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Freelance Report: Unknown Probe Transmission Decrypted by Canonn

The Canonn Interstellar Research Group has discovered, recorded and translated a tight-beam transmission from an Unknown Probe directed at Merope 5c.

Research into the Probes has so far been hindered by their scarcity, but with the increasing number of Probes being found, transmission analysis efforts have ramped up, leading to successful decryption. The transmission was found to contain blocks of octal numbers describing planetary data such as radius, surface temperature, gravity and atmospheric composition.

The nature of the 'receiver' on Merope 5c is now under investigation.

Commander Muetdhiver

Galactic News: Assassination Attempt on Patreus Thwarted

Recent reports indicate that an attempt was made on the life of Admiral Denton Patreus as he delivered a speech at Mackenzie Relay in the Cemiess system. The Imperial Internal Security Service confirmed that it apprehended three individuals carrying firearms who attempted to approach the admiral's podium.

Following the incident, Admiral Patreus appeared slightly shaken but said: "I will never submit to terror. These individuals will be brought to justice."

Subsequent reports identified the culprits as belonging to the organisation Emperor's Dawn, but it is rumoured that the dissidents were bankrolled and supported by a second party.

"Emperor's Dawn was smashed – it's history," said a researcher for the Imperial Citizen. "Someone else was behind this – someone with a major grudge against Patreus."

Galactic News: Weekly Expansion Report

This report presents the latest data on expansion and withdrawal among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to have expanded into new systems:

Lundji Major Corporation

Earls of LHS 283

Byel Tan Jet United Corp.

Canary Mining Corporation

Nidarijedi Empire Party

Traditional Velliep Justice Party

Ch'anjie Netcoms Commodities

Gabri Labour

Wolf 1414 Nobles

Tomani Blue State Co

Expansions occur when a minor faction reaches a sufficient level of influence and there is a populated system within striking distance. Expansion is costly, so when a faction expands, the wealth and development level of the system it controls are temporarily reduced.

Here are the latest factions in withdrawal:

New Wolf 248 Independents

Chinicollo League

Paletes Order

Social Mombawet Revolutionary Party

Confederacy of Mandubii

Nisgayo for Equality

United LHS 1101 for Equality

Vetta Bureau

Official Huano Regulatory State

Negidals Co

Factions are considered to be in withdrawal if their level of influence within a system drops below a certain level. If the faction's influence remains low for a total of five days, the faction must leave the system entirely. If the faction manages to increase its level of influence, it remains in the system.

Galactic News: Salomé – Pride or Prejudice?

The Imperial Citizen has published its second editorial on Commander Salomé, who the Citizen alleges is Lady Kahina Tijani Loren, the missing Imperial senator.

"According to Lady Kahina's account, she escaped a hardened gang of freedom fighters and faced down a notorious pirate lord. Is it not more likely that she colluded with these terrorists to murder her family so she could become a senator? Is it not convenient that she slaughtered these terrorists before they could be questioned, and then did the same to her mentor? And with a sword, too."

"Don't forget that Kahina almost triggered a war between the Empire and the Federation. Thousands died in that battle – a battle she started. Heroine of the Prism system? Hardly. She was responsible for the largest loss of life that Imperial outpost ever saw, exceeding even her father's appalling legacy."

"Not content with acquiring her father's senatorial position via her so-called 'reclamation', Lady Kahina then gallivanted around the core worlds trying to gain support in a bid to become Emperor. She soon found, however, that her self-image was out of step with reality. But did she return to her supposedly beloved homeworld? Of course not. She disappeared for several months only to reappear, as if she were the patron saint of explorers, on the far side of the galaxy in the Distant Worlds Expedition."

"Along the way she engendered the support of misfits, miscreants, starry-eyed explorers and dissident organisations masquerading as legitimate factions. Why she seeks such support is not known."

"Have no doubt – this so-called 'lady' is no saint. Whatever she does is solely to further her own interests, manipulating those around her as she has always done. She is clearly deluded, but her powers of persuasion are formidable. Many have sworn loyalty to her, particularly those disaffected by the politics of the core worlds."

"Beautiful and charismatic she may be, but she is also a bloodthirsty, selfish and manipulative individual who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Do not trust a word she says."

Galactic News: Generation Ships

Continuing our popular series on significant episodes from human history, noted historian Sima Kalhana discusses generation ships.

"Before the development of faster-than-light travel, colonising distant star systems was a profoundly difficult proposition. For the people of the 21st Century, the answer was the generation ship. These vast interstellar arks, equipped with everything needed to sustain human life, were crewed by multiple successive generations – pioneers who were born, lived and died aboard a starship."

"The first generation ship was launched in 2097, and in the centuries that followed, many more set off into the vastness of space. Most of these ambitious expeditions were funded by large corporations, and the penalties for interfering with them were severe, given the enormous cost of mobilising them."

"At the time of writing, there are believed to be somewhere in the region of 70,000 generation ships coursing through the galaxy. The approximate location of most of these ships has been calculated, but not all are accounted for. Many of the corporations that funded the original generation ships have now been dissolved or assimilated by other organisations, so it is difficult to determine exactly who is responsible for some of these vessels."

"It has been theorised that some of the original generation ships may soon reach their destinations, but since not all of those destinations are known, it is entirely possible that they could have been colonised while the generation ships were in transit. We can only hope the powers-that-be have a contingency strategy for such a scenario."

Galactic News: Weekly Conflict Report

This report presents the latest data on conflict among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to experience a civil war:

United 11 Cephei Regulatory State

Boloine Blue Federal Int

Kikua Empire Party

LTT 8260 Solutions

HIP 12716 Boys

Mislika Movement

Denebola Blue Adv Commodities

Party of Denebola

Calor Party

Raiders of Calor

Civil wars occur when minor factions compete for control of major assets such as starports. When a faction is involved in a civil war, the standard of living, development level and security level in the system it controls are temporarily reduced. Combat activities can bring a civil war to an end.

Here are the latest factions to experience war:

Byel Tan Jet United Corp.

Canary Mining Corporation

Bipek Labour

Kolaga Republic Party

Nagybold Major Holdings

The Black Fleet

Natural Namamasairu Flag

Traditional Parenni Autocracy

Granthaimi Gold Mob

LTT 9164 Democrats

Wars occur when a minor faction invades a star system controlled by another minor faction. For the duration of the war, the standard of living, wealth level and security level in the disputed system are reduced. Combat activity between the two warring factions determines the outcome of the conflict. If neither faction succeeds in dominating the other, the war ends in a ceasefire.

Community Goal: Restoring Order in Arque

Authorities in the Arque system have reported a sharp increase in the number of criminals operating in the area. Reports indicate that the agitators are attacking pilots travelling in the system, disrupting trade and generally causing discord.

To counter this threat, Arque Commodities has placed a kill order on all wanted ships operating in the system, and has promised to reward pilots who deliver bounty vouchers to Austen Town Station.

The campaign begins on the 18th of August 3302 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Galactic News: Federation Takes Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-16

Following a week of conflict, the Pleiades Resource Enterprise has confirmed that the Federation has taken control of the Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-16 system, having ousted the incumbent Imperial Inquisition. In a statement, a spokesperson for the organisation thanked the many Federal pilots who took part in the operation.

"This victory brings with it the promise of a brighter tomorrow – a brighter tomorrow for the people of IH-V C2-16, who are now free from the dehumanising influence of the Empire, and a brighter tomorrow for the Federation, which has gained a valuable strategic asset."

Community Goal: The Colonia Initiative

The Colonia Nebula is a relatively innocuous region of space encompassing the Eol Prou RS-T d3-94 system. It is also likely to become a major bastion of humanity in the years to come.

Public interest in the Colonia Nebula was piqued by the arrival in Eol Prou RS-T d3-94 of Jaques Station, which dropped into the system after making an unsuccessful attempt to jump to Beagle Point. In the weeks that followed, pilots started ferrying goods to Jaques Station to repair the damaged starport – an initiative that captured the imagination of the galactic community. The region soon became a focus for those who fear that a war between the Federation and the Empire may be looming, and who hope to escape it.

A coordinated campaign to establish a permanent outpost in the region, organised by the 80 DD-D 774-CE-2 faction, is already underway and a second is about to begin. The 80 DD-D 774-CE-2 faction has announced plans to establish an outpost in the Colonia Nebula, and has placed an open order for materials for use in the construction.

A spokesperson for the organisation said:

"A new beginning. A new tomorrow. That's what the Colonia Nebula represents. A chance to create an interstellar community free from the internecine conflicts that blight so much of inhabited space. With your help, we can make it happen."

The 80 DD-D 774-CE-2 faction has promised to reward pilots who deliver titanium, semiconductors and robotics to Jaques Station in the Eol Prou RS-T d3-94 system. The campaign begins on the 18th of August 3302 and will run for two weeks.

Galactic News: Weekly Democracy Report

This report presents the latest data on democratic activity among the galaxy's minor factions.

Here are the latest factions to hold elections:

Future of BD+32 4747

Kehperi General Limited

Bureau of V886 Centauri

Daikulcandi Empire Consulate

HR 108 Crimson Universal Prtnrs

Aranbarahun Party

Explorer on Tour

Sigma-2 Ursae Majoris Travel Solutions

BD+02 305 Universal Exchange

HD 137388 Emperor's Grace

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