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Pirate Rebels Coup Attempt Fails

An insurrection led by Arch-Corsair Vidar Trask has failed to gain control of the Kumo Crew syndicate.

Vox Galactica featured a report by freelance correspondent Karleen Troy:

“As might be expected, it’s hard to obtain official data when conflict breaks out within a criminal organisation. But all the information I’ve gathered points to the same conclusion: Vidar Trask’s coup attempt has failed.”

“What is surprising, however, is how close he initially came to dethroning Archon Delaine. The Kumo Crew were almost overwhelmed by the sheer number of fighters following Trask’s banner. I’m told that nearly half of the rebelling forces have yet to be identified, and are suspected to be mercenaries.”

“A second mystery is that Arch-Corsair Kay Volantyne, another senior member of the Kumo Council, has been declared missing. The Pegasi Sentinel newsfeed believes that she was killed by Trask personally. The newest inner circle member, Callan Salamanca, is leading Delaine’s counter-attack against the insurrectionists.”

“Most of the surviving rebels have now retreated to HIP 10792 and are attempting to drive out the Kumo Council faction in that system. Eyewitness reports regarding the ongoing firefights suggest that Delaine is in no mood to forgive his would-be usurpers.”

Archon Delaine Faces Pirate Rebellion

A power struggle is raging within the Kumo Crew following a coordinated effort to overthrow the syndicate’s leader, Archon Delaine.

The Pegasi Sentinel newsfeed delivered this exclusive report:

“What at first seemed to be merely another attempt to assassinate Delaine turned out to be a far greater threat. Simultaneous attacks across the organisation revealed that this was actually the first strike in a full-blown coup.”

“The rebellion is being led by Arch-Corsair Vidar Trask, a senior member of the Kumo Council. He has declared that the syndicate is stagnating under Delaine’s ‘tired brand of barbarism’, and that new leadership will bring greater glories and riches.”

“Fierce combat has ignited in the Kumo Crew’s key areas as both sides battle for resources. Trask’s loyalists are being aided by a motley collection of pirate gangs as well as thousands of unidentified fighters, suggesting that he has hired mercenaries to bolster his forces.”

“Archon Delaine, whose guards barely managed to shield him from the assassins, has ordered that the insurrection must be stamped out at any cost. He also vowed an explicitly violent revenge upon Vidar Trask, who has been one of his closest aides for many years.”

Kumo Crew Appoints New Council Leader

Archon Delaine has announced that pirate leader Callan Salamanca is the newest member of the Kumo Council’s upper echelon.

Political journalist Conrad Sterling provided an overview for Vox Galactica:

“The Kumo Council was formed by Archon Delaine to delegate his control over the criminal syndicate. Each member has the title of corsair, and oversees a region or system within his territory. But Delaine’s most trusted advisers, known as arch-corsairs, work with him on strategic goals.”

“The latest addition is the son of Gideon ‘Soulless’ Salamanca, one of the most infamous warlords in the Pegasi sector. Following Salamanca’s unexpected death from a cardiac event, Delaine has elevated Callan to take his father’s place on the council, despite the young man’s reputation for impulsive behaviour.”

“Two others remain in the council’s inner circle. Vidar Trask has been close to Delaine for many years and is known to be an expert administrator. Kay Volantyne was originally part of the Blue Viper Club dredger clan, before she negotiated its alliance with the Kumo Crew.”

“Delaine continues to style himself as the ‘sovereign ruler of the Kumo nation’, striving for an air of legitimacy. The Kumo Council reinforces this approach, but is often called upon to justify or deny their regent’s brutal excesses. With rumours that Callan Salamanca is already misusing his newfound authority, this delicate balance might prove to be unsustainable.”

A Retrospective of 3307 (Part Three)

Sima Kalhana reviews the most newsworthy events of the past year in this series of articles.

“July began badly for the Federation, with more factions seceding in response to the Proactive Detection Bureau’s establishment. The newly independent nations severed all links with these new surveillance efforts, inspiring many other systems to do likewise. This secession crisis would rumble on for the rest of the year.”

“The Blue Viper Club, one of the rarely seen dredger clans, joined forces with the Kumo Crew to manufacture a medicinal drug that turned out to be a new strain of onionhead. The drug would ultimately end up being legally distributed by Neomedical Industries, causing Archon Delaine to seek revenge against the corporation.”

“Tensions soared in the Marlinist Colonies during an election for the head of their diplomatic consulate. Aaron Whyte’s candidate had the support of an Imperial senator, which would have given the Neo-Marlinists a powerful voice within the Empire.”

“When a more moderate candidate was elected, the NMLA reacted by bombing both Marlinist starports, murdering tens of thousands including First Minister Jenna Fairfax. It seemed Theta Seven’s extremist views allowed anyone to be targeted as an enemy, even his fellow Marlinists. The civil war concluded in August, with Whyte killed in battle as his supporters were overcome in direct combat.”

“Following accusations of incompetence regarding the vanished Alexandria megaship, Aegis was officially suspended and subjected to a board of inquiry. This would have ramifications for the ongoing conflict with the Thargoids, and encourage Salvation to position himself as an alternative.”

“In the corporate sphere, Zemina Torval created a new subsidiary of Mastopolos Mining that would eventually become an autonomous company. There were rumours that the Torval and Mastopolos families were now at loggerheads after decades of working in unison.”

“In September, the mystery of Hyford’s Cache was finally unlocked. The trail led to revelations of dark experiments which are believed to have involved human test subjects and Thargoid technology.”

“When the Thargoids themselves appeared en masse in the Cornsar system, Salvation was ready for them. An anti-xeno superweapon of undisclosed nature was deployed, wiping out some of the aliens and driving away the rest. It seemed that the self-titled ‘man of science’ had developed something revolutionary, inspiring many to place their faith in him to end the Thargoid menace once and for all.”

A Retrospective of 3307 (Part One)

The noted historian Sima Kalhana takes a look back at the turbulent events of the last year in a four-part series of articles.

“The start of 3307 was a time of crisis. The rise of the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army (NMLA), the Marlinist refugee crisis and increased Empire-Federation tensions had brought a full-scale superpower war closer, with renewed attacks from the Thargoids increasing the pressure.”

“All of this led to Pranav Antal’s proposal of a diplomatic conference for all three superpower governments to work through their problems – the very first Galactic Summit. Within weeks, Sirius Corporation was selected as the neutral host for the conference. Li Yong-Rui scored another triumph by establishing the Marlinist Colonies for millions of political refugees who had fled from the Empire.”

“In February came the trial of Fleet Admiral Vincent, accused of arranging Starship One’s destruction back in 3301. His paymaster was revealed as Core Dynamics CEO Jupiter Rochester, who wanted to replace Federal democracy with direct corporate rule.”

“His breakaway faction Jupiter Division was defeated in battle and Rochester himself jailed for life. This also led to Core Dynamics’s acquisition of Lakon Spaceways being cancelled, leaving the Alliance to purchase a majority sharehold in the company.”

“Key players on the political stage finally gathered when the Galactic Summit began in late February. The Sirius system hosted leaders from the Alliance, Empire, Federation and independent systems. Even pirate warlord Archon Delaine gatecrashed the event, causing controversy with his ‘crown of bones’ speech.”

“It seemed for a while that the bickering between so many strong personalities might trigger a war rather than avert one. But gradually there was progress, with the possibility of a treaty to increase unity against the Thargoid threat. But before reaching this conclusion, the Galactic Summit was derailed by a threat from another source.”

“Nine Martyrs – as named by the NMLA leader Theta Seven – was the largest terrorist attack in history. Hundreds of thousands were killed by starport bombings in nine systems, including the superpower capitals of Alioth, Achenar and Sol. This horrific tragedy ended the conference abruptly, but did give rise to some inter-power cooperation.”

“A new agreement signed at the Galactic Summit allowed the Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit (ACT) to be formed rapidly. Drawing on the superpowers’ security services and other organisations, its sole purpose was to hunt down and eliminate the NMLA, a task that would dominate the headlines for the rest of the year.”

Pharma Giant Victorious in the Haithis System

*Pilots Federation ALERT*

The Haithis Purple Dynamic Group has fought off the Kumo Council assault, securing the completion of Neomedical Industries’ onionhead project.

The pharmaceutical corporation had received deliveries to Haithis to begin producing onionhead gamma strain for medicinal purposes. In response, the Kumo Crew syndicate attacked Neomedical’s corporate partner but failed to achieve its objectives.

Neomedical Industries confirmed that investment in its project to mass-produce onionhead gamma strain has increased following the conflict’s resolution. The news was eagerly received in many Alliance and independent systems, which have expressed interest in the new healthcare treatment.

Olwyn Kendrick, CEO of Neomedical Industries, told the media:

“We owe a huge debt to the galactic community for defending our operation. Large-scale manufacture of onionhead gamma strain can now commence. We will soon be able to improve the quality of life for millions of people.”

The Haithis Purple Dynamic Group is offering rewards to its supporters from Crippen Port in the Haithis system.

Archon Delaine Retaliates Against Pharma Giant

*Pilots Federation ALERT*

The Kumo Council has declared war on the Haithis Purple Dynamic Group for the latter’s role in supporting Neomedical Industries.

The pharmaceutical corporation’s recent campaign in the Haithis system enabled the mass production of onionhead gamma strain, scheduled to be available as a medicinal product from Alliance and independent markets. The drug is currently distributed in a handful of anarchy systems by the Kumo Crew syndicate.

As hostilities erupted in the Haithis system, Archon Delaine broadcast a message for Neomedical Industries:

“Did you truly believe you could steal from us and survive unscathed? Now your allies will pay for your greed with their blood.”

In response, CEO Olwyn Kendrick broadcast a call for help:

“This terrifying attack by the galaxy’s most vicious pirates may pressure investors to withdraw, causing the entire project to collapse. If so, the vital materials that pilots delivered will be wasted. To prevent this, we urgently require support for our corporate partners against these criminals.”

The Haithis Purple Dynamic Group is offering rewards to pilots who help protect its ships against pirate assault. The Kumo Council has also offered to reimburse mercenaries who fight on their behalf.

Neomedical Industries Onionhead Campaign Concludes

*Pilots Federation ALERT*

The pharmaceutical megacorp has received sufficient materials to produce onionhead gamma strain as a medical treatment.

Pilots delivered shipments of H.E. suits, polymers and robotics to Crippen Port in the Haithis system. Payment for these deliveries is now available at the starport from the pharma giant’s corporate partner, Haithis Purple Dynamic Group.

Bounty vouchers were also offered for all wanted ships, in expectation of pirate attacks coordinated by the Kumo Crew syndicate. Their megaship remains in the Haithis system, which has raised concerns about further retaliation from Archon Delaine.

An announcement was made by Olwyn Kendrick, CEO of Neomedical Industries:

“Thanks to the sterling contributions, it looks like we are on track to roll out the medically certified strain of onionhead to approximately 15% of all independent systems and Alliance systems for the 17th of September 3307. It will soon be viewed as a vital healthcare product for millions of people rather than a notorious narcotic.”

There has been some criticism of the Alliance, especially from Federal and Imperial quarters, for allowing the popular psychedelic drug to be sold legally. However, the Assembly reiterated that most Alliance trading laws are enforced on a system by system basis, and that the deal is only there because of the firm assurances and underwriting made by Neomedical Industries.