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NOVAYA ZEMLYA
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[LINK TO SYSTEM INFO]
[LINK TO SETTING INFO]
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1994
Andrei Gorborev, following in the steps of Mikhial Gorbachev,
is tired of dealing with secessionist movements within the
republics of the USSR. Constant infighting is wasting the
potential of his nations. He proposes a new USSR, the Union of
Soverign Soviet Republics, now allowing member states the
freedom to direct their own ideas and armies while staying tied
together through a central committee which unites the energy 
industries under one administration.

1995
The Union of Soverign Soviet Republics is struggling with their
central committee, some arguing that it has too much power
while others claim it needs to have more of a presence. Tired
of dealing with the arguing, Gorborev names the Siberian
delegate to the central committee - Anatoly Novikovo - as the
new director of the State Oil Industries in order to fix
things up.

1996
Novikovo appoints Yarno Kurgasyn, a delegate from Kazakhstan, to
be his deputy director. With two of the largest oil-producing
regions at the head of the subcommittee, they start pushing for
consolidation-by-corporation as KeroSov, the Soviet State Oil 
Industries.

1997
KeroSov, putting lots of money into expansion and modernization
thanks to their vast reach and drilling potential, is outpacing
the states themselves. Novikovo signals to the Federal Central
Committee that he wishes to break KeroSov away from the state
oligarchs, something that they're quite unhappy about at first.
Novikovo knows that he hold more power than the states, he has
the keys to their financial success, so after a few months of 
persuasion the Central Committee lets KeroSov break away into
the now-independent Neo-Sovetskiy Neftyanoy Kombinat, SovOil.

March, 1998
A meeting between the oligarch leaders of SovOil takes place as
many recognize that despite their power, the Neo-Soviets only
have the capacity to recover a fraction of the oil lying under
their federation. Novikovo knows that Siberia holds much of
their untapped supply, more than enough to keep the corporation
at the top of the Neo-Soviet food chain for years to come, and
pitches the idea of sending teams of geologists out to more
hazardous locations in an effort to mark off new wells.

April, 1998
A message goes out to all field scientists in SovOil:

Looking for something more exciting? Interested in higher pay?
Comfortable with harsher conditions? Sign up for the SovOil
Hazardous Environment Science Team today!
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It's November 1st, 1999. You're a geologist working under the
Neo-Sovetskiy Neftyanoy Kombinat. Your job is simple: Traverse
the vast Neo-Soviet territories, survey the land for new wells,
and tell the drilling crews where to set up shop. You're paid
quite well for your work, the bosses happily lining your pockets
since you've helped them get rich enough to break out of working
under the state itself, so despite the constant travel it's
quite common to be uncomfortable. That was until recently.

On September 9th, Anatoly Novikovo (the founder of the
corporation) sent a message to the seven scientist crews asking
if any would be willing to traverse into more dangerous lands.
You, up for an adventure, voluenteered. Your first place to go?
Novaya Zemlya, the site of over 220 nuclear detonations in the
last 54 years. Word from a traveler is that some of the 
explosions blew open some oil sands, photographs seem to back
that claim up. It's not the easiest land to traverse, the reason
why Novikovo mentioned dangerous lands, but it could be quite
rewarding. All else failing, even if things come up bust, you're
being paid double for your time.

On September 25th, you arrived at Arkhangelsk. You met with your
coworkers, you helped load your equipemnt onto a An-74, and then
you were detained by the same people who just helped get your
vehicles onto the planes. They told you that you wouldn't be
going to Novaya Zemlya, SovOil has no business journeying into
a border security zone, and that you'll be held until further
notice for trying to expand corporate operations onto land
reserved by the state for the more important cause of weapons
testing.

On October 13th, you were visited by Novikovo alongside some of
his allied oligarchs. They told you that you'll be out soon, the
state is overstepping its limits to try and make an example when
it should be working alongside you to help develop the financial
position of the Neo-Soviets in the world. They left not much
later.

Behind closed doors, Novikovo met with the state in Moscow. He
effectively bribed them into letting his survey happen, 3/4ths
of all profits derived from drilling on Novaya Zemlya was
promised to the state alongside quite the large payment 
per-geologist to let them free. This was supposed to stay quiet
but it didn't for long, Moscow broadcast the agreement as far as
possible to show how no corporation could overpower the might
of the state.

On November 30th, a week out of holding, your bosses visited.
They mentioned how they're not confident in the cooperation of
the Russian military, handing off one more piece of cargo in the
form of three hard cases to carry on. You were told to not open
them, the contents couldn't be made known in front of curious
eyes, but that they would help you leave if needed.
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LAST UPDATE: NOVEMBER 22, 2024                                 
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