Arrest Made in Starship One Criminal Case 18 SEP 3306 An officer in the Federal Navy Engineering Corps has been arrested for sabotaging the presidential vessel Starship One.



A statement was made by Milandu Okoro of the Federal Attorney’s Office:



“Chief Technician Rory Webster was a department head of engineering for Starship One. Testimonies from members of Mr Webster’s team claim that he ordered unauthorised adjustments to the ship’s hyperdrive systems while in drydock, shortly before its launch in May 3301 and subsequent destruction.”



“This case is now being brought before the Federal High Court, where Mr Webster will stand trial for mass murder and attempted treason.”



There has been no comment from President Zachary Hudson, but Shadow President Felicia Winters told the press:



“This was a truly horrific tragedy, and there must be justice for all those who lost their lives on that sad day.”



The apparent death of many Federation leaders aboard Starship One resulted in Winters briefly becoming acting president, shortly before Hudson won a vote of no confidence. There has been much media attention regarding how this event proved pivotal to both of their political careers.

Community Support Required for Starport Conversions 17 SEP 3306 *Pilots Federation ALERT: For the attention of all Commanders*



Trading commodities required in Nagasairu and Tenche systems.



Two construction companies have requested materials to convert refinery outposts into starports, to assist owners of fleet carriers who use large vessels for tritium refuelling.



Susannah Haynes, CEO of Kavanagh Spaceframes Ltd, stated:



“With the galactic community’s help, we can upgrade a maximum of five outposts into Orbis starports. Our intermediaries, Tenche Universal Holdings, will accept deliveries of building fabricators, power generators and thermal cooling units at Blaauw Hub in the Tenche system.”



There were similar requests from Dean Bradigan, director of Steel Castle Inc:



“For travellers who find the familiar sight of Coriolis stations welcoming, here’s a chance to build up to five more. We ask for shipments of bauxite, gallite and rutile to be delivered to CQC Holdings at Teng-hui Station in the Nagasairu system.”



The number of starports will depend on the amount of materials delivered. The target systems in order of priority are Fjorgyn, HR 4979, Wolf 294, Lambda-2 Tucanae, Potriti, LHS 4058, Chakpa, Gally Bese, Eta Cephei and Ninabin. If successful, upgrading will be done for the start of October.



Both initiatives begin on 17th September 3306 and will run for one week. If the final targets for a campaign are met earlier than planned, it will end immediately.

Death of a Duval 17 SEP 3306 Imperial news sources have confirmed that Prince Harold Duval was assassinated by NMLA terrorists while travelling incognito to the Cemiess system.



Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval broadcast this address:



“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Prince Harold. A state funeral at the Hall of Martyrs is being arranged and there will be a period of mourning, as is customary for esteemed members of the Imperial Family. There will be opportunities for all citizens to honour Harold’s memory in an appropriate manner.”



Princess Aisling Duval, Harold’s daughter, appeared uncharacteristically distressed when she gave a brief statement to the media:



“It’s a huge loss to us all that… I’m sorry… I can’t believe this has happened. He can’t be gone! I used to have some sympathy for the Marlinists, but now they… they took him from us. They took my daddy.”



The NMLA also attacked starports in the Cemiess, Gabjaujis, LHS 4031 and Rabh systems.



The Empire is now on heightened alert, and the Senate has approved new counter-terrorism initiatives proposed by Senator Denton Patreus.

Prince Harold Duval Assassinated 14 SEP 3306 Prince Harold Duval is dead after a targeted assassination attempt by the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army.



The Empire has imposed a media blackout on these events, and no official statement has been made. However, independent journalist Gwendolyn Nash published this on-the-scene report for Vox Galactica:



“From interviewing multiple sources, we gather that a single assassin managed to infiltrate Harold Duval’s personal transport. He was killed by shipboard guards but not before shooting the Prince at close range.”



“The NMLA claimed responsibility for this attack in its latest propaganda broadcast, which referred to the Duval family as ‘imperialist parasites’. The extremist group also demanded that ‘Marlinists everywhere must rise up and demand a democratic Republic’.”



“Harold Duval was famously declared unfit for the throne by Emperor Hengist, and has been out of the public eye ever since. He rarely left Capitol but was making an unpublicised journey to visit his daughter Aisling Duval, presumably in response to the recent terrorist attack in the Cemiess system.”



“It remains unknown how the NMLA knew of the Prince’s itinerary, or managed to breach security on his ship.”

Prince Harold Duval Assassinated 14 SEP 3306 Prince Harold Duval is dead after a targeted assassination attempt by the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army.



The Empire has imposed a media blackout on these events, and no official statement has been made. However, independent journalist Gwendolyn Nash published this on-the-scene report for Vox Galactica:



“From interviewing multiple sources, we gather that a single assassin managed to infiltrate Harold Duval’s personal transport. He was killed by shipboard guards but not before shooting the Prince at close range.”



“The NMLA claimed responsibility for this attack in its latest propaganda broadcast, which referred to the Duval family as ‘imperialist parasites’. The extremist group also demanded that ‘Marlinists everywhere must rise up and demand a democratic Republic’.”



“Harold Duval was famously declared unfit for the throne by Emperor Hengist, and has been out of the public eye ever since. He rarely left Capitol but was making an unpublicised journey to visit his daughter Aisling Duval, presumably in response to the recent terrorist attack in the Cemiess system.”



“It remains unknown how the NMLA knew of the Prince’s itinerary, or managed to breach security on his ship.”

Inquiry into Starship One’s Destruction Concludes 12 SEP 3306 An independent inquiry by the Federal Attorney’s Office into the destruction of presidential vessel Starship One has produced a final report.



Senior Attorney Milandu Okoro made this statement:



“The loss of presidential vessel Starship One in May 3301, along with hundreds of lives, was a great tragedy. Despite suspicion that this was an attempt to eliminate then-President Jasmina Halsey, initial investigations concluded that a catastrophic malfunction of its drive systems was the likely cause.”



“A new inquiry was opened when fresh evidence came to light, including testimonies from several members of the Federal Navy. Our final report states that there is sufficient reason to believe Starship One was destroyed by deliberate sabotage.”



“A grand jury has determined that criminal charges should be made. We have shared our findings with the Federal Intelligence Agency, and understand that an arrest will take place shortly.”



The inquiry report is not yet in the public domain, but is thought to allege that illegal modifications were made to the Frame Shift Drive system of Starship One in advance of its destruction during flight through hyperspace.

Terror Attacks Used Thargoid-Derived Explosives 12 SEP 3306 The Imperial Internal Security Service has transmitted another urgent bulletin regarding terrorist attacks on starports in the Empire.



“There have been indications that the four starports came under attack by Thargoids. We can confirm that this is not the case, and there is no evidence of Thargoid vessels in the vicinity.”



“Observers reported that some of the damage inflicted on the stations’ infrastructure closely resembled the effect of Thargoid weaponry. This was registered by internal sensor systems, resulting in automatic emergency broadcasts designed to summon aid during a Thargoid incursion.”



“Preliminary investigations suggest the use of customised explosive devices that incorporated elements of Thargoid technology. This suggests that the perpetrators have access to unusually sophisticated resources as well as xenological materials.”



“As yet there is no reason to doubt that the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army (NMLA) is responsible for these attacks. We have received reports of jubilant scenes from some Imperial fringe systems, in territories where Marlinism remains popular.”



Help with rescue operations is still being requested from the four Imperial starports: Mackenzie Relay in the Cemiess system, Tsiolkovsky Terminal in the Gabjaujis system, Garrido Market in the LHS 4031 system, and Muller Terminal in the Rabh system.

Starport Upgrade Initiative to Support Fleet Carriers 11 SEP 3306 A press release from Brewer Corporation discusses plans to improve access to refuelling for owners of fleet carriers.



“We have been surprised and gratified by the popularity of our latest product. The options for independent pilots and crews have been considerably expanded by the versatility and capability of our Drake-Class Carriers.”



“But we have also listened to customers’ concerns, in particular that large ships such as Anacondas, Corvettes and Clippers cannot dock with refinery outposts to take on Tritium fuel.”



“To help alleviate this issue, Brewer Corporation has partnered with two independent construction firms: Kavanagh Spaceframes Ltd and Steel Castle Inc. They are tasked with upgrading a number of outposts into fully functioning starports, in order to make refuelling runs more efficient.”



The two construction companies that won this contract both have impressive track records in modifying orbital habitats. Kavanagh Spaceframes specialises in Orbis starports, while Steel Castle exclusively works with Coriolis designs. The projects are expected to begin next week.

Terrorist Attacks on Imperial Starports 10 SEP 3306 *Pilots Federation ALERT: For the attention of all Commanders*



The Empire has broadcast this message across its emergency channels:



“There have been multiple explosions within Mackenzie Relay station, in Princess Aisling Duval’s home system of Cemiess. NMLA terrorists have claimed responsibility.”



“In coordinated attacks they have also struck at Tsiolkovsky Terminal in the Gabjaujis system, Garrido Market in the LHS 4031 system, and Muller Terminal in the Rabh system.”



“We urgently request assistance from the galactic community with repairing these starports and rescuing their populations.”



The Imperial Internal Security Service issued a bulletin regarding this current threat:



“The Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army (NMLA) is a paramilitary force of political extremists, whose activities have been small-scale until now.”



“Marlinism is a well-known ideology inspired by Marlin Duval, who established the Republic of Achenar in the 23rd century prior to it becoming the Empire. Many people in the fringe systems are Marlinists, who want to replace hereditary Emperors with representation by elected senators. Neo-Marlinism is a more radical conviction that only terror tactics will force such change.”



“The NMLA’s hatred of the Imperial Family explains why it has targeted starports under the Duval banner. But its use of portable military-grade explosives is unprecedented, suggesting an increase in resources.”

Vitadyne Nanomedicines Reach Galactic Market 09 JUN 3306 The nanomedicines developed in December 3304 by Vitadyne Labs have been approved for distribution to medical facilities across the galaxy.



At the time of Vitadyne’s original announcement, the nanomedicines were believed to be mere weeks away from widespread availability. The Interstellar Health Organisation (IHO) had verified the medicine’s healing properties, and Vitadyne Labs owner Professor Katrien Rook had been hailed as a genius for spearheading the research and development project.



But some questioned how a relatively small company could produce such advanced drugs – questions that were answered when Pranav Antal announced that the nanomeds were derived from pharmaceuticals developed by the Utopia commune. Responding to accusations of theft, Professor Rook clarified that the original nanomeds had been legally salvaged from the wreckage of a Utopian transport ship.



A lengthy legal battle followed, with Pranav Antal demanding the return of both the original nanomedicines and the Vitadyne derivatives. Vitadyne argued that the derivatives were of great potential benefit to humanity, and should be made available for sale. The IHO eventually ruled in favour of Vitadyne Labs, with the caveat that all distribution be maintained by an established pharmaceutical corporation.



That honour went to the Vandermeer Corporation, which has now established the necessary manufacturing facilities. It has taken a year for all parties to agree on the rigid quality control measures and personnel qualifications required for the production of the nanomedicines.



“I am proud to announce that Vitadyne nanomedicines are now available for distribution from the Kuma system,” said Professor Rook at a press conference at Elion Dock. “We have established a fantastic relationship with the Vandermeer team, and we look forward to sharing the fruits of our labour with humanity.”

Witch Head System Designations Updated 14 JAN 3306 Universal Cartographics has updated the names of fifteen systems in the Witch Head enclave.



Cynthia Sideris, chair of Universal Cartographics, elaborated on the development:



“Last year’s colonisation efforts resulted in a number of new settlements in the region, and providing systems with less unwieldy appellations is of great benefit to explorers. For example, ‘the Wisanye system’ rolls off the tongue much more agreeably than ‘the Witch Head Sector FB-X c1-7 system’.”



“We are confident that these more personable memorable terms will be welcomed by the Witch Head community.”



The Witch Head enclave is currently experiencing a number of Thargoid incursions, prompting local factions to call for assistance.

Thargoid Incursions in Witch Head Enclave 13 JAN 3306 A series of Thargoid incursions into human-occupied Witch Head systems has alarmed the region’s colonists. Multiple casualties have been reported, with pilots caught off-guard by the sudden increase in Thargoid ships.



The Thargoids had largely withdrawn from the Witch Head enclave following a heavy defeat in July 3305. Following a significant increase in Thargoid activity, Professor Alba Tesreau of Aegis Research offered the following comments to Vox Galactica:



“Regrettably, the Thargoids were unlikely to surrender this area of space after a single defeat. Humanity may have established the Witch Head enclave, but the Thargoids are clearly still intent on driving us out – particularly with so many barnacle sites in the region.”



With starports at considerable risk of assault, local authorities are hopeful that a defence force can be organised soon. A number of independent pilots have already travelled great distances to engage the Thargoid forces.



Kelvin Masters, a regular pundit for the Rewired network, provided this take:



“Those people in the Witch Head are crazy if they thought the Thargoids were just going to roll over like good pups. We’re six months down the road from our initial expansion into the sector, and the local factions seem to have forgotten they’re living in Thargoid space. There’s a little push-and-shove for influence going on, corporations vying for control. What’s going to happen in the Witch Head enclave now the Thargoids are back in force?”

Reorte Year’s End Festivities Conclude 18 DEC 3305 End-of-year celebrations have concluded in the Reorte system, with organisers declaring the week a grand success.



Deliveries by independent pilots ensured that the needs of the billion-plus attendees were met. Meanwhile, agitators in the system were prevented from intercepting convoys or causing trouble.



Prime Minister Edmund Mahon offered this statement:



“I’d like to express my gratitude and appreciation to everybody involved in the festivities, from interstellar traders to revellers on the streets. Now, as goods are packed away and sensory experience hubs are dismantled all across Home, the clean-up efforts begin. It has been a real honour to witness so many come together in Reorte.”



“On behalf of the Alliance Assembly, I wish everybody a most prosperous New Year.”



Pilots who took part in either campaign can now obtain their rewards from Davies High in the Reorte system.

Year’s End Festivities in Reorte 12 DEC 3305 The Reorte system has been selected for the Alliance’s end-of-year festivities, prompting huge demand for commodities.



Traders, performance artists and chefs throughout Allied space have already flocked to the system, where billions of attendees are expected. The planet Home is planning a synchronous firework display spanning every continent, while the habitation decks of Davies High will offer a culinary celebration featuring dishes from across the galaxy.



Prime Minister Edmund Mahon was the guest of honour at the commencement ceremony, and he offered these words to the gathered press:



“As the year draws to a close we have a lot to be thankful for. There is peace between the superpowers. Thargoid encroachments on human space have ceased. Through hard work and cooperation, we have proven ourselves capable of rising together in response to significant challenges. This is something each and every one of us can be proud of.”



“And so, the Reorte system will host a celebration to tell future generations about. We call upon the galactic community to ensure the system is well supplied, and look forward to rewarding these ever-reliable pilots for their continued service.”



The Reorte Mining Coalition has elected to oversee the initiative. Units of fish, fruit and vegetables, animal meat and beer have been requested at Davies High in the Reorte system. More exotic traders are also encouraged to bring units of Lavian Brandy, Anduliga Fire Works and Eranin Pearl Whiskey.



To ensure the celebration goes without a hitch, the Reorte Mining Coalition has also offered to pay handsomely for all bounties collected on wanted ships in the system.



The initiative is scheduled to run from the 12th to the 18th of December 3305. If the final targets are met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.