Elite Dangerous

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The introduction of onionhead gamma strain by the Kumo Crew has reignited long-running arguments around the popular psychedelic drug.
An interview with Zander Lachance, spokesperson for the Coalition for Legalisation, was published by Vox Galactica:
"I have yet to see evidence that onionhead is more harmful than common recreational substances. Open-minded people in independent systems are now discovering this for themselves."
In response, other newsfeeds featured a range of opinions.
Eye on Achenar: "Foppish rogues of the Federation such as Zachary Rackham and Sir Randolph Plaskett may feel comfortable wooing trade tycoons with the outlawed weed, but legalising low-cost onionhead would risk the whole Empire collapsing into a stupor!"
The Pegasi Sentinel: "The popularity of 'helix' is steadily growing, and the revenue it generates will undoubtedly benefit those fortunate to live within Archon

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The Titan known as Oya appears to have deployed a large fleet of Orthrus vessels into star systems farther from their own territory breaking expected behaviour.
Analysts noted that the locations in which Orthrus vessels have been tracked didn't appear to have any particular importance, instead suggesting that this may be a new tactic or possibly a simple panic response to the mounting pressure on its fleet.
Titan Oya has been steadily losing territory to large numbers of AX-equipped human forces. These forces, spearheaded by coalitions known as 'AXI' and 'XSF' have been reclaiming ground from the Titans successfully for some time and were pivotal in the recent successful campaigns against the now-destroyed Titans, Taranis and Leigong.
The Pilots' Federation have issued an alert to all independent pilots for each of the star systems where Orthrus vessels have been detected:
"If Oya can be

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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

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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

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The recent NMLA attack in the Paresa system has encouraged the Imperial Senate to reach out to Imperator Hadrian Duval.
An official pronouncement was made by Senator Caspian Leopold:
"A majority of us believe that preserving the Duval bloodline is paramount for the future of the Empire. Hadrian Duval is not officially a member of the Imperial Family but he is the grandson of Emperor Hengist, meaning his as-yet unborn child is also of royal lineage."
"The NMLA has already murdered many Duvals, including Prince Harold. Indeed, Hadrian himself barely survived an assassination attempt last year. It's clear that the Empire can provide greater security than he currently has, and it is our duty to do so."
"Therefore, we propose making both Hadrian and Lady Astrid wards of the Senate. They will be placed under the highest level of protection, at least until this grave threat has abated."
Imperator

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*Pilots Federation ALERT*
The Kumo Council has declared war on the Haithis Purple Dynamic Group for the latter's role in supporting Neomedical Industries.
The pharmaceutical corporation's recent campaign in the Haithis system enabled the mass production of onionhead gamma strain, scheduled to be available as a medicinal product from Alliance and independent markets. The drug is currently distributed in a handful of anarchy systems by the Kumo Crew syndicate.
As hostilities erupted in the Haithis system, Archon Delaine broadcast a message for Neomedical Industries:
"Did you truly believe you could steal from us and survive unscathed? Now your allies will pay for your greed with their blood."
In response, CEO Olwyn Kendrick broadcast a call for help:
"This terrifying attack by the galaxy's most vicious pirates may pressure investors to withdraw, causing the entire project to collapse. If so, the

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Material gathered from the Titan Taranis wreckage has reportedly allowed Achilles Aerospace to complete the research on their prototype Frame Shift Drive.
The recent initiative sponsored by Achilles Aerospace saw over 5000 independent pilots enter the hazardous wreckage of Titan Taranis, retrieving enough Titan Drive Components to allow Achilles to allegedly design a new type of Frame Shift Drive based on Titan technology.
A spokesperson for Achilles Aerospace gave the following update:
The Achilles Corporation would like to commend every brave pilot that responded to our request. The data we are gathering from the collected materials is staggering, and our work has progressed at an astonishing rate. Our teams are hard at work getting the prototype ready for production as I speak, and we are eager to show you all the fruits of our labour very soon.
Sirius Corporation, the current sole

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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

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*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit has acquired an encrypted message that may reveal Theta Seven's location.
ACT successfully captured most of the bomb-making engineers known as Theta Group, and has now prioritised hunting down the NMLA's de facto leader.
This latest breakthrough was explained by Captain Milo Castile:
"Theta Group managed to delete most of their data prior to capture, but we retrieved a short message that they received on the 31st of July. At this point most of Theta Group were being harboured by Neo-Marlinist sympathisers within the Marlinist Colonies, but Theta Seven and his closest aides had fled to an unknown destination."
"Unfortunately the message has been encrypted using a pre-arranged cipher key, without which its contents are unreadable. It is unclear why this wasn't transmitted via the NMLA's dark-comms network, which remains

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Titan Leigong in the HIP 8887 system has been eliminated, following the same tactical approach used against Taranis.
Vox Galactica's Jade Sanderlyn reported:
"Two of the eight Thargoid Titans have now been put out of action. Leigong suffered the same fate as Taranis, with its core being targeted by a sustained bombardment."
"Aegis is overjoyed at these results. Both Professor Palin and Ram Tah are being praised for their development of the Guardian nanite torpedo, which is crucial to these attacks. And word is spreading that the Thargoid war machine has suffered a critical defeat, one that may change the entire conflict. Can these victories be repeated a further six times?"

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The Alliance has ended medical isolation for all citizens who were rescued from the Titans after being abducted by Thargoid vessels.
Prime Minister Edmund Mahon's official declaration was published by all newsfeeds:
"The Assembly has agreed that quarantine procedures for everyone recovered from the Titans are no longer necessary. Those who hail from an Allied system are being transported from the secure facilities back to their families and communities. Their long nightmare is over. We are sending our people home."
"I call upon the governments of the Empire, Federation and independent systems to follow our lead with their own citizens. We must not treat these unfortunates as criminals or laboratory specimens. During this dark time of war, let our humanity shine through."
Some medical institutes such as Kamadhenu Medipure and Vandermeer Corporation opposed the Alliance's decision, claiming that

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Azimuth Biotech has announced an invitation-only event for prospective business partners and military liaisons.
CEO Torben Rademaker provided a statement to the media:
"New opportunities have emerged for Azimuth to resume the lead in anti-xeno operations. With Thargoid fleets rampaging through the core systems, and Aegis's questionable policy of providing utility modules over increased firepower, humanity's defence once again falls to us. But our organisation will no longer work in solitude."
"I have extended the hand of partnership to selected financiers, military figures, research groups and manufacturing companies. They are invited to convene and discuss methods of helping us to resist the evil of the Thargoids."
Business analyst Marlon Royce published this report via Vox Galactica:
"Ostensibly, this appears to be a public relations exercise for Azimuth Biotech. However, the company's

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Princess Aisling Duval's call for the Empire to commit to a resumed Aegis project, alongside the Alliance and Federation, has received a harsh response.
Admiral Denton Patreus was approached for comment by the Eye on Achenar newsfeed:
"We all have our part to play in the Empire, but questioning military policy is hardly within a princess's remit. I would humbly suggest that Her Highness focuses on those areas where she excels: charity work, hosting parties, advocating the wellbeing of the citizens and so forth."
A similar viewpoint was expressed by Senator Zemina Torval, who simply remarked: "Perhaps I am old-fashioned, but there was a time when attempting to challenge the Emperor's decree was viewed as an insult to the throne."
Hadrian Augustus Duval's response was less confrontational but clear: "I firmly believe that non-collaboration is the best direction for the Empire, and respectfully

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The Imperial Senate has formally raised the issue that Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval has not yet produced any direct heirs.
The debate was instigated by Senator Lysandra Courcelle :
"The continuation of the Duval bloodline has formed the linchpin of our society for over a thousand years. But it has been eight years since Arissa Lavigny-Duval became our ruler. In that time there has been no spouse or consort, no indications of marriage, and no biological heir to the throne. We politely remind the Emperor of her duty to ensure the line of succession."
Following a highly spirited exchange among senators, Chancellor Anders Blaine proclaimed:
"Her Majesty has sacrificed much for the Empire. It is not our place to question her personal choices, but rather to support her vision for our prosperity and security."
Gudrun Vestergaard, royal correspondent for The Imperial Herald, analysed the situation:

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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

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Aegis has confirmed that the first ships equipped with Thargoid pulse neutralisers have entered the inner regions of the Maelstroms.
The new module provides a temporary shield against the electromagnetic pulse that is generated when ships reach a certain point within the Maelstroms. Until now, this has prevented all attempts to identify what Thargoid constructs may exist within the caustic clouds.
Rear Admiral Daniel Parry, the Federal Navy's liaison to Aegis, reported:
"Armed ships crewed by military and xenology specialists have now been sent into each Maelstrom. These pathfinder missions will attempt to gather as much tactical and environmental data as possible."
"We have also received information from Commanders who returned intact from the Maelstroms' core areas. We are unable to authenticate these accounts at present, but they are being collated and analysed. The Allied, Federal and

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The Empire has officially proclaimed Hadrian Augustus Duval and his wife Lady Astrid Minerva-Duval to be wards of the Senate.
The offer of senatorial protection was made following an NMLA attempt to assassinate them and their unborn child by bombing Dyson City starport.
Prior to being transported from the Paresa system to a secure location, Hadrian Duval sent this message:
"Lady Astrid and I accepted this offer with enormous reluctance. Neither of us wish to abandon our home or loyal followers. Yet we feel it is a matter of duty to protect our family and ensure future generations of the Duval bloodline."
"Nova Imperium will henceforth be known as Nova Paresa. It will continue to serve as a staunch ally of the Empire, as per the Treaty of Paresa. To all those who fought for our cause over the years, I assure you that history will never forget us. Memento Mordanticus!"
There has been public

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The Order of the Far God has reached out to Seo Jin-ae, offering information on the possible fate of the Dedicant.
The megaship was due to transport members of the True Chapters sect from the Popontia system to the Alliance-governed Mullag system, but made a hyperspace jump ahead of schedule and disappeared. The Federal Intelligence Agency has interrogated cult members still waiting in Federal prison cells, but reportedly obtained no useful information.
Days later, Aegis was directly contacted by chapters of the Order within independent space. They volunteered to discuss the Dedicant but only with Seo Jin-ae, whom they refer to as 'the Preceptor' for her ability to interpret to the Thargoid hive mind.
After meeting Far God representatives at a secure location, Seo Jin-ae made a public statement:
"The meeting wasn't as productive as the FIA hoped. I asked the cultists for information, but they

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*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Commanders have worked alongside Federal authorities to destroy criminal ships in the Gliese 868 system.
The pirate gang was responsible for multiple raids while Federal security services were distracted by public protests around the Hudson Contravention. To help protect shipping and eliminate the threat, bounties were placed on all criminal vessels.
Gliese 868 Services, which organised the counter-offensive against the pirates, announced:
"The combat expertise of Federal Navy auxiliaries and independent pilots has succeeded in driving back these ruthless criminals. We will be pleased to reimburse bounty vouchers at Bacon Port in Gliese 868."
The Federal Times reported on the political repercussions from these events:
"It is not just the security agencies that are embarrassed at relying on volunteers to protect trade in Gliese 868. Members of both the Republican and

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*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Darkwater Inc in the Summerland system has been declared a hostile military target for its role in abducting Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval.
The private military firm, led by Colonel Ronan Brock, was secretly hired by the Lords of Restoration to train and equip the NMLA. Darkwater troops also kept the Emperor imprisoned in a concealed bunker for over a year.
Once their involvement was revealed by ACT, Darkwater's forces regrouped around the megaship Pearl Mandate. Colonel Brock led an attempt to gain control of Summerland as a defensive measure but was unsuccessful. The mercenaries have now been branded as wanted criminals by the system authorities.
The order to strike against Darkwater came directly from Emperor Arissa:
"I call upon my loyal servants and all other warriors of honour to wipe out this nest of traitors. We remember the innocent victims of the NMLA by