




Following the news that there is a chance that the asteroid shield can be fixed we have started to rebuild the town.
From The Blackburne Observer, by Amyla Wakowski-Swindlehurst:
For the second time in barely one week, the settlement on Hale's Moon was attacked by Alliance forces yesterday. Blackburnians Nack Barnes and Lorie Lilliehook responded to the distress call, aiding defense of the settlement. Despite suffering a broken leg in last week's assault, Mr. Barnes participated wholeheartedly in repelling the Alliance attackers. Upon returning to Blackburne, Mr. Barnes shared video and captures with The Observer from the day's harrowing events.
The video Mr. Barnes brought back with him contains the dying words of an Alliance pilot. Two key terms can be discerned: "Scharnebeck" and "Commodore." Could this be Commodore Geoffry Miles of the I.A.V. Scharnebeck? From our own archives, 18 March this year:
The Alliance Fleet reports the free trader Chakra, an old YU-18 class transport, was recently found adrift less than a light-year from Blackburne. Commodore Geoffry Miles, I.A.V. Scharnebeck, commented, "We were having problems with pirates robbing small vessels earlier, but not in this bloody way."At the time of that report, Hale's Moon was targeted as a likely hideout for pirates. Could this be the Alliance's excuse for the recent brutal assaults on the settlement? Regardless of excuse, such brutality is worrying to any Independent-minded Rim settlement—including ours. "This action of late on Hale's and other problems, well, I've seen this sort of thing before. In the run up to the Unification War," Mr. Barnes cautions.
As the Governor of Persephone announces renewed enforcement of the Alliance blockade against Blackburne Moon, the residents of Blackburne Downport continue to deal with the day-to-day tasks of living on this tiny, radioactive moon—earning livings, raising families, looking out for one another, protecting the town from Reavers and feral mutants from the Wastes.
"It's a waste of energy and time for them, always has been. That's why they just up and left after nuking hell out of us in the war," says Nack Barnes, the de-facto leader of Blackburne Downport. "Ain't nothing left here but us that survived and those who the Alliance don't want anyway. No matter how we think about it, about our home here, it ain't worth a rusty piss bucket to the Alliance."
Why, then, would the Persephone decide to reinstate the blockade now? Governor Woodhen was unavailable for comment at press time. According to a press release, Governor Woodhen said, "Blackburne has to realized that the war is over. If [they] continue to back a lost cause, we as a loyal Alliance member have no choice but to enforce the blockade that has been long ignored."
The release goes on to note that "[the] move is part of a wider move to enforce Alliance law throughout the sector. [The City of Downing] also began enforcing port inspections on all ships landing at the Eavesdown Docks outside the city.
Nack Barnes says, "I don't figure this blockade will stop anyone who's determined to get into or out of Blackburne," He pauses here, chuckling. "Since as a pilot I make a good bartender; yet I was able to get through." He gravely notes, "What it will do is make the more honest free traders avoid us for now, meaning we get to smuggle our own supplies or deal with the dregs of the free traders, little better than pirates. Main thing we're worried about is keeping supplies of meds. We've got a lot of Reaver problems here, and when it ain't Reavers it's zombie mutants or ferals."
And he's not exaggerating. Last week, a trio of female Reavers was killed after sending 6 members of the Blackburne Milita to the medical pavilion. And just three days later, what has become known as the Blackburne Massacre sent a total of 25 people to Blackburne's tiny, understaffed hospital.
"I did a foolhardy thing and followed one into the sewers," says Mr. Barnes, showing off the fresh lacerations he received for his troubles. "From now on, they get in the sewers, we're lettin' 'em go."
And so it goes at Blackburne Downport. People earn livings, raise families, look after one another—just like on the Core planets, but without the luxuries of medical supplies or food.
by Cholgosh Swindlehurst