Lena Ravenhill is the Chief Editor of the Federal Times. In late 3304, she spoke out against efforts to suppress and discredit a Federal Security Service investigation into the Mars Tribune's illegal use of surveillance programs in the personal administration robots of private individuals.
Timeline[]
22 NOV 3304
- The Mars Tribune has been closed and its owner arrested in the wake of the spy robot scandal. The announcement was made by Detective Captain Ramesh Thorne, who was recently reinstated to, and promoted by, the Federal Security Service: "Kingsley Cordova, editor Lana Sigrid and other employees of The Mars Tribune have been arrested for blackmail and corruption. The newsfeed has been permanently dissolved, and the Cordova Group conglomerate subjected to a government audit. I would like to thank the anonymous whistle-blower who exposed Cordova's scheme. She has now removed the surveillance program from all Achilles Corporation PA912 robots in exchange for immunity from prosecution." Chief Editor Lena Ravenhill wrote in The Federal Times: "The Mars Tribune abandoned its professional ethics in its hunt for salacious headlines, thereby undermining the role of honest journalism in our society. We are relieved to see justice done."[1]
15 NOV 3304
- The Federal Times has revealed a connection between the Cordova Group and the spy robots scandal. Chief Editor Lena Ravenhill wrote: "Ramesh Thorne's recent appeal elicited a response from an anonymous whistle-blower – a robotics engineer employed by the Achilles Corporation who helped design the robots at the heart of these events. The engineer has attested that she was blackmailed by Kingsley Cordova, owner of the Mars Tribune, into installing surveillance programs on robots belonging to well-known people in the Sol system. The accumulated data was relayed to the Cordova Group, which published it in The Mars Tribune." A spokesperson for the Achilles Corporation said: "The engineer has provided us with a 'kill switch' that remotely deletes the spy program she designed. This coreware update has now been transmitted to all PA912 model robots. We can therefore assure our customers that there is no longer any risk of their private information being misused."[2]
08 NOV 3304
- Lieutenant Inspector Ramesh Thorne, who has been leading an investigation into The Mars Tribune, has been suspended from the Federal Security Service. A spokesperson for the FSS released the following statement: "We have suspended Lieutenant Inspector Thorne from active duty, effective immediately. His investigation is officially terminated." The announcement came less than an hour after Thorne made the following public appeal: "We have evidence that the admin robots fitted with surveillance programs are connected to exclusive stories obtained by The Mars Tribune. Since my superiors are unwilling to pursue this, I am appealing to anyone with relevant information to come forward. I can guarantee them immunity from prosecution." Many media including Lena Ravenhill, chief editor of The Federal Times, reacted with outrage to the news: "It's clear that someone in the FSS is feeling threatened, and that The Mars Tribune has used spy robots to feed the scandals it thrives on. We are highlighting Ramesh Thorne's appeal, as are many other newsfeeds taking a stand against corrupt journalism."[3]
03 NOV 3304
- The Federal Security Service has abruptly terminated its investigation of The Mars Tribune regarding personal administration robots fitted with hidden surveillance programs. Although interviews with Tribune employees were underway, it has been alleged that a senior figure in the FSS ordered the task force to focus elsewhere. The Tribune's owner, billionaire Kingsley Cordova, stated: "I'm pleased that our innocence has been accepted, and I'm confident that the guilty parties will soon be found." An opinion piece in The Federal Times from chief editor Lena Ravenhill took an alternative view, however: "Last week, Cordova suggested the spy robots could share the many secrets they've gathered, and suddenly the FSS is ordered to leave The Mars Tribune alone. Does anyone really think this is coincidence? How many powerful people are frightened of what Cordova might reveal about them?"[4]