Display MoreA three-day symposium has begun that will outline proposals to reform Aegis, the tri-superpower anti-xeno agency.
The event is taking place at the national conference centre in New Apollo City on the planet Biggs Colony. It has been organised by Professor Alba Tesreau, Aegis's former head of research. In her opening address to attendees, she said:
"In the aftermath of HIP 22460's failure to end the war, humanity remains locked in this fight against the Thargoids. I believe that we have become hyper-focused on military action, meaning we may never truly understand this species. Aegis's collaborative nature was ideally suited for such work, but internal and external pressures resulted in its closure. I am officially declaring my aim to convince the Alliance, Empire and Federation to reverse that closure."
Detailed plans to reform the organisation were presented by other former members of Aegis including Carter Armstrong, Dr Mia Valencourt and Yazhu Xing. Several issues highlighted by the Baumann Report, including mismanagement and low morale, were openly addressed. The audience was shown evidence that the loss of the Alexandria megaship, originally seen as an example of Aegis's negligence, was due to sabotage and hijacking by Azimuth Biotech agents.
The hosts were also asked about the xeno-peace movement and the popular audio package released last week by ICE-caster Joy Senne. Professor Tesreau stated:
"Neither I nor any former Aegis staff are involved with the Thargoid Advocacy Project or any similar groups. But I have always believed that researching methods of inter-species communication should be a priority."
A combination of politicians, scientists, naval officers and journalists were present on the first day of the event. The most high-profile guests included Allied Deputy Prime Minister Angela Corcoran, Federal Ambassador Jasmina Halsey and Shadow Vice President Isolde Rochester. There were no representatives from the Empire, but a delegation from the Marlinist Colonies observed proceedings.
