Flying the Friendly Skies

The issue of security has come to the fore in Wolf 1230 today as the Da Vinci Corporation with Wolf 1230 Dynamic Industries reveal plans to establish a Free Fly Zone within its space.

Finding endemic corruption and malpractice within the existing security force, Da Vinci Corporation intend to take on policing themselves to create a neutral territory where all commanders can fly without fear of intimidation and violence. Spokesman for the Da Vinci Corporation, T.T.Starr, outlined the project:

"No matter your background or allegiance, if you respect the rules you will be welcome. Da Vinci Corporation commanders along with specially commissioned volunteers will police Wolf 1230 and its surrounding systems to ensure the safety of all visiting pilots. If the scheme proves successful, the Da Vinci Corporation along with Wolf 1230 Dynamic Industries will promote our systems for hosting galactic events in the future".

Commander Gan

Artemis Sentinel | Interstellar Press

Published in Wolf 1230.

Updated - Changing Face of Senate could Threaten Emperor's Progress

The Eridani Dispatch editorial team is sorry to confirm that this report was based on unsubstantiated rumors and accusations. While corporate interests in the Empire may be on the rise, there is no indication that the patronage networks of established Senators in the Imperial Senate are under their influence. Furthermore, the spokesperson for the Chapterhouse of Inquisition, Selune d'Amenta, claims that she was entirely misquoted. For these reasons, the editorial team of the Eridani Dispatch officially retracts support of the story but will leave it available for review in a show of transparency for its readers.

Findings published by advocacy group Chapterhouse of Inquisition point to increased corporate influence in the Senate.

The coronation of Arissa Lavigny-Duval had commentators predicting resurgence for patronage governments in political centres throughout the Empire, driven by the new emperor's lauded traditionalism.

Chapterhouse's report paints a different picture, highlighting Nyalayan, Vish, and Ocairi, examples of key systems that formerly sent Senators from among their patrons to Achenar, but in recent weeks have seen their governments restructured - and new Senators sponsored by corporations instead.

Selune Saunders, a spokesperson for the Chapterhouse HQ in Kamadhenu, explained the report's implications, “The changing make-up of the Senate means the Emperor will face serious hurdles passing her legislation.

“Measures seen to unduly favour the Empire's various Pacts, Societies, & Leagues – widely supportive of the Emperor - will be robustly challenged; as will measures that risk curtailing freedoms of the corporate sphere.”

Saunders refused to take questions on social media rumours that Federation mercenaries covertly support certain corporations in the Empire; independent newsfeeds link the changes in the Senate with recent slow-downs in Arissa Lavigny-Duval's anti-corruption projects.

Cmdr Edgar Starwalker

Q1 Eridani Dispatch | Interstellar Press

Alliance Pilot Liberates Slaves

A huge outpouring of support for humanitarian aid spread across the Lavian populace today as Alliance pilot Stephen Li delivered 400 human beings, including 86 children, to his home port, rescuing them from branded slavery in Kumo space. The sudden and unexpected arrival of so many malnourished and injured individuals saw station residents rally round to offer medical and food supplies, with many agreeing to host recovering patients. Mr. Li gave a statement to local news outlets:

"I don’t care what some bigwig politician says. I liberated these folk from Comanga and nothing’s going to stop me going back for more. These people are branded with burns bearing the Kumo insignia. Most of them are underweight and suffering from malnutrition. If they’re unwilling or unable to fight alongside the Crew, they wind up as slaves. As a result they’re considered not worth wasting the food on, so they’re just worked until they're used up. Most of the kids were in an industrial processing facility for Onionhead, sorting the crops by grade to be smuggled into the Federation."

"Archon Delaine can jump into a black hole," Li added, "And the Alliance needs to seriously rethink its priorities."

Alliance non-interference has been a controversial internal debate over the past six months, with detractors of the policy decrying Federal pressure as the primary cause.

Cmdr Stateira 'Starcloak' Eleshenar

Alioth Guardian | Interstellar Press

The Worlds Beyond

Today Utopian delegates from Antal returned from a symposium to establish the Pioneer’s Cooperative, a group dedicated to supporting new expansion projects into uninhabited space.

Also attending were Loren's Legion, Communism Interstellar, The Black Birds Squadron, Aisling's Angels, The Canonn, The Independent Pilots Consortium, Emperor's Grace, The Mercs of Mikunn, United German Commanders, EXO, The First Great Expedition, The Code, Adles Armada, The Guardians of Harmony, CHIMERA, The Distant Worlds Admins and The Hutton Orbital Truckers. 

"To live is to grow, and mankind must push ever outwards", proclaimed one attending Utopian explorer. "Humanity has come here today unified under a banner of progress, and Utopia is proud to add its support and experience in this noble venture. Our commune at Takurua demonstrated expansion outside the core systems was possible, and the success of Obsidian Orbital in Maia shows mankind has a unified desire to expand the frontiers of human space and scientific understanding."

CMDR Gan
Utopia News Network | Interstellar Press

Published on GalNet News. 

Adoration for the Emperor

Crowds in Capitol were delighted today to catch a glimpse of Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval, as the new head of state went about her duties. An ever-increasing crowd had been growing on the planet, hoping to pay personal tribute to the Emperor by demonstration of the adoring masses.

The Emperor enjoyed a quiet seasonal break, making the traditional broadcast of Imperial monarchs on Empire Day on 2nd January. Her reflection back on the previous year and expression of goodwill found great popularity amongst the Imperial citizenry, who have warmed to their new sovereign as the late Hengist Duval’s heir.

Replacement of official documents and plaques with the new Emperor’s titles and insignia was also completed over the festive period, and stations now proclaim the glory of Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval across the length and breadth of the Empire.

Cmdr Stateira 'Starcloak' Eleshenar

Capitol Herald | Interstellar Press

A Place of Serenity

New explorers setting out into the void have started sending back reports of previously unknown settlements. At multiple locations less than 200ly from the inhabited systems, informal colonies are being formed on recently discovered planets, off the official record kept by Universal Cartographics.

Earth-like worlds are the most popular sites, but unofficial outposts have been verified on other planetary bodies, from high metal planets to icy moons; many of them settled by former pilots, and with population of less than a hundred. Veteran pilot Jonah Adane Tabor, sole occupant of one Earth-like, stated:

“Shinrarta Dezhra? Too many people! Look, I fought a lot of battles in my time – a lot of senseless killing and blood-shedding over nuthin’. I seen my friends blasted into stardust in an instant, vaporised, just like that. Everyone I know is gone now. It crawls into yer brain. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep… I don’t want to see those things in my dreams no more! I parked up here ‘cause I just want to be left alone. I can’t live with other people. I built this home with my own hands. This is my little corner of the universe to find peace.”

Cmdr Stateira 'Starcloak' Eleshenar

Sentient Life | Interstellar Press

This has been published in Shinrarta Dezhra.

A Strange Destiny

Kumo Crew warlord Archon Delaine unwittingly became the centre of a local religious dispute earlier this week. During their New Year conclave, a schism appeared within the priesthood of the ascetic Faithful Cult of Mannovalo on the meaning of a prophecy that may involve the pirate chieftain.

It seems Archon Delaine fits the description of a 300 year old prophecy describing a white-haired conqueror. A splinter group calling themselves the True Faithful Cult of Mannovalo claims that it is Delaine’s destiny to convert all Kumo vessels into generational colony ships and lead them to a new home in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This is counter to the orthodoxy promoted by the Righteous Faithful Cult of Mannovalo. They instead believe that the warlord will give away all his ill-gotten gains and become the new high priest of their pacifistic religion on Mannovalo 1.

This religious feud threatens the stability of the Mannovalo theocracy as planetside protests increase in intensity. The Kumo Crew has not issued any comment on the issue at the time of broadcast.

Cmdr Stateira 'Starcloak' Eleshenar

Q1 Eridani Dispatch | Interstellar Press

Famous Composer Seeks Patron

International superstar and composer Lilit Kassouni today begins a tour of inhabited space to showcase her new work, '400 Billion Stars'. Critics, who had a sneak preview during rehearsals earlier in the week, are already calling the suite a revolutionary blend of ancient Earth forms and modern technology that tells the story of Humanity’s place in the galaxy.

The tour begins at Sol, and will travel to Sirius, Alioth, Antal, and Achenar to close the final performance. It is widely understood that the composer is looking for a patron amongst the great and good of the galaxy, though in a brief press statement Ms. Kassouni focused on her music:

“It’s telling a tale of the Human experience thus far, and what we may encounter in future. Our history is both beautiful and terrible, and there’s a lesson to be learned in that. I hope it will speak to audiences across space, whether you’re living in the Alliance or the Empire.”

Cmdr Stateira 'Starcloak' Eleshenar

Wolf Entertainment Weekly | Interstellar Press

Published in Sol, Alioth, Antal and Achenar.

Anarchy in the Heart of the Alliance

Several weeks after the coup that plunged He Bo into anarchy, the Alliance Assembly remains paralyzed over the legitimacy of a military intervention in this system of the Alioth star cluster. The He Bo system has effectively been in a state of lawlessness since the Sons of Icarus, an independent mercenary organization, took control of Krylov Ring station from the democratic Social He Bo Revolutionary Party.

Supporters of a military solution argue that this situation is a humanitarian crisis and cite the Lave revolution of 3265 as a precedent. However, according to Aaron Perron, opponent to interventionism and representative for 70 Virginis: ”We have no legal ground to justify Alliance involvement in what is, at its core, an internal matter. If we bring war to He Bo, we will only bring more misery to its people.”

With over 24 billion inhabitants, He Bo is one of the most populated agricultural system in civilized space.

CMDR Léonard “Kulzar” Chamberlain

Allied News Service | Interstellar Press

Published in Alioth, Lave and Gateway.

The Labyrinth of Bureaucracy

As the Federal Congress reconvenes following a brief holiday interval to mark the start of a new standard calendar year, Liberal representatives are preparing for the reading of a new bill submitted by Congressman César Neves. The bill outlines a proposal to make the Federal system of government more accountable, by requiring representatives to declare any donations they have accepted from a corporate sponsor. Former Congresswoman Ailana Middlebrooks made the following statement on premier Federal politics show HARDTalk:

“Well the system is a joke and has been for decades. A Federal citizen cannot simply bring an issue to their representative to act on. Some bills backed by petitions from significant numbers of the populace are shelved simply because certain members of Congress refuse to vote without a generous incentive – usually only the corporations and the mega rich can afford to sweeten the deal. And what’s going on stays behind closed doors – the Federal public has no idea whether their Congressperson is honest or taking bribes just to do their job.”

The Liberal party will be hoping to crack the whip to their own members and find partial support amongst the Republicans, although whether they gain the support they need remains to be seen.

Cmdr Stateira 'Starcloak' Eleshenar

Regulus Observer | Interstellar Press

Published in Sol, Nanomam and Rhea.