KING OF THE WORLD

KING OF THE WORLD 2020 Event Timeline Galactic Events KING OF THE WORLD Major Events Tajaran Cold War Arc · Warbling : The Musical Minor Events Tag Replacement Arc · Bad Moon on the Rise Arc 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. 2462 - CHAPTER 2 - KING OF THE WORLD ACT 4 This is the SECOND CHAPTER, ACT 4 of Aurora's (tracked) story. PRIME MINISTER FROST FOUND DEAD IN UNITY STATION! Following accusations leveled by Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals upon him, Prime Minister Michael Frost has been found dead on Unity Station - capital of the Sol Alliance. With their Prime Minister dead, the Sol Alliance is set to descend further into chaos as the government and military of the Alliance squabble over how best to manage the floundering Alliance. The outraged Sol Alliance has sent an investigation detail to the NSS Aurora to determine further details on the Clandestine Incident, and figure out what led their prime minister to his fate. They are due to arrive in only a few days time… PM MICHAEL FROST FOUND DEAD! News Article Publisher : SOL ALLIANCE NEWS NETWORK Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 11/11/2462 The Solarian prime minister and former rogue admiral Michael Frost meets his end. BREAKING ― The Alliance of Sovereign Solarian Nations has shocked the entire galaxy by announcing the death of Michael Frost to the public! Earlier today, officials say the septuagenarian was found dead within his Unity Station suite after several harrowing days of fending off accusations of his ties to the Clandestine Incident. Members of the Alliance's intelligence community have dutifully examined the scene and, in another turn of events that has roiled galactic politics, accused Zavodskoi Interstellar of the murder, linking the weapons giant to specialized evidence left at the site of this heinous crime! The prime minister’s bodyguards are currently being questioned over the incident. The announcement of the death has triggered a total lockdown of the Sol system by the fleet; all transit is being halted by armed ships and the system’s bluespace gate is currently offline. Space ports have been occupied by marines in an attempt to prevent the culprits from escaping. Fleets stationed in the Middle and Outer colonies were given orders to remain in their positions. Despite the protest of several politicians, the senate has been adjourned until further notice by the orders of the admiralty. Official information channels were also placed under the watch of the fleet intelligence agencies. Speculation as to why Prime Minister Frost was assassinated is currently running rampant across extranet forums and message boards. Despite the orders from the Admiralty, erratic behavior has been observed from certain fleets. The 112th has reportedly left their position at the Valley Hale and is heading towards Mictlan, ignoring any communication attempts by other fleets. Admiral Salehe Orji, responsible for the 58th fleet stationed by Konyang, has accused the civilian government of conspiring to murder Michael Frost and has departed for the Sol system without official permission. Colonial delegates have denounced the navy’s actions in Sol, claiming that they are planning a coup. Riots and protests have been reported in frontier worlds, with many calling for independence from the Alliance. Inside sources within the Solarian navy indicate that all military forces have been put on high alert; the 35th fleet, under the command of Admiral Raymond Özdemir, has arrived on the southern galactic border of Tau Ceti. The 35th is expected to dispatch senior officials in the Alliance intelligence community to look into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the passing of the Prime Minister; several facilities owned by NanoTrasen and the Republic of Biesel have been instructed to prepare for visitors in recent days as the Solarian government searches for answers in the violent slaying of their top official. In response to the heightened tension and uncertain stability of galactic politics in the wake of this horrific tragedy, NanoTrasen installations across Tau Ceti space have moved to the next level of readiness, with their most prominent control station, the NTCC Odin, publicly reporting an alert level of BLUE. This story is breaking and will be updated as necessary. SOLARIAN INVESTIGATION EVENT VS Major Event 11/14/2462 11/14/2462 : A major event occurred where Solarian marines boarded, carrying out an ongoing investigation on part of the 35th battlefleet. The marines' goal was to acquire the perpetrator behind the Clandestine Incident by searching and singling out the crew of the NSS Aurora. To little success, they proceeded to injure several crew in their attempts. After security geared and ERT was called, the investigating team departed, only for the previous command reports - detailing their hostilities - to lead to their shuttle being shot down. Afterwhich, the 35th battlefleet has begun a move on the Republic - advancing slowly... NANOTRASEN ATTACKED! 35th SOLARIAN BATTLEFLEET ENTERS TAU CETI! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 14/11/2462 Solarian fleets make their move on Tau Ceti. The NSS Aurora and NSS Upsilon have been targeted by two Solarian Interstellar Naval Intelligence shuttles that landed and began looking into the Clandestine Incident. After the death of multiple on the Upsilon, and one on the Aurora, both shuttles were intercepted by the NDV Icarus and destroyed in-flight when returning to the 35th battlefleet. Our sources within the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion have confirmed this action and teams have been dispatched to both the Aurora and Upsilon at this time to further secure the stations and assess the situation present. These actions undertaken by the NDV Icarus have been interpreted by Solarian authorities as an act of war from the Republic of Biesel, and transmissions have been relayed from the Jùfēng, the flagship of the 35th Battlefleet of the Solarian Navy, for all NanoTrasen and Biesellite vessels in the system of Tau Ceti to stand down, disarm, and comply with future Solarian commands as transmitted from the battlefleet and that any that do not comply will be “blasted back to 2451.” In a further response, the 35th Battlefleet has launched multiple vanguard actions into Tau Ceti tracked moving towards shipyards, defensive installations, orbital stations, and military vessels. In a brief statement, a transmission from the battlefleet has announced their actions as a “preventative effort,” made in order to “stabilise,” the region of Tau Ceti and “further protect solarian interests within the Tau Ceti system.” A national state of emergency has been declared throughout the republic, and the TCFL has announced that it will be mobilising its reserves along with all other personnel. President Dorn is expected to make a statement sometime within the next hour in regards to the situation, but as of now has instructed all Biesellite vessels to not comply with Solarian demands and disengage if possible. NanoTrasen’s Naval Command has issued a similar order as well. These jarring events have come in tandem with unconfirmed reports from the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence of the NTCC Odin, Bubble, of more large masses of Solarian-identified ships exiting warp travel on the outskirts of Biesellite territory from all sides. These fleets have yet to broadcast any signals and are refusing to answer transmissions both from NanoTrasen and Biesellite authorities in the region, but, according to our sources they are not advancing and are remaining in place. They have intercepted and escorted Biesellite reconnaissance craft away from their vicinity without firing upon them, only issuing transmissions for non-Solarian vessels to keep their distance. This situation is rapidly changing and we at the Bugle will be sure to keep you updated in this tense time. It is recommended that those living in densely populated areas amass a supply of food and water that will last them approximately two weeks along with a hololink compatible radio. The Biesellite Emergency Management Bureau has commented that they will begin coordinating efforts to supply citizens with essentials in the event that supplies are endangered by this emergency. More to follow. The Coalition and Elyra Threaten War! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 15/11/2462 The Solarian fleets are informed of opposition on a galactic scale. BREAKING ― Indicative of heightened tensions that have gripped the galaxy, the Coalition of Colonies has issued a dire warning directed at the Solarian Alliance. Roughly six hours ago, a secure transmission was beamed from the Scarab Fleets and from their flagship the King's Omen, relaying a message from Reilly Sianne and the Free League. The message was as follows, as repeated by Queen Iraiya, "Should the Alliance of Sovereign Solarian Nations continue to disrupt the galactic peace, and interfere with the lifeblood of the new colonial world, let it be known that there will be war the likes of which the Orion Spur has never before seen. Coalition fleets stand at the ready to intercept any Solarian aggression and guarantee the safety of the important trade routes of our lands. Make no mistake - we will not kowtow to Solarian hostilities." Sources within the Republic of Biesel's department of defense tell us that, since the reception of that message, they have established contact with members of the Coalition's high military command to better coordinate any joint exercises or maneuvers in preparation of Solarian reprisals. Reportedly, the amount of vessels that the Coalition Navy has formally mobilized are at a level unseen since the conclusion of the Interstellar War in 2287; most member states of the Coalition have contributed to a massive fleet that is currently being assembled as a response force. In conjunction with the threats of retaliation made by the Coalition, a similarly-worded transmission was sent from Perispolis in Elyra not long after. Prime Minister Rasheed Tatenda sternly condemned the Solarian movements against the Republic of Biesel and warned that the Serene Republic would take the necessary military measures to secure their borders and assist their long-time trading partner. The Bugle has learned that Minister of the Navy Daniyah Amari has ordered fleet movements in Elyran space, preparing them to jump into Tau Ceti if necessary. Solarian fleets presently maintain an encirclement of the Republic with more ships arriving by the hour; the Thirty-Fifth fleet has arrived in the outer ring of the Tau Ceti system and has occupied territory including the Romanovich Cloud, but has since halted their advance after the Elyran announcement. It is unknown if the Coalition threat is being treated seriously. SITUATION CALMS! SOLARIAN FLEETS DISENGAGE! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 16/11/2462 Solarian fleets quickly disengage from the Republic of Biesel, course set straight for the core worlds! Solarian forces are withdrawing from the Republic of Biesel after the threats of war from the Coalition and Elyra. Fleets that had been noted as having altered their courses towards Tau Ceti have broken off, and those remaining in the system, such as the Thirty-Fifth Battlefleet, have departed on a return journey to the Core Worlds. As tensions de-escalate, our sources have told the Bugle that the Alliance has cut off most forms of contact with its Outer, and even some Middle Ring, worlds. Insiders in the Solarian navy have informed us that all fleets are being recalled back to defensive positions in the Core Worlds. It is unknown when control will be returned to the civilian government, or when a process to replace the late Michael Frost as Prime Minister will begin; it also appears the ongoing investigation into the Clandestine Incident has been classified and information on it is no longer publcly available, in conjunction with other movements to commit to secrecy documents and evidence surrounding the assassination of Michael Frost. We are no longer able to legally comment further. Republic officials and members of top military brass, most notably president Joseph Dorn, have each individually made note of their absences during the crisis. President Dorn, at a hastily assembled press conference, was quoted as saying, “The reality of the situation was that we came too close to another takeover - this time with no hope of recovery. NanoTrasen was kind enough to offer the folk working alongside me, and myself, safety - but in the haste of all this, we’ve hardly been able to keep the Republic informed of my status. I am well, and in the final days of my term I’ll ensure this good Republic sees those afflicted by the Alliance’ negligence, saved.” There is still no contact with the 58th or 112th fleet which have departed from their respective posts at Konyang and Valley Hale. Solarian representatives have declared a state of emergency within Konyang’s gravity well, making clear a sense of increasing urgency to have its defenses back in place. NTCC Odin AI “Bubble” has publicly reported a lowered alert level on the NTCC Odin. The resting alert level of the NTCC Odin is GREEN. Statement from Admiral Ozdemir! Rogue Fleet Approaches! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 18/11/2462 Grand Admiral Raymond Ozdemir of the Solarian Thirty-Fifth Fleet has, against orders, altered course for the Republic of Biesel yet again. Representatives from the 35th fleet have returned to Tau Ceti as a vanguard from the primary fleet, which was halfway through its journey to the Sol system before its recent turning towards the Republic. They have relayed written and holographic displays from the Admiral publicly declaring their intention as the fleet approaches the system. The primary statement from Ozdemir through holographic feeds is as follows. “For far too long, the Republic — a land claiming freedom yet marred by corporate greed — they sit on top of their shares as they watch the galaxy crumble around them. There is a lack of contempt for silence and standing by through this, and somehow the Alliance is the enemy. We strived to find a solution, a gambit and paid so dearly as a result. What has Biesel, Tau Ceti, done for sentient peoples everywhere? I can spell it out for you: they destroyed the last bastion of hope we had for solving the phoron crisis—the Clandestine. The Alliance wants Biesel back, yet lacks the nerve, the resolve, to take it back by their own hands. The Coalition lacks the ability to mobilize quickly; the Elyrans have long sat secluded and without experience in the affairs of war; the Republic’s ‘Legion’ is a pitiful excuse of a people’s militia. In the coming days, we move to liberate the people of the so-called Republic.” Fleet movements from the 35th match the threat with the majority of the roughly 430 ships lining up to approach the Republic in a sweeping manner. It is unknown whether assistance will be fielded by the Republic’s allies in time for the incoming siege. NTCC Odin AI “Bubble” has publicly reported a heightened alert level on the NTCC Odin. The resting alert level of the NTCC Odin is RED. Most NanoTrasen officials have stated their staff are “essential” to the livelihood of the Republic, and thus designated a vast majority of employees as emergency staff during the crisis. Non-emergency staff of NanoTrasen and citizens of the Republic are recommended to shelter in place and seek emergency supplies for the likely scenario of extended wartime. ROGUE FLEETS ATTACK THE MIDDLE COLONIES! News Article Publisher : SOL ALLIANCE NEWS NETWORK Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 17/11/2462 Sol descends into chaos as its fleets plunge into disorder, anarchy and villainy. Meanwhile, Raymond Ozdemir of the 35th fleet turns around - eyes set on Tau Ceti. Representatives of the Solarian admiralty have announced today that the Middle Colonies are currently being attacked by a fleet under the command of Admiral Salehe Orsi. The 58th has been officially declared rogue after engaging a patrol heading to Silversun, supposedly in an attempt to seize their Phoron reserves. The fleet left its position in Konyang shortly after Prime Minister Frost’s death; Orsi made clear his intentions of assuming control of the Sol system. Countless colonies are under the threat of being looted by the traitorous fleet. Authorities were unable to contact the administration of Konyang, many fear that the planet was also a victim of the 58th’s crime spree. The whereabouts of the 112th are still unknown, and as such navy officials are considering declaring it rogue as well. The 11th Fleet, based in the orbit of Saturn, was dispatched to protect the frontier of the core worlds against a possible attack by the 58th. Other fleets have been recalled from their positions to reinforce the defenses of Sol, including some of the forces sent to Tau Ceti. Remaining forces in the frontier with the Median Region were ordered to protect the worlds of New Hai Phong and Silversun. The Admiralty has strictly forbidden admirals from planning offensives against possible rogue ships and colonies, preferring to adopt a defensive stance during the crisis. Official reports claim that the phoron reserves are enough to allow safe travel within the core regions of the Alliance for the upcoming weeks. All contact with the southern border is effectively lost, the few reports brought by refugees depict a terrible situation: the area bordering the Sparring Sea is dominated by pirates, smugglers, and colonial separatists. Emergency measures are still in effect in the Sol System. Civilian traffic is heavily restricted by military ships. The bluespace gateway remains closed; the navy claims that it could be used as a backdoor to attack Sol. Unrest grows due to the lack of information in regard to the future of the leadership of the Sol Alliance. The Admiralty has yet to show any intention to return government control to the civilian administration. BREAKING Grand Admiral Raymond Ozdemir of the Solarian Thirty-Fifth Battlefleet has broken course from the Core Worlds and is moving, against orders, towards Tau Ceti. More will be covered once we acquire further information. 35th Fleet Enters Tau Ceti! News Article Publisher : SOL ALLIANCE NEWS NETWORK Writer : ALL LORE TEAM MEMBERS 21/11/2462 Tau Ceti Foreign Legion officials confirmed today that the 35th Fleet has entered the system; four lightly armed scout ships were sighted around Reade’s perimeter. A Bieselite patrol attempted to hail the ships, only to be fired upon without prior warning. A brief skirmish between the rogue elements and the patrol followed. The rogue corvettes retreated after Legion reinforcements arrived. The military and the Foreign Legion have been issued orders to mobilize its entire contingent, including all possible reservists and available spacecraft. NanoTrasen emergency response teams have pledged to defend the Republic from Solarian aggression. Military contractors also have been hired to bolster the defenses. Elyran and Coalition diplomatic representatives confirmed that the reinforcements are currently underway; the exact time of their arrival is still uncertain. The Foreign Legion has started to concentrate its vessel around New Gibson. Legion troops are currently setting up ground defenses on Biesel, NanoTrasen security personnel on the planet have also joined them under the direct orders of Central Command. TCFL troopers, supported by combat exosuits, are patrolling the shuttle ports and streets of Mendell City. Luthien research and personnel are currently being evacuated to facilities in Biesel. New Gibson’s arcologies have been put under lockdown. Despite the preparations, many doubt that the Republic will be able to stop the incoming offensive. During an official press conference this morning, President Dorn has announced that the Republic has no intention of surrendering once again to a rogue admiral. Calling for further reinforcements, he released the following statement: “People of Tau Ceti, once again we face Solarian aggression. Another rogue fleet is on its way to occupy and loot our Republic. Everything we have built, our homes, our wealth, and our very own future is at risk now. We all must stand together in the defense of this bastion of freedom amidst a sea of tyranny. Take action, join the Foreign Legion, transport supplies to the frontline; anything can make the difference. Tau Ceti’s survival depends on its inhabitants now. This is also a call to other nations and groups that sympathize with our cause: we will receive any help with open arms. The 35th won’t stop after it pillages Biesel! It will target the rest of the galaxy as well. Join us in this fight!” While civilian traffic remains unrestricted, a travel advisory was issued due to the presence of the rogue Solarian fleet. The bluespace gateway remains fully operational, despite the high-security alert. Travelers coming from the Konyang region report an unusual gathering of ships in the area. The Solarian territories bordering Tau Ceti are currently considered highly unstable and overrun by criminal elements. READE FALLS! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : ALBERYK 23/11/2462 The vanguard of the 35th fleet led by Raymond Ozdemir captures Reade as the system is plunged into disarray. Today the orbit of Reade was the stage of the first real battle in the incoming Solarian offensive. The 35th vanguard, composed of at least one hundred ships, advanced towards the planet. They engaged the small Foreign Legion force present on-orbit to secure the evacuation of the Anemostrovilos, a dozen of light-armed corvettes. Despite the fierce resistance of the Legion, the battle lasted only two hours. While most defending ships managed to disengage and escape destruction, Reade was captured by the 35th. The situation on the planet is currently unknown, all communication was cut by the rogue fleet. Vessels stationed at New Gibson decided against protecting the gas giant due to its lack of orbital defenses. While the Foreign Legion is still mobilizing its reserves, all of its ships are already battle-ready and orbiting New Gibson. To help bolster the defenses, the government is currently drafting and outfitting civilian vessels. NanoTrasen forces are currently on high alert, with Icarus and its fleet at the ready for another incursion. Military command suspects that the 35th will attempt to capture New Gibson to deprive Tau Ceti of its industrial capacity. Thanks to its arcologies and harsh climate, conquering New Gibson would pose a strenuous challenge to the Solarian invaders. Because of its phoron reserves, patrols have been reinforced in the region of the Romanovich Cloud. The presence of space stations and mining outposts in the area is another point of concern, as they are the main source of the phoron supply for the system. Any facility threatened by the Solarian presence will enter immediate lockdown. Mendell City has now become the major gathering point for the Legion troops and auxiliary security forces. President Dorn has confirmed that the Elyran and Coalition reinforcements are on the way; they should reach the system at any moment. SCC FORMED! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : THE WHOLE LORE TEAM 23/11/2462 The corporate stage takes a shocking turn as the Big Five piece together a mighty conglomerate to fend off the invasion. In response to the advance of the 35th fleet, key members of the press were invited to a lavish event at the NanoTrasen branch in the Zhengfu District in Mendell City. The company's famous executive, Miranda Trasen, made a rare public appearance to reporters at the conference to explain a shocking twist in the corporate scene. Below is a holovideo showing her appearance as it was seen some hours ago. The feed flashes a logo of a blue chainlink, with text in Tradeband translating to “SCC” directly beneath. Atop the chainlink, a solemn upward pointing arrow. The logo flashes away to reveal Miranda Trasen, the woman seeming all too interested in the message, exhibiting a joyful, if not slightly smug, attitude. "It is with great pleasure that I stand here before you today to reveal one of NanoTrasen Corporation's greatest accomplishments. As the day wears on, you will hear more about the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, and the intentions we have moving forward. The Conglomerate is a joint, cooperative effort between my friends and colleagues in the other megacorporations - bringing us closer together in the face of Solarian aggression and the phoron crisis. NanoTrasen, Hephaestus, Zavodskoi, Idris, and Zeng-Hu - the Big Five, if I may - have reached an agreement for conglomeration with my blessing. A group of newly-christened assets helmed by our wonderful Conglomerate officers will be jumping into the system shortly. These are member vessels of the recently instated Corporate Force Projection Fleet, created for the sole purpose of defending my Republic and it's more... important assets. We have taken the wise step of placing an embargo on exports of fuel to rogue entities at this time. The Alliance's incompetence will not threaten us again." Miranda smiles, before the feed cuts to black abruptly. The efficacy of the new Conglomerate will be put to the test immediately as the vanguard of the Thirty-Fifth fleet has begun arriving in the Republic and powering up their weapons. Vessels of Biesel and NanoTrasen’s allies have set course to reinforce as the people of the Republic prepare for war. The system has been inundated with bluespace jumps and incoming traffic; the Tau Ceti-Konyang bluespace gate has been fired two hundred times in the last several hours. Communications with the gate have gone silent on the matter, as traffic control attempts to piece together the situation. Equally, the bluespace gate connecting Tau Ceti to Perispolis has fired sixty times in the last several hours. Communications with this gate are active, and sources tell the Bugle that the vessels arriving in the system are either registered as Elyran or Coalition of Colonies military warships. LIGHTS OVER MENDELL! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : THE WHOLE LORE TEAM 25/11/2462 Biesel's orbit devolves into a warzone. Grand Admiral Raymond Özdemir of the Solarian Thirty-Fifth Battlefleet has begun open conflict with SCC officials and paramilitary drawn from corporate rosters. Tau Ceti Foreign Legion vessels remain in skirmish over Biesel with debris projected to hit the planetside shortly and cause hundreds of millions of credits in damages. Non-emergency staff and civilians are advised to bunker down and avoid any and all travel, unless seeking supplies or medical treatment. Travel in and out of the system is currently under strict lockdown with any public routes closing. Private vehicles that attempt to enter the system unlawfully risk being boarded and turned away or, if uncooperative, shot down. The NSS Upsilon, Aurora, and other phoron-dedicated stations are to remain open as Miranda Trasen has cited their efforts as “vital to the … effort in repelling unlawful invaders.” The NTCC Odin has declared a state of emergency and services from all NanoTrasen stations are being coordinated under SCC supervision. Facilities in the Romanovich Cloud have undergone full lockdown and are projected to see repurposing for emergency services shortly. The NTCC Odin’s broadcast net has gone silent after issuing a warning to all passerby vessels. The warning is as follows, “The sector of the NTCC Odin will serve as a safezone for authorized civilian vessels and affiliates. The estimated time to receive emergency aid is dependent on your place in the queue. Please understand that attempts to board the NTCC Odin without necessary authorization will result in retaliation.” OZDEMIR ON THE RETREAT! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : THE WHOLE LORE TEAM 29/11/2462 A superweapon is detonated in orbit of Biesel, forcing a Solarian retreat. After a several-day battle in orbit of Biesel visible across the planet, Solarian forces have finally been fended off by SCC and NanoTrasen associates who now occupy the gravity well in full force. With the detonation of two extremely large phoron warheads, many Alliance vessels were instantly disabled, turning the tide of the battle in a moment as the allied forces advanced against them. Miranda Trasen had made yet another public appearance amidst chaos in Mendell City, reassuring the public as the situation planetside calms. They are quoted below, “The forces of the Alliance made their greatest mistake as they approached Biesel - it is regrettable that corporate associates must resort to superweapons to defend our property and livelihoods. But, this is the nature of the war in which we wage to save the Republic. I can only report the greatest satisfaction in the conduct and efficiency of the ongoing effort against the rogue fleet.” Fighting is expected to return to the Romanovich Cloud as the spearhead of the rogue fleet turns around, very slowly falling back. Reade remains a stronghold for the incoming ships, which appear to have now entered the Republic in their entirety. OZDEMIR'S FLAGSHIP DESTROYED! Conflict brought to an end! News Article Publisher : MENDELL CITY BUGLE Writer : THE WHOLE LORE TEAM 30/11/2462 The arc concludes with Ozdemir's death and the retreat of the 35th from Tau Ceti. After attempting to target phoron reserves in the Romanovich Cloud, Grand Admiral Raymond Özdemir’s flagship was intercepted by an act of desperation! A series of astonishing maneuvers on part of the SCC have led to Grand Admiral Raymond Ozdemir’s demise in the depths of Reade’s crushing atmosphere, with Coalition and Elyran forces coaxing the primary vanguard into a confrontation in the atmosphere of the gas giant. A six-hour long conclusion drew the Solarian fleet closer and closer to the gas giant, wherein a recently captured planetary defense battery was reacquired by corporate allies. The battery, named DS-AC46, was the target of several operations which were covertly run by special forces, stealthily infiltrating the platform it resided upon. The 35th at the time anticipated the platform to be entirely derelict, and according to SCC officials, its ability to be used was a “leap of faith” to desperately turn the tide of a vicious, and perhaps losing battle. The planetary defense battery, which had originally sunk to depths where it would be unable to target spaceborne vessels, was used for the first time since its construction in sixty years as it opened fire against Solarian vessels at its depth in atmosphere - in clear view of the naked eye. Ozdemir’s flagship was the primary target - and quickly fell to the bombardment, descending deep into the depths of the gas giant once its engines were shot out in a wild explosion. A dozen other vessels in the vanguard were heavily damaged before the platform was targeted and destroyed, costing the lives of hundreds of corporate affiliates. Crippled and without leadership, the Thirty-Fifth Battlefleet second-in-command, Rear Admiral Verglas, has ordered a total ceasefire and retreat from the system. With the remaining combatants dispatched by SCC officials, Tau Ceti sees peace once more. No official statement regarding the conclusion has been announced yet. More will be covered as soon as we receive more information. NTCC Odin AI “Bubble” has publicly reported a lowered alert level on the NTCC Odin. The resting alert level of the NTCC Odin is BLUE.