**>> SPYNET BULLETIN **>> EARTHDATE 91.06.02 **>> AN H-by-A SERVICE **>> STRANGE NEW WORLDS... The four Squires - Piemur, Russ, Aeron and Oddball - have been making more changes to their planets, to fix the odd problems that have cropped up. The new worlds of Phoenix, Haven, Avalon and Inversity are exciting places, not without their hazards, but well worth visiting. For those of a slightly more nervous disposition, we will look into the possibility of organising "official guided tours" by the Squires in question. The last week has mostly been a week of consolidation, with Our Illustrious Leader ironing out the last few problems with the new planets. No new worlds were made available this weekend, but next weekend will see two or three new ones. Explorer Hazed is hard at work on her planet (tentatively named Scratchwood) and is hoping to have it ready in a week. Occy and Merkin are also preparing planets, but we don't know when they are likely to be ready. **>> PLANETARY ECONOMIES Of course, having people wandering around your planet looking at the scenery is all very well, but it doesn't make you any groats. The real reason for owning a planet is to run the planetary economy. Bella will be starting work on that phase of the expansion to Fed Data Space very shortly. She will be starting a topic in the Fed BBS where you can put your ideas and suggestions about how the economies should work. Look out for that in the next few days. **>> IS THERE NO PRIVACY? Hazed is rather disgruntled by an unexpected side-effect of the recent promotions to Squire. She's been an Explorer for quite some while, and has basked in the knowledge that she is safe from prying eyes (except for Bella). But now she is having to mind her manners, because she can be spied upon by the Squires! No longer is she assured of complete privacy if she wishes to have a secret conversation... or pick her nose for that matter! **>> UNABLE TO BUY ROUND The new format of the command, that lets you customise the drink (or other item) that you purchase for your companions, has been received with great enthusiasm. But Explorer Hazed was most surprised to find that sometimes the waitdroids in Chez Diesel were unable to cater for her (admittedly rather strange) requests. While drinking with Our Illustrious Leader, she attempted to find out just why some orders were being refused. After about twenty minutes of heavy drinking - purely in the name of experimentation, of course - Hazed and Bella realised that the problem was the word "to". You cannot buy people a drink if the sentence has the word "to" in it. Bella did have some amazing complicated, technical explanation for just why there seems to be an embargo on such an insignificant little word, but quite frankly it went right over our heads. **>> WE'VE GOT COMPETITION! The H-by-A newsdroids may soon be out of a job. The official weekly news bulletin has a new competitor. Piemur has decided to venture into the murky world of journalism, and has published the first issue of his new magazine in the Fed BBS. Should future issues live up to the high quality of this initial offering, we will be offering him the job of news editor for our bulletins! If you haven't already seen his magazine, go and find it at once. **>> PROMOTIONS NEWS Hellfire made Captain, as did Gandolf (who says a big "thanks" to Kelly for all her help with his ship). Congratulations to two new Traders, Archie and Scurvy. Davidge has taken his first tentative steps towards solving the GM puzzle, and we understand that Neuromancer is not far off. Sadly, Kelly has died dead-dead by her own hand. Previously known as Sly, and as Hollywood, and the centre of quite a few fights and battles, not to mention a luminary of the D.I.E. Club, she decided to leave Fed Data Space for good. **>>CONTACTS The following information will appear at the end of every News Bulletin, so you don't have to read it if you already know it. In the event of a problem or question, you can: * talk to Hazed, Bella or Clem in the game * leave a message in the game log * send mail with the Federation Feedback option from the main menu You can order a copy of the unexpurgated printed Idiot's Guide to Federation II by typing ORDER at any GEnie menu. Cost - a mere $12.95. Federation II has a category in the new MPGames RT. To get there, type M1045,1 from any menu prompt and SET category 14. The Federation II Leader in the bulletin board is Occy (Mail ID: OCPAC). Topic 1 of the Fed category contains the Federation II policy statement. The MPGames RT also has a Federation II library in the files area, Library 5. **>> BULLETIN ENDS