Galnet archive

Galactic News: Jasmina Halsey Not yet at Full Health

For the past three days, Jasmina Halsey has been recuperating at Leoniceno Orbital, where she was taken after she was rescued from the wreckage of Starship One. Since then, all interview requests have been firmly rebuffed by the starport's medical personnel, who insist the former president is not yet well enough to talk to the media. But while the galaxy waits for an official interview, the Federal Times has managed to wrest a few words from her sister, Azalea Halsey, who recently visited her sibling:

"Jasmina appears to be in good health, but she did seem rather distant. She said some things I didn't understand – something about stars and...creation, I think – but given what she's been through I thought she was remarkably lucid, most of the time. I'm sure she'll be back to her old self soon."

It is hoped that the former Federal president will talk to the media in the next few days.

Galactic News: Jasmina Halsey Brought Out of Coma

Federal President Zachary Hudson has released a statement confirming that former president Jasmina Halsey has been brought out of her induced coma.

"The injuries Jasmina Halsey suffered in the destruction of Starship One were severe, but her escape pod preserved her vital functions. Having repaired her injuries, medical personnel at Leoniceno Orbital revived President Halsey from her coma this morning. I have been told that she is now sleeping peacefully, and is expected to wake in the next few days."

Reporters were told that Halsey would need at least a week before she is likely to be able to talk to those outside her immediate family.

Galactic News: Jasmina Halsey to be Revived

Medical personnel at Leoniceno Orbital have announced they will soon bring former Federal president Jasmina Halsey out of her induced coma. When the former president arrived at the starport she was still in her damaged escape pod. Since then, medical personnel at the starport have worked tirelessly to heal the injuries she sustained in the destruction of Starship One. Having completed this process, Halsey's doctors now believe it is safe to start waking their patient.

"The process of waking President Halsey from her coma must be done gradually," said Dr Lucy Ingles, who has been overseeing Halsey's treatment. "She is still in a delicate condition."

If the process is successful, the former president should be fully conscious within a few days.

Galactic News: Could Jasmina Halsey be Reinstated?

Following the extraordinary rescue of former Federal president Jasmina Halsey, whose escape pod was recovered from the wreckage of Starship One, questions have been asked about her possible return to power. According to an anonymous source within the Federal government, several senior-level politicians have voiced the opinion that, should she make a full recovery, Halsey ought to be allowed to serve out the remainder of her term.

Simon Newell, a legal advisor to the Federal government, spoke to the Federal Times earlier today.

"There's no direct precedent for this situation, so it's hard to be certain. I know some members of government believe Halsey should be reinstated, but my feeling is that such an outcome is unlikely. When Halsey disappeared she was already facing a vote of no confidence, and her presidency was officially terminated so a new president could be elected. My suspicion is that if there were a legal challenge, the law would uphold the vote of no confidence recorded at the time."

Freelance Report: Game of Shadows

Various media outlets throughout inhabited space received an anonymous communiqué this morning. "The galactic community is in peril," the message began. "They just don't know it yet."

The transmission asserts a connection between Core Dynamics, the destruction of the Antares and Starship One, the Emperor's Dawn insurgency, and setbacks in Unknown Artefact research. It also claims that the deaths of Federal Vice-President Nigel Smeaton, Sean Richards, Arnold Lowe, Susan Monroe, Elaine Boyd, Emperor Hengist Duval and the disappearances of former Federal president Jasmina Halsey and Professor Ishmael Palin are similarly connected.

The message concluded: "Many of those who have tried to connect these seemingly disparate events have been silenced, along with their sources. That is why I have chosen to remain anonymous. So far, only pawns have been revealed in this shadowy game. We must discover the king."

Neither the Federation nor the Empire has chosen to comment on the transmission.

Commander Corrigendum

Galactic News: Presidential Vessel Retired

For the past six years, the Federation has used a pair of customised Saud Kruger Narwhal Liners (upgraded variants of the successful Beluga Liner) as the personal vessels of the Federal president. Last year, one of these vessels was lost in a tragic accident. Today, the remaining vessel will be retired.

Bexley Jones, a spokeswoman for President Zachary Hudson, said: "It is of the utmost importance that the ship bearing the callsign 'Starship One' can function as a mobile base of operations for the president, providing him with everything he needs while off-planet, in addition to offering him total safety. Given the Beluga's primary designation as a passenger vessel, we have decided that it is unable meet these demands."

Jones confirmed that the remaining Narwhal will be replaced with a pair of modified Farragut Battle Cruisers, a mainstay of the Federal Navy. The formidable vessels are equipped with an extensive array of heavy weaponry, and are capable of transporting multiple Federal Corvettes and a large F63 Condor squadron. "In these dangerous times, it is essential that the presidential vessel be able to offer comprehensive military support, and the Farragut Battle Cruiser can do just that", said Jones.

Galactic News: Former Federal President Found

The recent Federal operation to search for survivors from Starship One was eagerly supported by the galactic community, resulting in the safe recovery of thousands of escape pods, many of them containing living survivors. As the task of identifying the pod's occupants continues, Federal President Zachary Hudson has made a surprising announcement: one of the escape pods taken to Leoniceno Orbital contains former Federal president Jasmina Halsey.

"When we started searching for the remains of Starship One it was with the aim of discovering what happened to the ship. I never imagined we would find survivors, and certainly not that one of them would be Jasmina Halsey."

Asked about Halsey's condition, Hudson said:

"The medical team at Leoniceno has described Halsey's condition as critical but stable. It appears her escape pod was damaged and she sustained some injuries, so she's being kept in an induced coma until her wounds have healed. This is likely to take weeks. If her condition changes I will be immediately notified."

Galactic News: Remarkable Response to Federal Campaign

Federal President Zachary Hudson has announced that the search for survivors from Starship One has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response. Mere hours after the campaign began, thousands of escape pods had been delivered to Leoniceno Orbital, many of them containing living survivors. In the wake of the initiative's success, President Hudson released a statement to the media:

"I have been overwhelmed by the response to this campaign, which has resulted in the rescue of thousands of individuals, and I am delighted to confirm that some of the recovered pods are indeed from Starship One. We are not yet in a position to release the identities of those we have rescued, but we hope to be able to do so soon. In the meantime I would once again like to extend my gratitude to those who contributed to the search."

The recovery of so many escape pods will almost certainly prompt speculation that former Federal president Jasmina Halsey may be among the survivors.