Galnet News

The Leesti system played host to the second week of the Alliance Festival of Culture, where a new film production has caused minor controversy.

The Alliance Tribune’s cultural correspondent Corinne Macintyre offered these details:

“A grand celebration of cinematic art took place at George Lucas station, featuring a wide range of traditional and interactive media from dozens of systems.”

“The talking point was undoubtedly ‘Unity’, a historical drama from award-winning director Hal Raskin. It portrays Alliance founders Mic Turner and Meredith Argent as rivals who faked their romance to rally political support.”

“More traditionalist audiences – and not a few critics – took issue with the suggestion that the couple’s love was fraudulent, while others applauded it as bold and challenging. But this lively debate did nothing to dampen spirits at the event, which drew appreciative crowds.”

The Alliance Festival of Culture is scheduled to continue over the next five weeks.

The Federal Intelligence Agency has declared that its campaign against the Red Family cartel is drawing to a close.

As observed by Ethan Takahashi, crime correspondent for The Federal Times:

“In terms of effective action, this has to be considered a great victory for the FIA. A series of coordinated strikes against the Red Family delivered a mortal blow, and the cartel’s super-addictive narcotic was destroyed before it could be mass-produced.”

“While kingpin Oberon Church remains at liberty, it is unlikely that he could ever rebuild his empire. Still, losing one of the most wanted criminals in the Federation must be frustrating for the agency.”

Internal investigations continue regarding Jan Sandoval’s death in custody. No conclusive evidence has been uncovered, but many believe that Sandoval could not be reached without the assistance of FIA personnel.

“It is not unreasonable to assume that individuals within the FIA have been bought by Church,” said Takahashi.

As the first week of the Alliance Festival of Culture draws to a close, Lave residents have shared mixed feelings about the decision to stage the opening ceremony in their home system.

“Clearly this was a political gesture from Edmund Mahon,” said Grady Chen, an independent journalist speaking at Lave Station. “An independent faction rules Lave now. There was military conflict here just last year. Yet we have Alliance leaders trying to garner support despite losing control of the system. It’s blatant propaganda.”

Sarai Messemer, a financial consultant, offered a different opinion when interviewed in The Orange Sidewinder. “Lave has been an Alliance system for decades. We lived by the Alliance’s ethos for a couple of generations, y’know? Sure, we’ve got Lave Radio in control of the system now but that doesn’t change who we are, or what makes us Lavians.”

A spokesperson for Lave Radio, Dr Allen Stroud, provided the following statement.

"It was quite a surprise that the organisers decided to open the festival in Lave, but I guess they see things the same way we do. We're all just trying to get along and there's much to celebrate about the Alliance, regardless of whether your system is a current or former member.”

“I’m looking forward to Lave welcoming as many visitors as possible. Come for the festival, the brandy, the radio station or one of our many other attractions, and we’d be delighted to host you.”

Recent reports from the Witch Head Nebula indicate that the Thargoid forces in the region have been defeated. The initial call to arms from Aegis Research was met with an overwhelming response from independent pilots, who were able to push back Thargoid incursions from the new human colonies.

Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, said:

“Humanity has achieved a decisive victory in the Witch Head Nebula. Significant numbers of Thargoid vessels were destroyed in the conflict, even as many independent pilots were lost. But the sacrifice of these brave souls was not in vain, for the enemy has been forced to withdraw.”

“While the threat of occasional incursions from Thargoid craft remains, our colonial assets have been firmly established in the region.”

Professor Alba Tesreau of Aegis Research looked to the future:

“The Alliance, Empire and Federation have declared that the Witch Head Nebula is now an official enclave of humanity – a region that their joint efforts have enabled them to share equally.”

“But the damage inflicted on our new starports must be repaired before we can harvest the barnacle sites in the area. Independent pilots have already given so much, and for that I am humbled and thankful. And yet, we must ask for one last favour: to support the repair of these starports.”

Professor Ishmael Palin has established a permanent base of operations in the Arque system.

Aegis Research confirmed the news with a statement from Professor Alba Tesreau:

“Having fled the Maia system, Professor Palin and his staff have installed their equipment at the planetary port Abel Laboratory on Arque 4 E.”

“All of the engineering services previously offered by Professor Palin are now available at his new location. His study of meta-alloys and other Thargoid-related materials has also resumed.”

“The megaship Carson’s Spring, which facilitated an emergency evacuation of the Palin Research Centre, has left the Arque system to resume other duties.”

Here are this week’s main stories.

Thargoid forces have entered the Witch Head Nebula in response to human colonisation efforts in the area. Professor Alba Tesreau of Aegis Research has urged independent pilots to engage Thargoid vessels in the nebula and ensure that the superpowers can establish bases close to nearby meta-alloy sites.

In related news, Professor Palin has successfully relocated with his team to the Arque system. Palin’s megaship, Carson’s Spring, was able to fend off a number of Thargoid assaults and complete its scheduled journey. Palin’s team is currently working to establish a permanent base of operations in the system.

Jan Sandoval, co-founder of the Red Family cartel, has been found dead in a Federal Intelligence Agency safe house. Autopsy reports confirm that a highly specialised neurotoxin was the cause of death. No suspects have been detained, but it is believed that the remaining Red Family leadership arranged the assassination.

And finally, the Alliance Festival of Culture has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Edmund Mahon. The festival will tour a number of Allied systems over the next seven weeks, highlighting a range of artistic and cultural achievements.

And those are the main stories this week.

Prime Minister Edmund Mahon has announced the start of the Alliance Festival of Culture, a series of events taking place across seven systems.

The Alliance Tribune’s cultural correspondent Corinne Macintyre provided a summary of the festival:

“This seven-week tour of Alliance space will begin at the Fine Art Emporium on Lave. We have been promised that a wide range of artistic achievements, entertainment and history will be highlighted.”

“Naturally, the Tribune will be offering in-depth coverage over the course of the festival.”

The prime minister was visibly pleased to introduce the Alliance Festival of Culture, describing it as “a celebration to lift citizens’ spirits in these challenging times”. It has been speculated that Mahon is hoping to move forward from the recent political scandals involving Gibson Kincaid.

The centrepiece of the opening ceremony was a tribute to Megan Madigan, widely considered one of the most significant visual artists of the late 33rd Century. Her most famous work, titled ‘Penance Street’, was tragically lost in transit sixty years ago. The much-loved painting was honoured by modern reinterpretations from dozens of Lave’s finest artists.

Jan Sandoval, co-founder of the Red Family cartel, has died while in the custody of the Federal Intelligence Agency.

Executive Agent Viola Trask made the following statement:

“I regret to announce that Jan Sandoval has been found dead in the safe house where she was being held. An autopsy revealed traces of a highly sophisticated neurotoxin that our security measures were unable to detect.”

“We have yet to determine how the neurotoxin was administered, or how the individual responsible accessed the safe house. Internal investigations are underway, but we suspect that the assassin has already fled the Sol system.”

It is believed that surviving elements of the Red Family arranged this second, successful attempt on Sandoval’s life in response to her cooperation with the Federal Intelligence Agency. The FIA’s operation against the cartel will continue, but the loss of its primary intelligence source has to be considered a significant setback.

The Thargoids have emerged in the Witch Head Nebula, just hours after human expansion efforts in the region began. Numerous attacks in the area indicate that Thargoid craft are aggressively defending the region’s barnacle sites.

Professor Alba Tesreau of Aegis Research said in an update:

“Representative factions of the Alliance, Empire and Federation have entered the Witch Head Nebula to begin colonisation efforts. A number of megaships and Ocellus starports arrived in the area on schedule, only to be met with hostile Thargoid vessels soon afterwards.”

This development, coupled with increased Thargoid activity in the Pleiades Nebula, suggests that the Thargoids are intent on driving humanity out of regions containing barnacle sites. Tesreau was quick to repeat that securing access to a source of meta-alloys is of great importance to humanity.

“All three superpowers are urgently requesting help to repel Thargoid forces from the Witch Head Nebula,” said Tesreau. “Without the galactic community’s support, these pioneer factions will be forced to retreat, and vital supplies of meta-alloys will be lost.”

Carson’s Spring, the megaship transporting Professor Ishmael Palin from the Maia system, has successfully completed its journey, having endured a number of attacks by Thargoid craft.

Admiral Aden Tanner provided this update on behalf of Aegis Research:

“With support from many independent combat pilots, the Thargoid assaults on Carson’s Spring have been successfully repelled.”

“The megaship has now arrived in the Arque system with Professor Palin and his staff.”

Palin currently remains aboard Carson’s Spring. Efforts are underway to establish a new permanent home at Abel Laboratory on Arque 4 E, from where Palin’s previously offered engineering services can resume.