BSU D'ank, Arcturus System, Contested Thessylite-Screx Zone

The first day of peace talks between diplomats from Galos and Yerta, warring planets in the Arcturus System, broke down this morning when the two groups failed to agree on the current time.

Galos natives, mammalian Thessylites, have been locked in a pan-generational conflict with Yerta's molloscoid Screx over territorial control of the Arcturus System. Both species are newcomers to the galactic stage, each developing FTL independently around 200 years ago. On discovering they were cohabiting their system, both immediately declared war on each other in a bid for early expansion.

The current peace talks are the first time either side has engaged in diplomacy since initial contact. The talks, alongside a temporary truce, was brokered by the neighbouring Bak'nerg Stellar Union, which had grown weary of endless protectorate requests from both one-planet minors.

Today's disagreement began when the notoriously work-shy Thessylite diplomats aboard the neutral Bak'nerg space station BSU D'ank suggested an early morning recess, with a plan to reconvene at an agreed time later. Screx representatives were reportedly puzzled, and declined the request for a recess, responding that the predefined time had already passed. Insulted at what they perceived to be a decline to brunch, Thessylite diplomats withdrew from the talks, taking all available TacoBell brunch-bite wraps with them. In retaliation the Screx, avid TacoBell patrons, broke the truce and launched a surprise attack on Galos.

Diplomatic analysis from the Bak'nerg suggests interplanetary time zone confusion likely led to the miscommunication. The Screx operate on a unique time system which jumps forward 47 minutes on the 37th day of their planet's year before doing the exact opposite 6 months later. This ancient custom, related to the timing of krill harvesting, appears to have happened on the same day as the talks, and was not realised by the Thessylites, who operate on standard metric time.

The Bak'nerg government has stated it plans to continue acting as an intermediary between the two cultures, and will encourage the Screx to adopt metric time before any further talks are scheduled.

> More accurate reporting from Erik Akelsen could not be possible