Galnet archive

Fringe Religion Condemns Far God Cult

The Church of Eternal Void has denounced the so-called Far God cult, which worships the Thargoids.

A spokesperson identified as Cardinal Hieronymous made this statement:

“As disciples of the Guardians, we hereby declare war on those who have sold their souls to the Thargoid demons. We vow to expunge their poisonous creed and purge them from the galaxy.”

Since this statement was made, the Church has seen a dramatic upswing in support from local communities. Juanita Bishop, who has been campaigning against the Far God sect, commented:

“It’s about time somebody did something! The public need to get behind the Church and help them get these alien-lovers off our streets.”

Security forces in many systems have issued reminders that the Far God sect is legally recognised as a religion, and that any hostility against its members will be considered a criminal act.

Dr Alfred Ulyanov, a leading exotheologian, discussed the situation on the Rewired news feed:

“A number of doomsayer cults have emerged recently, including Homo Terminus, Nova Imperium and the Order of Extinction. But of all those I’ve studied, the Church of Eternal Void differs in one key respect – it offers hope. They claim that veneration of the Guardians will prevent Thargoid Armageddon, which is probably why they’re the most popular, being based on a classic binary theology of good versus evil.”

“It’s apparent that the Church is taking advantage of animosity towards the Far God sect to promote itself. The idea of Thargoid spies in human form, although baseless, has caused much anxiety. By declaring the Cult a holy adversary, the Church validates its own existence.”

Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise

An increasing number of religious movements in the core systems are proclaiming that humanity is on the verge of destruction.

Awareness of the issue has been raised by independent reporter Gethin Okonkwo, who published an article outlining the phenomenon:

“The return of the Thargoids has led to the emergence of dozens of radical groups. Although their nature varies, the message is the same: the apocalypse is coming.”

“Some of these groups are distinctly religious in flavour. The Church of the Eternal Void, for example, preaches that the war for human souls is almost lost. Their view of the Thargoids as ‘demons from a hellish universe’ and the Guardians as ‘beings of light who have decreed us unworthy of salvation’ runs along classic theological lines.”

“Others, such as Generation Omega, stoically accept that our time is almost over. They state that ‘superior spacefaring lifeforms will naturally destroy inferior ones, just as our own cultures have overrun each other since prehistory’. Generation Omega plans to build mass euthanasia centres for planetary populations, declaring that the human era deserves to end in a dignified manner.”

“Of course there have always been ‘doomsayers’, and naturally our governments refuse to accept them as legitimate. But that hasn’t stopped these organisations from attracting thousands of citizens and millions of credits, with their followers growing in number rapidly.”

“During wartime, many people become desperate for the certainty that such belief systems provide. We are likely to see these radical elements increase their influence as long as the shadow of the Thargoids falls over us.”

Authorities in the core systems responded to Okonkwo’s article by restating that the Thargoid threat is being controlled and that such fearmongering is unwarranted.

Peace in Her Time: A Profile of Jasmina Halsey

Independent journalist Chukwuma Grant has published an article on peace activist and former Federal President Jasmina Halsey. Grant has described the report as a wide-ranging analysis that addresses “the political impact of a politician renouncing politics”.

Key extracts from the article are reprinted below:

“Some believe that Jasmina Halsey always intended to defect from the Federation and join the Alliance, where she currently acts as an advisor to Prime Minister Edmund Mahon. Others assert that after years of inhumane politics, her conscience broke through – that she sought meaning by helping others and striving for concord between the powers.”

“But it was Starship One’s destruction that transformed Halsey – something that she herself could not possibly have planned. Her subsequent ‘visions’ made her politically toxic, at least as far as the Federation was concerned, allowing her to simply walk away from presidential life. In that escape pod, she escaped from more than an exploding ship – she escaped her previous self.”

“Critics argue that Halsey’s extraordinary claims of encountering super-intelligent beings and seeing paradise are meaningless without evidence. And yet, in a cosmos containing Thargoids and Guardians, can they be easily dismissed? Or are her outlandish claims designed to cultivate a following among the disenfranchised and make her into a messianic figure?”

“If Halsey is walking a deliberate path, it remains an unstable one. Many in the Alliance have questioned why their leader is taking advice from a former psychiatric patient, let alone an ex-Federal President. Whether she is a visionary, a lunatic or a brilliant political manipulator remains to be seen.”

New Designs from Technology Brokers

A range of new Guardian-inspired modules are now available from the galaxy’s technology brokers. These modules have been developed by the engineer Ram Tah, following his acquisition of data from Guardian sites.

Pilots can now purchase a Guardian power distributor, a Guardian FSD booster and a Guardian shard cannon. The cannon is available in both fixed and turreted versions.

An independent engineering specialist made this comment:

“These Guardian-human hybrid modules offer additional resilience and firepower – both very welcome to Commanders flying combat missions. By taking advantage of the Guardians’ expertise, we may be able to replicate their success in fighting the Thargoids.”

Genesis of the Thargoids?

Professor Cora Shaw, director of the Palin Institute, has published a paper speculating on the origin of the Thargoids.

Extracts from her paper are reprinted below:

“Considering the Thargoids’ impact on our civilisation, it is disturbing that we still know so little about them. Information from Guardian sites has shed some light on the Thargoids’ ancient history, but it’s clear they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. So where did the Thargoids come from?”

“We know that the Thargoids are insectoid in nature with an affinity for ammonia-based worlds. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. But we also know the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.”

“Since much of the Milky Way remains uncharted, the Thargoid homeworld might be just beyond known space or on the other side of the galaxy – if it exists at all. It’s possible they are now a nomadic species, existing entirely in space, or within fabricated hives of some kind. It may even be that they have journeyed across millions of light years, from Andromeda or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume.”

“Other theories are more esoteric but worthy of exploration. We know that their vessels are capable of hovering in hyperspace, suggesting that witch-space is comfortable for them. Could living beings actually originate from hyperspace?”

“Alternatively, they may be using hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. The Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.”

Independent Pilots Respond to Thargoid Revelations

Following the recent Aegis report detailing the Thargoids’ history, many members of the Pilots Federation have made public statements.

“Everything is different now,” said one Commander. “It was disturbing enough when the Thargoids returned. To find out they’ve been around for millions of years, and that even the Guardians had trouble stopping them… It’s like being told that the ancient gods, the vengeful ones who smite from above, were real all along.”

Other pilots had more practical concerns about the impact on the galactic community:

“What worries me is when they start up their strip-mining operation, which seems to be on the cards,” said an experienced trader. “I transport ores and metals between dozens of planets. If those planets end up being gutted of minerals, that’s my livelihood gone out the airlock.”

There were also emotional comments from those who value space exploration:

“I bought a ship to discover what’s out there, you know? To voyage into the black. But now, knowing the Thargoids were there long before us, and might have infested anywhere we go… The black’s theirs already, it was always theirs!”

However, one seasoned Commander struck a belligerent tone:

“All the Aegis report tells us is that these alien scumbags can be beaten. The Guardians did it once – now it’s our turn. I’ve fought the Thargoids in the Pleiades and I know they’re not invincible. With Aegis’s new weapons and now their megaships, we can make those insects wish they’d stayed in their hives.”

Week in Review

Here are this week’s major stories.

Aegis has constructed two megaships, the Acropolis and the Vanguard, to help counter the Thargoid threat. These ships will coordinate anti-Thargoid operations and support independent pilots. Aegis has confirmed that both vessels will periodically relocate to wherever they can be strategically effective.

Meanwhile, many members of the Pilots Federation have responded to the recent Aegis report detailing the Thargoids’ history. One Commander admitted he was disturbed to discover that the Thargoids had been around for millions of years, and that even the Guardians had found it difficult to stop them. But other pilots were more forthright, with one reminding the galactic community that the Thargoids are not invincible.

In other news, conflict has erupted between Ross 310 Natural Services, the controlling faction of the Ross 310 system, and the Ross 310 Cartel, a criminal organisation also based in the region. It is understood that the Ross 310 Cartel is attempting to overthrow Ross 310 Natural Services and assume control of the system. Both organisations have issued calls for aid, appealing to independent combat pilots for support.

Finally, the EG Union has announced that its campaign to build a shipyard in Ross 720 has received the wholehearted support of the galactic community. Hundreds of pilots supported the initiative by delivering commodities to Lyakhov Dock, and by eliminating agitators in Ross 720 and surrounding systems, thereby ensuring the safety of traders.

And those are the main stories this week.

Aegis Thargoid Report Causes Ripples

A recent report from Aegis, outlining the Thargoids’ history and their interactions with the Guardians, has elicited a wide range of responses.

A brief statement was released by Federal President Zachary Hudson:

“It is now clear that there is no reasoning with this alien menace. The Federation remains dedicated to wiping out any threat to our citizens.”

Imperial Admiral Denton Patreus adopted a similar viewpoint:

“This new information makes it clear that the Thargoids will reject any diplomatic overtures. We must redouble our efforts to defend ourselves from their antagonism.”

Meanwhile, Professor Palin observed:

“Aegis’s report forewarns us, and perhaps forearms us, too. We now know that the Guardians developed technologies capable of resisting the Thargoids’ aggression. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to hope that the weaponry being developed by Ram Tah, based on Guardian designs, might help us replicate the Guardians’ success, and defeat the Thargoids.”