It's time for another weekly report on the struggles of the foremost political powers in the galaxy. With ongoing hostilities throughout inhabited space, who has benefitted from the chaos, and who has lost favour?

Arissa Lavigny-Duval has mustered enough resources to continue expansion despite her focus on the Imperial offensive against the Kumo Crew. Arissa claimed HIP 32812 and Phracani almost entirely unopposed. At the same time, hostile wings have continued to undermine her territory, and while their efforts were largely contained, this disruption helped to push Lavigny-Duval into turmoil.

Aisling Duval claims the #1 spot in galactic rankings this week, after another round of rapid expansion. While Aisling's supporters succeeded in securing her systems against enemy incursions, the effort to claim HIP 95256 was stopped in a surprise opposition push that is variously blamed on either Mahon's pilots or other Imperials.

Zachary Hudson has for several weeks experienced severe efforts to undermine his control, but his supporters have consistently succeeded in fortification. However, while Hudson claimed two new systems, this week the President's enemies successfully undermined Hanggardi, pushing the administration into turmoil.

Felicia Winters saw her efforts to claim HDS 1065 and Potamoi fail, as Federal space continues to see heavy, regular infiltration by hostile Commanders. At the same time, the Shadow President managed to expand her influence to three new systems, and to counter undermining efforts by the means of well-coordinated fortification.

Zemina Torval saw another drop in support this week, reflected in the successful enemy undermining of Tanghpon and the failure of her expansion attempts into HIP 23824 and Mandhrithar. At the same time, remaining Torval associates made good use of their now-limited resources, securing Jamariges and shoring up vulnerable border systems.

Denton Patreus has had his supporters focus their efforts on just one system this week, expanding into Vaka and abandoning attempts elsewhere. This is likely due to many combat pilots pledged to the Senator focusing on the offensive against the Kumo Crew, which continues to take the pressure off Patreus' once-threatened systems.

Edmund Mahon expanded quickly this past week, just as he has for the last month. This allowed him to greatly expand his influence and climb the galactic rankings, but it presents the Alliance politician with a new problem. With Mahon's territory so spread out, fortification efforts are becoming increasingly difficult, and several systems have fallen into chaos following heavy undermining.

Li Yong-Rui has seen a growth both in territory and enemy action similar to Edmund Mahon's and with similar results. A combination of rapid expansion and increased undermining by hostile wings has thrown some of the Sirius Gov’s systems into a state of turmoil. While the situation is not as severe as for Mahon, thanks to extensive fortification, Li Yong-Rui’s troubles as a symptom of the same issues, an increasingly large territory policed by a stretched security force.

Archon Delaine put up a stern defence against the combined Imperial offensive into the Pegasi Sector for the past two weeks, but the first cracks have shown in the pirate crew's fortifications. Half a dozen of Archon's systems, including He Xians and San Muss, have been successfully undermined by Empire-aligned wings. While the pirate crew remains resolute in the face of the massive assault, securing two more systems this week, the pressure seems to only be increasing.

Pranav Antal successfully expanded into HIP 116213 after several failed attempts in the past. Speaking about the system a month ago, the Simguru called the planned new commune "an enlightened defence against the uncivilised horde". This provocative expansion was possible by the peace Utopia continues to see, with their space considered to be, in the recent weeks, one of the safest places in the galaxy, thanks to the relatively small organisation's non-threatening attitude towards its neighbours.

Commander Cadoc

Following the very recent expansion by Emperor's Grace into an Imperial system, a suitable industrial location for the production of advanced technology and weapons has been identified. It is deep within Imperial space and protected by forces loyal to Emperor's Grace. The unnamed system presently has production facilities for both Battle Weapons and Personal Weapons.

Grimnir Allvadderung, CEO of Cosmic State's Hammer Arms and Vaarwen Mako Brennus, Leader of Emperor's Grace met in Rishair to inform the media about the exciting developments between Cosmic State and Emperor's Grace. This announcement was immediately overshadowed by the galaxy wide public announcement that the wedding of Emperor Hengist Duval to Florence Lavigny was to proceed as soon as possible.

This historic Royal announcement preceded yet another evening of carousing by the two friends, and large quantities of beer were consumed. The brewer responsible for the consignment of Beer delivered to the celebrations sadly died that evening, having fallen into a vat of malt, allegedly not long after a number of guests complained about the consistency of the beer. An agricultural system is therefore being considered as a potential location to produce mead in Emperor's Grace territory and additional beehives are to be located on the planet's surface.

News of fresh cases of the Cerberus Plague has caused mass panic among the populations of Shepherd Hub in the Bastes System, Yegorov Station in the Maheou Ti system and Roddenberry Gateway in the Ochoeng system. Even though the number of cases reported so far is relatively low, the medical services and hospitals have been overwhelmed by citizens desperate for treatment, despite not being infected.

Station authorities have appealed for calm and restricted movement to only the most essential travel. States of emergency have been declared and open contracts for urgent medical and aid supplies are being issued for these systems.

In a joint press conference, Victoria Wolf VI, First Merchantress of Wolf 406 Transport Co, and Commodore Helena Stone of the Alliance Defence Force have announced the launch of Operation Augeas. This is a campaign to rid BD-22 3573 of criminal elements troubling local miners and traders. The Federation has acted swiftly after receiving the results of the investigations led by Commodore Stone. The local absolutistic factions, however, need to be dealt with more bluntly.

Wolf and Stone, who besides their main responsibilities also have seats on the board of the Alliance Elite Diplomatic Corps, explained that they have secured the funds to pay out a bonus for all bounties cashed in Planck Orbital.

Stone was eager to point out that this is not a military operation. The ADF will observe the situation and only intervene in case of escalation as “the system does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Alliance”.

Due to the ongoing crisis caused the Cerberus Plague, key station services at the following starports are not currently available. The following starports are affected:

In the Dajoar system:

• Thiel Port

• Crown Terminal

• Patrick Terminal

• Macquorn Rankine Port

• Ejeta Enterprise

In the Eleu system:

• Finney Dock

• Bao Orbital

• Elder Station

• Tem Station

• Pierce Gateway

• Bradshaw Station

In the 20 Ophiuchi system:

• Chargaff Port

• Artsebarsky Gateway

The following station services are unavailable:

• Re-arming

• Market

• Bulletin Board

• Docking

• Shipyard

• Outfitting

• Black Market

The authorities on these starports report that services will remain offline until the Cerberus Plague has been contained and resources can be spared to work on these facilities.

In the early hours of tomorrow morning (7.00am GMT ) the GalNet monitoring of powers’ activities will go offline for a short period to assemble the latest data.

Any pilots who operate for any of the powers should ensure that they deliver any cargo or vouchers before this time for their activities to be registered.

In the early hours of this morning, a security alert was received from the Imperial suite where Senator Kahina Tijani Loren has been residing.

The entry to the residence was found to be locked, and no response was received from inside. Security personnel were authorised to break in.

The interior of the suite was found to be pristine, with no evidence of habitation. In-room holofac consoles were found not to have been used throughout the duration of the Senator’s apparent occupation. A search has revealed no sign of the Senator’s whereabouts.

Ambassador Cuthrick Delaney made a brief statement to the press. “Senator Kahina has previously empowered me to represent the Prism system on her behalf. I will do my best to discharge that duty according to her instructions. Senator Kahina is a very private individual, and has not sought my, or any other, counsel in the last month. We do not know where she has gone. Naturally we are concerned about her safety and would urge anyone who knows of her whereabouts to contact the authorities immediately. Her disappearance is very disturbing indeed.”

Reaction across the Empire was muted, but many have speculated that something underhand has happened to the visiting Senator.

“Doesn’t matter what Delaney says,” said a commentator from the Imperial Citizen. “Prism belongs to Patreus now, Kahina’s just abandoned it and all the citizens she professed to care about. She’s a coward and an irrelevance.”

“Did she get too close to the fires burning in the Empire?” asked Kazien Vantris, chief editor of the Imperial Herald. “Or is she pursuing some other objective? She was always determined and bold. Wherever you’ve gone, Lady Kahina, farewell.”

Lady Kahina’s Imperial Courier, the ‘Seven Veils’, still at the Capitol spaceport, was impounded and examined. It was found to be completely stripped of all valuable equipment, with the modifications made at Avalon shipyards discovered to be carefully crafted fakes.

Lady Kahina’s Imperial tiara was found in the cockpit, along with a small medallion bearing an ancient symbol on one side and the word ‘Salomé’ on the other.

The symbol is believed to belong to an organisation some refer to as ‘The Dark Wheel’.

In this weekly digest the latest GalNet data is compiled to show the economic states for a short list of minor factions and the star systems they inhabit*.

The following 10 of the 4370 minor factions are currently enjoying an economic boom:

• Mombawet Nationalists

• Amementi Silver Life Exchange

• Allowair Constitution Party

• NLTT 21088 Bridge Network

• Independents of LFT 37

• HIP 15205 Prison Colony

• Finteno Free

• Workers of Luan Yun Di Green Party

• Waq Services

• Uzumeru Netcoms Incorporated

When in boom the wealth of the system is increased for the duration and all trade missions have doubled effects on influence. It can also positively increase the minor faction’s influence. Boom can be entered by consistent trade profits and completed trade contracts. Booms tend to last until they run out or some other indicator takes precedence, such as famine.

These 2 minor factions are suffering an economic bust:

• Wolf 750 Liberals

• Jet Energy Industry

The wealth of a system diminishes while in bust and the minor faction’s influence is also lessened. The effect of trade contracts and actions do not contribute to boom while a bust is active. A bust generally has to run its course before ending.

* Data is correct at time of publishing

Joel Xander, the Federal governor of BD-22 3573 of the Federally aligned Forrester Station, has been removed from office and arrested by Federal agents in a surprise raid early this morning. Xander and members of his family have been taken off the planet in an escorted Dropship marked with the insignia of the Federal Intelligence Agency.

While there is no official statement about the allegations against Xander at this time, recent events in BD-22 3573 give reason for speculations about the background of this dramatic arrest. It has been suspected for a long time that Xander's friendly relations with local rulers like King Justice II of the Justice Party and Supreme Leader Anxo Lino of BD-22 3573 Flag might some day cause trouble.