GalNet/3303/February

02 FEB

Community Goal: Halsey to Build Refugee Centre

Former Federal president Jasmina Halsey has announced plans to establish a rehabilitation centre for victims of war – specifically those affected by the ongoing Federal-Imperial conflict. In a statement, Halsey said:

"The centre will of course provide victims with food and shelter, but it will also serve to reunite families and friends, and where necessary will help those affected by war relocate to new systems."

Humanitarian groups were quick to applaud Halsey, who since being discharged from the Clearwater Clinic in July last year has repeatedly expressed her commitment to peace.

The campaign has received financial support from the Yum Kamcabi Purple Life Industry, which has placed an open order for Power Generators, Tantalum and Polymers for use in the construction. Pilots who deliver these commodities to Dirichlet Orbital in the Yum Kamcabi system will be generously rewarded.

The campaign begins on the 2nd of February 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Community Goal: The Colonia Expansion

The Colonia Council has launched a third migration appeal, giving the galaxy's minor factions an opportunity to establish a permanent presence in the Colonia Nebula.

A spokesperson for the organisation explained the nature of the initiative:

"Once again we are asking pilots to deliver a specific commodity to Jaques Station on behalf of their chosen organisation in order to earn a migration visa."

"At the end of the campaign, the ten factions that have made the largest contribution will earn the right to settle in one of the systems we have targeted for colonisation. A new planetary outpost will be constructed in the system for the organisation's sole use."

The campaign begins on the 2nd of February 3303 and will run for four weeks. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

03 FEB

Galactic News: Children of Raxxla Release Report

The Children of Raxxla, based in the HR 6421 system, have released an analysis of the exploration data recovered by the galactic community in November last year.

A spokesperson for the organisation said:

"There was a vast amount of data to sift through, but our analysis led to some notable discoveries in the Formidine Rift, the Conflux and Hawkin's Gap. There are indications that some kind of covert mission took place in these regions back in the 3270s. So far we have found shipwrecks, beacons and abandoned settlements dating from that time, and logs and records relating to this strange mission."

"It appears that a fleet was despatched, over 30 years ago, to install a series of beacons in the region. None of the ships returned to their point of origin. It seems that this mission was called 'the Dynasty Project'. The purpose of the mission isn't yet clear, but it was evidently a massive undertaking, particular given the technological limitations of the time – it would have taken a year to complete that journey 30 years ago."

The spokesperson was asked if the data supported the organisation's belief that Kahina Loren was innocent of the attempted assassination of Admiral Denton Patreus.

"Unfortunately there is nothing in the data that throws new light on Salomé's demise. But before she was arrested, she indicated that these three sectors were significant. We now believe that that is why she was killed."

Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Trade Blows

The leaders of the galaxy's three superpowers have released further statements concerning reports of mysterious spacecraft.

Emperor Arissa-Lavigny Duval, responding to the recent statement from Federal President Zachary Hudson, said:

"Once again, President Hudson has shown himself to be little more than a warmonger. I say again: we must not jump to conclusions. We have not yet acquired any reliable information about these vessels. We must be patient."

No sooner had the Emperor made her statement than President Hudson responded. Speaking at a rally on Mars, he said:

"Some believe that aliens have infiltrated the Empire. An improbable claim? Maybe. But then again, maybe not. After all, we are almost certainly dealing with an extremely advanced species. Who knows what they are capable of?"

Alliance Prime Minister Edmund Mahon did not release a statement, but former Federal president Jasmina Halsey, who has become one of Mahon's most trusted advisors, made an announcement in which she seemed to address the ongoing Federal-Imperial conflict as much as the mysterious ships:

"Understanding. Cooperation. These must be our watchwords. We have to go beyond party politics and petty point scoring. Only by working together can we hope to avoid bloodshed."

Galactic News: Second Colonia Appeal Concludes

The second Colonia Council migration appeal has come to an end. Hundreds of organisations took part in the campaign, delivering huge quantities of material to Jaques Station in the hope of earning a place in the Colonia Nebula.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Colonia Council said:

"We are immensely grateful to those who contributed to this appeal, which has demonstrated the galactic community's ongoing commitment to the Colonia community. The material we have received will be used in various infrastructure projects throughout the region."

06 FEB

Galactic News: Ram Tah Comments on New Discoveries

Independent engineer Ram Tah, who has been leading research into the Synuefe ruins, has commented on the discovery of several new, similar sites:

"I am delighted that our research has led explorers to further ancient sites, and I am hopeful that these ruins will yield fresh information about the Guardians."

"I am aware that some pilots believe the new sites are identical to the one in Synuefe XR-H d11-102, but deeper analysis reveals that while the structures follow a set architectural pattern, the configuration of the codex-data pillars is different. This means there is probably unique data at each site, and I urge explorers to investigate the codex layouts to ensure no data is missed."

Ram Tah also urged independent explorers to deliver any recovered data promptly, as his deciphering software can be applied to Guardian codices for only a few weeks.

09 FEB

Galactic News: Halsey's Campaign Reaches Successful Conclusion

Former Federal president Jasmina Halsey has announced that her campaign to establish a rehabilitation centre for victims of war has received the wholehearted support of the galactic community. Hundreds of pilots supported the campaign by delivering construction materials to Dirichlet Orbital, the campaign's centre.

As the campaign drew to a close, Jasmina Halsey released a statement:

"It is clear to me that, in the current political climate, peace cannot be achieved without practical effort. It feels so good to do something that will have a measurable impact."

"My sincere thanks go to the many pilots who supported this campaign, and to the Yum Kamcabi Purple Life Industry for its generous financial support."

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Dirichlet Orbital in the Yum Kamcabi system.

Community Goal: Peacock Patrons of Law Issue Appeal

The Peacock Patrons of Law have placed an open order for Robotics, Ion Distributors and Emergency Power Cells. The organisation has promised to reward pilots who deliver these commodities to Phillips Dock in the Peacock system.

The campaign begins on the 9th February 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Community Goal: Valentine's Day Appeal

Human civilisation spans hundreds of star systems and encompasses a wide range of cultures, but many people still share a number of traditions. One such tradition is Valentine's Day, a celebration of romantic love dating from the 5th Century.

With many choosing to mark the occasion by giving gifts to their significant other, retailers throughout the galaxy are preparing for a busy week. One of these retailers, Vestani Conservatives, has placed an open order for various commodities in anticipation of this hectic period. A spokesperson for the organisation said:

"We won't be able to fulfil our commercial obligations without the support of the galactic community, so we're offering generous premiums to pilots who deliver Thrutis Cream, Deuringas Truffles and Esuseku Caviar to our headquarters at Rose Terminal in the Vestani system."

The campaign begins on the 9th of February 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

10 FEB

Galactic News: Intriguing Expedition Record Surfaces

A curious record has surfaced, detailing an apparently clandestine expedition to find relics from the lost civilisation known as the Guardians.

The record, which takes the form of a series of personal logs, indicates that the expedition was led by one Professor Melville, an authority on xeno-biology who disappeared a few months ago.

The record has attracted a considerable amount of attention, and is reprinted in full below.

13th January 3303

"I'm not just going to sit here while that jumped-up mechanic Ram Tah spoon-feeds us information."

That's what Professor Melville said. He wanted to know more about the Guardians – maybe even figure out where they came from. So off we went, with little to go on beyond the professor's belief that there were more ruins out there.

He claims to have information that will help us find more sites, but he's keeping it close to his chest. Only he and the pilot know where we're going. It's like he's afraid someone will take credit for his discovery. We've been scanning lifeless planetoids for days, eyeballing the ground for locations.

He keeps reciting the same little speech: "Xeno-achaeology has moved on. The days of exploring the outer reaches, only occasionally finding something of value, are behind us. I have found the key."

But I'm not an archaeologist. Professor Melville is just a means to an end. I signed up for the money.

24th January 3303

We received an update today – apparently Ram Tah has found some new sites. Melville scoffed when he heard the news. "Scraps from an amateur," he said. "We'll find the real secrets. Trust me."

Trust. That's an interesting thing. Why should we trust someone who doesn't trust us? Well, maybe he has reason not to: I took a look at his records while he was talking to the pilot. I don't like being kept in the dark.

Melville thinks there could be hundreds of sites out there. His hypothesis is that the Guardians occupied an area of space similar in size to that currently inhabited by humans, but that for some reason they were forced to migrate. He believes he can find that region of space and the Guardians' point of origin.

The Guardians could well have had a huge civilisation, with hundreds of sites – maybe thousands – in this part of space. The similarities across different sites are comparable to the way we reuse certain structures. After all, how many Coriolis stations are there in the galaxy?

2nd February 3303

Melville thinks the Synuefe XR-H D11-102 system represents some kind of end point or 'last colony'. Beyond that, the sites appear in clusters, with the number of sites in each cluster getting increasingly larger. We discovered a cluster of sites only a few days ago before finding a location with an entirely unique layout. So far we've found three sites in each of the following systems: Synuefe LY-I b42-2, Synuefe NL-N c23-4 and Synuefe TP-F b44-0.

There are basically three different types of site, most of which have a different codex layout. Melville thinks that each type of site fulfilled a different function. He also thinks the Guardians were the dominant species in this region of space. But he's not content with this discovery. He wants to keep going.

Are we ever going back to turn back?

8th February 3303

This isn't a research vessel anymore – it's a prison. All means of communicating with the rest of the galaxy have been disabled. Melville has taken control of ship. His obsession has doomed us all.

I'm transmitting these records in the hope that someone finds them and comes to our rescue. But the chances of that are slim.

13 FEB

Galactic News: Ram Tah Makes Breakthrough

Since the Synuefe ruins were discovered in October, hundreds of explorers, archaeologists and relic hunters have scoured the site for information about the race that created it. When engineer Ram Tah started researching the ruins, hundreds more joined the search, motivated either by a thirst for knowledge or by the promise of reward.

Now, Ram Tah claims to have made a significant breakthrough. In a statement, he said:

"Thanks to the hard work of many dedicated pilots – and in particular Commander Noodlz05 and his wingmates – I have isolated a signal in the Guardians' monolith network that will allow scanners to identify sites within 1,000 light seconds. This should make finding further Guardian ruins considerably easier."

"I would like to thank all those involved for their help. This was not an easy task, but together we have learned a great deal about the Guardians' fascinating culture."

16 FEB

Galactic News: Peacock Patrons of Law Appeal Concludes

A spokesperson for the Peacock Patrons of Law has announced that their appeal for robotics, ion distributors and emergency power cells has been enthusiastically received by the galactic community, resulting in a massive influx of deliveries to Phillips Dock, the organisation's base of operations.

The Peacock Patrons of Law have extended their gratitude to those who supported the campaign.

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Phillips Dock in the Peacock system.

Galactic News: Valentine's Day Appeal Ends

The Vestani Conservatives have announced that their Valentine's Day appeal received the enthusiastic support of the galactic community, with hundreds of pilots taking to their ships to transport commodities to Rose Terminal in the Vestani system.

A spokesperson for the organisation released a brief statement:

"We are delighted with the response, and would like to thank the galactic community for helping us make this Valentine's Day particularly special."

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Rose Terminal in the Vestani system.

Community Goal: Upheaval in Sutekh

Recent reports indicate that a Federal convoy has been destroyed in the Sutekh system. It is not yet clear who is responsible for the attack, but security agencies based in Sutekh have tentatively identified the Adad Exchange, an Imperial faction.

The Adad Exchange is also understood to have launched an operation to recover military intelligence from the wreckage. The Federation has responded with a counter-operation designed to prevent the intelligence from falling into Imperial hands. The United Sutekh Future has been authorised to coordinate the campaign.

Both factions have appealed to the galactic community for support, promising to reward pilots who support their operations. The campaigns begin on the 16th of February 3303 and will run for one week. If either side achieves its aims earlier than planned, the campaigns will end immediately.

17 FEB

Galactic News: Speculation over MetaDrive Technology

Audit records from MetaDrive Inc., acquired by the Sirius Corporation last year, have been leaked into public data silos by persons unknown.

While the majority of the data is unremarkable, one record mentions 'wake suppression', prompting some commentators to speculate on a possible connection to MetaDrive's work on hyperdrive systems.

A spokesperson for the Sirius Corporation responded by saying:

"We do not typically comment on leaks of this nature, but we can certainly allay any fears that the Sirius Corporation is conducting experimental hyperdrive research. The document in question simply refers to research into sleep-management technology for long-haul travel."

23 FEB

Galactic News: United Sutekh Future Operation Succeeds

A spokesperson for United Sutekh Future has announced that the organisation has triumphed over the Adad Exchange in the Sutekh system.

The conflict began when the Adad Exchange attempted to plunder the remains of a Federal convoy for sensitive military intelligence. When United Sutekh Future learned of the plan, it launched an offensive against the Adad Exchange, eager to prevent the intelligence from falling into enemy hands.

Both campaigns received the support of hundreds of independent pilots, but ultimately it was United Sutekh Future that emerged victorious. A spokesperson for the organisation thanked those who supported its operation.

Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Archemides Gateway in the Sutekh system.

Community Goal: The Rahu Operation

An Alliance spokesperson has announced that a Naval convoy has been attacked in the Rahu system. The spokesperson also confirmed that criminals have begun targeting the convoy with the intention of taking escape pods from the wreckage. They went on to say:

"These criminals have just one aim: to abduct Alliance personnel and sell them into illegal slavery. We cannot allow these vile opportunists to take our comrades captive."

"We are therefore asking pilots to recover escape pods from the wreckage and deliver them to Acharya Station in Rahu. We have also placed a kill order on all wanted ships operating in the system, in support of the rescue operation."

The campaign begins on the 23rd of February 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Freelance Report: Buckyball Racing Club has Tunnel Vision

After a relatively quiet start to the year, the Buckyball Racing Club is back with its first full-length race of 3303: Tunnel Vision.

The race, which is between Leopold Heckmann Ring in the Malaikudi system and Evans Port in Parutis, requires competitors to navigate a series of tunnels at various scientific and military installations en route. Bonuses will be awarded depending on ship size, meaning some very large ships will be squeezed through some very tight spaces.

The Buckyball Racing Club refused to address rumours that the race will use Federal and Imperial capital ship docks as gates.

The event starts on Saturday the 25th of February and will run until Monday the 6th of March.

Alec Turner

24 FEB

Galactic News: Theft at Darnielle's Progress

A carefully orchestrated heist, involving the theft of a large quantity of meta-alloys, has taken place at Darnielle's Progress in the Maia system.

Security personnel at the starport confirmed that an unidentified Cobra-class vessel was involved in the robbery. After the ship docked at the starport, the pilot and four other passengers disembarked before the ship was serviced and refuelled.

Later, the pilot requisitioned the largest available quota of meta-alloys, whereupon the automated units inexplicably loaded it to maximum capacity. The Cobra immediately departed, breaking speed limits and ignoring hails.

Attempts were made to track the ship, but no trace of it was found.

Investigations are ongoing. Pilots are asked to report any sightings of a Cobra with the callsign 'lima uniform charlie'.

25 FEB

Galactic News: Asteroid Destroyed in HIP 16497

Earlier this week, automated stellar probes in the HIP 16497 system picked up an unusual heat signature. Local explorers promptly launched an investigation, only to discover that an asteroid had inexplicably disappeared from the system.

"It's most peculiar," said Kate Panamen of the Mars High Astrocartography Institute. "Given the asteroid's orbit, it shouldn't have come into contact with anything in the system for aeons. Nevertheless, the investigators found an expanding cloud of dust in the asteroid's supposed location. We're at a loss to explain how it could have been destroyed."

Both Federal and Imperial sources denied rumours that the destruction of the asteroid was a result of experimental weapon testing.