Storm Chasers is a subsidiary venture of Yugumo Corporation specializing in adventure tourism and extreme sports entertainment formed in YE 42.

The violent, tempestuous weather of Jiyuu IV gave rise to a class of adrenaline-junkie adventurers, and Yugumo Corporation was not about to let that market go untapped. The potential for this revenue was realized when Motoyoshi Kaoru was touring the system, accompanied by her attaché Motoyoshi Tachiko.

When attempting to land on Jiyuu IV, the extreme weather caused great difficulties for the pilot. For some reason, the people of Jiyuu IV were not only out in the weather, with photography and simulated sensation recording equipment (and plenty of alcohol), but also flying small craft in it, even smaller than their shuttle. Terrified and impressed, Kaoru and Tachiko began to brainstorm a way for the Yugumo Corporation to profit from such reckless entertainment.

“Ride the Lightning”

The company's headquarters is on Jiyuu III, in Tokyo in an office building owned by Yugumo Corporation.

Storm Chasers has several landing and launch pads, garages, shelters, and storage sheds that make up their base camps across Jiyuu IV and a residential campus for their workers in order to conduct operations.

There is a resort hotel called “The Tempest” for guests to stay at between their adventurers. It is located on the coast, and its three-meter thick Transparent Durandium dome gives amazing, if terrifying, views of the great breakers caused by hurricanes and tsunamis as they crash over the dome in a spectacle unobservable elsewhere in the Kikyo Sector. The Tempest Resort, along with a few smaller hotels and forward camps near other adventure terrain have a capacity of about 2500 guests.

Another, even larger Mountain Resort is set to open in YE 43, the first of several planned.

Storm Chasers follows the same corporate structure as all wholly-owned subsidiaries of Yugumo Corporation.

Besides management, Storm Chasers employs several hundred people, most of them involved in hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality operations at the resorts. Other employees are administrative staff, drivers, pilots, guides, security, medical staff at the resorts' on-site medical facilities, and educational program staff.

All sentient, non-management personnel of Storm Chasers must be members of, and are represented by the Yugumo Workers Federation. The Yugumo Workers Federation ensures that all training and safety regulations are followed, and represents the employees in arbitrating any disputes they may have with Yugumo Corporation.

Storm Chasers offers a variety of adventure packages for the different weather patterns of the planet. Twenty-percent discounts are given to Star Army of Yamatai personnel. Stays of a week or more are priced at five days per week. Prices include lodging, meals, instruction, equipment rental, and insurance policy. Packages include a stay at one of the resort hotels, typically the one closest to the weather phenomenon related to the package purchased, though this is not mandatory. Daily expeditions are available for the duration of the stay, with transports departing for the field, and returning every few hours around the clock. This allows for as many trips as guests can fit in, or are willing to take on, during their stay. Yugumo Corporation is not responsible for the loss of life or limb while participating in Storm Chasers activities. Waivers are required.

• 1000 KS per day per person

Storm Chasers' signature package, the one that started it all. Above the rainforests of Jiyuu IV's coastal mountains, near-perpetual thunderstorms darken the sky with their purple-grey masses, until they're lit by the intense flashes of lightning between clouds, and between cloud and ground. Atmospheric phenomena that are rare elsewhere such as ball lightning are commonplace (and incredibly hazardous). Although the Ride the Lightning Package is perhaps the most sedate package available, by comparison, it still offers plenty of thrills and is particularly popular with photographers.

• 1250 KS per day per person

The awesome might of wind and sea come together for a demonstration of nature's might. The tropical and subtropical coasts of Jiyuu IV are wracked incessantly by monstrous hurricanes, battered by howling winds and crashing waves. Experience these great storms from arms to eye. Extreme surfing, hurricane parasailing, and high-altitude storm-diving are all-star attractions on the most intense adventure in known space.

• 750 KS per day per person

On the flat highland plains of Jiyuu IV, dust devils are a constant sight, rising into the sky by the hundreds like the skyscrapers of a megacity. They're absolutely dwarfed by the frequent tornadoes that occur almost-daily, scouring the steppe with winds blowing as fast as an inertial control system can hover. Surf the winds in a Pellis Intelligent Survival Suit, dodging debris hurtling at 50 meters a second, or just take your camera and haul at full speed across the plains in an off-road vehicle. Tornado Alley is the rush you've been craving.

• 2500 KS per day per person

The most deluxe package Storm Chasers offers, this is a multi-day tour of the planet's violent weather systems, including hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. At least one day is spent in each weather zone, so that guests can experience the full gamut of extreme weather, planetwide. As such, this package has a minimum three-day booking. It includes exclusive amenities, priority access to expedition space, and personal adventure guides.

Storm Chasers uses a variety of vehicles and equipment in their operations:

• 20 EM-K6 "Kouteki" Grav-Bus
• 30 General Purpose Off-Road Vehicle
• 25 Type 30 Light Utility Truck
• 25 Type 31 Light Utility Truck
• 15 Type 30 Surface Terrain Vehicle, Civilian Version

• 5 Ge-T2-1E "Kuma" Medevac Shuttle
• 50 Type 32 Airbike
• 10 H1 Helicopter
• 3 Starlyte-C
• 3 Starbryte-L
• 12 Skylyte 2A 2A
• 5 Mocca Cargo Plane, three modified for skydiving

For storm diving, tidal wave surfing, mountain climbing, and more, Storm Chasers has state of the art extreme outdoor personal protective equipment for those who wish to get closer than the (relative) safety of a vehicle, such as:

• Gravity Manipulation Flight Suit
• Adrenaline Utility Gear
• Pellis Intelligent Survival Suit
• Extreme class Hover Board

Yuuki created this article on 2020/01/23 15:49.

• Photos found on Unsplash, Public Domain Images.
• Custom Skylyte/T11 Tanuki by Kai.

Approved by Syaoran on 2/8/2020