Volume 6

All the news that's fit to print, first!
From the Editor's Desk
Well, luckily I found a mutant Ska'ari girl willing to share her picture. It was an odd week for me, taking a trip to Lane to see what all the fuss was about. The only good thing about my trip was an abundance of Swarmlings and Medusa that I used to practice my combat skills on.



General News
On a very sad note this week, Cassandra Aegwynn took her own life. A memorial was held and pilots new and old, and from all walks of life celebrated her accomplishments. Cassandra was best know for her map of the universe. Which was pulled from all shelves shortly before she felt the need to end her life.
Duke cargo, the noted Mooninite supporter, changed the name of his SB House of Chaos to Aegwynn Point. A very nice tribute.
On another down note, nefarious Slave Traders have been showing up in the Class-D planet sectors universe wide. They pack some whalloping missiles as well it seems. Please be sure to welcome them to the Empire with some 140MW Particle Laser fire.
Siberion, a sector in the territory controlled by the Federation, recently became the home to an Imperial Starbase. Ghost Town is currently run by a young Imperial named The Enigma. Federation officers were unimpressed by that turn of events and had voiced objections to the very idea of an Empire starbase in Federation territory. This kicked off a chain of events that let to Economic Entropy, those traitors to the Empire, to begin to MO off Ghost Town. This brought responses from the Imperial Guard and various other pilots. A peaceful end eventually won out against all odds due to some help from Federation alliances and some cooler heads.


Pirate Activity
Northern Keldon appears to be having problems with nickpan. Teuton of the Mooninites was seen in Adaa causing a ruckus as well.

New Buildings and Demolitions
The ownership of Base Down Under, previously swonboy of the Federation, sold his base to Imperious Blackheart. Finally this base is back under Empire control, as it should be.


Alliance News
pharmacentricity and The Shadow Order came to a peace agreement. pharmacentricity appears to be settling it's old conflicts after the departure of several senior members.
A new Empire aligned alliance, the Blue Sun Corporation was formed, their literature appears to be based on honour and etiquette so it appears they will be an asset to the Empire.
Both the Imperial Paladins and The Shadow Order are recruiting. So if you love the Emperor, give these two large alliances a shot.



Interviews
This weeks interview was with Famous Pirate Doombringer. We sat down in a rough and tumble tavern in the Neutral Zone to warily discuss his past. He casts quite a tale, and didn't need much prompting.

DB > Ahoi!

MG > Hello. Thanks for the interview. I see you brought your beer?

DB > Of course. What would a pirate be without beer? Want some crackers?

MG > No thanks. So, how did you become a pirate? What made you turn to pillaging, looting and murdering?

DB > Ah..it a long story. Where shall I start? I was in the Empire for quite some time. A good citizen. A Count. Then I bought this beautiful ship which is standing outside. I was sparring a bit, gaining experience. I got bored. Then I changed alliance and faction. I was in POTWOR at the time.
So I changed to Federation and became a member of Federation Fighters.

MG > I remember that.

DB> My aim was a Gauntlet, or even a Doomstar. Then I ranked too...hmmm..what was it? I think Lt. Commander. I was quite fast with it. I already had a good ship and good skills so killing was no problem for me. Monsters and such of course.

MG > Of course.

DB > OK. I got really bored from ranking...I mean REALLY bored. I sparred a bit. I wanted to catch up with warbird and/or Gorath if possible.

MG > Lofty goals.

DB > Well you have to set goals. Then many people were leaving the Federation Fighters. Baart, Klaus. I thought, What to do next? I am bored of ranking, I don't want to do this any longer, so I went to Scorpion Guard. I thought...they have a thrilling life.
Yeah.. I was bored again after 2 weeks.

MG > Ah yes, the last stop before pirating for many

DB > Yes. Then I flew alone. I flew into Ruby Legion territory and I couldn't believe my eyes. So many pilots sitting in open space spawn camping.

MG> Edeneth?

DB > Yes.. Exactly. My new parrot (only some days old) convinced me to give them some warning shots. I miscalculated them...and they all died. Well after spamming the news I was not able to live as a "normal" citizen again.

MG > No I imagine not.

DB > Wanna have another (beer)?

MG > Sure

DB > Oh.. before that..when I joined Federation Fighters, I sold my SB. So I had quite some cash. Like ...I don't know 12 million creds or so

MG > Always nice for a pirate.

DB > I used a lot for beer and drugs. Ok, I tore down my buildings, left the Fed so I am unhackable

MG > As any good pirate would.

DB > Yeah, well sometimes it can be good to be in a faction, you can always log out there.
My close friend Tymon Tyco (now Klaus Stoertebaker) joined the Pirate alliance. I was flying for sometime on my own, then I finally joined the Pirate alliance. Then it was disbanded.

MG > How well did individual pirates work together?

DB > What do you mean? Those in the alliance, or not in the alliance?

MG > Well an alliance of cutthroats and thieves must be rough.

DB > It was not organized well. It is hard to be the alliance leader of a bunch of pirates. As long as I was in the Pirate alliance, nothing happened where the whole alliance was involved.

MG > Just a barroom I guess.

DB > Yes. Well we discussed possible targets, tactics....blablabla and what we will do before suiciding.

MG> How have you lasted as a pirate when so many suicide after a short time?

DB > Well, I was quite skilled in the combat skills, I had a very good ship, and I am not so stupid. I think... I simply had the better start. You can't just fly into space and become a pirate. No money, no weapons, no ship, no skills equals a lousy pirate. I mean, you can be a pirate at heart, but you have to work hard to be able to last the dry life of a pirate. As a pirate you don't have regular income. You get ambushed often, and don't have access to many areas and missions.

MG > We try (on the ambushes).

DB > harharhar. Want another beer, or some grogg?

MG > I think that's enough for me, if I want to get this all down.

DB > It's good beer. I just uhm..*bought* it at that brewery over there.

MG > I do have a paper to publish. So what is in the future for "Famous Pirate"?

DB > Oh.. Hard to say. We now have larger numbers and we have plans. But they are secret. The thing is that due to changes in the universe, most pirates are ranking, money making, or working on skills.

MG> The Empire put up MO's to block you and your kind, has it made pirating in Ska any harder?

DB> Yes, I have heard about it. Of course it does. There is still a way to get to Ska I believe from the Keldon space. But most of our members don't have a shiny reputation and can't log out in the Emp so it is very hard to get Ska. But as I have said. Most FP's are occupied with other things.

MG > Yes, just a long way to go and not trip any ambushes.

DB > I just wonder when FED will do something like that. It seems that Emp is far better organized.

MG > I agree. Although many Empire citizens are busy raising their combat skills as well. (As DB feeds his parrot a cracker). Does the parrot talk?

DB > Yeah, sometimes when he is high, or...well, maybe when I'm high...I don't know. But he is usually silent when strangers are around. Any other questions?

MG > No, that seems good. Anything you want to add in parting? Other than "warning shots"?

DB > Don't stay in open space!

MG > I almost never do. Tell Ace I said Hi! I'll leave first. Wouldn't want to walk into any ambushes.

DB > Don't turn your back on a captain!

And with that I backed out and was on my way

Next week we'll head back to Imperial territory.

Help Wanted
One cartoonist to satirize current events. Piecework, 50000 credits each. Apply by PM to MeanGuy.
One graphics designer. Must have excellent creative skills. Salaried, benefits. Pays 100000 credits/week. Inquire within.


And finally, that mutant Ska'ari girl I promised