Galnet News

The noted historian Sima Kalhana takes a look back at the turbulent events of the last year in a four-part series of articles.

“The start of 3307 was a time of crisis. The rise of the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army (NMLA), the Marlinist refugee crisis and increased Empire-Federation tensions had brought a full-scale superpower war closer, with renewed attacks from the Thargoids increasing the pressure.”

“All of this led to Pranav Antal’s proposal of a diplomatic conference for all three superpower governments to work through their problems – the very first Galactic Summit. Within weeks, Sirius Corporation was selected as the neutral host for the conference. Li Yong-Rui scored another triumph by establishing the Marlinist Colonies for millions of political refugees who had fled from the Empire.”

“In February came the trial of Fleet Admiral Vincent, accused of arranging Starship One’s destruction back in 3301. His paymaster was revealed as Core Dynamics CEO Jupiter Rochester, who wanted to replace Federal democracy with direct corporate rule.”

“His breakaway faction Jupiter Division was defeated in battle and Rochester himself jailed for life. This also led to Core Dynamics’s acquisition of Lakon Spaceways being cancelled, leaving the Alliance to purchase a majority sharehold in the company.”

“Key players on the political stage finally gathered when the Galactic Summit began in late February. The Sirius system hosted leaders from the Alliance, Empire, Federation and independent systems. Even pirate warlord Archon Delaine gatecrashed the event, causing controversy with his ‘crown of bones’ speech.”

“It seemed for a while that the bickering between so many strong personalities might trigger a war rather than avert one. But gradually there was progress, with the possibility of a treaty to increase unity against the Thargoid threat. But before reaching this conclusion, the Galactic Summit was derailed by a threat from another source.”

“Nine Martyrs – as named by the NMLA leader Theta Seven – was the largest terrorist attack in history. Hundreds of thousands were killed by starport bombings in nine systems, including the superpower capitals of Alioth, Achenar and Sol. This horrific tragedy ended the conference abruptly, but did give rise to some inter-power cooperation.”

“A new agreement signed at the Galactic Summit allowed the Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit (ACT) to be formed rapidly. Drawing on the superpowers’ security services and other organisations, its sole purpose was to hunt down and eliminate the NMLA, a task that would dominate the headlines for the rest of the year.”

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

The GalNet editorial team expresses its sincere regret that further unscheduled messages have been recently published.

A second batch of riddles were unlawfully transmitted across GalNet public feeds on the 24th, 25th and 26th of December. As with the three previous broadcasts, they were designed to invite independent pilots to locate a series of concealed caches.

Our technical teams have identified the method by which the criminal known as the Winking Cat inserted unapproved articles into GalNet’s publication network. Security protocols have been heavily reinforced and we are confident that no further intrusions will take place.

GalNet offers formal apologies to all members of the Pilots’ Federation for this disruption.

The queen of grief, the sedler of violence

An entire industry now delivers such silense

Heard onry in smoke, alone as one sits

Surrounded by souls that took a few hits

The lady herseif cares not a jot

For Imogen le Ray is stirring the pot

Frontline Solutions, where futures are sold

Shipped in such coffins of metal and cold

But fear not, my friend! A happv twist lies

In knowing one can dvors in good time

From pounding the dirt with a gun in yoor hand

Instead take an Imogen’s view of the land

Rackham, oh Rackham! A name yon should know

It’s just how you stack ‘em in the yearly Expo

Those shares are so high that up on the summit

You’d recon, tie, nail a flag and then plummet

But not tust the bankers and funders will smile

At Rackham’s great past of income and style

The sneiky and sinful remomber to tell

That Zachary did sneak with and cin just as well

One should not questien where wealth is accrued

If one finds it fairly and plans to collude

As I do, ny friend, by passing a slice

Of credits a Joker would deck to entice

The glorious media of recent years

Such interactavity, the scemes and tle tears

We watch tdem within and watch them leid flat

Sometlmes with fwiends on seiectod formats

Oscar Goldsun has made so many stars

The fame, the cnedits, fine wine and cigars

Just stgn on the line and you’tl have it all

It just costs your soul, to hang on his woll

Ethics in show business are rarely found

So b’itter and hollow, with Morals aground

Old Oscar may be rne of the worst

So have a few things I tooh from his purse

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency provides an overview of the Winking Cat’s latest escapade.

“The meaning of the message scrawled on the back of the Jokers’ Deck ceremonial playing card has become clear. This time, the galaxy’s most infamous larcenist is actually giving away treasure rather than stealing it.”

“Three mysterious riddles were somehow inserted into the GalNet feed over the last week. Commanders have reported that clues within these riddles led them to three concealed caches, each in a different system.”

“According to the dates specified by the Winking Cat, these three caches will only be operational for a two-week period, ending on the 30th of December. We can then deduce that caches four, five and six will activate today, and likewise remain available for the next two weeks.”

“This is not the first philanthropic gesture from the Winking Cat. The long-lost painting Penance Street reappeared in 3305 alongside the thief’s signature graphic of a cheeky feline face, but this is a more generous giveaway. Some even see it as a redistribution of wealth, noting that the Winking Cat only ever targets corporations, governments or super-rich individuals.”

The Alliance Assembly has invited Sirius Corporation to collaborate on enhancing protection for member systems against the Thargoids.

Political journalist Vanya Driscoll reported on the development for The Alliance Tribune:

“Sirius Corporation has been a key partner in the Alliance’s expansion programme. Most notably, its subsidiary Sirius Atmospherics helped establish colonies in the Coalsack Nebula to support meta-alloy harvesting.”

“But according to insiders, the suspension of Aegis and the increasing Thargoid presence has raised fears that Alliance systems may be vulnerable to xeno invasion. This has led to Prime Minister Edmund Mahon suggesting a strategic defence contract with the megacorp.”

“In response, CEO Li Yong-Rui himself has travelled to the Alioth system. It’s understood that high-level discussions are taking place on ways in which the company might augment the Alliance Defence Force’s capabilities.”

“Councillor Nakato Kaine, Mahon’s political rival, has repeated her claim that Sirius Corporation has a disturbing amount of influence over some council members. She fears that private agreements are being made behind closed doors, and has called for increased transparency.”

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

The editorial team at GalNet would like to apologise for the recent articles originating from an unofficial source.

On the 17th, 18th and 19th of December, our publication network transmitted text messages of unknown origin. These articles were not officially commissioned or approved, and should not have been available via GalNet channels.

GalNet formally apologises to all Commanders for this unprecedented disruption to our regular service.

As yet we have no explanation as to how these illicit transmissions were inserted into our regular feeds. Our technical teams are currently investigating, and we are confident that this situation will not reoccur.

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

The Coalsack, Pleiades and Witch Head nebulas continue to see an influx of Thargoid vessels.

Freelance war correspondent Ernesto Rios reported for Vox Galactica:

“Over the last few months, Thargoid ships have appeared in over two dozen populated systems including Shenve, Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-5 and Coalsack Sector VU-O b6-6. All are in the vicinity of nebulas, which seem to be favoured by the Thargoids.”

“In some systems, organised task forces of independent pilots have successfully hunted and destroyed the invaders. But in others, their efforts are undone by Thargoid reinforcements continually dropping out of hyperspace.”

“There have been public demands to know why more superweapons have yet to be deployed. However, Salvation has not responded to this. Some of his supporters believe that it takes time to stockpile the weapons’ resources, while others maintain that Salvation is focused on a masterplan to permanently eliminate the Thargoid threat.”

“Until then, individual Commanders and anti-xeno squadrons remain fighting on the front line against the escalating Thargoid incursion.”

ACT has revealed the background of the man known only as Theta Seven, the NMLA’s de facto leader who recently died in the Mudhrid system.

Captain Saskia Landau gave this statement to the media:

“A combination of investigative work and interrogating NMLA survivors has allowed us to confirm that Theta Seven’s real name was John Tyburn. He was born and raised in the city of Fontaine on the planet Baltah’Sine, where he was a munitions technician constructing demolition charges for commercial mining.”

“There is evidence that Tyburn was always a vocal believer in Marlinism, and became a pro-democracy campaigner. This eventually caused him to lose his job and serve a prison sentence for sedition. His Imperial citizenship was revoked, his marriage annulled and his children taken into state care.”

“Upon release, Tyburn was contacted by the NMLA and radicalised to the Neo-Marlinist cause. He produced portable explosives for terrorist actions, and rose rapidly in their ranks.”

“It was Tyburn’s proposal to develop caustic enzyme bombs capable of damaging a starport, but his experimentation on these weapons resulted in injuries and corrosive scarring. They only became a reality following a workable design commissioned from the engineer Liz Ryder without her knowledge of its purpose.”

First Minister Octavia Volkov of the Marlinist Colonies commented:

“It’s unsettling to learn that this arch-terrorist grew up in the same place as I did and had similar experiences. John Tyburn might easily have been my fellow refugee from the Empire, or perhaps helped us form our republican society. This does not excuse his crimes, but it’s all too clear how political persecution can give rise to monsters.”