Elite Dangerous

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

A private discussion among Aegis leadership regarding mass Thargoid abductions has been made public.
Recordings of Professor Alba Tesreau, Aden Tanner and Seo Jin-ae were sent to and published by all newsfeeds, including the Pilots' Federation. File data shows that their conversation took place shortly before Professor Tesreau's statement to the media on July 18th, in Alba Tesreau's office at Aegis headquarters in Duamta.
After a brief period of speculation, Seo Jin-ae herself confirmed that she released the logs. Seo indicated that rumours circulating on 'alternative ICE channels' of Aegis withholding information from the public were false, and that Tesreau intended to announce evidence of human abductions even before the Dedicant tragedy brought the news to prominence.
Ernesto Rios analysed the new information in an article for Vox Galactica:
"Leaks of classified information are nothing new,

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The Thargoids have unexpectedly abandoned the region around Wregoe BU-Y b2-0, mere days after being discovered.
They were believed to be present due to an ancient site on the planet Wregoe BU-Y b2-0 1 c, which hosted a conflict between Guardian and Thargoid forces millions of years ago. Aegis has confirmed reports that all Thargoids have now disappeared from that area of space. Aden Tanner delivered a summary:
"Our pilots can no longer detect a single Thargoid ship anywhere in that region. In military terms, they have undertaken a full tactical withdrawal. It usually requires overwhelming firepower to drive out Thargoid forces, especially from multiple systems. In this case, there was no fleet action or anti-xeno operation sufficiently large to cause this response."
Dr Jeong-Hui Shin of the Holloway Bioscience Institute observed:
"This is atypical behaviour for the Thargoid species. Their

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Vox Galactica's Jade Sanderlyn reviews developments in the ongoing war against the Thargoids.
"There have been some impressive territorial gains against the Thargoids in recent weeks. The number of systems controlled by the Titans' invasion fleets has tumbled, allowing many millions of people to return to their homes. This is largely thanks to coordinated action by independent pilots and anti-xeno squadrons."
"However, I take no pleasure in reporting that the 'unsubstantiated rumours' I discussed last month are true. The Thargoids' increased interest in capturing escape pods has been verified, with the appearance of a new vessel designed for this very task. Scythe-class hunters are now launching attacks en masse, using a combination of unique hull-breaching munitions and recovery drones to abduct living people."
"It's believed that the Scythes were responsible for the disappearance of

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Presidential candidate Zachary Rackham has denied allegations that he was a notorious pirate lord prior to becoming an entrepreneur.
Financial journalist Bryanna Blanco has long maintained that the business magnate gained his initial fortune by means of piracy. She recently announced that she was renewing efforts to prove his criminality, thereby invalidating him from holding the presidency under Federal electoral laws.
In an exclusive interview with Sol Today, Mr Rackham addressed the situation:
"I've always been highly amused by these stories, which make out that I was some kind of swashbuckling corsair in my youth. No doubt they've helped boost sales of The Federal Times."
"But in the Federation, we have laws to protect innocent people – just like me! – from libellous accusations. It's time for Ms Blanco to discard her poisonous obsession with me, or I'll be forced to defend my good

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Shipments of precious materials are needed in the Laedla system to build statues honouring the House of Duval.
Archduke Otto Lombardo-Duval made a public announcement to launch the initiative:
"We are all relieved that our beloved Imperial Mother is on the path to recovery. In such times, we must remember how much all citizens owe to the Duval dynasty, whose thousand-year reign has brought peace and prosperity to trillions."
"In honour of Her Majesty the Emperor and all those who came before her, I am arranging for mighty statues to adorn the public plazas of many Imperial worlds. Using the finest quality gold, jadeite and platinum, we will construct impressive monuments to the architects of our glorious Empire."
The Imperial Herald published a related piece by royal correspondent Gudrun Vestergaard:
"Archduke Otto Lombardo-Duval is the son of Prince Baylor Duval,

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Financial journalist Bryanna Blanco has renewed her investigation into Zachary Rackham, seeking to invalidate him from the Federal presidential race.
"Thirty years ago, the mysterious 'Calico Zack' gained a reputation as a notorious pirate lord. In some backwaters, tales are still told of how he personally led countless raids against cargo ships and passenger liners. Allegedly there were very few casualties in his wake, since the pirate always focused on hijacking valuables rather than causing bloodshed."
"As Calico Zack's wealth and influence grew, Archon Delaine viewed him as a threat and planned to go to war. This may be what prompted him abandon piracy. He laundered his ill-gotten gains via shell corporations and stock investments, reinventing himself as Federal entrepreneur Zachary Rackham."
"Since those days – which he now claims were spent as a struggling trader – Rackham has

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Lady Florence Lavigny is recuperating from a serious illness, but the experience has prompted her to call for changes within the Imperial Family.
Official sources confirmed that the Imperial Mother remains under constant medical supervision at her home on Topaz, following a successful surgical procedure. Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval has now returned to the Imperial Palace on Capitol, and is being regularly updated about her mother's condition.
Countess Guinevere Lavigny, cousin to the Emperor and niece of Lady Lavigny, also visited Topaz. She told a local reporter:
"My aunt is now able to communicate properly for short periods, and is dwelling on the past a great deal. She talks about wanting to bring together our entire family, and resolving minor disagreements which have lingered for too long. This is something that my brother Lucius and I have always felt is long overdue, so I hope she

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Wreckage from a past conflict between the Guardian and Thargoid races has been found in the Wregoe BU-Y b2-0 system.
The crashed remains of Thargoid vessels, alongside structures of Guardian origin, are located on Wregoe BU-Y b2-0 1 c. Conflict between the two species occurred millions of years ago, but physical evidence of this is extremely rare. The only comparable site, in the Trapezium Sector YU-X c1-2 system, was initially found two centuries ago by the Azimuth Biochemicals ship Proteus and rediscovered in 3307.
Wregoe BU-Y b2-0 was one of several systems under investigation following a report by Commander Renia Rakowski, who encountered a Thargoid interceptor in nearby Wregoe GA-X B3-0.
The Holloway Bioscience Institute has sent teams into the area to explore the possibility of xenoarchaeological research. Dr Jeong-Hui Shin gave a statement to The Sovereign

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Newsfeeds and ICE-casts have reacted to Aegis's theory that the Thargoids have purposefully captured tens of millions of living humans.
Eyewitness testimonies provided by independent pilots have given credence to this theory. Citizens' Chronicle featured the following account from Imperial auxiliary Commander Luca Redondo:
"It was a sickening sight, watching Scythes hunt down survivors. A part of me wanted to start blasting the escape pods rather than let those poor people be eaten, or experimented on, or whatever the hell the Thargoids want them for. There was nothing my squadron could do to save them, not without risking the refugees we were carrying. I don't think I'll be sleeping well for a long time."
Many reporters have interviewed people still waiting to hear from those who once lived in Thargoid-occupied systems. Vox Galactica has published several such stories:
"My ex-husband took our

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

An independent explorer has reported an unusual incident involving a Thargoid vessel, hundreds of light years away from the ongoing invasion.
Commander Renia Rakowski told her story to Vox Galactica:
"I'd been gathering exploration data for weeks without seeing another soul. Boring, I know, but I like a quiet life. As I jumped out of the Wregoe GA-X B3-0 system, my ship rocked violently and I panicked, thinking the hyperdrive had failed. I barely saw it at first, black against the black of space, until its outline glowed. A Thargoid interceptor. Just like on the newsfeeds, but right outside my canopy."
"I've never been in combat before, and my ship carries no weapons anyway, so I thought this was the end of me. My heart was drumming as I stared at the alien, and it stared back like some giant lidless eye. A writhing light lashed out, this rasping howl came over the comms, and then… it left.

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

An analysis of survivors from recent Thargoid conflicts and invasions has raised the possibility of human abductions on a colossal scale.
Professor Alba Tesreau, head of Aegis, delivered a personal statement to the media:
"A few months ago I was contacted by Zuri Afolayan , a senior analyst for Safeguard Interstellar. Her job involves collating civil and military data to determine where emergency aid is most needed. She had identified consistent discrepancies between the registered populations of Thargoid-occupied systems and all confirmed deaths, refugees and stranded survivors."
"Aegis performed detailed comparisons of Ms Afolayan's findings with other sources. This led to one inescapable conclusion: tens of millions of people have vanished since the start of the war."
"No doubt many deaths have gone unrecorded, and many others have fled into deep space. But the recent appearance of the

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
A new type of Thargoid vessel is hyperdicting human ships and capturing living passengers.
Aegis has designated the hunter-class alien ship as a 'Scythe'. Aden Tanner released an assessment of its capabilities:
"This Thargoid vessel has been designed not just for combat, but to hyperdict ships and extract human beings from them. Our observations of its tactics suggesting that abduction is its primary purpose."
"A Scythe's initial attack mirrors that of its Glaive cousin, by attempting to disable frame shift drives and deplete shields. It then launches a unique strike to makes passenger cabins and cargo holds uninhabitable. The resulting escape pods are rapidly drawn onboard onto the Scythe intact."
Further observations were made by Vice Admiral Skylar Anderson, the Empire's military liaison to Aegis:
"Due to their modus operandi, it now seems likely that the

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

President Zachary Hudson has accused the Order of the Far God of being directly responsible for the fate of the Dedicant megaship.
"Our assessment of these Thargoid-worshipping extremists has been proved correct," he told The Federal Times. "Hijacking the Dedicant to deliver it to their alien gods is an act of treason and mass murder."
"I have ordered the Proactive Detection Bureau to root out every deluded individual with sympathies for this twisted cult. Automatic life sentences will ensure that these traitors never again put innocent people at risk."
The declaration brought political pressure on all three presidential candidates to state their intentions for the Far God cult should they be elected.
Vice President Jerome Archer: "I will be pleased to continue President Hudson's policy on dealing with these religious fanatics: stricter controls, increased surveillance and tougher sentences."

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The lost megaship Dedicant has been located in HIP 19600, with signs of Thargoid attack and all inhabitants missing.
The Dedicant was being prepared by Federal authorities to deport imprisoned members of the Order of the Far God when it unexpectedly jumped into hyperspace. Pilots who helped decipher its fragmented distress call were informed of the recent discovery by the Imperial Navy.
Executive Agent Jalen Locke of the Federal Intelligence Agency issued a statement:
"We can confirm that the Dedicant has been discovered adrift in the HIP 19600 system. There is evidence that the Thargoids penetrated the hull in multiple locations, and thousands of escape pods were launched. Unusually, there are no bodies onboard and we have not been able to locate any of the escape pods. The whereabouts of all three FIA security teams and over 8,000 Far God cultists cannot be

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Vox Galactica journalist Jade Sanderlyn reports on the latest news emerging from the front lines of the conflict.
"Events in the war continue to move quickly, sometimes outpacing the 'speed of news'. In my last update, I mentioned that the Thargoids had occupied over a thousand systems. But by the time that was published, the number had reduced considerably. According to my sources, anti-xeno squadrons and independent pilots are reclaiming systems at a higher rate than Thargoids can conquer them."
"This incredible achievement suggests we are finally gaining the advantage in this war. The hopelessness that many have felt over the last nine months is now tempered with optimism. Our naval forces are proving that the alien fleet is not undefeatable."
"My sources also passed on some unsettling stories from pilots working beyond the frontline systems. A few of them seem to think that the Thargoids'

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The missing megaship Dedicant is close to being located after fragments of its distress call were tracked down.
The scrambled messages were discovered on comms beacons in the LP 714-58, Wuniez, Olurung and Kwakimo systems. Combined decryption efforts eventually led to another beacon in the HIP 19912 system, where the Dedicant's original transmission was revealed:
FEDERAL ESCORT TEAM ALPHA
ASSIGNED TO ORDER OF THE FAR GOD MEGASHIP 'DEDICANT'
PRISONER TRANSFER MISSION HAS FAILED
SIGNIFICANT NON-LETHAL DEFENSIVE MEASURES ENCOUNTERED
MAJORITY OF ORDER OF THE FAR GOD PRISONERS ESCAPED
PRISONERS INITIATED DEDICANT HYPERDRIVE
ESCORT TEAMS ALPHA, BRAVO, CHARLIE AND CULTISTS REMAIN ON BOARD
'DEDICANT' CURRENT LOCATION UNKNOWN
ADVISE TRACING METADATA COORDINATES TO THIS MESSAGE
REQUEST IMMEDIATE FEDERAL NAVY ASSISTANCE
Vice Admiral Amir Rafiq of the Imperial Navy provided an

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Rare goods delivered to Xi Wangda helped ensure that Azimuth Biotech's arms convention was a success.
CEO Torben Rademaker confirmed the initiative's completion:
"From today, the Overcharged Gimballed AX Multi-Cannon with Auto Loader is available at all rescue megaships, as well as Azimuth Biotech's core markets. I am confident that this will prove useful those brave pilots who enter combat with Thargoid ships. Once again, my company has proved that its ingenuity and experience in developing anti-xeno weaponry cannot be surpassed."
"I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all of the corporate, financial and military representatives who attended the convention. Many fascinating proposals were discussed, most of which must remain commercially confidential for now. Suffice to say, the future for Azimuth Biotech and our partners looks bright."
"Finally, the event

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Traces of a distress call from the Dedicant megaship have been detected in the LP 714-58 system.
Vice Admiral Amir Rafiq, a spokesperson for the Imperial Navy, broadcast an announcement on all public channels:
"An Imperial scout ship travelling through LP 714-58 has intercepted several fragmentary signals. Their identifying markers confirmed that they originated from the Dedicant. We believe there has been an encryption error in the system's communication beacons, which prevented the distress call from being rerouted to its intended destination in the Federation."
"Officially, the Imperial Navy no longer performs joint operations with our Federal counterparts. Nor do we involve ourselves in the activities of the illegal Far God cult. Nevertheless, we are sharing this information as a humanitarian gesture. Our hope is that this may aid a rescue mission for those

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The three candidates in the Federal presidential election have taken part in a second live debate to discuss policies.
The event was more closely moderated than the first debate in June. The candidates discussed their campaigns in detail, with minimal interruption from their rivals.
Republican Party candidate Jerome Archer is the current vice president and a former director of the Federal Intelligence Agency. He explained his intentions to tighten security and increase military spending:
"Shielding citizens from external threats, whether human or alien, is always my top priority. Ms Winters lacks any significant achievements in her political career, if we're honest. Whereas I can refer to many successes – such as the Proactive Detection Bureau – which prove I am a man of my word."
Shadow President Felicia Winters, leader of the Liberal Party, was previously the secretary of state in Jasmina

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Azimuth Biotech has requested shipments of rare commodities to Xi Wangda, as luxury supplies for its business convention.
Torben Rademaker, CEO of the anti-xeno corporation, announced the initiative via public channels:
"We expect this prestigious gathering to be attended by many representatives from research groups, manufacturing companies and military forces. To ensure that our esteemed guests are made welcome, we will pay handsomely for shipments of Albino Quechua Mammoth Meat, Gilya Signature Weapons and Harma Silver Sea Rum."
"The cornerstone of this event will be the commercial launch of Azimuth's newly modified ship-mounted weapon: the pre-engineered Overcharged Gimballed AX Multi-Cannon with Auto Loader. Our proprietary redesign will make a significant contribution when engaging Thargoid vessels in combat. Those who contribute the greatest number of rare