Headline News - June 2006

Another freighter attacked
Posted By: Squadron Article: JUNE06-1 Reported To: INN Reported On: Ungstir Reported At: Sat Jun 03 13:00:05 2006

Deep Space - After reporting another attack by the CFF Trakral along major spacelanes, the surviving crew members of the UKT Svoryl gave INN a few details on their experiences."The ship came outta nowhere, literally nowhere. We barely had time to raise our shields and call for help before we had to abandon ship. The bastards took out our life support first thing, we're just lucky we got to an escape pod." said Norwalt MacGregor, the Martian captain of the Ungstiri-registered freighter. "Guess they didn't see us, 'cuz we were just floating there when we watched 'em take our cargo and fuel, then blew up the ship and went off again. Took us a full day before we were picked up by another freighter."No word yet from any major governments about this latest attack. More information will be available as it is made available to us!

Council Building to Re-Open
Posted By: Aeolus Article: JUNE06-2 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Sun Jun 04 11:26:32 2006

/Grand Enaj, Sivad/ The Council Building, home of the Sivadian Councils of Equals and Peers, will reopen next Saturday after almost a year of reconstruction.Attacked in both the insurrection led by Paul Moncrief and the so-called "Birthright War" against the Nall, the Council Building was reduced to a burned-out shell, forcing the Council to meet in the Enaj Convention Centre in Sanjuni. However, after a year of reconstruction, the Council Building will again play host to the Sivadian Parliament, which will sit in a ceremonial meeting in the building immediately after it reopens. King Richard will be present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but is not expected to attend the Council meeting./Neville McNamara, SBS/

OATO Closes Session on Nexus
Posted By: Aeolus Article: JUNE06-3 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Tue Jun 06 19:45:05 2006

/Ynos, Sivad/ Discussion of requests for permission to cross the Orion Arm Treaty Organization blockade and pass through the Multiverse Nexus resulted in the Orion Arm Council moving into closed session on Sunday evening.The OATO Meeting began with a statement by Secretary-General and Sivadian Ambassador Sir Oliver Jermyn, in which he stated that several groups, including the Athena Exploration Service and Captain Marlan Ranix, had approached the Kingdom of Sivad to request permission to pass the blockade. Sivad, however, intended to put the matter before the OATO Council, as the Council had voted the blockade. Demarian Ambassador Silvereye Paintedheart informed the Council that New Alhira had likewise received requests for Nexus access. Citing sensitive security information, the Council moved to closed session, turning off the holobroadcast and ejecting visitors.While the substance of the closed discussions was not made public, it is known that the OATO Council did not discuss any other element of its agenda, and apparently the Member worlds have been asked to make their views on the requests known as soon as possible./Neville McNamara, SBS/

Peers Will Not Take Moncrief Appeal
Posted By: Aeolus Article: JUNE06-4 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Tue Jun 06 20:07:56 2006

/Grand Enaj, Sivad/ The Judicial Committee of the Council of Peers, the highest court of the Kingdom of Sivad, has declined to hear an appeal of the high treason conviction of disgraced former First Councillor Paul Moncrief, paving the way for his execution.Lord Whiteacre, the senior Law Lord, informed Counsel this morning that the Peers would not take up the appeal, effectively upholding the decision of the Sivadian Supreme Court early last week. The Moncrief appeal has moved rapidly through the appellate courts, and has been upheld at every step. However, with the Peers refusing to step in, the stay that has prevented Moncrief's execution is lifted.The execution has not yet been scheduled, but the law requires that a warrant for execution, commonly called a "death warrant", be signed by the trial judge, Mr. Justice Julius Latimer of the Court of the Second Circle. Once that has been done, the execution must take place within a week./Neville McNamara, SBS/

Sentient Life Found on New Luna
Posted By: Wik'ikik Article: JUNE06-5 Reported To: INN Reported On: New Luna Reported At: Thu Jun 08 17:26:10 2006

GREENVILLE, NEW LUNA - A quarantine of more than two months has finally been lifted over the Greenville Research Facility. Most government officials were tight-lipped about the affair, but in a brief statement to the press, Governor Eldridge Seale announced today that scientists had discovered a new sentient lifeform, and that caution was required to effectively introduce it to New Luna society. He added that the asexual, psionic being has already learned a limited amount of Terran Standard, and has identified itself as 'Thole'.

Former Prince Killed
Posted By: Wik'ikik Article: JUNE06-6 Reported To: INN Reported On: New Luna Reported At: Fri Jun 09 00:33:28 2006

ST. PHILLIP'S ISLE, NEW LUNA - Merram Owens, Sanctuary traveller, former prince of La Terre, former Captain of the LTDF, and more recently, a member of the New Luna Militia Piloting Corps, died late yesterday night from complications following a Kulbati attack. Owens was taking a break from practicing landing procedures with two other members of the militia when they were attacked by four Kulbati, or 'death snakes', in the local vernacular. During this confrontation, Owens suffered grave psionic injuries. He was declared dead at Winston Memorial Hospital at 22:18 local time. He was 26. When asked for comment, the New Luna Militia urged residents of the eastern portion of the Crystalnight Sea to securely lock their doors at night, and only sleep in rooms that are more than twelve feet from the exterior of the home to reduce the threat of Kulbati attack while the reptiles travel through the area.

CFF Trakral: Nall Invaders or Human Pirates?
Posted By: Wik'ikik Article: JUNE06-7 Reported To: INN Reported On: New Luna Reported At: Sat Jun 10 16:17:44 2006

NEW LUNA ORBIT - A badly-damaged cargo freighter, the IND Packrat, was discovered by New Luna Militia personnel in a decaying orbit over the planet. With its discovery came some shocking news - The CFF Trakral may not be what it seems. Onboard the Packrat was found the remains of a firefight in the crew quarters, what some in the militia are postulating was the work of a boarding crew. The body of a human male with an insignia on his left shoulder with the words "CFF Trakral" and a small skull and crossbones on it was found among the dead. Several more were found dead on the bridge, exposed to vacuum via what militia personnel are saying was the work of a ship-based railgun and several spots on the hull look like they were subjected to plasma cannon fire. The ship's cargo bay had a large hole cut out of it, and cargo manifests show that fuel, foodstuffs, and three crates of computer equipment were stolen. Has the Trakral hype spawned a copycat? Is the Trakral perhaps not all that it appears? Or have the Nall turned to piracy to sustain their fleet? More on this story as it develops.

Freighter Destroyed Around New Luna
Posted By: Squadron Article: JUNE06-8 Reported To: INN Reported On: New Luna Reported At: Thu Jun 15 23:51:00 2006

SPACE, NEW LUNA - The crew of the GMF Athena barely escaped tragedy today as they investigated a distress call from an ailing freighter, the IND Gadspy. While the crew managed to bring the one surviving crew member of the freighter onboard before his ship was destroyed by an explosion of yet-unknown origins, his fate is unknown.What is known is that this ship was carrying an expensive load of computer parts and artwork from Sivad, and was due to arrive in New Luna several days ago. When she failed to make port, the owners had planned on waiting a few more days before searching for it. "Her Captain sometimes ran a couple days late, it's never worried us badly before. But we thought that, with all the Nall attacks going on, we should look into it this time. I'm just sorry we hadn't done anything earlier." said the cargo carrier's spokesperson, who refused to be named.Was this indeed another attack by the Nall (or pirate) ship CFF Trakral? Information is still sketchy as of this moment, but we will keep you informed as the story develops further.

New Luna Militia Selects Brig. General
Posted By: Wik'ikik Article: JUNE06-9 Reported To: INN Reported On: New Luna Reported At: Sat Jun 17 08:20:28 2006

NEW LUNA ORBIT, L49 SYSTEM - In a short ceremony today aboard Hancock Station, Jeff Ryan was inducted into the New Luna Militia with the rank of Brigadier General. Ryan, a former Senator for the alternate Luna and a highly controversial figure over the last few years, is expected to take his post as chief administrator of Hancock Station within the week. When asked after the ceremony, Governor Eldridge Seale praised the appointment, saying that "Mr. Ryan has the passion and drive of ten men, and I have full confidence in his abilities."

No New Members in Order of Sivad
Posted By: Aeolus Article: JUNE06-10 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Tue Jun 20 08:18:43 2006

/Grand Enaj, Sivad/ Preparations are underway for the annual Order of Sivad celebration on St. Thomas Day, June 22, but when Sivad's highest order of chivalry meets this year there will be no new members, as King Richard has named no new knights to the order in the last year.The Order of Sivad, the Kingdom's highest and most prestigious knighthood, is limited to only fifty members at one time, and is within the personal gift of King Richard. The order has not approached capacity since the restoration, and awards, both of knighthoods and honours in general, have been on the decline in the last two years. Honours lists are published twice a year, on the King's official birthday at the end of July, and at the New Year. New members of the Order of Sivad are then inducted into the order annually on the Order's Day, June 22, in St. Thomas Cathedral in Enaj.The next honours list will be published in the Enaj Gazette on July 31./Neville McNamara, SBS/

FLASH: Waldheim to Join Council
Posted By: Aeolus Article: JUNE06-11 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Tue Jun 20 22:11:23 2006

/Grand Enaj, Sivad/ King Richard, speaking at the reopening of the Council Building in Enaj, has announced that First Councillor Sir Fredrick Chamberlain will begin preparations for adding Waldheimer representatives to the Council of Equals.More details will be released as they become available./Neville McNamara, SBS/

Terrorists Attack Station
Posted By: Wik'ikik Article: JUNE06-12 Reported To: INN Reported On: New Luna Reported At: Wed Jun 21 23:19:44 2006

NEW LUNA ORBIT - It seems some people haven't forgotten the new Brigadier General's past. A caravan class freighter, registered under the name IND Diana Blue left Greenville at pproximately 0630 yesterday morning. Sources on the station say the freighter was already under observation due to it's higher than average power signature when she changed her course and began to accelerate and overload her engines turning the freighter into a slow but effective missile.Station personnel sounded General Quarters, but it's understood Ryan himself was forced to open fire on the vessel after she refused hails before issuing her only transmission 'Death to the Tubers' on a local traffic signal.She was destroyed prior to impact, but the energy and debris from the explosion caused minor damage. Thirty three station personnel took minor wounds including the newly appointed general. Five people were seriously wounded in fires breaking out due to the impact, only one is in serious condition at the hospital on Greenville. He is serious but stable.The 'Sons of Mars' have claimed responsability for the attack.

SDP leader speaks after council opening
Posted By: Brody Article: JUNE06-13 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Sat Jun 24 08:38:58 2006

GRAND ENAJ, SIVAD - In the wake of the King's shocking proclamation that representation and full membership on the Council of Equals would be granted to Waldheim, Social Democratic Party leader Geoffrey Sedgemore had his most upbeat weekly press conference in months. "It's about time that all members of our empire began to be represented," stated Sedgemore. "It is only regrettable that the people of Waldheim had to wait so long to get fair representation, and that in order to get that representation such horrible events had to occur."Mr Sedgemore displayed delight that "even the King, who has opposed our progressive agenda to bring peace and prosperity to regular Sivadians, could recognize from his ivory towers that it is about time that representation was granted to all. We can only hope it is the beginning of a new governing philosophy from the Monarchy." Sedgemore, however, refused to admit it was a done deal. "This is a democracy," he said, "and in a democracy, the Council will have to vote. The Monarch can not just rule by degree."The SDP Leader also fielded questions about the reopening of the Council Building and his predecessor as leader of the SDP, Paul Moncrief. Sedgemore declared that, "The reopening of the Council Building was quite an exciting moment for me. When the first Council Building was destroyed, I had just been elected in a by-election, and as a result never had the opportunity to debate in the cosy confines of the building I have had such affinity for since my childhood. I can hardly wait until my first time inside the building - it promises to be surreal. As for Mr Moncrief - obviously, I am opposed to the use of the death penalty in all cases. However, it is good for this country that Paul Moncrief has been brought to justice, and he certainly deserves the most severe punishment meted out by law. The SDP benches are equally relieved with the rest of the country that this can be brought to a close."

Moncrief Gets Last Minute Stay
Posted By: Aeolus Article: JUNE06-14 Reported To: SBS Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Sat Jun 24 19:55:42 2006

/Grand Enaj, Sivad/ With less than an hour before the scheduled execution of former First Councillor Paul Moncrief, he has received a stay of execution. The reason? Sivadian officials have determined that the official executioner neglected to pre-stretch the rope.The Home Office announced the stay and said that there was insufficient time to obtain a new rope that would meet with specifications. Therefore, the execution has been postponed for several days to a week so that the preparations can be redone and checked.Until then, Moncrief remains under heavy guard on death row in a prison in the Northern Expanse./Neville McNamara, SBS/

Trakral Destroyed!
Posted By: Squadron Article: JUNE06-15 Reported To: INN Reported On: Sivad Reported At: Sat Jul 01 00:17:01 2006

SPACE, SIVAD - The warship CFF Trakral will not be terrorizing the space lanes anymore, thanks to diligent actions by members of Sivad's RNS. While details of the operation have yet to be made public, the HMS Regreb Bay was involved in a space battle with the CFF Trakral, which ended in the ship's surrender. After being ordered off the ship and after RNS marines had cleared the ship, it self-destructed. Although death toll is unknown at this point, what is known is that all of the escape pods launched by the vessel were consumed in the explosion, with RNS casualties minimal.