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Alliance Reviews Sirius Defence Pact

The Alliance Assembly has approved a formal evaluation of its strategic defence pact with Sirius Corporation.

The vote to launch an independent inquiry was led by Councillor Nakato Kaine, who summarised:

“This partnership has been in effect for nearly two years. What tangible military support have we seen? Sirius Corporation has done little to protect Allied populations from attack or abduction. The capital ships promised to the Alliance Defence Force remain on the drawing board. The Sirius Navy isn’t even engaging the Thargoid fleets on the front line of this war. How much longer must we endure Li Yong-Rui’s empty promises?”

Admiral Nikolas Glass, the megacorp’s representative on the Council of Admirals, disputed these claims:

“In truth, an enormous amount of work is taking place behind the scenes. Sirius technicians have retrofitted many ageing ADF ships with modern weaponry and internal systems. We’ve invested significantly in new AX modules, such as the anti-xeno missile rack and pre-engineered heatsink. And our blueprints formed the basis for Aegis’s sub-surface extraction missile, which has helped rescue so many from the Titans.”

An editorial piece in the Old Worlds Gazette speculated:

“The strategic defence pact has led to some successes, such as the Operation Tyndareus taskforce that repulsed a Thargoid incursion in Allied territory. But that was over a year ago, and the vision of a Sirius-backed Alliance Navy to rival the Empire or Federation has not materialised.”

“As displeasure grows in the Assembly, the option to renegotiate the pact has been raised alongside Councillor Kaine’s proposal to terminate it entirely. Prime Minister Mahon faces political pressure to abandon his commitment to Sirius Corporation, especially now that a reformed Aegis is leading anti-xeno technology development.”

Concerns Raised over Titan Returnees

People who were recovered from the Thargoids have been flagged as potential biohazards by an Imperial medical institute.

Dr Zoe Terentia , chief researcher at Kamadhenu Medipure , published her findings in the Citizens Chronicle.

“Our analysis of abducted Imperial citizens currently in isolation has yielded disturbing results. There is clear evidence of an auto-immune response in multiple subjects. These manifest as minor physiological changes at a superficial level, which are mostly being dismissed.”

“In my professional opinion, this qualifies as evidence that these individuals have been altered in some way by the Thargoid-constructed bio-storage capsules. I recommend they all be relocated to a high-security location beyond inhabited space. Should further mutations manifest, euthanasia should be considered to prevent any chance of contamination.”

Director Ivano Colombera of the Imperial Science Academy, who acts as the Empire’s scientific liaison to Aegis, opposed this assessment:

“The life support systems in Thargoid bio-storage capsules were intrusive, and in some cases left residual scarring. We would expect human physiology to react negatively to such an invasive artificial environment, and these natural immunological responses hardly qualify as ‘mutations’. So we should not consider this a cause for alarm. Nevertheless, I agree that all returnees must stay quarantined until all necessary scientific observations are complete.”

The Imperial Herald featured related comments from Senator Caspian Leopold, another member of the delegation to Aegis:

“I concur with Director Colombera that caution must be our watchword. I’m told that those rescued from the Titans are being made as comfortable as possible, but for now they must remain isolated. I know that our stoic citizens will understand their duty.”

“Regarding this topic, Azimuth Biotech’s offer to perform scientific tests on returnees has been formally rejected by the Senate. They decided that further association with Azimuth would not be of benefit to the Empire. And speaking personally, I will not countenance letting those butchers anywhere near our people.”

Palin Makes Thargoid Spire Breakthrough

Analysis of objects and refinery compounds obtained from Thargoid spire sites has revealed a crucial connection to the Titans.

The announcement was made by Professor Ishmael Palin, who has been receiving deliveries of these materials from Pilots’ Federation members:

“Genetic commonalities between the spire compounds and Titan hull fragments have now been verified. My research suggests these surface sites have been established to harvest resources which sustain the Thargoid motherships in some way. It may be that their supplies of some vital enzymes or fuels are running low, after months of being deployed away from their home worlds.”

“To capitalise on this newfound understanding, my team has synthesised a biological contaminant based on the chemical composition of the samples. Introducing this to a spire’s processing chain can only help our efforts to disrupt their invasion plans.”

Dr Maximo Fonseca, the Alliance’s scientific liaison to Aegis, commented:

“It is important to note that Professor Palin’s work is still in the experimental phase, necessitating further testing. Large quantities of the contaminant will need to be transported to all known spires. This will be a highly dangerous mission, as the sites are aggressively patrolled by Thargoid drones and vessels.”

Aegis has expressed gratitude to everyone who provided samples from the Titans and Thargoid spire sites to Professor Palin in the Arque system. A special notice was published honouring those pilots who delivered the first and the highest number of items:

CMDR HaLfY47

CMDR M. V. Coehoorn

CMDR MAKSIMUSR

CMDR Pete Justice

CMDR Ecthelion

CMDR Tarin Tarek

CMDR Racius

CMDR Dark Session

Thargoid Abductees Reconnect with Society

People who have been rescued from Thargoid Titans remain in quarantine, but can soon expect family visits and access to comms networks.

Aegis reported that bio-storage capsules are still being successfully extracted from the Thargoid motherships, albeit at high risk to pilots. Each revived individual has been placed in medical isolation, as per guidance from Aegis specialists.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Corcoran, who coordinates the Alliance’s involvement with Aegis, discussed the situation in a session of the Assembly:

“All abductees are being monitored for signs of Thargoid physical or mental influence. So far, I’m pleased to say, these test results remain negative. Therefore, those from Allied systems are now permitted to receive visitors, while remaining under strict quarantine conditions. They are also being granted direct access to comms and public media. I understand that Federal, Imperial and most independent authorities will shortly follow suit with their own citizens.”

Director Nassim Qadir, head of medical research at Azimuth Biotech, was quoted in a formal statement from the corporation:

“Isolating all the returnees was prudent, but they should not be treated like normal people. The Thargoids went to great lengths to capture living humans, and we have not yet determined the reason. It’s possible they are acting as carriers of an alien pathogen, or affected in some other way that Aegis’s inferior procedures cannot detect.”

“We propose that Azimuth Biotech takes exclusive control of processing all those recovered from the Titans. We have the techniques, equipment and experience in researching human-xeno interactions. Only after being subjected to an intensive battery of examinations should these subjects have their civil rights and freedoms returned.”

Aegis Prioritises Research into Thargoid Spire Sites

The rapid evolution of Thargoid barnacle matrix sites into colossal spires has sparked intense scientific scrutiny and concern as to their purpose.

Dr Maximo Fonseca, the Allied scientific liaison to Aegis, discussed recent developments in an article for The Empirical:

“There’s no doubt that these twisting, biomechanical towers are important to the Thargoids. Each site is defended by highly aggressive drones, including a new type designated the ‘Banshee’. Larger Thargoid vessels also routinely come and go, in a manner similar to ships docking with an outpost.”

“Some believe that each site is an alien city – a xenopolis, if you will – and that this marks the start of a colonisation programme. But I believe the Thargoids remain on a war footing. Either way, we are bringing together our finest xenologists to decipher their function as rapidly as possible.”

One of these scientists is Professor Ishmael Palin, who is recognised as a leading authority on the Thargoids. In a brief interview for Vox Galactica, he said:

“The construction of permanent surface structures confirms that the Thargoids have long-term plans. I’ve studied scans that indicate organic and mechanical processes taking place within each spire. My guess is they’re industrial in nature, the equivalent of our extraction factories. It’s possible they are producing or refining vast quantities of mineral substances to supply the Thargoid war machine.”

“Many pilots have already seen fit to provide me with compounds extracted from Thargoid spire sites, which has given my research an initial boost. Further samples can be delivered to Abel Laboratory or the bartender at Baird Gateway in the Arque system.”

Thargoid War Update: October 3309

Vox Galactica’s Jade Sanderlyn discusses the successful recovery of people from the Titans and developments at the new Thargoid spire sites.

“When Aegis announced its plans to free abductees from the Thargoid motherships, I wasn’t the only one expecting the worst outcome. Turning a core mining missile into a way to extract life-support capsules from the Titans sounded extremely risky. And even if it worked, what state would these poor people be in after such a horrific experience?”

“Much to my relief, the scheme is working. Many thousands have now been brought back to civilisation, and seem to have suffered few ill-effects. Wisely, all are being kept under strict quarantine while a battery of medical tests are run on them. But I understand that, in most cases, abductees are permitted to communicate with their friends and families - most of whom never expected to hear from them again.”

“Another surprise, albeit much less welcome, were the rapid changes observed at the Thargoid barnacle matrix sites. Intense geological activity had been registered beneath the surface, but the alien growths resisted detailed analysis. Their transformation into colossal towers several kilometres high has startled the scientific community.”

“Xenologists tell me that the emergence of these Thargoid spire sites, as they’re now classified, suggest that the aliens are putting long-term plans into place. Their actual purpose is unclear, but few believe that the outcome will be beneficial for humanity.”

“Elsewhere, resistance to the aliens remains as dedicated as ever. At the time of writing, no new invasions have been reported, and the Thargoids occupy only a third of the territory previously conquered by their fleets. Scores of once-inhabited systems still need to be liberated, but the mood among anti-xeno forces is that the tide has turned in humanity’s favour.”

“This is Jade Sanderlyn reporting for Vox Galactica. Stay safe out there.”

Titan Survivors Kept in Quarantine

Thousands of people rescued from captivity within the Thargoid motherships remain isolated under strict medical and security protocols.

Professor Alba Tesreau, head of Aegis, spoke at a press conference:

“I’m relieved to see that the sub-surface extraction missiles are proving effective, especially considering how quickly they went into production. Many pilots are using them to excavate bio-storage capsules from beneath the hulls of the Thargoid Titans.”

“Each resuscitated individual has undergone an exhaustive range of physical scans and psychological evaluations. Some are being treated for stress-related conditions and mental trauma, but otherwise they appear to be unharmed. With no clear evidence that these people have been infected or influenced by the Thargoids in some manner, Aegis has sent a number of proposals to superpower governments as they consider the next steps.”

Despite this announcement, everyone extracted from a bio-storage capsule remains under military quarantine. The Alliance, Empire, Federation and independent factions have all instructed that any citizen who was abducted by Thargoids must be kept in high-security isolation until further notice.

As discussed by reporter Ernesto Rios for Vox Galactica:

“There is widespread concern that whatever the Thargoids had planned for their human captives was set in motion before rescue efforts began. While scientific analysis of the captives disputes this notion – as all results have thus far – the returnees may face prejudice and mistrust when they are permitted to rejoin society.”

In related news, there are reports that the Thargoid barnacle matrix sites have recently undergone enormous growth, with sightings of ‘towering spires’ and similar megastructures. Aegis and other scientific bodies have sent analysis teams to all known sites to gather data.

Winters Outlines Her Future Presidency

President-elect Felicia Winters has discussed her election victory and other topics during an interview with The Federal Times.

On defeating Vice President Jerome Archer:

“One cannot dispute that Archer played his campaign straight, with none of the underhanded tricks utilised by some of his predecessors. But the election results prove that the citizens want a change from the Republican Party’s bombastic approach.”

On the priorities for her forthcoming administration:

“Our government will expand investment in the Federation’s soft infrastructure, pulling the economy’s focus away from military projects and corporate profits. Many systems are in dire need of improved healthcare, housing and work opportunities. Billions of people need temporary financial support as refugees from the Thargoid invasion. We are not the Empire – we serve our people rather than rule over them.”

On the Proactive Detection Bureau:

“My very first task in office will be to dismantle this monstrosity, ending the surveillance of private communications. The Federal Intelligence Agency is perfectly capable of protecting our people without violating their personal freedoms.”

On the Thargoid war:

“I can assure everyone that while I lack the enthusiasm for war that my predecessor demonstrated, my administration takes office with the Thargoid invasion as a top priority. Aegis has led the way in developing new anti-xeno technologies, and Federal support for the agency will continue.”

Many Federal newsfeeds congratulated Felicia Winters on her success in the election, but an editorial in Sol Today said:

“Without Zachary Hudson’s strength of will, or Jerome Archer’s dedication to security, there’s every possibility that the Federation will rot from within. You can expect to see all manner of fringe groups and minorities grab the lion’s share of funding, while freeloaders and criminals get a free pass. We predict that Winters will go down in history as one of the weakest presidents ever.”