GGG - Issue 15 - 211.5.1

Interview: Ike Krieger, former IMP Viceroy, now a GTT member
by Tess Olsen, exclusive for the GGG

At first it felt like it would be an awkward meeting. Mr. Ike Krieger greeted us without even standing up from his comfortable chair. But after a few moments the retired general of the Imperial Services, former IMP Patrol Commissioner, former IMP Viceroy, seemed to mellow out a bit and, with a new found smile, offered us a chair. Perhaps we were witnessing the first traces of his new civilian life sprouting out. Or perhaps it was just the effects of Mohache Cigar or the nondescript beverage he had in his hands.

GGG: Why did you decide to leave the IMP?

Krieger: I have spent my life in the Imperial Services. I fought in two wars against the combined forces of the rebels and the Detinus Republic and honestly thought that I would die some day with my boots on and a blaster in each hand, defending the Empire that I love. But then came the peace, my tenure as Viceroy and a feeling that I had done all that I could do for the Imperial Services and that from this point forward I would just be coasting. Yawn. Kriegers are not coasters. We need challenge and excitement, and with peace those can only be found in the corporate world, where incidentally I might make a few stellars as well.

GGG: How did Githyanki, rumored to be retiring, then rumored to be creating a splinter faction of the IMP, suddenly became the new Viceroy in what seems a big change of direction for the affiliation?

Krieger: It is no secret that Githyanki is favored by the Emperor. Anyone who thinks Emperor Lysander is a figurehead is in for a nasty surprise. As an Imperial officer I took an oath to serve the Empire and die for that Empire if necessary. It seemed that if I retired it would be easier for all concerned and much less painful than dying.

GGG: Why did you choose to join the GTT?

Krieger: I am intensely loyal to the Empire. I have certain skills that the GTT are willing to pay me generously for. There were numerous offers to my resume, but I cannot change who and what I am and thus I am self-limited in what offers I could accept.

GGG: You used to have an interest in shipbuilding. Will the Krieger family continue in that line of business?

Krieger: For a general, I do have an intense interest in all things naval. I expect to design and produce multiple types of ships for the GTT and very likely for public sale.

GGG: Do you plan to have a political role in the GTT? Or will the former leader of the Imperial Services be content as just one of the hoi polloi?

Krieger: Ike Krieger is a team player. Rumours that I'll have James Strykers' seat at HQ are totally unfounded! Just another guy? That's for the PR people. In reality a Krieger's ego is too big to be that restrained. You won't print that last part, will you?

-o-

GGG Presents the Great Trade Race (TM)
by Cornelius Merryheart, exclusive for the GGG

As an incentive to free trade in the peripheries, we at the Great Galactic Gazette have decided to organize the first Great Trade Race (TM). It will be a friendly competition in which enterprising starcaptains will use one single cargo ship to buy and sell specific goods in a series of starbases across the galaxy, trying to be the first to complete the full circuit. Besides the profit to be made from the trade runs themselves, there will be a medal and a huge first prize in shiny stellars to be paid to the winner and also prizes for two runners-up. The full rules will be published at a later date.

At this point, we are accepting participants in three categories:

Competitors - Starcaptains can enter the competition with one single ship, of any configuration, capable of carrying 2,400 MUs of normal cargo. All flags (except PIR) are welcome. To be part of the Great Trade Race (TM), send a message to the GGG stating the ship name, registration number and specs (flag, class, number of hulls), as well as the name of the officer in charge.

Markets - Starbase governors are invited to participate by offering to buy and sell goods in packages of 2,400 MUs, with a minimum commitment of selling 24,000 MUs of one item and buying 24,000 MUs of another item. All flags (except PIR) are welcome, as long as the markets are accessible to anyone and the orbits are safe for anyone (except PIR). To be part of the Great Trade Race (TM), send a message to the GGG stating the starbase name, registration number and location, as well as a list of items and quantities you want to buy and sell.

Sponsors - There are four sponsorship quotas for sale, each with a value of 250,000 stellars. The total will cover the prizes and the administrative costs. All sponsors will receive advertisement space in the GGG and in all Great Trade Race (TM) communications. To be a sponsor of the Great Trade Race (TM), send a message to the GGG stating you name, affiliation, and the number of quotas you want to purchase. We will also consider the donation of items to be added as extra rewards for the participants.

-o-

GGG - Issue 14 - 211.4.1

Pirates Everywhere
by Ringo Baxter, exclusive for the GGG

Piracy has been a problem since the early days of space exploration. Starcaptains have learned how to deal with the occasional raiders and to accept their existence in the same way they tolerate stray asteroids or faulty equipment, just as inevitable annoyances of life in the peripheries. Today, however, the situation has changed considerably and piracy has escalated from a sporadic inconvenience to a real threat to our way of life. In the last few weeks, for example, we have seen pirate attacks in many systems of different peripheries, not all of them successful but quite a few resulting in the loss of ships and in major disruption of outposts and even starbases.

One big part of the problem is the change in the nature of piracy itself. Many of these pirate attacks are not the traditional opportunistic theft of a ship that was left lingering for too long in the same unprotected quadrant. Instead of trying to get some quick profit from stolen property, these ruffians aim to destroy assets and disrupt operations of legitimate affiliations. They destroy ships on sight, without any attempt of capture. They blast small outposts from orbit or take them for short periods and then leave quickly. There is obviously no direct profit in any of these attacks, so we are led to believe that their pirate flags are merely disguises: we are actually dealing with mercenaries hired by adversaries that don't want to show their faces or with covert operations conducted by these same cowardly opponents.

Space is vast and it's impossible to patrol every single quadrant everyday looking for pirates. That's their strength, the ability to hide away easily. It's not impossible, however, to apply stern measures against anyone who associates with pirates. That's their weakness, without sympathizers to hire them or to buy their stolen goods or to provide shelter piracy becomes an unprofitable business. A previous surge in piracy was successfully derailed when the affiliation that aided and abetted them saw itself under attack: the IMP-GTT-FET war against the RIP cost them a few vital starbases and a couple of system claims, resulting in the retirement of several pirates who now lacked the support to make their operations profitable. If some of those pirates are back in activity or if we have new pirates taking their places, that's because they have new sponsors. Target the sponsors, the pirates will go away again.

Sadly, affiliations known for their association with pirates are currently being forgiven or ignored. The KRL were caught running pirate ships in the Halo Periphery and as a result were attacked by the IMP, but one of the first things the new Viceroy did was not only to declare a state of ceasefire with the KRL but to reward them with the claim to the Storm System. The RCF have been caught working with pirate fleets in the Halo Periphery, but other than a small CNF operation against them there's apparently no real opposition to these rebels or to their supposed new partners, the RIP. And a recent wave of pirate attacks in the Inner Empire (with the GTT being the main victim with the loss of one major starbase and a whole fleet of starships) was repelled by only two thirds of the Triumvirate, the IMP and the CNF, while the other third, the DTR, didn't even bother to offer assistance.

If the current attitude towards piracy doesn't change the problem will only get worse. We need to stop blaming the victims as if they only lost their ships or outposts because they were not protecting them as they should. We need instead to start being more severe with pirate collaborators and more willing to confront piracy anywhere, even if it seems to be too far away from our comfortable homes. If you are not fighting against piracy, you are already helping the pirates.

-o-

IMP Still Leaking Members
by Cornelius Merryheart, exclusive for the GGG

After losing Grand Duke Ravenstone to the CNF, now the IMP see yet another member leaving the affiliation, none other than former Viceroy and former Patrol Commissioner Ike Krieger. A note from the IMP Capellan Times announced General Krieger's retirement without mentioning his next move, but observant eyes have already noticed that he is now wearing a GTT badge. Meanwhile, IMP Viceroy Githyanki is probably still convinced that the loss of a Grand Duke and the loss of a former Viceroy have no connection with his political skills.

-o-

GGG - Issue 13 - 211.2.1

RCF Get Some IND/PIR Help
by Cornelius Merryheart, exclusive for the GGG

Following a CNF attack against RCF assets in the Hitite System, an IND platform in orbit of Alalus, IND Shoot (36006), opened fire against outpost CNF Merry Harbour (43406). Initially it was thought that the offensive move could be part of the HBO measures against exclusion zones, but the IND platform seems to belong to the starbase IND Westfall by Farmwich (72324), which openly brags about not necessarily being aligned with their hosts the Halo Benevolent Oligarchy (HBO). A public message informs anyone entering orbit of Alalus about their thoughts: "This is the Free State of Alalus, we may have signed the charter, doesn't mean we like foreign laws." CNF General Carter informed us that the IND attack will not stop their effort against the RCF in the Halo Periphery: "This in no way prevents Operation Manassas from continuing - it just means that a change of tactics is required.

We also received a scan report from a ship visiting IND Westfall by Farmwich clearly showing seventeen pirate ships docked at their starport. Some of these same PIR ships have previously been spotted attacking harmless outposts throughout the Halo Periphery. We wonder how long the HBO, so keen on enforcing their laws, will tolerate this nest of pirates encrusted in their territory.

-o-

Soft Sentence for Demetrius Liquan
by Ringo Baxter, exclusive for the GGG

What should be the punishment for killing hundreds of IMP employees and destroying an IMP outpost on an asteroid (alongside with a few thousands MUs of Pulac and the asteroid itself)? Apparently, the Imperial Services believe that one year of imprisonment for the person who gave the orders (in this case, Demetrius Liquan, the HLQ second in command) is enough. According to the official announcement by IMP Viceroy Githyanki, a more fitting sentence has been waived due to "certain mitigations and interactions on his behalf by his father" and to "a return of more amicable relations between the Imperial Services and House Liquan in recent months". Curiously, there has been nothing but silence from IMP members who had previously been stating that war was the only possible answer to the attack or that a reimbursement of millions of stellars needed to be made to the victims.

Meanwhile, a confederate court has found IMP officer Zladmir Tomeshenko guilty of opening fire and destroying an HLQ ship in the Sol System, and condemned him to indentured servitude in the Thorlium mines of Masda. In a theatrical surprise, however, Baron LiQuan has stepped in to pay the convict's debt and to set him free. Apparently, officer Tomeshenko is now a guest of the HLQ in the Dolphinus System. It's unknown if the baron expects his gesture to soften even more the sentence passed on his son Demetrius Liquan, but he told us that his lawyers will soon study the trial transcripts to determine whether to raise an appeal or not.

-o-