Galnet News

Last week, the Explorers' Association announced plans to construct a starport in the Pleiades Nebula, and issued an appeal for resources. The response to the request was positive and work on the station superstructure is now underway. With the project poised to enter its second phase, the Explorers' Association has issued another request, this time for assistance of a more practical kind:

"We were delighted with the response to our appeal, and are thrilled that our dream of building an Ocellus starport in the Pleiades Nebula is finally becoming a reality. Projects of this sort are bound to attract opportunists, however, and unfortunately ours is no exception. Pirates have begun congregating in the Kaushpoos system, preying on the traders and contractors travelling to and from the construction site. Fortunately, we anticipated such an eventuality, and set aside a cash reserve specifically for the reimbursement of bounty hunters. Experienced combat pilots are invited to come to the Kaushpoos system and help deal with these troublemakers. We are also in need of palladium for the next phase of the construction, so those who prefer trade to combat can also contribute to this exciting project."

Pilots who want to participate in the operation are encouraged to travel to the Kaushpoos system.

Last month, the reclusive philanthropist Alfred Jeffress made headlines with his galaxy-wide treasure hunt, and now it seems the eccentric billionaire is at it again. Having promised that the first event would not be the last of its kind, Jeffress has announced a second treasure hunt, and once again he is offering a share of his vast personal fortune to the winner.

According to a statement from Jeffress, the event will follow much the same format as the first. A mystery object has been placed somewhere in space, and the first person to find and deliver it to a specified location will win the competition. As before, Jeffress has released a riddle that he claims will lead participants to the mystery object:

"A dissatisfied scholar keeps a visionary in his grasp as he makes his deal."

With such a generous prize on offer, the event is sure to capture the imagination of the galactic community.

The Voice of Varati recently interviewed the lead researcher at the Canonn Interstellar Research Group, Commander RedWizzard:

"We know that the UA's Morse-transmission behaviour is evolving. It's almost as if somebody is pushing buttons to trigger different behaviours. It's very strange.

"We've also observed that they're spreading at an alarming rate over a huge volume of space. We learned a while ago that UAs seem to align themselves towards Merope in the Pleiades, and there is evidence that the systems containing UAs form a 'shell' around Merope at distances between 135 and 150 light years. Current estimates place the potential number of UAs in this region at thousands – possibly even tens of thousands."

"This undeniable explosion in numbers is worrying, and we don't yet know its significance. But rest assured that we're working hard, and we hope to have some conclusions soon."

RedWizzard also commented on the return of Professor Ishmael Palin to active UA research:

"It's great to see him back in the game, and we wish him the best of luck. We also hope he might have some insight into this 'shell' phenomenon. Why this pattern? Why so many UAs? And where are they coming from?"

"Our research is open to all, including Professor Palin. We hope he will reciprocate our openness."

Commander Lord Zoltan

The starport of Weyn Dock in the 64 Arietis system has become the latest to be affected by mysterious technical issues, following a rash of inexplicable breakdowns and malfunctions at starports throughout the Warkushanui system. According to Laura Bishop, technical supervisor at Weyn Dock, the starport has experienced a range of problems over the past 24 hours:

"First we had some power outages, now we've got widespread system failures. We haven't been able to determine the cause but we're investigating at the moment, so when we know more, you'll know more."

This weekly roundup highlights some of the minor factions pursuing the dream of democratic freedom by holding elections.

Here are 10 of the 3,210 minor factions holding elections:

BD-17 6172 Travel Industries

United LHS 3505 Liberals

Karsha Solutions

Traditional V749 Herculis Party

Kurundulli Empire League

Charonium Industry

Phiagre Industry

Walka Blue General Co

Kartam Silver Fortune Inc

HIP 13841 Purple Bridge PLC

Elections occur when two minor factions of a similar political structure resolve a conflict over ownership and influence within a system.

Data is correct at time of publishing.

For the past two weeks, the Empire has been battling the insurgent organisation Emperor's Dawn in the Namarii, Tabaldak and LTT 874 systems. This morning, the Empire confirmed that the campaign had been a resounding success, resulting in the total destruction of all three Emperor's Dawn bases. Senator Denton Patreus, who has been leading the campaign against the insurrectionists, issued a defiant statement:

"Today we have delivered a decisive blow to our enemies, shattering their forces and leaving them scattered and defenceless. For all their bluster, these dissidents have been shown themselves to be nothing more than petty brigands, lacking in unity and moral conviction, and unable to withstand the might of our combined military forces. Their bases have been destroyed, their fleets routed. Emperor's Dawn is no longer a threat."

But General Anthony Corvus, the veteran responsible for coordinating the Empire's military operations, adopted a more cautious tone:

"This is a significant victory, certainly, but the war is not over. Cell organisations such as Emperor's Dawn can be surprisingly resilient, and it would be a mistake to discount them, even at this stage. Once I have seen the very last of their fighters destroyed, I will consider them vanquished. But that day has not yet come."

Work has now begun on a new Ocellus starport in the Kaushpoos system. The project began with a request from the Explorers' Association, which issued an appeal for metals for use in the station superstructure. The response to the request was overwhelmingly positive, and work on the starport is now underway. A spokesperson for the Explorers' Association released a brief statement:

"We're delighted with the response, and are hugely excited about starting work on the starport. With a little luck, there will soon be a brand new, state-of-the art outpost in the Pleiades Nebula."

The Explorers' Association is expected to announce the next phase of the project soon.

This weekly report typically covers some of the minor factions experiencing significant health issues, such as famine and outbreaks. At the time of writing, however, outbreaks have not been reported among any minor factions.

Following recent news of technical issues in the Warkushanui system, officials at Gurragchaa Gateway have announced that all station services, bar refuelling and rearming, have been suspended. A member of the starport's technical team released a brief statement:

"Due to ongoing technical issues, we are currently unable to offer access to the commodities market, shipyard and outfitting services, and other frontline facilities. We are still trying to determine the cause of the problem, and will notify the public as soon as services are reinstated. Your patience and understanding are appreciated."

Shortly after this statement was released, a Federal source issued an official travel warning advising pilots to avoid the starport entirely.

In the early hours of tomorrow morning (7.00am GMT), the GalNet monitoring of powers' activities will go offline for a short period while the latest data is assembled.

Any pilots who operate for one of the powers must deliver any cargo or vouchers before this time to ensure their activities are registered.