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Northern Reaches Trials End Article 26 of Dulce et Decorum HARMONY CITY, LUNA - Today as of 9PM (GST) the Department of Justice has announced its final verdicts in the Northern Reaches trials against former Solarian military and government officials for alleged crimes committed during the Solarian Civil War. All verdicts relate to the so-called “Solarian Restoration Front,” an Alliance-designated terrorist group first active in 2463 and still present on Lycoris. Rear Admiral Anton Verglas and Commodore Florentina von Keyserling, both of the 35th Fleet, Admiral Renart Paquet, 32nd Fleet, and Commodore Deng Fa, 33rd Fleet, are among several dozen ex-Navy officers found guilty of treason, desertion, sedition, extermination, forced deportation, the illegal or illegitimate use of force against Solarian citizens, and other crimes not listed here. Due to the severity of the circumstances, the Department of Justice has opted to seek the death penalty. Governor Thomas Wilks and Lieutenant Governor Richard Andersen, both of Lycoris, have been charged with sedition, operating a forced labor apparatus, labor trafficking, forced deportations, and the denial of civil rights to Solarian citizens. The Department of Justice has likewise opted to seek the death penalty. Former planetary police commissioner for Lycoris Alexandre Bernard has been charged with sedition, murder of a Solarian government employee (multiple counts), forced deportation, illegitimate use of force against Solarian citizens, and other crimes not listed here. The Department of Justice as likewise opted to seek the death penalty. Lieutenant General Sophia Zambrano, of the Lycoris System Defense Force, has been charged with treason, accessory to extermination, illegitimate use of force against a Solarian member-state, murder of Solarian military personnel (multiple counts), and other crimes not listed here. The Department of Justice has opted to pursue the death penalty for the severity of these crimes, which were carried out while the charged party was a serving member of the military. When asked by the SANN for his thoughts on the charges, Attorney General Henri Fontenot provided the following quote: “As I and the department promised last year, we have delivered the Solarian people justice in the face of unspeakable violence committed against our nation and our citizens by those who once claimed to serve it. It is my supreme hope as your attorney general that we shall move forward as a nation and recognize today as what it is: a victory over evil.” Further Articles: Visegradi Authorities Announce Further Arrests Connected to Terrorist Plot Solarian and Dominian Navy Announce Successful Joint Bust of Cross-Border Smuggling Operation The Light of Liberty’s Reality: Life in Mendell City’s Slums

Northern Reaches Trials Continue on Luna Article 20 of Dulce et Decorum HARMONY CITY, LUNA — Today as of 6PM (GST) the Department of Justice has announced several verdicts in the ongoing trials against former Solarian military officers and government officials for crimes committed in the Northern Reaches during the Solarian Civil War. All verdicts relate to the “Anti-Corporate League,” a group active from 2463-65 in the Northern Reaches and allegedly supported by the Coalition of Colonies. Admiral Frederich Müller, commander of the 67th Fleet, Rear Admiral Ruben Pravin, acting commander of the 66th Fleet, and Admiral Nikola Camilo, commander of the 58th Fleet, have been convicted of treason, desertion, sedition, and destruction of civilian property. The DOJ has opted to seek the death penalty as their crimes were carried out while a member of the military. Governor Damjana Mariyana, New Atlantica, has been convicted of sedition and accessory to destruction of civilian property, and has been sentenced to 30 years’ federal imprisonment. Mladan Spartak, Department of Interior employee and League Minister for Corporate Repossession and Distribution, has been convicted on public corruption charges, theft charges, and sedition, and sentenced to 25 years’ federal imprisonment. Sovann Soth, Department of Interior employee and League Minister of Revolutionary Affairs, has been convicted of sedition and sentenced to 20 years’ federal imprisonment. The trials of members of the “Solarian Restoration Front” remain pending. A source close to the SANN advised we are likely to see a resolution, “within the year,” at the current rate. Further Articles: Callistean Group Sues Navy for Misconduct, Brutality in 2465 Riot Monorail Accident on Visegrad Injures 15 Martian Government Reports Drop in Airborne Phoron for Third Straight Month

SISA Announces Further Arrests in Bombing Plot Article 18 of Dulce et Decorum HARMONY CITY, LUNA – Today at 11AM (GST) the Solarian Interstellar Security Agency announced further arrests of individuals related to the bombing plot against the ongoing trials for those accused of crimes in the Northern Reaches. The arrests included all individuals that escaped custody after the initial arrests, as well as persons who provided, “material support,” to the plotters. In total the agency has announced the arrests of over thirty individuals, all of whom have now been arraigned on an assortment of charges, including: conspiracy to utilize a weapon of mass destruction, conspiracy to commit murder against a public official, and conspiracy against the Solarian Alliance. The offenders face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. SISA further identified the alleged ringleader of the plot, 47 year-old Bianca Accetta, a native Lycorii and alleged former member of the Solarian Restoration Front’s government on Lycoris. The agency stated that Ms. Accetta’s association with the former rebel government is still under investigation, and more charges may be pending. The agency stressed that its investigation into the plot was still ongoing, but that there appeared to be no further threat to the public or trials. While further arrests are possible, it is believed that most, if not all, of the individuals associated with the plot have been tracked down. Anyone believing they have information relating to the individuals or the plot is encouraged to contact their local SISA field office. Further Reading: Alliance Champions League Group Stage enters final two matchweeks INTERSTELLAR✰GIRLS release surprise new album Toowoomba-Tauranga: The Winter Wonderland of Silversun

Exclusive Interview with an Officer of Visegrad’s National Defense Force Article 17 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens onto two men — one Liao Qi, the other a younger-looking man in a forest green military uniform with a mustache — sitting across from one another. Compared to the tense environment of the last interview, this room is a well-lit office with tasteful wood decor. Barely visible off to one side, by the door, is a woman in a matching uniform wearing a vest. “Lieutenant, thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. Could you introduce yourself for the audience?” “I’m Jakab Koroknay, First Lieutenant, National Defense Force.” “Thank you. First, how do you feel about the NDF’s reformation?” “I’m supportive of it. As a planet and region we’re past the emergency period where we needed an integrated command structure with the Navy. Now, we can return to a sense of normalcy in the Danube System.” “What does that normalcy look like?” “Normalcy for us is the NDF handling security on Visegrad itself and in its orbit. We managed most security operations in the system before integration with the Navy and have continued to do so now. Our main issue as it stands now is a lack of synthetic equipment — we can’t easily reintegrate the units seized by the Navy back into our force.” “Why is it difficult?” “Well,” Koroknay pauses for a moment, considering his response. “Sorry, it’s a bit hard to describe to a general audience. Navy synthetics are designed for naval work, while ours are designed for police use. It’s hard to swap the programming over and we don’t want to deprive the Navy of assets.” “In your opinion, how is the reformation of the NDF proceeding aside from this matter?” “Quite well. We’ve managed to exceed our staffing goals thanks to an agreement to hire back NDF personnel from the Navy and many Visegradi signing up, including individuals returning from abroad. Furthermore, the Department of Justice has provided us with support when and where we need it — reestablishing a SISA office on Visegrad last year has helped fight major crimes here. One of our challenges has been acquiring linguists specialized into Coalition languages and dialects, and the D-O-J helped us resolve that issue.” “Lieutenant, thank you for your time.” “Thank you for stopping to speak with us, and for waiting for your interview request to be approved.”

XNS Exclusive: Interview with a Konyang Armed Forces Officer Article 16 of Dulce et Decorum As always, a Himean man is the sole host of the XNS’ Interviews and News segment. On a rather cozy sofa sits the famous Jude Scholes, smiling at the camera. Behind him on a holoscreen is a middle-aged Konyanger man in a military uniform. Despite the gray streaks in his hair there is a sharpness to his eyes and face. He appears to be in an office of some kind with a map of Konyang on the wall behind him. Vague writing is present around Suwon, but it’s too blurry to make out. “Welcome, our faithful guests, to tonight’s episode of Interviews and News! I’m Jude Scholes, your host, and tonight we have a returning guest, Captain Jung-Hee Eum of the Konyang Armed Forces! Captain Eum, thank you for taking time away from your duties to speak with us.” “Thank you for having me, Jude. It’s always a pleasure.” “Captain, with the Solarian government having re-established control over the Solarian Northern Reaches, are you concerned at sharing a border?” “Not at this time. Sharing a border with another state rather than a loosely-organized 'insurgent group,’” Eum makes air quotes as he says insurgent group, “has given us more stability in the short term.” “Hand in glove, Captain?” Eum looks at the screen with confusion for a moment, then looks at something off-screen. When he speaks again his professionally neutral expression has returned. “Yes, I believe we have the situation under control.” “Are there any concerns the Solarians might launch a cross-border attack of their own, similar to what happened in Biesel in ‘62?” “The Solarian Navy of 2462 is a different entity compared to the one that triumphed in their civil war. While the Alliance maintains a large force in the region, it’s spread throughout the Reaches — very little is present at the Sol-Coalition border.” “Not to spit into the glass, captain, but can you be so sure?” “I’m not able to speak to specifics at this time. However, if the Alliance does intend to launch an assault, we’ll be able to prepare.” “Right, right,” if Scholes is irritated by this response, he doesn’t show it. “Have refugees continued to cross the border into Konyang?” “We’ve seen a near total stop to refugee crossings with an end to the fighting. We’ve had more crossings from the Coalition to Sol, as Solarian citizens return to their country, than Sol to Coalition crossings. Repatriating bandits from Konyang to Sol is another matter of concern, but the crisis earlier this year has delayed talks.” “Captain Eum, thank you for your time. Unfortunately, that’s all we have for tonight.” “Thank you for having me.” “Until next time, I’m Jules Scholes and this is the Xanu News Service!”

Northern Reaches Trials Begin Article 14 of Dulce et Decorum HARMONY CITY, LUNA — Today at 9AM (GST) the Department of Justice formally began trials related to the Solarian Civil War’s impact in the Northern Reaches. Most defendants are military personnel from the naval and military wings of the “Solarian Restoration Front,” a terrorist group active from 2462 until 2465, or its civilian administration, including the former governor of Lycoris. A smaller number are from the “Anti-Corporate League,” though many named in the September indictment are currently awaiting extradition from the Coalition of Colonies. When asked by SANN reporters what he thought of the trial starting, Attorney General Fontenot’s office provided the following: “These trials are a chance for the Alliance to show that, no matter what may occur, the rule of law will prevail. These trials may take a very long time, but they represent our great nation’s commitment to not let criminal actors go unpunished. Ultimately, we hope it will be a step towards healing the wounds left by the civil war.” Assistant Solarian Attorneys Masud Lakhdar and Sarah Kalemba of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights Section were contacted by the SANN and declined to comment on an ongoing trial. The media representative of SISA Special Agent in Charge of the Lunarian Division Ulrike Henriette Marilda von Rantzau, provided the following: “Our division has been investigating allegations made against the alleged subjects for over a year, while at the same time assisting the San Colette Division in rebuilding. I have full confidence in our personnel as we take this matter to trial.” The SANN will continue to report on this matter as it develops. Further Articles: Callisto Beats Xanu 3-2 in Latest Football Match San Colette Residents Describe Life Under Orbital Fire People of the Spur: The Dominian Lyodii

XNS Exclusive: Interview with Augustín Cabanas, Leader of the Solarian People’s Liberation Front Article 13 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens on a bizarre sight. In the middle is a poorly lit table with two men sitting on either side, with Solarian flags pinned to the wall around them — one clearly Liao Qi, the other a middle-aged Mictlani in a Solarian Navy admiral’s uniform. In the background a mixed group of men and women, their faces obscured with Solarian flag bandanas and sunglasses, stand at attention with assault rifles. Qi, notably, looks tenser than normal. A cigarette slowly burns in an ashtray in front of the Mictlani as Qi begins speaking. “Admiral Cabanas, before we begin let me thank you for giving us this opportunity to interview you.” “Of course,” Cabanas leans onto the table, crossing his arms. “I hope the ‘Republic’ was not too much of a problem coming here.” “It wasn’t,” Qi clears his throat. “Could you introduce yourself to our viewers?” “Not everyone is familiar with our struggle,” the admiral hmpfs to himself. “I am Admiral Augustín Cabanas of the Solarian People’s Liberation Fleet, which has been fighting against corporate occupation since March 2463. We are the only ones fighting for a free, Solarian Hinterlands.” “Right,” Qi clicks his pen. “You’ve been fighting without official Solarian support for two years, then?” “Yes. Allies have given us arms and tools to keep fighting, but supplies are limited. It is only through our own hands that we are still free. The corporations will never conquer us as long as we draw breath.” “Conversations on the Extranet suggest you’re very popular in the Hinterlands. Why do you think you are?” Cabanas laughs for a moment! “I am a gregarious man — and I am a force for Sol, not corporate greed. The people here, Liao, they support our Alliance. Unlike Mictlan, my home, the corporations do not control us. Yet.” “Yet?” “They have more than us, and can overwhelm us in time — drowning us in the blood of their mercenaries and conscripts. But they do not — so far.” “Is there anything you’d like the wider Spur to know about your struggle? “Yes,” Cabanas takes a drag off of the cigarette in front of him, then exhales smoke to the side before speaking. “Do not, my friend, the corporate media of the Spur will tell you we are terrorists. They will try to diminish our struggle. But they cannot run from the truth that ours is a just cause, and we fight for our freedom and our homeland. We have no quarrel with the common people of Tau Ceti. Do not be mislead by the corporations.” “Thank you, admiral.” “Thank you, Liao. My men will see you safely to the Solarian border. Tell our story to the Spur. Allow them to see why we fight.”

Press Release: Former Government Official to be Tried for Crimes in Northern Reaches For Immediate Release - Office of Interstellar Relations, Department of Justice Article 10 of Dulce et Decorum One-hundred and sixty former civil and military government officials have been indicted for offenses against the Solarian government and people during the period of chaos in the Northern Reaches commonly known as the Solarian Civil War. According to a government indictment unsealed yesterday several former Solarian Navy officials — Anton Verglas, 35th Fleet, Normand Quinault, 33rd Fleet, Florentina von Keyserling, 35th Fleet, and others — allegedly committed crimes against humanity during a period of military rule over Lycoris. The defendants allegedly seized property from Solarian and foreign nationals without proper authorization, and conspired to overthrow the Solarian government. The defendants then allegedly carried out a systemic campaign of violence and intimidation against the residents of Lycoris and the territories near it. The charges announced today are the most recent in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to change individuals who committed severe crimes in the Northern and Southern Reaches during its period of unrest. Attorney General Henri Fontenot, Department of Justice Criminal Division head Robert Hendricks, and Special Agent in Charge of the SISA office in the Republic of San Colette Isabella Alvarez made the announcement. The Solarian Interstellar Security Agency (SISA), with assistance from local partners, is investigating the case. Assistant Solarian Alliance attorneys Masud Lakhdar and Sarah Kalemba of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Army Provides Update on Northern Reaches Peacekeeping Operations Article 7 of Dulce et Decorum The SANN jingle ends and focuses on a middle-aged Solarian man in a business suit sitting across from a serious-looking man in a Solarian Army uniform. The officer's hair is buzzed short and showing plenty of grey, while the anchor has only a patch of grey here and there. “Hello and welcome back to Around the Spur. I’m your host Zhang Kai. With me is Major General Patrick Edwards of the Solarian Army, and one of the senior commanders of forces on Lycoris,” Zhang begins, taking a moment to adjust some papers sitting on the table. "General, thank you for taking time out of your duties to visit our studio on Callisto." “Thank you for having me.” “How is the situation on Lycoris, generally?” “The situation has improved over the past year. We’ve had to invest heavily into counterinsurgency operations on Lycoris, but we’ve reduced the insurgency on the planet and Lycoris Minoris to a fraction of its strength in 2465.” “With it being so reduced, is it time to scale back the Army’s presence on it?” “Not yet. Tau Ceti’s handling of Mictlan taught us how to not handle a counterinsurgency, and you don’t want to withdraw before you’ve totally eliminated the insurgency or you’ll be back where you started in a year, maybe two or three years.” “We’re learning from Tau Ceti?” Edwards affords himself a brief chuckle before speaking. “That’s a generous way of putting it, Kai. What Tau Ceti’s army — the 'Foreign Legion' as it was known at the time — has shown us is how to not do things. We’re not learning from their successes, just their mistakes. Compare how we handled Mars and they handled Mictlan.” “You’re a veteran of the Martian campaign, yes? What made it succeed?” “I served in it, yes. What made it succeed where Mictlan stumbled was our Army-Navy coordination, a cooperative local population we won over through hearts and minds, and using troops from Mars itself — people who wanted to help their homes.” “You’re Martian, correct?” “I am. My first command was a Martian unit, and I’m honored to have helped my home.” Zhang looks at something off-screen for a moment, nods to whatever he's looking at, and looks back to Edwards. “That’s all we have time for right now. General Edwards, thank you for coming.” “Thank you for having me.” "Have a safe flight back to the Northern Reaches, General -- we'll be right back. State of Sol with Harold MacMillan starts right after this program at 7PM GST."

XNS Exlusive: One Year After Volunteering Article 6 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens on a typical-looking Solarian woman in a small apartment wearing the clothes of a typical low-ranking National Police detective — a cheap suit and a rain slicker, though the slicker rests over the back of her chair. The rank patch of an Assistant Inspector of the National Police is barely visible on the slicker's sleeves. Rain platters against the singular window of the apartment and the entire shot feels cramped, with Liao sitting across from the woman on a small director’s chair. Glossy hair, unblinking and softly glowing eyes, and an antenna sticking out from behind her right ear indicate this woman is undoubtedly a synthetic. “Right, Cynthia, can you begin by telling us what happened after our last interview?” “Of course,” the woman nods. “As you’re likely aware, Commander Forsythe did not survive the battle of Nueva Isabela. He was killed attempting to throw a satchel charge onto a Front tank after we ran out of rockets and artillery was unavailable. He wouldn’t let anyone else volunteer for it.” “I’m sorry.” Cynthia shakes her head. “You don’t have to apologize. He made his decision, and we won — we stopped the Front from going further, and the Alliance finished them off.” “What happened to you after the Alliance’s victory?” “Liked most free synthetics I realized the Alliance wasn’t friendly to me. So, I bought transit to Konyang with funds left to me by Commander Forsythe.” “Why not Biesel?” “I couldn’t go back,” she shakes her head. “The Republic has no place for me after what happened on Mictlan, and what we did there for it and our 'benefactors.' Plus, we all saw the election results last weekend.” Qi nods his head. “Why Konyang, then?” “They seemed like the best, and nearest, choice. I have skills and I had enough money to get my papers in order.” “And you started working for the police?” Qi gestures to the raincoat with his pen. “Oh!” The synthetic looks behind herself at the coat, then back to Qi. “Yes, I managed to get a position in a synthetic crimes unit in Aoyama through an acquaintance. That was last August, so I’ve been with the APD for a bit over a year now.” “How did your department handle the rampancy outbreak earlier in the year?” Cynthia pauses for a few moments, drumming her fingers on her legs, leaving only the sound of the rain in the background. “Better than we feared, worse than we could have. I’m glad I didn’t settle in Suwon,” she smiles softly, crossing one leg over the other. “But I’m not happy it happened at all.” “Do you keep in touch with your fellow volunteers?” The synthetic considers the question for a moment. “Some of them. None of the Dominians, as you might assume. Watts — the Martian, you interviewed her — went back to Mars. She seems to be doing well. Got married, I think she has a kid on the way — we don’t talk a lot. Her husband seems nice from the video calls I’ve had with them. Our sniper — that Dominian woman — told me she hoped we’d never meet again, then left without another word. I suppose that’s something,” the shell shrugs. “Most of the synthetics in our unit went to Biesel or paid to cross the border into the Coalition. I hope none of them ended up rampant.” “That’s all the time we have for now. Cynthia, thank you for speaking with us again.” “It’s my pleasure. Keep us in your thoughts.”

Southern Mandate Reestablishes Local Force in Visegrad Article 5 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens on a conference room full of reporters and journalists, all looking at an empty stage. After a few moments the doors open and several individuals walk in — one of which is undoubtedly Klaudia Szalai, current governor of the region. As she takes the podium, the clicking and flashing of cameras halts. “Citizens of Visegrad,” she begins. “It has been nearly four years since our planet’s system defense forces were integrated into the Solarian Navy under emergency defense authority. Now, with the region having stabilized as our Alliance grows, I am authorizing the reformation of the Visegradi National Defense Force.” The assembled dignitaries clap and the clicking and flashing of cameras resumes. Szalai remains quiet for a moment, then silences the crowd with a gesture of her hand. She then steps back and to the side, letting an older Visegradi man have the podium. A caption at the bottom of the screen notes him as Mariusz Kovacs, Minister of Public Security. He clears his throat and begins speaking. “As our planet’s most senior law enforcement officer, it brings me great satisfaction to announce that the reformed NDF will be led by Commandant Willerich Kozak, a veteran of the Intervention who nearly sacrificed everything to protect the Alliance. I have no doubt Commandant Kozak will lead us to victory against all enemies of Visegrad!” More clapping sounds out and more photos are snapped as Kovacs lets another man step to the podium. Kozak is still as severe-looking as he was in the Xanu News Service’s view of him, but a robotic hand gives the former volunteer soldier a different appearance. Kozak shakes Kovacs’ hand and turns to face the audience, letting them quiet before speaking. “Thank you for entrusting me with the responsibility of commanding our security force. Let me announce, first, that any NDF members who have gone abroad since its integration into the Navy are welcome to return to its ranks and defend our people. Second, let me state that any enemies of our people who think they can attack Visegradi internal security, are wrong. I will bring the last secessionists to heel, and rebuild what they have destroyed. Kozak pauses for a moment, clearing his throat. “Further, the NDF’s re-establishment has allowed us to reconstitute the Army’s Jäger divisions garrisoned here by detaching them from the Navy. Know that if you threaten Visegrad we will hunt you down, whether that be in our cities, our homesteads, our forests, or in our orbit.” Kozak pushed himself off of the podium to clapping from the assembled dignitaries as Szalai takes her position on it once again. “Thank you, Commandant. Questions?” A hand shoots up from a man in the front. Szalai points at him. “Governor Szalai. I’m Alojzy Kalinowski with the Visegrad News Network,” his accent is clearly Visegradi -- the local media's not letting this pass by without a showing, “with the NDF forming under non-Navy control, does this bring us closer to elections?” “It does,” the Fleet Admiral nods. “The Mandate believes Visegrad’s security situation has improved to a point where civilian control of the NDF is advisable.” Szalai points to another hand, this one belonging to a woman in the middle of the audience. “Admiral Szalai, I’m Andrea Wu with the Tau Ceti Times,” Szalai narrows her eyes slightly at the mention of Biesel. “How can foreign nationals expect to be treated by your reformed security services?” “Fairly and under Alliance law,” Szalai answers curtly. “Next question.” Szalai points to a well-dressed woman in the front row, who quickly stands. “Governor. Zlatka Babic, Jadranic Record,” her accent is clearly foreign. “Are anti-piracy operations in the Badlands being handed over to your NDF?” “Anti-piracy operations will be handled by the Solarian Navy, with regional forces securing the space around Visegrad. One more question then we’re out of time,” Szalai points to a short man in the front row, who stands. “Governor. I’m Do-Yun Park, Bitbyte. Are there any plans for synthetic personnel in the NDF?” “Commandant Kozak?” Szalai looks at Kozak, who moves to the microphone. “At the moment we plan to buy back synthetics seized under emergency authority. I can’t comment on anything beyond that.” Kozak steps back and Szalai steps forward. “That’s it for now. Any questions should be forwarded to the governor’s office for comment.” As the crowd claps and the reporters murmur amongst themselves, the dignitaries walk off the stage and the broadcast ends.

Exclusive Interview with a Free Solarian Fleets Officer Article 4 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens onto a shadow-obscured male figure in a Solarian Navy officer’s uniform. Little of the uniform is visible — he could be anything from an Ensign to a Fleet Admiral. Across from him sits Liao Qi, the XNS’ ever-present ace reporter. The image is striking — Qi is fully illuminated while the officer is entirely cloaked in shadows. “Can you introduce yourself?” Qi begins. “We’ll cloak your voice before this airs.” “I'm an officer of the Free Solarian Fleets,” the man’s voice is distorted, too deep for any natural speech -- there's no hint of any identifiable accent. However, he sounds like he's a drink or two into something, "and I'm not identifying myself beyond that. Only reason I’m providing this interview is to fulfill a favor to your network.” “What’s your opinion on the reintegration of the Fleets into the Alliance Navy?” “Don't like it being under Lunan command again, and don’t trust their promise to keep our autonomy.” “Why don’t you trust it?” “Before we go further, lemme say I'm a patriot who believes in the Alliance, okay? I’m not some Republican Fleet deserter who whores himself out for corporate money. But, you know, I’m not stupid -- stupid," a beep, "always end up dead. We’ve been independent for three, almost four, years now. We're a battle-tested unit, yeah? Cut our teeth fighting the Hoppies and commies for San-Col up north, Beauchamp's boys and whatever else we got paid to shoot down south -- we might be one of the only units in the Alliance who can say they fought the lizards, hah! We're regular interstellar tourists -- Northern Reaches to the Badlands! Anyways, what I'm trying to say, right, is they’re going to have to clamp down on our independence before we run off and cause an incident. It’s what I would do if I was in the Admiralty’s position -- slap our wrist now before you have to do a tribunal.” “Right,” Qi writes something down in his notepad. “With that said, do you have any idea what the Fleets will do now that they’re under Navy command?” “I can’t answer that question directly. All I can say is that we have orders and they aren’t exciting.” Qi nods and writes something down, then looks back to the officer. “One last question: what was it like to see the end of the space battle in Nueva Patria?” “Gotta be honest, it was pretty cool. Every officer cadet hears stories about the Navy’s dreadnoughts — the old Beowulf-class models during the Interstellar War, including that museum ship one they make us tour — but seeing one in action’s different. They’re huge vessels up close — the Gunnhildr made our heavy cruisers look like Idris luxury yachts. Plus, you saw what happened to that Frontie destroyer when it warped in -- BAM! Only awards they're getting are closed caskets," the officer chuckles to himself for a moment. "Listen, yeah? No matter what the government does or says, that's the moment for me that the Alliance struck back at the three years of humiliation Biesel and the Corps made us endure.” “Thank you for your answers and time.” “Hey, no problem. Take care of yourself, Liao. Don’t get killed in a warzone — you're alright for a Colonial, a lotta us would be sad to see you go.” “I’ll try not to.” The feed cuts out.

Secretary Courtois Announces Reintegration of the 5th Middle Ring Battlefleet Article 3 of Dulce et Decorum The commercial break ends and brings into focus Harold MacMillan, host of the State of Sol. After the SANN introduction finishes, he clears his throat and begins talking. “Welcome back to the State of Sol. Breaking news today from Luna, where the Department of Defense has announced that so-called ‘Free Solarian Fleets’ will be integrated back into the Solarian Navy as a ‘semiautonomous combat unit’ for their actions during the fight against secessionists in the Northern Reaches. We go now to our reporter on-scene, Céline Eylenbosch. Céline?” The camera changes to a blonde woman in a fashionable suit — to anyone who has watched the SANN, this is unmistakably Céline Eylenbosch, star Cytherean reporter of the network — in a fancily-decorated hallway. “Hello, dear viewers,” Eylenbosch looks excited to be reporting from Luna instead of the Northern Reaches -- she's wearing the latest fall 2466 Idris Incorporated fashion. “As Harold said, the ‘Free Solarian Fleets’ are once again part of the Navy following several days of negotiations between Secretary Courtois and former Admiral Rensburg. Any Solarian citizen who served under Rensburg is entitled to a position in the Navy, should they wish.” “And if they don’t want to serve?” “I imagine they’ll be unemployed!” Eylenbosch smiles wryly towards the camera. “They’re immune from prosecution, of course, but who knows where they’ll end up if they don’t stay in?” “Mmhm, fitting,” McMillan nods his head -- he's got a bit of a grin too. “Has the Secretary said what he plans to use them for?” “Not yet Harold, but an officer I spoke to said he believes they’ll be kept in the Northern Reaches to support the government.” “Thank you, Céline. We’ll follow up with you if this develops further.” “Thank you, Harold!” Eylenbosch gives a wave to the camera as the feed cuts out, showing a very fancy, Idris-produced watch on her wrist for a few frames.

XNS Exclusive: With the Shipbreakers of the Northern Reaches Article 2 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens to a view of a wrecked Solarian warship, somewhere in the void, being held by smaller vessels with large champs wrapped around the warship. The dull white light of plasma torches can be seen throughout the wreck as shuttles travel by it. Most of its bridge and midsection are missing, with only its two “arms” left. “Here we see,” a male voiceover identifies as Pierre Vermote begins, “the ultimate fate of the Solarian Restoration Front vessel Zhang Fei, destroyed in spring 2464 by the Solarian Navy. To get a closer look at the process of breaking these vessels we spoke to Cao Vinh Doan, an independent shipbreaker employed by the Solarian Navy as a contractor.” The camera switches again to a typical middle-aged Hai Phongese man with a mustache and slicked-back hair in a voidsuit, though with the helmet removed and held in his hands. A label on it marks him as “C. VINH DOAN O-.” The scene seems to be set in a cargo bay, and a label on the back wall in Solarian Common and Freespeak notes that depressurization is possible. Doan appears to already be speaking before the audio starts. “Right, right. So the vessel we’re breaking is a heavy cruiser — a Taipei — that got hit by one of the Coletter railgun rounds right through the midsection. Ran right through, like a cua quy’s pincers just stabbed it amidships. They’re big ships — larger than anything you’ll see on the civilian market — and hard to break down.” “What makes them so hard to break?” Vermote asks from offscreen. Doan considers the question for a moment. “It’s the reinforcing. These things were meant to withstand artillery,” he raps his knuckles on the hull, “so the internal hull’s a lot thicker than ours. We need to use plasma torches and diamond saws to cut it, which have oxygen and power needs respectively.” “Most of the salvage work not given to the Navy has been given to smaller companies like yours rather than megacorporations. Why do you think the government’s done that?” Doan snorts, then rubs his mustache for a moment — he’s clearly grinning at the question. “I’ll give you my broadcast-safe version.” “Thanks.” “It’s because the government, officially, wants to help out the little guy — the common Solarian people like me, who own our own business and are trying to stay afloat with corporations breathing down our neck. Plus, it being Strom’s idea might help him win a bit of Phong’s voters.” “Has he won your vote?” “No way — I’m with Trang. She tried to take Hephaestus down. That’s worth something.” “Thank you for your time, Mister Doan.” “Pleasure! If you need any ships broken, especially since Konyang’s yards have issues right now, you know where to call me.”

San Colette - One Year Later Article 1 of Dulce et Decorum The commercial break ends and brings into focus a serious-looking middle-aged man with slicked-back, graying hair and a thick mustache in a suit with a Callistean flag lapel pin. After the SANN intro cuts out, he begins speaking. “Good evening, and welcome back to the State of Sol — I’m your host, Harold MacMillan. We begin today with good news across the Alliance economically," MacMillan does not appear to be lying -- most of the companies on the Callistean Interstellar Stock Exchange ticker at the bottom of the screen have gained value, "one year after the Reunification. We go now to our reporter in Nueva Isabela, San Colette — Shufan Koh.” The left side of the camera to a typical Solarian woman standing in front of a building. With a gesture, MacMillan fades from view and Koh takes up the entire screen — it’s clear she’s standing in front of the same building Liao Qi stood by over a year ago, as San Colette was about to descend into war. “Thank you, Harold. I’m currently standing in front of a building used during the conflict as an emergency command post by a Visegradi unit. While it was hit directly by enemy artillery fire and nearly destroyed,,” Koh gestures to the building behind her, “as you can see, it’s been completely rebuilt.” “Is it similar across San Colette?” Koh nods. “It is, Harold. We spoke with a Department of the Interior official earlier — here’s what he had to say regarding the situation.” The camera cuts to a man in a dark suit labeled as “Jiahao Yeung, Carolean Expanse Section Executive, DOI” who shortly begins talking. “Across the Northern Reaches, particularly in Nueva Patria, we’ve seen a very quick recovery from the Civil War. At worst, during the invasion of San Colette itself, roughly four percent of the warp gates in the system were operational. Now it’s at roughly seventy percent — not where we want to end our efforts, but a remarkable turnaround.” “Why has the recovery been so quick?” Koh asks from offscreen. “Good question. One of the big reasons is the local expertise San Colette brings to warp gate construction alongside our Einstein Engines contractors, but most of the recovery is due to tenacity. We’ve had some of our engineers work eighty hour weeks for months on end to bring gates back online and repair infrastructure across San Colette itself.” “That’s incredible! With this pace, how long until recovery efforts are concluded?” “If we can keep this pace, efforts will be done within the year — potentially in time for the elections.” “Thank you, Jiahao. Any final words for the viewers? “Of course, Shufan. I want them to know that, no matter where they live, the Alliance won’t abandon them. We will rebuild our nation, no matter how long it may take.” The camera cuts back to Koh, standing in front of the building. “That’s all I have for now, Harold. For the SANN I’m Shufan Koh, reporting live from Nueva Isabela, San Colette.”