News-News: This new page will debut all weekly changes, updates, upgrades, and advisories that affect this RP as a whole.
News and Patches
Pending Changes and Augments:
1. Hypertext Wiki-links are being applied to almost all 1,000+ pages, helping to answer your TNH questions.
2. Final planetary and lunar astrophysical and historical data packets are uploading. Please be patient, as we are still using the same example-template for the World Data Sheet (chart) on all
planet pages. Actual World Data Sheets will not be available until next year, pending RP frequency.
3. Based upon your donations and requests, we will be apportioning our staff to add new planet pages.
1. Hypertext Wiki-links are being applied to almost all 1,000+ pages, helping to answer your TNH questions.
2. Final planetary and lunar astrophysical and historical data packets are uploading. Please be patient, as we are still using the same example-template for the World Data Sheet (chart) on all
planet pages. Actual World Data Sheets will not be available until next year, pending RP frequency.
3. Based upon your donations and requests, we will be apportioning our staff to add new planet pages.
Patches:
The ME2 Verse has now been applied. See the Milky Way Galaxy page in the Galaxy Map drop-down menu.* Current World Data Sheets are examples only, at present, and are open to player suggestions at all times.
The ME2 Verse has now been applied. See the Milky Way Galaxy page in the Galaxy Map drop-down menu.* Current World Data Sheets are examples only, at present, and are open to player suggestions at all times.
New Horizon Website News:
1. The Personnel Dossiers webpage has been updated, still under construction.2. The Himinbjorg System webpage song has been removed, pending adjustment.
1. The Personnel Dossiers webpage has been updated, still under construction.2. The Himinbjorg System webpage song has been removed, pending adjustment.
3. The Job Openings and Assignments chart graphic has been updated to present time.
4. IRL rates (costs) for our offered goods and services (including courses and training packages) are now
posted at the bottom of our new Support Us page. Our latest service addition is Website Consultation.
新聞和
修補程序
修補程序
IRP Verse News:
For the majority of our IRP (In Role-Play) news in this roleplaying universe, see the individual webpages for each character (located in the Personnel Dossiers tab) and cosmic body (clusters, nebulae, star systems, planets, and moons, located in the Galaxy Map tab). Also, new-join characters will be updating their character profiles and IRP/IC (In Role-Play / In-Character) journals in our newly created RP Forum.
For the majority of our IRP (In Role-Play) news in this roleplaying universe, see the individual webpages for each character (located in the Personnel Dossiers tab) and cosmic body (clusters, nebulae, star systems, planets, and moons, located in the Galaxy Map tab). Also, new-join characters will be updating their character profiles and IRP/IC (In Role-Play / In-Character) journals in our newly created RP Forum.
TNH Newsflash: Every airlock mysteriously opened at the same time. Oh, boy! Hold on to your bedpans!
"Fox" Galactic News Network
Non-Planet-Specific News from Across the Verse
Ongoing Contemporary Galactic Community-of-Worlds Issues:
Philosophical and religious debates continue at the Ivy League universities on all of the worlds spread out across our colonized Verse. The current 'hot topic' of debate?: why virtually every habitable and terraformable world we come across often has ruins and pyramids, plants and animals, but no comparable sentient life, no indications as to why or how such life might have vanished, and why there is no record or recollection of any previous human activity there, raising the follow-up questions: Who built what is now in ruins? Why are pyramids such a common architectural occurrence? Were these worlds terraformed over a much greater period of time to ensure their stable 'face-lifts'? ...and the wilder questions: Are we somehow creating these ruins merely by expecting them? And now that they are in such excellent condition as paradisaical 'Garden Worlds' (Class M planets, for all you astrophysics buffs out there), ...should we be expecting the imminent return of whoever shaped them that way?
Philosophical and religious debates continue at the Ivy League universities on all of the worlds spread out across our colonized Verse. The current 'hot topic' of debate?: why virtually every habitable and terraformable world we come across often has ruins and pyramids, plants and animals, but no comparable sentient life, no indications as to why or how such life might have vanished, and why there is no record or recollection of any previous human activity there, raising the follow-up questions: Who built what is now in ruins? Why are pyramids such a common architectural occurrence? Were these worlds terraformed over a much greater period of time to ensure their stable 'face-lifts'? ...and the wilder questions: Are we somehow creating these ruins merely by expecting them? And now that they are in such excellent condition as paradisaical 'Garden Worlds' (Class M planets, for all you astrophysics buffs out there), ...should we be expecting the imminent return of whoever shaped them that way?
Terraformed Stars:
The beautiful and stunning discoveries of several until-now unexplored and unnoticed solar systems in our arms of the Milky Way have led scientists and artists into a state of mass-euphoria and hurried expeditions. The 'new Suns' that have been found have had their photos and videos 'going viral' across The Cortex. Why? Because these special and rare stars have much dimmer glows allowing for indefinite direct viewing, a full rainbow of assorted and mixed color patches instead of a singular, monochromatic scheme to them, and because many of them even have clearly defined and stable 'continents' resting about their surface areas. Witnesses have described them as being "like bioluminescent, translucent, radiant versions of the fabled planet Earth", and words and images like these have sparked a growing curiosity and burning desire across all of colonized Space to set out in a tireless quest for more of these cosmic entities; logic now telling us all that surely... somewhere out there... there are many more just like them, and others still that are more amazing and breathtaking than them... and even some that are planet-sized, colonizable, and lucrative as resort world investments.
The beautiful and stunning discoveries of several until-now unexplored and unnoticed solar systems in our arms of the Milky Way have led scientists and artists into a state of mass-euphoria and hurried expeditions. The 'new Suns' that have been found have had their photos and videos 'going viral' across The Cortex. Why? Because these special and rare stars have much dimmer glows allowing for indefinite direct viewing, a full rainbow of assorted and mixed color patches instead of a singular, monochromatic scheme to them, and because many of them even have clearly defined and stable 'continents' resting about their surface areas. Witnesses have described them as being "like bioluminescent, translucent, radiant versions of the fabled planet Earth", and words and images like these have sparked a growing curiosity and burning desire across all of colonized Space to set out in a tireless quest for more of these cosmic entities; logic now telling us all that surely... somewhere out there... there are many more just like them, and others still that are more amazing and breathtaking than them... and even some that are planet-sized, colonizable, and lucrative as resort world investments.
2516 Anno Domini
狐狸
新聞
兩個之一八五
More: [Entire Article] Cortex Weblink
Under Construction
April, week 1:
1st - Planet DC1938 Explodes After Core Fusion
"DC1938, a small Garden World circling the red supergiant SM2183 Rua, exploded today in a rare phenomenon called core fusion. The planet's uranium core collapsed in on itself, igniting a thermonuclear explosion large enough to rupture the planet into several pieces. The shock wave and loss of atmosphere has reportedly killed more than five billion native inhabitants. There is one known survivor: an infant rocketed from the planet in an FTL escape pod picked up by the human cruiser MSV Kent. The inhabitants of the planet, previously unknown to the galaxy, were a spacefaring race who used crystalline matrices for their computing needs. The infant has been taken to medical facilities in the local cluster, where he is breathing gases in a ratio similar to the atmosphere of his home planet: 65% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and 15% krypton."
2nd - GNN Correspondent Robin Lasky Released After Trial
"GNN news correspondent Robin Lasky was released today after court proceedings in the Republic of Ghurst. After a two-hour trial and forty minutes of deliberation, Ruzad Drau Sorze deemed that Lasky's reporting was no threat to the state. Lasky, who attended the trial intubated with oxygen following a jailhouse assault, was in tears as her parents and producer hugged her and wheeled her out. The ruzad's decision was reportedly influenced by a 180,000-credit "review fee" that GNN paid to compensate the ruzad for his time, a fee that was apparently unpaid by the prosecution."
3rd - Peace Activists Protest War on Garvug
"Peace activists demonstrated today at the headquarters of Binary Helix, Guanghui Solutions, and Sonax Industries -- the three companies forming the backbone of the corporate army on Garvug. Demanding that the corporations lift their siege of the planetary capital Dhazil, the protesters burned corporate logos in effigy and called for a galactic boycott of all three companies' products. Meanwhile, a group of outsiders, the Society for Creative Anacronism (SCA) have been reacting to the war (and reenacting it) with amusement. "The corporations will win the war, no doubt", said Urdnot Galem, clan media director on Tuchanka. "But are they dumb enough to expect peace ever again?""
4th - Vladivostok Bears Beat Detroit Tigers in Baseball Season Opener
"Londinium's 2185 baseball season opened today with a faceoff between the New Detroit Tigers and the New Vladivostok Bears. The Russians brought a brutal A-game and punished the Tigers 11-4. A grand slam in the second inning gave the Bears an early lead and demoralized the Tigers. "We were making fundamental mistakes out there, myself included", said Tiger pitcher Dave Marlboro. "I threw every way I could, and they just kept popping them off. We were not playing how we were in training just three weeks ago". The Bears go on to face the New Baltimore Orioles at New Camden Yards next week, while the Tigers take on the New Kyoto Katanas in a home game."
"DC1938, a small Garden World circling the red supergiant SM2183 Rua, exploded today in a rare phenomenon called core fusion. The planet's uranium core collapsed in on itself, igniting a thermonuclear explosion large enough to rupture the planet into several pieces. The shock wave and loss of atmosphere has reportedly killed more than five billion native inhabitants. There is one known survivor: an infant rocketed from the planet in an FTL escape pod picked up by the human cruiser MSV Kent. The inhabitants of the planet, previously unknown to the galaxy, were a spacefaring race who used crystalline matrices for their computing needs. The infant has been taken to medical facilities in the local cluster, where he is breathing gases in a ratio similar to the atmosphere of his home planet: 65% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and 15% krypton."
2nd - GNN Correspondent Robin Lasky Released After Trial
"GNN news correspondent Robin Lasky was released today after court proceedings in the Republic of Ghurst. After a two-hour trial and forty minutes of deliberation, Ruzad Drau Sorze deemed that Lasky's reporting was no threat to the state. Lasky, who attended the trial intubated with oxygen following a jailhouse assault, was in tears as her parents and producer hugged her and wheeled her out. The ruzad's decision was reportedly influenced by a 180,000-credit "review fee" that GNN paid to compensate the ruzad for his time, a fee that was apparently unpaid by the prosecution."
3rd - Peace Activists Protest War on Garvug
"Peace activists demonstrated today at the headquarters of Binary Helix, Guanghui Solutions, and Sonax Industries -- the three companies forming the backbone of the corporate army on Garvug. Demanding that the corporations lift their siege of the planetary capital Dhazil, the protesters burned corporate logos in effigy and called for a galactic boycott of all three companies' products. Meanwhile, a group of outsiders, the Society for Creative Anacronism (SCA) have been reacting to the war (and reenacting it) with amusement. "The corporations will win the war, no doubt", said Urdnot Galem, clan media director on Tuchanka. "But are they dumb enough to expect peace ever again?""
4th - Vladivostok Bears Beat Detroit Tigers in Baseball Season Opener
"Londinium's 2185 baseball season opened today with a faceoff between the New Detroit Tigers and the New Vladivostok Bears. The Russians brought a brutal A-game and punished the Tigers 11-4. A grand slam in the second inning gave the Bears an early lead and demoralized the Tigers. "We were making fundamental mistakes out there, myself included", said Tiger pitcher Dave Marlboro. "I threw every way I could, and they just kept popping them off. We were not playing how we were in training just three weeks ago". The Bears go on to face the New Baltimore Orioles at New Camden Yards next week, while the Tigers take on the New Kyoto Katanas in a home game."
April, week 2:
5th - Corporate Forces Storm Fortress of Garvug's Ruler
"Corporate forces on Garvug have won a major victory tonight: Sonax infantry units surrounded the Clan Hailot ancestral fortress and pounded it with rocket-propelled grenades, singularity projectors, and mass accelerator fire. In a bloody invasion that yielded 12 casualties, troops stormed the doors and took the fortress, destroying the resistance and replacing the clan flag with the Sonax Industries logo. There is no word yet if clan head Hailot Wrund was inside the building during the attack. Elsewhere in the city, troops had to pick their way through booby-trapped power stations, hospitals, and water purification facilities. "It's not over yet", said one young special forces officer, who declined to be named. "They haven't even begun to fight"."
6th - Comedienne Sura Non Sparks Feud After Garvug War Comments
"Comedienne Sura Non sparked the entertainment feud of the week when her comments about the war on Garvug caught the ire of CitSpace Daily opinionator Max Power. The scampy humorist said that conquering a Fringe world "is like buying a beehive with a sign reading 'Pre-Shaken' and saying, 'But darling, it's 20% off!'" Power slammed her, saying the colonists on Garvug have been victims since the planet's inception, and mocking their pain is tasteless. Non shot back: "If Power doesn't understand that I was mocking the corporate monkeys who made the decision to invade, I suggest he start stretching and get a flashlight so he can try to find where his head is lodged". Supporters of Non have taken up the fight, mailing Power over 1,500 flashlights to-date."
7th - Corporatists Capture Garvug System's Comm Buoys
"Garvug's state-run forces received another blow today when newly arrived corporate armies retook the Garvug System's comm buoys. After a tense two-hour battle, the state's finest retreated to FTL in order to avoid total destruction. Through the comm buoys, the corporatists can direct communication to other planets that may wish to send reinforcements. Asked if they will censor the media, who have been relying on FTL ships using the mass relay to escape the system, Sonax supreme commander Lira Speight said, "Anything that gives away vital battlespace information or appears to be a coded transmission will be stopped. Aside from that, we believe in working hand-in-hand with the media to publicize what we anticipate to be a swift and relatively painless victory"."
8th - Garvug's Ruler Hailot Wrund Remains At Large
"Counter to corporate military expectations, the Hailot clan chieftain remains at large on Garvug. Though initially suspected to be among the dead in the clan fortress, Hailot Wrund successfully retreated to the countryside. In a radio broadcast, he belittled the corporatist invaders and exhorted his followers to fight them. "We are clan", he roared. "They are merely co-workers. If we make their victory cost them enough, they will leave". Sonax supreme commander Lira Speight later responded in a press conference "I would like to thank Mr. Hailot for broadcasting from a radio tower so that we know exactly where he is", she mocked. "If he thinks he will outlast us by causing financial and physical damage, he is unaware of the high value of his planet and the consortium's long-term strategic vision"."
9th - Conflicting Reports Arise Over Attack on Garvug Radio Tower
"Conflicting stories tonight out of Garvug, where corporate and state forces clashed over a radio tower. State army units claim a victory, saying Hailot Wrund led an ambush that destroyed two armored personnel carriers and shot down a Mantis gunship. Video exists only of the gunship, which is clearly in flames and being urinated on by the victorious forces. The corporate consortium battling for Garvug say no planes were shot down, and that their bombs killed over a hundred enemy infantry near the CXN radio tower. This remains unconfirmed. At press time, the tower is known to be in corporate hands and Hailot Wrund remains at large."
10th - Citadel Council Finishes Six-Day War Game Simulation
"Terminus Systems denizens are enraged tonight as the UAP Council finished a six-day series of war games simulating an invasion of their Space. Officially, the exercises were defensive in nature, but nine dreadnoughts rehearsed positioning and bombardment. "This is more than saber-rattling", said Dick Ackerman, Prime Minister of the colonyworld Arvuna. "This was an attack rehearsal. It was timed to coincide with the invasion of Garvug. Terminus citizens are now on notice, and they are being called on to declare their allegiance or be counted as cowards". Council press secretary Irana Tinos reassured the Systems that these exercises are the duty of any military, and that this event was planned months before the incident on Garvug."
11th - "The Demon and the Nightmare" A Surprise Box Office Hit
"The surprise hit suspense thriller "The Demon and the Nightmare" opened at #1 this weekend, earning 1.78 billion at the box office. The mostly-true story of a pair of thresher maws that nearly wiped out an entire colony on the planet Dagnes uses an old-school, "never-show-the-monster" approach that is a huge hit with fans. Slipping to second place is the girl-power vampire buddy comedy "Bloody Mary," which raked in just 955 million credits. In third, the war comedy "Ruck Humpers," whose rude humor isn't translating well to UAP-Space audiences. Grossing just under 430 million over the last three weeks, the widely-panned film is barely in the black."
"Corporate forces on Garvug have won a major victory tonight: Sonax infantry units surrounded the Clan Hailot ancestral fortress and pounded it with rocket-propelled grenades, singularity projectors, and mass accelerator fire. In a bloody invasion that yielded 12 casualties, troops stormed the doors and took the fortress, destroying the resistance and replacing the clan flag with the Sonax Industries logo. There is no word yet if clan head Hailot Wrund was inside the building during the attack. Elsewhere in the city, troops had to pick their way through booby-trapped power stations, hospitals, and water purification facilities. "It's not over yet", said one young special forces officer, who declined to be named. "They haven't even begun to fight"."
6th - Comedienne Sura Non Sparks Feud After Garvug War Comments
"Comedienne Sura Non sparked the entertainment feud of the week when her comments about the war on Garvug caught the ire of CitSpace Daily opinionator Max Power. The scampy humorist said that conquering a Fringe world "is like buying a beehive with a sign reading 'Pre-Shaken' and saying, 'But darling, it's 20% off!'" Power slammed her, saying the colonists on Garvug have been victims since the planet's inception, and mocking their pain is tasteless. Non shot back: "If Power doesn't understand that I was mocking the corporate monkeys who made the decision to invade, I suggest he start stretching and get a flashlight so he can try to find where his head is lodged". Supporters of Non have taken up the fight, mailing Power over 1,500 flashlights to-date."
7th - Corporatists Capture Garvug System's Comm Buoys
"Garvug's state-run forces received another blow today when newly arrived corporate armies retook the Garvug System's comm buoys. After a tense two-hour battle, the state's finest retreated to FTL in order to avoid total destruction. Through the comm buoys, the corporatists can direct communication to other planets that may wish to send reinforcements. Asked if they will censor the media, who have been relying on FTL ships using the mass relay to escape the system, Sonax supreme commander Lira Speight said, "Anything that gives away vital battlespace information or appears to be a coded transmission will be stopped. Aside from that, we believe in working hand-in-hand with the media to publicize what we anticipate to be a swift and relatively painless victory"."
8th - Garvug's Ruler Hailot Wrund Remains At Large
"Counter to corporate military expectations, the Hailot clan chieftain remains at large on Garvug. Though initially suspected to be among the dead in the clan fortress, Hailot Wrund successfully retreated to the countryside. In a radio broadcast, he belittled the corporatist invaders and exhorted his followers to fight them. "We are clan", he roared. "They are merely co-workers. If we make their victory cost them enough, they will leave". Sonax supreme commander Lira Speight later responded in a press conference "I would like to thank Mr. Hailot for broadcasting from a radio tower so that we know exactly where he is", she mocked. "If he thinks he will outlast us by causing financial and physical damage, he is unaware of the high value of his planet and the consortium's long-term strategic vision"."
9th - Conflicting Reports Arise Over Attack on Garvug Radio Tower
"Conflicting stories tonight out of Garvug, where corporate and state forces clashed over a radio tower. State army units claim a victory, saying Hailot Wrund led an ambush that destroyed two armored personnel carriers and shot down a Mantis gunship. Video exists only of the gunship, which is clearly in flames and being urinated on by the victorious forces. The corporate consortium battling for Garvug say no planes were shot down, and that their bombs killed over a hundred enemy infantry near the CXN radio tower. This remains unconfirmed. At press time, the tower is known to be in corporate hands and Hailot Wrund remains at large."
10th - Citadel Council Finishes Six-Day War Game Simulation
"Terminus Systems denizens are enraged tonight as the UAP Council finished a six-day series of war games simulating an invasion of their Space. Officially, the exercises were defensive in nature, but nine dreadnoughts rehearsed positioning and bombardment. "This is more than saber-rattling", said Dick Ackerman, Prime Minister of the colonyworld Arvuna. "This was an attack rehearsal. It was timed to coincide with the invasion of Garvug. Terminus citizens are now on notice, and they are being called on to declare their allegiance or be counted as cowards". Council press secretary Irana Tinos reassured the Systems that these exercises are the duty of any military, and that this event was planned months before the incident on Garvug."
11th - "The Demon and the Nightmare" A Surprise Box Office Hit
"The surprise hit suspense thriller "The Demon and the Nightmare" opened at #1 this weekend, earning 1.78 billion at the box office. The mostly-true story of a pair of thresher maws that nearly wiped out an entire colony on the planet Dagnes uses an old-school, "never-show-the-monster" approach that is a huge hit with fans. Slipping to second place is the girl-power vampire buddy comedy "Bloody Mary," which raked in just 955 million credits. In third, the war comedy "Ruck Humpers," whose rude humor isn't translating well to UAP-Space audiences. Grossing just under 430 million over the last three weeks, the widely-panned film is barely in the black."
April, week 3:
12th - Chao Hsu and Valerie LeBarre Married on Luna
"Londinium's most famous political family welcomed a new member today as the wedding of Chao Hsu and Valerie LeBarre kicked off on Luna. A record two million spectators turned out in New Cape Canaveral to watch the bride and groom launch from the moon, where an exclusive guest list of 1,500 witnessed the couple recite their own vows in iambic pentameter and exchange tungsten carbide rings. LeBarre's stunning ring is a flawless 16-carat marquise-cut diamond flanked by rare emeralds, and is estimated to be worth just over three million credits. The bride mixed traditions by changing from a European white wedding gown into a red Chinese cheongsam for the reception, where the happy couple danced to "Forever Eyes" by Shasta Miles. The spectacular evening's finale saw the newlyweds ride off to the honeymoon suite on a white horse brought to Luna just for the occasion."
13th - Thessia's Erana University Under Fire After Student Suspensions
"Thessia's prestigious Erana University is under fire tonight after suspending 17 students for holding an Earth-That-Was-history-themed costume party. The students say no ill will was intended, but university officials believe otherwise. The office of the President released a statement, saying "Video of the incident puts the lie to the claim that this was not a racist affair. With all the Earth's historical figures to draw from, these students chose to dress up as Adolf Hitler, Elizabeth Bathory, Caligula, and Pol Pot. They ate a cake shaped like a suicide bomber. Students who could trace their lineage back to the colonists who left Earth back in the 24th century were neither invited nor welcomed at this party mocking their ancestors". More than 100 students did not show up to class this morning to protest the suspension, while others are planning an All-but-Earth-history-themed party in retaliation."
14th - Hunt Begins for Garvug's Deposed Ruler
"Corporate forces' hunt for clan chieftain Hailot Wrund on the planet Garvug enters a new phase tonight. Experts in fugitive recovery are arriving from notorious places like Omega to hunt down the former head of state. Drones and search aircraft are scouring the hills near Dhazil, and Binary Helix has imported two units of varren handlers in attempts to literally catch the clan chief's scent. The phones of soldiers, reporters, and civilians alike are being confiscated so that if Hailot makes a call his cellular frequency can be easily picked out to triangulate his location. "When he reaches out to touch someone, we're going to touch back", promises Lieutenant Sheri Spindlemyer. "I don't think anyone wants to be within crater radius of him right now"."
15th - System Alliance Finds in Favor of President Huerta in 5-4 Decision
"The controversial Marth court case of Ford v. Huerta came to a close today with a 5-4 decision supporting the end of the President's term. Chief Justice Ling announced, "This is not the first time human beings have technically died only to be brought back with proper medical attention. That the window of resuscitation has lengthened is no reason to support a partisan attack on the legitimacy of the President. The legal definition of death must be expanded beyond brain death to include cellular death, as well". Following the decision, protesters erupted into violence on the New Washington Mall and in New Mexico City's Chapultepec Park. The crowds chanting "Down with the zombie!" were quickly suppressed as riot police cleared the capitols with microwaves and stunners. More protests are reportedly planned for the weekend."
16th - Late-Night Comedians Weigh In on Ford v. Huerta Case
"Late-night comedians are weighing in on Ford v. Huerta, the court case that has enough cyborgs, presidents, and controversy to be a Hollywood blockbuster in its own right. Cal DiCosimo said "We're supposed to care that the President was brain-dead after his stroke? What I don't get is that a room full of doctors said he had brain activity before it." Natasha Lyons targeted the Speaker of the House, saying, "Her entire argument is that for the last year, she's wanted to be Vice President. I'm sorry, honey; you don't get out of working that easily." And Manny Zupo gave his analysis: "For the last year, we've had a zombie cyborg president. Why does the speaker want this to end? Every twelve-year-old can now go to class and say 'my president's just as cool as RoboCop."."
17th - Mobs March on Earth to Protest Ford v. Huerta Decision
"Mobs on Earth marched today to protest the Systems Alliance's decision to uphold President Huerta's term. Over 1.5 million marched in New Washington, 2 million in New Mexico City, and 750,000 in New Ottawa, many of them wielding lit torches and pitchforks as a retro political statement. Police in New Washington took the bait, clashing with protestors who threw torches into their ranks. Fifteen protestors and three police were injured. "It was rough today, but I'm not worried," said Sergeant Hathaway of the city's Police. "They seem like the kind of people who bring pitchforks to a gunfight."."
18th - Huerta Protests Spread Across the United North American States
"The Systems Alliance decision on Ford v. Huerta has sparked dozens more protests today all over Marth's United Northern Hemisphere States (UNHS). Incensed by the violence of the previous day, groups sizes have doubled in major UNHS cities. Reaching 4 million in New Mexico City and spreading sister protests to New Los Angeles, New Toronto, and New York, the demonstrations were largely violence-free. The notable exception was New Washington, where mobs' sheer numbers overwhelmed riot police. A video of citizens chasing police down Constitution Avenue has garnered over 900 million hits in the first 12 hours on the Cortex site uploadednews.com."
"Londinium's most famous political family welcomed a new member today as the wedding of Chao Hsu and Valerie LeBarre kicked off on Luna. A record two million spectators turned out in New Cape Canaveral to watch the bride and groom launch from the moon, where an exclusive guest list of 1,500 witnessed the couple recite their own vows in iambic pentameter and exchange tungsten carbide rings. LeBarre's stunning ring is a flawless 16-carat marquise-cut diamond flanked by rare emeralds, and is estimated to be worth just over three million credits. The bride mixed traditions by changing from a European white wedding gown into a red Chinese cheongsam for the reception, where the happy couple danced to "Forever Eyes" by Shasta Miles. The spectacular evening's finale saw the newlyweds ride off to the honeymoon suite on a white horse brought to Luna just for the occasion."
13th - Thessia's Erana University Under Fire After Student Suspensions
"Thessia's prestigious Erana University is under fire tonight after suspending 17 students for holding an Earth-That-Was-history-themed costume party. The students say no ill will was intended, but university officials believe otherwise. The office of the President released a statement, saying "Video of the incident puts the lie to the claim that this was not a racist affair. With all the Earth's historical figures to draw from, these students chose to dress up as Adolf Hitler, Elizabeth Bathory, Caligula, and Pol Pot. They ate a cake shaped like a suicide bomber. Students who could trace their lineage back to the colonists who left Earth back in the 24th century were neither invited nor welcomed at this party mocking their ancestors". More than 100 students did not show up to class this morning to protest the suspension, while others are planning an All-but-Earth-history-themed party in retaliation."
14th - Hunt Begins for Garvug's Deposed Ruler
"Corporate forces' hunt for clan chieftain Hailot Wrund on the planet Garvug enters a new phase tonight. Experts in fugitive recovery are arriving from notorious places like Omega to hunt down the former head of state. Drones and search aircraft are scouring the hills near Dhazil, and Binary Helix has imported two units of varren handlers in attempts to literally catch the clan chief's scent. The phones of soldiers, reporters, and civilians alike are being confiscated so that if Hailot makes a call his cellular frequency can be easily picked out to triangulate his location. "When he reaches out to touch someone, we're going to touch back", promises Lieutenant Sheri Spindlemyer. "I don't think anyone wants to be within crater radius of him right now"."
15th - System Alliance Finds in Favor of President Huerta in 5-4 Decision
"The controversial Marth court case of Ford v. Huerta came to a close today with a 5-4 decision supporting the end of the President's term. Chief Justice Ling announced, "This is not the first time human beings have technically died only to be brought back with proper medical attention. That the window of resuscitation has lengthened is no reason to support a partisan attack on the legitimacy of the President. The legal definition of death must be expanded beyond brain death to include cellular death, as well". Following the decision, protesters erupted into violence on the New Washington Mall and in New Mexico City's Chapultepec Park. The crowds chanting "Down with the zombie!" were quickly suppressed as riot police cleared the capitols with microwaves and stunners. More protests are reportedly planned for the weekend."
16th - Late-Night Comedians Weigh In on Ford v. Huerta Case
"Late-night comedians are weighing in on Ford v. Huerta, the court case that has enough cyborgs, presidents, and controversy to be a Hollywood blockbuster in its own right. Cal DiCosimo said "We're supposed to care that the President was brain-dead after his stroke? What I don't get is that a room full of doctors said he had brain activity before it." Natasha Lyons targeted the Speaker of the House, saying, "Her entire argument is that for the last year, she's wanted to be Vice President. I'm sorry, honey; you don't get out of working that easily." And Manny Zupo gave his analysis: "For the last year, we've had a zombie cyborg president. Why does the speaker want this to end? Every twelve-year-old can now go to class and say 'my president's just as cool as RoboCop."."
17th - Mobs March on Earth to Protest Ford v. Huerta Decision
"Mobs on Earth marched today to protest the Systems Alliance's decision to uphold President Huerta's term. Over 1.5 million marched in New Washington, 2 million in New Mexico City, and 750,000 in New Ottawa, many of them wielding lit torches and pitchforks as a retro political statement. Police in New Washington took the bait, clashing with protestors who threw torches into their ranks. Fifteen protestors and three police were injured. "It was rough today, but I'm not worried," said Sergeant Hathaway of the city's Police. "They seem like the kind of people who bring pitchforks to a gunfight."."
18th - Huerta Protests Spread Across the United North American States
"The Systems Alliance decision on Ford v. Huerta has sparked dozens more protests today all over Marth's United Northern Hemisphere States (UNHS). Incensed by the violence of the previous day, groups sizes have doubled in major UNHS cities. Reaching 4 million in New Mexico City and spreading sister protests to New Los Angeles, New Toronto, and New York, the demonstrations were largely violence-free. The notable exception was New Washington, where mobs' sheer numbers overwhelmed riot police. A video of citizens chasing police down Constitution Avenue has garnered over 900 million hits in the first 12 hours on the Cortex site uploadednews.com."
April, week 4:
19th - Marth Politicians Call for End to UNAS Riots
"Marth's politicians called for a stop to the rioting in the UNAS even as some of them praised the rebellious spirit of the protesters. Speaker of the House Lisa Ford toured the morning talk show circuit to make it clear that although she rejects the UAP decision, there seems little choice but to abide by it. "The people marching in the streets in my name are welcome to do so", she says, "but we must categorically reject the violence that the UAP oppressors use". Now that her day in court has come and gone, Ford admitted that there seem to be no other options."
20th - Hidden Cerberus Communication Method Discovered on Bekenstein
"The disruption of a Cerberus cell on planet Bekenstein has revealed that the human-supremacist group communicates to operatives through steganographic messages concealed in everyday Cortex broadcasts. "We became aware of this when we found media producers on operatives' contact lists", says Alliance counter-terror expert Meng Zhao. "It turns out they had key people hiding marching orders in news stories. For example, one cell would strike if their Cortex filter tagged a science news article. Financiers sent money to cells based on the numbers in altered box office reports. All an investigator would see if they confiscated the computer is a glut of headlines and tabloid trash anyone could be reading". Asked if Cerberus would discontinue this practice when this secret was made public, Zhao said "It's possible, but there are easy work-arounds. I suspect they'll keep the method but change the signals"."
21st - Hailot Wrund Believed Dead After Strike on Convoy
"Corporate forces on the planet Garvug believe they have killed opposition leader Hailot Wrund in a so-called decapitating strike. Special ops soldiers made a positive ID on his convoy and followed it to a ranch house in the hills north of the city of Ikrit. They then painted the house with a laser designator that helped a Raptor drone shoot a rapid-fire mass accelerator directly into the living room. Now, only a flaming crater indicates where the house once stood. DNA samples from the wreckage have been sent back to Binary Helix laboratories in the city of Jundrag, where they will be analyzed and compared to the information on Hailot's medicard."
22nd - Casias Upsets Reyes for Mixed Martial Arts Light Heavyweight Title
"Light heavyweight sensation Zarren "The Varren" Casias scored an upset victory over light heavyweight champion Luis "Laser" Reyes in mixed martial arts action last night. "Fight Night at Marth's Pontiac Silverdome" was delayed by hooligans in the stands, as fans threw drinks and chairs at one another, and over 30 people were ejected. The five-round match only lasted two, with Luis receiving cuts over both eyes early in the first round that may have hampered his vision. Allowed to continue, a desperate clinch by Reyes brought the match to the ground, where both fighters slipped in the blood and Casias brought things to an end with a triangle choke."
23rd - Beating Video Garners Millions of Cortex Views
"A video of several UAP officers beating a group of three civilians is garnering millions of Cortex views. Two UAP officers stopped a suspect on the Citadel for driving erratically and found two more in the trunk of the aircar. Attempts to restrain the three led to a fight in which the officers electro-shocked and beat them. When two more UAP officers arrived as backup, they continued the beating until the driver died of his injuries. It is not clear why the two were in the trunk. Although both had criminal records, their only offense at the time was violating restraining harness laws."
24th - UAP Officers Charged With Use of Excessive Force
"Further developments tonight in the case of four officers beating three civilians; our news team acquired police interviews that reveal the two in the trunk were gang members hiding from a rival gang targeting them. The ward attorney will charge the four officers with the use of excessive force. Meanwhile, the family and friends of Haruta Sio, the man who was beaten to death, held a vigil in his honor. "He was with a bad crowd", said his brother, Jundub, "but he stayed clean. He was just giving a ride to some guys in trouble. This shouldn't have happened"."
25th - Fugitive Hailot Wrund Exhorts Garvug State Forces to Fight
"Hailot Wrund, leader of the former state-run army of Garvug, released a video today mocking the corporate forces trying to capture him. "I'll save you some time", he said, "that DNA you're analyzing was some other hump". The video is half an hour long and exhorts the scattered state forces to engage the corporatists in a guerilla war. "They've moved into our house", he said; "now it's time for them to pay the rent". Sonax Industries supreme commander Lira Speight responded: "Hailot Wrund is a head of state. He should learn that picking up a rifle doesn't make you a soldier, and talking into a video camera, even less so"."
"Marth's politicians called for a stop to the rioting in the UNAS even as some of them praised the rebellious spirit of the protesters. Speaker of the House Lisa Ford toured the morning talk show circuit to make it clear that although she rejects the UAP decision, there seems little choice but to abide by it. "The people marching in the streets in my name are welcome to do so", she says, "but we must categorically reject the violence that the UAP oppressors use". Now that her day in court has come and gone, Ford admitted that there seem to be no other options."
20th - Hidden Cerberus Communication Method Discovered on Bekenstein
"The disruption of a Cerberus cell on planet Bekenstein has revealed that the human-supremacist group communicates to operatives through steganographic messages concealed in everyday Cortex broadcasts. "We became aware of this when we found media producers on operatives' contact lists", says Alliance counter-terror expert Meng Zhao. "It turns out they had key people hiding marching orders in news stories. For example, one cell would strike if their Cortex filter tagged a science news article. Financiers sent money to cells based on the numbers in altered box office reports. All an investigator would see if they confiscated the computer is a glut of headlines and tabloid trash anyone could be reading". Asked if Cerberus would discontinue this practice when this secret was made public, Zhao said "It's possible, but there are easy work-arounds. I suspect they'll keep the method but change the signals"."
21st - Hailot Wrund Believed Dead After Strike on Convoy
"Corporate forces on the planet Garvug believe they have killed opposition leader Hailot Wrund in a so-called decapitating strike. Special ops soldiers made a positive ID on his convoy and followed it to a ranch house in the hills north of the city of Ikrit. They then painted the house with a laser designator that helped a Raptor drone shoot a rapid-fire mass accelerator directly into the living room. Now, only a flaming crater indicates where the house once stood. DNA samples from the wreckage have been sent back to Binary Helix laboratories in the city of Jundrag, where they will be analyzed and compared to the information on Hailot's medicard."
22nd - Casias Upsets Reyes for Mixed Martial Arts Light Heavyweight Title
"Light heavyweight sensation Zarren "The Varren" Casias scored an upset victory over light heavyweight champion Luis "Laser" Reyes in mixed martial arts action last night. "Fight Night at Marth's Pontiac Silverdome" was delayed by hooligans in the stands, as fans threw drinks and chairs at one another, and over 30 people were ejected. The five-round match only lasted two, with Luis receiving cuts over both eyes early in the first round that may have hampered his vision. Allowed to continue, a desperate clinch by Reyes brought the match to the ground, where both fighters slipped in the blood and Casias brought things to an end with a triangle choke."
23rd - Beating Video Garners Millions of Cortex Views
"A video of several UAP officers beating a group of three civilians is garnering millions of Cortex views. Two UAP officers stopped a suspect on the Citadel for driving erratically and found two more in the trunk of the aircar. Attempts to restrain the three led to a fight in which the officers electro-shocked and beat them. When two more UAP officers arrived as backup, they continued the beating until the driver died of his injuries. It is not clear why the two were in the trunk. Although both had criminal records, their only offense at the time was violating restraining harness laws."
24th - UAP Officers Charged With Use of Excessive Force
"Further developments tonight in the case of four officers beating three civilians; our news team acquired police interviews that reveal the two in the trunk were gang members hiding from a rival gang targeting them. The ward attorney will charge the four officers with the use of excessive force. Meanwhile, the family and friends of Haruta Sio, the man who was beaten to death, held a vigil in his honor. "He was with a bad crowd", said his brother, Jundub, "but he stayed clean. He was just giving a ride to some guys in trouble. This shouldn't have happened"."
25th - Fugitive Hailot Wrund Exhorts Garvug State Forces to Fight
"Hailot Wrund, leader of the former state-run army of Garvug, released a video today mocking the corporate forces trying to capture him. "I'll save you some time", he said, "that DNA you're analyzing was some other hump". The video is half an hour long and exhorts the scattered state forces to engage the corporatists in a guerilla war. "They've moved into our house", he said; "now it's time for them to pay the rent". Sonax Industries supreme commander Lira Speight responded: "Hailot Wrund is a head of state. He should learn that picking up a rifle doesn't make you a soldier, and talking into a video camera, even less so"."
April, week 5:
26th - Late-Night Comedians Find Humor in Garvug Situation
"Late-night comedians have finally found some humor in the situation on Garvug. Sura Non quipped, "Corp experts are saying Hailot Wrund will be hiding where nobody's around for kilometers, so they're searching theaters showing "Taze Patterson". Next up, Unara T'Zeli, who says, "Hailot Wrund is well-hidden. How well-hidden, you ask? While they were looking for him, they stumbled across Aish Ashland's missing talent." And Cal DiCosimo took a political bent: "They said they almost killed Hailot Wrund this week. He was so close to dead, Lisa Ford said, 'Can I have his job?'""
27th - Principal Photography Wraps on "Nekyia Corridor"
"Principal photography wrapped today on "Nekyia Corridor", the troubled space epic from Morgan Bierster that has officially reached the benchmark of the most expensive simulstim ever made. Champagne flowed freely on the set for one hour before technicians moved to strike the equipment and actors reported to the audio room for overdubbing work. Bierster predicts a long post-production process. "We've got over 3,000 effects shots to simulstim, but I am confident that they'll come out at the quality a picture like this deserves". Asked if more setbacks could sink the project now, he responded, "Any delay now would have to be due to an act of God, and if He does that to me, I'll kick His holy ass"."
28th - Taetrus' Capital Obliterated After Blast
"Our top story tonight: terror on Taetrus. Vallum, the colony's capital, was hit with a blast that obliterated its downtown area and left a crater five kilometers wide. Shockwaves from the blast were powerful enough to destroy buildings 11 kilometers away. Casualties are unknown but are expected to be massive. The Radiatum, Taetrus' parliamentary building, was at the epicenter of the blast and is believed to be its primary target. No registered armed ships were in orbit or in the sky above Vallum, leading authorities to believe the blast was caused by a ship used as a weapon of tremendous force, aimed at the Radiatum and accelerated to near-FTL speed. Fourteen separatist groups are claiming responsibility at this time."
29th - Death Toll on Taetrus Continues to Rise
"The list of dead and missing on the planet of Taetrus continues to grow. At the time of impact, the planet's Primarch was in the Signis, his executive building, now indistinguishable from the rest of the rubble. His viceroy, chief of staff, and countless workers are also dead -- burned, or vaporized by the tremendous impact of the FTL vehicle. There is seemingly no end to the death and destruction; besides the Signis and the Radiatum, three museums, four national monuments, and the Esarus Mint have been destroyed, with many of their occupants killed."
30th - General Timus Aurelos Tours Site of Vallum Blast
"General Timus Aurelos toured the wreckage site of the Vallum Blast today, giving the claw salute and attempting to lift the spirits of the rescue workers within the so-called collapse line. "All local Space is praying for the people of Taetrus tonight, for the lives that were lost, for the families that mourn, and for the workers who toil here", he declared. "I assure you that the cowards who did this will have no safe harbor anywhere in the galaxy. They will be found, they will be killed, and their twisted labors will come to nothing. They have not crushed a people; they have united one far larger than they ever dreamed.". The rescue workers responded with chants of "Taetrus! Taetrus!" and presented the general with a Hierarchy flag taken from the rubble."
"Late-night comedians have finally found some humor in the situation on Garvug. Sura Non quipped, "Corp experts are saying Hailot Wrund will be hiding where nobody's around for kilometers, so they're searching theaters showing "Taze Patterson". Next up, Unara T'Zeli, who says, "Hailot Wrund is well-hidden. How well-hidden, you ask? While they were looking for him, they stumbled across Aish Ashland's missing talent." And Cal DiCosimo took a political bent: "They said they almost killed Hailot Wrund this week. He was so close to dead, Lisa Ford said, 'Can I have his job?'""
27th - Principal Photography Wraps on "Nekyia Corridor"
"Principal photography wrapped today on "Nekyia Corridor", the troubled space epic from Morgan Bierster that has officially reached the benchmark of the most expensive simulstim ever made. Champagne flowed freely on the set for one hour before technicians moved to strike the equipment and actors reported to the audio room for overdubbing work. Bierster predicts a long post-production process. "We've got over 3,000 effects shots to simulstim, but I am confident that they'll come out at the quality a picture like this deserves". Asked if more setbacks could sink the project now, he responded, "Any delay now would have to be due to an act of God, and if He does that to me, I'll kick His holy ass"."
28th - Taetrus' Capital Obliterated After Blast
"Our top story tonight: terror on Taetrus. Vallum, the colony's capital, was hit with a blast that obliterated its downtown area and left a crater five kilometers wide. Shockwaves from the blast were powerful enough to destroy buildings 11 kilometers away. Casualties are unknown but are expected to be massive. The Radiatum, Taetrus' parliamentary building, was at the epicenter of the blast and is believed to be its primary target. No registered armed ships were in orbit or in the sky above Vallum, leading authorities to believe the blast was caused by a ship used as a weapon of tremendous force, aimed at the Radiatum and accelerated to near-FTL speed. Fourteen separatist groups are claiming responsibility at this time."
29th - Death Toll on Taetrus Continues to Rise
"The list of dead and missing on the planet of Taetrus continues to grow. At the time of impact, the planet's Primarch was in the Signis, his executive building, now indistinguishable from the rest of the rubble. His viceroy, chief of staff, and countless workers are also dead -- burned, or vaporized by the tremendous impact of the FTL vehicle. There is seemingly no end to the death and destruction; besides the Signis and the Radiatum, three museums, four national monuments, and the Esarus Mint have been destroyed, with many of their occupants killed."
30th - General Timus Aurelos Tours Site of Vallum Blast
"General Timus Aurelos toured the wreckage site of the Vallum Blast today, giving the claw salute and attempting to lift the spirits of the rescue workers within the so-called collapse line. "All local Space is praying for the people of Taetrus tonight, for the lives that were lost, for the families that mourn, and for the workers who toil here", he declared. "I assure you that the cowards who did this will have no safe harbor anywhere in the galaxy. They will be found, they will be killed, and their twisted labors will come to nothing. They have not crushed a people; they have united one far larger than they ever dreamed.". The rescue workers responded with chants of "Taetrus! Taetrus!" and presented the general with a Hierarchy flag taken from the rubble."
May, week 1:
1st - Galaxy Reacts to Attack on Taetrus
"Reaction to the attack on Taetrus continues to pour in from across the galaxy. "This is an act of war", stated Minister of Agriculture Idus Valen, who became Primarch of Taetrus by the laws of succession. "This is an attack against all civilized colonies of the galaxy", stated Ulra Nron of the Vol Protectorate, who ordered a national day of mourning for those lost in the destruction. On Palaven, millions in dozens of cities marched in solidarity with the victims of what is becoming known as the Vallum Blast. The death toll is still unknown, but estimates run anywhere from 150,000 to 1.1 million, which could make the day of the blast the second bloodiest day in local history, ranking just under the first 22 [Earth standard] hours of the Battle of Digeris."
2nd - Workers Clear Human Remains From Vallum Blast Site
"Clearing bodies is just one of the grim tasks firefighters and medical personnel are performing in the city of Vallum tonight. Remains are being taken to indoor gun ranges, hielae (throwball courts) -- any nearby intact buildings with enough open space to accommodate the dead. Even citizens outdoors at the time of the impact were not spared -- the sudden blast was enough to burst organs and eardrums in a phenomenon called overpressure. "It's like tossing explosives into a lake", explains Lieutenant Razun Scartos. "You don't need shrapnel to get a lot of dead fish". Meanwhile, nearby hospitals are full to the brim with the living -- at least 4,500 managed to limp or carry one another to nearby Haemona Medical Center, which previously had capacity for only 1,500."
"Reaction to the attack on Taetrus continues to pour in from across the galaxy. "This is an act of war", stated Minister of Agriculture Idus Valen, who became Primarch of Taetrus by the laws of succession. "This is an attack against all civilized colonies of the galaxy", stated Ulra Nron of the Vol Protectorate, who ordered a national day of mourning for those lost in the destruction. On Palaven, millions in dozens of cities marched in solidarity with the victims of what is becoming known as the Vallum Blast. The death toll is still unknown, but estimates run anywhere from 150,000 to 1.1 million, which could make the day of the blast the second bloodiest day in local history, ranking just under the first 22 [Earth standard] hours of the Battle of Digeris."
2nd - Workers Clear Human Remains From Vallum Blast Site
"Clearing bodies is just one of the grim tasks firefighters and medical personnel are performing in the city of Vallum tonight. Remains are being taken to indoor gun ranges, hielae (throwball courts) -- any nearby intact buildings with enough open space to accommodate the dead. Even citizens outdoors at the time of the impact were not spared -- the sudden blast was enough to burst organs and eardrums in a phenomenon called overpressure. "It's like tossing explosives into a lake", explains Lieutenant Razun Scartos. "You don't need shrapnel to get a lot of dead fish". Meanwhile, nearby hospitals are full to the brim with the living -- at least 4,500 managed to limp or carry one another to nearby Haemona Medical Center, which previously had capacity for only 1,500."
May, week 2:
3rd - Galactic Leaders Express Sympathy for Victims of Vallum Blast
"The outpouring of support for the victims of the Vallum Blast has reached across the Milky Way. "Today, the whole galaxy bleeds blue", said Marth's Continental Union's Prime Minister Hertz. On Thessia, Matriarch Tiala ordered the Serrice Republican Guard to play the local anthem "Stars Behind Me" during their changing-of-the-guard, an act last performed during the Krogan Rebellions after the Taetrans lost Uchalda. The Migrant Fleet made no symbolic gestures, but are sending two dozen cruisers to Taetrus packed with emergency supplies. The Salarian Union, meanwhile, is donating heavy moving equipment: state-of-the-art construction-grade vehicles that use mass effect fields to alleviate secondary collapses when digging through rubble."
4th - Investigators Narrow List of Suspects in Vallum Blast
"The culprits of the Vallum Blast remain at large, but colonial, Hierarchy, and Council investigators are narrowing their search. Only two of the twenty-one groups that now claim responsibility have previously demonstrated the hacking skills necessary to use a spacecraft as a weapon, and only the separatist group Facinus is known to have made the attempt. Facinus is believed to be behind the [local date] February 22nd hijacking of another commerical cruiser that crashed at suborbital speeds in an uninhabited area. Facinus' goal is to separate Taetrus from the local Hierarchy, who they see as having betrayed the trust of their people. Though Facinus' structure is cellular, its political arm's base of operations is in the Diluvian Wildlands on the Taetrus island continent of Eluria."
5th - Search for Survivors Continues on Taetrus
"The search for survivors in the rubble on Taetrus continues tonight. Only sixteen trapped people have been recovered alive, and experts say the chances of finding more survivors are slim. Bulldozers and heavy cranes are removing debris from the city's four major highways. Only a handful of aerial ambulances have made it to the interior of the rubble. Firefighter Extan Relius says that there is little hope for those in the central crater: "The impact didn't just knock buildings over; it picked them up and dropped them". New calculations indicate that even this massive blow was relatively mild compared to what it could have been -- the ship involved was only starting its acceleration to FTL speeds, and achieved a velocity under that of a mass accelerator bullet before contact."
6th - Post Production on "Nekyia Corridor" Possibly Affected by Vallum Blast
"Post production on the mega-simulstim "Nekyia Corridor" may be the latest casualty of the Vallum Blast. One of the sim's major scenes involves a lovelorn pilot committing suicide by flying a ship into a city at FTL speeds. Asked if this would remain in the final cut, director Morgan Bierster replied "You'll have to wait and see", but added, "The project deals head-on with themes of death; the title's "neykia" is actually a Greek word -- the best translation for a local tradition asking for guidance from the dead. We're not about to ruin it all with some exploitative sequence. It would be tasteless to further traumatize those hurt by this tragedy". His actions back up these words -- the sim's cast and crew have started a charity called "Recovery Corridor" to collect donations for the families of those devastated by the blast."
7th - Child "Octa" Rescued From Vallum Ruins
"A glimmer of hope on Taetrus tonight: rescue workers found a child, alive, buried in the wreckage of the museum known as the Enrarium or the "old postal office". The nine-year-old child, found in a collapsed stairwell, is known only as "Octa". She has no injuries other than scratches on her carapace and some loss of hearing. She is conscious and being treated for dehydration and malnutrition. The press has not been allowed to interview Octa yet. Saren Yahirix, the rescue worker who found her, said that she didn't even cry out. "We didn't hear a thing. We just opened up the wall, and there she was"."
8th - Separatist Group Facinus Threatens More Attacks
"A video of the separatist group Facinus celebrating the Vallum Blast surfaced today. Footage shows noted separatist Kihilix Tanus praising pilot Vamire Squaron for his successful aiming of a private vessel and ejecting from it before it accelerated to its hyperlethal speed. The conversation implies that Squaron bypassed the ship's safety protocols by installing an improvised FTL plotter, using an archaic design no longer in service throughout Citadel space. The vid also shows Tanus criticizing the local Hierarchy for failing to respond to the humanitarian crisis on the planet Belan. "They are old xemna [herd animals], only responding when they themselves are jabbed". He then threatened a storm of lightspeed vessels, one for every week that Taetrus remains "subject to the human-appeasing lackeys that run imperialist space," referring to the Hierarchy and Citadel species."
9th - Four Arrested After Harvesting Organs at Haemona Medical Center
"Gruesome news out of Taetrus tonight: Four men have been arrested for stealing healthy organs from the dead at the overcrowded Haemona Medical Center. The men posed as nurses and used fake identity cards to gain entry to the hospital's morgue. Two ran interference while the other two, skilled in surgery, removed kidneys, lungs, and gizzards from the freshest corpses of those who died just days after the Vallum Blast. These men were discovered by a diener, who suspected something was amiss when the men attempted to prevent him from seeing the bodies. "I cannot believe I'm the same species as these parasites", said the diener, Daherax Antivus. "Whatever happened to shame?""
3rd - Galactic Leaders Express Sympathy for Victims of Vallum Blast
"The outpouring of support for the victims of the Vallum Blast has reached across the Milky Way. "Today, the whole galaxy bleeds blue", said Marth's Continental Union's Prime Minister Hertz. On Thessia, Matriarch Tiala ordered the Serrice Republican Guard to play the local anthem "Stars Behind Me" during their changing-of-the-guard, an act last performed during the Krogan Rebellions after the Taetrans lost Uchalda. The Migrant Fleet made no symbolic gestures, but are sending two dozen cruisers to Taetrus packed with emergency supplies. The Salarian Union, meanwhile, is donating heavy moving equipment: state-of-the-art construction-grade vehicles that use mass effect fields to alleviate secondary collapses when digging through rubble."
4th - Investigators Narrow List of Suspects in Vallum Blast
"The culprits of the Vallum Blast remain at large, but colonial, Hierarchy, and Council investigators are narrowing their search. Only two of the twenty-one groups that now claim responsibility have previously demonstrated the hacking skills necessary to use a spacecraft as a weapon, and only the separatist group Facinus is known to have made the attempt. Facinus is believed to be behind the [local date] February 22nd hijacking of another commerical cruiser that crashed at suborbital speeds in an uninhabited area. Facinus' goal is to separate Taetrus from the local Hierarchy, who they see as having betrayed the trust of their people. Though Facinus' structure is cellular, its political arm's base of operations is in the Diluvian Wildlands on the Taetrus island continent of Eluria."
5th - Search for Survivors Continues on Taetrus
"The search for survivors in the rubble on Taetrus continues tonight. Only sixteen trapped people have been recovered alive, and experts say the chances of finding more survivors are slim. Bulldozers and heavy cranes are removing debris from the city's four major highways. Only a handful of aerial ambulances have made it to the interior of the rubble. Firefighter Extan Relius says that there is little hope for those in the central crater: "The impact didn't just knock buildings over; it picked them up and dropped them". New calculations indicate that even this massive blow was relatively mild compared to what it could have been -- the ship involved was only starting its acceleration to FTL speeds, and achieved a velocity under that of a mass accelerator bullet before contact."
6th - Post Production on "Nekyia Corridor" Possibly Affected by Vallum Blast
"Post production on the mega-simulstim "Nekyia Corridor" may be the latest casualty of the Vallum Blast. One of the sim's major scenes involves a lovelorn pilot committing suicide by flying a ship into a city at FTL speeds. Asked if this would remain in the final cut, director Morgan Bierster replied "You'll have to wait and see", but added, "The project deals head-on with themes of death; the title's "neykia" is actually a Greek word -- the best translation for a local tradition asking for guidance from the dead. We're not about to ruin it all with some exploitative sequence. It would be tasteless to further traumatize those hurt by this tragedy". His actions back up these words -- the sim's cast and crew have started a charity called "Recovery Corridor" to collect donations for the families of those devastated by the blast."
7th - Child "Octa" Rescued From Vallum Ruins
"A glimmer of hope on Taetrus tonight: rescue workers found a child, alive, buried in the wreckage of the museum known as the Enrarium or the "old postal office". The nine-year-old child, found in a collapsed stairwell, is known only as "Octa". She has no injuries other than scratches on her carapace and some loss of hearing. She is conscious and being treated for dehydration and malnutrition. The press has not been allowed to interview Octa yet. Saren Yahirix, the rescue worker who found her, said that she didn't even cry out. "We didn't hear a thing. We just opened up the wall, and there she was"."
8th - Separatist Group Facinus Threatens More Attacks
"A video of the separatist group Facinus celebrating the Vallum Blast surfaced today. Footage shows noted separatist Kihilix Tanus praising pilot Vamire Squaron for his successful aiming of a private vessel and ejecting from it before it accelerated to its hyperlethal speed. The conversation implies that Squaron bypassed the ship's safety protocols by installing an improvised FTL plotter, using an archaic design no longer in service throughout Citadel space. The vid also shows Tanus criticizing the local Hierarchy for failing to respond to the humanitarian crisis on the planet Belan. "They are old xemna [herd animals], only responding when they themselves are jabbed". He then threatened a storm of lightspeed vessels, one for every week that Taetrus remains "subject to the human-appeasing lackeys that run imperialist space," referring to the Hierarchy and Citadel species."
9th - Four Arrested After Harvesting Organs at Haemona Medical Center
"Gruesome news out of Taetrus tonight: Four men have been arrested for stealing healthy organs from the dead at the overcrowded Haemona Medical Center. The men posed as nurses and used fake identity cards to gain entry to the hospital's morgue. Two ran interference while the other two, skilled in surgery, removed kidneys, lungs, and gizzards from the freshest corpses of those who died just days after the Vallum Blast. These men were discovered by a diener, who suspected something was amiss when the men attempted to prevent him from seeing the bodies. "I cannot believe I'm the same species as these parasites", said the diener, Daherax Antivus. "Whatever happened to shame?""
May, week 3:
10th - Casualties and Damages From Vallum Blast Tallied
"As the last fires of Vallum are finally extinguished, new estimates for the numbers of dead and missing in the Vallum Blast have been established. Fire marshals now put the number of recovered bodies at 4,278. Military police estimate the death toll at 138,000, based on missing persons reports and traffic flow estimates for the city on the day of the impact. The cost for repairing the damage is estimated at 338 billion credits, to say nothing of the city's gross domestic product that was estimated at 4.8 billion per year and is estimated to fall to 1.3 billion by the end of the fourth quarter of 2517."
11th - Ceremony Held to Fill Vacant Government Posts on Taetrus
"The reorganizing of Taetrus' governmental infrastructure following the Vallum Blast reached an important milestone tonight, as the colony's Laudatix -- the ministry of citizenship rankings -- held its first oserun since its office was destroyed in the blast. The oserun, a ceremony that recognizes the promotion of locals to a new citizenship tier, was initially overseen by local general Timus Aurelos, who swore in the new minister, Anela Saneraxis. Aurelos then turned the ceremony over to her, and Saneraxis formally promoted 1,238 locals, ranging from young adults entering 2nd-tier boot camp to Radiatum lawgivers in the 23rd tier. Saneraxis called on the latter in her closing remarks, saying "We know the task before us is mighty, and we look to our leaders to help us serve with dignity and strength. Together, we will prevail"."
12th - Corporatists Intercept Weapons Shipment to Garvug Rebels
"Today, corporate forces on Garvug intercepted a shipment of explosives and weapons to the rebel forces on that planet. The weapons, which included surface-to-air missiles, mortars, and small arms, allegedly come from Clan Urdnot on Tuchanka. "This was a critical find", said Lieutenant Colonel Iason Riggs of Binary Helix. "It is imperative that the galaxy knows we have zero tolerance for those who aid insurgent forces, whether from the Terminus or elsewhere, and we will call out those who act against us". Urdnot Jatt, spokesperson for Clan Urdnot's financial arm on Tuchanka, appeared unimpressed: "What is Binary Helix to us? Or Sonax or Guanghui Solutions? They barely come to our planet, let alone sell anything"."
13th - Taetrus Declares War on Separatist Group Facinus
"Primarch Idus Valen addressed the colony of Taetrus in a [Earth standard] forty-minute speech culminating in a declaration of war against the separatist group Facinus. The primarch spoke from the steps of the Sanhei Memorial, received seven standing ovations, and was frequently interrupted by applause as he detailed the crimes of the previously little-known group. "Our enemies will not escape the long talons of justice", he stated. "Their dreams of anarchy and unaccountability have given birth to a mass murder that marks them as criminals, not heads of state. We call upon their neighbors in an ultimatum: deliver them to us, or share their graves". He announced that the local Hierarchy will be lending its support in a military effort against the Diluvian Wildlands, a rural wetlands area where Facinus holds the greatest influence."
14th - Taetrian Emergency Officials Criticized for Delaying Response
"New video and details about the first few minutes after the Vallum Blast emerged today. The Carifinum, the emergency management agency responsible for public crises on Taetrus, delayed its initial response to the calls by half an hour -- a critical misstep that citizen advocacy groups claim could have saved lives. The Carifinum released this statement today in its defense: "From the noise of the blast and the size of the fires, we judged a nuclear scenario possible and, in fact, probable. Our first response, made within minutes of the blast, was to send out teams with particle counters to ascertain if we needed hazard suits to avoid being irradiated. Once it was clear that the weapon used was solely kinetic, we sent every available hand to the blast zone. It would have served no one if our response had gotten our brave rescue personnel killed"."
15th - "Galaxy of Fantasy" Players Hold Virtual March
"Players of the Cortex game "Galaxy of Fantasy" held a virtual march supporting the survivors of the Vallum Blast. Over one million players attended in the virtual space of Radiatum Park, where an online kiosk set up by the game's developers allowed them to donate to the victims of the blast. "The players have been incredible", says community manager Enrique Schofgee. "The entire basis for the game is local mythology. To see them under attack like this in real life strikes a chord in our players to do something". Prominent player Alila Minaro agrees. "We spend hundreds of hours defending and maintaining this world immersed in local culture. You can't do that and not have a little public spirit rub off on you"."
16th - Turian Separatist Kihilix Tanus Demands Independence for Eluria
"In a prepared statement uploaded to the Cortex, Taetrus separatist Kihilix Tanus demands that the local Hierarchy recognize the island continent of Eluria as the free and independent state of Parthenix, or face further attacks from spacecraft used as weapons. Calling the Vallum Blast "merciful" and saying he has ships that could hit with "100 times that force", Tanus boasted that even Palaven itself was not safe. Primarch Idus Valen responded almost instantly, saying "Justice neither trembles nor runs in the face of evil. We will execute our plans, no matter the threat". The Cortex reaction has been more biting: despite the vid being released only hours ago, a game application called "Radiatum Response" has already gone viral. The app allows players to orient crosshairs on the faces of the local separatists in the video and fire excrement, bullets, or pies."
"As the last fires of Vallum are finally extinguished, new estimates for the numbers of dead and missing in the Vallum Blast have been established. Fire marshals now put the number of recovered bodies at 4,278. Military police estimate the death toll at 138,000, based on missing persons reports and traffic flow estimates for the city on the day of the impact. The cost for repairing the damage is estimated at 338 billion credits, to say nothing of the city's gross domestic product that was estimated at 4.8 billion per year and is estimated to fall to 1.3 billion by the end of the fourth quarter of 2517."
11th - Ceremony Held to Fill Vacant Government Posts on Taetrus
"The reorganizing of Taetrus' governmental infrastructure following the Vallum Blast reached an important milestone tonight, as the colony's Laudatix -- the ministry of citizenship rankings -- held its first oserun since its office was destroyed in the blast. The oserun, a ceremony that recognizes the promotion of locals to a new citizenship tier, was initially overseen by local general Timus Aurelos, who swore in the new minister, Anela Saneraxis. Aurelos then turned the ceremony over to her, and Saneraxis formally promoted 1,238 locals, ranging from young adults entering 2nd-tier boot camp to Radiatum lawgivers in the 23rd tier. Saneraxis called on the latter in her closing remarks, saying "We know the task before us is mighty, and we look to our leaders to help us serve with dignity and strength. Together, we will prevail"."
12th - Corporatists Intercept Weapons Shipment to Garvug Rebels
"Today, corporate forces on Garvug intercepted a shipment of explosives and weapons to the rebel forces on that planet. The weapons, which included surface-to-air missiles, mortars, and small arms, allegedly come from Clan Urdnot on Tuchanka. "This was a critical find", said Lieutenant Colonel Iason Riggs of Binary Helix. "It is imperative that the galaxy knows we have zero tolerance for those who aid insurgent forces, whether from the Terminus or elsewhere, and we will call out those who act against us". Urdnot Jatt, spokesperson for Clan Urdnot's financial arm on Tuchanka, appeared unimpressed: "What is Binary Helix to us? Or Sonax or Guanghui Solutions? They barely come to our planet, let alone sell anything"."
13th - Taetrus Declares War on Separatist Group Facinus
"Primarch Idus Valen addressed the colony of Taetrus in a [Earth standard] forty-minute speech culminating in a declaration of war against the separatist group Facinus. The primarch spoke from the steps of the Sanhei Memorial, received seven standing ovations, and was frequently interrupted by applause as he detailed the crimes of the previously little-known group. "Our enemies will not escape the long talons of justice", he stated. "Their dreams of anarchy and unaccountability have given birth to a mass murder that marks them as criminals, not heads of state. We call upon their neighbors in an ultimatum: deliver them to us, or share their graves". He announced that the local Hierarchy will be lending its support in a military effort against the Diluvian Wildlands, a rural wetlands area where Facinus holds the greatest influence."
14th - Taetrian Emergency Officials Criticized for Delaying Response
"New video and details about the first few minutes after the Vallum Blast emerged today. The Carifinum, the emergency management agency responsible for public crises on Taetrus, delayed its initial response to the calls by half an hour -- a critical misstep that citizen advocacy groups claim could have saved lives. The Carifinum released this statement today in its defense: "From the noise of the blast and the size of the fires, we judged a nuclear scenario possible and, in fact, probable. Our first response, made within minutes of the blast, was to send out teams with particle counters to ascertain if we needed hazard suits to avoid being irradiated. Once it was clear that the weapon used was solely kinetic, we sent every available hand to the blast zone. It would have served no one if our response had gotten our brave rescue personnel killed"."
15th - "Galaxy of Fantasy" Players Hold Virtual March
"Players of the Cortex game "Galaxy of Fantasy" held a virtual march supporting the survivors of the Vallum Blast. Over one million players attended in the virtual space of Radiatum Park, where an online kiosk set up by the game's developers allowed them to donate to the victims of the blast. "The players have been incredible", says community manager Enrique Schofgee. "The entire basis for the game is local mythology. To see them under attack like this in real life strikes a chord in our players to do something". Prominent player Alila Minaro agrees. "We spend hundreds of hours defending and maintaining this world immersed in local culture. You can't do that and not have a little public spirit rub off on you"."
16th - Turian Separatist Kihilix Tanus Demands Independence for Eluria
"In a prepared statement uploaded to the Cortex, Taetrus separatist Kihilix Tanus demands that the local Hierarchy recognize the island continent of Eluria as the free and independent state of Parthenix, or face further attacks from spacecraft used as weapons. Calling the Vallum Blast "merciful" and saying he has ships that could hit with "100 times that force", Tanus boasted that even Palaven itself was not safe. Primarch Idus Valen responded almost instantly, saying "Justice neither trembles nor runs in the face of evil. We will execute our plans, no matter the threat". The Cortex reaction has been more biting: despite the vid being released only hours ago, a game application called "Radiatum Response" has already gone viral. The app allows players to orient crosshairs on the faces of the local separatists in the video and fire excrement, bullets, or pies."
May, week 4:
17th - Reporters Attempt to Re-Create Vallum Blast Scenario
"Two reporters from the Sirenum Scopuli Network have attempted to re-create the scenario necessary to cause another Vallum Blast. Faking their credentials with high-resolution omni-tools, they managed to charter the private vessel MSV Zothera and fly it into orbit; there, a computer expert claims he set its coordinates for the city of Regeris but was stopped by the ship's hardcoding. "FTL plotters are all about safety, and you need a very specific skill set to bypass them," says Serus Lilix, who handled the piloting. "It's like finding a particle physicist who can also build a locomotive." Primarch Idus Valen was asked in press conference today about the incident and he praised the reporters for their work. He declined to comment on the specific differences between the reporters' tactics, those of Vamire Squaron, and the failed [Earth local date] February 23rd hijacking now attributed to Facinus, saying "I'd rather not broadcast an instruction manual on what Facinus has learned.""
18th - Governments Re-Examine Need for Kinetic Barriers in Metropolitan Areas
"The Vallum Blast has governments re-examining a critical question: do major metropolitan areas need kinetic barriers? The technology exists: emitters designed to shield asteroid-prone colonies can be mounted on high-altitude balloons and tuned to allow slow-flying planes and starships in while shielding cities from ships flying at hyperlethal speeds. Some turian cities on Palaven have them already. But the cost is substantial: covering a sprawl such as Earth's Los Angeles could initially run as much as 848 million credits, with an annual cost of 74 million to monitor and maintain the emitters. Less wealthy cities would have to do without, bumping them up on the list of potential targets. Experts say the easiest solution is to upgrade ship VIs so that bypassing the safety protocols is even more difficult. "The hype is that anyone with hacking skills can turn a ship into a relativistic weapon", said Taetrian professor of computer science Arayna Hanus. "Fortunately, hard-coding prevents this in 99% of cases"."
19th - Atmospheric Dust Finally Clears on Taetrus
"Last night, to the relief of many colonists on Taetrus, the sun finally set on the Vallum Blast. For the last two weeks, suspended dust in the atmosphere promoted the formation of high-altitude ice particles that reflected the sunlight at all hours of the day and night. The result has been the so-called "doomsday glow" in the sky that was so bright that citizens as far away as Dilix could read a paper book by its light at midnight. Civil authorities repeatedly reassured Taetrians that this was not due to any type of nuclear fallout. Though Taetrians can finally get some sleep without closing their blinds, the effects of the dust will linger -- the global atmospheric transparency level has dropped a grade, and this dimming is expected to continue for another month."
20th - Citadel Council to Hold Galactic Employment Summit
"The Citadel Council announced that it will hold a galactic employment summit in thirty [Earth standard] days' time to seek answers while grappling with a downturn in the galactic job market. This announcement comes just days after figures for planetary unemployment were released. Colonies, as a rule, were havens for job growth, with their median unemployment rate at 4.4%, rather than the 13.1% that homeworlds suffered. Some planetary leaders such as Palaven's Primarch Enterus say growing vorcha populations are inflating these numbers and the figures are much lower. Others, such as Thessia's Matriarch Tiala, point out the opposite: "Vorcha are the great undocumented," she says. "If all of them were included, we would see the true unemployment figure, which would be staggering to those unused to species-specific variations in the data.""
21st - Hierarchy Troops Arrive in Orbit Over Taetrus
"Over 60,000 troops from the Turian Hierarchy arrived in orbit around Taetrus today to assist in that planet's struggles against the Facinus separatist group. While the troops are staying in orbit for an additional day before being dropped in the Diluvian Wildlands, the Hierarchy's General Partinax was met by Primarch Valen and General Timus Aurelos at the Vallum spaceport. Hundreds of well-wishers were on hand with homemade signs, salutes, and chants of "Partinax, Partinax." The 60,000 troops will be joined by an additional 110,000 Taetrian forces traveling by air and sea to the Diluvian border. Meanwhile, Pavan Sahira, provincial ruler of the Diluvian Wildlands, states that Facinus has departed from their province and any attack would be an unprovoked act of aggression from the Hierarchy and planetary government. She called on Partinax to be merciful and not to "taint the talons of our galactic army with the blood of our own kind.""
22nd - Turian Clawball Legend to Serve on Taetrus
"Turian clawball legend Neno Raxirian has joined the Hierarchy forces heading to Taetrus. The 39-year-old is on the 14th citizenship tier, making him eligible for conscription. Raxirian says he's volunteering. "There's a time and a place for clawball," he said in an interview with GBC News, "and there's a time to serve honorably." That he has done -- in a brief service stint during his adolescence, he received a citation after his unit came under fire. Is this seeking out past glories? Raescir Rockets fans know his performance has slipped of late -- the team has only 9 wins this season, backed by 7 losses. Raxirian denies the stats have any relation to his decision. "I don't think anyone could look at the Vallum Blast and say they don't want to help. For me, funding a charity isn't enough. I want to be there. I want to act now.""
23rd - Crew of MSV Atlanta Arrested for Spying
"Reports from Taetrus indicate that the human crew of the MSV Atlanta have been arrested for spying. The crew, including five reporters from the Earth cable news channel Mirror, was accused of attempting to photograph dead turians -- a misdemeanor in times of peace, and a graver offense during wartime. Said Hierarchy Navy spokesman Commander Iustinix Sylvatus: "The charge does not translate well, but their intent was clear. They were using their ship's scanners to monitor the battlefield and report on it. We cannot allow this, as it gives away vital intelligence and compromises the memory of the dead"."
"Two reporters from the Sirenum Scopuli Network have attempted to re-create the scenario necessary to cause another Vallum Blast. Faking their credentials with high-resolution omni-tools, they managed to charter the private vessel MSV Zothera and fly it into orbit; there, a computer expert claims he set its coordinates for the city of Regeris but was stopped by the ship's hardcoding. "FTL plotters are all about safety, and you need a very specific skill set to bypass them," says Serus Lilix, who handled the piloting. "It's like finding a particle physicist who can also build a locomotive." Primarch Idus Valen was asked in press conference today about the incident and he praised the reporters for their work. He declined to comment on the specific differences between the reporters' tactics, those of Vamire Squaron, and the failed [Earth local date] February 23rd hijacking now attributed to Facinus, saying "I'd rather not broadcast an instruction manual on what Facinus has learned.""
18th - Governments Re-Examine Need for Kinetic Barriers in Metropolitan Areas
"The Vallum Blast has governments re-examining a critical question: do major metropolitan areas need kinetic barriers? The technology exists: emitters designed to shield asteroid-prone colonies can be mounted on high-altitude balloons and tuned to allow slow-flying planes and starships in while shielding cities from ships flying at hyperlethal speeds. Some turian cities on Palaven have them already. But the cost is substantial: covering a sprawl such as Earth's Los Angeles could initially run as much as 848 million credits, with an annual cost of 74 million to monitor and maintain the emitters. Less wealthy cities would have to do without, bumping them up on the list of potential targets. Experts say the easiest solution is to upgrade ship VIs so that bypassing the safety protocols is even more difficult. "The hype is that anyone with hacking skills can turn a ship into a relativistic weapon", said Taetrian professor of computer science Arayna Hanus. "Fortunately, hard-coding prevents this in 99% of cases"."
19th - Atmospheric Dust Finally Clears on Taetrus
"Last night, to the relief of many colonists on Taetrus, the sun finally set on the Vallum Blast. For the last two weeks, suspended dust in the atmosphere promoted the formation of high-altitude ice particles that reflected the sunlight at all hours of the day and night. The result has been the so-called "doomsday glow" in the sky that was so bright that citizens as far away as Dilix could read a paper book by its light at midnight. Civil authorities repeatedly reassured Taetrians that this was not due to any type of nuclear fallout. Though Taetrians can finally get some sleep without closing their blinds, the effects of the dust will linger -- the global atmospheric transparency level has dropped a grade, and this dimming is expected to continue for another month."
20th - Citadel Council to Hold Galactic Employment Summit
"The Citadel Council announced that it will hold a galactic employment summit in thirty [Earth standard] days' time to seek answers while grappling with a downturn in the galactic job market. This announcement comes just days after figures for planetary unemployment were released. Colonies, as a rule, were havens for job growth, with their median unemployment rate at 4.4%, rather than the 13.1% that homeworlds suffered. Some planetary leaders such as Palaven's Primarch Enterus say growing vorcha populations are inflating these numbers and the figures are much lower. Others, such as Thessia's Matriarch Tiala, point out the opposite: "Vorcha are the great undocumented," she says. "If all of them were included, we would see the true unemployment figure, which would be staggering to those unused to species-specific variations in the data.""
21st - Hierarchy Troops Arrive in Orbit Over Taetrus
"Over 60,000 troops from the Turian Hierarchy arrived in orbit around Taetrus today to assist in that planet's struggles against the Facinus separatist group. While the troops are staying in orbit for an additional day before being dropped in the Diluvian Wildlands, the Hierarchy's General Partinax was met by Primarch Valen and General Timus Aurelos at the Vallum spaceport. Hundreds of well-wishers were on hand with homemade signs, salutes, and chants of "Partinax, Partinax." The 60,000 troops will be joined by an additional 110,000 Taetrian forces traveling by air and sea to the Diluvian border. Meanwhile, Pavan Sahira, provincial ruler of the Diluvian Wildlands, states that Facinus has departed from their province and any attack would be an unprovoked act of aggression from the Hierarchy and planetary government. She called on Partinax to be merciful and not to "taint the talons of our galactic army with the blood of our own kind.""
22nd - Turian Clawball Legend to Serve on Taetrus
"Turian clawball legend Neno Raxirian has joined the Hierarchy forces heading to Taetrus. The 39-year-old is on the 14th citizenship tier, making him eligible for conscription. Raxirian says he's volunteering. "There's a time and a place for clawball," he said in an interview with GBC News, "and there's a time to serve honorably." That he has done -- in a brief service stint during his adolescence, he received a citation after his unit came under fire. Is this seeking out past glories? Raescir Rockets fans know his performance has slipped of late -- the team has only 9 wins this season, backed by 7 losses. Raxirian denies the stats have any relation to his decision. "I don't think anyone could look at the Vallum Blast and say they don't want to help. For me, funding a charity isn't enough. I want to be there. I want to act now.""
23rd - Crew of MSV Atlanta Arrested for Spying
"Reports from Taetrus indicate that the human crew of the MSV Atlanta have been arrested for spying. The crew, including five reporters from the Earth cable news channel Mirror, was accused of attempting to photograph dead turians -- a misdemeanor in times of peace, and a graver offense during wartime. Said Hierarchy Navy spokesman Commander Iustinix Sylvatus: "The charge does not translate well, but their intent was clear. They were using their ship's scanners to monitor the battlefield and report on it. We cannot allow this, as it gives away vital intelligence and compromises the memory of the dead"."
May, week 5:
24th - "Taetrus Effect" Pushes Comedies to the Top
at Galactic Box Office
"The weekend box office went to comedies and romantic comedies once again this week, as the so-called "Taetrus effect" has spoiled appetites for action fare across Citadel space. "Check and Mate," the story of asari maidens' tribulations at Earth's World Chess Championship, won the number one spot, taking in 2.05 billion credits. Second place was salarian family fare "We Meet Again, Doctor Fear," at 1.6 billion, milking the gag of a captured secret agent with a wrist-mounted time machine that can only take him fifteen minutes back. Third went to the badly timed "Bullet Train," which eked out 160 million credits, a 40% drop-off from the previous week. Fourth was the disastrous "C-SEC" at 97 million. The action flick's revenue stream came primarily from Tuchanka, where a labeling error mis-categorized it as a comedy."
25th - Air Campaign Commences Over Diluvian Wildlands
"Primarch Idus Valen held a press conference today to announce the beginning of the air campaign against the Diluvian government and Facinus separatists. "Over one week ago I gave clear and specific demands to produce the leaders of Facinus and renounce separatism," he said. "These demands were not met, and the Diluvians will now pay the price." He went on to say that to respect the dead, Taetrian and Hierarchy forces would not allow press cameras or communicators in the battle zone and would arrest or eject any violators, including those using satellites or starship scanners. The gathered human reporters walked out in protest of this policy, which is considered the right of the deceased on turian worlds, but is viewed as dictatorial by humans."
26th - TR-15 Letus Probe Team Blasted by Scientific Community
"The astronomical team that launched the TR-15 Letus probe is being blasted by the scientific community for falsifying results about the neutron star Turix. "The data they were posting was too good to be true", said Dr. Aurana T'meles, who reviewed their work. "When they claimed to have sent the probe through the relay leading to Turix, we all wondered how and why the Protheans could have built a corresponding relay so close to such an energetic star. Then came questions about isolating the probe's signals from the radiation, claims of unprecedented dark energy control -- I would almost go so far as to use the word 'hoax'". Letus team lead Dr. Akil Carinii apologized for what he called "sloppy record-keeping" but insisted his findings were authentic. "The galactic community has but scratched the surface of all the functions of mass relays", he said, "and my team will continue to try to solve their mysteries"."
27th - Diluvian Wildlands Devastated by "Constant Lightning Offensive"
"Mass cannons pounded the Diluvian Wildlands on Taetrus today, devastating the region's urban centers in what colonial forces call the Constant Lightning Offensive. Though no journalists were allowed to photograph or film the area, audio files from eyewitnesses told the story of a brutal bombardment. Early warning radars and other scanners were the first targets, followed by power stations, naval yards, telecommunications nodes, and airfields. There is no word at this time if Diluvian army units have been hit, but anti-air batteries would obviously be among the first targets; given the tremendous firepower used today, it is likely some were hit. Some reports say that anti-air missiles were launched in the north, bringing down a gunship, but the colonial forces deny it, and the report cannot be confirmed at this time."
28th - Colonialist Forces Establish Air Supremacy on Taetrus
"The colonial forces on Taetrus continue to hammer the separatist government of the Dilvuian Wildlands. The Constant Lightning Offensive is flying more than 2,100 attack sorties in a [Earth standard] 24-hour period, relentlessly striking the Diluvians' command and control centers. Dozens of bridges across the swampy terrain have been destroyed, cutting Diluvian armored and artillery units off from any resupply. Reports of dogfights in the air have been confirmed by colonialist general Partinax, but he claims such engagements should be over shortly. "All enemy airfields have been rendered incapable of operation", he said. "Diluvian air command has been turned into a crater. Any enemy fighters presently in the air were there when the air campaign started and will not find fuel or rest for their pilots anywhere"."
29th - HCC News Poll Shows Support for War Against Diluvian Separatists
"As the air campaign rages on Taetrus, it is a lonely time to be a peace activist. A HCC News poll found that nearly 93% of respondents of all species said the colonial government had the right to go to war with the Diluvian separatists, and 54% said it would be reasonable for the Turian Hierarchy to use weapons of mass destruction in response, despite that action violating Citadel convention. Still, the turian embassy on the Citadel is surrounded by protesters who say the Hierarchy is doing is too much [sic]. "Practically every turian joins the military -- it's mandatory," says protestor Sarai Bridei of Universe Without War. "There's no distinction to them between military and civillian targets. Hospitals, schools, houses of worship -- they're all fair game, but they won't let you see it on camera"."
30th - Cerberus Witch Hunt Results in Mass Journalist Firings
"It's been called the biggest blow to reporting in decades: the Cerberus witch hunt. More than 300 human journalists, editors, technicians, and other media personnel have been fired over the past month on suspicion of working for the human-survivalist group. "The discovery of one cell using steganography was a disaster," says former GBC news anchor Kyung-Soon Paek, "We thought if a terrorist cell wanted to send an encoded message across the galaxy, they'd want it in military signals or a galactic news broadcast to guarantee priority messaging in the comm buoy system. But all the media got for its investigations was paranoia and a lot of good people smeared." Counter-terror expert Luis van Graal agrees. "Cerberus is well-financed. They're probably using quantum entanglement communicators and laughing at the rest of us." Emily Wong, who survived a 25-person firing at the Future Content Corporation, had a different take: "With all the sudden vacancies, if there weren't Cerberus operatives in the media before, there certainly could be now.""
"The weekend box office went to comedies and romantic comedies once again this week, as the so-called "Taetrus effect" has spoiled appetites for action fare across Citadel space. "Check and Mate," the story of asari maidens' tribulations at Earth's World Chess Championship, won the number one spot, taking in 2.05 billion credits. Second place was salarian family fare "We Meet Again, Doctor Fear," at 1.6 billion, milking the gag of a captured secret agent with a wrist-mounted time machine that can only take him fifteen minutes back. Third went to the badly timed "Bullet Train," which eked out 160 million credits, a 40% drop-off from the previous week. Fourth was the disastrous "C-SEC" at 97 million. The action flick's revenue stream came primarily from Tuchanka, where a labeling error mis-categorized it as a comedy."
25th - Air Campaign Commences Over Diluvian Wildlands
"Primarch Idus Valen held a press conference today to announce the beginning of the air campaign against the Diluvian government and Facinus separatists. "Over one week ago I gave clear and specific demands to produce the leaders of Facinus and renounce separatism," he said. "These demands were not met, and the Diluvians will now pay the price." He went on to say that to respect the dead, Taetrian and Hierarchy forces would not allow press cameras or communicators in the battle zone and would arrest or eject any violators, including those using satellites or starship scanners. The gathered human reporters walked out in protest of this policy, which is considered the right of the deceased on turian worlds, but is viewed as dictatorial by humans."
26th - TR-15 Letus Probe Team Blasted by Scientific Community
"The astronomical team that launched the TR-15 Letus probe is being blasted by the scientific community for falsifying results about the neutron star Turix. "The data they were posting was too good to be true", said Dr. Aurana T'meles, who reviewed their work. "When they claimed to have sent the probe through the relay leading to Turix, we all wondered how and why the Protheans could have built a corresponding relay so close to such an energetic star. Then came questions about isolating the probe's signals from the radiation, claims of unprecedented dark energy control -- I would almost go so far as to use the word 'hoax'". Letus team lead Dr. Akil Carinii apologized for what he called "sloppy record-keeping" but insisted his findings were authentic. "The galactic community has but scratched the surface of all the functions of mass relays", he said, "and my team will continue to try to solve their mysteries"."
27th - Diluvian Wildlands Devastated by "Constant Lightning Offensive"
"Mass cannons pounded the Diluvian Wildlands on Taetrus today, devastating the region's urban centers in what colonial forces call the Constant Lightning Offensive. Though no journalists were allowed to photograph or film the area, audio files from eyewitnesses told the story of a brutal bombardment. Early warning radars and other scanners were the first targets, followed by power stations, naval yards, telecommunications nodes, and airfields. There is no word at this time if Diluvian army units have been hit, but anti-air batteries would obviously be among the first targets; given the tremendous firepower used today, it is likely some were hit. Some reports say that anti-air missiles were launched in the north, bringing down a gunship, but the colonial forces deny it, and the report cannot be confirmed at this time."
28th - Colonialist Forces Establish Air Supremacy on Taetrus
"The colonial forces on Taetrus continue to hammer the separatist government of the Dilvuian Wildlands. The Constant Lightning Offensive is flying more than 2,100 attack sorties in a [Earth standard] 24-hour period, relentlessly striking the Diluvians' command and control centers. Dozens of bridges across the swampy terrain have been destroyed, cutting Diluvian armored and artillery units off from any resupply. Reports of dogfights in the air have been confirmed by colonialist general Partinax, but he claims such engagements should be over shortly. "All enemy airfields have been rendered incapable of operation", he said. "Diluvian air command has been turned into a crater. Any enemy fighters presently in the air were there when the air campaign started and will not find fuel or rest for their pilots anywhere"."
29th - HCC News Poll Shows Support for War Against Diluvian Separatists
"As the air campaign rages on Taetrus, it is a lonely time to be a peace activist. A HCC News poll found that nearly 93% of respondents of all species said the colonial government had the right to go to war with the Diluvian separatists, and 54% said it would be reasonable for the Turian Hierarchy to use weapons of mass destruction in response, despite that action violating Citadel convention. Still, the turian embassy on the Citadel is surrounded by protesters who say the Hierarchy is doing is too much [sic]. "Practically every turian joins the military -- it's mandatory," says protestor Sarai Bridei of Universe Without War. "There's no distinction to them between military and civillian targets. Hospitals, schools, houses of worship -- they're all fair game, but they won't let you see it on camera"."
30th - Cerberus Witch Hunt Results in Mass Journalist Firings
"It's been called the biggest blow to reporting in decades: the Cerberus witch hunt. More than 300 human journalists, editors, technicians, and other media personnel have been fired over the past month on suspicion of working for the human-survivalist group. "The discovery of one cell using steganography was a disaster," says former GBC news anchor Kyung-Soon Paek, "We thought if a terrorist cell wanted to send an encoded message across the galaxy, they'd want it in military signals or a galactic news broadcast to guarantee priority messaging in the comm buoy system. But all the media got for its investigations was paranoia and a lot of good people smeared." Counter-terror expert Luis van Graal agrees. "Cerberus is well-financed. They're probably using quantum entanglement communicators and laughing at the rest of us." Emily Wong, who survived a 25-person firing at the Future Content Corporation, had a different take: "With all the sudden vacancies, if there weren't Cerberus operatives in the media before, there certainly could be now.""
May, week 6:
31st - Earth's Summer Movie Blockbuster Season Fires Up
"Earth's summer movie blockbuster season has fired up, and the downloads are hot! Winning the weekend was the wholesome dairy-powered superhero "Milk Sheik", who kicked his way up to 4.15 billion creds; a strong showing by the cerebral "Dark Goddess" netted it 3.87 billion, breaking records for a suspense vid; third went to big-budget horror "Akuze" with 3.4 billion; fourth was the Asariwood musical comedy romance espionage simulstim biopic "Make It Look Real: The Lili T'Nigus Story", which sang, danced, spied and smooched its way to 2.96 billion. Reviews of "Make It" have been glowing, launching Oscar buzz based on the sim's elusive "YWNBWITFM factor", extranet slang for "you would not believe what's in this [expletive] movie"."
"Earth's summer movie blockbuster season has fired up, and the downloads are hot! Winning the weekend was the wholesome dairy-powered superhero "Milk Sheik", who kicked his way up to 4.15 billion creds; a strong showing by the cerebral "Dark Goddess" netted it 3.87 billion, breaking records for a suspense vid; third went to big-budget horror "Akuze" with 3.4 billion; fourth was the Asariwood musical comedy romance espionage simulstim biopic "Make It Look Real: The Lili T'Nigus Story", which sang, danced, spied and smooched its way to 2.96 billion. Reviews of "Make It" have been glowing, launching Oscar buzz based on the sim's elusive "YWNBWITFM factor", extranet slang for "you would not believe what's in this [expletive] movie"."
June, week 1:
1st - Taetrian Capital Vallum Attacked by Aircar Bomb
"The Taetrian capital of Vallum came under attack again today as a turian male crashed an aircar bomb into the kinetic barriers outside the Sevnis, a building serving as emergency government headquarters. Packed with explosives, the aircar struck the barriers and exploded, killing the driver. That driver was Alsadrus Tertius, a former sanitation worker with ties to the radical separatist group Facinus. Sevnis guard Titrinus Machaera counts himself lucky. "He [Tertius] clearly didn't know about the barriers. If he had, he'd have aimed for the gates and maybe gotten some of us guards or the crowds outside". War Minister Uvalum Septimax did not downplay the incident. "We face a determined enemy", he said, "and we cannot afford to relax our vigilance"."
2nd - Facinus Leader Condemns Taetrian Air Campaign
"The separatist group Facinus released a video today condemning the colonialist air campaign against targets in the Diluvian Wildlands. "The cowards of the Hierarchy have betrayed the turian people, first in their appeasement of the humans, second in their oppressive taxes to support their agenda to weaken our empire, and third in the bombardment of their own kind to support their archaic institutions," said Kihilix Tanus, nominal leader of the separatists. "Their General Partinax is a craven murderer. This bloodshed could be avoided with a simple duel between the two of us, yet he would hide behind his conscripts." Asked for comments, General Partinax said simply, "I don't hide.""
3rd - Hierarchy General to Duel Separatist Leader
"Citadel space is abuzz with the news that highly esteemed General Partinax has accepted separatist leader Kihilix Tanus' challenge to duel. General Partinax has survived seven duels, five to first blood and two lethal; Tanus' record is unknown. Negotiations continue at this hour as the general's staff narrows down a list of weapons. The general favors a turian sword called a mexta, saying it's harder to cheat in swordplay than with firearms. Tanus, on the other hand, favors a type of pistol duel known as a barrier room fight. Despite the excitement, the duel may only minimally impact the war strategy. General Partinax says the air campaign will continue during the duel: "The prize here is the life of one enemy, not the entire course of the war." It may not be merciful, but the general says it is the only condition upon which the Hierarchy would permit him to risk his life."
4th - Partinax and Tanus Agree to Barrier Room Duel
"As reports of strafing runs and bombardments filter in from urban centers across the Diluvian Wildlands, all eyes are on General Partinax. Negotiations have ended in agreement upon a barrier room duel between the general and Kihilix Tanus in two days' time. In this duel type, combatants armed with pistols enter a room with an opaque retractable wall dividing them. When the wall is dropped, the duel begins. Representatives from both sides will monitor the proceedings, which will be recorded on visual media. Per turian custom, the records will not be made available for public distribution. The general's staff must now locate a neutral meeting place that is unlikely to be an ambush site for either side -- trust is difficult to come by in this conflict."
5th - City of Iratiana Bombarded by Colonialist Forces
"Stories of civilian casualties on Taetrus pour in at this hour, following an attack on the city of Iratiana. Mass accelerators have destroyed apartment blocks, hospitals, train stations, and markets, killing dozens or hundreds with each hit. Colonialist forces appear unswayed. "Military emplacements on the continent of Eluria were built in easily defensible population centers during a civil war a few decades ago", explains War Minister Septimax. "Consequently, bombardments cause high loss of life. If I can give any advice to the people of the wildlands, it is to get into bombardment shelters and as far away from military targets as possible". General Partinax's response was more direct: "We have a saying that hopefully translates appropriately", he said. "There is no such thing as a turian civilian"."
6th - Duel Delayed Over Separatists' Fear of Trap
"The duel of the century is on hold tonight as senior Facinus representatives refused to accompany colonialist forces to the predetermined duel site, suspecting a trap. "There were no journalists there, no witnesses, and planes were screaming overhead", said Facinus separatist Janus Pagasi. "They had tanks and armor units nearby; they clearly meant to capture us". General Partinax, for his part, said at his daily press conference, "It's not in our interests to meet the enemy unprepared. However, we acknowledge the lack of trust between us, so we must guarantee that no unfortunate accidents will befall the Facinus delegation. Media were present today; tomorrow, they will be more clearly visible so we can get this over with"."
"The Taetrian capital of Vallum came under attack again today as a turian male crashed an aircar bomb into the kinetic barriers outside the Sevnis, a building serving as emergency government headquarters. Packed with explosives, the aircar struck the barriers and exploded, killing the driver. That driver was Alsadrus Tertius, a former sanitation worker with ties to the radical separatist group Facinus. Sevnis guard Titrinus Machaera counts himself lucky. "He [Tertius] clearly didn't know about the barriers. If he had, he'd have aimed for the gates and maybe gotten some of us guards or the crowds outside". War Minister Uvalum Septimax did not downplay the incident. "We face a determined enemy", he said, "and we cannot afford to relax our vigilance"."
2nd - Facinus Leader Condemns Taetrian Air Campaign
"The separatist group Facinus released a video today condemning the colonialist air campaign against targets in the Diluvian Wildlands. "The cowards of the Hierarchy have betrayed the turian people, first in their appeasement of the humans, second in their oppressive taxes to support their agenda to weaken our empire, and third in the bombardment of their own kind to support their archaic institutions," said Kihilix Tanus, nominal leader of the separatists. "Their General Partinax is a craven murderer. This bloodshed could be avoided with a simple duel between the two of us, yet he would hide behind his conscripts." Asked for comments, General Partinax said simply, "I don't hide.""
3rd - Hierarchy General to Duel Separatist Leader
"Citadel space is abuzz with the news that highly esteemed General Partinax has accepted separatist leader Kihilix Tanus' challenge to duel. General Partinax has survived seven duels, five to first blood and two lethal; Tanus' record is unknown. Negotiations continue at this hour as the general's staff narrows down a list of weapons. The general favors a turian sword called a mexta, saying it's harder to cheat in swordplay than with firearms. Tanus, on the other hand, favors a type of pistol duel known as a barrier room fight. Despite the excitement, the duel may only minimally impact the war strategy. General Partinax says the air campaign will continue during the duel: "The prize here is the life of one enemy, not the entire course of the war." It may not be merciful, but the general says it is the only condition upon which the Hierarchy would permit him to risk his life."
4th - Partinax and Tanus Agree to Barrier Room Duel
"As reports of strafing runs and bombardments filter in from urban centers across the Diluvian Wildlands, all eyes are on General Partinax. Negotiations have ended in agreement upon a barrier room duel between the general and Kihilix Tanus in two days' time. In this duel type, combatants armed with pistols enter a room with an opaque retractable wall dividing them. When the wall is dropped, the duel begins. Representatives from both sides will monitor the proceedings, which will be recorded on visual media. Per turian custom, the records will not be made available for public distribution. The general's staff must now locate a neutral meeting place that is unlikely to be an ambush site for either side -- trust is difficult to come by in this conflict."
5th - City of Iratiana Bombarded by Colonialist Forces
"Stories of civilian casualties on Taetrus pour in at this hour, following an attack on the city of Iratiana. Mass accelerators have destroyed apartment blocks, hospitals, train stations, and markets, killing dozens or hundreds with each hit. Colonialist forces appear unswayed. "Military emplacements on the continent of Eluria were built in easily defensible population centers during a civil war a few decades ago", explains War Minister Septimax. "Consequently, bombardments cause high loss of life. If I can give any advice to the people of the wildlands, it is to get into bombardment shelters and as far away from military targets as possible". General Partinax's response was more direct: "We have a saying that hopefully translates appropriately", he said. "There is no such thing as a turian civilian"."
6th - Duel Delayed Over Separatists' Fear of Trap
"The duel of the century is on hold tonight as senior Facinus representatives refused to accompany colonialist forces to the predetermined duel site, suspecting a trap. "There were no journalists there, no witnesses, and planes were screaming overhead", said Facinus separatist Janus Pagasi. "They had tanks and armor units nearby; they clearly meant to capture us". General Partinax, for his part, said at his daily press conference, "It's not in our interests to meet the enemy unprepared. However, we acknowledge the lack of trust between us, so we must guarantee that no unfortunate accidents will befall the Facinus delegation. Media were present today; tomorrow, they will be more clearly visible so we can get this over with"."
June, week 2:
7th - General Partinax Victorious After Duel
"The duel between General Partinax and the Facinus separatist Kihilix Tanus is over. After the separatists were picked up and driven to an undisclosed location, the combatants spent a short time testing their weapons before entering the barrier room. Video, covering the event from six angles using high-speed image capture, clearly showed that neither combatant used a kinetic barrier. Tanus fired first by about two-tenths of a second, but missed. The general did not miss. Partinax's shot knocked Tanus off his feet; as he continued to advance, he shot until his weapon overheated, by which time Tanus was dead. Tanus' inner circle and bodyguards reportedly had to be restrained after the duel, though no additional bloodshed followed. After the cameras were deactivated, the separatists -- and Tanus' body -- were returned to the pickup location unharmed."
8th - Bootleg Video of Duel on Taetrus Leaked
"A bootleg video of the duel between General Partinax and Kihilix Tanus has garnered over seven hundred and ten million views on the extranet. Numerous parodies have already surfaced, the most popular being set to Lady Sweat's "My B*tch Now." In a press conference today, Partinax refused to answer questions about the duel out of respect for the dead and said only that he was disappointed but not surprised that Tanus' death was being broadcast on tightbeam. Despite the turian social taboo of showing wartime dead, it seems they do like to watch covertly; downloads of the duel in turian space were second only to the number of downloads in human space."
9th - Separatists Claim Partinax Violated Terms of Duel
"Diluvian forces on Taetrus have released what they claim is the actual video of the duel between General Partinax and Kihilix Tanus. In the video, Kihilix's first shot appears to hit a kinetic barrier that springs up around Partinax, a clear violation of the terms. Colonialist forces were quick to point out evidence of digital tampering in the video and have uploaded video of the hole created in the wall by Tanus' missed shot. Asked for his reaction, Partinax responded: "It's expected that they create propaganda as part of their war effort. I can tell you that it doesn't feel good to be starring in such propaganda, but under the circumstances, it could be a lot worse.""
10th - Ground Campaign Underway on Taetrus
"After days of round-the-clock bombardment, the ground campaign in Taetrus' Diluvian Wildlands is underway. The swampy terrain has colonialist forces depending heavily on the Jiris infantry fighting vehicle, a hovercraft capable of navigating swamps with ease. At this hour, fierce fighting is underway on the shores of the Talae River, where separatists have taken cover in the undergrowth and are firing armor-piercing missiles at both the ground forces and the air support that aims to clear them out. Earlier, a cabal of biotics took a stand but were quickly wiped out by vehicles that flanked them and saturated the area with antipersonnel frags. Asked if he expected the ground campaign to result in less collateral damage than the air maneuvers, General Partinax responded, simply: "No.""
11th - Detained Human Journalist Dies in Colonialist Care
"Colonialist forces on Taetrus are coming under fire today for allowing a journalist to die in their care. Grant Keyes, a human working for the Future Content Corporation, was detained by colonialist forces when he was caught filming war dead in the city of Iratiana. Commander Lahere Dianix, commander of the destroyer on which Keyes was held, explained that they were unprepared to detain humans. "We didn't have anything with levo-amino-acids on board," he says. "He refused even water and died of dehydration." However, parts of the story raise significant questions: dying of dehydration would likely have taken a week or more, and any doctor checking on Keyes' condition could have hydrated him intravenously with saline without fear of poisoning the prisoner."
12th - Colonialists and Diluvians Battle in Taetrian Marshlands
"The ground campaign on Taetrus is proceeding with brutal speed as both sides jockey for a strategic advantage. The Diluvians' advantage lies in their fixed positions, hardened pillboxes two-and-a-half meters thick that are stationed outside area cities. Colonialist armored forces are avoiding these emplacements by sweeping through the marshlands and cutting off the Diluvians' supplies, hoping to starve them out. The colonialists' Jiris fighting vehicles have a decisive range advantage in open terrain, as their missiles can hit a target twenty kilometers away before the enemy even sees them. Knowing this, the separatists are taking cover in jungles and city streets, using the terrain to draw their enemy in. As one separatist tank commander put it, "This will not be easy for them. We are not on Garvug"."
13th - Questions Arise in Death of Human Journalist
"More questions arise tonight in the death of journalist Grant Keyes. Turian colonialist forces on Taetrus are now claiming Keyes was held for eight days, during which time he refused water. Keyes' producer at the Future Content Corporation refutes this, saying he was in contact with Keyes just four days ago. Keyes' camerawoman Letha Maragos is also missing; the pair's abandoned aircar has been found on an Iratianan street with damage to its top and bottom, indicating the car may have been forced to the ground. Commander Lahere Dianix promised a full investigation, saying, "The acts of my subordinates are my responsibility. If foul play was involved, it will be discovered"."
"The duel between General Partinax and the Facinus separatist Kihilix Tanus is over. After the separatists were picked up and driven to an undisclosed location, the combatants spent a short time testing their weapons before entering the barrier room. Video, covering the event from six angles using high-speed image capture, clearly showed that neither combatant used a kinetic barrier. Tanus fired first by about two-tenths of a second, but missed. The general did not miss. Partinax's shot knocked Tanus off his feet; as he continued to advance, he shot until his weapon overheated, by which time Tanus was dead. Tanus' inner circle and bodyguards reportedly had to be restrained after the duel, though no additional bloodshed followed. After the cameras were deactivated, the separatists -- and Tanus' body -- were returned to the pickup location unharmed."
8th - Bootleg Video of Duel on Taetrus Leaked
"A bootleg video of the duel between General Partinax and Kihilix Tanus has garnered over seven hundred and ten million views on the extranet. Numerous parodies have already surfaced, the most popular being set to Lady Sweat's "My B*tch Now." In a press conference today, Partinax refused to answer questions about the duel out of respect for the dead and said only that he was disappointed but not surprised that Tanus' death was being broadcast on tightbeam. Despite the turian social taboo of showing wartime dead, it seems they do like to watch covertly; downloads of the duel in turian space were second only to the number of downloads in human space."
9th - Separatists Claim Partinax Violated Terms of Duel
"Diluvian forces on Taetrus have released what they claim is the actual video of the duel between General Partinax and Kihilix Tanus. In the video, Kihilix's first shot appears to hit a kinetic barrier that springs up around Partinax, a clear violation of the terms. Colonialist forces were quick to point out evidence of digital tampering in the video and have uploaded video of the hole created in the wall by Tanus' missed shot. Asked for his reaction, Partinax responded: "It's expected that they create propaganda as part of their war effort. I can tell you that it doesn't feel good to be starring in such propaganda, but under the circumstances, it could be a lot worse.""
10th - Ground Campaign Underway on Taetrus
"After days of round-the-clock bombardment, the ground campaign in Taetrus' Diluvian Wildlands is underway. The swampy terrain has colonialist forces depending heavily on the Jiris infantry fighting vehicle, a hovercraft capable of navigating swamps with ease. At this hour, fierce fighting is underway on the shores of the Talae River, where separatists have taken cover in the undergrowth and are firing armor-piercing missiles at both the ground forces and the air support that aims to clear them out. Earlier, a cabal of biotics took a stand but were quickly wiped out by vehicles that flanked them and saturated the area with antipersonnel frags. Asked if he expected the ground campaign to result in less collateral damage than the air maneuvers, General Partinax responded, simply: "No.""
11th - Detained Human Journalist Dies in Colonialist Care
"Colonialist forces on Taetrus are coming under fire today for allowing a journalist to die in their care. Grant Keyes, a human working for the Future Content Corporation, was detained by colonialist forces when he was caught filming war dead in the city of Iratiana. Commander Lahere Dianix, commander of the destroyer on which Keyes was held, explained that they were unprepared to detain humans. "We didn't have anything with levo-amino-acids on board," he says. "He refused even water and died of dehydration." However, parts of the story raise significant questions: dying of dehydration would likely have taken a week or more, and any doctor checking on Keyes' condition could have hydrated him intravenously with saline without fear of poisoning the prisoner."
12th - Colonialists and Diluvians Battle in Taetrian Marshlands
"The ground campaign on Taetrus is proceeding with brutal speed as both sides jockey for a strategic advantage. The Diluvians' advantage lies in their fixed positions, hardened pillboxes two-and-a-half meters thick that are stationed outside area cities. Colonialist armored forces are avoiding these emplacements by sweeping through the marshlands and cutting off the Diluvians' supplies, hoping to starve them out. The colonialists' Jiris fighting vehicles have a decisive range advantage in open terrain, as their missiles can hit a target twenty kilometers away before the enemy even sees them. Knowing this, the separatists are taking cover in jungles and city streets, using the terrain to draw their enemy in. As one separatist tank commander put it, "This will not be easy for them. We are not on Garvug"."
13th - Questions Arise in Death of Human Journalist
"More questions arise tonight in the death of journalist Grant Keyes. Turian colonialist forces on Taetrus are now claiming Keyes was held for eight days, during which time he refused water. Keyes' producer at the Future Content Corporation refutes this, saying he was in contact with Keyes just four days ago. Keyes' camerawoman Letha Maragos is also missing; the pair's abandoned aircar has been found on an Iratianan street with damage to its top and bottom, indicating the car may have been forced to the ground. Commander Lahere Dianix promised a full investigation, saying, "The acts of my subordinates are my responsibility. If foul play was involved, it will be discovered"."
June, week 3:
14th - Colonialists Besiege City of Spaedar
"Colonialist forces on Taetrus surrounded the city of Spaedar and met stiff resistance from armor and artillery units as they tried to take the Spaedar Spaceport -- the engagement was quickly nicknamed "the naval battle" due to inclement weather that dumped over 25 cm of rain onto the city. The close quarters of Spaedar streets negated many of the colonialist forces' technological advantages. Tanks, drones, and other combat vehicles hunted one another in the flooded alleys, and spotters hidden in buildings called down missile artillery on colonialist reserves. These were countered with cruise missiles from offshore ships dropping precision munitions, silencing the separatist missile artillery and blacking out wide swaths of the city. The battle is expected to continue through the night as colonialist forces attempt to press their advantage."
15th - Colonialists Announce Strategy for Suppressing Citizen Militias
"Tonight, the ground war on Taetrus enters a new phase; citizen resistance. Military duty is the turian qualification for citizenship; as such, an invading force expects most turians to resist. The average turian family keeps military-issue small arms in their home, and demolitions training teaches citizens how to create homemade firebombs that can blind a tank or force the crew to abandon it. Earlier today, General Partinax announced the colonialist strategy for suppressing citizen militias: first, they will establish "safe camps" within the cities, a traditional turian tactic that incentivizes surrender; then, the invaders will go house-to-house and shoot virtually everyone who remains as a combatant. "Those are our terms", Partinax said in the press conference. "There will be no deviation"."
16th - Spaedar Captured by Colonialist Forces
"Colonialist forces on Taetrus have announced the capture of the city of Spaedar tonight after several days of fighting. Surrendering citizens are pouring into the safe camps, housing centers built during the city's initial construction for just such an occasion. These have already been supplied with cots, toilets, antibiotics, food, and medical staff. Meanwhile, gunfire erupted on the streets as citizen snipers tried to stop house-to-house killings by the hastatim, soldiers whose job more or less translates to "execution squads." The army is keeping close-mouthed about casualty estimates, and underground extranet sites say anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 people were killed today in Spaedar alone. Even Facinus sympathizers are having trouble calling the resistance a success, but they claim anywhere from 200 to 500 colonial casualties."
17th - Events Surrounding Journalists' Detainment Explained
"Commander Lahere Dianix held a press conference today regarding the death of human journalist Grant Keyes on Taetrus. He now says that four soldiers in the Tenth Mechanized Infantry forced the journalist's car off the road, questioned Keyes, and attempted to arrest him. A scuffle ensued, and the turians' claws nicked the carotid artery of his camerawoman, Letha Maragos, while restraining her. Keyes became violent and was shot in the leg -- both humans were taken into custody where first Maragos and then Keyes died. The turians lacked supplies and human blood or a viable substitute, and could not perform a transfusion. Asked if charges will be brought against the patrol, Dianix replied, "Turians are not as litigious as humans. The matter will be resolved shortly.""
18th - Turian Sergeant Commits Suicide After Journalist Incident
"A new development in the death of human journalist Grant Keyes has exemplified the differences between turian and human cultures. Sergeant Sanus Iheras -- the commander of the four soldiers who pulled the journalist and his camerawoman over and was allegedly responsible for their deaths -- has apparently commited suicide. He was found this morning with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, presumed to be self-inflicted. Such suicides are common in turian cultures after great transgressions and are seen to expiate family or unit of shame and failure. The act also frequently closes any judicial matter or investigation into the deceased and their actions. Asked if this brought closure to the case, Keyes' widow Lara said, "Not at all. I never wanted anyone else to get hurt over this. It's senseless"."
19th - Taetrian Safe Camps Plagued by Poisoning Incidents
"An epidemic of poisonings on Taetrus raises a question for the occupying colonialist forces: Are the so-called "safe camps" for surrendering civilians really safe? Hidden cameras in the Dedaris stadium-camp reveal high tensions among the occupants, as well as thefts, drug abuse, and sexual assaults. Colonel Partainis, the camp's commanding officer, took the media's questions seriously: "We suspect the poisoning incident was an indiscriminate revenge killing. We've seized a new food supply -- a louza [poultry] slaughterhouse -- just to be sure. As for individual crimes, we are not here to rehabilitate anyone. We provide an environment that is safer than the combat theater. That is all". An occupant, who asked not to be named, says he prefers it here. "It's spit soup three meals a day, but I've got so many medical problems...I wouldn't last an hour outside. That doesn't make me a traitor"."
20th - Misconceptions About Hierarchy's Role on Taetrus Addressed
"Today on Taetrus, General Partinax took time out from his usual press conference to address what colonialists are calling "misconceptions" about the Hierarchy's role on the planet. "There are persistent rumors that we are nationalizing businesses of the dead in order to pay for the war", he said. "That is simply untrue. What we want is the population coming to the safe camps, surviving the war, going about their business, and paying their taxes. The deaths are of those that give us armed resistance". Asked if he knew that the Diluvian Wildlands had iridium deposits, he said, "All colonies have natural resources, but economics are only one element of war, not a sole cause. We are here because we were attacked. End of message"."
"Colonialist forces on Taetrus surrounded the city of Spaedar and met stiff resistance from armor and artillery units as they tried to take the Spaedar Spaceport -- the engagement was quickly nicknamed "the naval battle" due to inclement weather that dumped over 25 cm of rain onto the city. The close quarters of Spaedar streets negated many of the colonialist forces' technological advantages. Tanks, drones, and other combat vehicles hunted one another in the flooded alleys, and spotters hidden in buildings called down missile artillery on colonialist reserves. These were countered with cruise missiles from offshore ships dropping precision munitions, silencing the separatist missile artillery and blacking out wide swaths of the city. The battle is expected to continue through the night as colonialist forces attempt to press their advantage."
15th - Colonialists Announce Strategy for Suppressing Citizen Militias
"Tonight, the ground war on Taetrus enters a new phase; citizen resistance. Military duty is the turian qualification for citizenship; as such, an invading force expects most turians to resist. The average turian family keeps military-issue small arms in their home, and demolitions training teaches citizens how to create homemade firebombs that can blind a tank or force the crew to abandon it. Earlier today, General Partinax announced the colonialist strategy for suppressing citizen militias: first, they will establish "safe camps" within the cities, a traditional turian tactic that incentivizes surrender; then, the invaders will go house-to-house and shoot virtually everyone who remains as a combatant. "Those are our terms", Partinax said in the press conference. "There will be no deviation"."
16th - Spaedar Captured by Colonialist Forces
"Colonialist forces on Taetrus have announced the capture of the city of Spaedar tonight after several days of fighting. Surrendering citizens are pouring into the safe camps, housing centers built during the city's initial construction for just such an occasion. These have already been supplied with cots, toilets, antibiotics, food, and medical staff. Meanwhile, gunfire erupted on the streets as citizen snipers tried to stop house-to-house killings by the hastatim, soldiers whose job more or less translates to "execution squads." The army is keeping close-mouthed about casualty estimates, and underground extranet sites say anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 people were killed today in Spaedar alone. Even Facinus sympathizers are having trouble calling the resistance a success, but they claim anywhere from 200 to 500 colonial casualties."
17th - Events Surrounding Journalists' Detainment Explained
"Commander Lahere Dianix held a press conference today regarding the death of human journalist Grant Keyes on Taetrus. He now says that four soldiers in the Tenth Mechanized Infantry forced the journalist's car off the road, questioned Keyes, and attempted to arrest him. A scuffle ensued, and the turians' claws nicked the carotid artery of his camerawoman, Letha Maragos, while restraining her. Keyes became violent and was shot in the leg -- both humans were taken into custody where first Maragos and then Keyes died. The turians lacked supplies and human blood or a viable substitute, and could not perform a transfusion. Asked if charges will be brought against the patrol, Dianix replied, "Turians are not as litigious as humans. The matter will be resolved shortly.""
18th - Turian Sergeant Commits Suicide After Journalist Incident
"A new development in the death of human journalist Grant Keyes has exemplified the differences between turian and human cultures. Sergeant Sanus Iheras -- the commander of the four soldiers who pulled the journalist and his camerawoman over and was allegedly responsible for their deaths -- has apparently commited suicide. He was found this morning with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, presumed to be self-inflicted. Such suicides are common in turian cultures after great transgressions and are seen to expiate family or unit of shame and failure. The act also frequently closes any judicial matter or investigation into the deceased and their actions. Asked if this brought closure to the case, Keyes' widow Lara said, "Not at all. I never wanted anyone else to get hurt over this. It's senseless"."
19th - Taetrian Safe Camps Plagued by Poisoning Incidents
"An epidemic of poisonings on Taetrus raises a question for the occupying colonialist forces: Are the so-called "safe camps" for surrendering civilians really safe? Hidden cameras in the Dedaris stadium-camp reveal high tensions among the occupants, as well as thefts, drug abuse, and sexual assaults. Colonel Partainis, the camp's commanding officer, took the media's questions seriously: "We suspect the poisoning incident was an indiscriminate revenge killing. We've seized a new food supply -- a louza [poultry] slaughterhouse -- just to be sure. As for individual crimes, we are not here to rehabilitate anyone. We provide an environment that is safer than the combat theater. That is all". An occupant, who asked not to be named, says he prefers it here. "It's spit soup three meals a day, but I've got so many medical problems...I wouldn't last an hour outside. That doesn't make me a traitor"."
20th - Misconceptions About Hierarchy's Role on Taetrus Addressed
"Today on Taetrus, General Partinax took time out from his usual press conference to address what colonialists are calling "misconceptions" about the Hierarchy's role on the planet. "There are persistent rumors that we are nationalizing businesses of the dead in order to pay for the war", he said. "That is simply untrue. What we want is the population coming to the safe camps, surviving the war, going about their business, and paying their taxes. The deaths are of those that give us armed resistance". Asked if he knew that the Diluvian Wildlands had iridium deposits, he said, "All colonies have natural resources, but economics are only one element of war, not a sole cause. We are here because we were attacked. End of message"."
June, week 4:
21st - Weekend Box Office Suffers 17% Slump
"The weekend box office is down 17% from this time last year -- industry insiders blame the constant coverage of the war on Taetrus as competing mindshare. Still, Greek-versus-god actioner "Diomedes" speared 1.52 billion credits, holding steady from last weekend's 1.61 billion take; "Call Me Sally" opened at 1.33 billion, proving that painting an undercover asari Spectre in human makeup is still good fish-out-of-water comedy; historical drama "Farixen" cruised in at third with 928 million, a reasonable profit for the low-budget sim; rounding out the bottom of the charts is the art-house-release fourth-wall-breaker "Rodin vs Metagodzilla", which carved out 751 million. "Milk Sheik" and "Make It Look Real" survived for a fourth week with 748 and 655 million, respectively. (All numbers independently confirmed by entertainmentfact.com)."
22nd - Colonialist Occupation Strategy on Taetrus Explained
"Tonight: Is the colonialist strategy on Taetrus working? The killing of civilians in Earth wars usually serves only to stiffen popular resistance, but Earth wars rarely offer such a stark contrast between safe captivity and death. "The dual approach is necessary," says Lieutenant Colonel Satorim of the 3rd Infantry. "Without the camps, no one would ever surrender. Without the hastatim, we would be here for years and still get shot at." Some surrendering citizens have even collaborated with their captors. "Our most valuable intel comes from sympathizers," says Satorim. "After seeing the Vallum Blast, they know what the separatists want and think it abhorrent. They'd rather be counted as patriots.""
23rd - Improvised FTL Plotters Discovered in City of Madra
"A disturbing find on Taetrus this week reminded colonialist troops of the consequences of failure. Army units seized a house in the Diluvian city of Madra; in a work shed, they discovered two improvised FTL plotters in the late stages of weaponization. The shed belonged to Ulrixen Ravidus, a suspected Facinus supporter. Described as having "few skills in the astrophysics department", authorities believe Ravidus may have harbored Vamire Squaron, the pilot who allegedly launched the hypervelocity craft that caused the Vallum Blast. Further evidence in Ravidus' residence suggests that Facinus tried to use a ship as a weapon on military targets in the early stages of the Diluvian invasion, but the vessel was shot down by colonialist forces as they began to establish air and space supremacy."
24th - Umsung Holdings Completes Buyout of Sonax Industries
"Umsung Holdings (CSE: UMH) announced today that it has completed the buyout of Sonax Industries in a friendly takeover. Umsung will provide approximately 119 billion credits in debt and equity financing for the purchase of the company and future funding commitments. The move is expected to significantly boost Sonax's share price, which has been falling precipitously after perceived missteps in the war on Garvug. Asked if new management will result in a change of direction on that planet, CEO Iseul Rhee replied, "We have conferred with Admiral Speight and see great potential in Garvug. The infrastructure of the occupied areas is unharmed and is beginning to turn a profit. The correct move is not to withdraw, but to commit fully to establishing a permanent peace zone on the planet.""
25th - "Nekyia Corridor" Holds Premiere in New York City
"It was a star-studded night in New York City as the long-awaited space epic "Nekyia Corridor" held its premiere at the Royal SimulCinema 189 in the East Village. Light & Shadow Pictures spared no expense as the red carpet took the haute couture along a bridge of carbon nanotubes over an eerie pit of holographic ghosts. A-listers were everywhere, from Ace Skidmore to Symon Eldfell. Even Lisa Ford stopped by -- the Speaker's district was home to 11 of the sound stages used in the film. Leading lady Kate First was on hand with her life partner Elyina Renezia; lightning-rod-leading man Nathan Gold made only a video appearance, as he was on Thessia for the simultaneous Usaru premiere. Director Morgan Bierster commented: "We're excited and exhausted. The sim's been getting fabulous buzz in the pirate community, and it's great to be here and give the glitterati their turn. We've got four hours to go, and then we'll know if I should cut my wrists or not"."
26th - Hastatim Soldiers Acknowledge Image Problem
"Turian soldiers of the hastatim, assigned to crush civillian resistance on Taetrus, are the first to argue that the hastatim are not death squads. "Our purpose is to transport people to the safe camps", insists a sergeant who asked not to be identified. "We're not the ones making the decision to fight -- they are". In order to facilitate that goal, hastatim members are trained in foreign languages to supplement translators and are issued combat ambulances to transport those who cannot transport themselves. But the soldiers are also the first to admit that they have an image problem. "The burial units are tough to look at, and the cremator smell gets to you", said a corporal, also asking not to be named. "But that's just one aspect. These people have been warned. All that's left are shooters and looters"."
27th - Turian Separatists Attack Safe Camp
"An attack on a safe camp on the planet of Taetrus has, to the surprise of many human observers, increased sympathies for the invading colonialist forces. Four gunmen dressed in colonialist uniforms, presumably separatists, attempted to gain entry to the camps before their identicards malfunctioned and a firefight broke out, killing eight and wounding eleven. "These incidents are not unheard of in turian history", explained General Partinax at his daily press conference. "Their objective was to cause bloodshed within the safe camps and attribute it to war crimes. They want the camps to seem unsafe to humiliate us. But public sympathy often swings the other way, especially when the truth comes out. The camps are a place of mercy, and the public reacts strongly to anything that threatens that tradition"."
"The weekend box office is down 17% from this time last year -- industry insiders blame the constant coverage of the war on Taetrus as competing mindshare. Still, Greek-versus-god actioner "Diomedes" speared 1.52 billion credits, holding steady from last weekend's 1.61 billion take; "Call Me Sally" opened at 1.33 billion, proving that painting an undercover asari Spectre in human makeup is still good fish-out-of-water comedy; historical drama "Farixen" cruised in at third with 928 million, a reasonable profit for the low-budget sim; rounding out the bottom of the charts is the art-house-release fourth-wall-breaker "Rodin vs Metagodzilla", which carved out 751 million. "Milk Sheik" and "Make It Look Real" survived for a fourth week with 748 and 655 million, respectively. (All numbers independently confirmed by entertainmentfact.com)."
22nd - Colonialist Occupation Strategy on Taetrus Explained
"Tonight: Is the colonialist strategy on Taetrus working? The killing of civilians in Earth wars usually serves only to stiffen popular resistance, but Earth wars rarely offer such a stark contrast between safe captivity and death. "The dual approach is necessary," says Lieutenant Colonel Satorim of the 3rd Infantry. "Without the camps, no one would ever surrender. Without the hastatim, we would be here for years and still get shot at." Some surrendering citizens have even collaborated with their captors. "Our most valuable intel comes from sympathizers," says Satorim. "After seeing the Vallum Blast, they know what the separatists want and think it abhorrent. They'd rather be counted as patriots.""
23rd - Improvised FTL Plotters Discovered in City of Madra
"A disturbing find on Taetrus this week reminded colonialist troops of the consequences of failure. Army units seized a house in the Diluvian city of Madra; in a work shed, they discovered two improvised FTL plotters in the late stages of weaponization. The shed belonged to Ulrixen Ravidus, a suspected Facinus supporter. Described as having "few skills in the astrophysics department", authorities believe Ravidus may have harbored Vamire Squaron, the pilot who allegedly launched the hypervelocity craft that caused the Vallum Blast. Further evidence in Ravidus' residence suggests that Facinus tried to use a ship as a weapon on military targets in the early stages of the Diluvian invasion, but the vessel was shot down by colonialist forces as they began to establish air and space supremacy."
24th - Umsung Holdings Completes Buyout of Sonax Industries
"Umsung Holdings (CSE: UMH) announced today that it has completed the buyout of Sonax Industries in a friendly takeover. Umsung will provide approximately 119 billion credits in debt and equity financing for the purchase of the company and future funding commitments. The move is expected to significantly boost Sonax's share price, which has been falling precipitously after perceived missteps in the war on Garvug. Asked if new management will result in a change of direction on that planet, CEO Iseul Rhee replied, "We have conferred with Admiral Speight and see great potential in Garvug. The infrastructure of the occupied areas is unharmed and is beginning to turn a profit. The correct move is not to withdraw, but to commit fully to establishing a permanent peace zone on the planet.""
25th - "Nekyia Corridor" Holds Premiere in New York City
"It was a star-studded night in New York City as the long-awaited space epic "Nekyia Corridor" held its premiere at the Royal SimulCinema 189 in the East Village. Light & Shadow Pictures spared no expense as the red carpet took the haute couture along a bridge of carbon nanotubes over an eerie pit of holographic ghosts. A-listers were everywhere, from Ace Skidmore to Symon Eldfell. Even Lisa Ford stopped by -- the Speaker's district was home to 11 of the sound stages used in the film. Leading lady Kate First was on hand with her life partner Elyina Renezia; lightning-rod-leading man Nathan Gold made only a video appearance, as he was on Thessia for the simultaneous Usaru premiere. Director Morgan Bierster commented: "We're excited and exhausted. The sim's been getting fabulous buzz in the pirate community, and it's great to be here and give the glitterati their turn. We've got four hours to go, and then we'll know if I should cut my wrists or not"."
26th - Hastatim Soldiers Acknowledge Image Problem
"Turian soldiers of the hastatim, assigned to crush civillian resistance on Taetrus, are the first to argue that the hastatim are not death squads. "Our purpose is to transport people to the safe camps", insists a sergeant who asked not to be identified. "We're not the ones making the decision to fight -- they are". In order to facilitate that goal, hastatim members are trained in foreign languages to supplement translators and are issued combat ambulances to transport those who cannot transport themselves. But the soldiers are also the first to admit that they have an image problem. "The burial units are tough to look at, and the cremator smell gets to you", said a corporal, also asking not to be named. "But that's just one aspect. These people have been warned. All that's left are shooters and looters"."
27th - Turian Separatists Attack Safe Camp
"An attack on a safe camp on the planet of Taetrus has, to the surprise of many human observers, increased sympathies for the invading colonialist forces. Four gunmen dressed in colonialist uniforms, presumably separatists, attempted to gain entry to the camps before their identicards malfunctioned and a firefight broke out, killing eight and wounding eleven. "These incidents are not unheard of in turian history", explained General Partinax at his daily press conference. "Their objective was to cause bloodshed within the safe camps and attribute it to war crimes. They want the camps to seem unsafe to humiliate us. But public sympathy often swings the other way, especially when the truth comes out. The camps are a place of mercy, and the public reacts strongly to anything that threatens that tradition"."
June, week 5:
28th - Citizen Insurgents on Taetrus Pressured by Public to
Surrender
"Flash mobs rallied today on Taetrus, protesting the prolongation of the war. Safe camps were the scenes of many such rallies, where noncombatants tried to pressure the citizen resistance fighters into surrendering. "The soldiers here aren't faceless snipers", said Teheris Gaudium, organizer of the rally in Spaedar. "They are our husbands and brothers, our wives and mothers. We're marching today to show that if they want to separate from the Hierarchy, they'll be separating from us, too". Organizer Hanae Daphnon was even more blunt. "The resistance has gotten countless people killed. The sooner everyone surrenders, the sooner we can all go home"."
29th - Colonialist Forces Prolong War on Taetrus
"Controversy brews tonight over the decision to continue the war on Taetrus. Analysis by a Second Star Broadcasting reporter reveals that the colonialist army has captured or killed 21 of the 24 top Facinus leaders. Casualty estimates from across Diluvian lands run from 15,000 to 18,000 uniformed fighters and 45,000 to 80,000 citizen insurgents. Deaths of noncitizens, which include children, the mentally incompetent, and those unfit for duty, are estimated between 7,000 and 8,000. While these numbers indicate significant progress in the war, General Partinax is quick to say major combat operations are not complete. "Our estimates are that 60-70% of the population has made it to the safe camps," he announced. "That is a significant number, but the unknown factor is the number of citizen insurgents who will continue to resist. This war's prolongation is on their heads.""
30th - Separatists Unsuccessfully Attack Weapons Destruction Facility
"Diluvian separatists attacked a weapons destruction facility on Taetrus today, detonating a truck bomb at the gate to the steelworks plant where captured weapons were being stored. Squads of citizen militia swarmed into the plant, trying to steal small arms and missile launchers; however, they met stiff resistance from an infantry platoon stationed at the facility. After a half-hour standoff, the separatists were forced to retreat into the city, leaving their dead and wounded behind. The fight has become a highly publicized victory for occupation forces, who have gathered more than 140,000 weapons from surrendering citizens and military units."
"Flash mobs rallied today on Taetrus, protesting the prolongation of the war. Safe camps were the scenes of many such rallies, where noncombatants tried to pressure the citizen resistance fighters into surrendering. "The soldiers here aren't faceless snipers", said Teheris Gaudium, organizer of the rally in Spaedar. "They are our husbands and brothers, our wives and mothers. We're marching today to show that if they want to separate from the Hierarchy, they'll be separating from us, too". Organizer Hanae Daphnon was even more blunt. "The resistance has gotten countless people killed. The sooner everyone surrenders, the sooner we can all go home"."
29th - Colonialist Forces Prolong War on Taetrus
"Controversy brews tonight over the decision to continue the war on Taetrus. Analysis by a Second Star Broadcasting reporter reveals that the colonialist army has captured or killed 21 of the 24 top Facinus leaders. Casualty estimates from across Diluvian lands run from 15,000 to 18,000 uniformed fighters and 45,000 to 80,000 citizen insurgents. Deaths of noncitizens, which include children, the mentally incompetent, and those unfit for duty, are estimated between 7,000 and 8,000. While these numbers indicate significant progress in the war, General Partinax is quick to say major combat operations are not complete. "Our estimates are that 60-70% of the population has made it to the safe camps," he announced. "That is a significant number, but the unknown factor is the number of citizen insurgents who will continue to resist. This war's prolongation is on their heads.""
30th - Separatists Unsuccessfully Attack Weapons Destruction Facility
"Diluvian separatists attacked a weapons destruction facility on Taetrus today, detonating a truck bomb at the gate to the steelworks plant where captured weapons were being stored. Squads of citizen militia swarmed into the plant, trying to steal small arms and missile launchers; however, they met stiff resistance from an infantry platoon stationed at the facility. After a half-hour standoff, the separatists were forced to retreat into the city, leaving their dead and wounded behind. The fight has become a highly publicized victory for occupation forces, who have gathered more than 140,000 weapons from surrendering citizens and military units."
