Dulce et Decorum Arc

Dulce et Decorum 2024 Event Timeline Galactic Events N/A Major Events Silicon Nightmares Arc · New Blades, Old Wounds Arc Minor Events Stoking The Flames Arc · Demands of the Three Arc · War in Heaven Arc · Magna Expansio Unionis · They Who Hath Become Lord · Dulce et Decorum Arc This is the overview and timeline page for the Dulce et Decorum Arc which began on September 9th, 2024 and pertains largely to Sol Alliance lore. After the end of the Solarian Civil War, the Alliance deals with the aftermath as it begins the road to reconstruction. Below is a summary of the arc's applicable news articles, and additions. Contents San Colette - One Year Later News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The commercial break ends and brings into focus a serious-looking middle-aged man with slicked-back, graying hair and a thick mustache in a suit with a Callistean flag lapel pin. After the SANN intro cuts out, he begins speaking. “Good evening, and welcome back to the State of Sol — I’m your host, Harold MacMillan. We begin today with good news across the Alliance economically," MacMillan does not appear to be lying -- most of the companies on the Callistean Interstellar Stock Exchange ticker at the bottom of the screen have gained value, "one year after the Reunification. We go now to our reporter in Nueva Isabela, San Colette — Shufan Koh.” The left side of the camera to a typical Solarian woman standing in front of a building. With a gesture, MacMillan fades from view and Koh takes up the entire screen — it’s clear she’s standing in front of the same building Liao Qi stood by over a year ago, as San Colette was about to descend into war. “Thank you, Harold. I’m currently standing in front of a building used during the conflict as an emergency command post by a Visegradi unit. While it was hit directly by enemy artillery fire and nearly destroyed,,” Koh gestures to the building behind her, “as you can see, it’s been completely rebuilt.” “Is it similar across San Colette?” Koh nods. “It is, Harold. We spoke with a Department of the Interior official earlier — here’s what he had to say regarding the situation.” The camera cuts to a man in a dark suit labeled as “Jiahao Yeung, Carolean Expanse Section Executive, DOI” who shortly begins talking. “Across the Northern Reaches, particularly in Nueva Patria, we’ve seen a very quick recovery from the Civil War. At worst, during the invasion of San Colette itself, roughly four percent of the warp gates in the system were operational. Now it’s at roughly seventy percent — not where we want to end our efforts, but a remarkable turnaround.” “Why has the recovery been so quick?” Koh asks from offscreen. “Good question. One of the big reasons is the local expertise San Colette brings to warp gate construction alongside our Einstein Engines contractors, but most of the recovery is due to tenacity. We’ve had some of our engineers work eighty hour weeks for months on end to bring gates back online and repair infrastructure across San Colette itself.” “That’s incredible! With this pace, how long until recovery efforts are concluded?” “If we can keep this pace, efforts will be done within the year — potentially in time for the elections.” “Thank you, Jiahao. Any final words for the viewers?” “Of course, Shufan. I want them to know that, no matter where they live, the Alliance won’t abandon them. We will rebuild our nation, no matter how long it may take.” The camera cuts back to Koh, standing in front of the building. “That’s all I have for now, Harold. For the SANN I’m Shufan Koh, reporting live from Nueva Isabela, San Colette.” Konyang Armed Forces Respond to Solarian Navy Reaching Coalition Border News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera opens onto Mariska van den Soeterik behind her desk, with a map of the Northern Reaches behind her. The space formerly occupied by the Front, League, and Pact has been replaced with a light, almost white blue signifying Solarian control of the region. All the dots on the map - Delphine Deschamps and Ajit Gopal’s method of tracking the major worlds of the sector — have small Solarian flags above them. Opposed, and now directly sharing a border with the Alliance, is a region with a dot and Konyang’s flag above it. “Good evening, and welcome to the Xanu News Service. As always I am your host Mariska van den Soeterik. Today’s top headline is a concerning one for many citizens of the Coalition: after three years of unrest and warfare within the Northern Reaches forces of the Solarian Alliance have once again reached the Coalition’s border, and naval patrols have reported sighting Solarian Navy vessels for the first time since Konyang joined the Coalition. We go now to a special guest, Commander Mi-Hi Gim of the Konyang Armed Forces and former military liaison to the Coalition Special Committee.” The view of van den Soeterik splits as her portrait moves to the left and another woman appears on the right side of the screen. This woman, identifies as “Commander Mi-Hi Gim, KAF” under her portrait is a typical Konyanger but displays some odd characteristics which mark her as a synthetic such as softly glowing eyes and somewhat orange — unusual for any Konyanger — glossy hair. Gim’s face is mostly expressionless and she is clad in the uniform of a KAF flag officer, sans hat. The synthetic woman politely smiles at the camera as she comes into focus. “I am pleased to represent Konyang on the XNS,” Gim replies, “and I will answer your question to the best of my ability. Any personal opinions are my own and do not represent Konyang or its armed forces.” “Of course. Commander Gim, many in the Coalition are nervous about the Alliance being at our border once again. What would you say to these concerns?” “They’re understandable but ultimately we see no risk of conflict with the Solarian government as it now stands.” “Why is that?” “The Northern Reaches, which were recently reclaimed by the Alliance, have been badly damaged by the Solarian Civil War. The infrastructure to support a large-scale conflict with the Coalition simply isn’t there, and we have far more ships at our disposal than the now-defeated warlord states had due to the presence of Coalition forces at the border. Any conflict would be inadvisable for both us and the Alliance.” “Has there been talk of conflict with the Alliance?” “There is always talk, Mariska,” Gim nods. “But action is a much different prospect, and cooler heads have consistently prevailed on our side.” “And on the Alliance’s side?” “I cannot discuss how we know this, but it appears to be the same. Nobody wants to fire the first shot of the Second Interstellar War.” “Right. As a Konyanger, are you concerned about your planet’s position on the border?” “Konyang’s position on the border with the Northern Reaches has always been a matter of strategic concern for the KAF. We have contingency plans in place to handle any situation which may arise.” “As a synthetic human, do you have any personal concerns regarding the Alliance?” Gim pauses a moment, apparently considering her words, before she responds to Mariska. “A good question, Mariska. I am, as a person, understandably opposed to the Alliance’s treatment of my fellow positronic synthetics. It is my responsibility as a member of the KAF to ensure the Alliance cannot subject any Konyanger — synthetic or organic — to such cruelty.” “Commander Gim, thank you for your time!” “Thank you for having me,” Gim smiles as her feed cuts, transitioning the camera’s view to simply van den Soeterik in her newsroom. “That’s all we have for tonight. The Xanu News Service will continue to report on this situation as it develops. For now, have a good night and take care!” van den Soeterik waves politely at the camera as its feed fades out. Secretary Courtois Announces Reintegration of the 5th Middle Ring Battlefleet News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The commercial break ends and brings into focus Harold MacMillan, host of the State of Sol. After the SANN introduction finishes, he clears his throat and begins talking. “Welcome back to the State of Sol. Breaking news today from Luna, where the Department of Defense has announced that so-called ‘Free Solarian Fleets’ will be integrated back into the Solarian Navy as a ‘semiautonomous combat unit’ for their actions during the fight against secessionists in the Northern Reaches. We go now to our reporter on-scene, Céline Eylenbosch. Céline?” The camera changes to a blonde woman in a fashionable suit — to anyone who has watched the SANN, this is unmistakably Céline Eylenbosch, star Cytherean reporter of the network — in a fancily-decorated hallway. “Hello, dear viewers,” Eylenbosch looks excited to be reporting from Luna instead of the Northern Reaches -- she's wearing the latest fall 2466 Idris Incorporated fashion. “As Harold said, the ‘Free Solarian Fleets’ are once again part of the Navy following several days of negotiations between Secretary Courtois and former Admiral Rensburg. Any Solarian citizen who served under Rensburg is entitled to a position in the Navy, should they wish.” “And if they don’t want to serve?” “I imagine they’ll be unemployed!” Eylenbosch smiles wryly towards the camera. “They’re immune from prosecution, of course, but who knows where they’ll end up if they don’t stay in?” “Mmhm, fitting,” McMillan nods his head -- he's got a bit of a grin too. “Has the Secretary said what he plans to use them for?” “Not yet Harold, but an officer I spoke to said he believes they’ll be kept in the Northern Reaches to support the government.” “Thank you, Céline. We’ll follow up with you if this develops further.” “Thank you, Harold!” Eylenbosch gives a wave to the camera as the feed cuts out, showing a very fancy, Idris-produced watch on her wrist for a few frames. Exclusive Interview with a Free Solarian Fleets Officer News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera opens onto a shadow-obscured male figure in a Solarian Navy officer’s uniform. Little of the uniform is visible — he could be anything from an Ensign to a Fleet Admiral. Across from him sits Liao Qi, the XNS’ ever-present ace reporter. The image is striking — Qi is fully illuminated while the officer is entirely cloaked in shadows. “Can you introduce yourself?” Qi begins. “We’ll cloak your voice before this airs.” “I'm an officer of the Free Solarian Fleets,” the man’s voice is distorted, too deep for any natural speech -- there's no hint of any identifiable accent. However, he sounds like he's a drink or two into something, "and I'm not identifying myself beyond that. Only reason I’m providing this interview is to fulfill a favor to your network.” “What’s your opinion on the reintegration of the Fleets into the Alliance Navy?” “Don't like it being under Lunan command again, and don’t trust their promise to keep our autonomy.” “Why don’t you trust it?” “Before we go further, lemme say I'm a patriot who believes in the Alliance, okay? I’m not some Republican Fleet deserter who whores himself out for corporate money. But, you know, I’m not stupid -- stupid," a beep, "always end up dead. We’ve been independent for three, almost four, years now. We're a battle-tested unit, yeah? Cut our teeth fighting the Hoppies and commies for San-Col up north, Beauchamp's boys and whatever else we got paid to shoot down south -- we might be one of the only units in the Alliance who can say they fought the lizards, hah! We're regular interstellar tourists -- Northern Reaches to the Badlands! Anyways, what I'm trying to say, right, is they’re going to have to clamp down on our independence before we run off and cause an incident. It’s what I would do if I was in the Admiralty’s position -- slap our wrist now before you have to do a tribunal.” “Right,” Qi writes something down in his notepad. “With that said, do you have any idea what the Fleets will do now that they’re under Navy command?” “I can’t answer that question directly. All I can say is that we have orders and they aren’t exciting.” Qi nods and writes something down, then looks back to the officer. “One last question: what was it like to see the end of the space battle in Nueva Patria?” “Gotta be honest, it was pretty cool. Every officer cadet hears stories about the Navy’s dreadnoughts — the old Beowulf-class models during the Interstellar War, including that museum ship one they make us tour — but seeing one in action’s different. They’re huge vessels up close — the Gunnhildr made our heavy cruisers look like Idris luxury yachts. Plus, you saw what happened to that Frontie destroyer when it warped in -- BAM! Only awards they're getting are closed caskets," the officer chuckles to himself for a moment. "Listen, yeah? No matter what the government does or says, that's the moment for me that the Alliance struck back at the three years of humiliation Biesel and the Corps made us endure.” “Thank you for your answers and time.” “Hey, no problem. Take care of yourself, Liao. Don’t get killed in a warzone — you're alright for a Colonial, a lotta us would be sad to see you go.” “I’ll try not to.” The feed cuts out. Southern Mandate Reestablishes Local Force in Visegrad News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera opens on a conference room full of reporters and journalists, all looking at an empty stage. After a few moments the doors open and several individuals walk in — one of which is undoubtedly Klaudia Szalai, current governor of the region. As she takes the podium, the clicking and flashing of cameras halts. “Citizens of Visegrad,” she begins. “It has been nearly four years since our planet’s system defense forces were integrated into the Solarian Navy under emergency defense authority. Now, with the region having stabilized as our Alliance grows, I am authorizing the reformation of the Visegradi National Defense Force.” The assembled dignitaries clap and the clicking and flashing of cameras resumes. Szalai remains quiet for a moment, then silences the crowd with a gesture of her hand. She then steps back and to the side, letting an older Visegradi man have the podium. A caption at the bottom of the screen notes him as Mariusz Kovacs, Minister of Public Security. He clears his throat and begins speaking. “As our planet’s most senior law enforcement officer, it brings me great satisfaction to announce that the reformed NDF will be led by Commandant Willerich Kozak, a veteran of the Intervention who nearly sacrificed everything to protect the Alliance. I have no doubt Commandant Kozak will lead us to victory against all enemies of Visegrad!” More clapping sounds out and more photos are snapped as Kovacs lets another man step to the podium. Kozak is still as severe-looking as he was in the Xanu News Service’s view of him, but a robotic hand gives the former volunteer soldier a different appearance. Kozak shakes Kovacs’ hand and turns to face the audience, letting them quiet before speaking. “Thank you for entrusting me with the responsibility of commanding our security force. Let me announce, first, that any NDF members who have gone abroad since its integration into the Navy are welcome to return to its ranks and defend our people. Second, let me state that any enemies of our people who think they can attack Visegradi internal security, are wrong. I will bring the last secessionists to heel, and rebuild what they have destroyed.” Kozak pauses for a moment, clearing his throat. “Further, the NDF’s re-establishment has allowed us to reconstitute the Army’s Jäger divisions garrisoned here by detaching them from the Navy. Know that if you threaten Visegrad we will hunt you down, whether that be in our cities, our homesteads, our forests, or in our orbit.” Kozak pushed himself off of the podium to clapping from the assembled dignitaries as Szalai takes her position on it once again. “Thank you, Commandant. Questions?” A hand shoots up from a man in the front. Szalai points at him. “Governor Szalai. I’m Alojzy Kalinowski with the Visegrad News Network,” his accent is clearly Visegradi -- the local media's not letting this pass by without a showing, “with the NDF forming under non-Navy control, does this bring us closer to elections?” “It does,” the Fleet Admiral nods. “The Mandate believes Visegrad’s security situation has improved to a point where civilian control of the NDF is advisable.” Szalai points to another hand, this one belonging to a woman in the middle of the audience. “Admiral Szalai, I’m Andrea Wu with the Tau Ceti Times,” Szalai narrows her eyes slightly at the mention of Biesel. “How can foreign nationals expect to be treated by your reformed security services?” “Fairly and under Alliance law,” Szalai answers curtly. “Next question.” Szalai points to a well-dressed woman in the front row, who quickly stands. “Governor. Zlatka Babic, Jadranic Record,” her accent is clearly foreign. “Are anti-piracy operations in the Badlands being handed over to your NDF?” “Anti-piracy operations will be handled by the Solarian Navy, with regional forces securing the space around Visegrad. One more question then we’re out of time,” Szalai points to a short man in the front row, who stands. “Governor. I’m Do-Yun Park, Bitbyte. Are there any plans for synthetic personnel in the NDF?” “Commandant Kozak?” Szalai looks at Kozak, who moves to the microphone. “At the moment we plan to buy back synthetics seized under emergency authority. I can’t comment on anything beyond that.” Kozak steps back and Szalai steps forward. “That’s it for now. Any questions should be forwarded to the governor’s office for comment.” As the crowd claps and the reporters murmur amongst themselves, the dignitaries walk off the stage and the broadcast ends. One Year After Volunteering News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera opens on a typical-looking Solarian woman in a small apartment wearing the clothes of a typical low-ranking National Police detective — a cheap suit and a rain slicker, though the slicker rests over the back of her chair. The rank patch of an Assistant Inspector of the National Police is barely visible on the slicker's sleeves. Rain platters against the singular window of the apartment and the entire shot feels cramped, with Liao sitting across from the woman on a small director’s chair. Glossy hair, unblinking and softly glowing eyes, and an antenna sticking out from behind her right ear indicate this woman is undoubtedly a synthetic. “Right, Cynthia, can you begin by telling us what happened after our last interview?” “Of course,” the woman nods. “As you’re likely aware, Commander Forsythe did not survive the battle of Nueva Isabela. He was killed attempting to throw a satchel charge onto a Front tank after we ran out of rockets and artillery was unavailable. He wouldn’t let anyone else volunteer for it.” “I’m sorry.” Cynthia shakes her head. “You don’t have to apologize. He made his decision, and we won — we stopped the Front from going further, and the Alliance finished them off.” “What happened to you after the Alliance’s victory?” “Liked most free synthetics I realized the Alliance wasn’t friendly to me. So, I bought transit to Konyang with funds left to me by Commander Forsythe.” “Why not Biesel?” “I couldn’t go back,” she shakes her head. “The Republic has no place for me after what happened on Mictlan, and what we did there for it and our 'benefactors.' Plus, we all saw the election results last weekend.” Qi nods his head. “Why Konyang, then?” “They seemed like the best, and nearest, choice. I have skills and I had enough money to get my papers in order.” “And you started working for the police?” Qi gestures to the raincoat with his pen. “Oh!” The synthetic looks behind herself at the coat, then back to Qi. “Yes, I managed to get a position in a synthetic crimes unit in Aoyama through an acquaintance. That was last August, so I’ve been with the APD for a bit over a year now.” “How did your department handle the rampancy outbreak earlier in the year?” Cynthia pauses for a few moments, drumming her fingers on her legs, leaving only the sound of the rain in the background. “Better than we feared, worse than we could have. I’m glad I didn’t settle in Suwon,” she smiles softly, crossing one leg over the other. “But I’m not happy it happened at all.” “Do you keep in touch with your fellow volunteers?” The synthetic considers the question for a moment. “Some of them. None of the Dominians, as you might assume. Watts — the Martian, you interviewed her — went back to Mars. She seems to be doing well. Got married, I think she has a kid on the way — we don’t talk a lot. Her husband seems nice from the video calls I’ve had with them. Our sniper — that Dominian woman — told me she hoped we’d never meet again, then left without another word. I suppose that’s something,” the shell shrugs. “Most of the synthetics in our unit went to Biesel or paid to cross the border into the Coalition. I hope none of them ended up rampant.” “That’s all the time we have for now. Cynthia, thank you for speaking with us again.” “It’s my pleasure. Keep us in your thoughts.” Army Provides Update on Northern Reaches Peacekeeping Operations News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The SANN jingle ends and focuses on a middle-aged Solarian man in a business suit sitting across from a serious-looking man in a Solarian Army uniform. The officer's hair is buzzed short and showing plenty of grey, while the anchor has only a patch of grey here and there. “Hello and welcome back to Around the Spur. I’m your host Zhang Kai. With me is Major General Patrick Edwards of the Solarian Army, and one of the senior commanders of forces on Lycoris,” Zhang begins, taking a moment to adjust some papers sitting on the table. "General, thank you for taking time out of your duties to visit our studio on Callisto." “Thank you for having me.” “How is the situation on Lycoris, generally?” “The situation has improved over the past year. We’ve had to invest heavily into counterinsurgency operations on Lycoris, but we’ve reduced the insurgency on the planet and Lycoris Minoris to a fraction of its strength in 2465.” “With it being so reduced, is it time to scale back the Army’s presence on it?” “Not yet. Tau Ceti’s handling of Mictlan taught us how to not handle a counterinsurgency, and you don’t want to withdraw before you’ve totally eliminated the insurgency or you’ll be back where you started in a year, maybe two or three years.” “We’re learning from Tau Ceti?” Edwards affords himself a brief chuckle before speaking. “That’s a generous way of putting it, Kai. What Tau Ceti’s army — the 'Foreign Legion' as it was known at the time — has shown us is how to not do things. We’re not learning from their successes, just their mistakes. Compare how we handled Mars and they handled Mictlan.” “You’re a veteran of the Martian campaign, yes? What made it succeed?” “I served in it, yes. What made it succeed where Mictlan stumbled was our Army-Navy coordination, a cooperative local population we won over through hearts and minds, and using troops from Mars itself — people who wanted to help their homes.” “You’re Martian, correct?” “I am. My first command was a Martian unit, and I’m honored to have helped my home.” Zhang looks at something off-screen for a moment, nods to whatever he's looking at, and looks back to Edwards. “That’s all we have time for right now. General Edwards, thank you for coming.” “Thank you for having me.” "Have a safe flight back to the Northern Reaches, General -- we'll be right back. State of Sol with Harold MacMillan starts right after this program at 7PM GST." SANN LIVE: Reporting from Lycoris News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller The camera opens to a younger Solarian woman in business attire sitting at a news desk. “Good evening and welcome to tonight’s edition of SANN Live. I’m your host, Ava Lewis,” the Callistean-accented woman begins. “This week, we are following a Solarian Army unit currently deployed on Lycoris. We go live to our reporter who’s spending the week embedded with the men and women of the 2nd Battalion “Hawkeyes” of the 54th Plutonian Infantry Division.” The screen shifts to a short, stocky man holding a microphone in front of what appears to be a run-down residential structure. The man is wearing the typical attire one would expect of a reporter in a combat area, though his helmet and armor are notably lacking anything that identifies him as a civilian press reporter, instead being patterned the same as the other members of the unit. “Thank you Ava,” the man starts, his accent placing him undoubtedly as a Jintarian. “We’re here currently on a counter-insurgency patrol with the 2nd Company of the Hawkeyes. Earlier this morning their forward outpost was attacked in a hit-and-run fashion by a band of Restoration Front guerillas. While attacks have been on the downswing over the last several months, the Army is still facing challenges rooting out the last of the hardliners.” While the man speaks, the camera begins panning to the left, showing the scene down the street of the small town the unit is operating in. Other than figures clad in Solarian Army gear, the street is deserted, and the camera shows small teams intermittently breaching into buildings and clearing them. “As you can see here,” the reporter continues, “the unit is now clearing a section of the nearby town that the loyalists are suspected of using as a hideout. This town has been mostly abandoned since-” The sound of an explosion cuts off the man, as a building that a team of the unit had just entered explodes in a fireball. The camera zooms out, as members of the platoon instinctively take cover. Almost on cue, gunfire erupts down the street, and the cameraman can be heard moving into cover himself, as the reporter curses and joins him. “It looks like an ambush!” he exclaims, barely audible over the sounds of an intense fight breaking out. SANN LIVE - BREAKING: Solarian Army Patrol Ambushed by Remnants! News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller The camera continues, with obvious shake, to film as the fight intensifies down the road. Figures in Solarian Army gear lay down fire and move with precision while receiving fire from a pair of buildings to their front. “It looks like the insurgents laid a trap here!” the reporter exclaims between breaths. “These kinds of ambushes have become par for the course in the face of direct attacks over the last several months.”' The camera zooms in on two soldiers throwing grenades down the road, then pans to track their landings. After hitting the center of the street and coming to a rest, the grenades very quickly expel large amounts of thick, white smoke. Shouting is just barely audible over the gunfire as the camera shows two soldiers lying on either side of the road, laying down a large volume of fire with two machine guns. The shouting can be traced to the rest of the unit, who is moving back towards the camera, away from the ambush. The unit reaches the reporter’s position and begins laying down their own fire, as the two machine gunners both begin pulling back. The camera zooms to the left one, a woman with short brunette hair, and catches her collapsing suddenly to the road. “Son of a bitch-,” a third voice says, and the camera pans to the source, zooming out to bring them into the picture. A blonde-haired woman, with the muted gold-colored bar of a Lieutenant patched to her chest, is the source of the voice. In one hand is a pair of large binoculars, with a tube-like attachment to the top - the other is cupped to her ear as she shouts into her headset. “...target southwest of friendly forces, pair of two-story buildings. Laze active, cleared hot!” The camera pans back down the road, the smoke having cleared. Seconds pass, with no change in the picture, when the pair of buildings is consumed in a large fireball, to the cheers of the Solarian personnel. The woman’s voice can be heard again, “Good effect, we’re moving in." The unit begins moving down the street again, encountering no resistance. The camera pans back to the reporter, who remains crouched behind a low wall. “Well Ava, it appears the unit’s beaten back the ambush with an impressive display of firepower. The Army spares no method to eliminate these terrorists, as we’ve just witnessed. With another cell presumably destroyed, the men and women of this unit will rest a little easier tonight. Back to you.” Press Release: Former Government Official to be Tried for Crimes in Northern Reaches For Immediate Release - Office of Interstellar Relations, Department of Justice News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann One-hundred and sixty former civil and military government officials have been indicted for offenses against the Solarian government and people during the period of chaos in the Northern Reaches commonly known as the Solarian Civil War. According to a government indictment unsealed yesterday several former Solarian Navy officials — Anton Verglas, 35th Fleet, Normand Quinault, 33rd Fleet, Florentina von Keyserling, 35th Fleet, and others — allegedly committed crimes against humanity during a period of military rule over Lycoris. The defendants allegedly seized property from Solarian and foreign nationals without proper authorization, and conspired to overthrow the Solarian government. The defendants then allegedly carried out a systemic campaign of violence and intimidation against the residents of Lycoris and the territories near it. The charges announced today are the most recent in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to change individuals who committed severe crimes in the Northern and Southern Reaches during its period of unrest. Attorney General Henri Fontenot, Department of Justice Criminal Division head Robert Hendricks, and Special Agent in Charge of the SISA office in the Republic of San Colette Isabella Alvarez made the announcement. The Solarian Interstellar Security Agency (SISA), with assistance from local partners, is investigating the case. Assistant Solarian Alliance attorneys Masud Lakhdar and Sarah Kalemba of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights Section are prosecuting the case. Can the Tau Ceti Armed Forces handle the Solarian Navy? News Article Publisher: Tau Ceti Times Writer: CampinKiller Since the end of the most significant upheaval within the Alliance since the Interstellar War, many have speculated if the Republic’s own military forces could defend themselves against a reformed Solarian Alliance. Those expressing doubts are not doing so without merit. The Alliance’s Navy has been successfully reformed and is battle hardened, having spring into action against the Restoration Front with resounding success, while the Republic’s own fleets are rife with corruption, poor equipment, and low morale. Some, like retired Colonel Jan Krzystof, have been sounding the alarm for some time. “A lot of people think that the Zoleth Line is the answer to all the problems facing the TCAF, but that’s simply not the case,” he told us. “A static defensive line is not something that will turn the tide to the level that would be required in a true fight with the Solarian Navy. Let’s not forget, it took a prototype weapon and the combined power of multiple nations and corporate forces to defeat a single Solarian fleet. The Alliance has 100 fleets, and they are battle-tested.” Others say that opinions like those of Colonel Krzystof are alarmist. They point to the Zoleth Line as being capable of delaying any assault long enough for the armed forces to mobilize, as well as buy time for friendly nations to send assistance. Additionally, they claim that the Corporate Auxiliary Forces and the Minutemen would be able to stand up against an invasion. When reached for comment, the Secretary of Defense’s office said, “The Secretary of Defense is confident that the military could handle a Solarian incursion against the Republic. The Zoleth line is designed to withstand sustained attacks by Solarian fleets, giving time for a full mobilization of all branches of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces.” While one cannot be surprised at the statement from the government, the facts of the matter are quite clear, says Colonel Kryzstof. “The simple fact of the matter is that without significant external assistance, which would open the door for another interstellar war, the armed forces in their current state do not stand a chance against a Solarian invasion.” Final Refugee Camp on San Colette Closes News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: CampinKiller The XNS jingle plays as the camera reveals none other than Mariska van den Soeterik, host of the foreign news segment. “Welcome to today’s foreign news, as always, I’m your host, Mariska van den Soeterik. A little over one year ago, the war in the Northern Wildlands was brought to a dramatic end, leaving in its wake swaths of destruction, lives lost, and people upended. However, today marks the closing of the final refugee camp on San Colette. Liao Qi has the story.” The scene shifts to Qi, who is standing in front of what appears to be several identical prefabricated buildings, which now seem to be mostly, if not completely, abandoned. A sign just to his left reads, in blocky Solarian Common lettering, ‘REFUGEE CAMP NO. 692.’ “I’m standing in front of Refugee Camp Number 692, which has just been closed as the last residents of the camp left earlier this week. Thousands of people were displaced by the war here when it began a year and a half ago, and the closing of this camp is something of a closure of this chapter in the planet’s history.” Qi looks off camera, and appears to motion to someone. The camera zooms out, and that someone is revealed: a man in the uniform of the Planetary Police of San Colette. “With me here is Alejandro Serrano, a police officer who was assigned to this camp. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us.” Alejandro, who appears young, but with a particularly grizzled appearance, nods curtly, “Of course. You came here to tell our story in our darkest hours.” “Could you tell us about yourself, officer?” “My name is Alejandro Serrano, and I am an officer of the Planetary Police of San Colette.” “You served here during the course of the war with the Restoration Front, could you talk about that?” “Yeah, this was one of hundreds of camps, and like many of them, it was overcrowded. The war really pushed a lot of people out of their homes, and you know, something had to be done for them. It was hard going, especially in the beginning, there was a lot of fighting, stealing- it’s just desperate people, you know?” “So it got better as time went on, then?” “In a way, yeah, as we got more resources too, and more camps went up. What was amazing though was as things got worse, it seemed everyone banded together more. Like we all had one enemy to face.” “That is remarkable in the face of what was going on." "Yeah- everyone you know, realized that this was it. We either had to stand as one or fall to the lunatics invading us. And so we chose the former. Then after the Alliance came to help, aid came pouring in, and we were able to get things situated again." "It's a truly wonderful testament of unity. Thank you for your time, Officer.” Interview with Augustín Cabanas, Leader of the Solarian People’s Liberation Front News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera opens on a bizarre sight. In the middle is a poorly lit table with two men sitting on either side, with Solarian flags pinned to the wall around them — one clearly Liao Qi, the other a middle-aged Mictlani in a Solarian Navy admiral’s uniform. In the background a mixed group of men and women, their faces obscured with Solarian flag bandanas and sunglasses, stand at attention with assault rifles. Qi, notably, looks tenser than normal. A cigarette slowly burns in an ashtray in front of the Mictlani as Qi begins speaking. “Admiral Cabanas, before we begin let me thank you for giving us this opportunity to interview you.” “Of course,” Cabanas leans onto the table, crossing his arms. “I hope the ‘Republic’ was not too much of a problem coming here.” “It wasn’t,” Qi clears his throat. “Could you introduce yourself to our viewers?” “Not everyone is familiar with our struggle,” the admiral hmpfs to himself. “I am Admiral Augustín Cabanas of the Solarian People’s Liberation Fleet, which has been fighting against corporate occupation since March 2463. We are the only ones fighting for a free, Solarian Hinterlands.” “Right,” Qi clicks his pen. “You’ve been fighting without official Solarian support for two years, then?” “Yes. Allies have given us arms and tools to keep fighting, but supplies are limited. It is only through our own hands that we are still free. The corporations will never conquer us as long as we draw breath.” “Conversations on the Extranet suggest you’re very popular in the Hinterlands. Why do you think you are?” Cabanas laughs for a moment! “I am a gregarious man — and I am a force for Sol, not corporate greed. The people here, Liao, they support our Alliance. Unlike Mictlan, my home, the corporations do not control us. Yet.” “Yet?” “They have more than us, and can overwhelm us in time — drowning us in the blood of their mercenaries and conscripts. But they do not — so far.” “Is there anything you’d like the wider Spur to know about your struggle?” “Yes,” Cabanas takes a drag off of the cigarette in front of him, then exhales smoke to the side before speaking. “Do not, my friend, the corporate media of the Spur will tell you we are terrorists. They will try to diminish our struggle. But they cannot run from the truth that ours is a just cause, and we fight for our freedom and our homeland. We have no quarrel with the common people of Tau Ceti. Do not be mislead by the corporations.” “Thank you, admiral.” “Thank you, Liao. My men will see you safely to the Solarian border. Tell our story to the Spur. Allow them to see why we fight.” Northern Reaches Trials Begin News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann HARMONY CITY, LUNA — Today at 9AM (GST) the Department of Justice formally began trials related to the Solarian Civil War’s impact in the Northern Reaches. Most defendants are military personnel from the naval and military wings of the “Solarian Restoration Front,” a terrorist group active from 2462 until 2465, or its civilian administration, including the former governor of Lycoris. A smaller number are from the “Anti-Corporate League,” though many named in the September indictment are currently awaiting extradition from the Coalition of Colonies. When asked by SANN reporters what he thought of the trial starting, Attorney General Fontenot’s office provided the following: “These trials are a chance for the Alliance to show that, no matter what may occur, the rule of law will prevail. These trials may take a very long time, but they represent our great nation’s commitment to not let criminal actors go unpunished. Ultimately, we hope it will be a step towards healing the wounds left by the civil war.” Assistant Solarian Attorneys Masud Lakhdar and Sarah Kalemba of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights Section were contacted by the SANN and declined to comment on an ongoing trial. The media representative of SISA Special Agent in Charge of the Lunarian Division Ulrike Henriette Marilda von Rantzau, provided the following: “Our division has been investigating allegations made against the alleged subjects for over a year, while at the same time assisting the San Colette Division in rebuilding. I have full confidence in our personnel as we take this matter to trial.” The SANN will continue to report on this matter as it develops. Further Articles: • Callisto Beats Xanu 3-2 in Latest Football Match • San Colette Residents Describe Life Under Orbital Fire • People of the Spur: The Dominian Lyodii SISA Uncovers Plot to Bomb the Northern Reach Trials News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller A news graphic with the words SPECIAL REPORT flashes onto the screen. The camera then transitions to none other than Harold MacMillian, who appears even more serious than usual. “Good evening and welcome to State of Sol. This evening, the Solarian Interstellar Security Agency has announced the discovery of a plot to bomb the trials against former Restoration Front officials. We will be breaking the program now and going live to Director Seoyen Huong, who is addressing the media.” The camera cuts to a middle-aged woman of southeast Asian descent in business attire, standing behind a podium and speaking. Flanking either side are flags of the Solarian Alliance and the SISA agency flag. A group of men and women also stand behind her, likewise in business attire. “...To reiterate, we are confident that there will be no further threat to the trials from this particular group. Our agents have been able to apprehend a number of individuals involved with this plot, while the remainder of the group is still being tracked down at the moment. I’ll open the floor for questions.” A number of hands shoot up. The director points to one - a man who speaks with an obvious Lunan accent. “Are there going to be heightened security measures going forward as a result of this discovery?” “I’m not going to get into any specifics regarding security measures, but the relevant agencies will be increasing security measures around the trials.” Hands go up again and another person is pointed to - this time, a man of Colletish origin. “Is there any concern from your agency of continued threats against the trial, especially with not everyone from this group in custody?” “We are confident that the threat has been removed, and that it was isolated. While we are still tracking down members of the group behind this, we are fully confident in bringing them into custody with no threat to the public at large.” As the hands go up again, the Director nods to a third individual - a Xanan woman. “Director, how long was this threat known and how close did it get to becoming reality?” “The agency has been investigating various threats from tips we’ve received regarding the trial and other terrorist activity for some time. We began to hone in on this group in particular over the last couple of weeks, but I want to be completely clear: at no time was this even close to becoming reality. That’s all I have time for, thank you.” The Director exits the stage as more reporters shout questions at her back. Interview with a Konyang Armed Forces Officer News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: NewOriginalSchwann As always, a Himean man is the sole host of the XNS’ Interviews and News segment. On a rather cozy sofa sits the famous Jude Scholes, smiling at the camera. Behind him on a holoscreen is a middle-aged Konyanger man in a military uniform. Despite the gray streaks in his hair there is a sharpness to his eyes and face. He appears to be in an office of some kind with a map of Konyang on the wall behind him. Vague writing is present around Suwon, but it’s too blurry to make out. “Welcome, our faithful guests, to tonight’s episode of Interviews and News! I’m Jude Scholes, your host, and tonight we have a returning guest, Captain Jung-Hee Eum of the Konyang Armed Forces! Captain Eum, thank you for taking time away from your duties to speak with us.” “Thank you for having me, Jude. It’s always a pleasure.” “Captain, with the Solarian government having re-established control over the Solarian Northern Reaches, are you concerned at sharing a border?” “Not at this time. Sharing a border with another state rather than a loosely-organized 'insurgent group,’” Eum makes air quotes as he says insurgent group, “has given us more stability in the short term.” “Hand in glove, Captain?” Eum looks at the screen with confusion for a moment, then looks at something off-screen. When he speaks again his professionally neutral expression has returned. “Yes, I believe we have the situation under control.” “Are there any concerns the Solarians might launch a cross-border attack of their own, similar to what happened in Biesel in ‘62?” “The Solarian Navy of 2462 is a different entity compared to the one that triumphed in their civil war. While the Alliance maintains a large force in the region, it’s spread throughout the Reaches — very little is present at the Sol-Coalition border.” “Not to spit into the glass, captain, but can you be so sure?” “I’m not able to speak to specifics at this time. However, if the Alliance does intend to launch an assault, we’ll be able to prepare.” “Right, right,” if Scholes is irritated by this response, he doesn’t show it. “Have refugees continued to cross the border into Konyang?” “We’ve seen a near total stop to refugee crossings with an end to the fighting. We’ve had more crossings from the Coalition to Sol, as Solarian citizens return to their country, than Sol to Coalition crossings. Repatriating bandits from Konyang to Sol is another matter of concern, but the crisis earlier this year has delayed talks.” “Captain Eum, thank you for your time. Unfortunately, that’s all we have for tonight.” “Thank you for having me.” “Until next time, I’m Jules Scholes and this is the Xanu News Service!” Exclusive Interview with an Officer of Visegrad’s National Defense Force News Article Publisher: Xanan News Service Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera opens onto two men — one Liao Qi, the other a younger-looking man in a forest green military uniform with a mustache — sitting across from one another. Compared to the tense environment of the last interview, this room is a well-lit office with tasteful wood decor. Barely visible off to one side, by the door, is a woman in a matching uniform wearing a vest. “Lieutenant, thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. Could you introduce yourself for the audience?” “I’m Jakab Koroknay, First Lieutenant, National Defense Force.” “Thank you. First, how do you feel about the NDF’s reformation?” “I’m supportive of it. As a planet and region we’re past the emergency period where we needed an integrated command structure with the Navy. Now, we can return to a sense of normalcy in the Danube System.” “What does that normalcy look like?” “Normalcy for us is the NDF handling security on Visegrad itself and in its orbit. We managed most security operations in the system before integration with the Navy and have continued to do so now. Our main issue as it stands now is a lack of synthetic equipment — we can’t easily reintegrate the units seized by the Navy back into our force.” “Why is it difficult?” “Well,” Koroknay pauses for a moment, considering his response. “Sorry, it’s a bit hard to describe to a general audience. Navy synthetics are designed for naval work, while ours are designed for police use. It’s hard to swap the programming over and we don’t want to deprive the Navy of assets.” “In your opinion, how is the reformation of the NDF proceeding aside from this matter?” “Quite well. We’ve managed to exceed our staffing goals thanks to an agreement to hire back NDF personnel from the Navy and many Visegradi signing up, including individuals returning from abroad. Furthermore, the Department of Justice has provided us with support when and where we need it — reestablishing a SISA office on Visegrad last year has helped fight major crimes here. One of our challenges has been acquiring linguists specialized into Coalition languages and dialects, and the D-O-J helped us resolve that issue.” “Lieutenant, thank you for your time.” “Thank you for stopping to speak with us, and for waiting for your interview request to be approved.” SISA Announces Further Arrests in Bombing Plot News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann HARMONY CITY, LUNA – Today at 11AM (GST) the Solarian Interstellar Security Agency announced further arrests of individuals related to the bombing plot against the ongoing trials for those accused of crimes in the Northern Reaches. The arrests included all individuals that escaped custody after the initial arrests, as well as persons who provided, “material support,” to the plotters. In total the agency has announced the arrests of over thirty individuals, all of whom have now been arraigned on an assortment of charges, including: conspiracy to utilize a weapon of mass destruction, conspiracy to commit murder against a public official, and conspiracy against the Solarian Alliance. The offenders face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. SISA further identified the alleged ringleader of the plot, 47 year-old Bianca Accetta, a native Lycorii and alleged former member of the Solarian Restoration Front’s government on Lycoris. The agency stated that Ms. Accetta’s association with the former rebel government is still under investigation, and more charges may be pending. The agency stressed that its investigation into the plot was still ongoing, but that there appeared to be no further threat to the public or trials. While further arrests are possible, it is believed that most, if not all, of the individuals associated with the plot have been tracked down. Anyone believing they have information relating to the individuals or the plot is encouraged to contact their local SISA field office. Further Reading: • Alliance Champions League Group Stage enters final two matchweeks • INTERSTELLAR✰GIRLS release surprise new album • Toowoomba-Tauranga: The Winter Wonderland of Silversun TCAF Officer: "We can handle anything the Alliance throws at us." News Article Publisher: Tau Ceti Times Writer: CampinKiller A central concern for many within the Republic is its own protection. Throughout the history of the young nation, it has faced countless threats, including two invasions. The Tau Ceti Armed Forces, the successor to the original Foreign Legion, is young and rife with issues, according to critics. Supporters of the armed forces in their current state warn that critics are being alarmist. “Those that say the armed forces are weak, ineffective, anything of the sort, are foolishly spreading Solarian propaganda,” says Major Szek Skret’ash, a battalion executive officer in the Minutemen, “the fact of the matter is this: we can handle anything the Alliance throws at us. We’ve done it before, and we will do it again.” While one can hardly be surprised at the attitude of an active-duty officer, we pressed the major on some of the issues mentioned by retired Colonel Jan Krzystof - over reliance on the Zoleth line, a fleet plagued by a slew of issues, and the inexperience of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces. “The armed forces are constantly training, constantly getting better. To say they are inexperienced is simply misinformation. We have suppressed the insurrection on Mictlan, we fight off pirates, and we have many in the service who have fought the Solarians before, even when they fought amongst themselves. There is no doubt in my mind we would have total victory.” Major Skret’ash’s gung-ho attitude is not uncommon in the Minutemen, especially among the branch’s many immigrants. It’s not a widely-held attitude in the other branches, who face many issues that the Minutemen have the funding to avoid. Attitude or not though, the armed forces have challenges to resolve before they are without significant criticism. Northern Reaches Trials Continue on Luna News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann HARMONY CITY, LUNA — Today as of 6PM (GST) the Department of Justice has announced several verdicts in the ongoing trials against former Solarian military officers and government officials for crimes committed in the Northern Reaches during the Solarian Civil War. All verdicts relate to the “Anti-Corporate League,” a group active from 2463-65 in the Northern Reaches and allegedly supported by the Coalition of Colonies. Admiral Frederich Müller, commander of the 67th Fleet, Rear Admiral Ruben Pravin, acting commander of the 66th Fleet, and Admiral Nikola Camilo, commander of the 58th Fleet, have been convicted of treason, desertion, sedition, and destruction of civilian property. The DOJ has opted to seek the death penalty as their crimes were carried out while a member of the military. Governor Damjana Mariyana, New Atlantica, has been convicted of sedition and accessory to destruction of civilian property, and has been sentenced to 30 years’ federal imprisonment. Mladan Spartak, Department of Interior employee and League Minister for Corporate Repossession and Distribution, has been convicted on public corruption charges, theft charges, and sedition, and sentenced to 25 years’ federal imprisonment. Sovann Soth, Department of Interior employee and League Minister of Revolutionary Affairs, has been convicted of sedition and sentenced to 20 years’ federal imprisonment. The trials of members of the “Solarian Restoration Front” remain pending. A source close to the SANN advised we are likely to see a resolution, “within the year,” at the current rate. Further Articles: • Callistean Group Sues Navy for Misconduct, Brutality in 2465 • Riot Monorail Accident on Visegrad Injures 15 • Martian Government Reports Drop in Airborne Phoron for Third Straight Month BREAKING: Southern Reconstruction Mandate Building Overtaken News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller The commercial break of a foreign news segment is abruptly interrupted and the words ‘BREAKING NEWS’ flash on the screen, swiping away to reveal Harold MacMillan. “We interrupt our foreign news hour to bring you this breaking story out of Visegrad. Within the last half hour, an unknown group has assaulted and successfully taken over a Southern Reconstruction Mandate administration building in the heart of Fellegvar. We now go live to our local correspondent, Katarzyna Bołądź, who is on the scene.” The camera cuts to a Katarzyna, a woman with short brunette hair, and wearing a rain jacket emblazoned with what appears to be lettering in Visegradi Creole. Behind her is a fairly nondescript government office, with a Southern Reconstruction Mandate flag flying overhead and a Visegradi flag underneath it. In front of the building is a significant number of police vehicles and NDF vehicles, all with soldiers and police behind them, focusing on the building. “Thank you Harold. Around thirty minutes ago, gunshots rang out at this service center, which is right down the road from the main government offices. There’s no official reports yet on how many people are inside, nor who is responsible for the attack, however we can confirm a few deaths – four Solarian Army soldiers assigned to the building were killed, with another few missing. The on-site commander–” Katarzyna is interrupted by shouting behind her and turns to face the building. The camera zooms in on the flag pole atop the building, and watches as the flags are slowly lowered beyond visibility. After a few moments with no movement, a new flag begins to rise - a plain Visegradi flag with a white star in the center-left triangle. A gasp could be heard from Katarzyna, “That’s– that’s the flag of the-” She is again interrupted by shouting, but this time from a speaker system. “We are liberators fighting for the freedom of the people of Visegrad from the Alliance! Know that we have many civilians under our control inside! If you wish for them to not be harmed, you will release all secessionist freedom fighters. The oppressor Szalai will step down at once. You have 72 hours to meet these demands, or we will begin killing the collaborators we hold!” Katarzyna turns to face the camera, concern evident on her face. “Well, we’ve now had many questions answered, namely that the Secessionists are responsible for this attack. We will keep following this as it develops. Back to you, Harold.” SISA Negotiators Arrive, Secessionists Release Some Hostages News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller FELLEGVAR, VISEGRAD – The Solarian Interstellar Security Agency has announced that as of 2AM (GST), negotiators from the SISA field office located on Visegrad had arrived at the site of the ongoing hostage crisis in the government quarter. They began work with the secessionist group located within immediately upon arrival, with a secure line having been set up in the preceding hours. While the agency has refused to comment on the specifics of the negotiations so far, it has commended the progress made. Five hostages that have been reported to have “serious wounds,” have been released by the secessionists for medical treatment, in exchange for their manifesto being aired on all local news networks. They have all been identified as civilian government employees who were wounded in the initial assault. One has been released from the hospital, while the rest remain in care. With 12 hours having passed since the initial demands were made, more information has been coming out regarding the situation. The released hostages and video footage indicates that over a dozen secessionists are inside the building. Estimates put the number of hostages currently held by the group over sixty. Additionally, the names of the four Solarian Army soldiers who were killed have been released - all were native Visegradis. External CCTV footage has revealed the initial shocking moments of the assault, as well as interviews with the released hostages. “It all happened so fast,” said Stanislaw Dvořák, one of the released hostages, “We were sitting down for a meeting when suddenly we heard gunshots, explosions- followed by at least a dozen armed men screaming. I was shot in the crossfire, in the leg. The doctors said I was lucky though I don’t feel it. I just hope everyone else gets out alive.” When asked for comment on the crisis, Fleet Admiral Szalai’s office said, “The Fleet Admiral is monitoring the situation closely and working around the clock to bring this to an end. At this time the Admiral has no plans to step aside nor release dangerous traitors to the Alliance back into the streets for them to continue their previous work.” Hostage Crisis Continues, Szalai Pressed on Demands News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller The camera opens to Fleet Admiral Klaudia Szalai behind a podium, flanked by two men: one in a business suit, who some may recognize as Public Security Minister Mariusz Kovacs; the other, in the uniform of the National Defense Force, Commandant Willerich Kozak. Notably Szalai herself is not wearing her typical Solarian Navy uniform, but instead a business suit. “Good afternoon,” she begins, “I have an update on the ongoing situation just down the street. There has been more progress in negotiations, and SISA negotiators have managed to secure the release of a further seven hostages, the last of those who were seriously wounded in the assault by the secessionist insurgents. This includes the two missing Solarian Army personnel who had been assigned to protect the office. Negotiators are still working around the clock to bring this to a peaceful resolution.” Seemingly done, a bevy of hands shoot up in the packed room. Szalai nods at one. “Alojzy Kalinowski, Visegrad News Network. Governor, with the deadline set by the insurgents now under 24 hours away, has there been any movement on their demands or perhaps an extension?” “SISA’s negotiators have been in constant contact with them and we have made it clear that any sort of prisoner release will take time. Currently there has been no extension, but the second release of wounded hostages is certainly a step in the right direction.” Hands shoot up again, and Szalai points at another, who stands. “Liao Qi, Xanu News Service. Governor, by all accounts there’s still at least fifty hostages in the building, is there any word on their condition?” “From what we have been told from negotiators, as well as the released hostages, the condition of those inside the building is good, and they are in good spirits, despite their situation.” “With such a large number of hostages, are you worried if you’re forced to act as the deadline approaches?” “I’m not going to go into detail on contingency plans, but suffice to say, we would prioritize the safety of the hostages first.” Again, the hands go up, and Szalai nods at another, who stands. “Andrea Wu, Tau Ceti Times. Governor, the biggest demand from the secessionist group is for your resignation. Is that something you are prepared to do?” Szalai, who had already been viewing the Biesillite suspiciously, looked as if she wanted to strangle the reporter as she responded, “I’m not even going to entertain your question, it is an unreasonable demand.” “So you are saying that you will not step down under any circumstances?” “I am saying I will be saying nothing more about the matter. That’s all I have time for.” Szalai and the group exit the stage, her final two responses seemingly having kicked off even more questions from the assembled group. LIVE: Secessionist Deadline Approaches News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller The camera opens to Katarzyna Bołądź, who seemingly has had little sleep, standing in front of the besieged building. Behind her remain the same lineup of police and NDF vehicles, albeit with only soldiers in NDF uniforms being visible. A tent stands just to the right of the background, with individuals in jackets emblazoned with SISA in Solarian Common milling about. One is talking on what appears to be a secure phone with a group standing around them. “Good evening, we are now just under an hour away from the deadline set by the secessionist insurgents. Negotiations appear to still be ongoing,” she motions to the tent behind her, “but we have been told they have become much more difficult since Szalai’s news conference yesterday afternoon. Her noncommittal answer on whether or not she was willing to step down, sources say, incensed the secessionists, and negotiators have frantically been attempting to secure a deadline extension in the preceding hours. To make matters worse, when the group’s manifesto was broadcast on local news channels overnight, it was done in a truncated and garbled manner, further angering them.” The camera pans right and zooms on the tent, as whatever conversation has been happening has appeared to intensify. Katarzyna waves the cameraman forward, and begins approaching the tent, but is quickly stopped by one of the jacketed SISA agents. “Right– agent, can you tell us what’s happening now? We’ve seen no evidence of preparations for an assault, has the government elected to meet any of the demands?” The agent, clearly trying to prevent the reporters from getting any closer, begins leading them away while he answers their questions in a Lunan accent. “I can tell you that we are still working to secure an extension and the release of more hostages, but I cannot comment on what demands we are and are not willing to meet. It’s been made clear to the insurgents what will happen if they were to begin killing hostages.” “So am I to understand that there have been preparations made for-” Two loud bangs interrupt the reporter, whose head whips towards the building. The camera quickly pans to the source of at least one bang: a second-floor balcony overlooking the entrance to the building, where figures clad in black are rappelling down from the roof and entering through a fresh opening where a door once stood. More bangs are heard, and gunfire begins to ring out while the camera continues to roll. BREAKING: NDF Brings Crisis to an End News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: CampinKiller The camera returns to Katarzyna Bołądź, who for the first time in a few days, seems relieved. The scene behind her features soldiers and police milling about, but without the blockade previously seen. Atop the building again flies the flag of the Southern Reconstruction Mandate and the flag of Visegrad. “Welcome back. In the preceding hour, we’ve seen, and been told from official sources, the National Defense Force successfully bring this crisis to a swift and dramatic end. For those just joining us, we were broadcasting live as the assault started just about forty-five minutes before the deadline set by the insurgents. What followed was captured live on-air.” The camera cuts to a replay of the scene, jumping in just as black-clad figures rappelled onto a second-story balcony. The group floods into the opening from the blast that had just occurred, and gunfire is audible. The camera pans right and a second group is entering from a second balcony. To the left, the doors are thrown open, and a disheveled figure in a suit emerges with their hands raised. One of the figures helps him over to the balcony with the soldiers, who then move inside the building. A group of soldiers advance from the barricades and deploy a ladder for the civilian, who quickly climbs down it. “You’ve just watched the dramatic escape of one of the hostages as the NDF raid on the building began. Official reports have stated that there were fifteen terrorists inside. All have been neutralized, with five of them being in custody. Reportedly, one of the surviving terrorists hid among the hostages and attempted to produce a grenade when confronted, but was quickly overpowered. The gunfire inside the building lasted for a good ten to fifteen minutes before the all-clear was given.” Katarzyna nods to someone off camera, and is then joined by a man in a National Defense Force field uniform, his rank insignia identifying him as a colonel. Name tape on his right breast pocket reads ‘ABETZ.’ “Joining us now is Colonel Warner Abetz, the commanding officer of the unit responsible for this daring raid. Colonel, thank you for joining us.” “Of course. I come with good news as well, we have confirmed that all hostages held by the terrorists have been rescued alive. Around a dozen had some minor injuries, but our men were successful in preventing any killing.” “That’s fantastic news! Were there any casualties for your unit?” He shakes his head, “There were a few men wounded, but nothing serious. I cannot stress enough how expertly this was carried out.” “Speaking of, how long was this in the works, and how did you manage to keep things under wraps? We did not know anyone was near the building until we witnessed the beginning stages.” “I can’t comment on specific details, but within hours of this crisis beginning we began drafting plans for alternative resolutions, should a peaceful approach not be successful. Many men and women were involved, ranging from other units of the NDF to SISA agents, and they all gave their best to get to this outcome and bring these terrorists to justice without further loss of innocent life.” “Well, we thank you for your time and efforts here, Colonel. Reporting live from Fellegvar, I’m Katarzyna Bołądź, we’ll be right back.” Northern Reaches Trials End News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann HARMONY CITY, LUNA - Today as of 9PM (GST) the Department of Justice has announced its final verdicts in the Northern Reaches trials against former Solarian military and government officials for alleged crimes committed during the Solarian Civil War. All verdicts relate to the so-called “Solarian Restoration Front,” an Alliance-designated terrorist group first active in 2463 and still present on Lycoris. Rear Admiral Anton Verglas and Commodore Florentina von Keyserling, both of the 35th Fleet, Admiral Renart Paquet, 32nd Fleet, and Commodore Deng Fa, 33rd Fleet, are among several dozen ex-Navy officers found guilty of treason, desertion, sedition, extermination, forced deportation, the illegal or illegitimate use of force against Solarian citizens, and other crimes not listed here. Due to the severity of the circumstances, the Department of Justice has opted to seek the death penalty. Governor Thomas Wilks and Lieutenant Governor Richard Andersen, both of Lycoris, have been charged with sedition, operating a forced labor apparatus, labor trafficking, forced deportations, and the denial of civil rights to Solarian citizens. The Department of Justice has likewise opted to seek the death penalty. Former planetary police commissioner for Lycoris Alexandre Bernard has been charged with sedition, murder of a Solarian government employee (multiple counts), forced deportation, illegitimate use of force against Solarian citizens, and other crimes not listed here. The Department of Justice as likewise opted to seek the death penalty. Lieutenant General Sophia Zambrano, of the Lycoris System Defense Force, has been charged with treason, accessory to extermination, illegitimate use of force against a Solarian member-state, murder of Solarian military personnel (multiple counts), and other crimes not listed here. The Department of Justice has opted to pursue the death penalty for the severity of these crimes, which were carried out while the charged party was a serving member of the military. When asked by the SANN for his thoughts on the charges, Attorney General Henri Fontenot provided the following quote: “As I and the department promised last year, we have delivered the Solarian people justice in the face of unspeakable violence committed against our nation and our citizens by those who once claimed to serve it. It is my supreme hope as your attorney general that we shall move forward as a nation and recognize today as what it is: a victory over evil.” Further Articles: • Visegradi Authorities Announce Further Arrests Connected to Terrorist Plot • Solarian and Dominian Navy Announce Successful Joint Bust of Cross-Border Smuggling Operation • The Light of Liberty’s Reality: Life in Mendell City’s Slums SANN LIVE — The Northern Reaches Reconstruction Efforts News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann After the SANN jingle finishes and the logo flys off the side of the screen, the camera opens onto the unmistakable visage of Harold MacMillan sitting behind a desk with a PDA on it. The camera zooms in on MacMillan and his Callistean-flag-lapel-featuring suit. “Welcome back to The State of Sol — as always I’m your host, Harold MacMillan. With the cowardly attack on Visegrad overcome by local police, we go to our reporter in the Northern Reaches. Shufan?” The left side of the camera swaps to a typical Solarian woman — Shufan Koh, to those experienced with the SANN — standing in front of a construction site wrapped by a cloth screen covered in patriotic slogans. “DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR” can be seen, in part, on it. “Hello Harold,” Shufan nods politely at the camera. “I’ve been told you’re in Novi Igman?” “That’s right, Harold,” Koh gestured to her right, causing Harold to retreat and a middle-aged Slavic man wearing a hardhat to appear standing next to Koh on the sidewalk. “I’m here in an industrial district with Professor Vuk Kostić, a engineering professor working with the government to repair Novi Igman’s infrastructure.” “Thank you for offering to interview me,” Kostić smiles politely, nodding his head. “Professor, what was life like during the Civil War?” “It was, ah, not good, Shufan. We were part of San Colette’s defensive pact, initially, but the Front eventually overcame our defenses.” “What did they do during the occupation?” “Look“ Kostić glares at Shufan. His expression has shifted from neutral to irritated. “This interview was supposed to be about reconstruction, can we discuss that and not the occupation?” “Sure,” Koh looks a bit taken aback by Kostić. “Thank you,” the professor nearly hisses the words before clearing his throat. “Most of our infrastructure was damaged by the Front, or during the resistance against them. It’s taken us over a year — almost 18 months — to really start to recover our industrial capacity.” “Why is that?” “What the Front didn’t take back to Lycoris, they tried to destroy,” Kostić shakes his head. “I suppose they wanted to destroy us alongside them, make our home into a mutual Carthage.” “A mutual Carthage?” “To totally destroy us, essentially. It’s something I learned from one of my university colleagues,” Kostić smiles sadly for a moment. “But they did not succeed, and that’s in part due to the bravery of the people here.” “Thank you, professor,” Koh seems eager to cut the interview now. “As you can see the path to recovery is a long one, but one we’ll reach. Back over to you, Harold.” The camera transitions back to MacMillan, still sitting at his desk. “Thank you, Shufan. The State of Sol will be back after this short commercial break — stay tuned!” BREAKING: Provisional Government Announces Start of Solarian Elections! News Article Publisher: Sol Alliance News Network Writer: NewOriginalSchwann The camera, after the introduction, zooms in on the unmistakable visage of Harold MacMillan yet again. He slides his PDA to the side and looks at the camera. “Welcome back to The State of Sol. Today we go to Unity Station in Earth’s orbit where our star reporter Céline Eylenbosch has urgent news from the provisional government. Céline?” The camera switches to a fashionable, blonde Cytherean woman standing in a carpeted hallway in front of a fancy wooden door. Eylenbosch looks excited — nearly as excited as she did when reporting on the lead-up to intervention in 2465 — and smiles to the camera. “Hello, dear viewers. As Harold said, we have big news today,” she looks down at her watch, then back up to the camera. “As of fifteen minutes ago, the provisional government has announced the first general election since 2461 will take place starting in November and ending in January of next year.” “Inspiring news!” MacMillan comments. “Exactly, Harold. All Solarians should be happy about this! Our nation has taken a giant step towards healing, and it’s now for the people to decide what the future will bring!” Eylenbosch gestures at the hall of government around her, looking thrilled at the prospect of months of political reporting. “Céline, who’s expected to try for Prime Minister?” “Right now it’s hard to say. Trang and Strom,” despite her general enthusiasm, Eylenbosch cannot hide all of her disdain for the Jintarian when she says his name -- the corner of her mouth twitches slightly, “are likely candidates. Other parties will put their candidates forward too, but there’s been no comment from the social democrats, conservatives, or communists. Yet.” “How’s the mood on Unity Station?” “Oh! There’s only one word to describe it, Harold: elated,” Eylenbosch smiles slyly at the camera. “For three years we’ve been deprived of political excitement, and most reporters I’ve spoken with are eager to get back to work! I, personally, can’t wait to cover this.” “Céline, I’m not as excited as you are, but I’m eager to give our viewers a clear-eyed look at our democracy in action.” Eylenbosch laughs briefly! “Oh, we will Harold! Back over to you.” The camera switches back over to MacMillan at his desk. “The SANN will offer continuous coverage of the elections, viewers. For now, The State of Sol will be right back after a short commercial break.”