KING OF THE WORLD

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This is the overview and timeline page for the KING OF THE WORLD arc which began on July 5, 2020, and pertains largely to Human, and galactic lore. The arc is centered around phoron scarcity and the final decline of the Solarian Alliance. Below is a summary of the arc's events, applicable news articles, and additions. 2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 0 PART 1

This is the SECOND CHAPTER of Aurora's (tracked) story. The Sol Alliance has begun its final decline. In this chapter, the galactic stage will be set for chaos as the largest player in the Orion Spur crumbles. Will the megacorporations elevate to become Humanity’s foremost authority? Will the Coalition take advantage of their sole adversary’s collapse? What will happen to Tau Ceti?

One thing is certain: this chapter will alter any concept of the modern starmap as a whole.

Meanwhile, Phoron begins to grow scarce - deposits across the galaxy are dwindling, especially under Nanotrasen Corporation control…

=PHORON SUPPLIES DECLINE!= News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : SHENANIGANS, NEWORIGINALSCHWANN, ROOSTERCAT, KYRES1

05/07/2462

Phoron shortages set the galaxy up for catastrophe on the horizon.

Recent reports coming in from the megacorporation NanoTrasen have all shown a steady decline in the deposits of phoron located throughout the system over the past three months. Shipments, while still coming, have started to become slower and slower to fill their respective quotas.

While the supply is currently reaching the demands of the Republic, the line is getting ever closer to faltering, and officials are moving to find possible alternate solutions in the event phoron supplies run completely dry. In addition, outgoing shipments to the Alliance of Sovereign Solarian Nations have slowed dramatically, causing some tension between the superpower and NanoTrasen as the power tries to maintain a steady flow of resources to fuel their economy.

Shortages have been noted in the Romanovich cloud on stations such as the NSS Aurora, and in fields across Tau Ceti. Though NanoTrasen officials have promised that the supply will remain sufficient for now. Despite this reassurance, NanoTrasen stock prices have felt their most significant drop since the occupation of Tau Ceti.

Stay tuned for more information about whether this is a simple scare, or an impending crisis on the horizon.

=REPUBLIC OF ELYRA REFUSES EXPORTS, SOL ALLIANCE PRICES RISE! = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : NEWORIGINALSCHWANN

06/07/2462

The Republic of Elyra refuses to regard trade as an option in the dire situation surrounding phoron scarcity. Tensions skyrocket.

Despite recent reports of phoron shortages from both the Republic of Biesel and the NanoTrasen Corporation the Republic of Elyra, one of the Orion Spur’s largest producers of phoron aside from the Republic of Biesel, has announced today that it is not intending to commence exporting raw phoron to the rest of the Orion Spur. Citing their use of the fuel in many of their exported products, the Republic of Elyra has long guarded their ample phoron reserves from the rest of the Orion Spur. It remains doubtful that they will export raw phoron now, due to close government controls over the resource.

Outside the Republic of Biesel demand is rapidly beginning to outpace the supplies of the Sol Alliance, and emergency rationing is seriously being debated to assure that its military is able to meet its phoron requirements to maintain combat readiness. Prime Minister Frost has accused the Republic of Biesel of deliberately throttling phoron supplies in order to cripple the Sol Alliance. Shortages have been noted throughout the Sol Alliance, with major member planets without bluespace gates such as New Hai Phong and Silversun reporting particular concern.

The Republic of Biesel and NanoTrasen corporation have both decried the accusations of Prime Minister Frost as baseless and ridiculous, and a sign that the former Solarian naval officer has not let his dream of destroying Biesel’s liberty go. NanoTrasen stocks continue to decline in the face of a major phoron shortage, while EInstein Engines - the largest producer of non-phoron-powered warp engines - has seen its largest one-day stock price increase in a century.

Stay tuned for more information regarding this ongoing shortage.

2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 0 PART 2

This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT ZERO PART 2 of Aurora's (tracked) story. UNREST IN THE SOL ALLIANCE! Centuries of rule over many areas of the Solarian Alliance has rapidly begun to dwindle! | After a Coalition agent by the name of Gus Maldarth uprooted and revealed that the Alliance intended to place the Outer Ring under military rule until the end of the phoron shortage, widespread civil unrest has broken out! As colonies across the Outer Rim fall into chaos, the Sol Alliance finds itself more and more taxed militarily...

= THE MALDARTH AFFAIR = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : THEBURNINSHERMAN

09/21/2462

A whistleblower by the name of August Maldarth incites rioting across the Solarian Alliance.

The Coalition of Colonies Ministry of External Affairs has announced today to the greater Orion-Spur community that they have solid, hard proof that Solarian Allegations of Phoron hoarding by their outer ring planets is totally and completely false. This information comes as a large shock to known space at large as the scarcity of the vital element grows more and more dire by the day.

The information provided by the Coalition, sourced from an apparent whistleblower who defected from the Solarian Alliance, has given insight into not only just communications that prove Solarian statements of Phoron hoarding taking place in the Outer Ring as false, but has also provided photographs and documents that detail and prove numerous sentient rights violations from the Solarian military and police. In the words of the Solarian Armed Forces Public Relations Office, they had positioned troops there at the beginning of the scarcity to, “Secure and protect the previously low supply of Phoron in the Outer Ring from bad actors wishing to hoard it for their selfish gains and intents.”

The information revealed that the Solarian Armed Forces and police have been raiding municipal and provincial phoron reserves across the outer ring and repossessing or in the words of the Coalition source, “fucking stealing,” the resource for shipments back to the core worlds of the Solarian Alliance. The information released by this whistleblower also stated that any attempts to publicise or release information to the public about these operations were shut down and met with threats of imprisonment or in the gravest instances, cyborgification. This is in addition to the various measures officially disclosed by the Solarian Government such as curfews, rationing of other resources to citizens, and random searches of the population for “smugglers,” that are actually, according to the whistleblower, thinly veiled attempts to detain political prisoners or individuals who posed a threat to the secrecy of the Solarian operations by straying from the official Solarian position.

This whistleblower, Warrant Officer August Maldarth of the Solarian Naval Signal Corps, relayed this information to the Coalition of Colonies earlier this week after defecting to them via a covert shuttle dispatch after spending weeks gathering his evidence, reportedly alone. When questioned as to why he defected, his response was curt and to the point. “It’s not right!” He elaborated on this point further when given a press conference by the Coalition of Colonies Ministry of External Affairs, that he, himself requested. This was his primary statement to the press:

“Yeah, I know that, I might up an’ die soon. Sol wants me in a bodybag, and I accept that possibility as very real. What I know though, is that the tyrannical Solarian government is stealin’ from its own people and keepin’ them down with threats of a fate worse’an death. After spending weeks sendin’ messages back and forth and just listening to what was happening, I couldn’t live with m’self. I had to get the word out, and if that meant becomin’ a traitor an puttin’ m’self at risk, I would do it. I don’t have nothing anymore, which means I have nothing to lose too. I ain’t about to let some fat-ass admiral fuckin’ steal from the good people of the Outer Ring because some moron Cytherian bureaucrat wants to drink a Toxins Special! It’s not right, damnit! They’ve been keepin’ my Mars down for fuckin’ ever, and no more people are gonna have that happen to them if I can help it! My name’s Gus fuckin’ Maldarth, and I ain’t about to be silenced outta fear!”

When later asked about his remarks, Warrant Officer Maldarth said that he knew it was a dangerous move to go so public with this information, but also when asked for his thoughts, the Martian responded with, “I couldn’t give a shit about what Frost thinks of me. Fuck Frost.”

The Coalition has condemned the Solarian Alliance as a result of these actions and cover-up of them, and Mister Maldarth’s sentiments have sparked protests, civil unrest, strikes, and riots across Solarian space, with many calling for legal action to be taken against those responsible for the operation and the repossessed phoron to be returned to the affected planets. The Solarian Government has denied all allegations and has announced that their operations in the outer ring have reached completion and are pulling back all but the essential units that were stationed in the region before the recent occupation.

Those critical of SolGov have stated that this is nothing more than an attempt to save face, while various sentient rights groups across the Orion Spur have raised concerns of these new Solarian movements being used to reposition troops in order to crack down against the demonstrations occurring across Solarian space.

The Republic of Elyra and Empire of Dominia have both recalled their ambassadors and all non-essential embassy staff from Solarian space in protest of these actions, with both countries’ foreign ministries releasing condemnations of Solarian conduct as well. The People’s Republic of Adhomai has released a formal denunciation of the Solarian Alliance, going as far as to call them “paranoid imperialist crooks,” and “the enemies of sentient life everywhere.” The Republic of Biesel has responded with condemnation as well, and has partially mobilised their reserves in response to inward Solarian troop movements. The Izweski Hegemony and Jargon Federation have not commented on the issue.

Warrant Officer Maldarth is reportedly residing in an undisclosed location within neutral Tau Ceti space for his safety at this time. The Coalition has stated that they will use every reasonable resource available to them in order to preserve Maldarth’s continued health and safety from foreign agents and transport him to Coalition space.

=INTERMISSION= Events

06/07/2462 to 10/3/2462

In the time between the official beginning of KING OF THE WORLD and 06/07/2462, the events ran can be found here.

7/28/2462 : The NSS Aurora was the center of a phoron transaction between Hephaestus Industries and NanoTrasen. The transaction went by smoothly, but Hephaestus Industries did not receive their quota.

8/4/2462 : The NSS Aurora was the center of a phoron transaction between Zavodskoi Interstellar and NanoTrasen. The transaction was bumpy, and a shootout occurred near the end of the shift. Zavodskoi Interstellar lost a large portion of its phoron to thievery.

8/9/2462 : The NSS Aurora was the center of a phoron transaction between Zavodskoi Interstellar and NanoTrasen. The transaction was smooth and, thanks to the efforts of a proactive crew, met its quota early.

8/22/2462 : The NSS Aurora was intruded upon by several phoron-eating monstrously bloated worms, seeking phoron amidst the scarcity and flocking to larger, more dangerous deposits. Two crewmen were killed in the ensuing chaos after the "black trident worms" attacked them.

8/29/2462 : The NSS Aurora discovered one of the first major moves of Einstein Engines that has become apparent to its crew. After a warp signature was located by deep scans from Central Command within the asteroid, an away team was launched from hastily picked crew. The outcome of this ended up revealing an Einstein listening shuttle, loaded to the brim with suited, armed men and a particularly heavily armored asset protection trooper. The NanoTrasen trooper spearheading the expedition to the shuttle was shot a great number of times until they were, in fact, a great amount of dead. After a reasonably confusing method of escape through multiple docks, the Einstein listener group managed to make their way out of the station.

9/19/2462 : The NSS Aurora drifted into an anomalous sector caused by a nearby phoron stockpile. The dangers of this sector became immediately apparent as phoron worms, golems, and other nasty critters began appearing stationwide. As well, spatial anomalies such as wormholes, portals and phoron displacement occurred. Amidst all this, a "phoron storm" occurred, leading to more confusion and the station being deemed too dangerous for the crew to remain. Evacuation proceeded shortly after and went as standard with no major injuries. One crewman committed suicide in the duration of this event.

9/22/2462 : The NSS Aurora was the stopping point of August "Gus" Maldarth, a Martian whistleblower who incited riots in the Outer Ring and created an uproar by revealing a sinister plot on part of the Alliance. They were tailed by individuals in Einstein Engines gear in an unmarked corvette, who landed and began jamming the NSS Aurora's outgoing communications. When Gus prepared a speech and separated himself from the crowd, the second party proceeded to brutally assassinate the man before escaping quickly, exiting the system.

2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 0 PART 3

This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT ZERO PART 3 of Aurora's (tracked) story. GUS MALDARTH ASSASSINATED! In a shocking turn of events, Einstein Engines has reportedly made its first major moves in the scarcity by seeing Gus Maldarth executed! Despite the corporation vehemently denying anything of the sort, NanoTrasen insists legal action will be taken for these events!

'''Due to RL complications, this portion of the arc was poorly catalogued! If confused, contact the responsible lore developers.'''

2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 0 PART 4

This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT ZERO PART 4 of Aurora's (tracked) story. EINSTEIN ENGINES MAKES ITS MOVE! The first megacorporation has made major moves against NanoTrasen with a new engine making its way to headlines! As well, they have begun their first, vile moves of espionage - attacking Hephaestus assets on the NSS Aurora! Will Einstein Engines climb its way to the top again, or are these moves its finale?

= Einstein Engines Unveils New Engine = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : NEWORIGINALSCHWANN

03/10/2462

Einstein Engines unveils a new nearly phoronless warp drive that rivals NanoTrasen bluespace drives in efficiency.

In a press conference held earlier today (GST) in Harmony City, Luna, Doctor Noella Lopez-Zhang, the current CEO of Einstein Engines, revealed that she and her company have created a new variant of warp engine referred to as a Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive. The Zhang-Suzuki is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than the typical warp drive in-use by the majority of human ships in the Orion Spur.

“Words cannot begin to describe how proud I am of Doctor Suzuki, our chief research officer, and her research team. Without herself and her team, we would have never been able to create the Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive. I am glad I can count on Doctor Suzuki not only as an innovative researcher, but as a friend,” said Doctor Lopez-Zhang of the new engine.

“The Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive is the latest, greatest creation from our research labs. While bluespace engines are still slightly faster, the Suzuki-Zhang is capable of reaching speeds close to NanoTrasen bluespace drives for a fraction of the fuel cost,” said a clearly proud Mio Suzuki at the press conference. “Plus, even the fastest engine is useless without fuel.”

Production is expected to begin tomorrow, and orders are already lining up to purchase these improved warp engines in the face of the Spurwide phoron shortage. Einstein Engines, which has shown steadily increasing profits and stock shares since the crisis began, is currently poised to have its best quarter in history while its major rival - NanoTrasen - is projected to have its worst quarter ever.

NanoTrasen legal director Mori Takachika has stated that the Suzuki-Zhang is “shockingly” close to a NanoTrasen drive currently in the testing phase, and has accused Einstein Engines of “classical industrial espionage.” The NanoTrasen CEO has promised “serious consequences” for Einstein Engines over the upcoming days. The Bugle will report on this story as it develops.

= NanoTrasen Sues Einstein Engines! = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : NEWORIGINALSCHWANN

07/10/2462

Einstein Engines becomes the target of NanoTrasen, and a legal battle ensues.

Earlier today (GST) NanoTrasen legal director Mori Takachika followed up on her earlier promises regarding the Einstein Engines Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive, suing the megacorporation over copyright infringement under current Republic of Biesel law.

The case has already run into difficulties due to Einstein Engines being headquartered outside of Tau Ceti and therefore not being subject to the Republic of Biesel’s legal system. However the case seems to be set to begin shortly as Einstein Engines has stated its willingness to proceed with the case, despite describing it as “absolutely baseless” in a press release.

As part of the pre-courtroom proceedings NanoTrasen and Einstein Engines have agreed to allow one another to take photos of their engines for the legal process. Einstein Engines has reportedly dispatched a legal team to take photographs of one of NanoTrasen’s rare supermatter-based engines, while NanoTrasen has sent a legal team to observe a Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive in Einstein Engine’s headquarters on Luna. The Bugle will report on this story as it develops.

=EINSTEIN EVENTS=

VS

Events

10/3/2462

10/3/2462 : The NSS Aurora was attacked by Einstein operatives. After a covert operation to destroy contracted robots reached its end, the intruder's vessel was shot down by the Icarus. After the debris landed, there was an arrangement of evidence pointing to their illicit activity.

10/10/2462 : Beach event! The NSS Aurora received a crew-wide paid holiday to the Starlight Basin Resort, on New Gibson, in a climate-controlled dome. This was to raise awareness of Einstein Engines' potential comeback and shoot down any belief that Einstein Engines was, in fact, able to contest NanoTrasen's might.

10/11/2462 : The NSS Aurora is the site of a brief incursion where a legal team of numerous heavily armed, armored and equipped Einstein Engines operatives boarded with a legal representative. In the finale of this part of the arc, they acquired pictures of the Supermatter crystal utilized to operate the NSS Aurora before departing. = LANDMARK COURT DECISION SEES EINSTEIN ENGINES DEFEAT NANOTRASEN! = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : NEWORIGINALSCHWANN

17/10/2462

Einstein Engines makes a shocking victory against NanoTrasen on NT turf!

Stunning news from the Xavier Trasen Memorial Courthouse this evening! Einstein Engines has been found not guilty on all counts brought to court by the NanoTrasen Corporation, and production of the Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive is set to continue without interruption. A triumphant Einstein Engines legal team headed by Doctor Noella Lopez-Zhang herself has been photographed leaving the courthouse earlier this afternoon, smiling broadly and waving to an assembled crowd of reporters before addressing them.

LOPEZ-ZHANG: “Today is an historic day for Einstein Engines. We are no longer the Einstein of the past decades, reeling from defeat after defeat and barely keeping pace with NanoTrasen. Our victory in this legal case has shown that we can not only meet NanoTrasen, but that we can best them even in their headquarters. I look forward to the great things our company is going to do over the following years.”

The decision today is as stunning a defeat for NanoTrasen as it is a victory for Einstein Engines, with Einstein Engines now set for its most profitable quarter on record and NanoTrasen - due to declining phoron stocks and massive courtroom costs - now set for its worst. NanoTrasen, which has not lost a legal case brought against it in the Republic of Biesel for over fifty years, has stated that it is currently seeking to sell off its corporate holdings in the city of Phoenixport in order to recoup some of its losses from this quarter.

Bidding is set to begin at midnight (GST) today, and to close at the end of this week. Currently the People’s Republic of Adhomai, the Zo’ra Hive, and several minor companies in the Republic have all expressed interest in purchasing land from the Phoenixport auction. = NanoTrasen Auction Reaches Shocking Conclusion! = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : NEWORIGINALSCHWANN

20/10/2462

Einstein Engines acquires Phoenixport in a shocking conclusion.

Late last night (GST) NanoTrasen’s sale of its property in Phoenixport has ended in another shocking upset for the corporation! At 11:56:46PM (GST), mere minutes before the auction was set to close, a previously unknown company - Republic Interstellar Flight Incorporated - placed massive bids on all properties up for auction, successfully purchasing every piece of property for sale. Minutes later Einstein Engines announced that it had acquired Republic Interstellar Fight Incorporated and would begin the integration of its properties into the megacorporation immediately.

This is an unprecedented event in the history of the Republic of Biesel, and a massive defeat in the ongoing corporate conflict between Einstein Engines and NanoTrasen. With Einstein Engines now owning upwards of 90% of all commercially-zoned land in Phoenixport, the monopoly held over the system by NanoTrasen for the previous sixty years is effectively dead. Einstein Engines vessels have already warped into the Tau Ceti system and have begun unloading massive amounts of materials into Phoenixport, despite protests from NanoTrasen over the legality of the auction.

While unable for an interview Doctor Noella Lopez-Zhang - the current CEO of Einstein Engines - informed the Bugle that she was “absolutely thrilled” to have opened up a new market for the Orion Spur’s oldest - and now, perhaps most powerful - megacorporation. The corporations and governments of the Orion Spur are doubtlessly watching with bated breath as this corporate giant finally enters the Republic of Biesel.

= VICE PRESIDENT HURK’JURL DEAD IN CAR CRASH! = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : NEWORIGINALSCHWANN

23/10/2462

The vice president of the Republic of Biesel dies in a car crash.

BREAKING ― sources in Mendell City today have told the Bugle that Vice President Fahjil Hurk’jurl has passed away just a short while ago following a catastrophic car accident in District 3. Eyewitnesses report that the Vice President’s personal vehicle was involved in a collision with a cargo truck driven by a bound Vaurca of the Zo’ra hive on his way home from work. When attempting to run a red light, his vehicle was struck and overturned, and after several harrowing minutes of emergency officials attempting to remove the Vice President from the wreckage, he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the Xavier Trasen Memorial Hospital.

Mendell City Police officers were informed by eyewitnesses present at the time of the incident that it appeared that the Vice President lost control of his vehicle shortly before he arrived at the intersection, and was unable to regain control of his government-issue NanoTrasen CityCruiser™ before his collision with the cargo truck. Traffic and accident investigators at the MCPD found, after a cursory inspection, that there were no signs of foul play, and the case is considered to be an “open and shut” example of reckless driving.

“I hear this government vehicle coming up from behind me,” says Ken Anderson, 47, a NanoTrasen auditor. “He was going way too fast - seemed like at least twenty kilometers over the limit. So, I did the logical thing, and pulled over out of his lane [...] the next thing I knew, I watched him barrel through a red light and slam into the truck. I called EMS, but it was probably too late [...] you just don’t walk away from a crash like that, you know?” Traffic camera footage provided to the Bugle from the accident site corroborates the witness’ statement, showing the Vice President veering sharply into the path of the oncoming truck after haphazardly speeding towards the intersection.

The unfortunate and untimely passing of Vice President Hurk’jurl is a tragedy for the entire Republic, while particularly impacting the Tajara community in the Imperial Palace district. The Vice President was the first Tajara to hold such a high-ranking position in the Republic’s government, and he was widely regarded as a trailblazer for his species. A candlelight vigil will be held at the District Six Church of S’rendarr in his memory. The thoughts and prayers of the Bugle’s entire staff team are with his family in this tragic moment of national loss.

This is an ongoing story, and will be updated as necessary. = A REMEDY TO THE SCARCITY? = News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : PRACTICALLY THE WHOLE LORE TEAM

23/10/2462

A massive phoron deposit is discovered, labelled "Clandestine."

A recent discovery in the Romanovich Cloud might hold the key to alleviating the phoron scarcity plaguing the galactic economy, researchers have told the Bugle. A sizable asteroid, dubbed 66832 “Clandestine” by the astronomer who discovered it, has been located within the Cloud with promising evidence of trace amounts of aerosolized phoron in its vicinity! NanoTrasen (NTCO +5.34% ↑) specialists theorize that these findings may allude to large deposits of the valuable mineral deep within the asteroid’s rocky mass, and may at last put an end to the economic uncertainty affecting the Orion Spur. For the first time since the start of the crisis, NanoTrasen stock prices have risen as a result of the announcement.

The potential for a new source of phoron has been drawing attention from several galactic powers and the Bugle’s sources have suggested that there are currently discussions of auctioning off the valuable asteroid. Government officials are debating what will be done with “Clandestine”, but our economic experts believe that NanoTrasen will likely retain ownership of the celestial body. Our readers can rest assured that if “Clandestine” goes to market, competition to purchase it will most certainly be fierce. Almost every spacefaring civilization relies heavily on bluespace drives and phoron fuel for transport, supply and military operations, making this discovery even more intriguing as stockpiles of the critical element diminish.

A survey expedition to the Clandestine asteroid had been planned and is already underway; will the discovery of this potential fresh source of phoron be the answer to the economic downturn rippling across all of colonized space? Stay tuned for more updates!

2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 1

This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT 1 of Aurora's (tracked) story.

The arc officially begins here... The phoron deposit 66832 “Clandestine” asteroid discovered by Republic surveyors was expected to fall into the hands of NanoTrasen as is typical with trace phoron deposits in the Romanovich Cloud. However, shortly after an auction was being prepared by a nearby station’s (the NSS Aurora) crew, the asteroid exploded violently - a chain phoron reaction sent the entire deposit into a catastrophic explosion visible across the system.

To make matters worse, the Mendell City Bugle reported that NanoTrasen officials have indicated this was the last major phoron deposit in Tau Ceti. The fate of the Republic hangs in the balance as the phoron scarcity escalates, and NanoTrasen stocks plummet!

Meanwhile, Sol promises it possesses its own safety amidst the scarcity! Stay tuned for updates on this chaotic matter, as the galaxy devolves!

=CLANDESTINE EVENT=



Major Event

10/24/2462

10/24/2462 : The NSS Aurora's crew was tasked to land on the recently discovered phoron-rich asteroid "Clandestine." Several departments were tasked with major tasks as the situation developed. Engineering was to restore the auction site and prepare for executives to arrive. Service was to prepare the necessities with on-site supplies. Security was tasked with clearing xenofauna. Meanwhile, science and cargo were tasked with a small secret objective - obtain a core sample of a supermassive phoron deposit in the center of the asteroid. As one would predict, the event fell into chaos, and in the ensuing mess virtually nothing went right from an in-character standpoint.

However, many important discoveries were made. A very important, recurring blue chainlink that has been appearing on the NSS Aurora made its way to the Clandestine asteroid. Investigators on the station remain intrigued as the stakes escalate.

A Solarian frigate was spotted by a Unathi miner in orbit of Clandestine. The frigate promptly disappeared, with command on high alert.

Crewmen Alicia Parker and Iliasz Jajszcyzk were responsible for spearheading an investigation, with the latter coming later, into a TCFL crash site on the asteroid. At the site, countless remnants of a very recent fight were seen - one where the TCFL were virtually overwhelmed by 7.62 rounds. Jajszcyzk was accompanied by a private investigator who photographed various points of interest, from the corpses to the very frigate as it was seen.

This event's finale was the Clandestine asteroid coming to a cataclysmic end - detonating from the ground up in a phoron combustion explosion. The intensity of the explosion was great enough to be visible across the Republic - as far away as Biesel, and vaporized the asteroid in an instant.

At this point, however, the server died. Unfortunately the kill count is impossible to estimate, with all character deaths being voided unless otherwise stated by players. The timer in which the explosion was on could not elapse, and thus, the climax of this event will forever be a mystery.

= THE CLANDESTINE INCIDENT  =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : PRACTICALLY THE WHOLE LORE TEAM, PROBABLY.

24/10/2462

The previously mentioned asteroid, Clandestine, explodes. Very violently.

BREAKING ― earlier this evening, Republic surveyors tasked with exploring the newly discovered asteroid 'Clandestine' in the Romanovich Cloud were caught in a horrific explosion that has all but destroyed the massive potential phoron deposit! The detonation was so catastrophic, witnesses reported that they were even able to see the fireball in the night sky over Mendell City!

Government officials have not yet determined an official cause for the explosion, but sources have told the Bugle that the asteroid contained an incredible wealth of raw phoron deposits, perhaps in an amount never before seen - and they hypothesize a rogue spark or flame ignited the volatile mineral, causing a cataclysmic chain reaction that ultimately resulted in 'Clandestine's’ complete and total vaporization. Due to the burnoff caused by the detonation and the substantial burning of phoron, it's estimated that up to 95% of the asteroid's value has been lost, and its remains are now essentially worthless

NanoTrasen Corporation (NTCO %3.3 ↑) officials, in an impromptu press event wherein they took no questions, confirmed the 'Clandestine' asteroid to be the final major phoron deposit within the Tau Ceti system, marking the beginning of a potentially even more serious galactic crisis and prolonged era of decline. The severity of both the explosion and its fallout has prompted NanoTrasen Internal Affairs agents to launch a thorough investigation into the events leading up to what has now been dubbed the 'Clandestine Incident';' though no clear evidence of foul play has surfaced, NanoTrasen officials are not dismissing the possibility, either.

President Dorne and members of the Bieselite government have not returned a request for comment made by Bugle reporters, and sources close to the Tau Ceti Security Council say that there is no plan to enact a state of emergency or heightened alert until more thorough system-wide scans are made in an effort to determine the exact amount of phoron remaining in the National Supply.

Mirroring the tight-lipped response by the Biesel government, Alliance officials told reporters at a press conference aboard Unity station earlier today that "The ASSN is unmoved by recent events pertaining to this 'present crisis.' We wish to assure every Solarian citizen that the Alliance will persevere as it always has." No questions were permitted at the event, and requests for further comments made by Bugle reporters have not been acknowledged by the Solarian Embassy in Mendell City.

For now, experts believe that phoron supplies will last for the near future, but prices on the Galactic Market are already skyrocketing. NanoTrasen stocks have, despite the Clandestine Incident, continued to rise - though more slowly than prior - due to the megacorporations repeated and spirited assurances that they control enough phoron to meet the necessary production quotas until more deposits are located.

= POSSIBLE OPERATIONS ON MARS =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : ROOSTERCAT, SHEN, SUETHECAKE

24/10/2462

The galaxy gains insight on potential operations on Martian soil.

New information from a source inside of the Alliance of Sovereign Solarian Nations has revealed the possibility of a large operation being performed on Mars by the Solarian Government, though not all details are known.

Currently intel suggests these operations are no coincidence; as the Alliance's supplies and reserves of phoron begin to dwindle during the shortage, more and more fleets of government freighters are rumored to be carrying this crucial material. Since there have been no major military movements in Martian space, this can only lead more credence to the theory.

Alliance officials have condemned what they view as an 'unrestrained rumormill', insisting these suspicions have no basis in reality and that further allegations of irregular phoron movement or usage are nothing but unsubstantiated speculation by parties uninvolved and uninformed. Our insider source has refused to give more information at this time, though we will be closely investigating the situation for any further details, so stay tuned!

2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 2

This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT 2 of Aurora's (tracked) story.

After the destruction of the Clandestine asteroid, now coined as the “Clandestine Incident,” the galaxy is plunged into disorder. While Tau Ceti remains a steady bastion of hope, this marks the beginning of an unprecedented scarcity of the galactic lifeblood - Phoron. Deposits everywhere have begun to dwindle, and as things drift to a halt, NanoTrasen must dig themselves out of the hole they’re in - or else, all will suffer.

= PHORON SCARCITY AT ITS PEAK! =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER ON THE LORETEAM

29/10/2462

The scarcity gets scary.

Earlier today, the results of a series of wide-ranging, system-wide surface scans of 86% of the Romanovich Cloud and interior of Tau Ceti space were published, disappointing optimists who said that another discovery on par with 'Clandestine' could still have been in the cards. Government officials have indicated that very few substantial phoron deposits remain unmined, and it appears unlikely that any new deposits of the critical mineral are left to be discovered in the system.

In a hastily-assembled press conference, NanoTrasen Corporation took questions from a raucous press corps, restating their previous assurances that the situation is under control and that the bluespace giant has enough supplies to meet their necessary production quotas. The corporation is adamant that they will be able to make their current stockpiles last until new sources of phoron are found, but experts remain divided on whether or not this is the case.

Einstein Engines (ENEN 15.3% ↑), the Orion Spurs' largest producer of non-phoron warp-capable engines, has seen its biggest single-day stock price increase in the last few decades as a result of the duly named 'Clandestine Incident'. The Einstein Engines public relations team has promised that they are more than equipped to deal with the demand for non-phoron engines, and have used the crisis to successfully market their warp-drives as a trustworthy, reliable alternative amidst the growing uncertainty surrounding the sustainability of phoron.

Both government and independent surveyors have begun to look outwards towards Frontier assets in an attempt to locate more phoron, but as of now no new deposits have been located and a gripping sense of hopelessness has begun to take root in the industrial mining community. Bugle reporters were able to catch a survey team before they departed for Frontier space, and their lead prospector took the opportunity to say, "The sudden disappearance of numerous deposits of phoron is happening on an unprecedented scale. It really just seems like no one's prepared for this... [...] ...my team hasn't located a deposit in weeks!"

The galactic economy is certainly feeling the strain caused by the ongoing scarcity, and the effects are clearly evident even within Tau Ceti as companies and transportation groups fielding bluespace shuttles cut their flight time by upwards of 50%. Phoron supplies, once distributed throughout many installations for the purposes of research or chemical synthesis are also being recalled by NanoTrasen Central Command. The pressure is on for mining operations within the system to squeeze every last trace of phoron out of current deposits, but how long will it be before all wells run dry?

Bugle reporters are currently working around the clock across the Orion Spur to keep you, our valued readers, up to date on any news regarding the ongoing scarcity as it occurs. Stay tuned for more information.

In other news, the Alliance's press secretary has released another statement to all news outlets within the core Sol system. An important, leading quote from Senator Joseph Taylor was featured, saying, "In the interest of the continuation of our great Alliance, we have invested our resources in alternative solutions. Rather than subsist solely on our reserves, we are actively developing countermeasures to this scarcity, and the results seem rather promising." Alliance officials have not responded to a request for further comment.

2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 3

This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT 3 of Aurora's (tracked) story.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals points fingers at MICHAEL FROST! In a sudden twist, the megacorporation has declared that former admiral and current prime minister of the Sol Alliance Michael Frost is responsible for coaxing them into starting the Clandestine Incident!

Alliance officials have presented themselves again, stating the solution to synthesize more phoron has been found!

= CLANDESTINE INCIDENT : FINGERS POINTED AT FROST! =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : IT'S EVERYONE AGAIN.

1/11/2462

Michael Frost, prime minister of the Solarian Alliance, is labeled the villain behind Clandestine!

Shocking accusations out of Epsilon Eridani have made ripples across the galactic community today. Key members of the Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals Board of Directors spoke at a press conference earlier this afternoon held in their headquarters on Akhet, where they detailed their collaboration with other megacorporations into the investigation of the catastrophic Clandestine Incident. The executives stunned the entire press corps by formally accusing Michael Frost, Prime Minister of the Alliance, and the Solarian military of being responsible for the destruction of the largest phoron deposit ever known to man.

The once rogue admiral and now face of the Solarian government has found himself the center of attention yet again as Zeng-Hu adamantly insists that both he and the Solarian military caused the chain reaction that obliterated 'Clandestine'. Claims brought forth by executives at the conference even go so far as to suggest that the cause for the detonation was a coordinated bombing of the asteroid by Sol ships in the area under orders from Prime Minister Frost himself, and that Zeng-Hu had no choice but to go public after threats were made by Sol officials.

As the galaxy grapples with the heavy accusations being made against the largest human space-faring power in the known universe, inside sources have told the Bugle that the Alliance's government is in a state of chaos as they attempt to quash what they call 'outrageous fake news' on the part of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. Solarian consulars across the galaxy are refusing to provide commentary to news outlets, and top Alliance government officials are privately expressing doubts on how well they can control the narrative surrounding the claims.

Prime Minister Frost has a reputation of being accused of underhanded tactics and political intimidation in the Sol Alliance, and remains vastly unpopular in areas of the nation. In others, he is viewed as a hero. Public opinion is mixed and some Solarian citizens have demanded that Zeng-Hu provide more evidence to prove the veracity of these claims, but for now, the Solarian government has remained uncharacteristically tight-lipped. Inside sources within the Alliance navy have told the Bugle that all military installations have seen an alert level increase, and third parties warn of ongoing fleet movements across Solarian borders.

The accusations brought forth by Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals are sudden, and the serious nature of their claims is apparent. Is Frost really to blame for the dark state of affairs in the world of phoron supply? And, if so, what are his reasons for such a heinous attack as Sol now suffers from reduced exports out of Republic space? While the Alliance government has refused to engage with the Bugle to answer these questions, the Sol Alliance News Network was provided the only statement on the accusations from none other than Prime Minister Frost himself.

In their exclusive interview, he stated, "The claims made by Zeng-Hu are illogical and without merit; these Biesellite separatists are engaged in an obvious and bald-faced attempt to undermine galactic trust in the Solarian government by directly accusing us of terrorism. I would suggest that the real investigation focus on NanoTrasen, who have much to gain from destroying their own deposit to paint both myself and Sol in a bad light - especially to get back at me for attempting to put a stop to their illegal production of synthetic killing machines. To think that Sol would destroy such a large source of phoron when we use it as much as any other nation is ridiculous."

In the same article, an eyebrow-raising, prepared statement was referenced from Alliance leadership regarding the ongoing phoron crisis. "Our investments in an alternative solution to external phoron sources have come to fruition, and we are not only excited, but proud to announce that we have found a new source of the phoron material. The external events regarding the ongoing shortage are of no concern to the Solarian Alliance." = MARS GOES DARK! =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS

07/11/2462

Mars goes silent as the situation escalates! BREAKING ― sources within the Sol system tell the Bugle that just a few short moments ago, all inbound and outbound signals from the surface of Mars have ceased completely. The nature of this communications blackout is not currently known, and space flight around the planet has been seriously disrupted due to the loss of traffic control. Solarian navy vessels have been sighted in orbit around the planet, and ships attempting to land have been refused clearance by the Alliance military. The Alliance government has not returned a request for comment made by reporters.

As of this moment, there is no concrete evidence of foul play or any suggestion of, perhaps, a natural disaster, leading many to speculate and theorize as to why the Red Planet has suddenly gone dark. Extranet forums and message boards are aflame with conspiracy theories, ranging from acts of war by undiscovered aliens to a transdimensional experiment gone wrong. Bugle reporters took to the streets to ask citizens their thoughts.

"What's happenin' on Mars? You wanna know what's happenin'?" Markus Brewer, 52, a Martian native responded, "I'll tell ya what's happenin'! It's the damn BLUES! They's takin' advantage of the shortage and takin' out m'fellow Martians while they can, the cowards! They must- must have used a NUKE or summat!" Mr. Brewer seemed very stressed and frantic about the situation, underscoring the concerns of many Solarian nationals or Republic citizens who have families in Sol.

Other citizens were much less frenzied by the news, with Janice Drady, 34, A Bieselite native telling us, "To be honest with you, I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a dude who pushed the wrong button at a communications tower and shorted the whole grid. Either that, or everyone on Mars is dead. What a shame."

In the absence of an announcement from the Alliance government, it seems that conspiracy theories will be all that abound in the near future. The insider source who first broke news of strange phoron shipments told our reporters, however, that "They didn't listen. They didn't listen to the data, they didn't have the right, and now it's the Martians who have to pay the price. If you're still down there, you need to get out!"

This story is breaking and will be updated as necessary.

= Disaster on Mars! =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS

08/11/2462

Destruction sweeps across the Martian surface! Witness reports and third-party testimony regarding the situation on Mars has painted an increasingly dim picture; despite attempts made by the Solarian government to quash any reporting on the state of Mars, the Bugle has learned from inside sources that a horrifying discovery has been made: a gargantuan, phoron-based conflagration has been burning for days at a Solarian black site near the southern pole of Mars. The intense fire has spread across and scarred wide swathes of the planet's southernmost areas, and it is currently estimated that multiple habitations, arcologies and cities south of Argyre have been rendered absolutely uninhabitable to any form of life. The southern ice cap has completely sublimated.

Localized explosions caused by the overwhelming amount of airborne phoron particles have pockmarked the surface of Mars with deep craters, destroying critical infrastructure and communications equipment. The Martian capital of Olympus has been completely wiped off the face of the planet due to a combination of high-intensity combustion and near-total incineration. All that remains of Olympus are the charred ruins of buildings.

A hitherto unforeseen level of contamination of phoron gas has poisoned vast quantities of the Martian atmosphere, reaching as far north so as to affect habitats such as Red Gaia, causing white-hot flash fires. Multiple cities have reported turbocharged fires breaking out near electrical equipment, and entire arcologies have lost power due to the serious damage inflicted on their electrical infrastructure. Contact with several population centers based around Mars' equator has been completely lost, and officials privately believe that the worst should be assumed.

In addition, no Solarian government vessels have been assisting in the evacuation, and calls for aid have been ignored. All evacuations from the planet's surface have been carried out by independent third parties or by the Interstellar Aid Corps; various gangs have offered safe passage offworld for exorbitant fees, and thefts are of starships have been reported planetwide as civil law enforcement crumbles in the face of the ongoing calamity. Even ships from Eridani Private Military Contractors have arrived in certain places to escort citizens away - again, for a price. Experts speculate that the dead could reach staggering numbers well into the millions, and an official investigation into what has happened is still ongoing. No official death count has been released.

Reports indicate that Jargon Federation starships have exited bluespace near Mars as well, dispatching shuttles to evacuate Federation citizens and broadcasting a warning that any non-citizen attempting to board will be repelled with lethal force. Several shootings have already happened as Skrellian ships are swarmed by displaced Martians and refugees looking for a way off the burning planet. The chaos on the ground is mirrored by chaos in space, as several EPMC shuttles have recently been engaged by larger ships in the Martian orbit, shuttles supposedly stolen by throngs of 'violent refugees'.

The thoughts and prayers of the Bugle newsroom staff are with our Martian friends in their hour of need. Reporters are working around the clock to bring you, our viewers, the latest news regarding the investigation into this apocalyptic situation.

Below is the overall view that we can discern from the situation.

= OPERATION VIOLET DAWN REVEALED! =

News Article

Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE

Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS

10/11/2462

The horrible tragedy's cause is uncovered.

BREAKING ― Chaos in the Solarian Alliance today reverberates across the galaxy thanks to an anonymous whistleblower, who has leaked the classified documents surrounding the calamity on Mars. A dossier provided to the Bugle by this whistleblower via a secure channel blames a secret research team identified as the 'Violet Task Force' for the source of the fires and phoron influx that has doomed more than 60% of Mars to uninhabitability and for causing the deaths of millions, prompting outcry on a galactic scale and total condemnation of the Solarian Alliance by several major powers.

The whistleblower, who was previously the head researcher of the Violet Task Force, participated in a string of experiments that were a part of a classified Alliance operation known as 'Violet Dawn'. Their team of scientists and engineers were working to create a self-replicating version of phoron's crystalline structure in an attempt to solve the growing phoron crisis as the Alliance's economy faltered. Originally, their endeavors were considered a major success, as they were able to induce phoron crystals to properly replicate at an acceptable rate. But, as they attempted to refine their methods, things took a turn for the worse.

After modifications to their equipment, they were able to indeed 'grow' more phoron, but the rate at which it did so as well as the stability of the resulting crystals became entirely uncontrollable. The phoron was able to pull atoms in the air to add to its mass at an alarming capacity, breaching containment and causing panic amongst the scientists. As the situation worsened, the horrific conflagration was an inevitable consequence, and the flash point for the fire sweeping across Mars has been confirmed as a laboratory in a Solarian black site hidden within Mars' south pole, which has now resulted in the near-total incineration of the southern hemisphere of the planet.

When this dossier was made public, angry Solarian citizens took to the streets to protest among multiple worlds, including every major city on Earth, remaining Martian population centers, Venus, New Hai Phong, Silversun and even in the Eridani Federation. This mass civil unrest shows no signs of stopping as pressure on the Alliance government for answers has increased. A new, impromptu movement dubbed the 'Justice for Mars Coalition' has demanded that those responsible for the calamity be arrested and brought to trial and that Martian citizens be given reparation payments, amongst other things. The phrase "Remember Mars!" has been a consistent catchphrase amongst JMC attendees in several protests.

Some protests have even turned violent, the most destructive of which seen in Detroit on Earth, Binyaria on Venus, and Sekhmet on Amon. The death toll for said riots has reached a combined total of 674 as of this report and multiple counties and municipalities are mobilizing even more law enforcement in an attempt to quell the outrage. Struggling cities pushed to their limit have requested military assistance from the Alliance government as police officers and riot cops have had their time off revoked for the foreseeable future. Various EPMC companies have deployed within both the Federation and the Alliance, however no information on the damages and casualties within Eridani have been released at present.

The most raucous protest, seen in Detroit, has roiled the city over the last several hours. Businesses have been ransacked and looted, officers have been attacked and killed and the streets are awash with angry citizens. An activist, known as Jintari Volaria, has quickly gained popularity as a leader in the protests and a key figure in the JMC as a whole. At a recent gathering in Cadillac Square, she had this to say:

"My fellow Solarians, we've suffered a tragic loss. My heart aches to think of it. Our own government, who we trusted, who we expected to keep us safe - keep our families safe, our lives running as they had promised - condemned millions of innocent people to death in the pursuit of greed. How many of you have family on Mars? How many of you have not heard back from them? And how many of you will have to bury them?! [Mars] has been devastated by this government ineptitude; they didn't tell us, they didn't warn us, and they didn't help us when we needed it the most! They left people to die down there. Who's to say it won't happen again? Who's to say there aren't more of these horrid experiments taking place right on our very doorsteps, in our cities, beneath our feet? How long before another catastrophe wreaks havoc on our lives? I don't intend to find out. We must hold those responsible accountable for their actions! Today, it was Mars, but tomorrow, it could be Earth! Remember Mars!"

A request for comment was not returned by the Solarian Embassy in Mendell City.