Galnet News

A Galactic Treasure Hunt

Alfred Jeffress, the reclusive philanthropist, has released an intriguing statement. In a press release, the eccentric billionaire announced his intention to initiate a galaxy-wide treasure hunt – and to give a share of his vast fortune to the winner. This is the first public statement from Jeffress in several years, as the humanitarian – who made his fortune trading rare and exotic goods – has spent much of the past decade on an extended galactic tour.

According to the press release, Jeffress has “hidden” a mystery object somewhere in space. The first person to find this object and deliver it to a specified location will win the competition. The press release also contains a riddle that Jeffress claims will lead participants to the mystery object:

“A vision of the Devil and Orion’s hounds will start you on your path.”

The announcement has prompted a flurry of speculation and excitement, and hundreds of pilots have already taken to their ships to search for the mystery object.

Chancellor Blaine Confirms Senate Investigation

At the start of the day’s deliberations, Chancellor Anders Blaine declared that a Senate investigation into the claimed connection between Princess Aisling Duval’s office and the insurgent group Emperor’s Dawn was to be undertaken. The investigation will begin immediately, despite the Senate being in closed session until the succession is decided.

In response, Aisling Duval stated that she would comply in any way she could with the investigation. She also said that her own security teams had discovered some alarming information that she would share with the investigation committee.

Meanwhile, the hunt for Patron Damon Clarke continues. Several of his associates were arrested by the Internal Security Service in the early hours of the morning and subjected to questioning.

GalNet Weekly Economic Report

In this weekly digest, the latest GalNet data is compiled to show the economic state of a short list of minor factions and the star systems they inhabit (*).

Here are 10 of the 3,113 minor factions currently enjoying an economic boom:

Labour of Har Itariu

United Nganji Labour

LHS 2931 Gold Major Network

Imperial Law Party

Crimson Allied Incorporated

Defence Party of Branglal

Santjalan Jet Organisation

Karamojola Dynasty

Liberals of Ngolibardu

Ambiri allied

When in boom, the wealth of a system is increased for the duration and all trade missions have double the effect on influence. Boom can also positively increase a minor faction’s influence. Boom can be entered by consistent trade profits and completed trade contracts. Booms tend to last until they naturally expire or until some other indicator takes precedence, such as famine.

* Data is correct at time of publishing

Federal Research Programme Terminated

Reports have begun circulating that the Federal research programme established last week to study the so-called ‘anomalous extraterrestrial objects’ (or AEOs) has been terminated. This news comes only a week after the inauguration of the project.

According to a source at Fort Harrison, where the programme was based, study of the objects was brought to an abrupt halt by the station governor, Aoishe Quaid. Apparently, Quaid ordered the head of the project, Professor Ishmael Palin, to immediately cease his research. The reason for Quaid’s decision is not known, although it is not believed to have been informed by concerns over public safety.

A second source from Fort Harrison, who asked not to be named, had the following to say:

“Frankly, I don’t think it was Quaid’s decision at all – I think she was pressured into shutting the programme down. She was enthusiastic about the project and had a lot of respect for Professor Palin, so this change of direction just doesn’t make sense. The question is, who forced her to cancel the research, and why?”

The objects under study were described as quasi-organic in nature and capable of broadcasting location data across vast distances. Their discovery was widely considered the scientific find of the decade, and the cancellation of the project will no doubt provoke a strong response from the scientific community.

Professor Palin declined to comment on the Governor Quaid’s decision.

Senator Patreus Calls for Senate Investigation

As Senator Denton Patreus prepared to enter the Senate to continue the deliberations over the succession, he issued an angry demand for a full senate investigation into the reported links between Emperor’s Dawn and Princess Aisling Duval’s office.

“While I sympathise with the princesses’ situation, having experienced a similar shock, I cannot allow that sympathy to influence my judgement. When a member of my household committed the most heinous of deeds, I submitted myself to the security services and gave them every access they needed.

“We cannot wait to act, and I call upon the senate to commence an immediate and full investigation into any links between Princess Aisling and Emperor’s Dawn.”

After the initial flurry of information from the Imperial Herald, no new facts were released today. Patron Damon Clarke remains at large, and the considered opinion is that he has fled the Empire.

Local Faction Helps Ready Munshin

The task of resettling Pegasi Sector refugees is underway at Ocrinox's Orbiter in the Munshin system. Hundreds of independent pilots have already helped to deliver vital medicines to Ocrinox's Orbiter.

Leading the effort is a previously unheard-of local faction called the Libertas Cooperative. Made up of freed Imperial Slaves and their descendants, the group states that it is dedicated to helping the Empire's least-fortunate. Members of the cooperative are manning docking bays and working overtime to unload cargo ships, and several independent commanders are working in concert with the group to increase the flow of medicines into the system.

The government of Munshin praised the quick action and dedication of the Libertas Cooperative, while a spokesman for the cooperative invited Pegasi Sector refugees to seek employment with the Libertas Cooperative.

Commander Quade

Aisling Duval Issues Statement

Following yesterday’s revelation of alleged links between Princess Aisling Duval’s office and the Emperor’s Dawn insurgency, Princess Aisling today issued a statement denying any knowledge of the connection.

“It has come as a bitter surprise to me that any of my trusted advisors could have conducted business with the animals that murdered the Emperor. I will immediately undertake my own investigation into the matter, and root out any staff who are not truly loyal to the Empire.”

Popularity polls have shown a dramatic fall for the so-called ‘People’s Princess’ as the Imperial Herald revealed more details of the alleged interactions with the terrorist group.

Patron Damon Clarke remains unavailable for comment. A security officer based in Clarke’s home system revealed, anonymously, that Clarke’s whereabouts are unknown.

GalNet Weekly Expansion List

Each week, GalNat presents a list of 10 of the 1,338 minor factions currently expanding into new systems (*).

23 Arietis Gold Transport Ind

WW Piscis Austrini Comms Limited

Halbara Purple Public Inc

LTT 16456 Resistance

Official Kosha Dominion

HIP 24986 General and Co

Values Party of Peneng Wa

Natural Wababaye Party

CD-52 187 Empire Consulate

HIP 50352 Legal Inc

Expansion occurs when a minor faction reaches a sufficient influence rating and there is a populated system within striking distance. The act of expansion is a costly one, and the wealth and development rating suffers during the period of expansion.

* Data is correct at time of publishing.

Imperial Internal Security Service Issues another Appeal

In a repeat of the events of last month, the Imperial Internal Security Service – the organisation responsible for domestic security throughout the Empire – has issued a second public appeal for exploration data. This time, however, the IISS is being explicitly clear about the reasons for the request. In a statement to the media, Agent Cope of the IISS said:

“It is clear to us that the insurgent organisation Emperor’s Dawn represents a significant threat to the Empire, and it is therefore essential that its ability to inflict harm on Imperial assets and citizens be neutralised as quickly as possible. To this end, the IISS has authorised the Cemiess Empire Party to reimburse any pilots providing reliable exploration data. This data will be used to locate bases belonging to Emperor’s Dawn.”

Independent pilots interested in participating in this effort should deliver exploration data to Mackenzie Relay in the Cemiess system.

Did Aisling Duval Know About Emperor’s Dawn?

In a devastating exposé released earlier today, the Imperial Herald has published details of alleged links between the secretive group backing Princess Aisling Duval and some of the funding sources for the Emperor’s Dawn insurgency. While a direct connection between Princess Aisling and the insurgency is not alleged, there does appear to be a connection to senior members of the Princess’s inner council.

Most notable of these is the patron and industrialist Damon Clarke. The Herald has found evidence that D and C Shipping, Inc., one of Clarke’s companies, apparently funded and organised weapon shipments to people now known to be members of Emperor’s Dawn three years ago.

It is not known at this time whether there has been any recent contact between Clarke’s company and these individuals, or how this relates to the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval. Patron Damon Clarke was unavailable for comment, but a spokesman for the company said:

“We are an interstellar shipping company, making thousands of shipments for clients each day. We are approved to transport weapons where such shipments are legal, and we occasionally do so. We do not comment on individual transactions. If a former client later became a terrorist, that is certainly abhorrent, but it is hardly the fault of D and C Shipping, Inc.”