Galactic News

  • May 4, 3304
  • Defending the Sim-Archive

    The Utopia commune has launched a project to build a military installation in its home system to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.

    Dr Leigh Constantinides, a spokesperson for Utopia, made this announcement:

    “Following recent observations by the respected strategist Marquis Novantico, we accept that the Sim-Archive requires increased protection to prevent its knowledge from falling into the wrong hands. Our partner organisation, the Narri Justice Party, is therefore overseeing the construction of a new security installation. We beseech the galactic community to support this worthy endeavour.”

    Independent pilots are requested to deliver construction materials to Bobko City in the Narri system. To protect traders, the Narri Justice Party has also placed a kill order on all ships on its wanted list operating in the system.

    The campaign begins on the 3rd of May 3304 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

  • Antal’s Pessimism Triggers Backlash

    Many key figures have contested Pranav Antal’s suggestion that humanity could lose the conflict against the Thargoids.

    Federal Shadow President Felicia Winters commented:

    “It’s surprising to hear such a dystopian prediction from the leader of Utopia! I know Antal’s heart is in the right place when he talks about preparing for the far future, but our focus should be on the present. The Thargoid threat has prompted an unprecedented level of inter-power cooperation, and this positive approach is what we must concentrate on.”

    Admiral Aden Tanner made a statement on behalf of Aegis:

    “Let me make this clear: our enemy may be powerful, but they are far from achieving victory. With our AX weaponry and new megaships, Aegis is leading an effective resistance against Thargoid forces.”

    Further refutation came from Li Yong-Rui, CEO of the Sirius Corporation:

    “With all due respect to Antal, his peculiar vision of humanity surviving as a mass of digital ghosts cannot be taken seriously. It’s not as if civilisation is on the edge of collapse – for most of us it remains business as usual. Our survival instincts and ingenuity will keep our societies functioning for a long time to come.”

  • May 3, 3304
  • Antal’s Pessimism Triggers Backlash

    Many key figures have contested Pranav Antal’s suggestion that humanity could lose the conflict against the Thargoids.

    Federal Shadow President Felicia Winters commented:

    “It’s surprising to hear such a dystopian prediction from the leader of Utopia! I know Antal’s heart is in the right place when he talks about preparing for the far future, but our focus should be on the present. The Thargoid threat has prompted an unprecedented level of inter-power cooperation, and this positive approach is what we must concentrate on.”

    Admiral Aden Tanner made a statement on behalf of Aegis:

    “Let me make this clear: our enemy may be powerful, but they are far from achieving victory. With our AX weaponry and new megaships, Aegis is leading an effective resistance against Thargoid forces.”

    Further refutation came from Li Yong-Rui, CEO of the Sirius Corporation:

    “With all due respect to Antal, his peculiar vision of humanity surviving as a mass of digital ghosts cannot be taken seriously. It’s not as if civilisation is on the edge of collapse – for most of us it remains business as usual. Our survival instincts and ingenuity will keep our societies functioning for a long time to come.”

  • Defending the Sim-Archive

    The Utopia commune has launched a project to build a military installation in its home system to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.

    Dr Leigh Constantinides, a spokesperson for Utopia, made this announcement:

    “Following recent observations by the respected strategist Marquis Novantico, we accept that the Sim-Archive requires increased protection to prevent its knowledge from falling into the wrong hands. Our partner organisation, the Narri Justice Party, is therefore overseeing the construction of a new security installation. We beseech the galactic community to support this worthy endeavour.”

    Independent pilots are requested to deliver construction materials to Bobko City in the Narri system. To protect traders, the Narri Justice Party has also placed a kill order on all ships on its wanted list operating in the system.

    The campaign begins on the 3rd of May 3304 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

  • April 29, 3304
  • Week in Review

    Here are this week’s major stories.

    Simguru Pranav Antal, leader of Utopia, has addressed the possibility that humanity may lose the conflict against the Thargoids. In a public statement, he suggested that the Sim-Archive – a digital repository of human memories – could be the key to humanity’s survival, should the Thargoids overwhelm the human race.

    Meanwhile, the murder of Imperial Senator Nestor Cartesius has led to widespread public speculation. One commentator speculated that the killer was “motivated by the discovery of John Jameson’s ship, and the logs that prove he was manipulated and sacrificed by the INRA”. A member of the Imperial Internal Security Service confirmed that the organisation was pursuing forensic leads from the crime scene.

    In other news, the Vadimo Patrons of Law have announced plans to host an elaborate soirée in the Vadimo system. A spokesperson for the organisation said, “We’ve got aggressive aliens on the doorstep and no one seems entirely sure what to do about it. So we thought – why not throw a big party?”

    Finally, Angeli Imperial Enterprises has announced that its campaign to build a Bowman-class science vessel has been enthusiastically received by the galactic community. Scores of pilots supported the initiative by delivering commodities to Kanai Enterprise and by eliminating agitators in Blido Piru, thereby ensuring the safety of traders.

    And those are the main stories this week.

  • April 28, 3304
  • Senator’s Death Raises Questions about INRA

    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.”

  • Week in Review

    Here are this week’s major stories.

    Simguru Pranav Antal, leader of Utopia, has addressed the possibility that humanity may lose the conflict against the Thargoids. In a public statement, he suggested that the Sim-Archive – a digital repository of human memories – could be the key to humanity’s survival, should the Thargoids overwhelm the human race.

    Meanwhile, the murder of Imperial Senator Nestor Cartesius has led to widespread public speculation. One commentator speculated that the killer was “motivated by the discovery of John Jameson’s ship, and the logs that prove he was manipulated and sacrificed by the INRA”. A member of the Imperial Internal Security Service confirmed that the organisation was pursuing forensic leads from the crime scene.

    In other news, the Vadimo Patrons of Law have announced plans to host an elaborate soirée in the Vadimo system. A spokesperson for the organisation said, “We’ve got aggressive aliens on the doorstep and no one seems entirely sure what to do about it. So we thought – why not throw a big party?”

    Finally, Angeli Imperial Enterprises has announced that its campaign to build a Bowman-class science vessel has been enthusiastically received by the galactic community. Scores of pilots supported the initiative by delivering commodities to Kanai Enterprise and by eliminating agitators in Blido Piru, thereby ensuring the safety of traders.

    And those are the main stories this week

  • April 27, 3304
  • Senator’s Death Raises Questions about INRA

    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.”

  • April 26, 3304
  • Utopia Plans for Humanity’s Extinction

    An announcement from Simguru Pranav Antal, leader of Utopia, has addressed the possibility that humanity may lose the conflict against the Thargoids.

    “For many years, our Sim-Archive has bridged the past and the future by digitally preserving the memories of countless deceased individuals. Should there come a time when our physical selves no longer exist, it is the Sim-Archive alone that will preserve humankind’s essence.”

    “As such, in these volatile times, our priority is to ensure that the Sim-Archive survives humanity’s potential extermination. We urge all galactic citizens to join Utopia and help the collective soul of our species live on.”

    Commander Solveig Smith, who has fought the Thargoids in the Pleiades, commented:

    “Antal makes it sound like we are about to be wiped out, which is far from the truth. Things are tough right now, but we’re a long way off having to convert the whole human race into software!”

    A more practical concern was raised by Marquis Felix Novantico, a retired military strategist for the Imperial Navy:

    “Pranav Antal’s pessimism notwithstanding, an increase in security for his Sim-Archive is logically sound. The data it contains makes it a valuable prize for our enemy. Should the Thargoids gain access to it, it could lead to a better understanding of human psychology, and allow them to anticipate our tactics more effectively.”

  • April 25, 3304
  • Utopia Plans for Humanity’s Extinction

    An announcement from Simguru Pranav Antal, leader of Utopia, has addressed the possibility that humanity may lose the conflict against the Thargoids.

    “For many years, our Sim-Archive has bridged the past and the future by digitally preserving the memories of countless deceased individuals. Should there come a time when our physical selves no longer exist, it is the Sim-Archive alone that will preserve humankind’s essence.”

    “As such, in these volatile times, our priority is to ensure that the Sim-Archive survives humanity’s potential extermination. We urge all galactic citizens to join Utopia and help the collective soul of our species live on.”

    Commander Solveig Smith, who has fought the Thargoids in the Pleiades, commented:

    “Antal makes it sound like we are about to be wiped out, which is far from the truth. Things are tough right now, but we’re a long way off having to convert the whole human race into software!”

    A more practical concern was raised by Marquis Felix Novantico, a retired military strategist for the Imperial Navy:

    “Pranav Antal’s pessimism notwithstanding, an increase in security for his Sim-Archive is logically sound. The data it contains makes it a valuable prize for our enemy. Should the Thargoids gain access to it, it could lead to a better understanding of human psychology, and allow them to anticipate our tactics more effectively.”

  • Starport Status Update

    This report presents the latest data on starports experiencing technical issues as a result of Thargoid Sensor related interference.

    The following starports are currently closed:

    Antonelli Station, HR 1201

    Asire Arena, Dakondunii

    Boe Orbital, Abast Samo

    Ford Hub, Khaka

    Hutton Dock, Khaka

    Kanwar Orbital, Tz'utuls

    Solovyev Colony, Carcinus

    Thomas' Claim, Telin

    Walker Port, HIP 14886

    Meanwhile, the following starports are on the brink of closure:

    Ali Point, Pehuti

    Asimov Dock, Omicron Ursae Majoris

    Auld Platform, Djirupatha

    Baudin Relay, Li Chen Yun

    Bear Settlement, HIP 32350

    Born Hub, Amemakarna

    Bulychev Laboratory, Lyncis Sector KM-V b2-3

    Canonn Institute, Col 285 Sector IX-T d3-43

    Eskridge Mine, Saptara

    Extra Refinery, Azrael

    Gaiman Beacon, Onyayp

    Holdstock Beacon, Kamchadals

    Kimberlin's Inheritance, Lyncis Sector DQ-Y c9

    Makeev Plant, Lyncis Sector MH-V b2-3

    Noli Enterprise, HIP 32135

    Piccard Escape, Lyncis Sector DQ-Y c15

    Pike Works, Agarahma

    Qureshi Enterprise, Khaka

    Raymo's R and R and R, Cardea

    Robinson Landing, HIP 32350

    Russell Platform, Alklhaluana

    Shaikh Mines, Agarahma

  • April 24, 3304
  • Starport Status Update

    This report presents the latest data on starports experiencing technical issues as a result of Thargoid Sensor related interference.

    The following starports are currently closed:

    Antonelli Station, HR 1201

    Asire Arena, Dakondunii

    Boe Orbital, Abast Samo

    Ford Hub, Khaka

    Hutton Dock, Khaka

    Kanwar Orbital, Tz'utuls

    Solovyev Colony, Carcinus

    Thomas' Claim, Telin

    Walker Port, HIP 14886

    Meanwhile, the following starports are on the brink of closure:

    Ali Point, Pehuti

    Asimov Dock, Omicron Ursae Majoris

    Auld Platform, Djirupatha

    Baudin Relay, Li Chen Yun

    Bear Settlement, HIP 32350

    Born Hub, Amemakarna

    Bulychev Laboratory, Lyncis Sector KM-V b2-3

    Canonn Institute, Col 285 Sector IX-T d3-43

    Eskridge Mine, Saptara

    Extra Refinery, Azrael

    Gaiman Beacon, Onyayp

    Holdstock Beacon, Kamchadals

    Kimberlin's Inheritance, Lyncis Sector DQ-Y c9

    Makeev Plant, Lyncis Sector MH-V b2-3

    Noli Enterprise, HIP 32135

    Piccard Escape, Lyncis Sector DQ-Y c15

    Pike Works, Agarahma

    Qureshi Enterprise, Khaka

    Raymo's R and R and R, Cardea

    Robinson Landing, HIP 32350

    Russell Platform, Alklhaluana

    Shaikh Mines, Agarahma

  • April 20, 3304
  • Peace in Her Time: A Profile of Jasmina Halsey

    Independent journalist Chukwuma Grant has published an article on peace activist and former Federal President Jasmina Halsey. Grant has described the report as a wide-ranging analysis that addresses “the political impact of a politician renouncing politics”.

    Key extracts from the article are reprinted below:

    “Some believe that Jasmina Halsey always intended to defect from the Federation and join the Alliance, where she currently acts as an advisor to Prime Minister Edmund Mahon. Others assert that after years of inhumane politics, her conscience broke through – that she sought meaning by helping others and striving for concord between the powers.”

    “But it was Starship One’s destruction that transformed Halsey – something that she herself could not possibly have planned. Her subsequent ‘visions’ made her politically toxic, at least as far as the Federation was concerned, allowing her to simply walk away from presidential life. In that escape pod, she escaped from more than an exploding ship – she escaped her previous self.”

    “Critics argue that Halsey’s extraordinary claims of encountering super-intelligent beings and seeing paradise are meaningless without evidence. And yet, in a cosmos containing Thargoids and Guardians, can they be easily dismissed? Or are her outlandish claims designed to cultivate a following among the disenfranchised and make her into a messianic figure?”

    “If Halsey is walking a deliberate path, it remains an unstable one. Many in the Alliance have questioned why their leader is taking advice from a former psychiatric patient, let alone an ex-Federal President. Whether she is a visionary, a lunatic or a brilliant political manipulator remains to be seen.”

  • April 19, 3304
  • Peace in Her Time: A Profile of Jasmina Halsey

    Independent journalist Chukwuma Grant has published an article on peace activist and former Federal President Jasmina Halsey. Grant has described the report as a wide-ranging analysis that addresses “the political impact of a politician renouncing politics”.

    Key extracts from the article are reprinted below:

    “Some believe that Jasmina Halsey always intended to defect from the Federation and join the Alliance, where she currently acts as an advisor to Prime Minister Edmund Mahon. Others assert that after years of inhumane politics, her conscience broke through – that she sought meaning by helping others and striving for concord between the powers.”

    “But it was Starship One’s destruction that transformed Halsey – something that she herself could not possibly have planned. Her subsequent ‘visions’ made her politically toxic, at least as far as the Federation was concerned, allowing her to simply walk away from presidential life. In that escape pod, she escaped from more than an exploding ship – she escaped her previous self.”

    “Critics argue that Halsey’s extraordinary claims of encountering super-intelligent beings and seeing paradise are meaningless without evidence. And yet, in a cosmos containing Thargoids and Guardians, can they be easily dismissed? Or are her outlandish claims designed to cultivate a following among the disenfranchised and make her into a messianic figure?”

    “If Halsey is walking a deliberate path, it remains an unstable one. Many in the Alliance have questioned why their leader is taking advice from a former psychiatric patient, let alone an ex-Federal President. Whether she is a visionary, a lunatic or a brilliant political manipulator remains to be seen.”

  • April 18, 3304
  • Starport Status Update

    This report presents the latest data on starports experiencing technical issues as a result of Thargoid Sensor related interference.

    The following starports are currently closed:

    Altshuller Port, Monoto

    Antonelli Station, HR 1201

    Asire Arena, Dakondunii

    Boe Orbital, Abast Samo

    Corte-Real Terminal, 19 Phi-2 Ceti

    Hansen Station, HIP 95256

    Harvey Ring, Gl 606.1 B

    McDivitt Port, Wolf 1022

    Reed Dock, Monoto

    Solovyev Colony, Carcinus

    Talos 1, Peregrina

    Talos 2, Peregrina

    Thomas' Claim, Telin

    Wye-Delta Station, Carcinus

    Meanwhile, the following starports are on the brink of closure:

    Bokeili Ring, HIP 33368

    Farmer Laboratory, Ling Deti

    Ford Hub, Khaka

    Hutton Dock, Khaka

    Kanwar Orbital, Tz'utuls

    Kremmen's Respite, Kioti 368

    Rand Dock, HIP 33368

    Rigaux Survey, HIP 22229

    Tanner City, V886 Centauri

    Walker Port, HIP 14886

    Wegner Market, Rind

    Wollheim Vision, Fuelum

    Young Station, Ling Deti

  • April 17, 3304
  • Starport Status Update

    This report presents the latest data on starports experiencing technical issues as a result of Thargoid Sensor related interference.

    The following starports are currently closed:

    Altshuller Port, Monoto

    Antonelli Station, HR 1201

    Asire Arena, Dakondunii

    Boe Orbital, Abast Samo

    Corte-Real Terminal, 19 Phi-2 Ceti

    Hansen Station, HIP 95256

    Harvey Ring, Gl 606.1 B

    McDivitt Port, Wolf 1022

    Reed Dock, Monoto

    Solovyev Colony, Carcinus

    Talos 1, Peregrina

    Talos 2, Peregrina

    Thomas' Claim, Telin

    Wye-Delta Station, Carcinus

    Meanwhile, the following starports are on the brink of closure:

    Bokeili Ring, HIP 33368

    Farmer Laboratory, Ling Deti

    Ford Hub, Khaka

    Hutton Dock, Khaka

    Kanwar Orbital, Tz'utuls

    Kremmen's Respite, Kioti 368

    Rand Dock, HIP 33368

    Rigaux Survey, HIP 22229

    Tanner City, V886 Centauri

    Walker Port, HIP 14886

    Wegner Market, Rind

    Wollheim Vision, Fuelum

    Young Station, Ling Deti

  • April 15, 3304
  • Week in Review

    Here are this week’s major stories.

    Princess Aisling Duval’s comments about Aegis have attracted a measure of support. One Imperial senator suggested that Duval had “correctly gauged the mood of the people”, while another commentator suggested that her comments were a sign of maturity.

    Meanwhile, an independent report suggests that piracy has declined since the return of the Thargoids. The author of the report has suggested that the presence of an alien threat has dampened felons’ appetite for preying on fellow humans. Security forces in the Pegasi Sector have refuted these suggestions, however.

    The Empire has announced plans to build a new training centre for novice pilots, and has placed an open order for research materials and mined resources for use in the construction. Once complete, the centre will be home to a state-of-the-art training programme designed to create the next generation of starship pilots.

    In other news, astronomers based in the Sol system may have detected a signal from New Horizons, a space probe launched in 2006 with a mission to study various objects in the Kuiper belt. One of the astronomers responsible for the find gave details of the object’s approximate location, and encouraged explorers to seek it out.

    Finally, a spokesperson for the Atlas Corporation has announced that its campaign to build a megaship has reached a successful conclusion. A parallel initiative from the Privateers Alliance has also achieved its aims, after the organisation’s appeal for commodities was enthusiastically received by the galactic community.

    And those are the main stories this week.

  • April 14, 3304
  • Week in Review

    Here are this week’s major stories.

    Princess Aisling Duval’s comments about Aegis have attracted a measure of support. One Imperial senator suggested that Duval had “correctly gauged the mood of the people”, while another commentator suggested that her comments were a sign of maturity.

    Meanwhile, an independent report suggests that piracy has declined since the return of the Thargoids. The author of the report has suggested that the presence of an alien threat has dampened felons’ appetite for preying on fellow humans. Security forces in the Pegasi Sector have refuted these suggestions, however.

    The Empire has announced plans to build a new training centre for novice pilots, and has placed an open order for research materials and mined resources for use in the construction. Once complete, the centre will be home to a state-of-the-art training programme designed to create the next generation of starship pilots.

    In other news, astronomers based in the Sol system may have detected a signal from New Horizons, a space probe launched in 2006 with a mission to study various objects in the Kuiper belt. One of the astronomers responsible for the find gave details of the object’s approximate location, and encouraged explorers to seek it out.

    Finally, a spokesperson for the Atlas Corporation has announced that its campaign to build a megaship has reached a successful conclusion. A parallel initiative from the Privateers Alliance has also achieved its aims, after the organisation’s appeal for commodities was enthusiastically received by the galactic community.

    And those are the main stories this week.

  • Pirates vs Thargoids?

    A new independent report suggests that piracy has declined across occupied space since the return of the Thargoids.

    Dr Jin Rameer, who runs a socio-political think tank, made the following observations in her report:

    “Statistics show a significant reduction in piracy and criminal behaviour since the Thargoid presence was confirmed. But the reason has not come under scrutiny until now.”

    “Has the presence of an alien threat dampened felons’ appetite for preying on fellow humans? It’s widely understood that communities become stronger when faced with a common enemy, so perhaps one positive consequence of the Thargoids’ return is the dissolution of barriers between social groups.”

    “Alternatively, those attracted to piracy may find a greater – and less morally troubling – thrill in turning their weapons on non-human targets. Whether or not their motives are altruistic, criminal elements may be transforming into defenders of the very societies they have previously terrorised.”

    But a spokesperson for security forces in the Pegasi Sector responded:

    “Dr Rameer needs to get out of her comfortable office and into the black. The Kumo Crew have raided dozens of systems in recent months, taking advantage of the fact that our forces are tied up with the Thargoids. Believe me, Archon Delaine sees the Thargoids as an opportunity, not a common enemy. The pirates don’t care if the galaxy burns, as long as their pockets are full.”

  • April 13, 3304
  • Pirates vs Thargoids?

    A new independent report suggests that piracy has declined across occupied space since the return of the Thargoids.

    Dr Jin Rameer, who runs a socio-political think tank, made the following observations in her report:

    “Statistics show a significant reduction in piracy and criminal behaviour since the Thargoid presence was confirmed. But the reason has not come under scrutiny until now.”

    “Has the presence of an alien threat dampened felons’ appetite for preying on fellow humans? It’s widely understood that communities become stronger when faced with a common enemy, so perhaps one positive consequence of the Thargoids’ return is the dissolution of barriers between social groups.”

    “Alternatively, those attracted to piracy may find a greater – and less morally troubling – thrill in turning their weapons on non-human targets. Whether or not their motives are altruistic, criminal elements may be transforming into defenders of the very societies they have previously terrorised.”

    But a spokesperson for security forces in the Pegasi Sector responded:

    “Dr Rameer needs to get out of her comfortable office and into the black. The Kumo Crew have raided dozens of systems in recent months, taking advantage of the fact that our forces are tied up with the Thargoids. Believe me, Archon Delaine sees the Thargoids as an opportunity, not a common enemy. The pirates don’t care if the galaxy burns, as long as their pockets are full.”