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More news thats fit for you from cmdrsaman The conflict in Edinburgh has come to an end, and it has sent the Bretonian Stock Exchange into a frenzy, as investors are rushing to get rid of their Planetform stocks. Though it has long been known that the OSC will have to pull the Luxury Liner Shetland out of the system, nobody expected that Planetform would lose Perth station as well. This means that not only did the terraformation of Ayr come to a halt, but the project to introduce native Gaian flora and fauna to other terraformed planets is also over - which will probably set back those other projects for years, if not more. But how did all this happen? The conflict started when the Gaians, whose chief aim has long since been the annexation of planet Gaia, announced that they will begin all-out warfare against the OSC presence in the system. Few people took this seriously at first, but the Gaians posted a call for mercenaries soon afterward, with surprisingly large wages: their ranks soon swelled with people from all over Sirius who weren’t attracted by the eco-terrorist cause, but the amount of credits to be made. Since the BAF couldn’t and wouldn’t send a battle fleet to secure Edinburgh, OSC and Planetform also announced that they would be hiring mercenaries, for just as much. (Larger wages were deemed to be unprofitable by the stockholders’ board.) Fighting between the two sides soon began in earnest, with the Gaians launching regular attacks at Shetland. Their aim was to drive it away from orbit, since that would also mean the corporate facilities on the surface would have to be evacuated. The ferocity of the battles raging in the system surprised both sides, as neither expected the other to put up too much resistance. The fighting went on for days, and ended only a week later: though the Gaians had the upper hand by then, the corporate fleets could still hold the system longer... but at what cost? With the events in Europa proceeding as they had, it was clear that they couldn’t wait for the military to launch an attack against the eco-terrorists, and the fighting in Edinburgh impacted commercial traffic heavily, with over a hundred trader convoys having been captured or destroyed. The Shetland has also suffered minor damage: not enough to strand it in orbit, but enough to cause concern, as no repair ships could make it to the planet without getting intercepted by the Gaians. Having been faced with a conflict that had no end in sight, and cost the company billions of credits already, Orbital Spa and Cruises finally decided to call it quits, and pull out of Edinburgh. The executives of Planetform were very much upset by this decision, as it also meant that they would have to end their operations on Planet Gaia: they threatened to sue OSC over breach of contract if that were to happen. However, these threats did nothing to change their minds, though they did offer to transport the company personnel with the convoy that was to extract the Shetland from the system. Planetform refused this offer, and arrange their own transportation, hoping that the Gaians would focus their attacks on the liner leaving the system. As it turned out, this was a huge mistake: the mercenaries hired by the OSC refused to show up to defend Planetform interests, and the eco-terrorists opted to attack the last remaining corporate station in the system, instead of making a final assault on the Shetland. While the liner was headed for the Leeds jump gate, and the relative safety provided by the border station Aberdeen, the Gaians launched a decoy attack on the convoy, and attacked Perth station in force instead. The station’s personnel sended out distress calls to the OSC fleet in the system, but they (understandably) refused to respond to them, and the mercenary groups also stayed with the evacuating ships, simply because their company paid better. Faced with an overwhelming number of attackers, and hardly any defenders of their own aboard the station, the captain of the base had little choice but to surrender. This also provided the Gaians with several dozens of hostages, though they agreed to let most of them go, except the high-ranking Planetform executives. In a surprising move, they also let the two BPA officers who were stationed aboard Perth leave as well, citing that they wished the authorities no harm. (A rather puzzling statement, since the Gaians have repeatedly broken Bretonian law, and fought the authorities in space countless times.) Meanwhile, the Luxury Liner Shetland made it safely to planet Leeds, where it is now stationed in orbit and undergoing repairs. In an effort to get the required materials as soon as possible, OSC announced that deals will be open to unlicensed traders and freelancers as well: since the prices they’re paying are higher than the norm, freighters have started to flock to the area. However, just as they have threatened to do so, the legal representatives of Planetform Inc. have sued Orbital Spa and Cruises for breach of contract, failing to respond to distress calls (which claim will probably be dismissed in court fast, as the OSC convoy was under attack as well - by the decoy wing), willful endangerment of company resources, as well as numerous other charges. Though at first glance, it looked that the two corporations might manage to settle out of court, this hasn’t happened, and as the trials have begun, investors have rushed to sell off their Planetform stocks, as the company’s other operations are in serious jeopardy now. The terraformation of planet Harris is in danger of getting shut down as well, even though it’s claimed to be near completion: company officials fear that the Gaians will focus their attacks there now, and the sightings of several new Gaian ship prototypes have done little to allay their fears. However, experts say that the eco-terrorists might not have enough strength left to push their attack farther, and since the various mercenary groups have left after having finished their jobs (though a few have reportedly stayed on with them), they will probably concentrate on holding their new territory now. In the day since the attack, the Gaians have announced the formation of the “Protectorate of Gaia”, a new body dedicated to the preservation of the planet and its unique eco-system. It is unclear whether they think of this “protectorate” as an autonomous state, as no other factions have stated that they’d support it - though there are rumors that an alliance with the Mollys of Dublin is now a likely possibility. Regardless, the Gaians have also allowed scientists from Cambridge to continue research on the planet, though under their own supervision. The Cambridge University still hasn’t made an official statement regarding this: however, several professors have left for the planet, and a certain Mr. Graham was quoted saying that “the understanding and preservation of the treasure trove that is Gaia is more important than engaging in politics”. Though Planetform officials have been reported to be continously demanding the Bretonian Armed Forces to issue a statement regarding the developments in Edinburgh, Her Majesty’s Navy declined to comment on the situation at this time: the only thing that was confirmed was that a low-ranking officer said to the press that “settling the situation in Europa naturally takes priority”. As such, Edinburgh should now be considered dangerous for traffic, and civilians are recommended to stay away from the system, or stay in close proximity of Aberdeen if they absolutely have to travel there. However, smugglers have been sighted by the police officers in great numbers, as apparently there is plenty of money to be made: the Gaians are selling off captured equipment in exchange for supplies, and of course, arms. Whether the outcome of the conflict in Edinburgh will determine the fate of the system for years, or if the situation will change in the foreseeable future, remains an open question.