Unreported ‘Dino Flu’ Outbreaks Reach Epidemic Proportions
Dateline 3219.350 Quadrant 7 and 8
For many years now there have been mixed reports from Quadrants 7 and 8 regarding health issues on many colony worlds. Our reporters have unearthed a widespread consipracy of silence on this issue, as colonial administrators, local Governors and politicians and senior health officials have been down-playing the seriousness of the epidemic. The main motivation for this crimianl cover-up seems to have been economic, quarantining a system having serious economic consequences, especially for some of the poorer colonies int he quadrant.
Even now, many colonial administrations and local governments are vehemently denying that so-called Dino Flu is a major health problem. What is worse is that independent public health charities like Médecins Interstellaire are reporting that far from bing a simple upper respiratory tract infection, the illness is highly debilitating and potentially lethal, there have been at least 1024 reported deaths as a result of the disease, the actual death toll is likely to be a lot higher.
There is also distrubing evidence that those who survive the disease are in some way mutagenically altered. Families of those stricken by the disease report their loved ones are in a highly diassociated state and many have gone missing since their recovery.
DISASTER ON OKUS
Dateline 3219.341 Okus Q7
More than 69% of the land surface of Okus is now uninhabitable as a result of a major environmental incident of unprecedented type. A ‘biological field’ has covered these sections of the planet’s surface, driving our (or destroying) established human colonies on Okus. These zones are characteristed by fast growing and adaptive flora and fauna of types previous unknown – and which have so far defied detailed analysis. Despite scepicism from the scientific community, scientists from the University of Shi’ar have confirmed that this is indeed something new and, they say “…terrifying”.
Robot Probes into the affected region either do not return, or are rendered inoperable. Volunteers, even though equipped with heavy GF armour fare no better – their technological systems degrade rapidly within the ‘biofield’ and the psychological effects are severe, 90% of volunteers commit suicide either on their mission or shortly thereafter.
The surviving colonists in the unaffected area as clinging on to their settlements, but the scientific predictions are that the world will become uninhabitable by the end of 3220 at the latest.
The ‘Forever War’ on W3
Dateline W3 Q7 3217.367
The war in the Deep Hole Colony between the Deep Colonial Corporation and the Deep Democratic Association continues to be a bloody and indecisive affair.
Neither side seems able to make peace as combat has been reduced to prolonged low tech trench warfare in Interstitial Mountains region with horrific casualties on both sides. The now regular Annual Offensives – timed for the brief period of favourable weather in the mountain passes all seem to end in bloody repulses – with reports of brutal hand-to-hand fighting.
The economy of the colony is in decline as a result and nobody see an end in sight as both governments continue to announce their own undeniable victory is in sight.
