Hensein and the Ruutan mining facilities are the smaller green hexagons. The grey circles highlight planets in the New Haakon system.

A map of all the systems that the citizens of the Haakon Bloc inhabit. Haven is the only world populated by the Haakonish but we operate private mining facilities in the Saybluhn and Mindara systems.

We believed our darkest fears realized only a few years back when we encountered the vicious "Dark Star Outlaws", a group with a name to match their scruples. A hideous, alien race of insectoids they are little better than pirates. None can say how they managed to live so long in isolation. Some say they once had an advanced civilization of their own but have regressed to piracy just as we discovered them. Others say they have preyed on other peoples as yet unknown to us further in the stars. Certainly the "bugs" do not offer an information on this front.

One of the hideous insectoids from the Dark Star Outlaws.

These pirates will need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Preparations for just such an action are underway with the First Fleet. I know they will do us proud.

We live in interesting times. I feel that this is the dawning of a new age for my people. I hope I lead them well.