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Trial of Fleet Admiral Vincent Begins

The Federal High Court on Mars has opened the trial of Fleet Admiral Lucas Vincent, who is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and treason.

Vincent stands accused of organising the sabotage of Starship One in 3301, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

The Federal Times’s crime correspondent Ethan Takahashi reported:

“The trial began with the prosecution counsel outlining the case. Material evidence obtained from Chief Technician Rory Webster, whose testimony led to Vincent’s arrest, was presented before the jury.”

“Vincent was questioned about a secure transmission from his office to the presidential vessel on the 24th of May 3301, ordering an unscheduled diversion to the Azaleach system for routine maintenance. This is where Webster’s engineering team followed Vincent’s orders to install the sabotaged hyperdrive component that caused the misjump.”

“Evading the questions, Vincent claimed that the entire trial was a ‘Liberal Party cover-up’ and that Starship One was destroyed ‘to put Winters in charge’.”

“With the loss of President Halsey and Vice President Naylor, Felicia Winters did indeed assume the role of acting president and became leader of the Liberal Party. However, the defence counsel played down these accusations, instead declaring that Webster’s recordings of Vincent’s orders could have been falsified.”

Jasmina Halsey Returns to the Federation

Former President Jasmina Halsey has arrived on Mars to stand as a witness in the upcoming trial of Fleet Admiral Lucas Vincent.

Halsey was subpoenaed by the Federal High Court to testify before the jury. Although this was not legally enforceable, since she now lives beyond the Federation’s jurisdiction, she has acceded to the court’s request.

Jasmina Halsey served as Federal president prior to the destruction of Starship One in 3301, which Vincent is accused of arranging. She was recovered alive, but abandoned her political career and emigrated to the Alliance. She has since campaigned as a peace activist and acted as an adviser to Prime Minister Edmund Mahon.

After greeting a large crowd of supporters at Olympus Village Spaceport, Halsey gave a statement to The Federal Times:

“This is a bittersweet moment for me. Coming back to the Federation feels like revisiting a past life. But perhaps we can finally lay some ghosts to rest.”

She was welcomed in person by Shadow President Felicia Winters, who was secretary of state in Halsey’s administration. However, President Zachary Hudson has made no comment regarding his predecessor’s return or the forthcoming trial of Fleet Admiral Vincent.

Date Set for Trial of Fleet Admiral Vincent

Fleet Admiral Lucas Vincent of the Federal Navy will stand trial on the 25th of January, charged with conspiracy to commit murder and treason.

The Federal Attorney’s Office has successfully obtained a grand jury indictment against Fleet Admiral Vincent. He is accused of arranging the sabotage of presidential vessel Starship One in 3301, to assassinate then-President Jasmina Halsey. Although she was later recovered alive, hundreds died when the ship was destroyed in flight.

These charges were brought following the trial of Rory Webster, a naval technician who was implicated in the failure of Starship One’s hyperdrive system. Mr Webster confessed his involvement, but offered a plea bargain by providing evidence that he was following clandestine orders from Vincent.

The subsequent arrest caused repercussions in military and political circles. President Zachary Hudson’s long-term association with Vincent resulted in Republican congressmen losing confidence in his leadership, and increased the Liberal Party’s popularity.

As a naval chief of staff, Fleet Admiral Vincent is the highest ranking Federal military officer to ever stand trial. Media interest remains intense, with much public speculation about corruption among the Federation’s highest echelons.

The trial will take place at the Federal High Court in Olympus Village on Mars, and is expected to last several weeks.

The Shadow of War

NMLA terrorist attacks and the Marlinist refugee crisis have driven an increase in military spending from both the Empire and the Federation.

The Federal Times has reported on President Zachary Hudson’s actions:

“Building on the public outcry following the Neo-Marlinist bombing of a Federal starport, President Hudson has positioned himself once again as the Federation’s strongman. This is clearly a calculated effort to regain political power after negative associations from the Starship One trial.”

“Shadow President Felicia Winters’s acceptance of Marlinist refugees has lost popularity, now that terrorists concealed among them have murdered thousands. However, cooler heads in Congress agree that provoking the Empire could lead to a far greater death toll.”

The Empire’s response mirrored its counterpart, as observed by The Imperial Herald:

“As well as the construction of new capital ships, Senator Denton Patreus has also ordered the withdrawal of funding for Aegis. The Senate’s consensus is that since Thargoid activity has reduced, the focus should now be on the Federation as well as the internal threat of the NMLA.”

“Cooperation between the superpowers is rapidly coming to an end, leading to a state of interstellar brinkmanship. There is a real possibility that the Neo-Marlinists’ demand for revolutionary change may have broader repercussions than they intended.”

Superpowers React to Latest NMLA Strike

Relations between the Empire and the Federation have deteriorated following a terror attack by Neo-Marlinists against a Federal starport.

Kepler Orbital in the Atropos system was bombed by the NMLA to eliminate several of its captured members, before they could reveal anything under interrogation by the Federal Security Service.

Imperial Ambassador Imogen Luciana made this statement:

“The NMLA was obviously able to make use of its bomb-making factories within the LTT 1935 system. If the Federation had not resisted our investigation, we would have shut these down and prevented the attack.”

“Our warning about the extremist threat went unheeded, and the Federation is now paying the price. We once again insist that all Marlinists are repatriated to the Empire.”

Ambassador Jordan Rochester has not responded, but did confirm that Federal embassies in several Imperial systems have closed after violent anti-Marlinist protests placed diplomatic staff’s lives at risk.

In Congress, Vice President Brad Mitchell directly blamed Shadow President Felicia Winters for the recent attack. He accused her of “laying out the welcome mat for terrorists” by offering sanctuary to the Marlinists. Other congressmen argued that she had prioritised aid for Imperial rather than Federal citizens.

There is evidence that Winters is now losing some of her recently gained political capital. However, the Liberal Party’s popularity remains high in the wake of President Hudson’s alleged association with the destruction of Starship One.

Political Turmoil for President Hudson

Political support for Federal President Zachary Hudson has plummeted after the results of a trial concerning Starship One’s destruction.

Fleet Admiral Lucas Vincent was charged with sabotaging the presidential vessel, leading to hundreds of deaths. His close relationship with Hudson has triggered a public outcry and accusations of a conspiracy to assassinate then-President Jasmina Halsey.

Political analyst Vihaan Niven reported on the situation:

“The Republican Party is officially in a state of crisis. President Hudson has refused to make any statement regarding Fleet Admiral Vincent, despite pressure piling up from all corners of the Federation. Over a dozen congressmen have resigned in protest, refusing to be associated with what some newsfeeds are calling ‘the crime of the century’.”

“Shadow President Felicia Winters has stopped short of making direct allegations against Hudson but, in several powerful speeches, she stressed that no elected ruler can ever be above the law.”

“Opinion polls suggest that the Liberal Party now has majority support for the first time in years, and that many people view Hudson as a symbol of corruption. In 3305, halfway through his term of office, the President won the scheduled congressional vote of no confidence by a slim margin. It is doubtful that his administration would survive if it were to be held today.”

Fleet Admiral Vincent Named as Starship One Saboteur

Fleet Admiral Lucas Vincent, one of the Federal Navy chiefs of staff, has been arrested on charges related to the destruction of Starship One.

The trial of Chief Technician Rory Webster was halted by a plea bargain to reveal who ordered him to sabotage Starship One’s hyperdrive in 3301.

An update on proceedings was delivered by Milandu Okoro of the Federal Attorney’s Office:

“Mr Webster provided evidence that Fleet Admiral Vincent directly commanded him to arrange for Starship One to suffer the same fate as the Highliner Antares. The orders were allegedly provided on a private channel, accompanied by threats discouraging Mr Webster’s refusal.”

“The trial concluded with the judge summarily convicting the defendant of aiding and abetting mass murder. Chief Technician Webster received a lenient sentence of 20 years in prison, in acknowledgement that he performed criminal acts under duress.”

“The FIA has detained Vincent in a high-security facility, and he has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and treason. However, the case is likely to take several months to come to trial.”

There was no comment from President Zachary Hudson, who is believed to be a personal friend of Vincent. A spokesperson for his administration said: “As always, the President has full confidence in our court system to deliver justice.”

Revelation Halts Starship One Trial

The Federal High Court trial over the destruction of Starship One has been temporarily halted following a proffered confession from the defendant.

Chief Technician Rory Webster is charged with mass murder and treason, with testimonials claiming that he ordered his engineering team to sabotage Starship One’s hyperdrive systems.

Crime correspondent Ethan Takahashi reported for The Federal Times:

“Despite a spirited performance from the defence, highlighting the absence of a sufficient motive, Mr Webster visibly struggled in the dock last week as the technical evidence mounted. Several jury members nodded when the prosecutor called for the death sentence, should the accused be found guilty of slaughtering hundreds.”

“The judge was about to begin her summation, when Mr Webster’s defence counsel announced that the defendant now wished to change his plea to guilty and make a full confession in return for clemency, claiming that he had acted on ‘orders from the top’.”

“There was much discussion between the judge and legal representatives. Eventually it was agreed that the trial would be suspended while Mr Webster’s testimony was taken by the Federal Intelligence Agency, and then a suitable course of action would follow.”

The Federal Attorney’s Office stated that a decision on resuming the trial is expected within a few days.