28 AUG 3301
Imperial Internal Security Service Requests Exploration Data
In an unprecedented move, the Imperial Internal Security Service – the organisation responsible for domestic security throughout the Empire – has issued an open contract for exploration data. Agent Cope of the IISS made the following statement:
“The Imperial Internal Security Service is conducting a comprehensive revision of its information networks, and is therefore in need of as much fresh data as possible. The more information we have, the more accurate we can make our database. We thank the community in advance for their cooperation with this effort.”
The request was preceded by rumours that the organisation was actively gathering information about the group known as Emperor’s Dawn. When asked about the rumours, Agent Cope said:
“I can assure you that any allegations concerning interest in specific individuals or groups are entirely groundless. The IISS has a remit to analyse any available data for useful intelligence, and the exploration data we have requested will be subjected to this analysis. That does not mean, however, that this operation has been designed to gather information about Emperor’s Dawn.”
This refutation was somewhat undermined, however, by an article published this morning in the Imperial Citizen. In the article, the Citizen claimed to have intercepted an IISS communiqué in which Emperor’s Dawn was specifically mentioned:
“Our recommendation concerning Emperor’s Dawn is to gather fresh astrological data, and to filter it for information about the group’s movements and bases of operation. Our belief is that the organisation has no more than half a dozen bases within inhabited space, but it would nevertheless be advisable to accumulate accurate data.”
The request is being managed by the Cemiess Empire Party on behalf of the IISS. Independent pilots interested in participating should deliver exploration data to Mackenzie Relay in the Cemiess system.