Galnet News

Word has reached GalNet that an investigation into the Galactic Mechanics Union will result in charges being brought against the organisation by all three of the galaxy’s major powers.

The investigation, which was carried out in secret by a consortium of independent investigators, has found that the GMU has been involved in anti-competitive business practices, including price fixing on a galactic scale.

Lawsuits are currently in the process of being submitted to the appropriate authorities. With millions of potential plaintiffs signing up to take part in what will doubtless be the largest class action case in history, it seems unlikely that the GMU will make it out of the courts still in one piece once this is all over.

While the lawsuits are likely to go on for years before anyone is able to claim any kind of compensation, ship repair costs should start becoming significantly cheaper now that the GMU’s price fixing operations have come to an end.

Crimson State Group representatives who were still present on Alioth were forced to make a hasty departure earlier today, as reports of Federal checkpoints being established around local exit points began to hit the Alliance blogosphere.

It would appear that the Federation means to finally show its hand in what has been a long and arduous game of poker between the Federal goliath and a small but proud people willing to defy the domination of their oppressors.

In the wake of his unsuccessful attempts to reach a favourable conclusion with representatives of the Alliance, Ambassador Éamonn Uí Laoghaire had this to say:

"Lugh is a sovereign state. This is an undeniable truth. An error does not become truth by multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it! Though the storm clouds gather around us, it has been written in our ancient 'Leabhar Gabhála Lugh' that the Sons of Conn will come to Lugh’s aid at his time of direst need. That also is a universal truth."

An emergency special session of the Federal Congress was held today to discuss how best to deal with the Crimson State Group’s attempt to force Lugh to secede from the Federation.

Lugh is home to 15.3 billion residents, who are supported almost entirely by the vast natural resources that Lugh has at its disposal.

In her address to Congress, President Halsey had this to say on the situation:

“Systems choosing to hold fair and democratic elections to determine whether they wish to remain within the Federal fold is one thing, but a group of religious fanatics petitioning a foreign power to help overthrow a democratically elected Federal government is another matter entirely. The Federation will not allow theocrats, terrorists or any other fringe organisation to usurp the right and proper rules that govern our society. If the Crimson State Group continues to go down this road then the Federation will respond with whatever force deemed necessary.”

In another administrative mix up, Lady Kahina Tijani Loren's Imperial Courier has been denied docking clearance at Mars High. Official observers report that an Imperial Courier attempted to dock without prior permission and when confronted, refused to acknowledge hails.

Unofficial, and anonymous, reports from independent traders seem to favour the view that Mars High docking personnel routed Lady Kahina's ship to the back of the queue unnecessarily, and rather than comply, she positioned her ship directly in the docking entrance and refused to move it until granted a landing pad.

Lady Kahina was later quoted as saying. 'As I said before, I don't like to be late.'

Rumours that the docking clearance officer at Mars High has been encouraged to retire early are strenuously denied by Federal administrators.

The Federation may have won the war in the Banki system, but survivors on both sides are still in a struggle for survival.

After a long and bitter conflict, the Federation was able to clutch a victory (as well as a base) after offering greater incentives for Commanders willing to fight on their side. This strategy drew in throngs of Commanders from throughout the galaxy, tilting the scales decisively in favour of the Federal Navy.

At the end, the situation grew very grim for the Banki Gold Gang. Hundreds were killed, thousands were wounded, and medical supplies stretched perilously thin. Despite winning the war, the Federation now has to deal with a destitute populace, an outbreak and the threat of famine on the horizon.

The CEO of the Gold Advanced Partners and current governor of Banki, Christopher Kailson, has put out this passionate plea for help:

"Banki needs the support of Commanders now more than ever. Supplying even a small amount of Banki’s needs will help to ease the suffering of the ill, the orphaned, and the poor.”

- CMDR John Paul Wilson

The Future of Synteini party is calling on all Commanders to protest the actions of the Imperial Slavers Association in the Synteini system.

“Today marks the anniversary of the ‘Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves’, one of two acts that helped end the Atlantic slave trade in the early 19th century,” said a party representative. “And now a new slaving facility is opening up in our own backyard?”

The party offers their own station as a potential solution. “The Future of Synteini party will not abide by slavery, Imperial or no. I make the call to commanders: give your business to the Future of Synteini, not to the ISA. Do business at William Sargent, and starve Lagerkvist.

“Let’s hit Senator Zemina Torval where it counts - and kick her out of Synteini!”

Lagerkvist Gateway orbits the second planet in the Synteini A system, while William Sargent Vision orbits the fourth.

-CMDR Boter

Senator Patreus and the Citizens of Tradition have been successful in their crusade against the Falisci Purple Gang. Falisci has fallen to Imperial forces and is currently in the process of being assimilated into Imperial society.

All outstanding payments due to Imperial veterans of the Falisci war are now available for collection from Dornier Terminal in Ngaiawang. To celebrate Senator Patreus’s victory, Senator Torval is offering a 10% discount on all Imperial slaves purchased from Dornier Terminal until next weekend.

However, the war for control of Falisci may not quite be over yet. Reports have started to come in from the region that a civil war is currently brewing between the Citizens of Tradition and the Federal Social Falisci Partnership Party. If the Social Falisci Partnership Party is successful in its attempt to disrupt the Citizens of Tradition’s hold over Phillips Landing, the Federation may be able to gain control over Falisci.

Aisling Duval is in the spotlight again today, following a rather passionate outburst on the Empire’s most-watched reality stream show, Celebrity Pets.

“The truth is every pet we’ve seen tonight lives a better life than the billions of slaves who are busy working themselves to death while all you viewers just sit there and laugh,” the youngest Duval said during the ever-popular ‘Pimping Pets Get Pampered’ segment.

“Just take that old bat Zemina. She’s got a whole zoo on that fancy ship of hers. I mean it’s not a good zoo, but I bet her pets get to eat well. Meat even. Her slaves are lucky if they get gruel. Think they’ve ever got meat? Yeah, right. Slavery is stupid, and it is way past time we stopped it.”

In support of Aisling’s anti-slavery rhetoric, Stop Slavery Stupid has announced it will once again be accepting Imperial slaves for emancipation and rehabilitation at centres aboard Mackenzie Relay in Cemiess, Thiele Orbital in Ngun and Naubakht City in Eta Horologii.

In another administrative mix up, Lady Kahina Tijani Loren's Imperial Courier has been denied docking clearance at Mars High. Official observers report that an Imperial Courier attempted to dock without prior permission and when confronted, refused to acknowledge hails.

Unofficial, and anonymous, reports from independent traders seem to favour the view that Mars High docking personnel routed Lady Kahina's ship to the back of the queue unnecessarily, and rather than comply, she positioned her ship directly in the docking entrance and refused to move it until granted a landing pad.

Lady Kahina was later quoted as saying. 'As I said before, I don't like to be late.'

Rumours that the docking clearance officer at Mars High has been encouraged to retire early are strenuously denied by Federal administrators.

Despite the Defence Force of Tanmark’s overwhelming success in closing down the Tanmark Posse’s operations on Luca, hundreds of unmarked pirate ships have been attacking innocent traders as they go about their business in the system.

It would appear that the recent wave of criminal activity has been sparked by the economic boom that the region has been experiencing, as a result of the increased production of Lucan Onionhead.

So far the Defence Force of Tanmark has only been allowing traders access to a very limited amount of Lucan Onionhead, a decision that they claim was made in an attempt to stop criminals from targeting individual traders on their way out of the system. That could all change, however, as the Defence Force of Tanmark is now offering to empty out its storerooms once security in the region has been restored.

Commanders interested in taking part in the security initiative should sign up for active duty aboard Cassie-L-Peia in Tanmark.