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Galactic News: New Farragut Battle Cruiser Complete

The Beta Hydri Corporation has announced that the Federal campaign to construct a new Farragut Battle Cruiser is now complete. According to a company spokesperson, the galactic community responded positively to the appeal, resulting in the rapid construction of the new Federal vessel. Captain G.C. Richards, who oversaw the project, released a brief statement to the media:

"The Federation extends its gratitude to all those who supported this initiative. Your hard work has given the Federal Navy a potent new asset."

Captain Richards went on to single out a pilot by the name of Commander Khemsa, who made the largest single contribution to the initiative. President Hudson has even extended the honour of naming the new ship to Commander Khemsa in recognition of their singular contribution.

The new ship is expected to embark on its inaugural voyage soon.

Community Goal: Expanding the Federal Fleet

Federal President Zachary Hudson has announced plans to create a new arm of the Federal Navy known as the People's Navy, supported by local corporations rather than Federal taxation. The Navy will be established with a new Farragut Battle Cruiser, to be added to the 54th fleet. The new vessel will be capable of transporting multiple Federal Corvettes in addition to boasting an array of heavy weaponry. Captain G.C. Richards, who is overseeing construction of the new ship, issued a brief statement to the media:

"This new battle cruiser will occupy a significant role in the Federal Navy, strengthening our borders and enhancing the profile of our armed forces. In the interest of completing production as efficiently as possible, we have authorised the Beta Hydri Corporation to reimburse pilots who deliver essential supplies to our base of operations at Stevenson Base. This is an opportunity for those loyal to the Federation to support a vitally important initiative."

The campaign begins on the 10th of March 3302 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

Powerplay: Weekly Report

This weekly report summarises the recent actions of the galaxy's movers and shakers in Federal, Imperial, Alliance, and Independent spheres of influence.

The Federation

Last week was a sweeping success for the Federation. Fleets under the command of President Zachary Hudson exerted massive efforts in Adan, Carpaka, Concantae and LPM 229, successfully establishing a semi-permanent presence in all but Adan. Shadow President Felicia Winters finally claimed new supporters in Amuzgo, a system with which she has repeatedly attempted to curry favour, but her bid to secure support in the hotly-contested DR Crucis system was not successful.

The Empire

The Empire suffered a number of setbacks this week, mostly stemming from the increased Federal presence in Carpaka, Concantae, LPM 229 and Amuzgo. Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval's influence in dozens of systems diminished as a result of these Federal expansions. Princess Aisling Duval's public-relations campaigns in Chnumar and Madngela failed to draw more supporters to her cause even as the Conii system withdrew its support. Senator Zemina Torval focused on protecting her investments and made no new acquisitions. Senator Denton Patreus' fleets were rebuffed in Neali and HIP 116377, but successfully established a presence in HIP 2239.

The Alliance

Prime Minister Edmund Mahon led the Alliance through another week of relative calm. With last week's dispute in DR Crucis now resolved, Alliance negotiators are taking the first steps to secure a trade agreement with DR Crucis.

Independents

The acquisition of the valuable Polecteri system by SiriusGov, led by CEO Li Yong-Rui, was the highlight of Independent activity this week. A bold attempt from Archon Delaine's Kumo Crew to overthrow LTT 874 was repulsed by Imperial fleets, but the level of criminal activity in the system remained high. Pranav Antal's Uptopia focused on establishing an influence in Sukree and Yemotepa, which are currently the site of violent protests incited by Utopian agitators.

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.

Powerplay: Weekly Report

Prime Minister Edmund Mahon, and the Alliance as a whole, celebrated the momentous signing of trade agreements in Mong Kung and Pincunche this week. With the finalization of these agreements, the Alliance network boasts a total of 90 influential trade hubs. The overall economic outlook in the Alliance remains the envy of other trade networks.

Federal President Zachary Hudson's fleets easily corrected the supply shortages they were faced with last week, delivering approximately 6.6 billion credits worth of garrison supplies to naval bases throughout the president's sphere of influence. But President Hudson was unable to open a naval base in Concantae due to intense local opposition. The navy is now surveying numerous systems to find suitable accommodation for the burgeoning fleet.

Federal Shadow President Felicia Winters was unable to secure the support of the Amuzgo and Chukchan systems through aid packages and Liberal propaganda this week. But efforts to woo the political leaders of Djanharu, Juipedi and HIP 47328 are currently underway. Should these systems become supporters of the Shadow President, the Liberal party will hold sway in a total of 71 key systems.

Princess Aisling Duval secured new supporters in HIP 77470 this week, bringing the total number of systems supporting the People's Princess to 63. Popular support for Princess Aisling is growing in the Ekono system, and it is expected that representatives from Ekono will affirm the system's support of the People's Princess by next Thursday.

Imperial Senator Zemina Torval's attempts to secure a controlling interest in the infrastructures of V2689 Orionis and HR 6948 this week were unsuccessful. With no new acquisitions expected during the coming week, the senator will likely focus her efforts on quashing opposition from political dissidents within her sphere of influence.

SiriusGov CEO Li Yong-Rui suffered setbacks in the Polecteri and San systems this week, preventing Sirius from incorporating the assets of both systems into the Sirius portfolio. Undaunted, Li Yong-Rui is preparing to finalize the purchase of both private and government sectors in the Aranka system during the coming week.

Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval was faced with continued supply shortages this week, forcing the Shield of Justice to terminate services in Olelbis, Damoorai and Kappa. Garrison supplies were consumed at near-record levels in Namamasairu, Bragit, Yab Camalo, Cibola, Redoneangi, Igal and Kuuku, jeopardizing the ability of the Shield of Justice to maintain adequate security. If the Emperor is forced to withdraw her fleets from all seven systems, her direct influence will extend to only 57 key systems.

Simguru Pranav Antal welcomed the inhabitants of HIP 7076 into the Utopian fold this week, promising the populace a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity. Utopians also celebrated a significant milestone in the fledgling power's history: Simguru Antal now has Utopian enclaves in 50 systems.

Imperial Senator Denton Patreus secured harbour for his fleets in the Contie system this week, easily overcoming violent opposition from local dissidents. A number of arms deals fell through, however, weakening any plans the senator may have had to expand his influence. The coming week will be characterised by the defensive deployments of Patreus' fleets.

Pirate Lord Archon Delaine successfully instigated infighting and violent insurrection in Morronii and HIP 111880 this week, and pirate vessels have been witnessed supporting criminal elements in both systems. The Pirate Lord appears poised to claim new territory mere weeks after he lost control of three systems.

Commander Corrigendum

Community Goal: The Search for Survivors

Federal President Zachary Hudson has confirmed that the remains of Starship One were among the wreckage recently delivered to Leoniceno Orbital. The search for the missing presidential vessel began two weeks ago, resulting in the accumulation of thousands of tonnes of wreckage, which was then subjected to rigorous analysis by Federal scientists. The analysis confirmed that the remains of Starship One had been located, prompting President Hudson to release a statement to the media:

"The loss of Starship One remains a tragedy, but I must admit to feeling a sense of relief at finally knowing what happened to the presidential ship."

President Hudson followed his statement with a surprising announcement:

"Our researchers have surmised that the destruction of Starship One was not instantaneous, and that the front of the ship may have suffered less damage than the rest of the vessel. This means there is a very small chance – and I must stress that this is remote – that some of the crew might have been able to reach escape pods. That's why I'm calling on the galactic community to support a second search – a search for survivors."

"Pilots who want to contribute to the search should concentrate their efforts in the Lyncis Sector, and in particular on the ON-T B3-1, ON-T B3-2, ON-T B3-3, ON-T B3-4 and ST-R B4-3 1 systems, where we believe further wreckage from the ship may be found."

The search is expected to begin immediately.