The following stories contributed by Cerberus Daily News forum members were published on the CDN newsfeed during September 2011. See the main Cerberus Daily News page for current updates.

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September 2011

09/01/11 - Council granted Element Zero coordinates

The Citadel Council announced today that it has successfully negotiated access to one of the largest known element zero deposits in the galaxy. News broke late this afternoon, following renewed negotiations between the quarian flotilla and a Council delegation. No word has been given on what the flotilla received in return.

Council negotiations had reportedly stalled, and rumors from the flotilla indicated that the quarians had been deep in negotiations with the Batarian Hegemony. The news came as a shock to analysts, who began searching for a reason for the breakthrough. “This is a major win for the Council,” said GBC political analyst Li Mei. “It’s interesting that it came after Sohl’Atar nar Klemcheck was transferred to Council custody, isn’t it?”

[via Galactic Mineral News]





09/02/11 - Alliance worlds enact Skald Fish restrictions

Several garden worlds throughout Alliance space are placing tight restrictions on Illium Skald Fish. The fish have become a popular gift item, but require a notoriously demanding feeding schedule. Owners will sometimes dispose of them by dumping them into local lakes or streams when they grow tired of them. However, Skald Fish dumping has taken its toll on several ecosystems, as even a small number of Skald Fish will quickly decimate aquatic food sources. Eden Prime recently had to engage in a costly eco-restoration project for a major lake, and several nations on Earth are reporting Skald Fish infestations in their waterways.

[via Alliance Beacon]





09/03/11 - Weather cuts off Noveria

All traffic to and from Noveria has been blocked, due to an outbreak of particularly harsh weather. Alan Dominic, a representative of the Noveria Development Corporation, told reporters, “An unusually harsh series of blizzards has made it dangerous for ships to land at or take off from Port Hanshan. Rest assured that personnel at all Noveria facilities are safe. Anyone who was scheduled to leave has been guaranteed accommodations, with the Development Corporation covering the full cost. NDC meteorologists are studying the situation, and expect the blizzards to clear up sometime next week.”





September 2011 - Week Two

09/04/11 - Nightclub chain expands throughout galaxy

“Visions,” the nightclub chain jointly operated by asari Elina Moran and her bondmate, batarian Riktor Gars, is expanding to new locations. The first Visions opened in Nos Astra, in 2184, as a nightclub that celebrates unity and interspecies relationships. It gained attention by embracing the races of the owners, with décor that invokes images of asari head fringes and the quadruple eyes of batarians. “We feel that our clubs speak to today’s youth,” said Gars. “They don’t care about the hatreds of the past. They’re more concerned about the future.” Visions will open a location on the Citadel’s Tayseri Ward next week, and is scheduled to open clubs on major C-space worlds throughout 2186 and 2187.





09/05/11 - Study indicates lack of historical knowledge

In a recent study, nearly one quarter of upperclassmen at a sample of major Alliance universities could not correctly identify a single individual who helped draft the Alliance Charter, while slightly more than half could not identify the order in which the first extra-solar system colonies were founded. Knowledge of galactic history was even worse, with solid majorities lacking basic knowledge of the Rachni Wars and the Krogan Rebellions. “These results are truly disturbing,” said Hawking University’s Dr. Rachel Fenwick, one of the study’s authors. “We live in a galactic community, but it seems we don’t know our own history, let alone the history of others.”

[via Alliance Beacon]





09/06/11 - Stalker arrested at Pyjacks concert

A Screaming Pyjacks concert on Thessia was marred by the arrest of a fan who attempted to break into drummer Hal Dorbad’s dressing room. Concert security discovered 122 year old Ninya Loni disguised as a stagehand, and attempting to hack the lock on Dorbad’s door. Loni was quickly apprehended, and the concert continued as planned. While talking to reporters today, lead singer Vorenus Malenuu said, “We’re just glad no one was hurt. Poor Dorbad. The women always did go for the quiet volus type.”





09/07/11 - Evidence suggests expedition attacked by Clan Torak

According to the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission, forensic evidence suggests that Clan Torak attacked and killed a University of Serrice science expedition. Although a full account of the evidence against Clan Torak has not been released, CDEM forces did note that DNA samples taken from krogan blood on some of the victims partially matched DNA from several known Clan Torak members. Meanwhile, a University of Serrice spokesperson confirmed that the University gave the clan agricultural equipment, as well as a payment of nearly 50,000 credits, to guarantee the group’s safe passage. The CDEM is demanding that Clan Torak explain the presence of Torak DNA. Clan Torak has not responded.





09/08/11 - Volus claims black holes are natural mass relays

During a news conference at the ongoing Volus Physical Society meeting on Irune, Volus scientist Darik Zol unveiled a new theory of how black holes could be used for interstellar travel. “It’s true,” said the press release, “black hole surroundings are vicious environments, whether it’s the million-solar-mass black hole at the Galactic center, or your regular run-of-the-mill ten-solar-mass black hole in the Galactic disk. But, by surrounding the black hole with a sphere of element zero, we could effectively turn it into a wormhole, opening a gate to a different part of the galaxy—or who knows, maybe even beyond.”





09/09/11 - Noveria blizzards continue

Noveria’s unusually severe weather has not cleared up as expected, as a series of blizzards continue to rip through settled areas. The Noveria Development Corporation reports that temperatures have fallen to levels that are extreme, even for Noveria, and that company engineers have had to take steps to ensure that facilities do not suffer damage, from either the cold, or extraordinarily high winds. Meanwhile, all space traffic to and from Port Hanshan continues to be blocked, and travelers are said to be getting testy. “I spent three years working here,” said Dr. Simon Winthrop. “I was supposed to go home. I was supposed to see my family and friends again. They have me at the hotel, but I don’t want to be there. I just want off Noveria. I just want out.”





09/10/11 - Asari Physical Society responds to black hole theory

Na’ali Vasir, president of the Asari Physical Society, responded today to the press release issued by physicist Darik Zol, who claimed a black hole can be turned into a galaxy-crossing wormhole merely by surrounding it with a thin layer of element zero. “There are a number of problems with this theory. First of all, element zero must be electrically charged to provide a negative dark energy field—where’s all that electricity going to come from? Second, to make this work, you would have to cross into a high time dilation zone of the black hole, rendering it a one-way gate. And finally, what about peer review? There has been no article submitted to a reputable journal to describe this research, and without such vetting, we must remain highly skeptical of the results.”

September 2011 – Week Three

09/11/11 - FCC reporter accused of falsifying stories

Future Content Corporation reporter Tanil Tarizz is on the defensive today. According to a recent blog post on the media watchdog site Media Alert, Tarizz falsified a set of six stories he wrote last year about the war on Garvug. The stories, which were posted on the FCC homepage, discussed the war’s impact on civilians and soldiers. They were cross posted by a wide range of sites, including the Alliance Beacon, the Palaven Daily News, and the Galaxy News Service. The salarian has defended his articles: “Everything I write is the product of hard work and careful research,” he said. “I’d never intentionally get something wrong.”





09/12/11 - Clan Torak says attackers have fled

Torak Ral, the leader of Clan Torak, told reporters today that a University of Serrice science expedition was killed by six members of his clan “without his permission,” and that those members “have fled Tuchanka.” Ral expressed his regrets, but also indicated he has no plans to return a payment from the University of Serrice. “They knew the dangers when they came to Tuchanka,” he said. “It’s not the entire clan’s fault they didn’t survive.” The Council Demilitarization and Enforcement Mission is demanding access to Clan Torak’s ancestral capital, so they can confirm that the suspects in the killings are off world. When asked about the demand, Ral said, “I’d like to see them come here and try to get in.”





09/13/11 - Darik Zol vows to confirm black hole theory

Responding to recent asari criticisms of his black hole theory, Dr. Darik Zol vowed that he will personally confirm it by venturing towards black hole A0620-00, in the Attican Traverse. Calling for element zero donations from the rest of his clan, the scientist professed his readiness to die for his cause. “By spreading the element zero dust in a spherical shell near the black hole, I will open a gate to whatever spacetime point this black hole is connected to. Not only will I usher a new era of discovery and wisdom for the galaxy, and honor for the volus race—I will also be the first to enter this wormhole.”





09/14/11 - Noveria blizzards end

Space travel to and from Noveria has resumed, with the end of a series of blizzards that plagued operations there for over a week. Despite the return of normal weather, passengers are still suffering delays, as Port Hanshan has given priority to a backlog of supply ships that had been waiting in orbit. Nevertheless, the Noveria Development Corporation has assured travelers that they will be able to leave “within the next few days.” The NDC also stated that preliminary examinations indicate little weather damage to facilities, but that extra snow from the storm will need to be removed from the ground and slopes around several bases.





09/15/11 - Witnesses back claims against reporter

Several residents of Garvug, as well as veterans of the recent war there, have backed claims against Future Content Corporation reporter Tanil Tarizz. One Garvug merchant claims that the salarian’s account of a battle that trapped and wounded civilians was bogus, saying, “It was a skirmish. It was over in 10 minutes, and no civilians were hurt.” Meanwhile, a former corporate soldier said, “Tarizz interviewed me about my experiences. When I read the article, he had me fighting in battles I was nowhere near.” The FCC has suspended Tarizz pending the results of an investigation. In an e-mailed statement, the reporter said, “My articles are all true. I don’t understand these hurtful personal attacks.”





09/16/11 - Gahl Jackson implicated in video

The trial of Gahl Jackson took an emotional turn today, as prosecutors introduced surprise video evidence against the youth. In the video, Jackson is seen providing a salarian with an OSD that prosecutors allege contained sensitive diplomatic documents. Prosecutors claim that the salarian, who has admitted publically to working with the batarians, was acting as a go between for Jackson and the Hegemony.

Gahl Jackson broke down in tears as he watched the video, while his parents watched silently in the audience. The day ended with Jackson’s lawyer requesting a recess to discuss the case with her client.





09/17/11 - University library honored

The University of Armstrong’s Aldrin Library was awarded today by the Organization for the Preservation of Literary History. The award is in recognition of the library’s massive collection of paper books, which is estimated to be one of the largest off-Earth collections of non-electronic human literature. The collection is especially notable for its science fiction section, which contains several first editions from authors such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Li Shing. Dr. Oswald Tyson, the University’s long-time head librarian, accepted the award, and told a gathering of students, faculty, and press, that he hopes the library “will continue to preserve an important part of human literary history for generations to come.”





September 2011 – Week Four

09/18/11 - Tarizz admits to falsifying stories

Future Content Corporation reporter Tanil Tarizz has admitted to falsifying articles. In a statement posted on his official blog on the FCC extranet homepage, the salarian begged for the forgiveness of his readers, and said, “I needed some good articles. My career was going nowhere, and I’m already 24 years old, almost 25. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life a nobody. I wanted to be remembered after I die.” The FCC has fired Tarizz and posted retractions for the stories. Other journalists have reacted in disgust to Tarizz’s actions, with Farley Winchell, a fellow FCC reporter, saying, “There was an entire war on Garvug that he could have reported on. Instead, he made things up.”





09/19/11 - CDEM attack encounters resistance

The Council Demilitarization and Enforcement Mission launched an attack against Clan Torak, today, only to encounter unexpected resistance. After Torak again refused demands to allow CDEM access to their ancestral capital, the CDEM launched airborne strikes and artillery barrages against Torak positions. CDEM forces were shocked, however, when Torak personnel in and around the capital turned out to be armed with advanced surface to air missiles, as well as several heavy weapons. Four CDEM aircraft were downed, with their pilots confirmed dead. Several other CDEM aircraft were severely damaged. The CDEM has reported that it does not currently know how Clan Torak gained access to prohibited weapons, but it is expected that they will respond to this development with extreme prejudice.





09/20/11 - Gahl Jackson pleads guilty

Gahl Jackson has changed his plea to guilty, in response to the recent release of video evidence. In a statement to the court, the youth explained that he began helping the Hegemony “after years of emotional abuse by my peers, classmates and teachers. I couldn’t get away from it. The Hegemony told me they could offer me a place where I would belong.”

Support groups for children of mixed species families have reported an increase in harassment of batarians, and have asked that the public behave reasonably. “Not every batarian youth you meet is a spy,” said Darchas Clark, with Youth United. “They shouldn’t be held responsible for the actions of someone else.”





09/21/11 - Missing freighter discovered in Traverse

The Alliance military has found the MSV Deep Space Prince, a Kowloon class freighter that was reported missing in December of 2184. The “Prince,” owned by University of London professors Arthur and Kate Lyman, was on a mission to seek out Prothean ruins in the Attican Traverse. It gained a degree of media attention because the Lymans, who funded the mission with their own money, brought their 5 year old daughter Nancy along for the trip. A frigate detected the freighter, which is said to be fully functional, while conducting a scouting mission. A report has not been issued on the status of the crew.





09/22/11 - Freighter crew still missing

The Alliance reports that the crew of the Deep Space Prince is still missing. Despite a thorough search of the freighter, rescue crews were unable to locate Arthur or Kate Lyman, their crew, or their 5 year old daughter. In what one member of the rescue crew has described as “extremely unusual,” the Prince was found fully functional, with the autopilot set on a course for the Citadel. “It was moving at sub-light speed, so it wouldn’t have arrived in our lifetime,” said the rescue member. “The ship’s crew was nowhere, and its databank records were wiped. But other than that, it was normal. No signs of struggle. Nothing.”





09/23/11 - Rare books damaged in university prank

Six University of Armstrong students are facing the possibility of expulsion, following a prank that has damaged a large portion of the University’s rare, paper book collection. The students, each members of a fraternity, attempted to bypass the Aldrin Library’s security system, with the intent of stealing several rare books and planting them in the house of a rival fraternity. Instead, their hacking attempt inadvertently set off the fire suppression systems in several sections of the building. Although a full estimate of the damage has yet to be released, large sections of the library’s science fiction section are water damaged, and it has been suggested that much of the library’s Arthur C. Clarke collection may be beyond restoration.





09/18/11 - Smoking laws challenged

Modern science has made cigarettes medically safe, but legacy laws in some Alliance jurisdictions still prohibit smoking in public places. A group of activists, calling themselves the “Free Smokers,” have banded together to challenge those laws, most of which are in place on Earth and early colonies. “The whole point was to discourage an unhealthy behavior, and to limit health risks from second hand smoke,” said Dr. Neeraj Vij, the President of Free Smokers. “But with current advancements, the laws no longer serve a purpose.” Not everyone agrees, however. During a recent hearing at Banks City, on Mars, one citizen complained, “Second hand smoke may not be unhealthy, but it’s still annoying. I should be able to enjoy public places without someone’s smoke irritating my eyes.”





September 2011 – Week Five

09/25/11 - Turians celebrate Lukara Festival

Many turians have taken off work to celebrate the Lukara Festival. A week-long celebration held every ten years, Lukara encourages participants to spend time during the day contemplating their place in their community, and what they can do to better serve their fellow turians. During the evening hours, participants gather with friends and family to engage in singing, dancing, and feasting. The largest celebration takes place on Palaven’s largest northern continent, where participants gather to watch the lukara beasts begin a difficult, cross-continent migration that is undertaken once a decade. “The lukara migration is the origin of the celebration,” said a public release from the turian embassy. “It is a difficult journey, but the lukara work together to reach their destination. The migration serves as a reminder of the importance of working together to achieve community goals.”





09/26/11 - CDEM attacks on Clan Torak continue

Council Demilitarization and Enforcement Mission attacks on Clan Torak have continued for the past week, with several rounds of heavy shelling and coordinated bombing. The CDEM reports that most of Torak’s surface to air missile positions, as well as their heavy weapons, have been destroyed, and that outlying Torak forces have been decimated. CDEM ground forces have advanced into Clan Torak’s territory, and have reported only light resistance. At a press conference, a CDEM spokesperson said, “We expect to take Clan Torak’s ancestral capital within the next few days. We mean no harm to krogan non-combatants. Our only goals are to search the capital for the six krogan wanted for the deaths of the University of Serrice science expedition, as well as to detect and confiscate any prohibited weaponry.”





09/27/11 - Darik Zol departs on black hole ‘suicide mission’

Physicist Darik Zol, claiming he has received “not ideal, but sufficient” donations of element zero dust to open a wormhole around black hole A0620-00, departed today amid fanfare and heartfelt cheering from the general public on Irune. Ten Volus merchant scouts accompanied Dr. Zol as honor guards to the nearest mass relay. Dr. Zol is attempting to open a wormhole to another part of the galaxy by spreading charged element zero dust in the vicinity of the event horizon. Responding to public worries, council representatives noted that that due to gravitational time dilation around the black hole, the results of Dr. Zol’s experiments will not be known for another one or two million years. “He is essentially going on a one-way suicide mission,” said the statement from the council secretariat, adding: “it’s a sad day for science.”





09/28/11 - Torak fighting sparks protests

A group of protesters gathered in the Presidium’s free speech zone, today, to protest the CDEM operation against Clan Torak. Organized by former Alliance diplomat turned civil rights lawyer Angela Kerns, the protesters stated that their intent is to make the Council rethink long standing policy toward the krogan. “The genophage was a war crime, and what has happened since then has only compounded that atrocity,” said Kerns. “The krogan are a broken and defeated people. All we ask is that the rest of the galaxy – including the Citadel Council and the CDEM – leave them alone, and allow them to repair the damage to their society without constant outside interference.”





09/29/11 - Answers demanded on freighter crew

Relatives of the crewmembers of the MSV Deep Space Prince are demanding answers, but few are available. Though most of the Prince’s crew was human, it also had a volus physician, an asari engineer, and a turian security chief. Those governments are now asking for representation on the team investigating the Prince, in response to pressure from family members. “We just want to know what happened,” said Vallen Alick, mother of Tarius Alick, the security chief. “Tarius had her misgivings about this trip, but she went because she was fond of Nancy Lyman. She liked the human child, and wanted nothing more than to make sure she was safe.”





09/30/11 - Pyjacks singer talks to press

The Screaming Pyjacks recently took time away from their reunion tour so Vorenus Malenuu could talk to GBC’s Carl Shipley. In the interview, Malenuu confirmed that the band is getting along as well as it did in its heyday, and raised the possibility of getting back together several times. “We’ve talked about it,” Malenuu said. “We’re considering it. We’ve made no decisions. This tour has been great, but it’s been twenty years. Everyone has moved on. Alana Vetris has a fantastic solo career. Hal Dorbad found a place on the Eletarmin Ginjus Show. So we have to consider all of those factors.” Malennu refused to rule anything out, however, and said that the band would “make a decision by the end of the tour.”