What's happening in Takurua?

In the past few weeks, political analysts have expressed confusion at traffic reports coming in from the Sirius Corporation terraforming base Foothold Station in the backwater system of Takurua, home to Utopia's much-publicised deep space commune. Reports indicate that the number of Utopia dissidents being removed from the system for processing far exceeds the 100,000 Sirius Corp terraforming personnel currently stationed at Foothold. We caught up with Utopia futurologist and project lead Dr Saeed McNamara at Foothold Station for comment.

"There's nothing unusual about it." he told our reporter, "We help thousands of Utopia citizens make the pilgrimage here every week so they can experience the unique qualities of extreme isolation, much like the monasteries of the ancient past. We also put them through tests to test their suitability for a special self-improvement initiative we're developing. We're looking for the best and brightest, so most are simply reassigned after a couple of weeks of meditation and testing."

"I don't like the term 'dissident'", he added "It implies they're good for nothing, when really there's a special place for everyone in Utopia, and we don't give up until we've found the place where everyone can flourish."

Dr McNamara declined to comment on the nature of the "self-improvement" program, stating only that if successful, it would be a huge step forward for all mankind.

Commander Jendrassik

Q1 Eridani Dispatch | Interstellar Press

Published in Takurua.

Unscheduled Stops and Deleted Records

Serf Altmann, former junior engineer aboard the Imperial Freedom, says she's not surprised by the recent statement from Senator Patreus' Office, having come forwards with some extraordinary claims.

"I was serving aboard in November last year when the Senator was making a tour of the systems he patronises, when we made an unscheduled stop at Topaz. The reason given was repairs needed to the reactor core, but I'm telling you I looked it over half a dozen times and there was nothing wrong with it. We never got any repair crews sent over from the station either! The Senator debarked on the planet and didn't come back till a week later. When we got back to Eotienses I did some digging in the records to see if I could find out what the problem was... but there was no mention of our ever having stopped at Topaz."

When asked why records of such an event might have been deleted as she claims, Serf Altmann added: "Well... I don't rightly know, but I was on the docking bay crew when his Courier returned and I could swear the Senator had a ring on his finger when he got back... although I only caught a glimpse from a distance."

Cmdr Stateira "Starcloak" Eleshenar

Star Express | Interstellar Press

Forgotten Corners of the Galaxy - Aditi

Some 200 ly south of inhabited space lies the star system of Aditi, another of the Empire’s far-flung colonies. Some 15 million people are resident in the system, under the auspices of the Aditi Empire League.

With four metal-rich worlds and an almost pristine metal rich ring in-system, Aditi attracts plenty of enterprising miners looking to make their fortunes, and the large spacedock of SJML Central orbiting Morrow Peek caters to any refinery needs.

The terraformed planet of Peylow provides on the ground living, and has several interesting features. Days are a short 14.4 hours long, although one year is equivalent to roughly 6.75 Earth years. With oxygen content of 3.7% you might expect to be left breathless, but this is magnified by the 5.23 atmospheres of surface pressure. With water vapour making up 0.3%, and an average temperature of 46°C, Peylow is hot and humid. Settlements avoid the equator and cluster around the more temperate regions of the planet, with a dominant agricultural economy that is service by the PEW-1901 station in orbit.

Cmdr Stateira "Starcloak" Eleshenar

Sentient Life | Interstellar Press

Remembering the Eravate Rebellion of 3298

October 5th will mark the third anniversary of the Eravate Rebellion, the bloodiest conflict in the system’s history. 

The two-week-long standoff began when insurgent forces, financed by rival interests to the Eravate Network corporation, seized Ackerman Market and positioned an improvised orbital weapon - a small asteroid - over Chantilly, a city on the surface of Eravate Five. 

The insurgents demanded the resignation of Eravate Network’s Board of Directors and for the Federal Security Service to relinquish control of Cleve Hub and Russell Ring.

Negotiations were conducted, but ultimately failed when the insurgency’s leader, Ramone Osalla, executed the Federal negotiator in cold blood just before giving the order to destroy Chantilly.

A counter-assault on Ackerman Market soon followed, with the Federal Navy successfully driving Osalla’s forces from the station, but at the cost of many innocent lives. 

Memorials will be held throughout the month in remembrance of those lost in the conflict.

Commander Driggers

Regulus Observer | Interstellar Press

Published in Eravate.

Sidewinder Trust CFO arrested

After months of investigation, Interstellar Criminal Police Organization agents today arrested Anthony Ergot, CFO of Faulcon DeLacy's non profit "Sidewinder Trust".

A popular non-profit organization that seeks to provide affordable frameshift-capable starships to small business owners, the Sidewinder Trust has been crucial to many a pilot's career. The trust provides microcredits to Pilot Federation Members that are automatically repaid. Pilots would often not even notice they paid interest.

Sources close to Alliance Commissioner for Competition Graeme Argent claim that Mr. Ergot siphoned a substantial amount of money via the automatic interest deduction process that is part of every Sidewinder ship computer. With data migrating to other ships, these deductions continued long after the credit would have been repaid.

It is also possible that some pilots may not have paid any interest at all, with or without their knowledge. A possible distortion of competition is still under investigation by Mr. Argent's office.

According to recent polls, Faulcon-DeLacy remains one of the most popular shipbuilders for entry-level to high-end space craft. Critics point out that the Sidewinder Trust likely contributed significantly to their brand recognition.

Thomas Grantham-Solo

Jameson Memorial Review | Interstellar Press

Corruption investigation locks down Federal Congress

The Federal Congress has been placed under lockdown due to an ongoing investigation into corruption allegations stemming from the misappropriation of funds from government subsidies.

In a press briefing, House Speaker Anthony Squire revealed that several Congressmen had been implicated in a scheme to funnel government endowments into a private hedge fund. Squire refused to give the names of the representatives involved, but assured the public that the government will continue to function for the duration of the investigation.

“Congress will continue to serve the people of the Federation, even as we root out the corruption in these hallowed halls,” said Squire.

The Federal Security Service has stated that it has imposed travel restrictions on members of Congress, including staffers and lobbyists, until it concludes its investigations.

The lockdown comes in the midst of heated debate over Federal Navy acquisitions, tax breaks to certain consumer goods and combat bond compensation reform.

Commander Sitoutumaton

Regulus Observer | Interstellar Press

Public Opinion on Imperial Succession Debate

Whilst the Senate continues to debate the issue of succession to the Imperial throne, the Imperial public too have taken a great interest in the candidates. Though they have no direct say in deciding the next Emperor, Imperial citizens are vocal in extolling the merits of the various contenders.

Carpe Diem, the Empire’s biggest opinion pollster, this past week conducted a survey of a random sample of the populace. Results suggested that the two princesses are leading the race, revealing a noticeable although not definitive age gap in support, with the younger generation more willing to consider Princess Aisling Duval’s reformist policies favourably. In addition, Senator Patreus has seen an increase in support as public approval responds to his swift action against terrorist group Emperor’s Dawn, but Senator Torval and Chancellor Blaine also remain in the running, enjoying particular popularity amongst their system residents.

Sothar Vithu, 151, Achenar’s oldest resident and former Senator of Avalon, said: “I’ll be seeing in my third Emperor when the month is up. Whoever it is, they’ll need to adapt to the demands of a changing Empire, and be as sharp a strategist as I ever saw in order to keep the Empire prosperous and strong.” When asked if he had any pearls of wisdom for the candidates, he added: “Yes. There’s only two real contenders in this race: the one people feel they’re supposed to support, and the one they want to support. You must choose which one you will be.”

Cmdr Stateira "Starcloak" Eleshenar

Liaedin Chronicle | Interstellar Press

Forgotten Corners of the Galaxy - Fehu

300 ly south of inhabited space is the remote Imperial star system of Fehu, governed by the Fehu Citizens of Tradition. The star system is home to several big name media corporations including DK and Son Holographics, but also attracts exobiologists to two of the gas giants; one supporting ammonia-based life, the other water-based life.

The terraformed planet of Likopo is home to most of the system’s 3 million inhabitants, with only 8.7% oxygen but over double the atmospheres ensuring a human-breathable environment. Days are over twice as long, but years are five and a half weeks shorter. The planet enjoys a rather warm average temperature of 30°C, and tourists are advised to take necessary precautions to avoid heat stroke, especially around the equatorial regions.

Frigschneck’s Resort station plays host to the comings and goings of tourists, but the station’s economy largely operates in concert with the agriculture of the planet below, processing and transporting foodstuffs to other star systems. Thompson-Keen Asylum, set up in orbit of the rocky moon of Doolhof, runs an efficient refinery operation to process the ores extracted by freelance miners, most of whom work on the metal-rich Fehu 1 and 2.

With a growing economy and populace, Fehu is proving a popular location for Imperial companies to relocate and invest.

Cmdr Stateira "Starcloak" Eleshenar

Sentient Life | Interstellar Press

Federation Defense Contractor Allegedly Supplying Kumo Crew

Phantom Black, a hacker-activist group, has released documents that allegedly implicates a Federation-aligned, government-subsidized defense contractor in providing material support to the Kumo Crew.

The group released the financial records of Arborgate Logistics, a corporation well-known for its involvement in supplying weapons, vehicles, and other military hardware to various system defense fleets and private security firms.

The records released by Phantom Black show that Arborgate used funds from government subsidies to purchase surplus ships, components, weapons, ammunition and armor without a clear reason given for the purchases. These supplies were later transferred to numerous systems in the Pegasi sector, many of which fall under the direct control of the Kumo Crew.

Requests for comment by the press were ignored by Arborgate, but a spokesperson for the the Federal Security Service has said that they are in the process of conducting an internal investigation into the matter.

Commander Driggers

Regulus Observer | Interstellar Press

The White Templars resisting Archon Delaine

A group known as the White Templars have reportedly been assisting the resistance forces in OR Delphini, a system Archon Delaine has attempted to expand his influence into.

“Operation Tsunami was mobilized to answer the request of local government and law enforcement in OR Delphini, and consisted of seven wings working in a coordinated effort to shut down Kumo Crew activity in the system,” a White Templar spokesperson said, refusing to give his name. “We suffered no losses during the operation and faced little resistance.”

While it is unclear what the exact number of losses were for the Kumo Crew forces, the Templars believe they delivered a heavy blow to the pirate band.

“This demonstrates that when innocent groups call out for help to resist oppression, help will come. Let us hope this war soon comes to an end, so peace and prosperity can yet again return to these systems.”

Commander Pierre916 

Liaedin Chronicle | Interstellar Press