Galnet News

The Federal Times has revealed a connection between the Cordova Group and the spy robots scandal.

Chief Editor Lena Ravenhill wrote:

“Ramesh Thorne’s recent appeal elicited a response from an anonymous whistle-blower – a robotics engineer employed by the Achilles Corporation who helped design the robots at the heart of these events.”

“The engineer has attested that she was blackmailed by Kingsley Cordova, owner of the Mars Tribune, into installing surveillance programs on robots belonging to well-known people in the Sol system. The accumulated data was relayed to the Cordova Group, which published it in The Mars Tribune.”

A spokesperson for the Achilles Corporation said:

“The engineer has provided us with a ‘kill switch’ that remotely deletes the spy program she designed. This coreware update has now been transmitted to all PA912 model robots. We can therefore assure our customers that there is no longer any risk of their private information being misused.”

A report compiled by the Imperial Internal Security Service on isolationist group Nova Imperium has been leaked.

The Rewired news service broadcast the report in full:

“This document compiles our latest intelligence on Nova Imperium, as requested. Although the group has not yet committed any crimes, its threat potential should not be underestimated. Its isolationist message resonates with those fearful of Thargoid invasion, and its rallying cry of ‘Empire for the Imperials’ aligns with the more conservative citizenry.”

“We have identified the group’s leader, the Imperator, as Duke Kaeso Mordanticus, a former naval admiral from a long line of decorated veterans.”

“Evidence suggests that Mordanticus still has contacts and influence in the Imperial Navy. Nova Imperium’s ships are mostly run by ex-naval crews, bound by loyalty to their former commanding officer.”

“We will continue to monitor Nova Imperium and report on any developments.”

The family and colleagues of author Olav Redcourt have reported him missing. A police investigation has so far failed to determine his whereabouts.

Redcourt recently hit the headlines when he terminated his relationship with his publisher, Bonespire Publishing, midway through a promotional tour.

In the wake of the author’s disappearance, Bonespire released the following statement:

“We can only assume that Mr Redcourt is trying to avoid paying his fine for contract violation, which runs to several million credits. Of course, should he agree to continue writing the bestselling Corsair King series, we would be happy to waive the damages.”

Literary critic Kayla Shah offered an alternative explanation:

“Obsessive readers of the Corsair King series have sent death threats to Redcourt for not delivering exactly what they wanted. Now that he’s turned his back on the series, might he have been kidnapped by a rabid fan and forced to write more novels, or even murdered as an act of revenge?”

Here are this week’s major stories.

A mercenary group has been intercepted by security forces in the Meene system. It is understood that the mercenaries’ primary target was Phoenix Base, home of the engineer Ram Tah. Li Yong-Rui, CEO of Sirius Corporation, said the attack demonstrated the precariousness of Ram Tah’s situation.

In related news, security forces in Meene are launching an operation to capture enemy agents. Security Chief Harper Vargas said his forces intended to detain any surviving mercenaries and interrogate them, so they could identify the individuals behind the incursion.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Inspector Ramesh Thorne, who has been leading an investigation into The Mars Tribune, has been suspended from the Federal Security Service. The news came less than an hour after Thorne made a public appeal for information regarding admin robots fitted with secret surveillance programs, citing the unwillingness of his superiors to pursue the matter.

The isolationist group Nova Imperium has broadcast a message to Imperial citizens. The organisation’s leader, known only as the Imperator, implicitly criticised Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval for ‘weakness’, and said that the Empire would only survive the Thargoid onslaught by severing ties with the other superpowers.

The family and colleagues of author Olav Redcourt have reported him missing. A police investigation has so far failed to determine his whereabouts. Redcourt recently hit the headlines when he terminated his relationship with his publisher, Bonespire Publishing, midway through a promotional tour.

Finally, authorities in the Geras system have confirmed that the conflict between Geras First and Ndozins State Inc has come to an end. Both factions received support from independent combat pilots, to whom generous rewards were promised, but in the end there could be only one victor.

And those are the main stories this week.

The isolationist group Nova Imperium has broadcast a message to Imperial citizens via public media.

The organisation’s leader, known only as the Imperator, said:

“Imperial citizens, your ruler’s weakness has put you in great danger. If we are to survive the Thargoid onslaught, we must sever ties with the Federation and other, inferior powers, and concentrate on protecting our own systems.”

“I call upon those who care about their Imperial birthright to support Nova Imperium. We vow to restore the Empire’s purity and strength, and to lead it into a glorious future.”

Senator Denton Patreus responded with the following comment:

“These extremists and their seditious agenda are not worthy of attention. So far we have been lenient with them, but this so-called Imperator would be wise not to test our patience any further.”

Authorities in the Geras system have confirmed that the conflict between Geras First and Ndozins State Inc has come to an end.

Both factions received support from independent combat pilots, to whom generous rewards were promised, but in the end there could be only one victor.

Independent journalist Donal Varden offered an analysis:

“After a week of furious fighting, the Geras system is now eerily quiet. Ultimately only one side could be victorious, but this uneasy peace has come at a great and dreadful cost.”

Pilots who participated in the conflict can now collect their rewards from Yurchikhin Port in the Geras system.

Following a skirmish with a group of mercenaries, security forces in the Meene system have launched an operation to capture enemy agents in order to investigate the attack.

Security Chief Harper Vargas of the Meene Defence Force gave the following statement:

“The mercenaries were targeting Ram Tah’s Phoenix Base, but it’s clear they were just hired hands. We need to recover as many surviving mercenaries as we can and interrogate them, so we can find the real culprits.”

The Independent HIP 29241 Green Party, which is overseeing the initiative, has asked pilots to recover both occupied and damaged escape pods, and to deliver them to Felice Dock in the Meene system. The organisation has also placed a kill order on all ships on its wanted list, to ensure that those contributing to the recovery can do so safely.

The campaign begins on the 8th of November 3304 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Lieutenant Inspector Ramesh Thorne, who has been leading an investigation into The Mars Tribune, has been suspended from the Federal Security Service.

A spokesperson for the FSS released the following statement:

“We have suspended Lieutenant Inspector Thorne from active duty, effective immediately. His investigation is officially terminated.”

The announcement came less than an hour after Thorne made the following public appeal:

“We have evidence that the admin robots fitted with surveillance programs are connected to exclusive stories obtained by The Mars Tribune. Since my superiors are unwilling to pursue this, I am appealing to anyone with relevant information to come forward. I can guarantee them immunity from prosecution.”

Many media including Lena Ravenhill, chief editor of The Federal Times, reacted with outrage to the news:

“It’s clear that someone in the FSS is feeling threatened, and that The Mars Tribune has used spy robots to feed the scandals it thrives on. We are highlighting Ramesh Thorne’s appeal, as are many other newsfeeds taking a stand against corrupt journalism.”

A mercenary group has been intercepted by security forces in the Meene system.

Security Chief Harper Vargas of the Meene Defence Force reported:

“Six hours ago, our forces were attacked by a small fleet belonging to a known mercenary group. Fortunately, we were able to defeat them before they could do serious damage.”

“There is no doubt that the mercenaries’ primary target was Phoenix Base. We suspect that this incident is connected to an attempted raid on the base that was repelled a few weeks ago.”

Li Yong-Rui, CEO of Sirius Corporation, addressed the incident:

“I’m relieved that the attack was foiled, but this only demonstrates how precarious Ram Tah’s situation is. I urge him to accept my offer to work with the Sirius Corporation – not only for his own safety, but also to safeguard future Guardian-human technologies.”

The Federal Security Service has abruptly terminated its investigation of The Mars Tribune regarding personal administration robots fitted with hidden surveillance programs.

Although interviews with Tribune employees were underway, it has been alleged that a senior figure in the FSS ordered the task force to focus elsewhere.

The Tribune’s owner, billionaire Kingsley Cordova, stated:

“I’m pleased that our innocence has been accepted, and I’m confident that the guilty parties will soon be found.”

An opinion piece in The Federal Times from chief editor Lena Ravenhill took an alternative view, however:

“Last week, Cordova suggested the spy robots could share the many secrets they’ve gathered, and suddenly the FSS is ordered to leave The Mars Tribune alone. Does anyone really think this is coincidence? How many powerful people are frightened of what Cordova might reveal about them?”