Sirian Holds 3058 Update

World Name: Sirius

Time to Jump Point: 6 days

Recharging Station: Zenith

Recharge Time: 5 days

ComStar Facility Class: B

Noble Ruler: None

Political Leader: Alisendar Gyrn

World Name: Procyon

Time to Jump Point: 8 days

Recharging Station: Zenith

Recharge Time: 14 days

ComStar Facility Class: A

Noble Ruler: None

Political Leader: Alisendar Gyrn

With the below message, the mystery known as the Sirian Holds came to light. Shrouded in mystery and with what little information exists concealed and confused by the chaos in what was known as the Sarna March, this new state is a wild card that will undoubtedly be played in the near future.

TO: ALL COMSTAR HPG FACILITIES, GENERAL DISSEMINATION
FROM: OFFICE OF THE PRIMUS, FIRST CIRCUIT

On 24 October 3057, ComStar HPG facilities on the capellan worlds of Sirius
and Procyon were forcibly seized by unidentified individuals.  The fate of
the ComStar personnel operating those facilities remains unknown.  Since
that time, no facility outside the system has received any transmissions
from those stations.  ComStar requests that anyone with information
regarding conditions on Sirius or Procyon conact the nearest ComStar
personnel immediately.

The agricultural worlds of Sirius and Procyon constitute the so-called Sirian Holds. Both planets were colonized during the first Terran exodus in the early twenty-third century, and they became part of the Capellan Confederation during a period of Capellan expansion in 2370.

Both planets would later become targets for low-level Marik raids, but little of note happened on Sirius and Procyon for the next several hundred years. Like many other planets in the area, Sirius and Procyon came under Federated Commonwealth control during the Fourth Succession War, but this development had no discernible effect on the daily lives of most of the planets' inhabitants.

Then in October of 3057, all communications with Sirius were lost. A month later, all transmissions from Procyon stopped. A few weeks later, a merchant vessel made a regularly scheduled stop in the Procyon system. He was informed that he had entered the territory of the Sirian Holds and was promptly ordered to leave or risk the destruction of his JumpShip. Unwilling to risk the lives of his crew, the captain paid for a recharge from the Procyon station and departed for the Free Worlds League.

Since that time, no vessels have been able to gain access to Sirius or Procyon. Some crews that have ventured into the system report receiving warnings that their ships would be disabled and crews taken prisoner unless they departed immediately, and at least two independent trading vessels have been reported missing after heading into the system.

Although HPG transmissions appear to take place between the two planets, neither world has replied to communications from outside organizations or states. Repeated requests by the Free Worlds League to open a diplonatic dialogue with Sirius and Procyon have gone unanswered. Even attempts by ComStar to open communications with the world have proved unsuccessful.

The current status of the two planets remains a mystery. According to the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission, two small mercenary units had been under contract to garrison Sirius and Procyon at the time of the Marik-Liao invasion. A battalion-sized 'Mech unit called Jo's Fourth Cavalry had been hired by the planetary government of Sirius and believed to be onworld when the communications blackout began. Boodelay's Backup, a regiment-sized conventional-arms unit, had been contracted by the government of Procyon and is believed to have been on that world when HPG transmissions ceased.

Sirius and Procyon are agricultural worlds, with large tracts of sparsely populated farmland and forest. Both worlds contain a mere handful of small cities and commercial spaceports.

Publicly, no one knows for certain what happened or is happening on the worlds of Sirius and Procyon, though the truth may eventually come to light. Certain interesting facts have turned up, among them the existence of a 'Mech factory built on Procyon during the days of the Star League. This factory developed new 'Mech designs and experimental weapons systems, but was believed destroyed sometime during the Amaris occupation or the Succession Wars. A facility was also built on Sirius during the Star League era, its resources believed to be dedicated to intensive research into jump drive technology. It too was believed destroyed during the Amaris crisis, but no proof of its destruction has ever been offered.

According to official records, no mercenary unit has been employed by the Sirian Holds since the tiny state's founding. No one knows, however, whether or not any units have signed unofficial contracts. Similarly, no one has been able to find out what conditions are like in the region.

In reality, Sirius and Procyon have fallen under the sway of Alisendar Gyrn, a member of an ancient Sirian trading family and a former ComStar acolyte. During the past few years, the charismatic Gyrn became increasingly delusional, believing himself to be the reincarnation of Jerome Blake. In preparation for his holy mission, Gyrn spent several years quietly building up a group of devoted followers in Sirian and Procyene society. When the Marik-Liao invasion threw the Sarna March into chaos, Gyrn announced to his followers that the time had come to realize Blake's vision. His followers immediately seized the HPG stations and broadcast facilities on Sirius and Procyon, protecting the planets. Assassins killed several key officers in Jo's Fourth Cavalry and Boodelay's Backup, and infiltrators in both units' local support staffs sabotaged the mercs' JumpShips and other equipment. When Gyrn ordered the mercs' supplies cut off, many in both units tried but failed to depose him. Survivors fled into the wilderness on both worlds.

Having dealt with the opposition, Gyrn's followers announced to the stunned populations of Sirius and Procyon that they were now members of an independent state, free of the opporessive rule of the Great Houses. They said nothing of Gyrn's "divinity," and so most people accepted the change in leadership with little protest. Before too long, however, word began to spread of how Gyrn dealt with the mercenary garrisons and that he controlled the HPG stations. This news stirred up the population, and their indignant protests showed signs of flaring into revolt when Gyrn announced the need to "purify" Sirius and Procyon by destroying all modern technology. Shortly after his proclamation, groups of Gurn's followers began rounding up dissidents, intellectuals, technicians, and many others, ostensibly to begin their re-education. These unfortunates are actually taken to the killing fields outside the capital cities of Sirius and Procyon and slaughtered, lest they threaten Gyrn's power.

Defending Forces