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Anarchy in Socho

The Socho system, headquarters of Aegis Core, has been overtaken by a criminal faction. The system is now in a state of anarchy.

A courier carrying a message from Aegis scientist Dr Mia Valencourt managed to escape the system. The message was then broadcast by the Rewired news service:

“This is an urgent call for assistance. Regional security forces have been overrun, and this vicious gang – they call themselves the Socho Gold Raiders – they’re in charge now. They’ve shut everything down. Apparently they’re convinced we’re building some kind of super-weapon, so that’s probably what brought them here.”

“They were so clever. We picked up what looked like a Thargoid signal and the security forces went charging in. Everyone was terrified that the Thargoids had come to Socho. But it wasn’t the Thargoids – it was a trap. The Raiders were waiting, and they cut those ships to pieces.”

“Please, if anyone’s listening, this is an emergency. It’s absolute chaos here. Please help!”

Professor Alba Tesreau, Aegis’s chief scientific advisor, made an emotional plea:

“It is inconceivable that elements of our own society would behave this way when there’s so much at stake. There is vital research taking place at Aegis Core. If it’s lost, these criminals will have placed all of us at risk!”

“I implore the galactic community to help free Socho from these unthinking vandals. Aegis is defending humanity against the Thargoid threat. We need your help to survive, so that we in turn can protect you and your families.”

Week in Review

Here are this week’s major stories.

There has been widespread disquiet over recent reports that Thargoid ships have been encountered in the core systems. Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, addressed these concerns, saying, “Reports that the Thargoids are encroaching upon the core systems en masse are grossly overstated. The enemy is contained.”

Meanwhile, a multi-agency taskforce investigating the League of Reparation, the organisation responsible for the murder of Senator Nestor Cartesius, has made significant progress. Captain Niamh Seutonia of the IISS confirmed that the League is better organised and more widely spread than first suspected, and that all evidence points to an extremely committed group.

The Empire has announced plans to construct a new Riker-Class Prison Ship in the Veroklist system. Once complete, the ship will house criminals who accepted a period of Imperial slavery in lieu of a jail sentence, but who have proved to be too dangerous or unstable for such corrective punishment. The Moritasgus Imperial Corporation is overseeing the initiative.

Finally, The Utopia campaign to construct a military installation in its home system has now concluded. Many traders delivered a huge quantity of construction material to Bobko City, which will be used to build defences for the Sim-Archive. Other independent pilots protected the operation by eliminating pirate vessels.

And those are the main stories this week.

Aegis Responds to Concern over Thargoid Incursions

There has been widespread disquiet over recent reports that Thargoid ships have been encountered in the core systems.

The level of anxiety is exemplified by political spokesperson Councillor Rasmus Tseng, who said:

“For months now, communities in the core systems have been living in a state of fear, wondering which will be the next to be targeted. The Thargoids have been striking at starports in the region one by one, and nobody is able to stop them! Why are the powers doing so little? Where are our defences, our fleets? Surely the core systems cannot be so vulnerable?”

Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, directly addressed these concerns:

“Reports that the Thargoids are encroaching upon the core systems en masse are grossly overstated. Although they have crossed the threshold, all we have seen so far are localised incidents in fringe systems. This is not a full-scale invasion, and it does not warrant large fleet movements of the kind that have been suggested.”

“Rest assured: the enemy is contained. There is no need for panic. Courageous independent pilots, armed with Aegis technology, are doing a superb job at halting the Thargoids’ progress. It’s to be expected that we suffer occasional losses in this conflict, but these do not indicate an impending catastrophe.”

Antal’s Pessimism Triggers Backlash

Many key figures have contested Pranav Antal’s suggestion that humanity could lose the conflict against the Thargoids.

Federal Shadow President Felicia Winters commented:

“It’s surprising to hear such a dystopian prediction from the leader of Utopia! I know Antal’s heart is in the right place when he talks about preparing for the far future, but our focus should be on the present. The Thargoid threat has prompted an unprecedented level of inter-power cooperation, and this positive approach is what we must concentrate on.”

Admiral Aden Tanner made a statement on behalf of Aegis:

“Let me make this clear: our enemy may be powerful, but they are far from achieving victory. With our AX weaponry and new megaships, Aegis is leading an effective resistance against Thargoid forces.”

Further refutation came from Li Yong-Rui, CEO of the Sirius Corporation:

“With all due respect to Antal, his peculiar vision of humanity surviving as a mass of digital ghosts cannot be taken seriously. It’s not as if civilisation is on the edge of collapse – for most of us it remains business as usual. Our survival instincts and ingenuity will keep our societies functioning for a long time to come.”

Week in Review

Here are this week’s major stories.

Princess Aisling Duval’s comments about Aegis have attracted a measure of support. One Imperial senator suggested that Duval had “correctly gauged the mood of the people”, while another commentator suggested that her comments were a sign of maturity.

Meanwhile, an independent report suggests that piracy has declined since the return of the Thargoids. The author of the report has suggested that the presence of an alien threat has dampened felons’ appetite for preying on fellow humans. Security forces in the Pegasi Sector have refuted these suggestions, however.

The Empire has announced plans to build a new training centre for novice pilots, and has placed an open order for research materials and mined resources for use in the construction. Once complete, the centre will be home to a state-of-the-art training programme designed to create the next generation of starship pilots.

In other news, astronomers based in the Sol system may have detected a signal from New Horizons, a space probe launched in 2006 with a mission to study various objects in the Kuiper belt. One of the astronomers responsible for the find gave details of the object’s approximate location, and encouraged explorers to seek it out.

Finally, a spokesperson for the Atlas Corporation has announced that its campaign to build a megaship has reached a successful conclusion. A parallel initiative from the Privateers Alliance has also achieved its aims, after the organisation’s appeal for commodities was enthusiastically received by the galactic community.

And those are the main stories this week.

Support for Aisling Duval

Princess Aisling Duval’s recent comments about the effectiveness of Aegis have attracted a measure of support.

One of the most prominent figures to express solidarity is Imperial Senator Pal Vespasian, who said:

“One cannot accuse Aegis of being completely ineffective, but perhaps Her Highness has correctly gauged the mood of the people. A handful of minor victories is simply not enough to allay widespread fear of conquest. There can be no half measures in this situation – if we do not defeat the Thargoids, our civilisation could fall.”

Meanwhile, Commodore Riri McAllister of the Alliance Defence Force said:

“I can certainly refute Princess Duval’s suggestion that the other powers have not made equal contributions to Aegis. She makes a good point, however, with regard to military strategy. Greater transparency around Aegis’s long-term plans would lead to a more coordinated effort in resisting Thargoid forces.”

Jast Fernández, chief editor of an independent media outlet, focused on how the public might be starting to view the princess differently:

“We know that Aisling is widely seen as the stereotypical heiress – materially prosperous but intellectually deficient – but could this have been a public mask that she is now discarding? Or perhaps the young princess is finally maturing, and developing some genuine critical faculty? Either way, it’s no surprise that she’s found an audience – something she has always excelled at.”

Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis

In a public interview, Princess Aisling Duval levelled criticism at Aegis in relation to the ongoing Thargoid conflict.

“The people are scared,” she said. “They fear that their way of life – their very existence – might vanish unless more is done to protect them. I’m not convinced Aegis is capable of doing so. The Empire has invested heavily in the organisation. Are we sure the other powers have done the same?”

“It has taken far too long for Aegis to determine why the Thargoids are attacking, and it’s not clear what their strategy is now. If we are to trust them to defend humanity, we need to see more obvious progress.”

Although Princess Duval has received some support for her viewpoint, The Federal Times offered a sarcastic rebuttal:

“Apart from undertaking scientific research, developing defensive systems, producing anti-Thargoid weaponry, creating the Eagle Eye surveillance network, building two military megaships and actively engaging Thargoid forces in combat…what has Aegis ever done for us?”

A media spokesperson for the Alliance was equally dismissive:

“This is nothing more than public posturing – an attention-seeking gambit from someone who is no longer as newsworthy as she once was. Aegis has made incredible breakthroughs, and is clearly dedicated to ending the Thargoid war.”

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.”