Librium - GP Archive: Planet Busters Annual

[Harry Krishna]

Grus Delicacies are All the Rage

Dateline Samboanga Six,
This is Twice Daley reporting to you from Creonti HQ where the latest food fad sweeping the galaxy are the overwhelming desire for Grus Salty Space Nuts. This delicacy is a high-demand trade item causing a heated rivalry between members of The Hollow Consortium, The Crusaders International Trading Conglomerate, and The Black Hand Fine Foods faction who seem to all be squabbling over the rights to get these gastrionic goodies to market.

The food is a supposed aphrodesiac, although many scientists indicate that the only result that may result from over consumption of these wares would be an increased hirsute quality over ones body parts.

Despite that potential threat, these goodies are essentially good to go, as they complement fine wines and heady ales brewed throughout the galaxy. As those in the know say, get them while they are hot!



Insurance Rates on the Rise

Dateline Salzik HQ: Today, the Insurance Adjustment Boards changed the ratings on two alliances today citing the high pod rates seen by their members. The alliances in question were not named, but each are well known in the spacing community.

When Crusaders Lieutenant Gunslinger was asked his feelings about the rate hike, he responded by saying..... "Oh like it's our fault that our ship, my ship your ship, anyone's ship was shot out from under them! Why don't they raise the rates of the guys doing the shooting huh?" When he was informed that his alliance was also just as guilty of sending many an honest trader (and a few dishonest ones too) on their "last trip to podville", said representative responded with, and I quote, "Byte Me".

Regardless of who is shooting who, the cost of maintaining and running a ship is apparently on the rise, and this is not good news to consumers, who will ultimately bear the brunt of the cost.

The is Twice Daley, reporting from Salzik HQ



Action Swirls Inside Virus Minefields

Several top alliances have been conducting combat operations against the heavily mined Virus sectors in the Doriath Galaxy. A number of clearing operations were reported in warp sectors 2484 and 2616. Initial reports indicated that while feeling pressure by the frequency of the operations, Virus was able to refill the fields as they were destroyed. Other targets included Virus’s strangle hold of the Combat Accessories shop in 1669 and the extensive scout fields laid by deadly hunter =P and his bunch of fearsome space marauders.

Attacking ships have been reported destroyed by forces or to the ever-present Virus hunters. Ardbeg from Crusaders was destroyed by the forces present in 2484 while earlier in the week reports of a repeat attacked being destroyed were found to be true. Pilot $oUleATeR from no formal alliance was destroyed six times in a number of sectors in Doriath. Although the veteran pilot was not available for public comment there are rumours circulating that a number of major alliances are funding his attacks including LOTP and possibly LB. LB are known to use clearers to attack forces and were recently found to be employing $2 Sucky Sucky to clear Crusader’s forces in Omar and Miradojan. It remains to be seen if LB can fund a war against two of the most powerful alliances in the game.

Back around Doriath the hunters of Virus regularly fell on pilots engaged in operations or those re-arming after staying in the West Quadrant or Thevian galaxies. Kenjutsu was destroyed twice by Happy Happy Half Elf in the space of under twenty minutes. In a damaging turn of affairs however Half Elf was later destroyed by two Crusaders pilots, Masterblaster and Yukie Nakama who were engaged in an operation to clear the 2484 warp. Using the excuse that his scanner was broken Half Elf said “F***************** You were suppose yo be alone” before retiring to the nearest port for ship exchange and upgrades. When asked what he would do to avenge the defeat he replied “next time we will blow up your galaxy, it will make the job easier.”

While the battle against Virus’s forces rage on, and other alliances join the push, political analysts are watching the situation with interest. Most say that any well-trained, well-supplied alliance like Virus could withstand the aggressions of any single alliance, but there is some controversy of what might occur if more than two alliances combined their efforts against the superpower alliance.



Rebellious Rebellion Members Raid Ports

Nijarin citizens are both hailing and cursing members of The Rebellion. Members of The Rebellion rebelled on both WQ Human space ports and Nijarin space ports in a low level port raid attack day.

One Rebellion member reportedly went on a port takeover spree in WQ space after imbibing a few too many cold moldswamp liquor shots at a bar and grill close to the WQ space warp. According to sources he was so intoxicated that he was claiming that he would "take over WQ space for the Nijarin!" Many pilots gawfed at this but after three ports have fallen to the rogue pilot perhaps he speaks the truth! Three ports by a single pilot in a single solar day and from reports all of the ports were claimed for the Nijarin race. Nijarin port authorities are disgruntled at the extra workload they are having to endure to keep the ports open to Nijarin traders while in a war zone and many of the Nijarin people question the validity of these ports as viable trading areas for Nijarin traders.

Apparently this was not the only Rebellion member active in port raids. Reports are coming in about other Rebellion members raiding ports in Nijarin and Ik'Thorne space as well!

Seven port owners in Nijarin space have complained that The Rebellion went on a Nijarin port raid spree attacking seven or eight different ports in Nijarin space. The Rebellion member has not been identified yet, but witnesses saw a Fury bearing The Rebellion colors leaving the area that was loaded to the hilt with weaponry.

Meanwhile, there is a conflict between news reports and the talk among Ik'Thorne port owners in two nearby ports. According to the news a Rebellion member fired upon these ports but Ik'Thorne authorities say there were no attacks made on any Ik'Thorne ports by the Rebellion. Is it a coverup by the Ik'Thorne authorities or did the pilot just not do enough damage to these ports to actually make any news-worthy notes? Spokespersons for The Rebellion have refused to comment so far on the issue.



Virus Attacks Legitimate Businessmen Planets

Federal authorities are reporting that the Virus alliance has made two successful raids on planets owned by the Legitimate Businessmen. The planets were located in the Apus galaxy and were both rated level 70.

The first attack marks the first known time in the Librium universe that a level 70 has been busted. Virus casualties were heavy, and the high-powered laser turrets and combat drones on the planets did their worst. Eleven Virus ships were destroyed by the planet in the first attack, and some minor ship to ship battles were reported as well, as LB defenders and pilots from other alliances attempted to interfere. In the end, however, the steady efforts of the Virus fleet won out and the planet's defenses were destroyed.

The second attack took place several days later. Another level 70 planet was the target of Virus hostility, and the attacking fleet lost nine ships to the planet's accurate defenses. Once again a few LB pilots attempted to interfere with the attack and were picked off by the attackers. This time, when the planetary shields and drones were destroyed completely, a large Legitimate Businessmen fleet launched into orbit over the planet and engaged the Virus fleet in a pitched battle.

Casualties on both sides were reportedly high as each fleet did its best to destroy the other. When the shooting stopped and space debris floated clear of the area, the ragged remains of the Virus fleet emerged as the victors. By all accounts this was a stunning blow for LB to have two planets taken and an entire fleet lost. Political analysts are speculating on the effect this will have on the Legitimate Businessmen's operation as an alliance in the future.



Grus Galaxy Caught in 3-way Crossfire

Little has been said or heard from the alliance called The Black Hand. Quietly, they have snuck into the Top 10 and now sit near the #5 ranking in experience. They were content to sit on their planets in Grus and watch their AA grow.

Unfortunately for them, The Hollow led by Jester launched an attack against their homeworld. Two TBH defending ships were shot down by the 11 ship invading fleet and 3 more fell when The Hollow blasted through the planet defenses. Only hours after the Hollow's fleet left, another 8 man fleet from The Crew invaded Grus, crushing the other TBH Stronghold and podding 2 more defending ships.

As the three alliances vied for control over Grus, the Crusaders joined in the fray and brutalized the Black Hand's planet builders and raiders. Facing tough opposition from the combined alliances of The Crew and The Crusaders, The Black Hand retired to their traders.

For how long will they stay trading? And is vengeance on their minds? Only time (and the Galactic Post) will tell...



Alliances Team Up Against Virus

Members of three different alliances joined together to attack the Virus in their home territory of the Crux galaxy. The alliance, called Legitimate Crusaders, was made up of members from Crusaders, Legitimate Businessmen, and The Crew. Witnesses in the area say there were 19 ships in the LC fleet when it entered the warp sector between Teryllia and Crux. All were heavily armed and according to one semi-interested observer, "looking for trouble."

The Legitimate Crusaders, led by OP leader Sterling, then cleared a path thru Crux minefields to a Virus planet in sector... There the attacking fleet made quick work of the planet's level 28 defenses. In the midst of the bust, there was some ship-to-ship combat around the UNO in which several LC ships were lost to the guns of both Virus defenders and opportunistic pilots from other alliances. Eye-witnesses saw at least 17 Virus defenders in the same sector at one point and were expecting to see a good old-fashioned fleet fight.

But the two fleets did not engage in full scale battle. As the LC fleet moved out from the shattered world and thru the warp back to Teryllia, Virus defenders seemed to avoid them. Finally when the LC fleet was disbanding, the Virus ships appeared suddenly and picked off a few of the scattered pilots who had gotten separated from the rest.

This was the first major attack on Virus territory in recent memory, and certainly since the rise of the Virus mined-and-operated Doriath Mine Fields. Old-timers may remember the attacks on Virus by The Hollow long ago, which was the last time such organized efforts of attack against Virus have been seen.



Outer Galaxies in Crusaders Hands

Reports coming in from Omar, Mirardojan, and Grus now indicate that Crusaders have gained dominance in the area, winning their battles with The Hollow, The Black Hand, and other alliances that were vying for territory. Sources say that Crusaders construction crews have been busy as well, and the alliance is in possession of a large number of level 60-70 planets.

But local barflies are whispering that Virus may be making threats against Crusaders. So once again the residents of Omar, Mirardojan & Grus are battening down the hatches and preparing for more raging battle around their worlds.


Salzik Fireworks Display Ruins Fishing Trip

Khan and Jedi cast their worms, attached to hooks and strings into the local Salzik pond and wait... Pretty soon... A sonic boom is heard... Jedi looks at his handy News Screen and says: "Hey, man, check this out!!
As the News Screen begins:
BLAH BLAH BLAH... Today there will be a local fireworks display brought to the Salzik community courtesy of Untouchablez and Crusaders... BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Khan breaks out his intergalactic telescope and checks out the skyline for these fireworks... not seeing any fireworks being displayed in the local regions he sets his telescope to Intergalactic and in the viewscreen pops up a nice little shipfight complete with fireworks!

"OOOOOoooo... AHHHHhhhh" They exclaim as the pretty colours light up the screen...About which time their fishing strings got tugged into the local pond that they were fishing at...

But before they realized that their fishing strings were missing, another set of bottle-rockets shot by on the view screen. One of the bottle-rockets shot past on the viewscreen so quick they thought it was a small comet. So they debated whether or not it was a comet for a while, and soon there was a brief rain shower.

Realizing that they were forgetting that they were fishing the two looked for their fishing strings to find that an escape pod had crashlanded in their fishing pond. Upset at the loss of all the fishies, the two packed up their lunchpails and called in the federal authorities to come and extract the pod from the mud which used to be their fishing pond.

We'd just like to say "Thanks so much for ruining our fishing trip!"