08 OCT 3301
Earlier today, an anonymous message was delivered to a number of news feeds claiming that secret genetic experiments were being conducted in the Noti system. Many commentators dismissed the message as a hoax, but now it seems the claims may have a basis in reality. Marc Garfield, a reporter for the Federal Times, has allegedly seen the so-called 'master chefs' first hand, and the encounter clearly made an impression:
"There's a secret training facility at Weber Gateway – I managed to sneak in through an air vent. In one room I saw a bunch of slaves chopping vegetables, blindfolded, while a deafening alarm went off. If the slaves dropped below a certain rate of efficiency or precision, they were given an electric shock. In another room they were navigating an assault course while making a soufflé. At least I think it was a soufflé – I'm not an expert. I've never seen anything like it."
Garfield is a respected journalist, and his testimony lends considerable credibility to the 'master chef' story. The journalist also claims that the appeal from the Revolutionary Noti Value Party for Aganippe Rush has been coordinated by the organisation that created the master chefs, and he has suggested that the appeal may be part of an initiative to bring the gourmet slaves to market as a tradable commodity.
08 OCT 3301
Last week, the starport of Bacon City played host to the inaugural Bacon Protests anniversary celebrations, which commemorated the repeal of the meat ban that affected citizens of the Carnoeck system in 3288. Revellers from across the galaxy descended on Bacon City to join in the fun, and hundreds of independent pilots ferried animal meat and narcotics to the starport to fuel the festivities.
The event was not without problems, however, as the steady stream of traders and party goers attracted pirates and other disruptive elements to Bacon City. At one point, the starport was blockaded by an animal-rights group, who ordered ships carrying animal meat to jettison their cargo at gunpoint.
A spokesperson for United Carnoeck for Equality, the event's sponsors, released the following announcement:
"For the most part the celebrations have been a huge success, but an event like this is bound to attract a few unsavoury elements. Fortunately we anticipated such an eventuality, and set aside some money for the post-party cleanup. So if you're a bounty hunter and you want to help clear the spaceways around Bacon City, get yourself to the Carnoeck system! We'll make it worth your while."
08 OCT 3301
An anonymous message has been delivered to a number of news feeds claiming that clandestine genetic experiments are being carried out in Noti system. The message, which was delivered in the early hours of the morning, asserts that an unnamed organisation has secretly created a new strain of slave labour. The full contents of the message are as follows:
"I don't know what they're called – they hide behind various dummy companies – but I know what they're doing. They target people that match a specific genetic template, and kidnap them when they're just kids. Then they subject them to the most punishing, dehumanising training imaginable. By the end of it, the subject is barely even human. Their compassion and empathy have been completely hammered out of them. All that's left is the desire to cook. They call these creations...the Master Chefs."
Is the message legitimate, or is it just an imaginative hoax? We leave you to decide.
08 OCT 3301
Two weeks ago, the Imperial Internal Security Service issued a request for exploration data as part of its ongoing effort to locate bases belonging to the insurgent organisation Emperor's Dawn. The request resulted in a raft of fresh astrological data, which has since been subjected to rigorous analysis by the IISS. This in turn has produced a list of star systems that the IISS believes contain Emperor's Dawn bases: Namarii, Tabaldak, LTT 874, Shambhala and Svari.
Some commentators have expressed surprise at the Empire's decision to release the information, given its importance to the Imperial campaign, but Senator Denton Patreus, who is leading the fight against Emperor's Dawn, has no reservations:
"Surprise is not a significant factor at this stage of the campaign. Let the insurgents prepare for our arrival. They cannot hope to withstand the full might of the Empire. We will crush them."
Having already eradicated an Emperor's Dawn cell in Maausk, it is assumed that the Empire will soon launch military campaigns against the remaining insurgent bases.
08 OCT 3301
This weekly roundup highlights some of the minor factions pursuing the dream of democratic freedom by holding elections (*).
Here are 10 of the 2,833 minor factions holding elections:
Rishair Emperor's Grace
V2689 Orionis Jet Transport Ltd
V2689 Orionis Limited
Conservatives of Antilope
Constitution Party of Antilope
LTT 9573 Company
LTT 9573 Crimson Advanced Ltd
Flech Systems
Flech Bridge Systems
Ho Hsien Corporation
Elections occur when two minor factions of a similar political structure resolve a conflict over ownership and influence within a system.
* Data is correct at time of publishing.