Some Ships Missing In Q3
Local Dateline Q3 – 3201.379
Rumours are coming in of a number of military ships missing in Quadrant 3. Local authorities are tight-lipped about this – some announcing that this is part of a planned security exercise, others that there is a temporary communications fault. Critics of the new Ultron anti-pirate system have been pointing to the possibility that Ultron has failed in some way – stranding vessels in interstellar space. Official sources from all polities are dismissing these assertions as ‘unfounded nonsense’ or worse. Nobody was available from Pymm Industries – the manufacturers of Ultron- to comment on these allegations. Professor Henry Pymm, polymath, genius, and CEO of Pymm Industries was reported to be on holiday.
Major Archeological FInd in Q1
Local Dateline T22 Q1 – 3201.358
Reports are coming in of a significant – possibly forerunner – archeological find on a backwater world on Quadrant 1, known only as ‘T22’. Military forces from major polities in the quadrant have been despatched to investigate – though the situation remains unclear. At least one scientific commentator, Professor Trucker of Vertol University was quoted as saying “This is a pathetically obvious hoax – this is such an insignificant world, well outside the sphere of known forerunner finds. I suspect some local entrepreneur is trying to cash in on the current growth in Forerunner research – as as I point out in my recent book – ‘Meet the Forerunners’ (Vertol University Press – 35credits hardback) the forerunners were probably only active in a subset of human space concurrent within the current boundaries of Q0, Q5, Q6 and Q7, and were a lot less significant than many people think”.
Fighting Continues on East Continent of Binni
Dateline Binni Q0 – 3202.057
News of an additional Martian GF Division en-route to Binni has done little to reduce tension in the former FRB on East Continent. Martian forces have managed to get some semblance of peace in Bradley City, but the other cities remain lawless and the countryside is rife with warlords and bandits. Recent attempts by the local Martian GF Commander General Black to form a local militia headed by Martain officers is proving slow to get off the ground, as recruits seem reluctant to come forward for fear of reprisals on their families. Negotiation have been opened with warlords, but all has not gone well – particularly when 25 warlord supporters were killed by Martian forces when the former attempted to kidnap the negotiators.
Meanwhile, the remainder of Binni is showing considerable improvements, and the signs of recovery are growing as industries, schools and hospitals are being put back into operation thanks to interstellar aid – mainly from New Mars.
Local Hero Saves Hostages
Local Dateline Bugs Q4 – 3201.398
A major planetary crisis was pending when the planetary Governor Karol V Krankmeyerand his family, were captured and held by DAFT terrorists in the planetary capital Klone. The terrorists were exceptionally well organised and had the building wired to conventional explosives as well as a nuclear weapon. Local SWAT were negotiating but the situation was deteriorating, risking not only the Governor but many of his family.
Although military forces were on standby – including an assault team of Starship Marines from the 711th Regiment – local commanders were worried that they would be unable to disable the bombs in time. Serious consideration was being given to the terrorist demands of freeing DAFT prisoners, a shuttleload of money and free passage out of the system.
Hostages included Governor Krankmeyer, his family and 21 gubernorial aides, who had been attending a garden party. Picture taken shortly after their capture by DAFT terrorists.
However the deadlock was broken by the unauthorised actions of a lone vigilante, who managed to slip past the police cordons, enter the DAFT held building, disable the bombs, subdue 42 heavily armed terrorists and release the hostages. The police have the perps in custody, but are remaining uncommunicative about the vigilante. Hostages are reported to have been suffering from shock, and were only able to say that their rescuer was ‘amazing’. One survivor said “we couldn’t believe it – he was like a human whirlwind – the DAFT bastards tried to shoot but he moved too fast – by the Ideal – it was unbelievable. It was hard to believe he was just one man”.
Police have put out warrants for the arrest of the viliante for a variety of offenses, though they have little in the way of description except that the individual is male, about 1.9m tall, of heavy build. Security cams simply showed a masked figure. Tabloid media have already dubbed the mysterious hero as ‘The Masked Avenger’.
Archeological Find Rumoured on Senta
Local Dateline Senta Q5 – 3201.378
Unconfirmed reports are coming out of Quadrant 5 that some sort of forerunner find has been made by Esteeler scientists in the Senta system. Observers are awaiting some sort of public announcement of the find, but no comment has so far been forthcoming. Governor Wendel Quivver was unavailable for comment on this matter, but an aide said “I am not aware of any such find, and even if I were aware of such a find, I would not be at liberty to discuss it at this moment in time”.
