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Thargoid Pulse Neutraliser Becomes Available

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

Aegis’s new module will allow ships to penetrate the energy wave protecting the central regions of the Maelstroms.

Deliveries of cobalt, ion distributors and power converters were made to Clement Orbital in the YZ Ceti system. These allowed Aegis to build a manufacturing and distribution centre for Thargoid pulse neutralisers, which can now be purchased from technology brokers on rescue megaships.

Professor Alba Tesreau released a statement regarding Aegis’s next steps:

“Combined with our caustic sink launcher, the Thargoid pulse neutraliser will enable explorers to travel through the Maelstroms’ corrosive clouds and into their cores. A small number of Aegis researchers will be among the first wave of pioneers. Their mission is to identify the source of these mysterious objects and gather data about its nature.”

“I am conscious that, once again, independent pilots will also be risking their lives to increase our knowledge of the Thargoids. We have always been indebted to the galactic community for their bravery, and never more so for those who dare undertake this dangerous journey. Aegis will continue to provide support wherever possible.”

An additional statement was made by former Federal Navy admiral Aden Tanner:

“Whatever lies within the Maelstroms is almost certainly protected by further dangers. Judging by how swiftly our probes were disabled, the presence of human ships is likely to attract attention. I advise pilots to make sure they are outfitted with the best possible equipment before venturing within.”

Aegis confirmed that payment for all who contributed to the initiative is now available from the Orunmilla. As a related reward, the first ten Commanders who delivered unclassified relics to Ram Tah or Professor Palin in August 3308, and the 40 who have traded the greatest quantities of these objects, have been recognised for their contribution to the Thargoid pulse neutraliser’s development. Each of these pilots will be invited via inbox to collect a Thargoid pulse neutraliser from storage at the Orunmilla megaship in Didiomanja.

Rackham Fundraiser Secures Political Backing

Independent presidential candidate Zachary Rackham held a gala ball for some of the Federation’s wealthy and influential elite.

The Federal Times published a report from political correspondent Sofia Trevino:

“The extravagant gathering at Fort Rackham (formerly Fort Falkenrath) on Taylor Colony felt more like a party than a fundraiser, but its ambitions were clear. Campaign finance laws forbid Zachary Rackham from using his own wealth to pay for his presidential bid, and so connections are being forged to entice donations and other types of support.”

“Mr Rackham’s campaign manager – and the originator of his ‘Just Like Me’ slogan – was revealed to be celebrity PR consultant Anya Blackriver. She organised many famous attendees including media barons Elias Metaxas and Neive McFarlane, the youthful but popular ICE-caster Sura Oyekan, and flamboyant business magnate ‘Sir’ Randolph Plaskett of the Knights of Enterprise.”

“The biggest surprise was the announcement that Congressman Harlan Turk, the highly respected representative for the Duamta system, has resigned from the Republican Party to serve as Mr Rackham’s running mate. Four independent congressmen also declared that they are joining his campaign, giving the entrepreneur some genuine political clout.”

The newsfeed Sol Today published a related editorial:

“President Hudson has served with honour, and deserves our respect for keeping citizens safe in recent years. But perhaps it’s time for some fresh blood at the Federation’s heart? Could Zachary Rackham’s infallible business instincts be what’s needed to boost our economy to new heights of prosperity?”

Thargoid War Update: April 3309

Jade Sanderlyn’s latest report on the Thargoid invasion of the core systems has been published on Vox Galactica.

“Taking the broad view of the conflict does little to lift the spirits. Thargoid fleets now occupy well over a thousand systems, nearly 200 of which were once populated. Several million people have been killed or wounded by bombardments and caustic attacks. Colossal numbers have fled their homes as refugees. Some sources estimate that well over ten billion people have been directly affected by the war, but the misery and hardship it has caused is immeasurable.”

“As sobering as that sounds, the situation would be much worse were it not for enormous efforts by anti-xeno squadrons and independent ships, which continue to push back against the Thargoid fleets. Every day, thousands of pilots risk their lives in battle, rescuing civilians or delivering supplies. Dozens of systems have been reclaimed from the Thargoids, and there are signs that the alien expansion is gradually slowing against such resistance.”

“For a while it looked as if more traditional warfare between factions was about to bring further devastation, when Federal and Imperial proxies clashed in the Tavgi and Pichch systems. But in fact, these skirmishes helped to demonstrate how the Empire and Federation are prioritising the Thargoid threat above their centuries-long rivalry.”

“Aegis continues to focus its efforts on practical solutions. The recently announced Thargoid pulse neutraliser is an attempt to bypass the defensive barrier within the inner region of the Maelstroms. If this succeeds, what might be found lurking at their hearts? Newsfeeds are proposing destroying the Maelstroms entirely to halt the never-ending swarms of Thargoid vessels, but few experts believe this can be achieved with existing military resources.”

“As for Azimuth Biotech, without the genius of Salvation they seem unable to contribute meaningfully, despite still claiming to be the leading anti-xeno specialists. There are rumours that CEO Torben Rademaker has been in contact with several weapons and industrial manufacturers, presumably with a view to building corporate links.”

“The last five months have been one of the most devastating periods of human history. But we are also witnessing resilience and courage on truly heroic levels, and we’re not beaten yet. This is Jade Sanderlyn for Vox Galactica. Stay safe out there.”

Alliance Urges Restraint Between Superpowers

Allied and independent leaders have called upon the Empire and the Federation to discourage faction hostilities following conflict in Tavgi.

Political journalist Conrad Sterling summarised the latest developments for Vox Galactica:

“Minor skirmishes between superpower-aligned factions are not uncommon. But the Caine-Massey and Torval Mining Ltd corporations have significant political ties, so their clash has led to bullish rhetoric from members of both Congress and the Senate.”

“Many systems where Federal and Imperial populations coexist are experiencing civil tension and spates of public disturbance. There is a sense that the historic rivalry between two militaristic superpowers is being rekindled, and that similar sparks elsewhere may fan the flames at the worst possible time.”

In the Alliance Assembly, Councillor Nakato Kaine highlighted the potential repercussions:

“Military distractions between the Empire and Federation would place more responsibility on the Alliance for protecting independent systems from Thargoid invasion. As well as a potentially horrific loss of life, that would be a significant drain on already stretched resources. The hawks in each administration should be directing their aggressive tendencies toward the Thargoids, not each other.”

In response, Prime Minister Mahon agreed to send envoys from the Alliance Office of Diplomatic Relations to both the Empire and the Federation. Dozens of independent systems have supported the Alliance’s formal request to ‘lower the temperature’ and find a peaceful solution.

Aegis Reports on Utopia’s Sim-Archive

A scientific delegation from Aegis has visited Utopia to compare its Sim-Archive with Salvation’s Nemesis Failsafe designs.

A summary from Dr Maximo Fonseca was shared with newsfeeds:

“Simguru Antal agreed to meet with us as a sign of good faith, and to refute claims of collaboration with Salvation. He personally introduced us to the neurosmiths of Utopia, who can digitally encode electrochemical activity within the brain. I took part in a demonstration, uploading some of my own long-term memories into the Sim-Archive. Afterwards, my colleague Dr Cooper enjoyed a remarkably accurate simulation of my university graduation thirty years ago, who claimed she found it hard to believe the memory was not her own.”

“Analysis of the Nemesis Failsafe designs that we provided was swift, but the differences were stark. From what we understood of the summary by Utopian researchers, the Nemesis process irreversibly transforms a person’s entire neuronal network into esoteric energy particles. But there was no suggestion how the particle stream might be directed or stored.”

Further scrutiny by Aegis specialists confirmed that the Nemesis Failsafe relies heavily on Guardian technology, much of which remains a mystery. Early indications suggest that Allied, Federal and Imperial leaders agree that Salvation was unlikely to have sought assistance from the Utopia commune.

Simguru Pranav Antal released a rare public statement:

“The Sim-Archive is designed to preserve human thought, not to extract it from living minds. One day, experiencing other people’s stored memories will be as common as searching for information on a database. Utopia’s role is to unite us all by bringing down the barriers between our individual universes.”

“Salvation’s design very much relates to the preservation of one’s self, rather than the storage of information for future generations. Whatever knowledge of Guardian technology he may have possessed is likely lost to us now.”

Caine-Massey Victorious in Corporate Conflict

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

Fierce combat in the Tavgi system has resulted in Caine-Massey’s partner Tavgi Blue Life Inc overcoming Torval Mining Ltd resistance.

The conflict was triggered by the murder of Caine-Massey’s former CEO Johann Fleischer. The assassin was tracked from Mars to the Torval Mining megaship Orchestral Falcon. Circumstantial evidence suggested he was an undercover Imperial agent.

Philippa Barlow-Lyons, acting CEO of the Caine-Massey corporation, declared:

“Largely thanks to tremendous support from Federal auxiliaries, the path was cleared for us to take control of the Orchestral Falcon megaship. Only then did Torval Mining Ltd agree to hand over Johann’s killer, rather than risk the loss of its precious vessel. A security team has now delivered him to Federal authorities, where I am sure we will see justice finally served.”

The Federal Intelligence Agency provided an update to the media from Executive Agent Viola Trask:

“The man in our custody has been formally arrested and charged with the homicide of Johann Fleischer. All known IDs associated with him are false. Along with the skills he displayed, this suggests that he is a professional assassin. We are working with the Proactive Detection Bureau and the Federal Navy Intelligence Office to broaden the scope of this investigation.”

Independent pilots who fought on behalf of Tavgi Blue Life Inc during the conflict can collect their rewards from Gordon Enterprise. Despite its defeat, Torval Mining Ltd has also agreed to reimburse its supporters from the Orchestral Falcon.

Salvation-Utopia Link Raises Concerns

Similarities between the Nemesis Failsafe and Utopia’s Sim-Archive have led to questions being asked about a possible connection.

Independent journalist Flint ‘Firemaker’ Lafosse reported on Seo Jin-ae’s recent discoveries:

“We all knew that Salvation had a messiah complex, so it’s no surprise that he planned to keep his colossal ego alive after his ancient body died. We also know that Pranav Antal has been digitising his followers’ brains for years.”

“My question is: did Salvation modify Antal’s system for his own private use, rather than reverse-engineer Guardian technology? Or maybe Azimuth and Utopia were secretly working together all this time, and the Sim-Archive has always been Guardian-based? It would explain how Utopia is able to maintain funding for its little tech-bohemian commune.”

This theory was critiqued by The Federal Times’s technology correspondent Harlow Nassry:

“It is a fact that most of Utopia’s scientific development remains opaque. But the few inventions that have been examined – such as the nanomedicines acquired by Vitadyne Labs – contain no molecular markers of Guardian origin. The Sim-Archive’s memory-recording techniques are based on exoneurological research conducted over hundreds of years.”

Dr Maximo Fonseca, the Alliance’s scientific liaison to Aegis, gave a statement to the media:

“Since successful applications in this field are so rare, we cannot ignore the potential relation between the Nemesis Failsafe designs and the Sim-Archive. I have made contact with Simguru Pranav Antal and explained the situation. He kindly invited me and my staff to visit Utopia and discuss the matter. Our findings will determine whether a formal investigation into Salvation’s current status is warranted.”

Nemesis Failsafe: Fact or Fiction?

Azimuth Biotech has rejected Seo Jin-ae’s unverified claim that Salvation survived by relocating his mind using advanced Guardian technology.

CEO Torben Rademaker issued this statement:

“I can officially confirm that Azimuth Biotech has no knowledge of any project related to a ‘Nemesis Failsafe’. Frankly, suggesting that anyone could transmit their living mind across space stretches her credibility past breaking point.”

“Seo Jin-ae’s absurd outbursts have justified our fears that she suffers from paranoid delusions, and has falsified data to support her personal vendetta. And she now seems to have an exalted position among the Far God cultists. Only those deranged unfortunates would take her flights of fantasy seriously.”

An article in the scientific journal The Empirical addressed the concepts featured in Seo Jin-ae’s statement:

“The field of exoneurology, whereby the human mind is isolated from the neuronal network and transferred to an artificial host, is mostly comprised of failed experiments. Only the Utopia commune has ever claimed significant success. Their Sim-Archive allegedly duplicates an individual’s memory engrams and uploads them to a sophisticated digital emulation program. But independent reviews of this technology have been prevented by the reclusive nature of Utopian society.”