Horror on Novo Maria
Dateline 3214.207 Novo Maria Q2
The main reactor supplying power to the main city of Novo Maria, Lemontree, suffered a catastrophic containment failure, devastating a radius of five kilometres around the facility. As this was situated on the edge of the city, casualties have been high, and the city’s shuttle port put out of action.
Estimates suggest that 256 people are known to have died and more than 32,000 made homeless. This has created considerable problems for this colony, which until now has been doing very well.
Remorseless City brought to a standstill
Stardate 3214.211 Hebka Q3
Transport workers in the main city on Hebka have gone on strike in protest at changes in their contracts. They have been objecting to the city authorities introduction of more robots in jobs that had previously been largely conducted by humans. The transport workers have raised issues of safety, customer relations and that the changes have been introduced without proper consultation with the workforce. The strikers have also held a protest march to which over 40,000 people attended. The City Major’s office said “… these workers have to move with the times. There is no place for old-fashioned practices in Remorseless City.”
Stand Off Over T301
Dateline 3214.241 T310 Q1
Elements of the fleets of both the Venerian Republic and the Federation are poised for an armed confrontation over the future of the colonists on this war-torn world. Information is spare on the situation, but some report indicate there have been ‘pacifier skirmishes’ near the system orbital. Other reports suggest the two interstellar powers are conducting negotiations over the exact distribution of key resources on T301c.
President Kapuchinsky Visits Sol
Dateline 3214.250 Old Mars, Sol Q0
The interstellar Summit on Old Mars has been historic in that it saw the first visit of a Sirius Socialist Republic Premier to the Sol in over two centuries. Technically still at war with the Earth Empire over the Amoss Crisis, the choice of Old Mars was clearly a diplomatic face-saving formula, and President Kupuchinsky did not actually go within several AU of Earth itself in her trip. All the more remarkable, coming as it does after a large section of the Sirius capital, Marx City was devastated by an Earth nuclear device. Quite what is behind the slight thaw in Earth-Sirius relations is not yet clear, no doubt Kapuchinsky, and old hand at the cut and thrust of internal SSR politics has her reasons. At the same time she will, inevitably come up against her own hard-liners who will have certainly opposed her visit to Sol.
The summit was held mostly in private, but our sources suggest some important amendments to the Stickney Treaty were discussed, following recent events on Sirius and Mystery. There was also discussion regarding the War and it looks like the Grand Armada will be delayed yet further, pending the outcome of operations against the Roach / Exterminator fleet.
All was not completely sweetness and light, however. First Minister Rathbone did not attend in person, and some read this as a snub to Kapuchinsky. Others suggest it was the uncertain security situation (see below) that kept him away on the advice of his close protection advisors.
Hyama Dome Protests
Dateline 3214.250 Old Mars, Sol Q0
While the great and the good of humanity gather in Summit meetings to discuss such weighty matters as the future of the war against the HEBs and the current military situation regarding the ‘missing’ Roach/Exterminator Fleet, many of the citizens of Old Mars come onto the streets to protest against the human right record of the Earth Empire in Quadrant 6 – likening it to the alleged oppression of Old Martians by the Empire in the past. Security forces were very much in evidence, and there were accusations of ‘police brutality’ against the protesters. A spokesperson for the Hyama Police Service said “There were a number of criminal elements that apparently infiltrated a legal and peaceful protest and there were very real threats against property and citizens not involved in the protest. It was for this reason that we moved to secure the area around the Hyama Hilton Conference Centre. 7 Police officers were injured.”
A spokesperson for Martians Against Fascism said “The Earth Police State is once again suppressing the Will Of The People. The people of Quadrant 6 will suffer under the iron heel of the Empire, just as we on Old Mars have done for generations. Live Free Or Die!”
Did Humans Visit New Atlantis?
Dateline 3214.255 Mystery Q0
Researchers on Mystery are reporting that the ‘New Atlantic’ undersea site is throwing up more discoveries tan can be readily catalogued, even with the tens of thousands of forerunner experts already on the planet. Latest remarkable find released is evidence that early humans, or at least human hominid ancestors may have lived in the ‘city’ – with implications for the origins of human development that have long been suspected by researchers.
Objects have been found that would appear to have originated on Earth and look like being of early human manufacture. Additionally, some areas, tentatively identified as habitations suitable for human habitation indicate a resident hominid population under the seas of Mystery some 50,000 years ago.
News in Brief
Union of Xyon dispatches aid and assistance to Y17
Shi’Ar Praises Venerian ‘culture and social values’
32 Pirates sentenced to death on Count Down
Dino flu reaches epidemic proportions on Prtoprnss
