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Felicia Winters Elected as Federal President

The Federation has voted to elect Felicia Winters as its next president, with a four per cent vote majority over her rival Jerome Archer.

The current shadow president of the Liberal Party will be officially inaugurated in the new year, entering an eight-year term of office. Congressman Isolde Rochester will also be sworn in as vice president in Winters’s administration.

President Zachary Hudson will remain in power during the transition period, but will not be expected to implement any major policy changes. The Liberal Party will replace the Republican Party as the superpower’s governing authority in 3310, with Jerome Archer assuming the role of shadow president.

President-elect Winters addressed her supporters during a celebratory rally in Olympus Village on Mars:

“The people of the Federation have spoken! I thank you all for turning my party’s vision into a reality. My aim is to govern fairly for everybody, regardless of their political allegiance. Together we will create optimism where there was fear, give shelter those who are vulnerable, and improve the quality of life for each and every Federal citizen.”

Vice President Jerome Archer formally conceded the election during a session of Congress:

“My compliments to Felicia Winters, who fought a strong campaign. I look forward to taking on the role of shadow president next year, and ensuring that her government’s proposals are thoroughly scrutinised from day one.”

Former presidents Antonia Madison and Jasmina Halsey – whom Winters temporarily replaced after the Starship One disaster – offered their congratulations. Prime Minister Edmund Mahon of the Alliance, First Minister Octavia Volkov of the Marlinist Colonies, and CEO Li Yong-Rui of Sirius Corporation sent similar messages to the Winters campaign.

No formal acknowledgement was received from the Empire. However, Princess Aisling Duval joined Professor Alba Tesreau and other members of Aegis leadership to state: “We trust that President Winters will remain committed to our unified approach, ensuring the development of technology needed to secure victory in the ongoing Thargoid war.”

First Captives Freed from Thargoid Titans

The first humans rescued from the Thargoid motherships have started to arrive, almost all of whom have so far survived extraction.

The highly dangerous task requires using an upgraded pulse wave xeno scanner to detect human life signs on the Titans. The new sub-surface extraction missiles then target and jettison the bio-storage capsules – as the structures are officially designated – which are then recovered using a cargo scoop.

All recovered individuals are being assessed by medical specialists. The tri-superpower agency Aegis released this statement to the media:

“In each case, research teams successfully cracked open the capsules and removed the comatose person. They were suspended within a chemically complex gel, not unlike amniotic fluid, with tubes supplying breathable air and basic nutrients. Between thirty and ninety minutes later, the person wakes.”

“All recovered individuals are currently being kept in strict medical quarantine under military guard. Molecular scans are being conducted to ensure that no traces of Thargoid material remains, and a period of long-term observation now begins.”

Dr Himari Grey, an independent healthcare analyst, was permitted to observe these procedures. As part of a report in The Empirical scientific journal, she noted:

“The former abductees I have seen looked physically healthy, and returned to consciousness easily. Most remembered little about their abduction, though several mentioned an overwhelming urge to ‘escape their ship’ prior to blacking out. Some described being semi-aware of their time in stasis, saying it felt ‘like an extended dream’. Others were in a state of shock or showed signs of psychological trauma – understandably, considering the nightmarish circumstances.”

“The capsules are clearly designed to sustain oxygen-breathing life forms indefinitely, protected both from the vacuum of space and the Thargoids’ ammonia-based environment. But what the aliens intended to use these people for remains unknown.”

Aegis later stated that identities are being logged and will soon be made public, with the hope that families and friends will be able to visit.

Deliver Resources for Extraction Missile Manufacture

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

Aegis has requested materials to construct sub-surface extraction missiles that recover imprisoned humans from the Titans.

Professor Alba Tesreau, head of Aegis, announced:

“Using blueprints provided by Sirius Corporation, engineering teams have worked around the clock to modify sub-surface displacement munitions. These adaptations enable the projectiles to breach sections of the Titans’ hulls and jettison the bio-storage capsules embedded within.”

“We could spend the next few months in a testing cycle, and ideally that would be the case – but lives are at risk and we can’t be sure how much time our missing have. Therefore, we have approved mass production of these sub-surface extraction missiles. Industrial materials are urgently needed to establish assembly centres, so that we can distribute them as rapidly as possible.”

Princess Aisling Duval, who is coordinating the Empire’s involvement with Aegis, transmitted a personal message:

“My heart goes out to the families and friends of the millions unaccounted for following the Thargoid invasions. But I urge you all to hold onto the hope of seeing your loved ones again. With this breakthrough, we finally have a chance to rescue some of those poor souls. Nobody doubts that this will be dangerous, and yet if this war has proved anything, it’s that we can rise to any challenge when we work together.”

Aegis has requested shipments of CMM composites, neofabric insulation and osmium, to be delivered to Springer Gateway in the Senlu system. To protect transports, bounty vouchers for all wanted ships in the system will be redeemed by the Green Party of Senlu.

Thargoid War Update: September 3309

The race is on to develop technology which can recover humans from Thargoid Titans, reports Vox Galactica journalist Jade Sanderlyn.

“Now we know the stomach-churning truth: the Thargoids are keeping people they abduct alive. The dramatic leak of a high-level conversation within Aegis confirmed that Thargoid tactics had shifted to incorporate the mass abduction of humans. Seo Jin-ae’s telepathic connection to the aliens revealed that captives are being stored inside pod-like structures aboard the Titans. She also sensed that the Thargoids considered these captives an important part of their invasion plan.”

“Aegis took these visions seriously, releasing an update to the pulse wave xeno scanner that was designed to test her hypothesis. Sure enough, those pilots who dared make a close approach to the Thargoid motherships detected human life-signs beneath their hulls. This is where civilians from conquered systems are being held. For what purpose? We scarcely dare imagine.”

“Demands to save these people from their unknown fate have rippled across every inhabited world. To their credit, the three superpowers have empowered Aegis to make this its top priority. Even Sirius Corporation has offered assistance, sharing designs for a modified sub-surface displacement missile that might be capable of extracting these pods from within the Titans. Time is of the essence, since not even Seo Jin-ae knows for certain what the Thargoid intentions are for the prisoners.”

“From the scientific community to the general public, there is enormous speculation. What state will the captives be in, assuming they can be recovered alive? Will they even be recognisably human? Some xenologists claim that the life-support chambers – to protect humans from the Thargoids’ toxic atmosphere – mean a stable physical condition is probably. But whether this is a necessity of their capture methods or an intentional step in a broader process remains unclear.”

“Meanwhile, anti-xeno forces continue to achieve impressive results. The number of Thargoid-controlled systems has reduced significantly from only three months ago. Alien fleets are apparently struggling to expand their territory, with organised system defences supported by the Pilots’ Federation preventing the loss of new systems. What seemed like a near-hopeless task when the Maelstroms arrived has become a shining example of human courage and determination for future generations.”

“This is Jade Sanderlyn for Vox Galactica. Stay safe out there.”

Aegis Resolves to Free Abductees from Titans

With human life-signs now confirmed beneath the hulls of the Thargoid Titans, the urgency to mount a rescue mission has intensified.

Many pilots equipped with the updated pulse wave xeno scanner detected signals that match living humans on every Titan mothership. As a result, Aegis has prioritised finding a way to recover the abducted. A potential solution has emerged, reportedly via a low-ranking engineer within Sirius Corporation.

Director Ivano Colombera, the Empire’s scientific liaison to Aegis, explained:

“Li Yong-Rui has shared Sirius Corporation’s projects to counter Thargoid abductions, and this has accelerated our work. Among their research was a blueprint that repurposes sub-surface displacement missiles – a commonly used mining tool – to breach Thargoid vessels and expose captured escape pods.”

“These missiles were originally designed to extract mineral deposits from within asteroids without causing its destruction. Our consensus is that with some modifications, they could be deployed to target the human storage chambers within the Titan and retrieve the captives safely.”

Aden Tanner discussed the approach with cautious optimism:

“This could be the non-lethal rescue method we've been searching for. However, these missiles are intended for minerals not people, and Thargoid technology is poorly understood. We must ensure that we won't inadvertently harm those we’re trying to save, and prevent an aggressive reaction from the Titans themselves if possible.”

Aegis confirmed that it has begun manufacturing prototype sub-surface missiles capable of penetrating the Titans’ outer hulls. Further developments are expected to be announced shortly.

Rackham Withdraws from Presidential Election

Zachary Rackham has officially ended his election campaign, following the discovery of evidence that supported claims of his criminal past.

Federal Times journalist Bryanna Blanco published the results of an investigation by the Wallglass Investigations Agency, which included a message archive found on Zeta Trianguli Australis A 7 a. These findings strongly support a long-standing rumour that the trillionaire operated as notorious pirate lord ‘Calico Zack’, prior to inheriting his family’s wealth.

PR consultant Anya Blackriver delivered a statement, in her role as campaign manager:

“Mr Rackham has decided that these attempts at defamation are a regrettable distraction from his election campaign. His amused tolerance of the nickname ‘Calico Zack’ – a nickname assigned to him by the media, I should point out – is not an admission of any true link to that despicable outlaw. Rather than allow the race for the Federal presidency to be clouded by these ridiculous claims, Mr Rackham’s legal team has advised a focus on defending his good name away from the spotlight.”

This announcement came a day after Congressman Harlan Turk formally resigned from his role as Zachary Rackham’s running mate. He will continue representing the Duamta system as an independent.

Federation correspondent Patricia Chen reported on the situation for Vox Galactica:

“There is speculation Rackham was warned that any further revelations could render him unelectable to the majority – and open to criminal charges. While the Federal Times piece is mostly based on circumstantial evidence at this stage, Rackham’s willingness to concede his claim to the presidency suggests a nervousness towards deeper dives into his past. His business portfolio has also been severely damaged, causing billions of losses in share price. Investors and corporate partners are avoiding any association with the man who may once have been Calico Zack.”

“Both of his political rivals welcomed the news. ‘Nobody with even a hint of criminality deserves a position of such significant power,’ remarked former FIA director Jerome Archer, while Felicia Winters agreed it was best that Rackham ‘stands aside to let the grown-ups do their work.’ The electoral race is now evenly balanced between the two, with voting scheduled to take place in October.”

Wallglass Links Rackham to ‘Calico Zack’

The Federal Times has published evidence that trillionaire and presidential candidate Zachary Rackham was once the pirate lord ‘Calico Zack’.

The newsfeed featured a detailed exposé by financial journalist Bryanna Blanco:

“The Wallglass Investigations Agency has confirmed my long-held suspicions about Zachary Rackham’s past. With the timely assistance of independent pilots, we have unearthed a message archive concealed in the Zeta Trianguli Australis system.”

“This was created as insurance by a pirate named Angelo Defries. Wallglass’s analysis revealed that Defries learned of Zachary Rackham’s alter-ego over sixteen years ago, and threatened to transmit evidence to several newsfeeds – including, ironically, us here at The Federal Times.”

“While Defries seems to have disappeared around 3992 with his evidence withheld, conversations from that period were traced to the Wishbone Point facility. Wallglass, in conjunction with volunteer pilots, tracked down and decrypted the damning logs.”

“This vindicates my many years investigating Rackham’s criminal activities and corruption. More importantly, we have proved that the Federation is at risk of electing a pirate lord as its president.”

Vox Galactica reporter Patricia Chen covered the story:

“Mr Rackham strenuously denied these allegations, stating that he always tolerated ‘being associated with a mythical figure’ as it gave him ‘an aura of danger that was useful in boardroom meetings’. His devoted followers say that the evidence was manufactured for Wallglass to find, and that Bryanna Blanco is secretly funded by either Jerome Archer or Felicia Winters.”

“However, high-profile supporters such as business magnate ‘Sir’ Randolph Plaskett and ICE-caster Sura Oyekan have publicly withdrawn their support. The value of shares in Rackham Capital Investments has also nosedived. With a month until the voting period opens, this discovery has disrupted an already much-delayed Federal election.”

Aegis Releases Upgraded Xeno Scanner

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

A pulse wave xeno scanner upgrade that can detect human life signs on Thargoid Titans is now available.

Professor Alba Tesreau, head of Aegis, announced the campaign’s successful conclusion:

“The upgraded pulse wave xeno scanner will isolate human life signs aboard the Titan motherships. If Seo Jin-ae is correct that some of our missing populations are being stored by the Thargoids, this could be the most important technological breakthrough in the war. I’m deeply grateful to all those who helped make it a reality.”

“Aegis is already trialling potential methods to rescue abductees, providing they can be located. I have also accepted Li Yong-Rui’s invitation to discuss the recovery methods already explored by Sirius Corporation, following majority approval from our superpower delegates.”

Former Federal admiral and current Aegis military strategist Aden Tanner discussed the practicalities of locating human captives:

“I want to remind pilots of how dangerous this task will be. Ships must be equipped with caustic sink launchers to survive within the corrosive Maelstroms, as well as Thargoid pulse neutralisers to breach the Titan’s defensive barrier.Flying close to the surface of the Titans is no easy feat, plus there is an ever-present risk of attack by patrolling Thargoid vessels. But I know how determined many of you are to find these poor souls. Every human identified is a potential life saved the moment we have the tools to do so.”

In advance of the pulse wave scanner upgrade, Aegis hosted a campaign in the Rabh system which aimed to resupply low-stock commodities for the broader humanitarian efforts. Independent pilots managed to deliver quantities of neofabric insulation, polymers and thallium. While the eventual total received was lower than anticipated, current stocks should now be sufficient while a permanent supply chain is established.

CD-51 1447 Imperial Society is now rewarding contributors to Aegis’s initiative at Muller Terminal in the Rabh system. Pilots who protected deliveries by destroying wanted ships can also now redeem bounty vouchers.