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The Empire and the Federation have announced rival initiatives to provide a new home for the crew of the generation ship Golconda.

During the aid appeal by Upaniklis Vision Incorporated, engineering experts confirmed that the ancient vessel can no longer meet the colony’s needs. While the Golconda was designed for long-term habitation, it lacks adequate facilities for the current population levels.

After lengthy discussion, the Golconda’s leaders have reluctantly decided to abandon the vessel. But the ship’s captain, Jonathon Forester, has insisted that its population remain together in one location.

The Empire has vowed to help the colonists complete the ship’s original mission by establishing a planetside home. Senator Ava Cornelius summarised the campaign:

“After generations in an artificial environment, we want to reward these travellers with a world to call their own, fulfilling their destiny after a millennium of adventure. Contemporary agricultural techniques will enable them to become a self-sustaining colony with full Imperial support.”

The Federation has taken a different approach, offering to create an outpost where the Golconda’s spacefaring traditions can continue. This was outlined by Congressman Harlan Turk:

“These people have the inalienable right to continue their current way of life. A modern outpost will offer vastly superior amenities while allowing their culture to remain intact, with facilities for new trade relationships within Federal market guidelines.”

Both superpowers have asked the galactic community to support their campaigns. Pilots can deliver polymers, CMM composites, titanium, beryllium and thallium to either of the megaships in the Upaniklis system: The Lucent Embrace for the Empire or Keller’s Resolve for the Federation.

The initiative is scheduled to run from the 18th to the 26th of November 3305. If the final targets are met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

The discovery of an inhabited generation ship has attracted attention from both the Empire and the Federation.

A recent trade appeal in the Upaniklis system provided the Golconda with emergency aid. Each of the superpowers has since deployed a megaship to the area, along with proposals for integrating the Golconda’s crew into the galactic community.

Imperial senator Ava Cornelius released this statement:

“This remarkable thousand-year mission exemplifies humanity’s indomitable spirit. We stand ready to help these colonists complete that mission by constructing a new planetary settlement exclusively for their use. There, they will finally be able to enjoy solid ground and open skies, in a colony that thrives under Imperial protection.”

Federal Congressman Harlan Turk outlined an alternative approach:

“As the descendants of a generation ship launched from Sol, we view these courageous travellers as honorary Federal citizens. We therefore hold that they are entitled to remain a spacefaring commune as their ancestors wished, and intend to honour their traditional way of life with an orbital outpost to call their own.”

There has been minimal communication with the Golconda, and only a select few representatives of Upaniklis Vision Incorporated have interacted with the colonists. Assuming that the freshly donated supplies can fortify this micro-civilisation, vital decisions will need to be made regarding the Golconda’s future.

The initiative in the Upaniklis system to provide the generation ship Golconda with essential supplies has concluded successfully.

A statement was provided by Itsuko Harada of Upaniklis Vision Incorporated:

“Sincere thanks to all traders who delivered medicines and emergency supplies, and also to the brave pilots who protected these shipments against pirate raids. Transfer of the goods to the Golconda has concluded, and I understand they were accepted gratefully.”

The medical supplies were accompanied by representatives of the Interstellar Health Organisation, who advised the colonists on their use. Team leader Dr Ivan Johansen commented:

“Our antiviral agents are far more advanced than those on the Golconda, and early indications suggest patients are responding well to treatment. Hopefully we have halted the outbreak of what the colony calls ‘the wasting kiss’.”

Reports from Upaniklis government insiders indicate that communication with the Golconda has become more frequent, particularly in regards to technological advancements. Local media coverage has fuelled public speculation that the colonists should abandon their ancient vessel and establish a new home in the system.

Pilots who took part in the campaign can now obtain their rewards from Fozard Port in the Upaniklis system.

The culture of the generation ship Golconda has been examined by Professor Elizabeth Perez, head of anthropology at Orion Independent University.

“Little is known about the Golconda’s origins. There are no intact records of its launch, and the lack of archived blueprints suggests a privately funded colonisation attempt. But there’s no doubt this microcosm of 22nd Century society will have diverged over the past thousand years.”

“The inhabitants’ language is entirely comprehensible, however, and their social structure is recognisable. Rigid security measures are in evidence, as one would expect from an isolationist culture.”

“We also know there is a custodian tasked with ensuring the community’s wellbeing, and a chaplain who provides spiritual guidance. All signs point to contentment with – maybe even an addiction to – their spacefaring existence.”

While audio messages recorded by the Golconda crew are available to the galactic community, only a select handful of individuals representing Upaniklis Vision Incorporated have been permitted to dock with the Golconda. Professor Perez travelled to Upaniklis to speak with them as part of her study.

“Interviews with those who delivered supplies were fascinating. As one pilot put it: ‘The loading procedures were done at top speed, hardly any comms chatter at all. Nobody on the Golconda entered the cargo bays before we left. I got the impression they were scared stiff of us.’”

“History shows that isolated cultures can be irrevocably damaged by contact with outsiders. We must ensure that efforts to support the Golconda community do not destroy this unique bubble-colony.”

A generation ship with a living population has been discovered in the Upaniklis system.

The ship’s distress signal was initially picked up by a listening post. Investigating pilots were surprised to find that the ancient vessel - identified as the Golconda - had drifted into the uninhabited region around Upaniklis B.

Generation ships are huge, self-sufficient craft from the pre-hyperdrive era, designed to deliver their original crews’ descendants to uninhabited systems. Launched in the 22nd century, the Golconda has survived for more than a millennium as the home of a self-reliant society.

But it is believed the vessel’s outdated facilities are struggling to meet the needs of its crew. The inhabitants have reported a lack of maintenance materials and medical supplies, the latter made more pertinent by a virus sweeping through the ship.

Itsuko Harada of Upaniklis Vision Incorporated gave the following statement:

“These visitors have crossed incredible distances, entirely disconnected from the rest of humanity until now. Sheer desperation has forced these proud people to call for help – a disease referred to as ‘the wasting kiss’ is running rampant, and in a closed environment its effects may prove catastrophic.”

“Understandably, the Golconda’s people are reluctant to leave their home or interact with the rest of the galaxy, at least at present. They have gratefully accepted our offer of medical supplies and other materials, however.”

Traders are asked to deliver basic medicines, advanced medicines, aluminium, ceramic composites and semiconductors to Fozard Port in the Upaniklis system. Upaniklis Vision Incorporated is also offering bounty vouchers on wanted ships to deter pirate activity in the area.

The initiative is scheduled to run from the 8th to the 14th of November 3305. If the final targets are met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

The CEO of Rockforth Corporation has expressed regret at her company’s role in the distribution of blight pathogen, which ravaged crops in hundreds of systems.

In a statement to the media, Sylvia Rockforth insisted that the lack of proper oversight in the manufacture of EX7 fertiliser was an ‘anomaly’, inconsistent with the company’s ‘traditional commitment to quality’.

“I offer my sincere apologies to everyone affected by the blight,” said Rockforth. “The premature release of an ultimately damaging product is unacceptable. My company now has a great deal of work ahead to regain the trust of our customers and partners. The foundation of a restitution fund, using profits made from EX7, is the first step towards doing so.”

“A review of decisions preceding the release of EX7 has resulted in the termination of several Rockforth employee contracts. This includes former marketing director Rex Whitlock. Rex’s desire for career progression overcame his common sense, and his dismissal of regulatory practices placed billions of good people in danger.”

In other news, Dr Genevieve Kane of the Interstellar Association for Agriculture has confirmed that thousands of markets across the galaxy will now stock its specialised agronomic treatment.

“We have established the widespread manufacture and distribution of the treatment, ensuring availability in the event of a blight outbreak,” said Dr Kane.

“Additionally, data provided by IAA vessels indicates that we can accurately determine which areas of the galaxy are in need of agronomic treatment. One anomaly involved an unexpected call for supplies from the Upaniklis system, which will need to be investigated. But otherwise we are satisfied with our detection methods.”

The blight that laid waste to vast areas of cropland over the past month has now officially been contained.

Reports from the Interstellar Association for Agriculture confirm that the blight has been eliminated from all affected systems. The new agronomic treatment has rejuvenated emaciated fields, with the remaining harvests once again viable.

Journalist Adalyn Cross published a review of recent events on Vox Galactica:

“As the availability of staple foodstuffs begins to return to something like a normal level, many pundits are asking what lessons can be learned from this catastrophe. The IAA has pledged to intensify screening regulations for agricultural commodities. The speed with which the blight spread caught many by surprise, and it is vital that this does not happen again.”

“Intelligence agencies have pledged to review their strategies for tackling interstellar terrorism. The Scythe of Panem extremists who engineered the blight have been dealt with, but who else might be planning a biochemical attack?”

Meanwhile, the Rockforth Corporation’s PR department is working hard to reassure customers and shareholders. Critics have underscored the role of the EX7 fertiliser as a primary delivery system for the pathogen, but a Rockforth source argued that the product’s sabotage by Scythe of Panem agents could not have been anticipated.

Nevertheless, the company’s haste to increase profits has been highlighted as a contributing factor in the blight’s impact. Rockforth is expected to release a statement in the next few days, pending an internal review.

The agronomic treatment recently developed by the Interstellar Association for Agriculture has proven effective against the devastating crop blight.

The treatment was distributed as part of an initiative focusing on the Diso and Orerve systems. Planetside farming communities in both systems are beginning to recover from severe crop damage.

Dr Genevieve Kane of the Interstellar Association for Agriculture gave this statement to the media:

“Thanks to the heroic efforts of the galactic community, we can confirm that the agronomic treatment performs superbly on infected farmland. The counteragent eliminated the mutated blight pathogen within hours, facilitating the recovery of living crops.”

“Therefore, the IAA can confidently state that the immediate threat of food shortages has been alleviated, with food deliveries replenishing lost stocks. Mass production of the agronomic treatment has already begun, and it will soon be available across the galaxy to counteract the blight wherever it is found.”

Pilots who contributed to either of the initiatives can now collect their rewards from Shifnalport in the Diso system and Watson Station in the Orerve system, respectively.

Scythe of Panem, the activist group responsible for the crop-destroying blight, has been defeated in the Quator system.

Supported by Bruthanvan Co security teams, independent pilots were able to neutralise the group’s militant ringleaders. Scythe of Panem members have also been arrested following the raid of an unregistered facility discovered beneath the planetary port Weber Settlement.

FIA Agent Gino Borstein spoke on behalf of the tri-superpower taskforce investigating the blight:

“Initial questioning has confirmed that Scythe of Panem originally sought revenge for the Federation’s orbital bombing of Onion Head crops on Panem nearly five years ago. But a recent change in leadership led them towards more extreme methods, fuelled by anti-capitalist sentiment, with the objective of disrupting the galactic economy.”

“The term ‘Crops for Crops’ recurs in many of the data entries and communications recovered from the underground facility. We believe this phrase was used as a rallying cry by members.”

Traders are currently transporting the agronomic treatment for the blight pathogen, with a focus on the Diso and Orerve systems. As yet there is no official word regarding its effectiveness, but the Interstellar Association for Agriculture remains optimistic.

Vox Galactica published an opinion piece from journalist Adalyn Cross:

“A vital question remains: has the damage already been done? While the originators of the blight have been brought to justice, can a galaxy-wide eradication of food supplies be prevented?”

Pilots who assisted with the campaign in the Quator system can now pick up their rewards from the Bruthanvan Co at Quator Station.

People across the core systems are adapting to food shortages caused by the blight, as the threat of widespread starvation increases.

Vox Galactica journalist Adalyn Cross has been following the situation:

“With staple foodstuffs scarce in many systems, long-forgotten brands have been resurrected, as freeze-dried and preserved goods return to favour. Restaurant menus are being reduced, and new recipes have been devised by innovative chefs – many of whom refuse to reveal their ingredients.”

“On certain worlds, alternative crops are being imported, with the extra costs offset by increased taxes. Private companies such as Rackham Capital Investments and Silva Holdings Inc have also donated enormous sums to foodstuff shipments, which has been hugely appreciated by the general public.

“In a curious development, one direct beneficiary of the blight has been the fishing industry. Pescatarian diets are on the rise, with many celebrities declaring a newfound passion for seafood dishes in the absence of fresh fruit and vegetables.”

Despite this, billions now rely on food cartridges and ration packs that offer only basic nutrition. Welfare charities are shipping aid to wherever it is most needed, but admit that their resources have been stretched to breaking point.

“With the mutated blight proving so effective at destroying cropland,” said Cross, “Mason Chu’s warning that we may be facing a galaxy-wide scourge looks more likely to become a bitter reality.”