
    HIWG

    HIWG Document #: HD3417 revision 1                Date: 04-01-1993

    From:      Leighton Piper
               Gushemege Sector Developer
               11 Skeffington Rd.
               Preston
               LANCS, PR1 5UP.

    To:        David Burden, Gushemege Sector Analyst
               Kevin Parry, HIWG UK
               J. Duncan Law-Green, Vland Domain Editor
               Clayton R. Bush, Quadrant 1 Editor


    Subject:  Travel Companies of Gushemege


    Abstract: seven  major travel-orientated companies  that operate within
    Gushemege; an outline of their routes, operations and fleets.


    TRAVEL COMPANIES OF GUSHEMEGE

    Comstellines LIC (CLIC)
    Fligh Transportation (FLT)
    GushLines LIC (GLLIC)
    Haamaan Annani Bilaan (HAB)
    Khiira and Rure Spacelines (KARS)
    Sesh-Ifaen Freight Tractors Ag (SIFTA)
    StellaTrek Travel Lines (STTL)
    Vapethi Enth Kev (KEV)
    Vipach Traders (VT)

    INTRODUCTION

    Starships are the lifeblood of the Imperium. They are essential for the
    economic and political, survival and  growth of any interstellar state.
    The vessels  provided the means  to move goods,  people and importantly
    ideas from  one world to the  next. Harnessing this economic  power are
    the starship  owners, who ply the  spacelanes transporting whatever the
    customer needs moving, for as much as he or she can get.

    The majority of merchant vessels are free traders of one description or
    another. These are  single ships owned by an  individual or small group
    of  people whose  independence is  not confined  to shipping schedules.
    Their ownly travel guide is the liklehood of making a good profit.

    While the  free traders are in  the majority, the part  of the industry
    that most ordinary peoplr or travellers  see are those vessels that are
    owned by the  shipping firms. These may range in  size from a couple of
    type A  free traders to  thousands of different  designs as run  by the
    largest megagcorporations.  It is these travel  companies  of Gushemege
    that are outlined below.

    First a brief  word on the administration of  trading and travelling in
    Gushemege. The multitude  of civilian vessels of that  operate in known
    space are usually required to be  registered. That is the type of ship,
    its  primary  function,  its  construction  and  ownership  details are
    recorded  at one  world or  another. This  sort of  information is also
    usually  incorporated into  each vessels  transponder ID  code, and  is
    a mandatory required for all vessels operating within the Imperium. The
    ship  registration  is  usually  recorded  with  each systems' Starport
    Authority  which  will  send  the  latest  information  to  a  regional
    administrative centre, usually at the local Imperial governmental trade
    offices at the subsector and sector capital. The central clearing house
    for starship registration and a whole  host of trade, travel and allied
    commercial functions  within Gushemege is  the Gushemege Transport  and
    Trade  Authority (GTTS  or 'GUTTS'  as it  is affectionatly known). The
    GTTS works in conjunction with the various STA's to ensure a reasonable
    standardisation   of  services   and  costs   (according  to   starport
    classification with which they oversee) of both shipping and starports.
    It also undertakes safety audits and investigations, as well as running
    investigations  into illegal  activities.  Although  the GTTS  like its
    brethren  operating  in  other  sectors   has  few  legal  powers,  its
    recommendations and reports are in most cases respected and adhered to.
    It  can rely  on local  and Imperial  legal agencies  if it  feels that
    safety, commercial, legal and  operational protocals are being breached
    through invoking numerous of the Imperial Trade Charters (ITC's). It is
    through GTTS  and its equivalents  that comparable standards  of trade,
    transportation and travel can be maintained overv the vast space of the
    Imperium.


    COMSTELLINES

    This a small line serving Balech and Sallounn subsectors. The line owns
    a small number of jump-2 and  jump-3 passenger liners/ freight vessels.
    Known to be  corrupt, paying backhanders to the Duke  of Balech for its
    franchise to operate  and license to carry certain  illegal goods (this
    has  now become  almost the  accepted practice  for transport companies
    wishing to use Balech space). The Duke has used Comstellines on certain
    clandestine operations.

    Comstellines have been indicted a number of times for breaches of trade
    and safety  laws but has managed  to avoid court cases  through bribery
    and intervention  by the Duke. Despite  this it is popularly  said that
    Comstellines' ship captains will carry anything for a price.

    FLIGH TRANSPORT

    Fligh  (pronounced 'flee-gh')  Transportation  is  a large  freight and
    passenger  carrier operating  out of   Edat (2921).  It is  primarily a
    feeder line  serving the length  of the Oulpath  between Shakhamash and
    Phaln. Edat's zero law level has encouraged all sorts of work practices
    and financial  dealings which would  be illegal on  virtually any other
    world. Although the company is not corrupt, its shady activities has on
    more  than  one  occaision  brought  it  under  close inspection by the
    Gushemege Transport and Trade Authority.

    FLT  operates a  fleet of  some 50  ships, with  a further 50 operating
    under license  to smaller concerns  throughout the region.  The vessels
    are a mixed bag of designs, reflecting the wide variety of vessels that
    would normally be found operating in Imperial space.

    GUSHLINES LIC

    Established in 177, GLLIC were the  first company to obtain a franchise
    to operate  in Gushemege (from Emperor  Martin I ). They  operated as a
    moderately  successful  company  serving  the  Gushemege  Main  and the
    important  indusrial, agricultural,  rich and  class-A starport  worlds
    just off it.

    In 1063 there  was a fierce and bitter take-over  by Tukera Lines which
    resulted  in  major  reorginisation  of  the  routes, travel policy and
    personnel.  GushLines   now  operates  as   semi-autonomous  subsidiary
    specialising  in the  routes to  the more  fringe regions  of the Main.
    GLLIC operates  many of the same  vessels as the parent  company. There
    are some fourty jump capable ships with the Gushlines flag.

    HAAMAN ANANI BILAAN

    HAB serves  the coreward border of  Gushemege, extending into Corridor,
    Vland and Dagudashaag. HAB has its origins in Vland subsector. HAB have
    remained prosperous,  still trading in  its original zone  of influence
    despite  the  fractionation  of  the  region  with  the  onset  of  the
    Rebellion. Its  interfacing role between Vland,  Lucan and Strephon has
    been  a  primary  reason  for  its  continued  existence.  An unwritten
    agreement allows HAB to come and go throughout its trading area without
    interference. It has been used many  times by the competing factions to
    transport  emissaries  and  valuable  goods  over  the  borders.  HAB's
    operations are  a necessary in this  respect and are well  protected in
    this respect,  having the general high  regard to avoid the  hassles of
    competing beaurocracies and militant elements.

    The company utilizes a number  of vilani-specific and standard Imperial
    designs in  the 400 -  5000 ton range,  with approximately 60  ships in
    service. Due  to the dangerous and  fluid nature of the  borders in its
    zone  of operations,  all HAB  ships have  the latest  transponders and
    commo  gear as  well as  having the  company logo  stenciled in  large,
    fluorescent colours all over the exterior.

    KHIIRA AND RURE SPACELINES

    This  company  was  set  up  with  a  grant  in  the 1016 by the sector
    government to serve the coreward fringes  of Rure and Khiira. KRS still
    recieves financial support from the Munnarn government to foster travel
    and trade in the area. The  company have the local 'mail' contracts for
    the  Munnarn-Puumariash  runs  which  helps   to  offset  the  lack  of
    passengers,  relatively  low  volumes  of  trade  and  large  distances
    involved.

    Beside  the twice  weekly mail  runs there  is a  circular route  taken
    travelling through Rure, then to Khiira, Riften and Gandonen. There are
    weekly departures from Munnarn and  Puumariash in either direction. All
    the ships are  small (in the 400 -  1000 ton range) - the  most popular
    being a jump-3 version of the type R subsidized merchant (type M3).

    Price concessions operate for journies  in Khiira subsector, and amount
    to 15%  off the standard  passage prices. Freight  is carried at  a 20%
    discount. The  company claim the  difference from the  Khiira subsector
    government.

    SESH-IFAEN FREIGHT TRACTORS AG

    This company are primarily involved as bulk cargo shippers operating on
    the  Gushemege  and  Dagudashaag  border.  Based  on  the world of Masa
    (Gushemege  2513) with  a regional  headquarters at  Ushra (Dagudashaag
    1016).

    SIFTA  are a  relatively new  firm dating  back only  to 936,  with the
    formation of a business  partnership  between two long-standing friends
    Kornelias Sesh and  Amarti Ifaen. The original company  was a brokerage
    firm, buying and selling goods/ cargos. The switch followed a number of
    problems with delivery of cargo by certain less-than-reliable carriers.
    To  ensure  reliability  Sesh  and  Ifaen  purchased  a  surplus  naval
    transporter as  a back-up. Prolonged business  allowed them to purchase
    more vessels (again navy surplus or  moth-balled ships) to set up their
    own shipping line.

    The fleet is  now comprised of several designs  based around the Tukera
    "Prosperity"-class  freighter and  a Vland  inspired "Balaanii"-  class
    merchant freighter (a boring but  very reliable design). There are some
    30 vessels now in service with SIFTA.

    STELLATREK TRAVELLINES

    StellaTrek Travel Lines are the major competitor to GushLines along the
    Main and are  the specific reason for the take-over  of GLLIC by Tukera
    Lines.  Although only  set up  in 994,  STTL exploded  onto the  massed
    transport market  fifty years later  and were so  seriously undermining
    the financial base of GLLIC that  they were easy meat for the predatory
    Tukera  (who were  looking to   expand their  market into  the spinward
    regions of Gushemege).

    Stellatrek are based on Viskka (Taapvaia 2310) with a secondary base at
    Intnalta  (Sallounn  1129),  and  have  the  financial  muscle  of  the
    Irkhi-Painntu trade alliance  of Taapvaia to back them.  The success of
    Stellatrek  ensured  a  rapid  uptake  of  shares  when the company was
    floated on  the Sharenga stockmarket in  1117 despite the onset  of the
    Rebellion. Just under  20% of the stock was  snapped up by Makhidkarun.
    Other  major   stockholders  include  Esgakii   LIC,  Glirse  LIC   and
    interestingly, Tukera.

    STTL maintain  a large fleet  of moderate to  large vessels (subsidized
    liners, long liners and larger cargo-orientated ships), and operate out
    of  all class  A and  B starports  on the  Main as  well as all class C
    starports with a  population of a million (6) or  more. The company are
    constantly on the look-out for starship crews due to continued poaching
    and threats  by GLLIC employees.  Consequently STTL offer  10% over the
    standard wages for their crews' services.

    VAPETHI ENTH KEV

    This small  company is wholly  owned, run and  staffed by Vapethi,  the
    minor race originating on Inapiirn. This travel company operates in the
    Inapiirn cluster, serving the Vapethi  colonies and the human worlds of
    Hartesh  (0623),   Younis  (0722)  and  Inapiirn   (0723).  VEK  (which
    translates  as  Vapethi  Sky  Travellers)  also  makes  regular runs to
    Rucciset (0422), Drayrk (Rure/0920) and Tungohl (0725).

    The  company   runs  ten  vapethi  designs   with  virtually  identical
    specifications to the "Empress Marava"-class  far trader, but due to to
    the increased  tensions within Balech  subsector the vessels  now carry
    triple laser and missile turrets (usually one turret of each).

    VIPACH TRADERS

    As the name  suggests, Vipach Traders serves Vipach  subsector. VT is a
    small company operating half a dozen type A2 Far Traders out of Dikaash
    (0738).  VT are  another company  operating under  the patronage of the
    local  subsector government  and  Ilelish  merchants. Their  weight has
    helped to offset the constant interruptions in trade and the volatility
    of  the  faction  borders.  Safety  has  come  bottom  of  VT's list of
    priorities.  In  1101  a  vessel  crashed  on  approaching  Ginupa Down
    starport,  the  following  public  inquiry  and  report of the Accident
    Investigation Unit  of GTTS revealed  that poor workmanship  and shoddy
    maintenance procedures  were the primary  factors in the  loss of power
    (and hence the ship). The  public humiliation lead to serious financial
    problems  when its  revenue from  passengers dropped  by over  50%. The
    company are  now looking for financial  sources to help clean  up their
    tarnished reputation and obtain newer ships.

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