News of 3206 Turn 53

Earth Forces Raid Shi’ar

Dateline 3205.353 Shi’Ar Q0

In an unprecedented and dramatic military action, substantial Earther forces have conducted an armed raid on the independent colony of Shi’Ar. Reports from the economically struggling world state that several Earth Warships and thousands of battle-hardened troops, including some from the paramilitary Imperial Audit Office, attached merchant ships and stormed the system’s orbital station. At the same time elite Earther special forces stormed the government’s secure communications centre in a remote cave and arrested the Present and most of the cabinet – accusing them of corruption and conspiracy to commit piracy – though at this stage the legitimacy of such an action is unclear.
The Earthers, who claim this was an operation to root out pirates, are robust about the legitimacy of the operation against a small independent world. They claim to have impounded a number of pirate-owned vessels, and arrested over 2,000 suspected pirates.
The forces, led by Deputy Director Van Helsing (an IAO civil servant rather than a Naval officer) were at pains to point out to INN that they fully respected local laws, and have handed the alleged criminals over to the Shi’Ar authorities for trial under Shi’ar law. The Provisional President, Hudson Bell, who was elected in emergency session of the Colonial Council, agreed to fully investigate the alleged crimes. The former president Lilandra and her cabinet are currently under house arrest, pending trial.

Unrest Quelled by Local Forces

Dateline Erik Q5 3205.388

An attempted insurrection against the Esteeler colonial government was squashed by the prompt action of GFA security forces. An illegal terrorist movement – the self styled ‘Confederacy of Erik’ had apparently been stockpiling illegal arms for many years, and with the help of offworld mercenaries were hoping to topple the elected local government and leave the Federation. Thanks to good intelligence and swift reactions by local GF and security force, led by the charismatic General Tory Langager, the rebels were brought under control in a matter of days. Around 150 terrorists does in the fighting, with a further 500 captured. A small number have escaped to a remote mountain region, but a military spokesperson said “..don’t worry, we’ll hunt them down…like the dogs they are…”. A spokesperson for the colonial government said “We cannot stand by and allow antidemocratic forces usurp the will of the people. This band of terrorists are criminals of the worst sort”. Following the emergency, tight security is being maintained in the colony, and a planetwide curfew is in place for the duration of the crisis.

Daring Pirates Strike Back

Dateline B’Noth Q7 3205.358

After years of very active anti-pirate operations in the Venerian Republic’s colonies by specialist formations – it would appear that the pirates have decided to strike back. In a large raid on asteroid mining facilities in the B’Noth system, pirates got away with expensive equipment and items with substantial credit value. Local starguard were unable to intervene as desperate pirates from six pirate vessels held up three mining bases. Venerian fleet elements were not in-system at the time, but the Quadrant colonial government has stepped up security and all leave has been canceled. The 7th Hunter-Killer Force (based a mere 10 parsecs away from the raid) has stepped up its stop and search programme – and numerous merchant corporations have complained about ‘heavy-handed tactics’ of the Venerian Force personnel (not for the first time). 73 arrests were made in connection with piracy in the 10 days following the raid. Fleet elements have gone onto high alert, and a ‘major fleet exercise’ was suddenly announced. Local Venerian-watchers say this is government-speak code for ‘we’re off to burn the bastards if we catch them’.

 

Earth Forces Clean out Pirate Nest

Dateline 3205.376, Nissan Q0

The uncolonised world of Nissan was the scene of dramatic military action as Earth warships and marines stormed a hidden pirate base located in the system. According to Earther sources, over 200 pirates were arrested, and a further 30 killed in the fighting. Losses to Earther forces are reported as ‘trivial’.

Hundreds killed in Reactor Leak

Dateline Dharmakaya Q8 3206.365

In the independent colony of Dharmakaya, civil emergency services are struggling to recover from the detonation of the main fusion Power Station for the capital – Pyramid City. A local spokesperson said,” this is the biggest disaster to hit the colony in its entire history…we are, quite literally, devastated”. Experts are remaining tightlipped about the cause, as this was a Energen Systems Hyperdyne 3000 reactor – a top of the range system not often seen outside Q0, and one that the colony was justly proud. This model is famous for its high degree of safety redundancy and is allegedly proof against planetquakes and even an airtrans crashing into it. The liability lawyers are circling this one like vultures.

Despite the fact that the station was located well outside the city, all 64 power workers and many hundreds of civilian residents from the outer suburbs were killed by blast, fire and secondary effects.
Pyramid city is now under curfew, and power rationing is in place. It is believed that it will be several octants, if not years before the colony recovers.

Imperial Auditors Clean out Corruption

Dateline 3205.352 Sanders Q2

Earth Imperial Forces moved against their own planetary Government, launching a surprise raid on the Government building and orbital station at Saunders, an Earther colony. IAO forces arrested the chief of police, the head of space traffic control and several senior managers in the orbital and senior local government figures. The arrests are part of a major anti-piracy clampdown.

Budding Colony Wiped out by Terrorists

Dateline Lactantius Q1 3205.375

Initial landings by colonists intending to open up the uninhabited world of Lactantius in Q1 were dealt a horrifying blow when their main colony ship exploded as a result of a terrorist bomb. The outrage would not have come to light has there not been a routine scouting patrol from the Venerian Republic in the system. Unfortunately the Venerian destroyer was unable to reach the few survivors trapped in orbit before their air ran out. The explosion bore the hallmarks of an action by DAFT – apparently because the colonists were all perfects.

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