28 APR 3304
The murder of Imperial Senator Nestor Cartesius has led to widespread public speculation, along with an increased interest in the activities of the Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm.
Dr Oskar Kincaid, an Alliance historian, examined the backdrop to the case:
“The INRA has always been viewed with suspicion. Contemporaneous records suggest that it was involved in biochemical warfare against the Thargoids during their original incursion in the 3100s. There were even rumours of experimentation on live Thargoid subjects, but at the time many saw this as the only way to halt a superior hostile force.”
“Why this shadowy operation from one and a half centuries ago should now result in an Imperial senator’s death is a matter of conjecture. But there are many documented cases of retroactive retribution, where one family – or its followers – seeks atonement from another. History’s course is often diverted by the flow of bloodlines.”
Jast Fernández, chief editor of an independent media outlet, made more candid observations:
“It’s clear that the killer was motivated by the recent discovery of Commander Jameson’s ship, and the logs that prove he was manipulated and sacrificed by the INRA. If one of Cartesius’s great-grandparents was responsible, of course that would make him a target. And although it’s hard to condone murder, it’s also difficult not to see this as an ethically grey area. The INRA’s betrayal of Jameson is a monstrous injustice that cries out for redemption.”
Imperial newsfeeds featured an appeal from Senator Pal Vespasian:
“The loss of my friend and colleague in the Senate is a terrible tragedy. I ask that Nestor’s family be given space to grieve.”
Captain Niamh Seutonia, who is leading the IISS investigation, also released a brief statement:
“Assumptions regarding Senator Cartesius’s death are unhelpful at this stage. We are currently pursuing forensic leads from the crime scene as well as undertaking background research. I will keep the public apprised of the facts.”