I just heard that the 6th Confederation fleet was lost around Midgard.
Gone! The Kilrathi must've destroyed them so fast they couldn't even get a message off!
An entire fleet, lost! I'm afraid it's only a matter of time ...
Drink up, friend. While you still can.

Friend, you look like a hard man...
The Kind who looks for dirty work.
But $BN is just an agricultural base.  We're farmers...
not pirates to hire cut throats and thugs.
Please don't make any trouble here.

I hear the Kilrathi are giving the Confed fits.
Our boys are spread too thin to protect the outlying colonies.
The result being plaque and famine for those trapped in the crossfire.

The Confed has asked $BN to up our production of food.
It's good for business, but no one here likes profiting from the hardship of others.
Anyway, there may be some cargo runs available for you, if you're interested.

Have you heard the bad news?
No on has been able to establish contact with Palan.
It's like the whole planet has just ... disappeared.
Hell, I got family there...I...had family there.
I think I need a drink.

Overall, it's been a good year for $BN.
We've had record crop yields across the board.
We think it has something to do with the lessened solar flare activity this year.
But what does it matter? We're making like pirates here for a change.

New to $BN? Good. We could use some more flyboys hauling cargo around here.
There's been a shift in demand from the usual metals to radioactive ore.
Haven't seen anything like it. With the invention of particle weapons
radioactive ores became less and less valuable.
I guess the Confed must be experimenting on some new weapon, huh?
Well the way the war is going, looks like they'll need it.

Just flew in, did you? Let me ask you a question.
Did you notice the increased militia and Confed patrols on your approach to $BN?
The Confed is losing hundreds of ships a day to the war.
That means they need more metal for replacement ships 
and they're stepping up protection of mining bases to keep raw material out of Kilrathis hands.
I don't know about you, but I feel a lot safer because of it.

Hey, an assassin from the church of man came by $BN last week.
He was looking to whack some artist, a writer or so. Go figure.
Don't ask me what the hell a writer would be doing on a mining base, though.
Those Retros give me the creps. I hear they hate all technology...
just the kind of wackos you want to run into a space station, eh?

Welcome to $BN, the newest boomtown of the Gemini Sector!
We got ahold of a dozen of those new Sediment Imaging Satellites
and it's made all the difference in the world.
SIS has revealed deposits of tungsten, iron and radioactive ores we never would've found.
Business couldn't be better, pal. You came at a good time.

There's one bit of bad news here on $BN.
The base is being shaken by tremors.
We can't keep the damn mines from collapsing. We fix one
then a qake hits and collapses two others.
Unless this 'roid stabilizes, $BN may be in for some trouble.

This dancer from Saxtogue came to $BN last week.
Real operator, this woman.
You heard of Roman Lynch? Well, she lifted one of his bank codes.
She's been siphoning off money slow, but I think she's in over her head.
If Lynch finds out, she's history.

Didn't I see you here 'bout six months ago?
You know, back when the Rondall Corporation was hiring mercs.
No? Too bad. You could've cleaned up.
They were looking for people with blockade experience.
Oh well. Can't win 'em all. I s'pose

A pilot laid this to me last week.
She was three weeks out of New Detroit, off-lane, running silent
when she came in visual range of this incredible ship!
It was massive, not Kilrathi, not Confed...and every instrument said it wasn't there!
She said she could see it, but it didn't register on her scans.
You believe her? I sure don't.

Hey, what do you think the Kilrathi are up to?
From what I hear, they've changed tactics again.
Instead of their usual seek-and-destroy policy, it seems they're asking some odd questions.
They're looking for a smuggler who has some unusual weapon, they want.
You don't know anybody like that?

Hey buddy, have you hear the latest?
A pirate looking to scope $BN for business told me this one
Seems the TCS Valiant has just disappeared.
That's the second carrier the Confederation has lost along the border.
It's a sure bet the Kilrathi have their paws in this!

Better watch your step on $BN, Mister.
The...business comminity here is leery of strangers these days.
We've a lot of problems with undercover Militia agents lately.
I'm not saying you're on of 'em,,,
but I'd do my best to look as innocent as possible if I were you.

Happy days are here again! You heard? The Confed is slipping in the war effort.
Seems the sector is lousy with Kilrathi and they're giving the Fed fits.
Hey I'm as patriotic as the next guy. I don't want the Fed to give it up...
but this means they're diverting their efforts away from law enforcement.
That's good news here on $BN. The less Confed around, the better!

Looking for a job? Must be if you're hanging around $BN.
Ever heard of a guy named Roman Lynch? He's a Well, a real mover.
Seems he's looking for a wet spesh to whack a guy named Seelig.
Lynch runs his empire out of New Constantinople.
No thanks, that's what bartenders do. Just remember me when it's time to tip.

Hey, Mister, have a seat. The first one's on me.
No big deal. We're having a boom here on $BN. Times are good.
With all the fighting out along the borders
there's a lot of loot just floating around out there, waiting to be salvaged!
Used to be a pirate had to do some shooting to earn his daily bread...
now adays, the only trigger he's got ta pull is wired to a tractor beam!

I hope you're gonna buy a drink and not just sit here trawling for a job
Business is slow at the bar.
People are spending too much time out there on those stressful missions.
They need to be in here relaxing, like you.
So...what'll it be?

Hey,welcome to $BN. I heard a god one the other day.
Seems that there's a hollow asteroid along the
Kilrathi border.
The thing of it is, the Kilrathi use it as a munitions dump!
The guy who finds that dump can help him self to as much
ordonance as he can haul!

Get this...the Confed has lost another carrier!
I'm afraid it might be related to that Kilrathi weapon we've been hearing about.
I'm thinking of shutting down the bar awhile, leavin $BN...maybe heading deeper into Confed space.
The thought of something nasty around, well, it makes you think, doesn't it?

Come to $BN for a vacation, have you? You're not alone.
Seems like in wartime, everyone has a worse need for entertainment
and that desire for relaxation seem to grow as the war worsens.
Anyhow, you did right to come to $BN! We have the finest facilities in the sector.
Trust me...would I lie to a guest?

Damn Confed hotshots! I hate it when they come to $BN on leave.
You wouldn't believe the hell they raised in here.
I barely had time to clean up before we opened this morning.
And the 17th floor, God! It's a shambles. These jocks are nuts!
Mooning, jumping off balconies into the pool, ballwalking.
Take my advice. Avoid the 17th floor. It's not pretty.

I heard this from a privateer out of Saratov.
He ran across this daft bloke while lane-skipping along the frontier.
The terminal wooly was siting in the middle of a "ship's graveyard"
wrecked ships all around. He opens fire on my mate, no reason
ranting and cursing him like he was the devil himself! Fancy that...

You picked a fine time to come to $BN, sir.
With all the bad news about lately, everyone is anxious to find a little getaway
especially the ladies, sir, if you take my meaning
I think you'll find your stay at $BN the best you've ever enjoyed
that is, if you LIKE women...
Oh dear...I hope I haven't been too presumptuous...

Mind, this is just hearsay, but it seems the Kilrathi are all stirred up!
The weird thing is, they seem to be looking for something, looking real hard.
God only knows what it could be...but whatever it is, it's gont them worried.
I just hope the activity doesn't scare off our tourists.

Just arrived at $BN have you? Then you haven't heard the latest
Beastly affair. Seems the Intersys Patrols are looking for a murderer.
He eliminated a diplomatic party on Matahari. Ten dead. Horrid...
I hear this was done to stall negotiations with Oresville
prolonging the labor disputes. What do you think?

Talk about bizarre stories, this is ingredible.
A Kilrathi attack force was spotted on sensors.
It was moving along the frontier in search pattern.
On Confed screens, one by one, each Kilrathi ship vanished...just vanished
all exept one, which moved into Confed space. Strange, huh?

Boy, I'm glad I'm here on $BN, safe and sound. Aren't you?
Did you hear? Adelegation from the Confed Mining Guild swept by $BN last week.
Because of attrition on the front, they're stepping up fighter production
which means more raw ore is being bought, which means it has to be refined
which means everyone at $BN is jumping to keep up with the demand.
Seems it's gonna be a bad year for the Confed and a hell of a year for us.

There's an ugly rumor making the rounds here at $BN.
Heard it from a subcontractor for the FED that they're thinking of militarizing our business.
They might use the Wartime Emergency Act to take over all mining and refinery operations
which means we'd have to work twice for four times less.
I sure hope it ain't true.

Heard this from a pirate who left $BN two days ago.
You wouldn't believe the trouble Oxford has been having with data theft.
These database jackers are looking to trawl the Oxford net.
They been at it for months, but it's a tough crack.
I bet it's worth it, though. Lot of valuable info at the Oxford Library.

Had a look around $BN yet?
Well, you wouldn't guess it from the way the things look...
but everyone on $BN is going to be rich in three years.
We just signed a deal with the Merchants' Guild that'll do us right.
Because of the quality of our ore, they've waived 75% of the standard Guild cut
in exchange for 10% of our gross. Sweet, eh?
Bet there's no other refinery that can make THAT claim.

We had another terrorist bombing at $BN today.
I tell you, it's those damn Mandarins if it's anyone! This war started out to be good business
but if the bombings get much worse, the only profit had by Russo Incorporated
maker of fine red ink everywhere!

Bet you'r glad to be on $BN. There's been more trouble from the front.
I heard that Confederation Outpost 57 is gone.
Now there's a crater on the asteroid where Outpost 57 used to be.
Not a trace of residual radiation. No weapon we've ever heard of.
Intel reports call it a new Kilrathi weapon. Do you buy that?