Tau Ceti Times

[La Villa Strangiato]

Riots Sparked In Wake of Mictlan Defense Force Crackdowns on Founding Movement

Article #7 of the Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc

CW: Police Brutality

Early yesterday morning, columns of Mictlan Defense Force trucks rolled into major population centers across Mictlan, as part of what officials are calling the largest military assisted law enforcement operation since the Solarian Collapse.

After days of gathering intelligence following the bombing in front of the MDF headquarters, the Defense Force assisted Biesel Security Service Bureau agents alongside local law enforcement in a mass arrest of suspected Founding Movement collaborators. The MDF has claimed their assistance to local law enforcement was due to the potentially dangerous nature of Founding Movement collaborators, and soldiers were needed where police would not suffice.

However, social media posts and some footage captured by PDA shows usage of excessive force by military personnel. One video from Lago de Abundancia shows a woman sustaining a head injury after attempting to push away a soldier from arresting her husband; the video received over ten-thousand re-Chirps, and was circulated on 64tan. Claims of extrajudicial executions have also been spread, but no evidence has risen to suggest any detainees have been killed in the process of arrests..

In the hours that followed the morning raids, citizens began to assemble in several cities across the continent. A massive demonstration took place outside of the city hall of Arequipa, the Mictlan capital, demanding release of those arrested. In the aftermath of a riot in Sikunda, a group of 200 locals managed to gain entry to their local police station, freeing several detainees in custody. At the moment, no deaths have been confirmed as a result of the protests.

Carlos Juarez, a spokesperson for the Mictlan Defense Force, condemned the unrest and stated that the arrests were a precautionary measure. “We’re trying to rule out any possible criminal associations,” said Juarez. “We have been stretched so thin within the past few years; enough is enough. To unequivocally defeat the Founding Movement, we have had to take desperate measures. I advise all citizens to remain calm, shelter in their homes, and cooperate with law enforcement as much as possible. When we have confirmed the detainees have no affiliation with the Founding Movement, they will be released.”

Many have speculated that MDF authorities used Founding Movement activity as an excuse to conduct arrests against anti-corporate and anti-Biesel occupation actors. Truth Finders, an online news forum, has supposedly obtained leaked communications between Republic officials pressuring the MDF to conduct the round up, and adding certain groups and people to the lists of those to be arrested who they wished silenced or discredited. We at the Tau Ceti Times have been unable to verify this, but recongize it is not outside the realm of possibility.

Prime Minister Laslo de Santos also released a statement encouraging cooperation with authorities. “Our light of liberty has been threatened; because of this, we’ve needed to investigate thoroughly. Please, let cooler heads prevail.”

Demonstrations have also occurred in Mendell City, Ashton, and Belle Côté, as well as continuing unrest in Hengsha on New Gibson. Protestors have been seen waving Mictlan flags, with a heavy police presence. The MCPD in particular expect protests to swell in number over the coming days, as activist organizations plan large events in the capital to protest the ongoing violence. 

[Captain Gecko]

Unathi pirates arrive in Republic space and offer their services

Sailors were shocked today, on the Southern border of the Republic, when they encountered a small fleet of armed Unathi ships, all bearing the colors of pirates and fleets generally seen operating in the Badlands. Just as shocking, though just as relieving, these pirates did not engage in any hostile acts, and instead, proclaimed their desire to help and fight for the Republic of Biesel.

Ships from the Republican Fleet escorted these to the nearest port, where these pirates would meet with Biesel Representatives and discuss the situation. It appears that most of these pirates were independent crews, along with some ex-members of noteworthy fleets, and decided to leave the Badlands for Tau Ceti to offer their services. Local Hegemonic envoys were present as well and indicated that they most likely thought they could offer their loyalty to the Republic of Biesel just like most pirates could in the Hegemony, where their crimes would be forgiven for swearing fealty back to the Hegemon and fighting for him.

Whether these Unathis’ offer is accepted or not is a matter that the Tau Ceti armed forces will take care of. Some think that they may be accepted along with their ships within the Republic to work as privateers, but others think they may be incorporated directly into the Foreign Legion. In any case, it appears that the Armed Forces are mostly favorable to accepting these Unathis’ services in some way; to the Hegemonic diplomates’ dismay.

Hegemonic envoys present have contested the decision, claiming that these pirates should instead head for Moghes, either to pay for their crimes, or to swear fealty to Not’zar Izweski instead, have their crimes forgiven, and fight for “their people” as it was said. The pirates, however, refused and claimed to have chosen the Republic, and in the Republic, they would stay.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Leaked Minutemen Documents Reveal Relaxing of Rules of Engagement

Article #10 of the Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc

Another scandal has rocked the Tau Ceti Armed Forces as the war against insurgency on Mictlan continues.

Classified Mictlan Defense Force briefing documents, containing top-secret information about the tactics of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, have been leaked to multiple news sources, including the Tau Ceti Times and the Mendell City Bugle.

Most notably, the document details a loosening of the rules of engagement for all Minutemen forces deployed to Huitzilopochtli.

“Samaritans will often use civilian dwellings to mask their advance, or use unarmed scouts, as they have realized forces are restricted from countering these tactics,” one section of the briefing claims. “Henceforth, all Tau Ceti Armed Forces personnel may assume reasonable suspicion of any non-combatant outside of urban areas, waiving Section 2.5 of the Forces Code of Conduct. Usage of artillery outside of designated FOB areas on Huitzilopochtli has been cleared, waiving Section 2.6 of the Forces Code of Conduct.”

Also mentioned in the document was permission for police, as assisted by Mictlan Defense Force personnel, to detain any civilian suspected of “terrorist sympathies” within the confines of an urban area.

The document also details the Minutemen’s continued campaign to secure a hold on the beach of Raposa, Huitzilopochtli. Samaritan air defenses restrict jets and shuttles to movement over water, restricting supply access to the rest of the continent and forcing TCAF boats to remain a distance away from the shore. Within this section was a briefing on the amount of “ghost towns” rising near the continental coastlines, as the local civilian population began evacuating from areas where fighting occurred and continues to occur.

Previous leaked footage of Bloody Century engagements across Mictlan, which consisted of white phosphorus usage, firing on civilians, and extrajudicial executions, has indicated previous disregard for rules of engagement. However, there is now confirmation that the Armed Forces has officially sanctioned engagement with civilians.

No official statement has been released by the Secretary of Defense, Nathan Trasen, or the Defense Bureau.

A letter from the editor:

As the situation on Mictlan grows more intense, the Tau Ceti Times would like to continue its commitment to unbiased, truthful reporting. That we have been honored with the opportunity to reveal the scale and unprecedented brutality of military operations on Mictlan is not just a mark of trust, but an obligation.

It should not, and it should never be, illegal to stand up for what is right. We hope and pray for a solution that allows Mictlan to recover in peace, democracy, and security. Until then, we will continue reporting for all galactic citizens.

- Scott Sheen, editor-in-chief, Tau Ceti Times

Edited November 21, 2023 by La Villa Strangiato

[Alberyk]

Yasmin Piaf Holds First Show at Mendell City

The famous Tajara singer, Yasmin Piaf performed for a Biesellite audience today. The first show of her intergalactic tour, A Star Among Other Stars, was held at District Seven; the Sa Majesté Musa club was chosen. The venue was full for the night, with the entry line stretching across multiple blocks. The Mendell City Police Department deployed extra agents to keep the order. Multiple individuals attempted to enter the show using fake identifications and tickets.

Yasmin's fan club in Little Adhomai was present in weight. Thanks to the efforts of their members, they managed to raise enough credits to buy everyone's entry. Some individuals complained on the extranet about the ticket price and chosen location, calling it excessively elitist. Corporate representatives, diplomats, and government officials were personally invited to the show by the SCC. The performance was transmitted through the extranet to all Ingi Usang Entertainment Company's subscribers.

At the show, Yasmin Piaf performed her most famous hits but did not include any new songs. After the performance, Piaf thanked all of her fans and invited them to the next show at the Top of the World and District Six. The tickets for these events are already being sold. The Yasmin's fan club received a free entry to these presentations at the request of Yasmin. 

Some Tajara on social media criticized Yasmin Piaf's choice of performing at the Top of the World, arguing that such a place was incompatible with their species' history. Others welcomed the inclusion of a Tajara in a prestigious location at Biesel. Piaf promised that she would keep her word and organize beneficent events at Little Adhomai for her less fortunate fans.

[La Villa Strangiato]

 

Minutemen Launch “Operation Jakali”, Massive Offensive on Huitzilopochtli

Article #12 of the Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc

Three days ago, the Minutemen began a massive offensive against Samaritan forces on the beach of Raposa on Huitzilopochtli, code-named Operation Jakali.

According to Armed Forces spokespersons, operational security dictated secrecy up until the beginning of the offensive. Early this morning, more than seventy thousand legionnaires crossed the channel between Fort Ilhutical and Huitzilopochtli, with the aim of establishing a beachhead to the west of the mountainous center of the continent.

“The primary objective of the operation was to quickly overwhelm the Samaritan defenses,” Legate Kiernan Finley explained in an interview over video call today. “We intend to strike to the heart of the continent and disable as much of their combat prowess as possible.” Legate Finley elaborated that secondary objectives included capture of Samaritan leaders and routing of supply lines.

As of today, a beachhead has been established on Raposa, with intelligence provided by the Zo’ra’s Chosen unit allowing a corridor to be cleared in the Samaritan air defense network. A beach head was quickly established and reinforcements moved onto shore without issue. 

The elite troops of the Bloody Century and Zo’ra’s Chosen, two units known for both ruthlessness and combat efficiency, lead the way on to the beachhead. However, the following troops quickly found themselves bogged down, with the offensive quickly devolving into a stalemate. Currently, Legionnaires battle entrenched Samaritans deeper into the jungles of Huitzilopochtli. Roughly one-hundred casualties have been reported so far; it is suspected the number will increase as the offensive is ongoing.

Shortly after the publicization of the offensive, Secretary of Defense Nathan Trasen permitted a press conference in the Mendell City hall. Tau Ceti Times journalist Kelvin Truong asked Trasen for his perspective on the length of the stalemate, and if he had confidence it would break.

“We encountered a lack of intelligence in regards to the strength of the Samaritan force, and the speed of their response was unexpected,” Trasen stated. “Our forces have ended up engaging with a lot more terrorists than we’ve expected; our current intelligence is that there are Founding Movement members reinforcing the Samaritan defense as well.” 

Trasen’s statement that Founding Movement forces were joining with Samaritan militants was unexpected, given the Founding Movement is a primarily civilian-centric group without a military organization like the Samaritans, and Samaritan leader Xiomara Salvo previously denounced the Founding Movement’s bombing of Arequipa’s Valtas Square. Trasen did not respond to later requests to elaborate on this comment.

He went on to say that while the stalemate was “unexpected”, he had “complete confidence” in the Armed Forces, and that it was “only a matter of time” before Samaritan forces were routed.

Civil unrest on both Mictlan and within Tau Ceti continues in the aftermath of the operation’s launch, particularly after the recent arrest of several Tau Ceti Times reporters, including editor-in-chief Scott Sheen. Casualties of the Huitzilopochtli offensive are returning home for burial. Military analysts predict that Jakali will be the deadliest engagement for the Minutemen so far.

We will continue to keep our readers updated as the offensive progresses.

Edited November 23, 2023 by La Villa Strangiato

[Alberyk]

Republic of Biesel to Negotiate a Peace Treaty Between the Adhomian Nations

Four years ago, in 2461, the Second Tajaran Civil War came to an end. With the help of the S'rand'marr Coalition - a union of multiple nations, including the Republic of Tau Ceti - the Tajaran nations reached peace. Despite these efforts, only an armistice could be signed. A peace treaty is still needed to officially close this chapter. So far, little has been done to reach this agreement. The Republic of Tau Ceti has decided to act as a negotiator to reach a settlement.

People's Republic of Adhomai, Democratic People's Republic of Adhomai, and New Kingdom of Adhomai diplomats were invited to negotiate a peace treaty with the aid of government officials. Even with the population and territory exchanges brought by the armistice, there are plenty of disputed claims and political issues to solve. This agreement would solve the issues and hopefully aid in coexistence between the Tajaran nations. After some reluctance, the Adhomian representatives agreed to engage in talks.

Specialists speculate that the Adhomian peace will certainly not last if the current situation is to continue. The Tajaran nations have refused to engage in peace talks since the armistice. Some elements in Adhomai have begun to call for another conflict to reunify the planet. The ongoing nuclear arsenal buildup is also a concern; so far, the PRA and the DPRA have access to intercontinental warheads. 

The celebrations of the armistice have been largely ignored in Adhomai. At Mendell City, some Tajara gathered at District Six to call for peace and celebrate the end of the conflict. The Biesellite peace talks are expected to take multiple meetings over the next months.

[La Villa Strangiato]

BREAKING: Xiomara Salvo and Samaritans Negotiate Surrender With Government of Mictlan and Tau Ceti

Article #13 of the Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc

At 9:38 this morning, Xiomara Salvo, leader of the Samaritan insurgent forces on Mictlan, surrendered herself to the Minutemen Redsnout Unit alongside an estimated twenty-thousand Samaritans on Raposa beach, Huitzilopochtli.

The surrender was observed by Prime Minister Ladislao de Santos and Secretary of Defense Nathan Trasen in person.

Upon Salvo’s surrender and being taken into custody, the prime minister issued a formal pardon and parole for all crimes committed by Salvo and her top lieutenants, under the following conditions:

1. Salvo et al. were not to take up armed conflict against the government of Mictlan or the Republic of Biesel again.
2. Salvo et al. were not to run for political office within any territories on the planet of Mictlan or any future territories within the system of Sankta Tereza, or any other territories within the Republic of Biesel.
3. Salvo et al. were not to politically lobby for any past, present, or future candidate for political office within the territories of Mictlan or the Republic of Biesel. Political lobbying could be defined as; promoting a political candidate using their status as a former leader of the Samaritans, sending out flyers, individually campaigning for a candidate, or making public statements to the press or media.

After the ceremony of pardon, Santos stepped up to address the assembled crowd, which consisted mostly of Minutemen and Samaritans alike, as well as some of the population of Huitzilopochtli.

[In the article, a video is embedded.

Ladislao de Santos, a middle-aged Mictlani man with graying dark hair and a thick, well-groomed mustache, steps up to a hastily-constructed stage on Raposa Beach. The wind is picking up, with hair and clothing buffeted by it. He stands in front of a crowd of blue-suited Minutemen, camo-wearing Samaritans, and suspicious-looking civilians. Each seem to be clustered into their own little groups, with the population of the villages of Huitzilopochtli and the Samaritans lingering close together. de Santos looks slightly disheveled, wearing a fleece over his wrinkled button-down shirt and tan slacks.

To the viewer’s right is Nathan Trasen, contrasting the prime minister’s rumpled appearance; Trasen wears a prim, dark blue suit, his black hair slicked with pomade. His expression is unreadable as he watches de Santos.

And just to the right of Trasen is a collection of Samaritans, surrounded by Minutemen Redsnouts in their distinctive blue and red hardsuits. These are clearly the leaders of the movement; they are not restrained in any way, but the mood is tense. At the group’s head is General Xiomara Salvo herself, her long black hair unbound and whipping about her stern visage. Her eyes are constantly darting; first to de Santos, then to the crowd, to the Minutemen guard, to Trasen, then once at the camera.

de Santos begins to speak in Tau Ceti Basic. His voice is warm and pleasant, his Basic tinged with that distinctive Mictlani lilt. “When I was elected as prime minister, I never expected to see the collapse of Solarian authority, and everything that came with it.”

de Santos clears his throat and continues. “Mictlan has suffered, in these past three years. From the lack of assistance from Sol, to the fighting that has gone on. It is time–” he pauses, perhaps for dramatic effect, “to end this. The fighting is no longer tenable. I have been in talks with Secretary Trasen and President Dorn, and we have all agreed that peace, first, should be pursued. I am happy that First Sergeant Salvo–”

Briefly, someone in the crowd cries out. “General! General Salvo!”

de Santos is undissuaded. “–has also agreed that peace should be our first priority. To that end, we have pursued a settlement. It is not perfect; democracy is never perfect. But with this settlement, we hope to end this conflict. I ask that you hear me out.”

Santos reaches into his pocket and pulls out a folded square of paper, which he unfolds and begins to read from. “The terms of the armistice between the Samaritans and the Tau Ceti Armed Forces are as follows.”

“Section one; terms of surrender. All surrendering members of the Samaritans will be put on lifelong parole, with specifics depending on their rank and station within the organization. Violating the terms of parole, should you decide to surrender, is an automatic capital offense for insurrection. 

All those who surrender, regardless of station, will have the condition on their parole of never taking up arms against the government of this planet, or the government of the Republic of Biesel, again.”

Murmuring, amidst the crowd. Salvo shifts to cross her arms, and a few sharp looks are given her way by the Redsnout guards.

de Santos continues. “Those who held commissioned ranks, either in the Mictlan Defense Force before joining the Samaritans, or within the Samaritan organization, are also additionally forbidden from running for political office or joining a political organization for the remainder of their lifespan. Similarly, they are forbidden from joining an armed organization, such as a police force or the MDF, for the rest of their life. This does not apply to those who held, or hold enlisted ranks.” Here he taps the paper for emphasis.

“The Republic of Biesel has generously agreed to pay those who served in the Mictlan Defense Force during the Solarian Collapse from November 2462, their due back pay, as during the months before the establishment of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, many soldiers went unpaid. This backpay will terminate at the date a former soldier went AWOL, or deserted.

Lastly, all crimes beyond the charge of insurrection, which will be the subject of parole, are to be pardoned by both the Mictlani government and the Republic of Biesel.”

de Santos looks up from his paper, briefly scanning the crowd. The crowd’s murmuring grows louder. The prime minister wets his lips, and speaks again.

“To put it simply, should you surrender by turning yourself in to the nearest Armed Forces outpost, or through contacting the outposts should you be unable to physically present yourself within seven days, you will be able to resume your life as a civilian. Those of you who were, and still are, enlisted, will be free to rejoin the Mictilani Defense Force. You can work any job besides ones which involve being active in, or part of, the political theater. All who served within the MDF before deserting will receive the pay deserved for their service to Mictlan during the months following the Solarian Collapse.”

He takes a deep breath, and returns to his paper. “Now, section two; agreements between the Republic of Biesel, and the government of Mictlan.”

“First, the Mictlani Government, duly elected by its people, reserves the right to allow its people to decide which Federal level laws are applicable within its territory, which is defined as its system, through a democratic process of popular vote. Laws that must always be applicable are Biesel Legal Code Section… ah, I can barely read that.” There is a ripple of nervous laughter in the crowd. The tiniest of smiles is briefly visible on Xiomara Salvo’s face; Nathan Trasen doesn’t share the expression. de Santos continues; “Basically, the big ones like insurrection, piracy, murder, terrorism, and similar.”

“Second; Mictlan and its territory will be recognized as a special economic zone within the Republic of Biesel, and be free to determine its own economic policy, and laws regarding it.” This gets a louder reaction. There are a few cheers, a couple whistles.

“Third; both the Republic of Biesel and the government of Mictlan agree to all of the above points from section one, and points one two, and four from section two, and sign this document with awareness that it is legally binding– with the caveat of section two, point five.”

“Fourth; the people of Mictlan, through their duly elected Government, reserve the right to enforce its own laws within its territory, unless already covered under federal laws which cannot be unapplied.”

“And point five; the above points are nullified if a percentage of greater than thirty three percent of the current Samaritan strength refuses to surrender.”

de Santos stops, lowering his paper; at this cue some of the crowd begins to clap. Some of the civilians and Samaritans begin to cheer, and Salvo’s smile widens just a bit. Nathan Trasen, with no change in his stony expression, begins to clap.

de Santos briefly flashes a winning politician’s smile. “And that is the treaty, in simple terms. We have already secured signatures from most involved, and should you choose to surrender, you will be given your own copy of the full terms. I hope that today will mark a new dawn for Mictlan. As the fifth point says, this is meant to be a new dawn for all of us. The purpose of this treaty is to make peace between us, and there can be no peace if a majority refuses. With that, I leave it all in your hands.”]

By 11am Arequipa Standard Time, the sixty six percent surrender threshold needed for Section 2 to be applicable was passed after thousands of Samaritans either surrendered through remote contact with the Mictlan Defense Force with confirmation they would arrive at a base to be processed in the coming days, or presented themselves at the outposts.

Following the success of the peace deal, Secretary Trasen announced that as the insurrection was officially over, TCAF and Minutemen units would begin returning home to Tau Ceti, and duties of planetary defense were officially handed over to the Mictlan Defense Force.

Impromptu celebrations began across the planet; many have taken to the streets to celebrate Mictlan’s new peace and self-determination.

“We never thought that something like this was possible,” said Carmen Jacinto, a student at the Tupac Amaru University. “It’s great that this all meant something, that we can start to work on building Mictlan up again.”

Edited December 24, 2023 by La Villa Strangiato
adds subheading

[Alberyk]

Yasmin Piaf Tours the Top of the World

Located on the continent of Eos, the Top of the World is one of the most prestigious cities in Biesel. Built at the orders of Miranda Trasen, this city is only reserved for the most prestigious and notable individuals. Today, Yasmin Piaf visited the Top of the World as part of her tour. The Tajara singer previously performed at District Seven of Mendell City in one of its most notable venues. However, even the most expensive club in Mendell pales in comparison to the Top of the World.

Before arriving at her destination, Yasmin Piaf's transport had to stop at Lakeside to collect her fan club. The Tajara had to wait at the city since they were not allowed to take the service shuttle. Accompanied by corporate and government officials, Piaf briefly visited the town's tourist attractions before heading to a club to perform. Due to security concerns, she and the fans were scouted by Idris Security.

Piaf's show was held at a small club. Since ticket sales for this performance did not match the expectations of the organizers, they had to change locations from a much larger venue. Most of the audience was made up of guests and her fan club. Unlike the previous event, this one was not broadcast at the request of the city's administration.

After the performance, Yasmin Piaf distributed some autographs before leaving the city. On Chirper, some of the Top of the World's inhabitants complained about the presence of the fan club, calling them "Tajaran rabble". Tajara rebutted these accusations by calling the city's population "spoiled schlorrgos" and posting the addresses of some of them online. Those involved in sharing personal information were swiftly banned by Chirper moderation.
 

[Alberyk]

District Six Welcomes Yasmin Piaf

Yasmin Piaf's most awaited performance has finally taken place today. The Adhomian singer hosted a show at District Six, the heart of the Tajaran community in Biesel. Due to its size and central location, the Long Eclipse Club was chosen to host the event. The tickets were sold at a promotional price, with many being distributed at the request of Piaf herself. The show brought the entire district to a halt, as her fans rushed to see her star.

Because of previous security issues at Little Adhomai, the Mendell City Police Department deployed extra forces to keep the peace. The club filled in hours, with the streets around it, crowded by Tajara watching the show from telescreens placed outside. Those who could join could see the performance through the extranet; besides being available on NanoTrasen service, the People's Republic government also offered its broadcast on its official communication channel.

A local Tajaran metal band, Bloodstorm, attempted to hold its concert outside of the venue during Yasmin Piaf’s performance. The illegally organized event was advertised on numerous extranet channels with the intent being to “Disrupt the false Hadiist ideal being sold to the corporate slave audience of Biesel” according to an online statement by the band’s lead singer, Vargir Stenovich. Mendell City police officers were able to stop this activity. They arrested several members of Bloodstorm before they could get to the impromptu stage built by a handful of their followers.

The performance occurred without any other incidents, except for street vendors being arrested for selling bootleg merchandise, some pickpockets, and angry Bloodstorm fans. After her performance, Yasmin Piaf promised to donate the profits of her tour in Tau Ceti to charity organizations in Little Adhomai. On social media, the local Tajaran community praised the event in District Six. However, some complained that a single show would not redeem the previous choices and incidents.

Yasmin Piaf announced she would visit some fans at the President Hadii Living Complex. She also received multiple gifts from the locals: the Bochonok Brewery gifted her a mead made specially for her; the Wild Rafama Garage delivered a custom-made monowheel with covers of her albums as decals; and the Little Adhomai Horticultural Society sent her a bouquet of Messa's Tears.
 

[La Villa Strangiato]

Mictlan, One Month Later

Epilogue of the Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc

by Verona Falk

My guide leads me down a dirt road, indicating the construction site at the top of a hill. Right now, a hangar is being dismantled, and most of the blunt, square building is wrapped in plastic. Workers mill around the area, and an excavator is digging out a trench for more foundations to be laid.

This was Fort Ilhutical, one of the forward operating bases for first the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, then the Tau Ceti Armed Forces. Hastily constructed in the aftermath of the Peacekeeper Mandate, its sleek aircrafts, cargo shuttles, and Legionnaires are long gone. I am told that when construction is finished, this will become a shuttle port operated and owned by Idris Incorporated, and then subject to new scrutiny after a series of environmental protection laws have been passed by Mictlan’s parliament.

One month later, it feels hard to imagine that this was one of the many places the Armed Forces waged war against the Samaritans. The last shuttle carrying the Minutemen back to Tau Ceti’s gravity well left exactly 13 days ago, from this very base. On it was General Meredith Trent and the remainder of her 2nd Division, along with her personal guard, Decurion Za’Akaix’Ruko Zo’ra. They were the last Legionnaires to leave Mictlan.

~~~

The duties of planetary defense have fallen to the Mictlan Defense Force. Later that day, I visit Arequipa and the Mictlan Defense Force headquarters in Valtas Square, where just two months ago a bombing by the Founding Movement damaged part of the building, demolished some of Arequipa’s glass skywalks, killed 24 people, and injured hundreds more. Once inside I’m greeted by Vitoria Correia, a recruitment officer.

“We’ve had so many enlistments ever since the Samaritans were disbanded,” she explains to me. “It’s enough that we’ve had to start up a queue, check everyone’s credentials. We’ve actually managed to encourage a few of them to start officer training, working out how they could afford pursuing a degree. It’s been a lot more effective than I imagined.”

Even many Samaritans who were never part of the MDF to begin with have decided to enlist. In the headquarters I speak with Soledad Dutra, a former Samaritan, who is waiting to discuss her options with a recruitment officer. “I don’t have any real skills,” says Dutra, a 28-year-old former resident of Lago de Abundacia. “I was raised in an orphanage, I lived on the streets for a bit when I turned sixteen, and then I finally got to live with my friends right before the Collapse. Then I didn’t have anything. I don’t think I’m good at anything but being a soldier, it’s what I’m trained for.”

“I think she’s too pretty to be a soldier,” says Correia. It’s meant to be a joke, and Dutra laughs, but later she tells me it’s the second time Correia has made a similar remark.

“She’s not as funny as she thinks she is,” Dutra says, before offering me a cigarette. I decline, but I give her enough credits to buy lunch, which she appreciates.

When I leave the headquarters, I find myself at a memorial at Valtas Square’s fountain. It has become not just a memorial to the dead from the bombing, but a memorial to all those who have been caught in riots or caught in the crossfire of fighting. Candles on the rim flicker in the breeze, and flowers plastic and real choke the base of the fountain. Pictures of the dead sit between offerings, and more than once I see someone crouch to lay an offering at the memorial.

On occasion I see the obvious non-Mictlani, dressed in suits and ties, ascending and descending the stone steps to the headquarters. These are Biesel Security Service Bureau agents, here on business.

~~~

Despite the almost universal surrender of the Samaritans, the Founding Movement is still a lingering presence in the background of the planet’s newfound peace. Most hide out, making statements on their Chirpers (quickly banned by moderation), some show up to protest. A recent incident involved four people who identified as members of the Founding Movement, throwing a molotov in a residential area; when arrested, they claimed to be against the peace treaty, saying that it was proof that the Samaritans had fallen under Biesel stewardship.

But the movement’s day has long passed. A day later, I sit in the Caballero restaurant in Saladas; on the side of the concrete building is a painting of Marie, the main character from the Konyanimation Believe~! In the time, wearing an apron and frying taco meat. I’m served a heaping plate of tortilla chips and spicy green salsa as I wait for my next interviewee.

He shows up right on time; he’s a man of slight stature and a quiet, almost nervous disposition. He is the same age as Isabel Alvarez is, and in fact attended college alongside her. His dark hair is streaked with gray, and his eyes have deep shadows under them.

He is Leon de Rosas, the last of the original leadership of the Founding Movement, when it was a political party that had a decent presence in Mictlan’s parliament. After the Peacekeeper Mandate in 2462, he surrendered to the Biesel Security Services Bureau, in contrast to his former college friends. He was imprisoned on Biesel for three years, and has recently returned to Mictlan after former General Xiomara Salvo petitioned for his pardon and release.

I try to keep things lighthearted. Three of his old friends are dead; Isabel Alvarez was infamously found hanged from a lamppost, and Corazon Santanas and Miguel Maia, both leaders of the Movement’s more violent adherents, were allegedly found dead by BSSB agents. Skeptics pointed out that Santanas and Maia were found riddled with multiple bullets, and no autopsy results have been released to the public.

I ask de Rosas how it feels to be back on the planet after years. “It’s not something I ever expected would happen,” he admits to me. “When you’re in prison, you become very used to monotony. It’s a tactic; it wears you down, makes you easier to control. Some people can’t handle it, but I was always considered a model prisoner.”

To my surprise he tells me that he considers us kindred spirits. In November I and some of my co-workers, including my friend Rajinder Singh, my fellow reporter Selena Anjaparidze, and my boss Scott Sheen, were detained and held for three days after Scott appended an open letter to the reader base of the Tau Ceti Times, openly calling for freedom for Mictlan. Of course, we were there for only three days, and as harrowing as it was we had ourselves for company. We managed to break the tension with jokes and reassurances; de Rosas was alone, with limited news of the Mandate and Mictlan managing to trickle in. When I tell him I think his circumstances were worse than mine, he waves it off.

“We were threatened for the views we chose to express,” he says. “So were a lot of people. It doesn’t matter who had it worse. At the end of the day we wanted the same thing.”

~~~

Caxamalca is a city nestled in the heart of the sertão, a part of the planet referred to as the “backcountry” of the continent of Llactapata. It is arid and cold, mostly mountainous, marked by thick brush and cacti that make it difficult for even the most well-equipped vehicles to cut through.

It is an industry city, largely funded by Hephaestus, and its position and relative isolation from the rest of the planet has left it largely untouched by war. I make my way to the city graveyard on the west side of the city; on Mictlan, places for the dead are far from soberly decorated. Flowers, candles, offerings of fruit and candy, little drawings, paintings, and sculptures adorn shrines.

At an unmarked grave, I meet and shake hands with a woman. With some humor she apologises that she does not look the same as the many, many photos of her. “They edited one of my pictures, that one of me a few years back, to have eyeliner,” complains former General of the Samaritans, Xiomara Salvo.

When I ask her why she did not move back to her hometown of Saladas, she claims it was starting to become a tourist trap. “Am I allowed to say that I think they’ll have Idris restaurants there in a matter of months, or does that go against my parole?”

The terms of her parole, as decided on by Prime Minister Ladislao de Santos, prohibit Salvo from running for any political office within the Republic of Biesel, or making political statements in support of or opposed to any political candidate within the Republic. I tell her that regardless of what she says, our interview will be judiciously checked for any public statement that could violate the terms of it, without her being subject to legal action. She asks me if that “pisses me off”, and I tell her it’s part of the job, which she scoffs good-naturedly at.

Salvo tells me that she has come to pay her respects, as she does every week. This grave bears a portrait photo of Isabel Alvarez, whose body was rejected by the remainder of her extended family and the family of her ex-husband, Bernardo Guerra. It took weeks, but in the aftermath of no claims from her next of kin, Salvo was able to have it buried here.

“People are saying that everything’s cleaned up now,” says Salvo. “That we’re finally free, that it’s over, that this is our new beginning. I’m a cynic, I’ve always been a cynic. All I can think of now is how many people didn’t live to see this.”

“You can edit this out later if it’s not allowed, but what happened to her was a tragedy,” Salvo remarks, ‘her’ referring to Alvarez. “It really was. I get a lot of credit for being a peacemaker, but she was a peacemaker. She was so damn nice she died rather than fight back.”

“That’s not something I would have done, or even something that I think is always an option,” she continued, “but it’s principles, and she was committed to them.”

I ask Salvo how she feels about her reputation. In Arequipa and Sikunda, murals and graffiti of Salvo have begun to crop up, and many celebratory signs and flags bear her face.

“Oh Jesus,” she says. “Signs? Really?” I confirm it, and she shakes her head with a grin. “That happens. It’s my cross to bear. I think it’s supposed to feel good rather than embarrassing.”

I ask her, if she was allowed, if she would ever run for office. There are rumours that many voters are contemplating writing in Salvo in the next election, as opposed to any of the current potential candidates.

“Fuck no,” she says immediately. “That’s over with. I hope Mictlan never needs me or someone like me again.”

[Alberyk]

Yasmin Piaf Departs from Tau Ceti

Yasmin Piaf's tour, A Star Among Other Stars, has finally come to an end in Tau Ceti. The Adhomian singer has departed to the Coalition of Colonies now. Her stay was not free of controversy due to her performances in District 7 and Top of the World. Despite these incidents, it seems that Piaf left a positive impression on her Biesellite fans in the end. Following the show at District Six, she organized smaller performances for the locals to enjoy free of charge.

At the Odin, Yasmin Piaf was greeted by a crowd bidding her farewell; she boarded a NanoTrasen ship as her fans cheered and yelled her name. Piaf's vessel will now travel to Xanu Prime before heading to Himeo, where she will meet another Tajaran community, the Free Tajaran Council. The SCC will continue to provide security during the journey.
On social media, fans thanked Yasmin Piaf for finally visiting Tau Ceti. Despite never leaving Adhomai until now, her work is famous in the off-world community. This was the long-awaited opportunity for many to finally see their idol in person. It is unknown if she will organize other intergalactic tours in the future.

The announcement of Piaf's next stop was received with mixed signals by her fans. Some are unsure if anyone will even recognize her in Himeo due to the community's history of isolation.

[Lent23]

Religious Turmoil Strikes Unathi Communities
Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 5

Recently, religious turmoil has struck the Hegemony as the leader of the alternative sect leader Juzida Si’akh has expanded his influence off Moghes.

On the 28th of December, Si’akh called for Unathi to “Return to Moghes with [him] at the culmination of [his] trip.” This has had a profound impact on Unathi in the Republic of Biesel, with notable Unathi communities in the Republic being affected in various ways.

In some Bieselite communities, we have seen mixed reactions to the expansion of the heretical belief. The Unathi in Mendell City itself have been seen nearly coming to blows, with the group known as the Akhanzi Order attempting to preserve their Th’akh faith by preaching to other communities in the city. This has left them at odds with the Unathi of District 11, some of whom have been seen proclaiming Si’akh’s words, with some even lighting fire to Th’akh flags, seemingly in order to anger the Akhanzi Order specifically. Mendell City’s Tenth and Eleventh district firefighting brigades have been on high alert as a result of the clashing, with the firefighting brigades of Districts Five and Three being ready to aid should fires get much worse. The police force in the area have made several arrests of Si’akh members of District Eleven, with most of them having been responsible for fires across both districts. Despite some cries of religious persecution, Akhanzi Order members have also faced arrests following their assault of a group of Si’akh protesters in district eleven.

Outside of Mendell, communities on Valkyrie have also been up-in-arms. On December 31st, a number of Unathi were arrested after they were witnessed assaulting a number of both Th’akh and Sk’akh churches earlier that day. The criminals infiltrated a number of churches before physically assaulting members of the congregations and lighting flames inside, typically using the pews that were present in the church at the time. These Unathi were swiftly arrested, and though the Tau Ceti Times has reached out, we were unable to obtain a statement from the clan’s representative as to why the action was taken against the churches.

Across Mictlan, Si’akh’s words have impacted working-class Unathi. A number of protests in support of the Si’akh faith were held in Vezdukh. A statement was taken from one of the Unathi protestors during the rally:

“All most of us want is a way to carve our own path - something I think we really share with a lot of common Sinta on Moghes as well. I think [Si’akh’s] focus on the spirit of all Sinta are what can really unite a lot of us.”

A number of Th’akh churches in the city have burned down, with some witnesses stating that they witnessed several Unathi throwing what they called fire-bombs at the churches. No arrests were made in connection to this situation, and the investigation remains ongoing. It appears clear to us that the fire motif points to members of the Si’akh faith being behind the incident.

The Mictlani government seems highly concerned about these religious tensions, having just brought an end to one long and bitter conflict. In a joint press conference with Lord Mayor Orbza Izziba of Vezdukh, Prime Minister Ladislao de Santos stated that the situation is entirely under control, and that while the Republic of Mictlan respects the right to freedom of religion those inciting religious violence will be judged under the full extent of the law.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Mictlan Parliament Bans N4NL Operations Within Mictlani Space

The House of the People of Mictlan passed a motion proposed by MP Jorge Juarez of Coatl-Gueyerra riding yesterday, which would completely ban the operations of the private cybersecurity company N4NL within Mictlan's space.

N4NL, an Eridani-originating corporation, is primarily hired by firms to prevent data security breaches and offers consulting for asset and software development. Its most recent operations on Mictlan began in 2463 after the establishment of the Peacekeeper Mandate, and the occupation of Mictlan by the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and private military contractors.

Two weeks ago in the lower house, MP Juarez initially brought the motion to table by bringing up allegations of N4NL's extrajudicial killings of media pirates on the planet.

"It appalls me that this could have happened at all," Juarez said, "but this happened on our planet, under our noses. And now that we have been granted the freedom to exercise our rights, we must no longer tolerate the influence of hired killers operating within our space."

Yesterday, the motion was passed with 670 voting in favour, with 28 voting opposed. 2 members opted to abstain.

MP Juarez, in a statement to the Tau Ceti Times, said he was "happy beyond belief" that the motion was passed and that he hoped to ensure further investigations against the other military contractors deployed on Mictlan during the Peacekeeper Mandate, such as other Eridanian companies.

"That bloody chapter of Mictlan's history might be over, but there's still work to do. We have reparations to make, and more than anything we have to make sure those mercenaries don't have the grip on us they did before," said Juarez.

Akide Sulu, director of operations at N4NL, commented that he was "disappointed" to see the motion pass. "At N4NL we have never been committed to anything but the security of our employers. We had hoped for a resolution that allowed us to continue to ensure the peace and stability of Mictlan, and its new form of government."

[Desven]

‘Court of Queens’ in Emergency Summit;  Increased Traffic in Tau Ceti

War in Heaven, Part Two: “Through a Mirror, Darkly,” Article 2

During this weekend, the ‘Court of Queens’ in Caprice—a permanent conclave of Vaurcae—had an emergency meeting, increasing warp drive traffic in Tau Ceti. The meeting is suspected to be related to the ongoing diplomatic conflict between two factions of the K’lax hive—the Vaurca hive taking refuge in the Izweski Nation. The ‘Court of Queens’ seeks to solve conflicts between Vaurca groups and promotes Vaurca rights in the Orion Spur.

The event is expected to bring together over 50 representatives of the various Vaurca hives. Although no Biesel representatives have been invited, the emergency summit will be monitored via the new Hivenet resonance pylon located on the planet. 

The length of the summit is yet to be defined. Miles Jameson—former secretary of the Vaurca Integration Department and author of the best-seller book Reading Radio Signals: The Amazing True Story of the First Contact with Vaurca and the Days that Followed—comments on this topic: “As when the Court of Queens was first established, the wave of Vaurca visitors is nothing to worry about. The transparency of their sessions is also good for the Republic. It allows the authorities to know exactly what’s going on at all times.”

The ongoing K’lax conflict is considered the first of its kind. Described as a “virtual reality war,” it is a holographic competition threatening the hierarchical nature of Vaurca society. Early reports depict the struggle as a worker-led movement aiming to overthrow Zkaii, one of the rulers of the K’lax. Much information about the conflict is still unknown, and some of the underlies causes remain a mystery. While an internal matter, this diplomatic crisis raises concerns among the Zo’ra in Biesel, who fear potential repercussions and impact on Vaurca causes. For this reason, the Zo’ra consider this new summit an “essential“ affair.

Edited April 8 by Desven

[La Villa Strangiato]

Zash Vi’tak and Adalet Uysal Announce Presidential Campaigns, Condemn Dorn Administration

Article #2 of the Biesel 2466 Election Arc

The leaders of the opposition parties have announced their intent to run for president today, in a joint press conference that also included the condemnation of the Peacekeeper Mandate’s enactment by the Dorn administration.

Zash Vi’tak, the leader of the Cetian Social-Democratic Front, held a conference in Zhengfu District today alongside Adalet Uysal, the leader of the Cetian Congress Conservatives. Both announced their intent to lead their respective parties to a majority within congress, and stated they were both encouraging an investigation into the management of the Peacekeeper Mandate, which led to the controversial occupation of Mictlan.

“Regardless of the differences between myself and Adalet’s politics, we have both agreed the Mandate was not only ill-thought but a waste of the Republic’s money and lives,” said Vi’tak in their speech. “That is why we, as the leaders of the opposition, are officially requesting the BSSB investigate the conduct of the executive branch and the state security branch.”

Vi’tak and Uysal have not yet fully established their campaign platforms, though it is suspected that both Vi’tak and Uysal will continue their opposition to synthetic enfranchisement in the aftermath of the Konyang rampancy virus. Uysal is also expected to continue the Cetian Conservative push to further organise the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, and propose expansion into the Hinterlands region near the border to the Sol Alliance.

Vi’tak and Uysal are currently the only candidates apart from President Dorn that have announced intent to run. Neither have announced a vice presidential candidate at the time, though if they officially formed a coalition, the Ceti Conservatives would choose a vice president. Vi’tak, who is a Skrell and is the child of immigrants from the Nralakk Federation, is the first non-human in the history of the Republic to run for presidential office.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Security Bureau Launches Investigation into Peacekeeper Mandate

Article #4 of the Biesel 2466 Election Arc

Late yesterday evening, the Cetian Conservatives and Social Democrats jointly announced the creation of a special committee of lawmakers to look into the legality of the Peacekeeper Mandate, alongside accusations of the government sponsoring illegal activities and war crimes. The Committee will consist of three congressional members from both parties with legal backgrounds, and another nine federal judges who will work alongside them to determine the legality of the Republic’s actions. These adjudicators will be further backed up by the Security Bureau, who have been given sweeping powers by a special act of congress to investigate this issue.

“The Peacekeeper Mandate had the noble goal of bringing democracy and stability to a blighted part of the galaxy,” said Cetian Conservatives leader Adalet Uysal. “Its failures are not on its objective, but the means by which President Dorn and the Free Market Party attempted to reach it. We must never allow ourselves to defeat our enemy by becoming them, and this committee will ensure that our Republic is a nation of laws, not warlords.”

The “Mandate Committee” has already published a comprehensive list of those who have either been subpoenaed or agreed to testify regarding the legality of the Peacekeeper Mandate and the actions of those deployed during it. Among the list are many former high-ranking officers in the paramilitary organisation of the Samaritans, service members of the Minutemen and Foreign Legion, and Secretary of Defense Nathan Trasen himself.

When questioned by reporters on his stance on the committee, Trasen said that the Mandate Committee had a “warped idea that the Peacekeeper Mandate and the actions of those who partook in it are somehow criminal.”

“It’s not only a pointless attempt to virtue-signal,” Trasen continued, “but an attempt to smear those who fought and died in service to our country. What I plan is to tell the truth. The Mandate was legal, and the soldiers charged with combating terrorist elements across the CRZ always acted with the utmost respect for both the Luna Convention and the laws of the Republic.”

The first hearings are planned to take place on Wednesday next week, at the Charles Whitehorse Courthouse in Phoenix Park.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Joseph Dorn Chooses High Queen Vaur as Running Mate

Article #5 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc

This morning in New Sedantis, the Free Market Party announced their presidential ticket for the upcoming election. Incumbent President Joseph Dorn selected High Queen Vaur’skiyet’sca Zo’ra as his running mate and vice president, to the surprise of onlookers and political analysts.

The announcement was held at the Palace of Freedom, a large convention center in New Sedantis. During the event, High Queen Vaur made a rare physical appearance, using an idealized and feminine avatar of a Vaurca who wore a pantsuit. The High Queen also permitted herself to be photographed; in Vaurca culture, direct depictions of Queens are considered taboo or disrespectful.

It is estimated that the crowd at the announcement speech numbered within hundreds of thousands of Vaurcae. Several attendees of other species were permitted to photograph, record, and interview the New Sedantis residents.

“It was so silent,” said Vushik Kussuzul, a Unathi photographer and historical archivist of the Mendell City Library. “No music, no cheering, just the clicking from antennae and a few chitters.”

“Hivenet was flooded with pheromones,” explained Ka’Akaix’Wok Zo’ra, a resident of New Sedantis. “Obviously they can’t be sensed by other species, but it was like a crowd you just couldn’t hear.”

In the speech, President Dorn and High Queen Vaur announced their commitment to the citizens of the Republic of Biesel, and that they hoped to usher in a new era of peace and diversity between the Zo’ra Hive and humanity.

“Together the Republic and the Zo’ra Hive have achieved a great victory for all sapients in the galaxy,” said Vaur, “which is the creation of a nation where all have freedom, opportunity, and peace. I am happy to stand with Joe on this stage and announce our partnership, and I hope it is the beginning of a brighter future for all of us.”

Some political analysts and Vaurca experts have noted that a Vaurcaesian Queen may strongly influence the election in President Dorn’s favor.

“Vaurcae are innately compelled to place their Queens as one of their highest priorities,” explained Dr. Jillian Clement, a professor of xenobiological studies at the Hongsun Park Engineering Institute. “It’s a simple fact that just by running, many if not all of Hive Zo’ra that are capable of voting in this election will vote for Dorn to have Queen Vaur in the vice presidency."

President Dorn and the Biesellite Free-Market Party are currently under scrutiny by the “Mandate Committee”, a joint tribunal organized by the Cetian Conservatives and the Cetian Social Democratic Front, investigating the legality of the Peacekeeper Mandate. The first series of testimonies will consist of several Samaritan officers testifying under oath regarding alleged war crimes in Mictlan.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Former Officer of Mictlan Defense Force Forms "Grupo Amapola", Recruits Across Mictlan

A military contractor called the "Grupo Amapola" has been officially registered and founded by a former officer of the Mictlan Defense Force, who later became a member of the paramilitary insurgent group the Samaritans.

Salvador Clemente, who served as a captain prior to his defection, recently began to advertise the "Grupo Amapola" on a Chirper account and a website. According to the website, Amapola offers private security solutions using former well-trained members of the Mictlan Defense Force.

"Even after the Mandate, Mictlan needs peace. For peace, she needs strength," said the website, translated from Mictlani Tradeband. "We want to offer effective solutions that give advantages to those left out by the end of the Mandate."

The website does not explicitly name the Samaritans, but in a post on the organisation's social media account, a post introduces Clemente as a "42-year-old former captain of the Mictlan Defense Forces and the Samaritans".

"Given the names we've seen, Clemente has recruited from his trusted subordinates when the Samaritans was operational," said BSSB agent Ken Zhou. "This recruitment call seems to be directed at former MDF personnel who don't want to reenlist or join with the TCAF."

Flyer advertisements for Amapola were also seen in primarily synthetic neighbourhoods of Arequipa and Lago de Abundacia, suggesting recruitment drives are targeting the free synthetic community known as "El Menaje". A statement on Amapola's website says "[t]he species or nature of a potential recruit does not affect their chances as a candidate, so long as they are a citizen of the planet of Mictlan".

When asked if this violated the terms of parole all former Samaritans were offered during the peace brokered in late 2465, Agent Zhou said that while joining a paramilitary group is "not a [parole] violation... the agency is keeping an eye on them for now".

"We aren't sure if what we're seeing could turn into more unrest."

[La Villa Strangiato]

Vaurca Prefect Suggests ‘Moral Regrets’ During Peacekeeper Mandate

Article #7 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc

A Vaurca prefect of the Minutemen testified before the Mandate Committee yesterday afternoon, and admitted being unable to distinguish between civilians and combatants during several missions on the planet of Mictlan during the Peacekeeper Mandate.

Za’Akaix’Reku Zo’ra, a prefect of the all-Vaurca Minutemen unit “Zo’ra’s Chosen”, was called upon by the Mandate Committee to deliver a testimony regarding their personal experience with regards to search-and-destroy operations against the paramilitary insurgents known as the Samaritans. The testimony involved their recounting a selection of events during their two-year-long deployment on Mictlan, after which they were questioned by several members of the committee.

“We would like you to answer truthfully; did you feel any regret on a moral level for any of your actions during your deployment?” questioned Szalsi Kzuri, a member of the Cetian Social Democratic Front.

When asked by Prefect Zo’ra the standard of morality that should be applied, Kzuri responded that in this case, the morals of the Republic of Biesel would apply.

“If I were a human I believe I would have regrets,” said Prefect Zo’ra. “Human war doctrine dictates that non-combatants should not be designated as targets. The relaxing of the rules of engagement made it difficult for myself and my unit to distinguish which qualified as either.”

Chair of the Committee Celina Haddock of the Cetian Conservatives objected to the line of questioning, claiming the subjectivity in the phrasing of ‘moral regrets’ allowed for too much ambiguity in testimony.

Prefect Zo’ra continued to explain that, according to their superior officers, they were repeatedly encouraged to treat the rules of engagement informally on the continent of Huitzilopochtli, and even ignore them, further blurring the line between civilian and combatant.

Analysts suggested Reku Zo’ra had been ordered to tell the truth by their “Gyne,” a lesser ranking of Vaurcesian Breeder, or followed the Hive directive to obey the laws of the Republic of Biesel. When reached for comment, Chair Haddock said that this hypothesis meant it was equally possible for Zo’ra to lie under oath.

“We have no reason to believe a Queen couldn’t give an order to their drones to lie,” said Haddock, erroneously claiming that Zo’ra was a nonsapient ‘Bound’ Vaurca. “Shifting the blame to superior officers is completely within the realm of possibility.”

Testimonies will continue over the course of the next month. The next witnesses called to testify have not been made public at this time.

[Desven]

What Is the West Phoenixport Law Center?

A couple of days ago, presidential candidate Åke Torvald held a political rally in Virklund, New Gibson. When commenting about the gentrification of the Xerxes biodome, once a safe haven for one of the Zo’rane broods, Torvald accused High Queen Vaur—President Joseph Dorn’s running mate—of neglecting her most vulnerable populations. The remark was finished with the candidate name-dropping the West Phoenixport Law Center (WPLC), an institution he believes is the only advocacy group in Biesel that addresses pressing matters for the Hive.

Torvald’s surprise mention of the West Phoenixport Law Center sparked a wave of curiosity, sending Biesellites scrambling to the extranet for information. What they found was an unassuming organization with a growing social media presence, dedicated to advocating for the rights of the “Queenless” Vaurca—those unable to prove their lineage to the Zo’rane broods and therefore not qualifying for citizenship under the Universal Citizenship Program.

The WPLC operates out of Phoenixport, providing legal aid to the city’s most impoverished residents, with a focus on making legal services accessible and understandable to all. Their advocacy work extends beyond the courtroom, with the group actively championing the rights of Vaurcae living in Flagsdale and other marginalized communities. In November 2465, the WPLC organized the largest peaceful demonstration in Flagsdale’s history, an event that likely caught the attention of candidate Torvald.

The Tau Ceti Times reached out to the West Phoenixport Law Center, who readily provided a statement. Representative Ta’Akaix’Myur’kha’aalik C’thur, founder of the WPLC, said: “We’re very happy that our cause is gaining momentum and very grateful that good men like Åke Torvald have noticed this. We’ll always gladly join any public forums that are willing to discuss the rights of the Queenless.”

When asked about Vaur’s bid for VP, the representative replied: “We at the West Phoenixport Law Center don’t have a unified stance on politics. However, many of us aren’t happy with High Queen Vaur and her eugenic policies.”

This new pressure from a civil rights group comes right after Prefect Za’Akaix’Reku Zo’ra suggested moral concerns regarding the Peacekeeper Mandate. High Queen Vaur and her campaign staff declined to comment on either matter.

[La Villa Strangiato]

President Dorn’s Approval Ratings Drop to Record Lows

Article #8 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc

A poll from New Gibson University has seen President Joseph Dorn’s approval rating drop to 33%, the lowest in his entire presidency.

The responses collected mostly point to the administration’s handling of the Peacekeeper Mandate and Mictlan, the ongoing Mandate Committee, with some also criticising his close ties with NanoTrasen and the privileges allegedly afforded to megacorporations within Biesel. President Dorn’s approval rating was the lowest among the Tajara demographic, the factors cited being perceived laxity towards criminal activity and lack of development within District Six.

In contrast, President Dorn’s approval rating is nearly unanimous among the Vaurcaesian populace, with 95% of interviewed Vaurcae expressing high approval of the Dorn-Vaur campaign. Around 46% of non-Vaurca respondents expressed disagreement with Dorn’s support of Hive Zo’ra and Queen Vaur being chosen as his running mate. A recent rally in New Sedantis saw incredible turnout, the best of the campaign so far.

Hivenet monitoring on Biesel and New Gibson indicates that signals have tripled within the past month. The Foundation for Ethical Xenobiology estimates that High Queen Vaur’s approval rate among Biesellite Vaurcae sits at around 98%. The last time a vice presidential candidate saw such universal approval among a demographic was former vice president Fahjil Hurk’jurl, at 64% among the Tajara population of Tau Ceti.

Among positronics of the Republic, Vaur’s approval rating sits at roughly 68%, attributed to her support for full citizenship and expansion of synthetic rights and protections. Aristatlus Cinch, Secretary of IPC Relations, recently endorsed High Queen Vaur for Vice President, saying “[t]he High Queen is leading the charge for diversity within a society that, before independence, might have had the government slaughter her and her people. While she is not positronic, she speaks for all of us who struggle to be recognized as persons in our own right.”

The Dorn-Vaur approval rating is the highest among synthetic of a low-income bracket, and Secretary Cinch’s statement cemented a surge in approval. This contrasts a lower approval rating in the same demographic of Montgomery, the synthetic leader of the Progressive Party.

As the investigation by the Mandate Committee continues, analysts and law experts speculate that criminal charges will be filed against several high-ranking officers within the Armed Forces, in the wake of General Meredith Trent’s cross-examination that revealed she was aware of and approved of the mass detainment of Mictlani civilians in November.

In the wake of informal polls showing general discontent with the Dorn administration, some have speculated the president or Secretary Nathan Trasen may have charges filed against them. Speculation has been, to some, further encouraged by the classification of the hearings and testimonies. Pyotr Sokolov, a professor of international law from New Gibson University, suggested that the silence surrounding the committee findings were due to possible charges that could be levied against the officials involved in the Mandate.

In the aftermath of General Trent’s hearing, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and NanoTrasen have scaled down their donations in their financial report for April. When reached for comment, High Queen Vaur said she planned to “remain on course,” continuing her support for Joseph Dorn and her vice presidential campaign.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Congress Passes Vaurca Vote Limit, Bans “Bound” Vaurca from Voting

Part 2, Article #2 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc

In a groundbreaking decision today, the Republican congressional assembly voted to prohibit “Bound” or “Viax” Vaurcae from voting, as well as introducing an amendment on how the votes of Vaurcaesian citizens are counted in elections.

The rapidly-drafted Bill C-10 or the Electoral Integrity Enhancement Act, introduced by Adalet Uysal and Devin Marceau of the Cetian Conservative Party, provides a different structure in which the votes of Vaurcesian citizens are not counted as individual votes.

“Unbound” sapient Vaurcae have had the weight of their votes determined by an electoral school. In their society, each Vaurca belongs to a “hive-cell,” which is presided over by the Gyne that has raised said cell. The size of hive-cells can range from as little as seven Vaurcae to thousands. This electoral school would allow a varying weight of vote per hive-cell, with the weight of said vote determinant on the population of a hive-cell and its closeness to the Queens of the Zo’rane Hive. The largest hive-cell in the Hive is that of High Queen Vaur’skiyet’sca, estimated to number 304,572 Vaurcae. Calculations put forward by Adalet Uysal suggest that at most, Vaur’s hive-cell could command up to 1/5th of the popular vote.

Some criticism has arisen from advocacy group Vaurca Equality, who claim that the bill was intended to minimise the democratic rights and freedoms of Vaurcae. In response, Presiding Speaker of New Gibson and presidential candidate of the Cetian Conservatives Åke Torvald said that the intent of the bill had always been to foster voter equity, rather than perfect equality.

“Vaurca outstrip the population of humans, Skrell, Tajara, Unathi, and synthetics by the thousands,” said Torvald. “Ultimately they are susceptible to being used to sway an election far more than any other alien in the Republic. This is not racism or xenophobia, this is a fact.”

Conversely, the West Phoenixport Law Center, a grassroots movement for the “Queenless” Vaurca living in the Republic of Biesel, approved of the bill but expressed concern that the electoral schools could be easily manipulated to influence one hive-cell’s voting prominence over the other.

“Workers, Warriors, and Bulwarks have short natural lifespans, and many more are born at an alarming rate,” said Ta’Akaix’Nata’yukil Zo’ra, a Queenless Gyne and spokesperson for the WPLC. “Hive-cells and their populace are in constant flux, and this system of weighting votes, while well-intentioned, could easily marginalise smaller hive-cells and provide more influence to ones that belong to the Lesser Queens.”

In a statement on behalf Queen Vaur’s campaign staff, spokesperson Ta’Akaix’Lapu’qoris’il Zo’ra said, “While the restriction of democratic rights to sapient, living citizens of the Hive is a respectable move forward, we feel that the Cetian Conservatives’ intentions are not to preserve democracy, but rather gatekeep Vaurcae from a process they view as human-exclusive.”

[Desven]

‘Bound’ Vaurca Truck Driver That Killed VP Fahjil Hurk’jurl Three Years Ago: Where Are They Now

 

Despite the initial outrage surrounding the Electoral Integrity Enhancement Act, Vaurca Equality—the Zo’ra-led NGO dedicated to furthering Vaurca civil rights—now admits that the decision taken by Congress was the correct choice.

“This is something we’ve actually tried to push for in recent years,” said spokesperson Clara Stevenson. “For the best part of the decade, we’ve tried to emphasize the need to consider ‘Bound’ Vaurcae as apart from ‘Unbound’ Vaurcae. The [Universal Citizenship Program] has been great in providing all Zo’ra a legal standing, but there are biological differences that need to be highlighted between the psyches.”

Stevenson’s greatest example was the “Bound” truck driver that killed Vice President Fahjil Hurk’jurl in late 2462. Despite the case originally being ruled as an accident, many Biesellites believed that justice had to be sought. What resulted was perhaps the worst witch hunt in the history of the nation. The Vaurca deemed responsible, Ka’Viax’Nurp Zo’ra, was arrested in 2463 despite multiple protests made by their “hive-cell.” Nurp faced trial for involuntary manslaughter, although charges for second-degree murder were initially considered. Nurp received the best legal counsel available, and despite a mediatic campaign titled “Justice4Nurp,” their fate was sealed in 2464. Judge Rosa Barrios sentenced Ka’Viax’Nurp Zo’ra for eight years in federal prison, despite the recommended sentence being between four and six years. 

Nurp’s defense argued that Nurp couldn’t understand what was happening and also made notice that Vice President Hurk’jurl went beyond the speed limit. However, prosecutors reassured that the “Bound” Vaurca was trained to be a driver in a chaotic environment, and that Nurp’s negligence to stop the truck was a clear-cut case of vehicular homicide. The courtroom proceedings were televised and lasted three days. Additionally, jurors made their verdict in only 45 minutes.

After losing the trial, Nurp’s defense maintained the driver’s innocence. Lead attorney Chadwick Tremblay made the following statement: “What we lived today… was kangaroo court. Plain and simple. Today… the whole Republic of Biesel has lost their minds.” After the trial, Ka’Viax’Nurp Zo’ra was transported to Tonsberg Federal Correctional Institution, a prison feared by many due to New Gibson’s harsh climate. During transportation, Nurp was reported to be calm but confused about their surroundings. An unverified source claimed: “As Nurp entered [the prison]... [they] didn’t understand what was going on. [Nurp] even asked, ‘Are we going to be on time for me to feed my goldfish?’ thinking [they] were returning home.”

Since then, Vaurca Equality has campaigned for Nurp’s freedom. While the recently-enacted bill that prohibits “Bound” Vaurcae from voting has been seen by critics as an “anti-democratic solution,” Vaurca Equality is now doing the best with the hand they were dealt with. “If there was any time to speak up about Nurp’s case, it’s now,” said Clara Stevenson. “Many policies have to be changed in regards to ‘Bound’ citizens. I hope that after the election season is over, whoever is elected president will consider these issues.”

[Desven]

Åke Torvald Shares Stage with Vaurca Ally at Phoenixport Rally

 

After constant allegations of vaurphobia, Cetian Conservatives candidate Åke Torvald invited an unlikely ally to the stage. While rallying in Phoenixport, Torvald mentioned once more the West Phoenixport Law Center (WPLC), an institution he commended again: “They’re the only ones that truly care about Vaurcae. The Zo’ra Hive doesn’t care for their members, they only care about their votes in a ballot.” Ta’Akaix’Myur’kha’aalik C’thur, founder of the WPLC, was invited by Torvald to join him on the podium. 

“Many have said that I’m a ‘racist,’ a ‘xenophobe.’ Those are meaningless accusations. I am an honest man who was raised to speak the truth,” explained Åke Torvald, “If I say something against High Queen Vaur, it’s not ‘vaurphobia,’ it’s her and her policies. Vaur cannot hide behind ‘-isms,’ and if she’s doing it it’s because she knows she and Dorn are losing.”

The WPLC founder stated, “It’s true that Åke is a good man, and perhaps the only one that knows Vaurca struggles are more nuanced. I’m standing here, asking all voting Vaurcae to follow your brain and not your hearts. High Queen Vaur has neglected all Vaurca broods, including hers. Remember she’s responsible for the state of Flagsdale today. Don’t mindlessly listen to propaganda and cast your vote for Åke Torvald. He’s the only man with solutions to fix the communities in Xerxes, Flagsdale, and Luthien.” 

The presence of the West Phoenixport Law Center was seen as a welcome addition to some voters, while others disagreed. A Phoenixport local who attended the rally commented:

“I had respect for Torvald. I thought he was a people’s man, the only one that can truly fix how corrupted this country is. However, I didn’t expect him to become a sell-out. I guess everyone has a master, but this… this caught me by surprise.”

Roman Brooks, political analyst and professor at the University of Scottsdale, commented about the rally: “Åke Torvald is reasonably concerned about the Vaurca vote, which could potentially tilt the outcome of the election. Securing this demographic, or even slightly dividing it, can completely change the outcome for Dorn’s campaign. The Cetian Conservatives are currently second in polls and rapidly closing the gap with the Free-Market Party. This can be their chance to win.”

While Vaurca voting trends have yet to be properly analyzed, it is reported that terms “Åke” and “Torvald” had seen a rise in Hivenet logs during the past month. However, no further analysis has been made about these statistics. Analysts still remain confident that most Vaurcae will vote for Joseph Dorn, despite the recent limitations enacted by the Electoral Integrity Enhancement bill.

[La Villa Strangiato]

Zash Vi’tak Criticized for “Anti-Federation” Statements

Part 2, Article #5 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc

Presidential candidate Zash Vi’tak is facing backlash from Skrellian residents of New Gibson for statements that have been interpreted as critical of the Nralakk Federation.

The Nralakk Federation recently settled an agreement with the Izweski Hegemony and Hephaestus Industries, offering humanitarian aid as reparations for previous interference in the political affairs of the planet of Ouerea, in the Uueoa-Esa system. The Nralakk Federation also acknowledged their interference with Ouerea as unlawful, stating that “the Federation will formally acknowledge that control should have been returned immediately following the end of the war on Moghes, and that Hegemon S’kresti should not have had to resort to military action to see our colony returned to [the Izweski Hegemony]”.

Confirmation that the Federation would continue their diplomatic agreement with the Hegemony came after a disaster in the Moghresian town of Izilukh. The SCCV Horizon was dispatched to assist the town, but violence erupted after bodies of Federation scientists were discovered by Horizon crew. A survivor, Qu'vesi Qixqil Xuqzix, was also discovered by Horizon personnel and attested to being unlawfully detained, interrogated, and tortured by local law enforcement. Local law enforcement reportedly fired on and attacked Horizon crew, killing three crew with one missing.

“My heart goes out to the corporate employees who have lost coworkers and friends in an attempt to do the right thing,” said Zash Vi’tak, in a statement to their supporters in Xoikko Biodome yesterday.

“I am happy to hear that Hegemon Not’zar seeks justice for this wrong, and I am proud of the Federation for not withdrawing its aid efforts from Moghes. For too long the Federation has seen itself as a perfect arbiter of galactic affairs. We have thought of ourselves as unambiguously correct and enlightened– to admit fault for the political disaster of Ouerea is a step in the right direction. I only hope that the Federation continues to take responsibility for its mistakes, such as the recent mishandling of the Marauder Systems.”

Vi’tak was referring to Federation-enacted martial law in the Marauder Systems of the Skrellian frontier, known as the Traverse. The Marauders, a group of Skrellian pirates, were given permission by local government officials to dock without prosecution; the Federation enacted martial law while an investigation into the situation was conducted, which led to unrest during July and August of 2465. Qukala forces deployed to the region were accused of excessive force, which some political analysts consider the catalyst for the formation of Independent Traverse movements in the region.

Vi’tak’s statement has sparked much controversy among the Skrell of New Gibson, who are largely supportive of the Federation’s Grand Council.

Xooqu Luu’quui, a resident of Hengsha Biodome, said “It’s confusing to me that Vi’tak would try to poke so many holes in a situation they weren’t even involved in. They’ve chosen to be a politician for the Republic, and not the Federation. It shows to me a lack of professionalism.”

On the other hand, Skrell residing in Mendell City’s Lekan District, also known as the Starlight Zone, have expressed approval of Vi’tak’s willingness to criticism.

Jyuula Valquuxoyu, a resident of the Starlight Zone, said “For Vi’tak to avoid falling into the riptide of mindlessly approving of everything the Federation does means they have more integrity than Dorn. They have my vote for this and their track record.”

Vi’tak’s statement and the ripples it made have even reached the Nralakk embassy in Mendell City. In a statement delivered yesterday, representative Ta’Akaix’Ty’el’muna C’thur said; “We acknowledge the statements of presidential candidate Zash Vi’tak, and we offer our own apologies to Vi’tak. They were not able to live within the Nralakk Federation, and lack an understanding of its politics and culture. We hope that they will be more receptive to positive statements towards the Federation in the future.”