Galnet News

Aisling Duval made her presence felt in Furbaide today, as she arrived at Effinger Port to offer assistance to overworked medical staff currently caught in the struggle against the virulent and deadly Volungu Blight. Along with her usual entourage, the Diva Duval bought dozens of Imperially trained doctors and nurses, all of whom will be offering their services for free to anyone afflicted by the Blight.

It is hoped that the biomedical expertise provided by the Imperial doctors will shed some light on the genetic makeup of the disease, whose aggressive transmission and resistance to known drug therapies has local medical staff completely stumped.

The death toll for the disease is now reaching into the thousands, and with no cure in sight the situation can be expected to get worse before it gets better.

Inspired by Universal Cartographics recent push to expand humanities borders, the Sirius Corporation has today announced its plan to launch a number of new colonial outposts to the very edges of occupied space.

Ana Quin, Sirius' Junior Vice President of Interstellar Logistics, had this to say about the announcement:

"We're very excited to move forward with this project. It's been a long time coming, but finally the board have agreed it's time to get the ball rolling. We've got the tech and the volunteers, all we need now is to know where to send them."

Sirius is currently offering sizeable monetary rewards for explorers who bring usable exploration data containing potential candidate sites to their offices aboard Nourse Orbital in Lambda Andromedae.

Despite Admiral Vincent's strong words during yesterday's press conference, President Halsey has refused the Admiral's request to send additional forces for the attack on Polahukuna.

In response, the Federal Navy, in conjunction with Core Dynamics, has declared their intention to commission the creation of a new capitol ship. The new ship will be built in the recently recaptured shipyards of BD+03 2338, and the Admiral's personal contingent will remain in the locale in order to protect the construction of the new vessel.

The Alioth system has been at the centre of controversy today after the arrival of Éamonn Uí Laoghire, the leading spokesperson in the current bid for independence of the Lugh system.

While at the time of this report Ambassador Uí Laoghire has not yet been granted an audience with Alliance state officials, he did address the huge throngs of supporters who came out to greet him on the steps of the state residence.

"Since its earliest inception the Lugh system was settled by a sovereign people of one lineage and one religion who have made it their spiritual home. Popular support for The Crimson State Group in the last polls was at 87%. The only thing standing in the way of the will of the people is the Federal Navy! I have come here today to request that the Alliance of Independent Systems recognise the legitimacy of a free and democratic Lugh."

It’s been said before, but it's worth saying again. Remember to set aside credits for your insurance excess.

Only recently Commander Gui returned home to Sol with his newly purchased Anaconda. Having equipped it with all the essentials he departed... straight in to an incoming Type 9. Without the 4 million credits to cover the excess for his ship, he was left with no choice but to resort to a budget Sidewinder. His loss for that one incident was 80 million credits.

Though many pilots can turn to creditors to cover some of the costs in case of emergency, 200 thousand credits is not enough to cover the cost of a truly premium vessel.

The moral of the story? Always check your rebuy costs in your systems screen before launching. Don't leave the space port without having the excess..

You’ve been warned commanders...

Commander Sheehy of the Reorte Chronicle

There’s trouble brewing in Cemiess, caused in no small part by the recent influx of emancipated Imperial Slaves who now call the area their home.

The number of petty thefts and burglaries being reported on Emerald has risen by over 300% compared with the same period in 3300, resulting in local social sites being flooded with complaints from long term residents who claim they fear for their families’ safety.

In response to the unrest, Commissioner Chamberlain of Emerald Security issued the following statement:

“While we appreciate the situation may feel like it’s spiralling out of control, we do advise all citizens to remain calm. Crime is up, but no more than what we might expect to see after any large group suddenly moved into the area. We understand residents are concerned about their security and as such a curfew is being put into effect. However, we would like to stress that this is purely a temporary measure until such time as our newest residents have integrated more fully with the local community.”

The galaxy is abuzz with excitement following the news that an anonymous donor has contributed a case of highly valuable and extremely rare Vesperian Nectar to the charity SpecialEffect, an organisation dedicated to leveraging technology in order to enhance the quality of life for people with physical disabilities .

Vesperian Nectar is produced from the nectar of Vesperian Orchid flowers, a plant that only grows on the planet Slough in Vesper-M4. The exceptional sweetness of this honey has baffled scientists and foodologists for centuries, as the atmosphere on Slough itself is both toxic and highly acidic. The honey is made by the Vesperian “Orchid Bee”, an insect well known for its deadly sting. Vesperian beekeeping is a risky business, with numerous deaths occurring amongst keepers each year.

Commander Angel Rose will be holding private auctions on behalf of SpecialEffects throughout the day.

In a shock announcement issued this morning, President Halsey has ordered an all out assault on the Nijotec region.

In her address to the Federation, President Halsey had this to say on the matter:

“For too long the Nijotec Syndicate have been preying on the weak, innocent and infirm. I stand before you today to tell you that the Federation will not stand idly by while a supposedly legitimate independent nation abuses its own people. These openly criminal states are nothing more than self-serving parasites that have no place in greater galactic society. Let the liberations of Nijotec, Banki and BD+03 2338 serve as warnings to any tin-pot dictators who think they can send their own little slices of civilisation back to the dark ages.”

Nijotec is a small system that acts as a permanent home to just 21,500 people. In the past it was well known for its rich mineral deposits, although the system has since been strip-mined to the point where the local refineries are currently exporting very little produce. The recession in the region and the subsequent abandonment of the sector’s two outposts by the Lycan Moon Mining Corporation provided fertile ground in which the criminal group known as the Nijotec Syndicate were able to flourish and grow.

Following the Federation's success in routing the rebel forces from Banki and BD+03 2338, Admiral Vincent has declared his intention to follow the invaders of BD+03 2338 back to their own homes.

"I think the message is clear," Admiral Vincent declared at press conference earlier today. "We will not allow terrorists to break our laws or brainwash our people. The Polahukuna Raiders, and those like them, need to learn that their actions have consequences. The Federation will not sit idly by and let the infections of chaos and anarchy spread and fester."

The Admiral went on to say that he would reveal plans as to the nature of the Federation's foray into Polahukuna shortly.

This is Casey Murrow and today I'm talking exclusively with Commander Samwell Drakhyr, winner of this year’s big race, the St. Valentine Day Regatta. So just how did you manage to win it all Sam?

"A bad pilot is controlled by their ship. They are surprised all the time, because their mind is in harmony with neither ship nor surroundings. A good pilot controls their ship. They are surprised only half the time, because they know the limits of their ship so well that it is becomes part of them, directed by the pilot's will without conscious effort, like a limb."

"I strive to go beyond that. I scout my route until I own it. I make it part of me. I do my thinking in advance so when I fly on the day there is no mind, no ship, no pilot that exists as separate entities. My hands move, yet in a way it feels like they are steady, inevitable, and it is instead the universe itself that is moving."

Excellent and inspiring advice there from Commander Drakhyr, champion of the 37th almost annual St. Valentine Day Regatta.