Galnet News

Speaking before a gathering of the Alliance Assembly today, Prime Minister Edmund Mahon has issued a warning to the Crimson State Group that it stands alone in its opposition to the Federation’s continued governance of Lugh.

“It is not the place of the Alliance to intervene in matters of legitimate Federal governance. No laws have been broken, no rights have been abused and as such no military aid will be forthcoming for the freedom fighters of Lugh. Similarly, until such time as the residents of Lugh have fully seceded from the Federation, any applications to join the Alliance of Independent Systems will be automatically rejected on the grounds that Lugh is not a fully functioning independent state.”

The news will come as quite a blow for Lugh, and the Crimson State Group in particular, who will now need to find allies closer to home if they want to have any hope of winning their fight for independence.

Rumours coming out of Mars today suggest that a powerful lobbying group, acting on behalf of Admiral Vincent and the Federal Navy, are currently engaged in a massive campaign to lower taxes on combat-capable spacecraft. The aim of the campaign is to encourage Federal pilots to become more battle-ready in these times of heightened tensions.

If the lobbying efforts prove to be successful, the Imperial armament program will doubtless be forced to follow suit or else risk the Empire being undermined by the increased combat capabilities of the Federal Navy.

Core Dynamics, in association with the Federal Navy, are pleased to announce the latest addition to the Federal capital ship family, the FNS Nevermore.

Core Dynamics Farragut -Class Battlecruisers represent the cutting edge in military technology. A single FCB can carry several squadrons of Federal Fighters and multiple Federal Corvettes across hundreds of light years without any difficulty. These deep deployment capabilities, coupled with extraordinarily heavy firepower, practically guarantee that a single FCB will completely overpower all but the most well-equipped opponents.

The construction of the new ship would not have been possible without the help of Commander Sam Ishum, who braved the blockade of BD+03 2338 to single-handedly deliver 86,000 tonnes of copper to the Core Dynamics workshop at Hudson Dock.

When asked for comment, Commander Ishum had this to say:

“As the sole proprietor of Toad's Independent Trading Services, I am happy to have helped with the building of the new Core Dynamics Dreadnought, the FNS Nevermore. I look forward to working with them on future projects."

To celebrate the launch of the FNS Nevermore, Core Dynamics has supplied Hudson Dock with a large number of discounted Federal Dropships.

Word has reached GalNet that an investigation into the Galactic Mechanics Union will result in charges being brought against the organisation by all three of the galaxy’s major powers.

The investigation, which was carried out in secret by a consortium of independent investigators, has found that the GMU has been involved in anti-competitive business practices, including price fixing on a galactic scale.

Lawsuits are currently in the process of being submitted to the appropriate authorities. With millions of potential plaintiffs signing up to take part in what will doubtless be the largest class action case in history, it seems unlikely that the GMU will make it out of the courts still in one piece once this is all over.

While the lawsuits are likely to go on for years before anyone is able to claim any kind of compensation, ship repair costs should start becoming significantly cheaper now that the GMU’s price fixing operations have come to an end.

Crimson State Group representatives who were still present on Alioth were forced to make a hasty departure earlier today, as reports of Federal checkpoints being established around local exit points began to hit the Alliance blogosphere.

It would appear that the Federation means to finally show its hand in what has been a long and arduous game of poker between the Federal goliath and a small but proud people willing to defy the domination of their oppressors.

In the wake of his unsuccessful attempts to reach a favourable conclusion with representatives of the Alliance, Ambassador Éamonn Uí Laoghaire had this to say:

"Lugh is a sovereign state. This is an undeniable truth. An error does not become truth by multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it! Though the storm clouds gather around us, it has been written in our ancient 'Leabhar Gabhála Lugh' that the Sons of Conn will come to Lugh’s aid at his time of direst need. That also is a universal truth."

An emergency special session of the Federal Congress was held today to discuss how best to deal with the Crimson State Group’s attempt to force Lugh to secede from the Federation.

Lugh is home to 15.3 billion residents, who are supported almost entirely by the vast natural resources that Lugh has at its disposal.

In her address to Congress, President Halsey had this to say on the situation:

“Systems choosing to hold fair and democratic elections to determine whether they wish to remain within the Federal fold is one thing, but a group of religious fanatics petitioning a foreign power to help overthrow a democratically elected Federal government is another matter entirely. The Federation will not allow theocrats, terrorists or any other fringe organisation to usurp the right and proper rules that govern our society. If the Crimson State Group continues to go down this road then the Federation will respond with whatever force deemed necessary.”

In another administrative mix up, Lady Kahina Tijani Loren's Imperial Courier has been denied docking clearance at Mars High. Official observers report that an Imperial Courier attempted to dock without prior permission and when confronted, refused to acknowledge hails.

Unofficial, and anonymous, reports from independent traders seem to favour the view that Mars High docking personnel routed Lady Kahina's ship to the back of the queue unnecessarily, and rather than comply, she positioned her ship directly in the docking entrance and refused to move it until granted a landing pad.

Lady Kahina was later quoted as saying. 'As I said before, I don't like to be late.'

Rumours that the docking clearance officer at Mars High has been encouraged to retire early are strenuously denied by Federal administrators.

The Federation may have won the war in the Banki system, but survivors on both sides are still in a struggle for survival.

After a long and bitter conflict, the Federation was able to clutch a victory (as well as a base) after offering greater incentives for Commanders willing to fight on their side. This strategy drew in throngs of Commanders from throughout the galaxy, tilting the scales decisively in favour of the Federal Navy.

At the end, the situation grew very grim for the Banki Gold Gang. Hundreds were killed, thousands were wounded, and medical supplies stretched perilously thin. Despite winning the war, the Federation now has to deal with a destitute populace, an outbreak and the threat of famine on the horizon.

The CEO of the Gold Advanced Partners and current governor of Banki, Christopher Kailson, has put out this passionate plea for help:

"Banki needs the support of Commanders now more than ever. Supplying even a small amount of Banki’s needs will help to ease the suffering of the ill, the orphaned, and the poor.”

- CMDR John Paul Wilson

The Future of Synteini party is calling on all Commanders to protest the actions of the Imperial Slavers Association in the Synteini system.

“Today marks the anniversary of the ‘Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves’, one of two acts that helped end the Atlantic slave trade in the early 19th century,” said a party representative. “And now a new slaving facility is opening up in our own backyard?”

The party offers their own station as a potential solution. “The Future of Synteini party will not abide by slavery, Imperial or no. I make the call to commanders: give your business to the Future of Synteini, not to the ISA. Do business at William Sargent, and starve Lagerkvist.

“Let’s hit Senator Zemina Torval where it counts - and kick her out of Synteini!”

Lagerkvist Gateway orbits the second planet in the Synteini A system, while William Sargent Vision orbits the fourth.

-CMDR Boter

Senator Patreus and the Citizens of Tradition have been successful in their crusade against the Falisci Purple Gang. Falisci has fallen to Imperial forces and is currently in the process of being assimilated into Imperial society.

All outstanding payments due to Imperial veterans of the Falisci war are now available for collection from Dornier Terminal in Ngaiawang. To celebrate Senator Patreus’s victory, Senator Torval is offering a 10% discount on all Imperial slaves purchased from Dornier Terminal until next weekend.

However, the war for control of Falisci may not quite be over yet. Reports have started to come in from the region that a civil war is currently brewing between the Citizens of Tradition and the Federal Social Falisci Partnership Party. If the Social Falisci Partnership Party is successful in its attempt to disrupt the Citizens of Tradition’s hold over Phillips Landing, the Federation may be able to gain control over Falisci.