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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.”

Seo Jin-ae: ‘I Believe Salvation Survived’

Aegis has published a personal statement from Seo Jin-ae, who claims to have evidence that Salvation planned to escape death in the HIP 22460 system.

“First of all, yes, Caleb Wycherley died when the Thargoids attacked the Bright Sentinel in HIP 22460. But, I believe, only physically. He was developing technology to automatically relocate his mind, an emergency protocol he named the Nemesis Failsafe.”

“I know how implausible that sounds, but the files I recovered from an Azimuth Biotech archive prove his intentions. For several years, Salvation ran a private project to reverse-engineer a Guardian artefact which could store consciousness. The design showed neural interactions as digital impulses, and made reference to exactly retaining his identity and memories.”

“Salvation had already extended his life to over 250 years, and was obsessed with staying alive until he could wipe out the Thargoids. I’m convinced that he has survived in some bodiless form, and that Azimuth has known all along.”

Aden Tanner, who works for Aegis as an independent specialist, also released a statement:

“I’ll admit that the designs Seo found seem authentic and incredibly advanced. But the files contained no concrete proof that the Nemesis Failsafe was constructed, or if it could actually work. I’m more concerned that she was being hunted by unknown parties, who would likely have succeeded if not for the Far God cult’s intervention. Perhaps it needs to be restated that actively seeking to hinder Aegis, or its valued personnel, is a crime against all three superpowers.”

In related news, the Testament megaship that rescued Seo Jin-ae from unidentified attackers has now left the Luyten’s Star system, following a week of clemency offered by Federal authorities. A spokesperson for President Hudson reiterated that the Order of the Far God remains illegal in the Federation.

Thargoid War Update: March 3309

Vox Galactica correspondent Jade Sanderlyn reports on the latest developments regarding the war against the Thargoids.

“In the broad sense, there have been few significant changes in Thargoid tactics. The eight Maelstroms continue to send waves of Thargoid vessels deeper into the core systems. Anti-xeno forces are certainly winning victories, and in some cases retaking previously occupied systems. But we are still losing more than we save.”

“Despite being reformed only recently, Aegis has hit the ground running. Its caustic sink launcher is now available following a successful trial by Aden Tanner. This ingenious device increases the amount of time that a ship can spend inside a Maelstrom before being impaired by corrosive damage.”

“The repulsing energy wave at the clouds’ centres, however, remains impenetrable. I understand that Aegis has prioritised gathering data about this defence mechanism, and research is underway into possible countermeasures. Until more can be learned about the true nature of the Maelstroms, the chances of destroying them are virtually zero.”

“The Alliance, Empire and Federation are all working to reinforce their military strength. But the front line of this war is primarily being waged by independent pilots and squadrons. Heroic individuals such as Commander Oghmios-TTT, Commander Night Furry and Commander FrankXJR have achieved fame for their phenomenal success at destroying Thargoid vessels.”

“Such small rays of hope in the darkness remain few and far between. Many battles are being won, but the creeping fear of inevitable defeat weighs heavily on all our souls. This is Jade Sanderlyn for Vox Galactica. Stay safe out there.”

Far God Cultists Rescue Seo Jin-ae

Seo Jin-ae has arrived safely in the Luyten’s Star system, aboard an Order of the Far God megaship.

A message was transmitted by the First Apostle of the True Chapters, a proactive sect of the pacifistic religion, from aboard the Testament:

“The one known to non-believers as Subject D-2 or Seo Jin-ae is sacred to us as the Preceptor – the first human to interpret the will of the Far God. We know her to be a holy emissary, on a personal pilgrimage that exposed her to great danger. I was able to convince my brethren to locate the Preceptor and offer her safe harbour from the heretics.”

“I beseeched the Preceptor to help us hear the Far God’s divine thoughts as she does, but she informed me that the time was not yet right. She requested a reunion with her friends, who also seek ways to commune with Its heralds. While this insistence on collaborating with the unworthy is curious, we have faith that the Far God guides her path. One day the Preceptor will prepare us for the extinction of all life. It is our honour to serve her.”

Professor Alba Tesreau gave a statement to the media:

“I am very grateful to the First Apostle for her help. The Testament’s timely intervention routed several unidentified hostile ships that were hunting Seo Jin-ae. Once she has completed a medical assessment, we hope to learn more about her recent findings.”

Congressman Tom Gillespie has instructed Aegis not to make formal contact with Far God cultists, whose faith is outlawed in the Federation as well as the Empire. A week’s clemency has been issued in recognition of Seo’s safe return, but the Testament’s presence deep in Federal territory is likely to irritate President Hudson.

Rumours Circulate Around Seo Jin-ae

An anonymous source has leaked information regarding Seo Jin-ae suggesting that she may be in serious jeopardy.

Seo Jin-ae, the individual once known as Subject D-2, voluntarily departed from a private medical facility in January, where she was under the care of former Aegis members. She left a message stating: “I have unfinished business with Salvation.”

The engineer Kit Fowler discussed the recent rumours during his End Times broadcast:

“Something is definitely going on, people. The interstellar grapevine is buzzing with gossip about Seo Jin-ae. That cortical implant in her head, which provides some weird insight into Thargoid behaviour, makes her pretty much most valuable person in the galaxy right now.”

“Some say that a black ops teams have either kidnapped or assassinated her. Maybe it’s Azimuth. Maybe it’s a dead man’s switch group belonging to Salvation. One pilot tells me he spotted an Aegis patrol in the Ngaruayanka system, and thinks it was sent to recover poor Seo’s body. And a hacktivist from the Collective has intercepted comms fragments containing the words ‘Bright Sentinel’ and ‘Nemesis protocol’. What secrets did Seo uncover? And is she still alive to share them?”

Aegis has been approached for comment, but only reiterated that they are currently investigating Seo Jin-ae’s whereabouts.

Director Nassim Qadir, head of medical research at Azimuth Biotech, provided a statement:

“Aegis’s amateurish efforts to examine Ms Seo have clearly resulted in some form of dissociative disorder and paranoid delusions. This explains her obsessive vendetta against a man whose death was independently verified. If Ms Seo can be located, she should be returned to Azimuth’s specialist laboratories for her own wellbeing.”

Aegis Recommends Preventative Anti-Xeno Tactic

*Pilots Federation Alert*

An analysis of the ongoing Thargoid war has been released by Aegis and made available to all superpower and independent navies.

The focus of the report centres on protecting systems at threat of Thargoid invasion. It suggests that anti-xeno forces are primarily fighting Thargoid invasion fleets which have already arrived, understandable due to the immediate risk to civilian life. However, Aegis proposes that increasing defensive efforts for systems at threat of invasion would be a more efficient way of slowing the spread of Thargoid-controlled territory.

Commodore Emil Varga provided a statement alongside the report’s release:

“The effort required to repel an invasion fleet is far higher than dissuading that fleet from entering a system in the first place.”

“We believe that Thargoids have assumed a ‘path of least resistance’ approach to expansion. Thanks to the efforts of our skilled pilots, we have sufficient evidence to show that Thargoids will not deploy a full strength force in locations where advance Thargoid vessels encounter heavy resistance.”

“The Orthrus vessels, in particular, appear key to prepping systems for invasion. The exact mechanisms in which they do so are yet to be verified, but an Orthrus appears to provide key logistical details about an expansion target. It is clear that invading Thargoid vessels know exactly where to emerge from hyperspace to attack local ports and tactical assets. Destroying Orthrus ships may be key to safeguarding an alerted system.”

As an incentive to draw combat pilots to systems on alert, combat bonds payouts on Orthrus vessels have been increased.

Ammonia World Survey Concludes

*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*

Aegis and Universal Cartographics have announced that the project to survey ammonia worlds has ended satisfactorily.

Special mention goes to Commander aRadish, Commander Lone WolfPack and Commander T'Verez for their efforts.

The exploration initiative was praised by Congressman Tom Gillespie, who oversees Federal contributions to Aegis:

“An impressive number of terrestrial planets with ammonia-based atmospheres were scanned and catalogued over the last two weeks. Universal Cartographics certainly considers the project to be a great success, and I know our xenological scientists do too.”

“This is the kind of task for which independent Commanders are absolutely unmatched in dedication and expertise, and they remain our indispensable allies.”

Vice Admiral Skylar Anderson, the Imperial military liaison to Aegis, added:

“This information is of considerable strategic value. Each system containing an ammonia world will be monitored using concealed sensor buoys. This will alert Aegis to the presence of Thargoid vessels or Maelstrom manifestations. Advance warnings will provide increased time to evacuate systems or mount pre-emptive strikes.”

Pilots can receive payment for their exploration data at Angus Manwaring starport in the Eta Cassiopeiae system. The promised x3 multiplier on exploration data profits for the next two weeks has also commenced, with Universal Cartographics providing this through its starport contacts.

Marlinists Facing ‘Increasingly Grave’ Future

The Marlinist Colonies are struggling to survive the harsh realities of independence while preparing for the impact of the Thargoid war.

An editorial in The Marlin Standard summarised their situation:

“In recent months, our noble goal of building a Marlinist Republic has been harshly curtailed. Many of the original eight colony systems, among them the capital Concordia, are now dominated by outsiders including Federal and Sirius-aligned corporations. We have survived persecution, civil war and terrorism, only to find our people exploited by the opportunism of neighbouring factions.”

In the Empire, the prevalent viewpoint is that the Marlinists are suffering the consequences of their own actions. As Senator Arturo Durant remarked: “They voted to reject the Emperor’s offer to become an Imperial protectorate, so now they must pay the price.”

Compounding this is the increasing danger posed by the Thargoids as their fleets penetrate deeper into the core systems. The Citizens’ Chronicle newsfeed has published concerned messages from some Imperial citizens for their Marlinist cousins. One viral commenter proclaimed: “The colonists aren’t enemies! They were once our loved ones, our friends and family, driven away for their political beliefs. How can we turn our backs on them?”

The Marlinist Parliament has signalled a willingness to contribute to Aegis, but its priority is to establish control over its chartered systems. First Minister Octavia Volkov has admitted: “Without a dedicated military to achieve this, our future prospects look increasingly grave.”

The Marlinists’ situation is mirrored elsewhere, as noted by war reporter Ernesto Rios for Vox Galactica:

“Vulnerability to Thargoid attack is a universal concern among independent systems. Many non-superpower factions are banding together in small clusters to cooperate on anti-xeno operations and share resources. A spirit of camaraderie has arisen in the face of annihilation. But will that be enough against the overwhelming might of the Thargoids?”