Galnet News

Billionaire businessman Zachary Rackham has been targeted by a highly sophisticated hack that successfully withdrew 1 billion credits from his personal account.

A spokesperson for Rackham Capital Investments informed shareholders:

“We have reported the theft to the authorities, and are reviewing our computer security systems. The only clue as to the criminals’ identity is a message they left encoded in Mr Rackham’s account: ‘The Collective plays to win.’”

Financial journalist Bryanna Blanco commented in The Federal Times:

“The purpose of the hack was evidently to reclaim the billion-credit prize that Rackham ‘won’ in the Federal Grand Lottery. What Rackham Capital Investments didn’t reveal was that the money was redistributed equally among several hundred of the company’s former employees, who were denied their company pensions years ago.”

“There is a sweet irony to the old pirate Calico Zack having his money stolen by cyber pirates. Whoever the Collective might be, they seem to have both a sense of justice and a sense of humour.”

Gibson Kincaid has been announced as the winner of the Alliance presidential election. He will continue serving as president of the Alliance.

Kincaid obtained a small majority of the public vote, defeating Councillor Elijah Beck. Entrepreneur Fazia Silva, the third candidate in the race, was recently found dead, and is the subject of an Interpol investigation.

President Kincaid addressed his followers at a victory rally:

“My thanks go to every citizen who saw the wisdom of my vision. I vow to lead you into a glorious future!”

Prime Minister Edmund Mahon gave a statement to the media:

“I offer my congratulations to President Kincaid on being successfully re-elected. The Assembly is continuing to debate his proposal to imbue the presidential role with executive powers. We have agreed to extend the deadline by one week, after which a parliamentary vote will decide the outcome.”

The two remaining candidates in the Alliance presidential race have returned to the Alioth system to make their final campaign vows.

In the parliamentary chamber of the Assembly, Elijah Beck addressed his fellow council members:

“The Alliance occupies a unique position, and as such must remain true to its principles. My focus as president will be on attracting more independent systems to our interstellar family.”

He was followed by the current incumbent, President Gibson Kincaid:

“Fazia Silva’s assassination was an assault on our democracy. The Alliance’s enemies are growing bold, and we must do the same. I beseech the Assembly to imbue the presidential role with executive powers, to transform our Alliance into a true superpower capable of challenging its adversaries.”

Prime Minister Edmund Mahon thanked both candidates and wished them good luck in the election.

The public vote will take place on Tuesday the 16th of October and the results will be announced later that week.

Here are this week’s major stories.

Journalist Gethin Okonkwo has shared more details about his time with the Far God cult. In a detailed article, Okonkwo expressed relief at Far God believers returning to their hive-chapels following weeks of persecution. The journalist said he would be collaborating with exotheologian Dr Alfred Ulyanov to produce a definitive account of the sect.

The Federal Security Service has discovered more personal administration robots containing concealed surveillance programs, prompting hundreds of businesses and individuals to destroy their personal robots. It is understood that all the affected models are made by the Achilles Corporation.

In other news, technology company Herculean Machines has begun mass production of its new device, the Duradrive personal computer. Following the successful performance of its prototype at the Rackham Ultratech Expo, the company has received corporate funding from a range of sources, including Rackham Capital Investments.

The two remaining candidates in the Alliance presidential race have returned to the Alioth system to make their final campaign vows. Elijah Beck said that his focus as president would be on attracting more systems to the Alliance, while current president Gibson Kincaid renewed his plea to imbue the presidential role with executive powers.

Meanwhile, the Close Encounters Corps has announced plans to construct a scientific megaship in the BD-12 1172 system. The new vessel will allow research teams to map and explore the planets of the surrounding nebula. The Close Encounters Corps has placed an open order for various commodities to facilitate construction of the megaship.

Finally, Broadcast Cobra has announced that its appeal for commodities has reached a successful conclusion, having received an overwhelming response from the galactic community. The commodities contributed to the campaign will be used to construct a megaship, from which the organisation will broadcast its take on current events.

And those are the main stories this week.

Technology company Herculean Machines has begun mass production of its new device, the Duradrive personal computer.

Following the successful performance of its prototype at the Rackham Ultratech Expo, the company has received corporate funding from a range of sources, including Rackham Capital Investments.

Maddox Hurd, CEO of Herculean Machines, told the media:

“As I’ve said before, what people want is a reliable tool that is tough enough to handle anything. I’d like to once again thank the galactic community for providing the commodities that made our success possible.”

There has been no comment from rival CEO Scorpio DeVorrow.

Broadcast Cobra has announced that its appeal for commodities has reached a successful conclusion, having received an overwhelming response from the galactic community.

Vast quantities of thorium, indium and superconductors were delivered to Sopwith Dock over the past week. These will allow construction of a megaship from which the organisation will broadcast its take on current events.

Alessandra Koa of Broadcast Cobra issued the following statement:

“We'd like to thank everyone who supported this campaign. We hope that wherever you are, you're always listening.”

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Sopwith Dock in the HIP 16038 system.

The Close Encounters Corps has announced its intention to construct a scientific megaship in the BD-12 1172 system. The new vessel will allow research teams to map and explore the planets of the surrounding nebula.

Admiral Anton Vern of the Close Encounters Corps issued the following statement:

"A number of survey groups have expressed interest in mapping the nebula surrounding the BD-12 1172 system. This new scientific vessel will act as a base from which they can research the abundance of unexplored planets throughout the nebula."

To facilitate construction of the megaship, the Close Encounters Corps has placed an open order for muon imagers, and has promised to reward pilots who deliver these commodities to Crown Prospect in the Kagutsuchi system. The organisation has also placed a kill order on all ships on its wanted list, to ensure that those contributing material can do so safely.

The campaign begins on the 11th of October 3304 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

The Federal Security Service has discovered more personal administration robots containing concealed surveillance programs.

Independent reporter Flint ‘Firemaker’ Lafosse discussed the situation on the Rewired news feed:

“In recent weeks, hundreds of individuals and businesses have destroyed their personal robots. Mass robophobia? Or paranoia that the robots might be secretly recording them? Makes you wonder what these people are trying to hide…”

“How many millions of robots are spying on us right now? And for what purpose? Is it a coincidence that all the affected models are made by the Achilles Corporation? Maybe blackmailing the rich is their new revenue stream.”

Independent journalist Gethin Okonkwo has shared more details about his time with the Far God cult:

“After three months of living as a Far God worshipper, I’m now acclimatising to life as an ordinary citizen. There, I was known only as Third Witness of the Tenth Chapter, although that was more of a title than a name. Identical in our robes, we were all nameless servants of the commune.”

“That may sound despotic, but there was a strangely seductive aspect to surrendering one’s identity. At times I almost experienced the tranquillity that true adherents seemed to feel.”

“I’m relieved to see Far God believers returning to their hive-chapels, having survived weeks of persecution. This has been a baptism of fire for the sect, with hundreds dead and several chapters still missing.”

“Many other doomsayer cults have since faded away or, like the Church of Eternal Void, been outlawed. But it seems that the Far God faith will endure, perhaps even beyond our conflict with the Thargoids.”

“I have been contacted by the exotheologian Dr Alfred Ulyanov with a view to combining our research. Together we hope to produce the definitive account of this tenacious religion.”

Here are this week’s major stories.

Fazia Silva, one of the three candidates in the Alliance presidential race, has been found dead. There has been speculation that the murder was a political killing, motivated by Silva’s proposed changes to Alliance financial policy. Condolences have been delivered by Prime Minister Edmund Mahon and both of Ms Silva’s election rivals, Gibson Kincaid and Elijah Beck.

Technology company Herculean Machines dominated the recent Rackham Ultratech Expo, which took place on Wednesday 3rd October. Billionaire Zachary Rackham was delighted with Herculean’s Duradrive, and agreed to authorise preliminary funding for the device. The Torc, a rival product from Supratech, had a less successful showing.

In other news, the Federal Security Service has discovered more administration robots fitted with secret surveillance programs. In each case, the robot was a PA912 model, manufactured by the Achilles Corporation. The company has announced that it is cooperating with the FSS investigation.

Juanita Bishop has failed to be elected to Federal Congress. Many of Bishop’s followers have abandoned her in the wake of Gethin Okonkwo’s investigation, which found no connection between the Far God sect and the Thargoids, while Congress members have taken a stand against Mrs Bishop for cultivating civil unrest.

Meanwhile, media organisation Broadcast Cobra has announced its intention to build a megaship in the HIP 16038 system. The organisation, which specialises in politics and current events, aims to reach a wider audience with the construction of this mobile studio, and has placed an open order for materials to facilitate construction.

Finally, Mould Federal Mining Incorporated has confirmed that its appeal for commodities to supply an Oktoberfest celebration in the Bhagui system has been enthusiastically received by the galactic community. Hundreds of pilots supported the campaign by delivering commodities to Leavitt Port, and by protecting traders in the Bhagui system.

And those are the main stories this week.