canon35 Posted April 2, 2017 Posted April 2, 2017 Dahis Investigation Turns Up Striking Evidence 04.2.2459 A investigation in the Sol dependency of Dahis has been completed today. The investigation, started 4 hours after the news that Dahis had used a shell to infiltrate the Elyra navy and bomb the parliament, was initiated on order of Prime Minister Chater himself. The investigation, after many weeks, has finally turned up hard hitting evidence. The Artemis Initiative, used by ATLAS to fund and supply militias in the outer colonies and frontier, sent a shipment of weaponry to the capital of Dahis. In which was included a single shell designed by Hephaestus Industries.This shell was later uploaded with a personality resembling that of the slain Elyra captain Gurab Eckham. The shell was then smuggled into Elyra and had taken over the life of the captain, eventually planning the deadly attack. As a result of this investigation, the prime minister of Dahis has been arrested for planning a terrorist attack against a free independent state, along with 9 officers of the Dahis militia, and 3 members of the Dahis Congress. Sol officer Ving Ramahis of the 66th fleet was reached for this condemning statement on ATLAS. “ATLAS is a bunch of bullshit, load of crap. All they ever do is bitch and moan about shit we shouldn’t even care about. Even more than your regular government toadie. This isn’t the first time we had to clean up their mess, and it probably won’t be the last.” The arrested Dahis citizens are expected to be put on trial on charges of terrorism and murder. ATLAS senator Michael Watkins could not be reached for a statement, however Commandant Freddie West released a short rant to reporters, mostly consisting of complaints against “GAIA sissies sticking their nose into our business.”
CakeIsOssim Posted April 7, 2017 Posted April 7, 2017 Collision at Hephaestus Manufacturing Station, Company Still Moving Forward 4.7.2459 Less than an hour ago, a collision of two freight vessels occurred at the Hephaestus Industries manufacturing facility, HPS Amóni. The two ships involved, the HBF Iapetus and HBF Atlantic, were not heavily damaged, but careful towing will be necessary to separate the two ships from each other. Nine people were injured, and several hundred kilograms of debris was sent into and around the station. The structure suffered minimal damage, and surface dwellers on Earth are not in any danger at this time, as the debris field holds a similar orbit to the station. According to an interview with a navigations technician, the station’s primary AI traffic control system was taken offline temporarily for maintenance, and replaced by a secondary system. Both systems have reported no errors or malfunctions in the past, and the officials at Hephaestus are concerned that there may be foul play. At 4:42 AM GST, the Iapetus, carrying assembled machines and other trade goods bound for the frontier, had recently undocked and was preparing to distance itself from the station using maneuvering thrusters. The Atlantic, carrying raw materials such as steel girders and plates, was scheduled to dock to a different port to unload. Their paths crossed, and with so much inertia, were unable to stop themselves from colliding at 4:48 AM GST. “Our traffic control computers are state of the art. I know, and everyone I know knows, that they don’t fail us. We’ve not had a collision since this station was built,” says navigations technician Charlie Lewis. “Anywhere else, and those ships could have spotted each other sooner and stopped. I think there’s a human element at play here.” The station foreman, when told of the technician’s account, stated that he agreed. “All other possibilities have been investigated, though maybe not thoroughly at this time. We really believe this could be an act of sabotage,” says foreman Frederick Lowell. Despite a setback in supplies en route to frontier planets as per their promise made a few months ago, chief operations officer Lauren Comley assures that the frontier worlds in need will receive their vital supplies. “We won’t be tolerating any setbacks. If not the Iapetus, then another ship will deliver the supplies. They’ll be delayed slightly, but they’ll make it.” Comley continues by assuring the delivery of the aid once again, and concludes by saying that “We also won’t tolerate acts of sabotage on our facilities. We’ll be looking to local and interstellar law for assistance in this matter. If you’re out there, reading this, you know who you are.” The CEO was unable to be contacted due to apparent unavailability.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted April 14, 2017 Posted April 14, 2017 Unathi Scientist Ejected From Science Conference 4.13.2459 Dr. Izaizai Izweski, a prestigious government scientist from the Izweski Hegemony, was unceremoniously ejected from a science conference today after extensively squabbling with the conferences' other attending scientists as well as its founder. The Conference on The Matters of Extra-Dimensional Studies, or Bluespace Talk, is a semi-annual event founded in 2431 where prestigious scientists from around the known galaxy come together to hold public discussions on their studies into other dimensions - which until recently, was strictly bluespace. The conference has gained considerable media coverage since its early days, and in modern times has become a major entertainment event. This year the conference was abuzz about the recent alleged discovery of hyperspace, which has created quite a stir as, if it is verified by other researchers, means the current known dimensions are Bluespace, Realspace, and now Hyperspace. Dr. Jacob Reynolds, founder of Bluespace Talks, introduced Dr. Marquise Bates, one of the researchers that was involved in the original Hyperspace experiment. Also in attendance was Dr. Tamonte Solomon, another Hyperspace scientist, Dr. Mark Hamil from NanoTrasen, and Zeiwesih Zel-Tup from a Jargon research group on Bluespace. Dr. Bates began her talk to the assembly where she described the process of discovering Hyperspace, and the thrill in knowing that her team had "brought to light a second dimension, one so different, and yet so eerily similar to our own." During his allotted time to respond, Dr. Izweski made a brief comment in which he "corrected" Dr. Bates of her error in counting, claiming that she meant to say there were three other dimensions. Several of the assembled scientists as well as the crowd were confused, and Dr. Bates asked Dr. Izweski to elaborate. "There is Realspace, in which we reside," Dr. Izweski said, "there is bluespace, in which we travel, there is hyperspace, which may or may not exist, and there is the realm Beyond. The dimension where our spirits reside once we die, and one in which is currently being more and more abused by nefarious groups." Dr. Izweski explained further his government's current stance on this alleged third dimension, which took on increasingly supernatural characteristics, with Dr. Izweski alleging that it was the source of Realspace's supernatural phenomenon. The Unathi grew agitated from the resulting chuckling from the assembly. "We are all enthralled by your story, but we aren't hosting a writing workshop here," Dr. Reynolds said, bringing laughter from the crowd and further irritating Dr. Izweski. "This is science," The frustrated unathi responded, "I have studied this extensively. It is no joke, and it impacts all of our lives." The Unathi became visibly angered as the discussions derailed into snide conversations between the human scientists as they all mocked the Unathi's claims. When Dr. Izweski called Dr. Reynolds an "idiot" the mood turned sour, and Reynolds summoned a security guard to eject Dr. Izweski from the conference. Dr. Zel-Tup, who had been quietly listening, interrupted at this point, arguing against the ejection of Dr. Izweski. "Should not be punished. Very brave to share beliefs with his peers." He said. His statement was not welcomed by Dr. Izweski, who stood up and allowed himself to be escorted off of the stage, followed by laughter from the crowd. "The blind fools," The clearly frustrated Izweski was heard saying while being escorted off-stage before his microphone was cut. The conference continued as normal, with talks returning to the nature of Hyperspace and its connection to Realspace as well as theoretical ties to Bluespace. After the conference ended the Izweski Hegemony released an official apology for the behavior of Dr. Izweski. "The beliefs and statements made by Master Scientist Izaizai Izweski do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Sinta'Unathi scientific community. For his behavior and failure to properly represent the Izweski clan in an honorable fashion Dr. Izaizai has been suspended from his post pending review."
canon35 Posted May 14, 2017 Posted May 14, 2017 Unusual Economic Reports From Adhomai 5.13.2459 Following a recent report from the Tajaran homeworld of Adhomai, Sol Goliath Intragalactic Banking issued a request for an audit into the currency printing operations of the planet. After an intense analysis by Goliath,the People’s Republic of Adhomai appears to have 11% more currency in its economy than should be possible with their trade deals and printing operations. While members of the bank’s board still await an official investigation by the Sol Alliance Central Bank, many of them have thrown accusations towards The Hadii Regime. In a recent interview, chairman Silvens Achland stated: “Ever since 2426, when their Nal’Tor Mint opened up, we’ve been getting nothing but issues from Adhomai. Deficits, thefts, fudged numbers. While we at Goliath opposed the idea of opening this Mint before a government could consolidate its power in the dangerous world, many others seemed to want to jump on the chance to try and earn a few more credits. Now we all see how poor a investment this was” While the status of the request is still unknown, it is gaining traction within the Sol political scene. Politcians from both GAIA and ATLAS support the request for an investigaiton, many citing that Adhomai’s governments should not be trusted with the Mint and should have tighter restrictions on their exchange and credit production. While no official statement has been made from the People’s Republic’s Ministry of External Affairs, many took to social media in light of the issue. Ambassador to the Sol Alliance, Myarizan Klevik, was quick to take to social media, stating that, “With all the smuggling done by rebels, it’s no wonder extra credits have worked their way in. Maybe if humans stopped enabling the cartels, this would not be an issue.” Other critics have been quick to cite Goliath’s lackluster relations with NanoTrasen as a conflict of interest, noting that it could be a maneuver to increase the market share of Hephaestus Industries which frequently conducts business with Sol Goliath.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted June 6, 2017 Posted June 6, 2017 Sanctions On Tau Ceti To End, But Rift Is Growing Within the Alliance 6.6.2459 Representatives of the State Department have announced that SolGov will be easing the various economic sanctions against Tau Ceti. The desire to drop the embargo grew very high following the rogue admiral Frost embarking on a unilateral intervention in the system against the orders of SolGov. Following the dramatic confrontation with this rogue fleet the Admiral fled to the frontier and was stripped of his rank. GAIA politicians, including the Prime Minister, were eager to end the sanctions after this humiliating display, but their efforts were slowed by ATLAS sympathizers with Admiral Frost. Votes in the parliament to end the sanctions were repeatedly blocked by ATLAS representatives, and many system governors have expressed their solitary with Frost, some even calling him a so-called hero, while others are horrified that the military was able to embark on an invasion. But a decisive victory was made today after key ATLAS representatives flipped their votes on ending the embargo, allowing the Prime Minister to officially end the embargo that had already effectively stopped being enforced. "Admiral Frost acted in the defense of the Alliance and with the interests of humanity in mind," ATLAS representatives told the press today, "Despite his eagerness causing him to act unilaterally, if the brave men and women of our military actually had the support of our civilian leaders then we would be giving Frost a triumph for safeguarding the future of humanity. While we are satisfied to bring this affair behind us, we have to wonder what these actions will mean for the future generations to come. Without men like Frost, who will safeguard the future for our children?" System governors, like Governor Trevor Goodson of the New Newfoundland system, have expressed different views. "The navy becoming more powerful than the civilian government is what caused the first interstellar war," Governor Goodson said, "it caused a lot of atrocities and infringement on the freedom of the good men and women of the alliance. And that's what this whole thing is- an alliance. If there is no accountability in the navy then this alliance is nothing but a patsy for the warlords roaming around. We need to show that we are better than the militaristic stereotype we have against us, and SolGov needs to take serious effort to reform the military to bring them back under control of the civilian government." Other system representatives, including sitting congressmen and representatives, have echoed this standpoint. The fallout from the intervention in Tau Ceti is continuing to echo throughout the entire Sol Alliance, and with trust in the central government diminishing, political analysts are still hotly debating what this means for the future of the Sol Alliance. The only thing analysts are agreeing on is that the Alliance is entering an extremely precarious situation exacerbating the growing political paralysis in the central government, while influential admirals within the navy continue to openly express their dissatisfaction.
Zundy Posted November 6, 2017 Posted November 6, 2017 Freedom Assembly Domestic Terrorists? Senator Forced to Step Down 11.06.2459 Senator Hedvika Svoboda of the Beta Alma sector was made to step down after evidence of her involvement with the Free Assembly came to light this week following a raid by the Frontier Militia on Artemis Initiative members. Though there were no casualties an injured Guardsmen unit were forced to retreat into outer colony space. Artemis Commander Garen Almasi told Alliance News that "the Initiative were contracted to defend local hydroponic farms from pirates and help train a local militia to help create a permanent defence system for the fledgling colony however we were ambushed and driven off by this 'Militia' who they proceeded to raid the outlying farms." Local Unity Station news caught up with Ms Svoboda as she left the senate where she berated the Sol Government claiming that "the ATLAS dominated floor of the senate seems to keep the 'private' Artemis Initiative at arm's length during its bouts of intergalactic outrage but close to the chest when it gets its buttocks spanked by free peoples only trying to protect their sovereignty." Ms Svoboda is being replaced by Mrs Daruska Pokorny of the GAIA party. Prime Minister Miles Chater told Alliance News that it was "a shame to see Ms Svoboda depart under such circumstances as this" but was "happy to welcome such an exemplary politician as Daruska Pokorny to the senate to represent the great people of Beta Alma." The so called 'Frontier Militia' released a statement through the Free Assembly or 'Freedom' as it is known on the ExtraNet following Ms Svoboda's replacement. "The Artemis Initiative were not there on contract and were acting as an arm of the Sol Alliance to claw further gains into free frontier space. We were coming to the aid of the farming colony at their request to remove those 'ATLAS boys' from the area. Why would a frontier state request assistance from ATLAS of all people? It's a shame to see SolGov use this as an opportunity to silence what it believes to be political dissidents. Though Hedvika Svoboda may have been a supporter of the Free Assembly she is not part of the frontier and neither is Beta Alma though with such heavy handed tactics SolGov sure is pushing them away. We warn the Initiative children to keep their garbage laser rifles and themselves inside SolGov space or expect more of the same. PS, thanks for the extra powercells."
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted November 8, 2017 Posted November 8, 2017 SolGov Issues Travel Ban On Mars 11.08.2459 Due to the growing domestic situation on the surface of Mars, Prime Minister Chater has ordered the Ministry of Travel to issue a travel ban on Mars and its orbital space. The order comes into affect on the 9th at 12:00am Sol Relative. The order temporarily bans travel to the surface of Mars and, more contentiously, bans anyone with Martian citizenship from entering Sol space for the remainder of the month. The order specifically suspends anyone with a Martian visa or citizenship card from entering the Sol system without a special pass granted by Sol's Ministry of Travel. Passes are not available to anyone with Martian residency who has ever been convicted of a crime. Diplomats and government officials are exempt. The move has sparked numerous protests and legal challenges, and shuttleports on and around Mars are thrown into disarray as the order comes into affect. Prime Minister Chater has issued the order at the advice of an emergency committee handling the growing unrest on Mars. The committee, lead by Admiral Yi and other prominent 'blue' Martians, warned Chater that a recent influx in travel to Mars was the direct result of 'dangerous nationalism that can destabilize Mars.' The committee feared that Mars was becoming a pilgrimage site for extremists and radicals hoping to invest in the unrest to cause violence. "This travel ban is necessary for the safety and security of Mars and Sol," Prime Minister Chater said after issuing the order, "we cannot allow a swell of armed men to complicate the questions of safety and peaceful resolution. This ban is going to remain in place until we can resolve this crisis." Mars has responded to the ban with a flurry of legal actions. Leader of the so-called seperatist movement Red Coalition, Martian Senator Duncan Thorne, has launched a lawsuit suing SolGov. "Freedom of travel is an inherent freedom of man," Thorne said, "this is a hokey intimidation tactic and it isn't going to work on us. I don't know why Chater wants to divide Martian families and cause such confusion and heartache but it's definitely pissing me off."
Zundy Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 As Travel Ban Locks Into Place Trouble Makers Slip Through The Net 11.09.2459 As the travel ban enters full effects port security cameras spot what seem to be two individuals sporting the emblem of the Free Assembly. The travel ban was introduced by the Ministry of Travel and prevents entry to both Mars proper and its orbital space. The purpose was to prevent an influx of armed troublemakers and terror groups from infiltrating the planet but images leaked to Alliance News portray what appears to be members of the Free Assemblies 'Frontier Milita' walking through a crowded Martian space-port with one of the individuals looking directly at the security camera. "This is exactly what the ban was trying to prevent" Mars born Port Commander Francois Van der Merwe told Alliance News reporters "the fact that they were able to enter the port wearing their terrorist insignia on full display is chilling. We are conducting a full investigation into this security lapse." The two individuals have yet to be indentified and an increased police presence has been station at all star ports across Mars. Sol Security Officer Germain Thomas told reporters "the fact that they are openly displaying their affiliations to security cameras and also seem to be aware of and sought out the cameras themselves clearly shows their intent to sow discord amongst the public. We advise any civilians upon spotting the pair to seek a safe place and report their location to the local police or security teams." When pressed to answer why officers were so slow to attend the scene Officer Thomas disclosed that "we did not react as swiftly as we could as no calls were received from the public. We can only surmise that any citizens who noticed the pair were cowed by fear and so did not contact security."
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted November 12, 2017 Posted November 12, 2017 Earth Lodges Formal Complaint With SolGov: "We Stand With Mars" 11.12.2459 Shockwaves are spreading across the Sol System and the greater Alliance as the provinces of Earth have slammed the central government for its handling of the Martian crisis while simultaneously sending Unity Station an open letter of demands. The letter is signed by the governors of nearly every province on Earth, including the United Americas, Soviet Union, China, Iran, Gran Columbia, India, the African Confederation, and Sydney. The manifesto lists the grievances the Earth governments have had with the central since the revelation that SolGov indifference was responsible for a century of freak weather events. Soviet First Secretary Ivan Mashkovtsev gave a speech, flanked by United America President Lucas Dunwald and African Confederation Prime Minister Marcus Lumumba. "When we gave our independence to the Sol Alliance and submitted to their one world government, we did it in the hope that the new world order would bring stability and peace to us all. It succeeded in its mandate, and I can scarcely believe the history books that describe the terrible state of our world only a few centuries ago. But in recent years the Alliance has neglected its core mandate. Mars and Earth are the bedrock of humanity, yet every week we get more headlines of how we are sidelined and mistreated. This behavior cannot be allowed to continue. We stand with Mars, and together we hope we can push for recognition as people worthy of consideration and respect." The demands listed in the open letter to SolGov include: Cedeing authority of terraforming projects on Earth from the Department Of Terran Sustainability (and its 3rd party Global Eco Solution) to local Earth officials. Removing regulation preventing Earth provinces from signing independent contracts with mega-corporations. Eliminating the special 6.5% federal corporate tax placed on Earth exports. Compensating Earth 12.3 billion credits for the damages caused by Global Eco Solutions. Formally apologizing for centuries of neglect. Accepting Martian re-negotiation of the Treaty of Olympia. With Mars and Earth joined in a coalition it has become political suicide for any GAIA politician to resist these demands. GAIA politicians who formerly supported a hardline stance on Mars have defected to be openly critical of SolGov's treatment of Earth and Mars. ATLAS remains in opposition, and the Senate and Parliament have erupted into bitter and vicious debate between the two formerly aligned parties. Senator Michael Watkins, the senior leader of ATLAS, gave scathing criticism and called the acts of Mars and Earth 'secession'. "I'm sorry, but when did we start entertaining secession movements? I don't understand how anyone can see this as anything than what it is. Earth filed a complaint, it went through the courts, and the matter was settled. Take away all the fancy talk about 'self-determination' and you can see the writing on the wall. This faction is propped up by mega-corporations to erode the regulations of SolGov and allow them to bypass the law to work directly with local governments. The actual people don't want this, politicians with corporate masters do." Despite the scathing response, immense pressure has been placed on Prime Minister Chater to resolve this growing crisis within the Sol system. For his credit the Prime Minister has summoned Martian Senator Thorne, leader of the Red Front, to take part in negotiations on Unity Station alongside representatives from Earth to discuss terms and resolution. This goes against the original suggestion from his emergency committee, lead by Admiral Yi, to tighten restrictions on Mars and display a show of force. Admiral Yi has been recalled once more after only yesterday returning to his fleet in orbit of Mars, aborting a planned fleet maneuver in orbit of the red planet.
Zundy Posted November 15, 2017 Posted November 15, 2017 Terror Attack On Mars Leaves Twenty Three Wounded 11.15.2459 Twenty three in critical condition and two dead following a suspected terrorist attack on the Ohmu PetroTec fuel line. The blast took place in the Ohmu PetroTec fuel depot in the Thule area of Demios, East States and was followed by a blazing inferno which was eventually extinguished by local emergency services. The attack is suspected to have been orchestrated by Martian Nationalists. Lieutenant Antonio Munoz, adjutant to Alliance Admiral Yi, explained to the press that "Artemis Initiative Guardsmen had been contracted to protect the area but had pulled out of the agreement to watch over senior ATLAS officials in Olympia. We've been contacted by Local State Police and though initial reports of the blast do match seismic charges carried by Artemis teams, the inferno that followed suggests some form of incendiary device was actually used. We are assisting the local police as much as possible at this time." The so called "Free Assembly" terror group released a statement over the Extra Net after the attack stating that "we remind the citizens of Mars that we stand by you" and seemed to urge its supporters that "we must resort to violence in defence of Martian freedom." Local black markets have been flooded with illegal laser weaponry and military grade defence systems over the last few days which reports say is linked to the terrorist organisations growing influence over key red Martian cities.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted November 26, 2017 Posted November 26, 2017 Admiral Yi Relieved From Command 11.25.2459 Admiral Yi has been fired from his post during a tense and heated stand-off with Prime Minister Chater. Yi had commanded the 66th Orbital Garrison over Mars, which is now under temporary command of Admiral Ashton Roz of the 12th Orbital Garrison of Venus. Admiral Yi was present with Prime Minister Chater in a high level meeting on Unity Station, along with Mars representative Thorne, and the leaders of the United Americas Lucas Dunwald, Soviet Union leader Ivan Mashkovtsev, African Confederation leader Marcus Lumumba, and Michael Watkins, the senior leader of the ATLAS party. During the meeting Admiral Yi and Senator Thorne became increasingly belligerent with one another, souring the meeting. In addition, Admiral Yi made several public statements against Prime Minister Chater and his handling of the crisis with Mars and Earth. Admiral Yi told reporters repeatedly that the crisis talks were a "waste of time" and he would be "pursuing direct action to restore the rule of law on Mars." Prime Minister Chater warned Yi several times during the delegations to stop antagonizing the other delegates, and repeatedly issued notices that none involved may speak to the press with anyone other than routine statements without clearing it through SolGov. Yi's repeatedly disregard for these warnings lead Chater to hand Yi a letter of termination that read, I deeply regret that it becomes my duty as Prime Minister of the Sol Alliance and Commander-in-Chief of its military forces to replace you as Admiral of the 66th. You will turn over your command, effective at once, to Admiral Ashton Roz. My reasons for your replacement, will be made public concurrently with the delivery to you of the foregoing order, and are contained in the next following message Prime Minister Chater has justified the termination, which was not made with consultation with senior naval officials, by saying: Military commanders must be governed by the policies and directives issued to them in the manner provided by our laws. In a time of crisis, this consideration is particularly compelling. Civilian control of the military is paramount and that means policy is to be made by the civilian government, not admirals and generals. The move has immediately sparked intense divisions between GAIA and ATLAS. The ATLAS party in the Senate has immediately triggered an investigation into the action by the Prime Minister, claiming it is unconstitutional and unprecedented. Michael Watkins has walked out of the talks, effectively boycotting ATLAS participation.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted March 7, 2018 Posted March 7, 2018 SolGov Permanently Bans Migration and Visa Applications From All Tajara 3.6.2460 Chater released a surprise announcement following a closed door meeting with ATLAS officials. Details are just coming public that Chater has issued an order to the Alliance Office of Immigration and Citizenship. This decree orders the Office to deny all Visa and immigration requests from Tajaran applicants made after Thursday, 11:59:59pm (GST) "permanently". In addition Visa renewals will no longer be available to any Tajaran residents in Alliance space, and once these Visas expire they will be required to return to Adhomai space. The decree is expected to impact nearly 12,928 currently pending applications in processing by the AOIC, and puts the residency of nearly 199,000 Tajara living in the Alliance in doubt. Xeno-rights groups have immediately criticized the move and multiple lawsuits have already been filed. The move has split Parliament, with high ranking senators such as Martian Senator Duncan Thorne released a statement saying, "[This move] just ain't sittin' well with me. Restricting freedom of movement like this is not something you just do out of the blue. You’d think he’d hesitate given his history of travel bans not goin’ so well." Other GAIA senators have provided more muted responses, though we were unable to get a comment from a GAIA politician openly criticizing Chater at this time. ATLAS senators have been incredibly vocal in their approval for the bill. Venetian ATLAS Senator Robert Huntington praised the move as a "step in ensuring the importance of human interests being paramount." For his part, Prime Minister Chater defended the move in a speech at the Saint Tony Convention Center in New Detroit. "I have been speaking to my ATLAS colleagues nonstop regarding the issues of public safety and other pressing issues that face our nation in these trying times. Despite the gridlock in Unity Station, I can only say that this move should give faith to our detractors that the GAIA-ATLAS coalition remains strong and committed to national security. Many dangerous plots against our citizens have been uncovered this year, with naval intelligence having discovered and foiled six conspiracies that would have seen dangerous weapons of terror smuggled into our borders from the so-called 'Adhomai Liberty Army'. In addition we can no longer ignore the clear and undeniable presence of smuggling originating from Tajaran space. This action is lawful and within my bounds as Prime Minister. I did not make it alone and am pushing forward, confident in the support of my peers across the aisle. I know this decree will cause unfortunate complications for many who wished to enter our nation, but when I am considering the safety of our families and children, I cannot justify half measures." Political analysts such as SANN's Bob Birch, have proposed that this move is an attempt by Chater and his party to appeal to ATLAS in order to save the coalition and end the deadlock paralyzing the Alliances' cabinet. In a tv interview, Birch reaffirmed this position when taking viewer questions. "Look, we've had zero activity from Unity Station since November of last year," Birch told viewers, "every day they just go in and argue and argue about whether or not Chater should be booted out of office. ATLAS has long blasted GAIA for being soft on the obligation of our Alliance. Throwing this bone their way might make ATLAS ease off Chater and we'll see more activity from Unity." International responses have been sharply divided. Many factions within the Orion sector have voiced their reactions in strong terms. Many Tajara who are affected by the move are also strongly voicing their concerns. Hundreds of Tajara are reported to be rushing to complete the immigration process before the impending deadline. Social media has exploded as Tajara within the Alliance respond to the exclusionary move. One Tajara, a metalworker on a work contract for Hepheastus Industries in Moscow, Earth, voiced his support for the move. Al'quasiez Hauraizkhi, going by the name Al-Shabib, gave a statement to reporters outside the city's primary shuttleport. "He is glad that this should keep out the terrorists. His work time in this place is already almost up, and while this one is sad he won't come back, he knows it is for the best. He just wishes that this was a more selective ban and not a blanket one. He thinks they should have started with a ban on his cousin Kuuhrl who keeps trying to come here to ask Al-Shabib for money." Another tajara, Ponslan Kur’yur-Isra, provided a politically charged statement when stopped by a SANN reporter who asked him his thoughts on the ban and how he feels about this potentially being the last time he will be able to enter Alliance space. "He does very limited business here in the Alliance, and surely this ban will affect his personal and professional life, but not to an incredible extent. [He] could tell this was coming. In his humble opinion, GAIA should distance themselves from ATLAS[...]" Strong responses have also come internationally. Tau Ceti's leader Joseph Dorn called the move "very problematic and telling of ATLAS' true xenophobia. There is a lot to unpack here." during a speech outside a newly opened convention center. A dispatch released from the Jargon Federal Embassy in Unity Station simply said the move was "a little zany." Perhaps unsurprisingly, the strongest condemnation has come from the People's Republic of Adhomai, the victim of Chater's blanket travel ban. PRA Ambassador Juuhraiuzi Ahkurrazhurakzi was informed of Chater's impending decree the day before, and the government has now released a drafted response. "We are surprised and bewildered by this move from our allies. It would have been in the mutual interests of our nation's if Chater had instead increased cooperation with the People's security forces. They have already been working tirelessly to foil the agents of counter-revolutionary terrorism. The Tajaran government remains committed to our partnership with Sol despite this incredible strain which has stabbed us in the back. Comrade President Hadii understands the importance of national security despite his wish that this decree would not come to pass. This will merely be yet another struggle that the Tajaran people must overcome. Hadii expresses his wish for Chater's good fortune in his troubled political career and his hopes that it will continue despite all indications pointing towards its end and permanent erasure of his legacy"
Bygonehero Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 Military Analyst states; "Worst is yet to come." 3.10.2460 During the most recent broadcast of Sol Today, Former Sector Chief Cob Sobenstein gave an impassioned speech about the current state of affairs within the galaxy. Debating their points with Martian District Senator Neville Chumberlane. "We need to understand that peace is not an option with the Lii'dra," mentions Cob. "Look to Elyra to know their intentions. Elyra? Elyra was just the beginning if we don't change our attitude towards our allies. It's simple metric. Just because their homeworld is supposedly two thousand years away doesn't mean we will have another two thousand years before another Lii'dra hive ship comes knocking at our doorstep. They could just have easily launched dozens more towards us one thousand nine hundred and ninety years ago. Just look at the damage one hive ship did. Now imagine more coming into the Orion Spur every year. This is a problem for the here and now, and the eggheads at Jargon, as well as some of those in command, don't see that. We should be getting ready because we really don't know anything about the enemy other than 2000-year-old data, and you asked about this Migration ban? It's just the work of politicians looking to charge up their base come election. It's not the time for dividing our allies, regardless of species, because quite frankly, we need all the help we can get." "I agree with you on one thing." retorts Neville Chumberlane, Martian 5th District Senator. " The Migration ban is foolish, but the rest of your speech? It's pure demagoguery. The Vaurca have been in the Orion Spur for what? Four, Five years? In those years I can't say we've been the leader to the rest of the galaxy that we used to be. No, you're just echoing more hate speech and getting people afraid to sell your military buildup agenda. The latest in aggressive Sol tactics that end up smearing our great name. We don't need more chest thumpers making decisions. We need people who can achieve results, and I am convinced that the Lii'dra could be brought to the table if they are approached the right way. Look at our world from their point of view, they could see us very well harboring war criminals, or think us at war with them when we are not! No, I believe that we can reach a peace with the Lii'dra if a way to communicate can be reached. We should be spending our resources to better understand them, and other species of our galaxy." Undoubtedly there was some contention between both guests, but we here at ANN would like to know what our readers think, send us your extranet comments at our homepage. This interview was brought to you by Getmore Brand Skrellsnax, Skrellsnax, the Snax for the intelligent skrell on the go!
Zundy Posted March 13, 2018 Posted March 13, 2018 Mars Boycotts Taj Ban; ATLAS Officials Furious 3.13.2460 Surprise as Senator Thorne announces that Mars will not only be boycotting the Tajaran Migration and Visa Ban, but encouraging Tajaran immigration. Mars representative Senator Thorne announced early this morning that Mars will be boycotting the Tajaran Migration and Visa Ban after a majority vote amongst the City States of Mars. The ban which was introduced less than a week ago has caused controversy throughout the Alliance however Mars is the only colony which has elected to not uphold the order other than the Eridani Corporate Federation which chose not to adopt the ban as per the Epsilon Treaty. The boycott and the legality behind it have caused ripples across the Senate with members of ATLAS up in arms. "This is absolutely outrageous" Admiral Yi, former Admiral of the 66th Orbital Garrison over Mars told reporters "first they collaborate with known terrorists, the Free Assembly in order to strong arm their way out of the Treaty of Olympia and now they refuse to uphold a legally binding decree. This is outright rebellion." Senator Michael Watkins, the senior leader of the ATLAS party, told the press that "Thorne has gone too far this time. There will be consequences for this mark my words. I'm already in talks with the Alliance Supreme Court regarding this clear violation of Sol Alliance law. They will not get away with this." In his announcement speech Senator Thorne told those present that "now we are free members of the Alliance we must have an equal say. We were not consulted on this issue and as such we do not accept this result. The Tajaran are friends of Mars and are most welcome to visit our red soils, as they have always been." Free Assembly members, specifically the Frontier Milita have once again taken to the streets of Mars alongside Martian Planetary Defence Troopers in what seems to be a show of force in light of the announcement as Mars based Embassies of the People's Republic of Adhomai alongside the Martian Consulate are already inundated with visa applications and extensions of residency. Temporary workers have had to be requisitioned in order to cope with the demand. In a statement Prime Minister Chater told represenatives that "though the stance of Mars is not suprising and the legality questionable we will work together to ensure we can resolve this situation in an agreeable manner as quickly as possible." Prime Minister Chater refused to comment further.
Zundy Posted April 17, 2018 Posted April 17, 2018 Mars Boycott To Be Debated In Upper Senate 4.17.2460 A debate in the upper senate is to be held regarding the legality of the Martian boycott of the Tajaran Migration and Visa Ban. Prime Minister Chater announced earlier this morning that Sol Gov will be meeting within the week to discuss the legality of the Martian boycott of the Tajaran Migration and Visa Ban which came into effect on March 9th this year. Mars representative Senator Thorne and Senator Michael Watkins are expected to be the key speakers throughout the debate. Critics of the GAIA-ATLAS coalition have panned the governments slow response on the issue with officials drawing attention to the month long delay calling it "pathetic" and showing a "critical weakness in the coalitions ability to react to key issues." Addressing the press, Prime Minister Chater called for "unity in this trying time." The Prime Minister went on to say that "this issue, though more complicated than first thought will be resolved as soon as humanly possible. This dialogue will be key to a amicable resolution for all parties." Senator Thorne called the debate "a good first step" going on to say that "Mars is committed to the Alliance but we except commitment from Sol Gov in return. We are an equal member of this nation and so should have an equal say. Mars was not consulted on this ban and neither where the middle or outer colonies, I can guarantee that. We are a democracy and as such Sol Gov should act like it. Not act like a shadowy cabal working behind the scenes. I promise you that I will bring democracy back not just to Mars, but back to the Alliance for all." Senator Michael Watkins was unavailable for comment.
Zundy Posted April 21, 2018 Posted April 21, 2018 Mars Boycott Declared Legal 4.21.2460 After a heated debated in the senate the Alliance Supreme Court has declared the Mars boycott of the Tajaran Visa and Travel Ban to be legal. The Sol Alliance Supreme Court has declared the Mars Boycott of the Tajaran Migration and Visa Ban to be "without question, a legal act of their powers within Alliance law" on the basis of the dissolution of the Treaty of Olympus in November last year. The treaty, initially signed on the 5th of April 2284 after the Martian World War, laid out the specific terms of union between Mars and the Sol Alliance at the end of the conflict , "in layman's terms" the court representatives advised the senate "this means that the terms of the union between Mars and the Alliance defaults to pre-interstellar war conditions as no new treaty has been signed. This leaves Mars with greater autonomy." Complex legal battles have been ongoing since the dissolution of the Treaty of Olympus but no formal union declarations have been signed since. Critics of SolGov are calling this "a catastrophic lapse" and a "clear lack of competency" at the government level. An attempt by Senator Watkins of the ATLAS party to deflect the failure onto the GAIA party was swiftly shouted down by the senate with Senator Thorne leading the admonishment. "It was your coalition government that lead to this, do not I say, do not attempt to weasel your way out of this one". Further complications where brought to the floor by Senator Asfour of the outer colony system Iishraq. "Does this not mean that Mars is legally in the same state as it was before the end of the Martian World War, I mean to say does this mean it is technically a member of the former Coalition of Colonies and therefore the Frontier Alliance?" "Potentially" the court representatives advised the floor. An emergency session has been called by the Prime Minister of the Sol Alliance, Miles Theodore Chater, over the standard weekend to resolve the issue. Representatives from Xanu Prime, the hub' of the Frontier Alliance systems, have told the Alliance News Network that they "are watching proceedings closely" but have not commented further. More on this story as it develops.
Zundy Posted May 16, 2018 Posted May 16, 2018 Treaty of Unity Signed; Mars To Remain In The Alliance 5.16.2460 Following a series of closed door debates and discussions Mars has agreed to sign the Treaty of Unity 2460 on Unity Station, the Alliance capital. Mars officials have of this morning signed the new Declaration of Alliance with the Sovereign Solarian Nations in the form of the Treaty of Unity. Amongst the signatories were Senator Thorne of Mars and in a surprising twist Senator Watkins of the ATLAS party amongst other senators nicknamed the "anti-Mars" group also added his signature to the document. Negotiations were initially bogged down in the legal complexities of the state of Mars politically following the dissolution of the Treaty of Olympus which placed Mars as an independent state. The option of Mars having special powers in the same vein as the Eridani Corporate Federation was initially championed by Senator Throne but in the end a mutual agreement was ratified in which Mars will join with the Alliance and have full powers and freedoms as per Alliance law. Further to this Admiral Amanda Hayden will be promoted to Grand Admiral and will be tasked with overseeing the production and training of two new Martian Fleets and the construction of the new Sol Alliance Military Station Altis to be located in high orbit over Mars. SAMS Altis will act as the headquarters for the new Anti-Piracy Directive forces serving to keep the mid and outer colonies safe from increasing levels of piracy. "This is a momentous occasion." Prime Minister Chater told the press. "It is with great pleasure I welcome the people of Mars back into the Alliance." The treaty also ensures that Mars has the freedom to dictate its own border policy with new Martian visa systems being set to be put in place over the next few months. The new visa's will allow foreign nationals to enter Mars but any wishing to travel to other regions of the Alliance will require a standard Sol Alliance visa. Naturally this does not apply to the Eridani Corporate Federation which allows free travel. In a speech Senator Thorne said "I think my Martian brethren will agree with me when I say that what we've done here to today has not just ensured a free Mars for decades to come but thrust us back to where we belong in this Alliance. Not some beaten dog to feed on the scraps handed to us from up on high but as free men and women of red soil." Immigrants from Adhomai continue to enter Mars with many moving to Kunlun in the northern regions where additional hab complexes have been constructed to handle the load.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted July 1, 2018 Posted July 1, 2018 404: Story Not Found! 7.1.2460 Oops! It looks like the story link you clicked was corrupted. Please enjoy one of our other articles. 76th Fleet Investigating “Growing” List Of Entire Colonies Disappearing WIthout A Trace 6.30.2460 Admiral Lian Zhu of the 76th has released an official report to the press describing her investigation into an increasing number of disappearances of entire colonies in the Frontier. These developments have been unknown until now, as each incident has taken place deep in frontier space. Despite the remote locations, so far an alarming number of people have disappeared without a trace. The report begins with the Dunwich Vanishing. On May 1st the independent mining colony of Dunwich released a brief distress signal to a nearby Elyran outpost 65 lightyears away. Dunwich was a colony of 150 residents living in a station embedded on the surface of a large asteroid. The Elyran corvette Aarash responded to the distress signal first. It bluespaced just a kilometer from the asteroid and its Captain Almeida attempted to contact the colony. They were met with complete radio silence. The colony was completely undamaged, so Almeida docked with the station and its contingent of marines boarded. After conducting a full sweep of the colony, Captain Almeida reported that all 150 residents of Dunwich were missing. The report was sent to Elyra’s naval command. Despite Almeida describing a total lack of any signs of weapons fire, Elyran officials believed this to be a pirate raid and contacted Admiral Zhu for assistance in locating and rescuing the colonists. Zhu received the transmission and agreed to dispatch three corvettes to assist in the search, but as of this report’s publishing none of the residents have been found. Pirates caught and interrogated in the area also expressed a complete ignorance as to what occurred in Dunwich. Next the report describes the Miskaton Vanishing. On May 25th Zhu responded to a distress signal from the Kandahar Colony, situated relative south of the Frontier Alliance over 40 light-years into independent space. The colony was a small, semi-habitable world with a population of 12,400. The planet had been recently petitioned to join the Frontier Alliance and its leader, Governor Ashwald, had been hosting debates with the planet’s parliament. A Battlecruiser of the 76th warped into orbit of the planet and broadcasted a message of its arrival. They were met with complete silence. Transport shuttles departed from the cruiser and entered the atmosphere, approaching the capital town of Farzaad’s Landing. When landing in the shuttleport the marines described an eerie atmosphere. The report includes transcripts from Commander Wallace, who lead the landing teams. The second to last section of the report describes the final Vanishing incident on June 21st, on the hydroponic station Xi’han. A merchant vessel had attempted to dock with the station, but found no one present in the cargo loading area. In attempting to find the quartermaster the merchants found the place abandoned, and quickly left and contacted Alliance authorities. The incident was originally investigated by Admiral Marc Hamil of the 99th Fleet, but he turned over the investigation to Admiral Zhu. Zhu herself was present on her flagship cruiser Advent when it warped to the colony. She boarded the station with the team of marines. After eight hours of turning the place inside out, their exhaustive efforts found nothing. At the end of the report Zhu describes the phenomenon she has coined Vanishing Incident. In each Vanishing Incident, an entire community vanishes without a trace. On the stations, there are never any signs of armed assault. There are no signs of a violent boarding attempt. There are no breaches, no dismantled windows, no cut grilles. Automated systems continue to function unless the length of time between the vanishing and discovery are so extended that they become damaged or nonfunctional from a lack of maintenance. We have found evidence of survivors locking themselves in sealed rooms which required our own marines to utilize plastic explosives to enter, and even in these situations we found the occupants had vanished. The only evidence of their previous occupation within these locations are personal possessions. In one of these cases, we were left a note taped to the wall of a Xi’han maintenance closet The door had been bolted and welded shut. Inside was several unopened emergency rations, a used flare, and an energy pistol. On the wall we found on the note a scrawled statement. “They are Yee Naaldlooshii” Based on assembled evidence, I have the following hypothesis for what is taking place. A group of raiders has created a new doctrine of infiltration and kidnapping, allowing them to seize entire populations within the span of only a few hours and abscond with all of the occupants. This will lend itself to immediate mythological association by the victims who had time to write warning. The location of events also seems to follow a predictable path. I have included a map that shows each incident. There were several others not included in this report in-depth due to security concerns. When each site is connected, they form a path. First Dunwich, then Miskaton, then Kandahar, then Xi'han. It is my theory that the next Vanishing Incident may take place within the star system of Tau Ceti. EDIT: The report by Zhu was retracted only minutes after this article was posted, and they have refused to respond to our requests for comment. Other government officials within the military have also claimed that they are "unaware" of any report being published to begin with.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted August 21, 2018 Posted August 21, 2018 BREAKING - Lii'dra Hiveship Heading For Earth - 2 Hours To Impact 8.21.2460 We are receiving mixed and confusing reports that a massive bluespace signature has been detected in deep space on an interception course with Earth. Based on its speed and trajectory, the object matches the Lii'dra Hiveship. It is expected to exit Bluespace and appear in orbit of Earth in only 2 hours. The Lii'dra are an extremely hostile hivemind race that has already attacked planets across Tau Ceti. They carry incredibly invasive and fast spreading Black K'ois, as well as large bipedal warforms the size of tanks. Our analysts in the studio have warned that if seeded in the atmosphere, the majority of Earth could be infested with Black K'ois and the planet's entire biosphere destroyed within weeks. These reports come after a surprise and unexplained lockdown of Unity Station and the evacuation of members of Congress, the Senate, and the central government hours ago. We are unable to get into contact with a representative of Prime Minister Chater, but we believe he was informed of the impending attack and evacuated from his last known location in his vacation home in Gran Colombia. The 1st Fleet is in orbit of Earth but 65 out of 73 of its ships remain in port for retrofit and maintenance. There are only 8 patrol frigates to defend Earth. We do not know if the 16th in orbit of Mars will make it in time to intercept the incoming Lii'dra Hiveship. Reports from our correspondants within Sol Defense Command have said that the interdiction nets have been unable to 'snare' the Lii'dra Hiveship. These nets are meant to pull vessels out of bluespace. It is not clear why or how the Lii'dra hiveship broke past the defensive interdiction nets. There is nothing that can stop the Hiveship's arrival to Earth, and there appears to be no organized response from the government or military. We are not sure if there is anything anyone can do except evacuate the planet immediately. If you are unable to realistically leave the planet within 2 hours, then I advise you to remain calm and call loved ones, or pray. This station is based in Chicago in the United Americas, Earth. We will remain on the air for as long as possible if the worst is to happen.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted August 21, 2018 Posted August 21, 2018 BREAKING 1:25 Hours To Impact: Pluto Confirmed Hit 8.21.2460 We have roughly and hour and a half to the Lii’dra Hiveship’s arrival to Earth. Most of the 1st Fleet remains stuck in port. The cruiser Hancock engaged full reverse thrusters and tore itself out of the shipyard’s repair depot, causing severe damage to the stations’ hull and damaging the cruiser itself. The cruiser has joined 8 patrol frigates in a makeshift defense of Earth. Admiral Amanda Hayden of the 16th Fleet has said her forces will remain entrenched in orbit of Mars to defend the planet, citing the fact travel distances from Mars to Earth (2 hours) would not allow them time to intercept the Lii’dra hiveship. The 11th Fleet of Saturn, commanded by Huan Li, was seen by witnesses engaging into a bluespace jump after news reached the area of the incoming attack. Their travel time is expected to be 4 hours. A report was just handed to me saying that border forces have been overrun near Pluto. A small fleet broke through the garrison and has raided the sprawling depot on the surface. The planet is known to house immense stockpiles of food and water to supply incoming and outgoing naval forces. The last reports recieved from the supply depot say humanoid creatures (most likely Lii’dra) were breaching the facility with at least a hundred men, while a dozen warships (likely Lii’dra) remained in orbit of the planet. On the surface of Earth, many major cities are reporting shock and panic sweeping the provinces. Our correspondents from several major cities report panicked crowds and packed highways leading out of urban areas. Military jets are also making fly-bys over major urban areas. Emergency alert services are working overtime to accommodate a planet wide emergency. However while panic and evacuations are being called for urban areas, violent anarchy has not overwhelmed emergency services. Our reporters in the field throughout Earth are reporting that the majority of people are finding places to hide such as basements, freezers, or underground parking lots. Others say they are going home to be with their families in what may be our final moments. Our few phone calls to SolGov officials have all of them reporting complete shock and disbelief at these events. One of these comes from a defense contractor within the Sol Defense Command Early Warning network, from her tracking station in orbit of Earth. “We have deep space tracking systems and interdiction nets. Any conventional war fleet, even one with millions of warships, would be spotted and delayed by our early warning and defense infrastructure. We have no idea how the Lii’dra slipped past. None of our equipment spotted anything. They’re like a ghost.” We are now receiving reports that Senator Watkins of the ATLAS party has refused the government evacuation of Unity Station. A reporter on the station discovered him walking down the street from the capitol building to the nearby police station. He had a service pistol in his hand when approached by our reporter, Adela Lopez. L. - “Senator - S- Where are you going?” W. - “I’ve got a gun, and murderers are coming to my house for my family. I’m going to go help put up a fight to keep them away.” L. - “Senator why aren’t we more prepared?” W. - “Because weak men with no foresight didn’t want us to be prepared for this, so the rest of us need to pick up the slack. Now grab a gun or leave me the hell alone!” Time is running out, but we will continue our updates.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted August 21, 2018 Posted August 21, 2018 BREAKING - 1 Hour To Impact: Lii’dra Hiveship Disappears From Sensors As Shocking Pluto Developments May Change Everything 8.21.2460 We are getting reports now that tracking stations across the Sol System are reporting that the Lii’dra Hiveship has completely vanished. However the entire defense apparatus of the Sol System remains on its highest state of alert. “It’s entirely possible that the Hiveship has cloaked its signature to mask itself from our sensors.” A military analyst told us, “The Lii’dra are the most adaptable species we’ve ever known. The Hiveship may very well be on its way to Earth but now we have no way of knowing when, where, or how it will strike us. We may suddenly find a black cloud sweeping over the planet heralding the apocalypse.” Admiral Vasudha Lilavati of the 1st Fleet has managed to launch an additional frigate from the shipyard, bringing her total fleet strength to 12%. Admiral Ikaia Iokua of the 7th Fleet in orbit of Venus has just arrived in orbit of Earth over the United Americas, bringing its 40 ships in defense of the homeworld. Admiral Amanda Hayden of the 16th Fleet remains in orbit of Mars defending the planet. Admiral Huan Li of the 11th Fleet of Saturn remains en-route to Earth with 25 ships, 50% of its fleet. Border forces and patrols are also withdrawing from the edge of the solar system, rallying towards Earth while leaving Neptune and beyond exposed. These reinforcements will not arrive for several hours. Prime Minister Chater remains in hiding with the majority of his cabinet, and we are unable to get in touch with anyone from his cabinet. All members of Congress remain at large, save Senator Watkins who is leading an impromptu militia with members of the Unity Station police department. As the fleets of Sol focus on defending Earth or entrenching around the core planets, Commander Nida Humaira of the Pluto defenders has been seriously wounded in the depots’ failed attempt to repel a significant raid by hostile forces. However new reports from the area are revealing confusing details. Eight attackers are confirmed to have been killed or captured, and they are NOT Vaurca. The attackers so far are identified as six human, one unathi, and one Vox. It’s not clear if this attack is related to the Lii’dra approach to Earth, but we will continue to report on this situation as it develops.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted August 21, 2018 Posted August 21, 2018 THERE IS NO HIVESHIP - False Flag Served As Distraction For Massive, Coordinated Attack On Sol By Raiders - Hundreds Now Enslaved And Thousands Of Tons Of Supplies Stolen 8.21.2460 Emotions best described as a mixture of horror and utter outrage are spreading through the Sol sector like a tidal wave, as the military has confirmed that the supposed Lii’dra Hiveship was in fact never there in the first place. According to our best preliminary guesses based on reports from the military, several factions of raiders managed to strike the Pluto supply depot as well as several spacebound facilities in the fringes of the Sol system. The raiders took advantage of the withdrawal of the entire Sol border patrol to strike. We are receiving reports of locations hit and preliminary casualties: Three dozen mining or habitation stations in the Oort cloud, with 200 civilians and workers abducted and a dozen more killed or wounded. These stations have diverse owners but the majority are Einstein Engines refineries. Two dozen stations in the The Kuiper Belt, with 50 people being abducted by raiders and dozens more wounded or killed. The New Pacific station in orbit of Neptune, which is still locked down from multiple breaches. Over 100 people have been abducted and 18 people have asphyxiated. The Uranus garrison in orbit with and stationed inside the floating settlements repelled the raider attacks, but Commander Jovana Melanija was killed by gunfire defending the station. Saturn and Jupiter were both hit, with the remnants of the 11th fleet repelling the attack on Saturn while Jupiter was raided and 22 people abducted. The asteroid belt saw 43 people abducted in coordinated raids, and there are reports of continued fighting within some Einstein Engines habitats. In the chaos and confusion we were unable to properly authenticate these additional attacks beyond the attack on Pluto. Fleets continue to rally to Earth, which now has over a dozen battleships in orbit of the planet. Panic and chaos continues to sweep Earth and Luna. With no word or directives coming from Prime Minister Chater, we have no further information about what is happening. We will continue to try to parse through this flood of information coming to our station until we receive official word from the government. For their part, the Grand Admiralty has issued orders cancelling the rally to Earth and ordering a defense of the frontier, but nearly all of the ships in orbit of the homeworld remain entrenched. Other individual ships are heeding the call, causing confusion and total disarray between and even within the fleets.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted August 22, 2018 Posted August 22, 2018 Chater Bungles Response To Sol Raid: ATLAS Senator Calls For Revolution As Admirals Vow Revenge And Leave Sol To Chase Raiders 8.21.2460 A plunging stock market, crippled supply chains, breached space stations, and major cities paralyzed all describe the situation in Sol today as the government begins a formal response to one of the darkest days in the history of the Alliance. Prime Minister Chater gave a formal statement in New Kyoto where he described the events of this tragedy. “I was informed at 8:15am Galactic Standard Time of a large unknown signature having been detected approaching our Interdiction Nets beyond the Oort cloud. I summoned an emergency meeting with the Grand Admiralty to take place on Unity Station, believing that the Interdiction Nets would function and provide us with 24 hours of time to prepare. However at 8:35am I received word from our tracking stations that the UFO had made it past our nets without slowing down and would reach Earth within 3 hours, and that it was identified as a Lii’dra Hiveship. At the same time, there were hundreds of smaller signatures swarming into the system, with several dozen breaking through the first layer of interdiction nets or evading them as the approached the outer fringes of the system. It was at this point I issued an order to have Unity Station evacuated and our entire naval force within the Sol system withdrawn to defend the homeworld from what we believed was a full scale Vaurcan invasion. The Grand Admiralty agreed and sent out the orders, consolidating our fleets to Earth. I’ve received much criticism about the combat readiness of the 1st Fleet. The fleet was grounded but we would have had time to deploy its full strength if this had been a conventional attack. It typically takes 5 hours to get a grounded fleet ready, out of 24 hours we believed we would have. Unfortunately this consolidation was a trap. The Lii’dra Hiveship was actually a ghost signature. The raiders used unknown methods to replicate the signature of the Lii’dra hiveship, mimicking its flight path from when it attacked Tau Ceti only days ago. And the consequences are serious. These raiders and slavers abducted hundreds of Alliance citizens from their workplaces and homes, running off with them into the depths of space. This is unacceptable and horrifying. Rest assured I’m launching a full investigation and a through audit of the Sol system’s defensive and early warning apparatus. This is never going to happen again.” Senator Michael Watkins, who had refused the Unity Station evacuation and prepared an impromptu militia of volunteers from police officers to cargo technicians to defend the station, was scathing in his open contempt for the Prime Minister’s speech. Still at the police station coordinating with the Police Chief the station’s response to the fallout from hours of panic and chaos in the streets, Senator Watkins was asked for his opinion on Chater’s speech and began going on in what became a fiery skewering. “Our friends and families are being dragged away in chains while we speak and Chater speaks of never letting this happen again? How about bringing our people back, you massive diphead? This is completely typical of his kind. We were just bamboozled and made to look like idiots. We don’t need to audit or investigate anything - we need to kick ass! We need to grab every man and woman who can hold a laser rifle and fit in a ship and send them out to rescue our people and utterly and completely wipe out the savages that prey upon us. Something this catastrophic could have only happened under his watch. If he isn’t removed by an angry mob storming the capital then we might as well all spit on our entire proud nation and roll over on our backs to wait for death, because that’s the only thing a Chater administration ever asks us to.” Media outlets have condemned Watkin’s apparent calls for violence, but it has struck a chord throughout the Sol Sector. The 1st, 7th, and 11th Fleets have bluespace jumped out of the Sol system following this speech without apparent orders, and we are unable to tell where exactly they are going. Admiral Vasudha Lilavati of the 1st Fleet provided a justification for their actions, saying, “We’re going to get our people back. We don’t need orders to defend our nation from murderers and kidnappers.” Hundreds of regular border patrol forces are also pushing further out from their original deployment zones and are attacking pirate enclaves or hideouts in deep space around the Sol system. In addition the Alliance Parliament and Senate have called an emergency session within Unity Station to craft a response to the crisis. Across Sol the popular response continues to be shock and outrage. Popular protests have broken out in cities on every planet within every city. Social unrest has been magnified by SolGov’s sluggish response. This has complicated recovery as the turmoil is boiling over into violent clashes between protestors and security forces. Admirals in other star systems have also broken ranks and launched unordered expeditions into deep space to fight pirate and raider forces. Our military analysts have been debating how and why the raiders were able to bypass the interdiction nets, and so far our investigative reporting has uncovered the likely culprit. John Daniels is a Strategic Affairs Consultant and during an interview with one of our journalists revealed that the interdiction nets have remained static and unmoving for the past 30 years. Mr. Daniels explained the problem during the interview, saying, “Think of it like fishing in a trawler. You slowly move over the water while the big net drags through the sea, scooping up the fish. The net isn’t a giant field surrounding our whole solar system, but a bunch of massive nets stretched out to catch incoming vessels. Our interdiction fields work the same way - they’re meant to be mobile. If you don’t get the proper authentication you can be caught in them like a fish. But I’ve been going through the declassified reports on the Fields and - while the last report was released 3 years ago - the nets have remained in the same places for the past 35 years. It’s entirely possible that over time raiders and partisans managed to ‘poke’ and ‘prod’ our protection field to find the holes over this time. So yesterday they were able to all flood between the cracks. That just explains how they got through the nets - I still don’t know how they spoofed our tracking stations. It might have been an asteroid with a beacon on it that they dumped into bluespace. You never know.” The entire Sol system remains in disarray as emergency services continue to respond to emergencies in the raided stations beyond neptune. Dozens of stations continue to suffer from decompression or critical damage. Traffic also remains chaotic and unpredictable, and commute times to Tau Ceti have been delayed to at least 15 hours one way.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 Kidnapped Sol Families Return Liberated: Former Admiral Frost At The Helm 9.29.2460 In an almost unbelievable development, former Admiral Michael Frost of the 33rd Fleet has returned to the Sol System and turned himself in to military police. With him were 238 Alliance citizens that he liberated from the band of raiders and slavers that abducted them little more than a month ago. Frosts’ ship, the retrofitted corvette Holgate, was caught by Interdiction Nets along with two other civilian craft beyond pluto and the ship was forced out of bluespace and intercepted by border patrol corvettes. The border patrol agents were shocked to hear the voice of Admiral Frost through their radios as he asked for safe passage. Reinforcements were immediately summoned and a Cruiser from the 11th fleet warped nearby. A squadron of marines from the Cruiser performed an EVA breach of the ship and the marines found Admiral Frost waiting for them in the bridge with over a dozen men, women, and children. Frost was immediately arrested and the military began aiding the civilians. The rescued citizens are all being brought to the orbital habitat Dosahobra at Jupiter. The habitat was attacked during the raid but repelled by the 11th Fleet, and repairs concluded yesterday. Shuttle services to the habitat have been overbooked as hundreds of families speed to the habitat to be reunited with their loved ones, and the Interstellar Aid Corps rushes to provide medical and psychological care in an ad hoc relief center. Our reporters managed to get testimonies from the liberated captives as they arrived on the Dosahobra. Kelly Reynolds, mother of two, was a cargo technician working in the Pluto depot when the raiders struck the station. She was abducted with sixteen other people who were sheltering in voidsuits in an emergency meeting area. She recounts the harrowing experience she and others suffered until their rescue. “We thought we were going to die until we started being dragged out onto a stage. This Unathi was on the stage taking bids, and I realized they were for me and the group I was with. The slavers were saying we were good stock and could work in the mines, keep their houses clean… It was sick. I felt hopeless until Admiral Frost saved us.” Daniel Lewis, father of one, was a security guard on a mining station in the Oort cloud. He was one of the first abducted in the raider attack. Lewis has his right arm in a sling and he looks battered and bruised as an emergency medical physician looks over him. “The raiders singled out any law enforcement or security guards and took turns beating us mercilessly. It didn’t stop until Frost came with his boys. We thought we were going to die, but he got us all out.” As hundreds of rescued citizens are reunited with their families, Unity Station is in a total uproar. Frost has been transported under guard to the Unity Station jailhouse. The disgraced former admiral was responsible for the blockade and unsanctioned intervention into the Tau Ceti system last year. His intervention was ended by the 25th Fleet lead by Simon Bolivar, but Frost evaded capture and fled to the frontier where his whereabouts were unknown until today. In the current dual emergency session both the Senate and Parliament is in a complete uproar. GAIA representatives of the leading coalition, who strongly condemned Frosts’ actions from the beginning, are calling Frost a traitor and war criminal. Some of them are calling for Frost to be hung for High Crimes. Prime Minister Chater, a GAIA member, desperately attempted to maintain order from the Speaker’s chair as his party tried to shout over ATLAS. The vast majority of ATLAS representatives actually supported Frost’s intervention into Tau Ceti and even during the operation they applauded his bold, direct action. ATLAS representatives are demanding Frost be pardoned and given a medal for defending the Alliance. Michael Watkins, the leader of the ATLAS party, gave a fiery speech over the howls and screams of GAIA representatives. “I don’t know if Mr. Speaker’s memory is failing him,” he shouted in reference to Chater, “but I seem to recall that the Alliance colony of Tau Ceti was building an entire army of sapient war machines! And I don’t know if Mr. Speaker’s eyesight is failing him but when I look at that rogue colony today, d’you know what I don’t see? AN ARMY OF WAR MACHINES!” The affair has caused a complete breakdown in standard decorum. Prime Minister Chater was completely unable to maintain order in the chaos and many are speculating that the GAIA-ATLAS coalition is in even further jeopardy. Admiral Frost has effectively torn an even wider rift between the two parties by simple returning to Sol and turning himself in. Matching the fervor of the government’s arguing, citizens across the Alliance are also feeling a mix of relief, outrage, and an outpouring of gratitude. Frost is being coined ‘Frost the Emancipator’ by some, and ‘Frost the Traitor’ by others. Unsurprisingly the hundreds of families reunited with their loved ones are unanimously supportive of Admiral Frost, while others have said they’ve changed their mind on him. One social media post summarizes the pro-Frost mindset. “One guy does more than our entire government, and I’m supposed to believe he’s a traitor? sorry, but I don’t think so.” The former Admiral has not been able to speak to the press as he was immediately put in an isolated section of the Unity Station jailhouse. He is being held there under armed guard until a trial can be set. As a wanted fugitive, Frost is charged with High Treason by SolGov and Sedition by the military. Both of these charges carry the death penalty. There are over a dozen lesser charges facing Frost, with all of them involving prison time. A dozen Frost loyalists renegades from the 33rd remain at large and are presumed to be the ones that aided Frost in the rescue operation.
Guest Marlon Phoenix Posted October 3, 2018 Posted October 3, 2018 The Frost Interview: A Political Manifesto From Jail 10.3.2460 The Department of Corrections has caved to public pressure and has allowed the Alliance News Network an exclusive interview with former admiral Michael Frost. The interview takes place in the Unity Station jailhouse inside the visitation room, with reporter Jack Rameswaram having been snuck in through a back entrance to avoid the mobs outside. The entire front street of the jailhouse is swarmed with demonstrators and is completely inaccessible to traffic. Thousands of people are holding up signs in support of Frost as a counter-protest against Frost is kept separated with a police barricade nearby. The entire affair has shut down several streets in this area and even inside the jailhouse we could hear faint echoes of the shouting outside. Frost is escorted out of his cell and into the visitation room by two armed security guards. He’s in the green jail jumpsuit. We shake hands then sit down to begin the interview. Despite being surrounded by eight stern faced security guards, Frost seems casual and friendly when we greet each other, with him asking if the guards kept me waiting. He slowly becomes more serious as the interview goes on. JR: Many people are finding it hard to believe that you could have conducted that rescue operation on your own with such apparent ease. Can you describe the operation? Frost: The government has lost something in the past hundred years. Imagination. SolGov gives the navy the same dusty playbook no matter what happens and no matter how threats evolve. Raiders are both adaptive and stupid. But our official anti-piracy plans are laughably outdated. I’ve been saying this for years. If you have tenacity and adaptive approaches then you can decisively strike pirate forces. Since I wasn’t forced to play with the official playbook during the operation, I could make up my own rules. So I did, and they worked. Four corvettes and a handful of our best men is all I needed to hit all six of their holdouts. JR: It’s remarkable that you would be able to overcome their advantage in numbers to just take what you wanted and leave unscathed. Frost: Because you’re used to playing by the rulebook. You can’t even imagine any other rulebook working. You look at, say, the Unathi rulebook in naval operations and you call it foolish. I don’t. It works. JR: What did you do specifically with your ‘new playbook’ to succeed? Frost: What I had to. JR: Can you elaborate? Frost: No. JR: Interesting. You say you had four corvettes, and you returned to Sol with one. Where are your other three ships and their crew? Frost: Not here. JR: If the captives were non-human, such as Tajara, would you have risked yourself and your men with the same zeal? Frost: Yes, I would have. They may be non-human but no one deserves to be a slave. JR: Why did you return with the people you rescued? You could have organized a way to get them back without you here, couldn’t you? Frost: Because it was time for me to come back. Two hundred of my countrymen were abducted from Sol itself, and the response from SolGov disgusted me. I could no longer sit idly by in the shadows and watch as the nation I swore an oath to defend started to collapse in front of me. JR: How do - Frost: Just look what happened! We’re the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the history of the galaxy. Nearly all core systems have a single fleet stationed in them. Sol? We’ve got four. And these fleets are commanded by intelligent men and women and they’ve got under them the finest people in the galaxy. But even though we’ve got more than enough firepower here in our single system to take on every other conventional power, pirates managed to throw everything into disarray and kidnap hundreds. Why? JR: So - Frost: We all know why! Our defense infrastructure hasn’t been updated for decades! Let me explain to you how broken the system is. Every Admiral answers to an area command, who answers to Sector Command, who answers to the General Staff, but actual plans for an Admiral come from Committee of Strategic Planning, who only makes plans at the direction of a separate committee totally unrelated to the General Staff. The General Staff can't actually disperse plans given to them by the Committee to anyone except to the individual Admiral in question, since all orders are top secret. If an operation involves more than one fleet, the entire process starts over again for every involved Admiral. The General Staff answer directly to the Prime Minister but the planning committee is part of the Senate. The people who make the plans we can’t see are civilians with no strategic or tactical experience. We are not allowed initiative within the navy to develop war games or formulate our own defense plans without submitting them to the Planning Committee. System and planetary defense should evolve and adapt rapidly to respond to emergent threats, not be stuck in committee. It’s amazing that we didn’t face this disaster earlier. JR: That leads into - Frost: No sane military thinker would use a month old plan, let alone a decade old plan. And I have to tell you, the Admirals aren’t stupid. They know that these plans are a disaster. So they do what they have to. Our official playbook is worthless, so every Admiral has to create their own. And that’s why the fleets responded so chaotically. Every Admiral has a drawer filled with plans that they draw up to act on, written up by them with or without tacticians under them, and they don’t or can’t proliferate these to other fleets because it’s illegal to not involve the committees on fleet-to-fleet plans. What we saw was the execution of five different individual plans on our worst case scenario: a surprise invasion of Earth. JR: Are you saying the military acts autonomous from SolGov? Frost: With how broken the system is, there’s no one to act autonomous from in the first place. JR: Speaking of this: many people, including the Prime Minister, accuse your actions in Tau Ceti to be acting autonomously from the government. You’ve been called rogue, a warlord, and even a traitor. Can you explain the motive to your intervention in Tau Ceti, and if you feel your resulting exile was worth it? Frost: I was given orders in a sealed envelope signed by the Prime Minister. It said I was to conduct a blockade against Tau Ceti and intercept all traffic that did not meet certain conditions, and to officially call this action an embargo. In the prime minister’s own writing, he said that if the blockade failed to prevent the proliferation of sapient war machines by the local government and NanoTrasen, that I was to take “any necessary steps” to ensure the safety of the Alliance. JR: I’m sorry, are you saying Prime Minister Chater sanctioned your intervention in Tau Ceti? Frost: I was acting within the parameters of the orders of the Prime Minister. JR: That is a remarkable claim. Do you have the order with you? Frost: No. It was lost when Admiral Bolivar seized my flagship. If it were me, I would have destroyed that letter. I assume Chater did, since he’s a savvy politician. JR: That is an extraordinary thing to say, and potentially very disruptive. If what you say is true, then your charge of treason is dead in the water. If investigation reveals that your claim has substance, would you expect a pardon? Frost: I have never executed on any action that would harm this nation that I love or put my fellow citizens in danger. Everything I did, I did by following SolGov’s rulebook. To the letter, crossing every ‘T’ and dotting every ‘i’. And by following direct orders from the Prime Minister, I’ve seen my fleet decimated. Hundreds of my sailors and marines are sitting in prisons without the luxury of rank and popularity shielding them from retribution. I’ve been chased across the frontier. My name has been ran through the muck. My family is harassed, my spouse has every moment of their life under SolGov cameras. I followed orders and got tossed to the wolves when those orders no longer served the political ambitions of the people in power. I did nothing illegal, but I would not refuse a pardon. The interview’s publication has already caused a fervor of debate within the Alliance and an incredibly scandal for Prime Minister Chater as social media explodes. The Prime Minister categorically denies the existence of the “Frost Letter”. Chater was hounded by journalists as he was getting into a car to be taken to a charity event. Appearing to get frustrated with his advisor who was urging him to get in the car, he turned around and addressed the journalists who were shouting for a quote. “We don’t mail hand-written orders to our admirals. It’s 2460 not 2150 and I’m not a grandma.” Parliament and the public remain divided on partisan lines on the Frost Letter. ATLAS senators and members of parliament are drafting a Motion To Compel bill that, if passed with a majority in both houses, would force the Prime Minister to “release all documents pertaining to orders given to Admiral Frost during his operations in regards to Tau Ceti.” The bill is currently trapped within committee and GAIA politicians have expressed their contempt for the bill and no GAIA member has gone on record in support of the bill. Without the support of their coalition partners the bill is expecting to die before it reaches the floor. But the claim has struck a nerve with the public at large. Opinion polls show that 39% of Sol citizens and residents believe that Frost is telling the truth, compared to 30% that believe he is lying and 31% that are unsure. Mass demonstrations both for and against Frost have grown to also address Prime Minister Chater. Hundreds of demonstrators are marching down the main avenue of Unity Station holding up anti-Chater signs.
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