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Origins of the Velites Squadron

The ancient proverb, “necessity is the mother of all invention,” remains true, even in 3301.

Commander Na’Qan came from humble beginnings as a miner in distant Imperial colonies. Piracy being rife in those systems, he found himself in their sights regularly. Knowing he could not outrun them in his unshielded Type-6, he learned to elude them. Like Br’er Rabbit’s briar patch, the asteroid fields offered him shelter. He learned to manoeuvre silently among the chaotic rocks and metals.

When war broke out in the Pancienses system, Na’Qan joined the fray. He recounted being interdicted by three Fer-de-Lances, and noticed they could not get weapons lock on his craft. Immediately recognizing the relevance of his mining experience, Na’Qan approached his superiors with an idea. Shortly thereafter, Na’Qan began training wings for what would become the Velites Squadron. The stealthy, precision strikes of the Velites are already becoming legend.

For his service to the Empire, Commander Na’Qan is to be awarded the Imperial Order of Merit, First Class, from Senator Arrissa Lavigny-Duval at her headquarters in Kamadhenu this weekend.

Fuel Rat Rescue Operation Saves Millions of Credits

"I was on my way back from deep space last week when I made a horrible mistake,” stated Commander Fionn Mac Cumhaill. “Running low on fuel, I found a nearby Red Dwarf and expected to fill my tanks but when I exited Frameshift I found myself staring down a T-Tauri with nothing but fumes in my tank. I’d failed to reset my target. That’s when I called the Fuel Rats."

Commanders Beornfrið, Kerenn and Anuranium responded, locating the drifting Asp Explorer in the PRAEA EUQ SY-S B3-3 system just as its oxygen level dropped to 41 seconds of sustainable life support.

"They saved my Asp and 12 million credits of exploration data" said Mac Cumhaill. "I owe them my Pilots Federation promotion to 'Pioneer'."

The Fuel Rat’s dispatch service is in operation around the clock. When you’re out of fuel don’t hesitate. Make the call.

Galnet Health Report Sparks Action from Angeli Imperial

The recent GalNet article on systems suffering from outbreaks and famine prompted the Angeli Imperial to take action today.

The Imperial Group under the patronage of Senator Patreus gathered a small flotilla of cargo ships, from Cobras and Asps to Lakon Spaceways' series of freighters, to load up on the much needed food stuffs from Nelder City, in the Wangal system. After a journer of 247 light years they delivered the supplies to Hiraga Gateway, a Coriolis in HR 7327, to assist the Dukes of Mikunn with their current famine in the spirit of "Galactic Good Will".

Argon Armrend, the CEO of the Angeli Imperial stated:

"If every Power and Principality set aside just a day each week and picked a system in strife and diverted their resources normally wasted on petty conflicts, to doing good and helping the people we claim to represent, we could really make a difference, it is our noblesse oblige."

Hudson Set to Target Traffickers

In the face of President Hudson’s recent rise to power, the value of illicit goods has skyrocketed throughout the galaxy in anticipation of a crackdown on illegal commodities that are traditionally transported via the Federation. Dealers of all stripes have seen their profits soar over the last week, with hundreds of new millionaires being minted off the back of President Hudson’s perceived stance against criminal commodities.

With the President’s appointment of his new administration now complete, sources close to Hudson have revealed to GalNet that an increase in security spending is very high on his agenda.

“Things are about to get very difficult for traffickers,” one anonymous aide told the Mars Tribune.

“The President’s ordered a bunch of those new Diamondback Scouts to act as short range interceptors for local security services. They don’t pack much of a punch on their own, but you try and outrun a swarm of angry Diamondbacks followed up by a couple of Viper wings and see how well you do.”

“’Course if you do outrun them, say hello to the Navy. A month from now, two months top, the war against drugs will be done and dusted. You mark my words.”

Prices of illegal narcotics had just started to stabilise after a week of frantic black market trading, and this latest news could well send prices spiking up again as dealers across the galaxy try to unload their stash before the expected galaxy-wide lockdown begins.

Galaxy's Most Wanted: Who is Archon Delaine?

Villain, murderer, madman. Titles with which Archon Delaine, the self-styled Pirate King, are all too familiar.

37 years ago, Archon Delaine rose to prominence after brutally beating the Kumo Crew’s previous leader to death with his bare hands. Thus, at the tender age of 15, Archon assumed the role of Pirate Lord and began to cut a bloody swathe across the Pegasi sector.

During the first 20 years of his rule, Archon Delaine faced a constant stream of challenges from upstarts and other crews alike. Each and every challenger was struck down, and as each one fell, the legend of Archon grew ever greater.

Growing weary of the constant infighting, Archon oversaw a massive restructuring of his ‘family’. He turned them from a loosely affiliated rag-tag assortment of pirate crews into a single-minded killing machine whose only desire is to obey Archon’s every order. Under his leadership, the Kumo Crew has gone from being a feared local drug cartel to one of the most influential criminal syndicates in the galaxy.

The systems he runs still function – in some cases better than before they were taken. The Kumo Crew rule by fear and are utterly intolerant of those who work against them, but in equal measure have been known to protect and reward those in the systems they have subjugated who have shown loyalty, brutally enforcing their own ruthlessly simple ethos.

So far, Archon Delaine has only been active in the Pegasi sector, but some reports have begun to surface of Kumo Crew members beginning to move out of the sector.

Pilot Breaks Galactic Record Twice

The accomplishments of independent pilots participating in the Buckyball Run A* rally race continue to make headlines around civilized space. This 26,000 light year rally race to the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy has so far attracted over 40 fearless competitors. One of these competitors, Commander Alot, has made a name for himself by beating the galactic record for the quickest run twice in less than a month.

Alot’s current time to reach Sagittarius A*, an incredible 9 hours 39 minutes, was accomplished aboard a Faulcon DeLacy Anaconda named ‘Rhonda’. In comparison, his previous record-breaking attempt was done in 11 hours 46 minutes using a Lakon Spaceways Asp called the ‘Big Bird’.

When asked for a statement, Alot answered philosophically:

“Nothing lasts forever. I'm quite sure that in time my record will be beaten. In fact, I've already heard of several skilled pilots planning their next attempts, and I wish them the best of luck.”

At the time of broadcast, Commander Kligg has already taken the lead, passing Commander Alot by a mere 8 minutes, using an Anaconda named the ‘Rub Tub’. However, Kligg himself speculated in a short statement that it was only a matter of time before Alot climbs back to the first position.

Léonard Chamberlain - GalNet News Correspondent

The True North Star

In a brief written statement submitted to GalNet news, Virgil Kyle, commander of the exploration-fitted Asp Spirit of Indianapolis, claims to have been the first to visit what he calls Sol's ‘true North Star’.

"Wregoe TV-L C24-0 is over 1,200 light-years 'north' of Sol's position in the galactic plane, and less than a light-year from her position otherwise," he goes on to explain. "Due to the jump distances involved, the system is only visitable by Asps and Anacondas fitted to achieve near-maximum jump ranges."

"I know it ain't the flashiest achievement," he admits, "And other explorers have obviously achieved far greater things, but as the star system hadn't yet been visited, I thought it was worth mentioning."

He finished his statement with an invitation to other explorers and sightseers in suitably equipped vessels to visit the area, calling the view of the Milky Way from the system ‘spectacular’.

GalNet Galactic War Report

The ongoing conflict between the Federal Navy and the Polahukuna Raiders has taken an unexpected turn this weekend, following reports that the Federation have begun work on a new Farragut class battlecruiser in the shipyards aboard Hudson Dock. For their part, the Polahukuna raiders appear to have returned home to lick their wounds. However, reports are coming in from BD+03 2338 that traders bringing supplies to Hudson Dock are coming under heavy fire from a band of imperial mercenaries known as the East India Company. The Imperial Senate is denying any knowledge of the attacks.

In imperial space, the Citizens of Tradition, acting under the authority of Senator Denton Patreus, have begun a full scale invasion of the Falisci system. The initiative to secure the spaceways around Dongzi and Ngaiawang against criminal activities is being led from Dornier Terminal in Ngaiawang.