Galnet archive

Freelance Report: We Should Have Listened to Dr Lorax

Six months have elapsed since Doctor Elana Lorax warned against the exploitation of the non-human structures commonly called barnacles. In her plea, she noted that aggressive harvesting could jeopardise efforts to produce a viable synthetic alternative to meta-alloys.

Despite President Zachary Hudson's claim that the purpose of the Federal deputation in the Merope system is to protect the non-human structures, independent pilots report that the system's barnacles have been entirely depleted.

Commander Vindicator Jones shared his observations:

"Just went to Merope 5c to check out the barnacles. They've been destroyed. I've tried visiting several, but they're all barren."

It is not known why the Federation has acted inversely to its stated objectives, particularly given President Hudson's acknowledgement that the barnacles may possess some form of sentience.

Doctor Lorax could not be reached for comment, but it is becoming increasingly clear that we should have heeded her warnings.

Commander Corrigendum

Freelance Report: Out of Reach, Not Out of Mind

Following recent reports of a possible alien wreck in the Pleiades, the Canonn Interstellar Research Group has released further information about the Unknown Probe.

Shortly after planetary data was found in the Probe's tight-beam transmission, a message was sent to the Canonn from a pilot by the name of Commander Wace. It read: "The headerless octal number - it is distance compared to Merope!"

A list of data followed, obtained by monitoring the Unknown Probe in different systems. The octal number was shown to steadily decrease as Commander Wace neared the permit-locked Col 70 Sector.

In an impressive display of field mathematics, Commander Wace pin-pointed the Col 70 Sector FY-N C21-3 system as the Probe's 'zero point'. Unfortunately, the Canonn is prevented from further investigation of the system by the permit lock of the Col 70 Sector.

Commander Han Zen

Freelance Report: Mysterious Wreck could be an Artefact of the Past

The discovery of what appears to be the remains of a non-human spacecraft has sent ripples of fear and curiosity through the galaxy.

"Many are speculating that this is evidence of recent Thargoid activity," said Professor Steven Eisler of the Okinura Xenobiology Institute, "but it's more likely that the wreckage dates from our first encounters with the Thargoids."

"What I find disturbing are the messages and clues that led to this xeno-archaeological find. Someone is deliberately preying on mankind's fear of the unknown, and they need to be held accountable for their actions."

Jaiotu

Freelance Report: Buckyball Racing Club Presents Total Recall 2

Following the success of the Total Recall race in April, the Buckyball Racing Club has once again been contacted by a leading manufacturer of SRV tyres to help improve its public profile. Pilots from remote settlements throughout human space have claimed that the latest TrakMark tyres are not fit for purpose, resulting in damage to SRVs after just a few kilometres. It's up to the Buckyball Racing Club to prove them wrong.

The race, which starts in the Cernobog system, runs from the 27th of August to the 4th of September.

Commander Alec Turner

Buckyball Race Organiser

Freelance Report: Commander Salomé Hijacked in Cemiess

Recent articles published by the Imperial Citizen may have inspired an act of violence in the Cemiess system over the weekend. Commander Nodus Cursorius of the Chapterhouse of Inquisition reported a transmission from Commander Salomé of the Children of Raxxla, indicating that her ship had been attacked by unknown forces.

A transcript of Commander Salomé's distress call follows:

"Heavy fire...mayday! Imperial markings! Traitors... Shields are down, we're taking damage...it's... I thought I sensed his arrogance! How dare... We're being boarded. I only have moments. Please get word to the Children of Raxxla, tell them I have new information. The Rift, Hawkin's Gap and the Conflux are connected with strange happenings in the Pleiades. They must find out before..."

At that point Commander Salomé's transmission was silenced. Despite a thorough search, no sign of her has yet been found.

The Imperial Citizen had suggested that Commander Salomé is in fact Senator Kahina Tijani Loren of the Prism system. The publication also implied that she had engineered the events that led to her family's death in order to position herself as heiress of the Loren family dynasty.

Jaiotu

Freelance Report: Unknown Probe Transmission Decrypted by Canonn

The Canonn Interstellar Research group has discovered, recorded and translated a tight-beam transmission from an Unknown Probe directed at Merope 5c.

Research into the Probes has so far been hindered by their scarcity, but with the number of Probes found increasing, transmission analysis efforts ramped up, leading to successful decryption. The transmission was found to contain blocks of octal numbers describing planetary data such as radius, surface temperature, gravity and atmospheric composition.

The nature of the 'receiver' on Merope 5c is now under investigation.

Commander Muetdhiver

Freelance Report: Buckyball Racing Club Salutes Heroes of Bast

On the 30th of June 3301, Newton Dock in the BD-02 4304 system was quarantined due to the outbreak of a mysterious plague. This pathogen – named the Cerberus Plague – eventually spread to over 20 systems and claimed 100,000 lives.

Thanks to the support of the galaxy's independent pilots, a cure derived from Ceremonial Heike Tea was discovered and used to treat victims at Hart Station in the Bast System. The cure was then synthesised, mass produced and shipped to other affected systems. On the 10th of August 3301, the last affected systems were declared free of the Cerberus Plague.

In tribute to these pilots' heroic efforts, the Buckyball Racing Club is hosting a special event at Hart Station. The race will involve a scramble around nearby medicine-production facilities and a speed run to Brunel City in Heike.

Commander Raiko

Freelance Report: Fuel Rats Announce Plans for New Outpost

Earlier today, the Fuel Rats Mischief announced plans for an extraction outpost near Jaques Station.

"We've been considering such a base for quite a while now. Originally the idea was to set up near Sagittarius A* since it's one of the regions most visited by explorers. The biggest challenge was always supplying the station with commodities like food and spare parts. Being near Jaques Station will solve this problem since it's equipped with a habitation ring, and because it's a destination for a steady stream of supply ships."

Asked if the fact that Jaques Station is already serving as a base would render such an operation pointless, the Fuel Rats spokesperson answered:

"We fully expect Jaques to continue his journey at some point, and since his station simply can't produce enough fuel to make that possible, sooner or later an outpost will be necessary."

Commander Rebecca Hail