Galactic News
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July 21, 3308
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Proteus Wave Approaches Completion
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
New Federal and Imperial capital ships have arrived in HIP 22460 as Azimuth Biotech’s operation nears its conclusion.
The following message was provided to all newsfeeds for public broadcast:
“This is Salvation. The Proteus Wave’s core mechanism will be fully constructed one week from today. We will then begin integration with the surface site on HIP 22460 10b, using designs of mine which are unique to the superweapon’s operation.”
“As anticipated, the Thargoid presence in the HIP 22460 system has escalated considerably. Providing the sufficient majority of their fleet is within range of the Proteus Wave, the casualties will be devastating enough to drive the Thargoids out of the core systems forever.”
“I urge all superpower-affiliated and independent ships to hold the line. Only through determination and sacrifice will we finish our crucial work.”
In HIP 22460, the Federal Navy and Imperial Navy have each deployed additional capital ships as the conflict has grown in scale and ferocity. These huge vessels are directing large-scale firepower against the Thargoids.
Independent pilots are also being incentivised to destroy the alien vessels, with opportunities to obtain Salvation’s pre-engineered Guardian gauss cannons. Thargoid combat bonds can be redeemed at the Musashi in the nearby Pleiades Sector CW-U B3-2 system.
Azimuth Biotech’s campaign for Guardian artefacts, which form the most vital components of the Proteus Wave, is now in its final phase. Deliveries can be made to the Bright Sentinel megaship in HIP 22460 until Tuesday the 26th of July.
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July 19, 3308
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Azimuth’s Final Call for Guardian Artefacts
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
The campaign to deliver Guardian artefacts to Azimuth Biotech in the HIP 22460 system has reached its third phase.
Commodore Morag Halloran outlined the final stage of the initiative:
“We have received an impressive number of Guardian caskets, orbs, relics, tablets, totems and urns at the Bright Sentinel over the past two weeks. Thanks to this supply, construction of the Proteus Wave has progressed satisfactorily.”
“However, Salvation has requested that further shipments of artefacts are sourced from Guardian sites. There can be no shortfall of these vital components, and the superweapon will make use of every one we can provide.”
“We have projected a substantial increase in the number of Thargoid vessels within HIP 22460, as they react to the increased concentration of technology created by their ancient enemies. AX fighters and squadrons are asked to continue engaging the enemy’s forces to provide safe passage for incoming transports.”
Pilots who previously contributed to this initiative can collect rewards from the Bright Sentinel megaship in HIP 22460, which is continuing to accept new shipments of Guardian artefacts.
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July 15, 3308
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Azimuth’s Plan Elicits Further Reactions
Prominent figures on the political stage have commented on Salvation’s anti-xeno operation in the HIP 22460 system. Key points from each are collated below.
Archon Delaine: “My opinion on the Thargoids remains the same: burn them all! As I stated at the Galactic Summit, the Kumo nation stands ready to help wipe out these alien scum.”
Yuri Grom: “I trust Salvation as little as I trust the Federation. What guarantee do we have that this Proteus Wave will not be turned against human targets, once the Thargoids are dealt with?”
Senator Zemina Torval: “Azimuth Biotech has emerged as a strategically significant corporation. I’ve advised the Imperial Senate to establish long-term commercial links that are mutually beneficial.”
Hadrian Augustus Duval: “The Thargoids are a genuine threat. Yet I hope that our military collaboration with the Alliance and the Federation is a temporary measure only. The Empire must develop the strength to stand alone.”
First Minister Octavia Volkov: “Thargoid attack is an ever-present danger for the Marlinist Colonies. We are observing events closely. Personally I do not view Azimuth as a trustworthy ally.”
Ambassador Jasmina Halsey: “I’m pleased to see the Federation working closely with the Alliance, but disappointed that it is limited to anti-xeno matters. Whatever happens in HIP 22460, we should grasp this opportunity to increase diplomatic as well as military cooperation.”
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July 14, 3308
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Pilots Urged to Defend Proteus Wave Project
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
As the Thargoid presence increases in the HIP 22460 system, Azimuth Biotech and the superpowers call for reinforcements.
An urgent bulletin was transmitted from Commodore Morag Halloran aboard the Bright Sentinel:
“A series of actions by ‘Operation Wych Hunt’ saboteurs have resulted in delays to Azimuth Biotech’s supply infrastructure. As a result of these traitorous acts, we have been forced to amend the construction timetable for the Proteus Wave.”
“Salvation informs me that it will be approximately two more weeks until the weapon is fully assembled. This delay increases the Proteus Wave’s exposure to Thargoid intervention, potentially undermining the project. But we remain convinced that the majority of pilots are committed to ensuring a human victory.”
“After discussions with Admiral Atherton, Admiral Price and Admiral Ziegler, the coalition has agreed to provide funding for increased defences in HIP 22460. For the next two weeks, independent pilots can claim reimbursement for the hazardous task of engaging the Thargoids.”
“Thargoid combat bonds can be handed in at the Musashi megaship in the nearby Pleiades Sector CW-U B3-2 system. The most dedicated Commanders by contribution will be rewarded with Salvation’s pre-engineered Guardian gauss cannons.”
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Support Federal Strike Against Crime Syndicate
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
The Federation has offered bounties to hunt down all surviving Red Family ships in the Andowatye system.
Executive Agent Faisal Sacranie of the Federal Intelligence Agency released this statement:
“Information provided by the Proactive Detection Bureau revealed that the notorious Oberon Church has gathered his remaining followers in Andowatye. Our mission to take down the narcotics syndicate is not complete until its kingpin has been arrested and charged for his long list of crimes.”
“The FIA has authorised hiring independent pilots to act as auxiliaries for this operation. We are working closely with the United Andowatye Democrats, which has placed bounties on all wanted ships in this system.”
“It is crucial that our agents locate Oberon Church before he departs from the system. If we cannot eliminate his defenders in time, he may once again escape justice and re-establish his drugs empire from the shadows. We have a duty to all Federal citizens to prevent this from happening.”
The United Andowatye Democrats has confirmed that contributing pilots can redeem bounty vouchers at Bosch Station in the Andowatye system.
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July 12, 3308
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Guardian Artefact Initiative Enters Second Phase
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
Azimuth Biotech has repeated its call for Guardian artefacts to be delivered to the HIP 22460 system.
Military coordinator Commodore Morag Halloran announced the details:
“Over the last week, many Commanders have scoured Guardian sites to collect artefacts and transport them to HIP 22460. We are grateful for their efforts, and payment is now available at the Bright Sentinel.”
“The Proteus Wave, currently being constructed aboard the megaship, requires increasing quantities of Guardian-based technology. Azimuth Biotech has confirmed the artefact acquisition initiative will continue for a second week and would like more pilots to take part.”
“Passage through the HIP 22460 system has become hazardous, with Thargoid vessels present in large numbers. The Allied, Federal and Imperial taskforces are striving to protect traders, as are independent AX fighters and squadrons. However, as the concentration of artefacts increases, it’s expected that the Thargoid presence will intensify. Pilots should remain on high alert while in the system.”
Guardian caskets, orbs, relics, tablets, totems and urns can all be delivered to the Bright Sentinel megaship, which remains in stationary orbit above HIP 22460 10b.
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July 8, 3308
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Thargoids Launch Attack in HIP 22460
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
The HIP 22460 system has been invaded by large numbers of Thargoid vessels, with several multi-craft conflicts already reported.
An alert was broadcast by Commodore Morag Halloran, military coordinator for Azimuth Biotech:
“As Salvation predicted, the Thargoids have detected the large-scale concentration of Guardian artefacts aboard the Bright Sentinel. Thargoid interceptors and scouts are now swarming throughout HIP 22460.”
“The Allied, Federal and Imperial taskforces have engaged the enemy. But it is crucial that their efforts are supplemented by as many additional ships as we can muster. All available independent pilots and AX squadrons are requested to take part in counter-offensives against the Thargoids.”
“It is also important to protect traders who are entering the system to deliver Guardian artefacts to the Bright Sentinel. The construction of the Proteus Wave relies on these vital components, and supply routes must not be interrupted by Thargoid strikes.”
The Alliance megaship Oath of Tyndareus, the Farragut-class battle cruiser FNS Fortitude, and the Majestic-class interdictor INV Audacious Dream are coordinating the tactical deployment of the superpowers’ taskforces in HIP 22460.
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July 7, 3308
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HIP 22460 Receives Vital Supplies
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
Medical and military commodities have been delivered to the HIP 22460 system in support of the anti-xeno operation.
Commodore Morag Halloran expressed gratitude that so many Commanders took part in the initiative. She indicated that payment was now available from the megaship Heart of Taurus. This includes tailored ship liveries for those Commanders who made the greatest contributions.
Azimuth Biotech has requested that pilots continue supporting the operation by obtaining Guardian artefacts, which will form part of the Proteus Wave’s construction process. These can be delivered to the Bright Sentinel megaship.
The shipments of advanced medicines, basic medicines and reactive armour will be distributed by Azimuth Biotech to the Allied, Federal and Imperial taskforces within the system.
Experimental anti-xeno weaponry has been installed on the three taskforce flagships: the Alliance megaship Oath of Tyndareus, the Farragut-class battle cruiser FNS Fortitude, and the Majestic-class interdictor INV Audacious Dream. Both the Federal and Imperial Navies intend to reinforce their presence in HIP 22460 at the appropriate time.
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July 6, 3308
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Federation Targets Narcotics Syndicate
The Federal Intelligence Agency has launched a multi-system crackdown against the organised crime network known as Red Family.
Synchronised raids are currently taking place in over a dozen systems across Federal space. Multiple ships, properties and manufacturing plants connected to Red Family’s illegal operations are being seized.
FIA Deputy Director Bethany Blake provided a statement to The Federal Times:
“For decades the Red Family cartel has trafficked colossal quantities of dangerous drugs to our citizens, leaving a trail of death and misery behind them. The FIA dealt a severe blow to the syndicate in 3305, but its kingpin Oberon Church escaped justice and remains one of the most wanted criminals in the Federation.”
“This current operation was only possible thanks to the Proactive Detection Bureau. Our algorithms intercepted key messages that identified Red Family’s allies within local security forces and legal businesses.”
“Field agents are now making mass arrests, despite armed resistance at many locations. This time we will locate Church and take him into custody, which will cause his organisation to crumble.”
The Proactive Detection Bureau monitors all communications within the Federation to identify illegal activity and prevent terrorism. It was established in 3307 when new public surveillance laws were passed in the wake of large-scale attacks by the NMLA.
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July 5, 3308
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Guardian Artefacts Needed to Power Superweapon
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
Azimuth Biotech urgently requires deliveries of Guardian artefacts to HIP 22460 as vital components of the Proteus Wave.
Salvation issued an official request to the Allied, Federal and Imperial taskforces, which was then shared via public channels:
“We have now begun assembly of the Proteus Wave. Our existing stockpile of Guardian material was sufficient to begin construction, but we must now establish a supply line capable of delivering the quantity needed to finish the weapon.”
Azimuth Biotech has established an initiative to encourage independent pilots to supply the Bright Sentinel megaship with Guardian commodities. Azimuth are also offering additional ship liveries to contributors.
Pilots can deliver any combination of Guardian caskets, orbs, relics, tablets, totems and urns to the Bright Sentinel megaship in the HIP 22460 system.
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June 30, 3308
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Salvation Prepares ‘Final Thargoid Battlefield’
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
The HIP 22460 system will be the stage for a decisive strike against the Thargoids by Azimuth Biotech and the superpowers.
The following message was broadcast across all public channels:
“This is Salvation. Construction of the Proteus Wave has officially commenced. This version of my anti-xeno superweapon has been designed to bring absolute victory against our adversaries.”
“HIP 22460 will serve as the final battlefield in the Thargoid war. As with previous superweapons, we anticipate that the Guardian-based technology incorporated within the Proteus Wave will once again attract the Thargoids. However, this time it will eradicate the alien threat not just from the system, but from the entire galaxy.”
“Everyone who wishes to see this hostile species defeated once and for all should view this project as a call to arms. This is not a time for politics or debate. It is an opportunity to secure humanity’s continued survival.”
Azimuth Biotech megaships have entered the HIP 22460 system. Commodore Morag Halloran is coordinating the operation aboard the Bright Sentinel. The Heart of Taurus will serve as a delivery point for incoming resources. Two other megaships, Musashi and Glorious Prospect, are in the nearby Pleiades Sector CW-U B3-2 system to provide further logistical support.
Alliance Defence Force, Federal Navy and Imperial Navy forces have also taken up positions in the HIP 22460 system. These ships have been modified for anti-xeno combat, as they expect to face Thargoid vessels in greater numbers than ever previously encountered. Military sources confirmed that although the ships’ experimental weaponry is being deployed somewhat prematurely, it should still prove effective.
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Urgent Request for Supplies in HIP 22460
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
Medical and military commodities are needed to support the cross-superpower operation in the HIP 22460 system.
Commodore Morag Halloran, who is coordinating for Azimuth Biotech aboard the Bright Sentinel megaship, outlined the requirements:
“The Proteus Wave is designed to attract the bulk of the Thargoid fleet before destroying them. We are making preparations to defend Salvation from the alien vessels until the superweapon is ready.”
“Azimuth Biotech is offering generous payment for shipments of advanced medicines, basic medicines and reactive armour. These can be delivered to the Heart of Taurus megaship in HIP 22460.”
“Specially tailored ship liveries are available as additional rewards, in gratitude to those loyal Commanders who are dedicated to Salvation’s cause of defeating the Thargoids.”
The anti-xeno taskforces of the Alliance, Empire and Federation are also preparing to engage Thargoid forces in and around HIP 22460. Capital ships have been running combat drills and practising naval manoeuvres. As yet, there is no indication when the anticipated Thargoid fleet may arrive.
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‘Operation Wych Hunt’ Opposes Azimuth Biotech
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
A coalition of independent Commanders has been formed to destabilise Salvation’s anti-xeno organisation.
The Alliance, Empire and Federation are providing military backing to Azimuth Biotech – formerly Taurus Mining Ventures – to end the Thargoid threat. Many members of the Pilots’ Federation have also declared their support, but some have organised a resistance movement.
To undermine Azimuth Biotech’s presence in several systems, a series of civil actions and combat strikes are being coordinated under the banner ‘Operation Wych Hunt’. This refers to evidence that suggests Salvation’s real name is Dr Caleb Wycherley, also referred to as ‘the Witch’ in several sources.
The Commanders are directly protesting against Salvation, claiming he is responsible for numerous illegal activities that resulted in multiple deaths. These include developing the mycoid bioweapon for INRA, Project Seraph’s inhumane experiments to create human interfaces to Thargoid ships, and the destruction of the Alexandria with the loss of 4,000 crewmembers. As summarised in their mission statement: ‘We do not support a mass murderer. Salvation, we can save ourselves.’
Professor Alba Tesreau, former head of research at Aegis, spoke publicly in support of the operation: “The superpowers have been seduced by the promises of a remorseless criminal. But as these courageous pilots prove, not everyone believes that the end justifies the means.”
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June 29, 3308
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Azimuth A Historical Perspective (Part Five)
The concluding article in this series examines events leading to the resurrection of Azimuth and Salvation’s plans for the future.
During February and March 3308, Aegis suffered a slow death as its operations were shut down by the superpowers. Its leaders continued calling for its reinstatement, not just to battle the Thargoids but also to oppose Azimuth Biochemicals. They claimed that this sinister corporation was still performing unlicensed xenological research and was responsible for thousands of deaths.
Meanwhile, the number of Thargoid incursions was increasing, perhaps in response to Salvation’s Guardian-based superweapon. This culminated in a simultaneous invasion of the Didio, Novas and Sosong systems in April 3308. These were major population centres for the Alliance, Empire and Federation respectively, with over ten billion lives at risk.
Salvation and the superpower militaries responded in concert. Allied, Imperial and Federal capital ships were deployed to coordinate system defences, and also host the construction of three new superweapons. Interviews with the admirals in charge of the anti-xeno taskforces provided an insight into how much they now relied on Salvation.
The superweapons were successfully detonated in all three systems, but this time there were no wreckages left behind. It was unclear if these particular weapons were less effective, or if the Thargoids had anticipated their use and retreated before their vessels could be disrupted.
This was nevertheless hailed as another victory for Salvation. He announced that he was working on the next generation of the devices, which would “deliver a truly overwhelming strike against the Thargoid species”. Increased amounts of personnel, supplies and equipment were provided to Taurus Mining Ventures to hasten development of the superweapon.
In May 3308 came a shocking revelation. Professor Alba Tesreau, former head of research at Aegis, received a tip-off leading to an abandoned outpost in the DG Canum Venaticorum system. This turned out to be a previously undiscovered base for INRA, the Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm, which was formed to combat the Thargoids during the 32nd and 33rd centuries.
The base provided evidence that INRA had contracted Azimuth Biochemicals to aid development of the mycoid virus. This was a highly controversial bioweapon used in 3151 to infect the aliens’ mothership, and which helped bring about the end of the First Thargoid War.
Logs recorded by Dr Caleb Wycherley, the corporation’s vice-president of research, explained how he gained the nickname ‘the Witch’ after being half-blinded by a live Thargoid specimen. He then vowed that under his guidance, Azimuth would devote itself to the destruction of the Thargoids “If I must be humanity’s salvation, then so be it.”
The former leaders of Aegis claimed that this verified their theory Salvation and ‘the Witch’ were the same person, and Azimuth had been operating in the shadows for decades. Professor Tesreau later revealed that the tip-off came from Subject D-2, the only survivor of the Project Seraph experiments to create a human test pilot for Thargoid ships.
Some believed Aegis had fabricated these logs, since Dr Wycherley would now be over 200 years old. But although Salvation did not overtly confirm his true identity, Aegis’s suspicions were validated when Taurus Mining Ventures rebranded itself as Azimuth Biotech. Salvation described how Azimuth’s research division had survived as an independent organisation under his control, focused exclusively on Thargoid research and preparing for inter-species conflict.
There was a public outcry that the man claiming to be humanity’s saviour was also responsible for the mycoid bioweapon, Project Seraph, the attack on the Alexandria, and other illegal or unethical activities. And yet there was little reaction from the Alliance, Empire or Federation, whose militaries were now fully committed to working with Salvation to defeat the Thargoids.
In the past week, there have been signs that Azimuth Biotech is mobilising its forces and preparing for a large-scale operation of some kind. This may well tie in with Salvation’s promise to unveil a more powerful type of anti-xeno superweapon. We may soon learn if Azimuth can repeat history and deliver the decisive blow to end to the Second Thargoid War.
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June 28, 3308
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Azimuth A Historical Perspective (Part Three)
An overview of how Aegis was impacted by the rise of Salvation as a competing anti-xeno force.
“For now I cannot provide you with my credentials. Suffice to say that I am a man of science, unconnected with modern politics. I am recruiting agents to investigate the work undertaken by Azimuth Biochemicals two hundred years ago, which I believe to be of enormous scientific importance. Much has been lost in that time, but our dedication will allow us to rewrite history.”
This was how the anonymous figure known only as Salvation introduced himself to Pilots’ Federation members in April 3307. Faceless and voiceless, he remains unseen to the present day. His messages characterised him as a dedicated scientist, one with enormous confidence in achieving his goal to destroy the Thargoids and “save all of humanity”.
It was clear that Salvation possessed detailed knowledge about Azimuth Biochemicals, without which the Hesperus would not have been discovered. He began recruiting independent pilots to undertake missions via the intermediary of Taurus Mining Ventures, a corporation based in the remote T Tauri system.
After locating the Proteus in June 3307, Salvation claimed exclusive rights to exploit the ancient Guardian-Thargoid battleground on Trapezium Sector YU-X c1-2 1a. This was contested by Aegis, but their initiative to gather Guardian artefacts from the site was eclipsed by Taurus Mining Ventures’s campaign. In a short time, Salvation successfully emerged as a rival to Aegis, claiming that the tri-superpower agency could not be trusted.
This was reinforced after the tragic loss of the Alexandria megaship. Due to its cargo of Guardian artefacts, Thargoids had relentlessly pursued the megaship before it vanished in hyperspace. An independent inquiry into the disaster ordered Aegis’s operations to be suspended, leaving an absence that Salvation was keen to exploit.
In September 3307, Salvation warned of an impending Thargoid attack in the Cornsar system, apparently detected by his version of Eagle Eye. Aegis and local factions dismissed this as highly unlikely, but nevertheless Thargoid vessels did swarm into the system.
Salvation again reached out to pilots and asked them to transport vital equipment from a Taurus Mining Ventures megaship to Cornsar, for a prototype weapon that he was constructing. A counter-initiative took place by Commanders who distrusted Salvation or supported Aegis, illustrating that each now had their supporters among the galactic community.
Four days later, the Thargoid invasion force unexpectedly vanished from Cornsar. Most withdrew into hyperspace, but crashed alien vessels remained on some planetary bodies. Salvation revealed he had developed an anti-xeno superweapon, capable of eliminating the Thargoid presence from an entire star system. “I have achieved what Aegis could not – an effective deterrent against the alien threat.”
The nature of this incredible new weapon remained unclear, but evidence of Guardian technology later found in Cornsar raised a disturbing possibility. Did Salvation really detect the approaching Thargoid fleet Or did he deliberately attract the Thargoids to Cornsar by stockpiling huge quantities of Guardian artefacts – as happened on the Alexandria – in order to test his prototype superweapon.
As a Vox Galactica report put it “Time will tell if Salvation’s ambition to replace Aegis is a noble goal, or if we are replacing the devil we know with a darker demon.”
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Azimuth: A Historical Perspective (Part Four)
A look at the rivalry between Aegis and Salvation during the escalating war against the Thargoids.
Salvation’s success in purging the Thargoid presence from the Cornsar system had many repercussions, not least from the aliens themselves. Several inhabited nebulas were suddenly overrun with Thargoid vessels, leading some to believe they were reacting aggressively to the Guardian-based nature of the anti-xeno superweapon.
Aegis’s hands were tied by the ongoing public inquiry, but its chief military liaison Admiral Aden Tanner was convinced that the superweapon was designed to attract Thargoids as well as repel them. Claiming that evidence for this could be found at Hind Mine in the T Tauri system, he commanded the megaship Musashi to launch an assault.
This was a battle that Taurus Mining Ventures won with much support from independent pilots, showing how much faith was now placed in Salvation. Tanner was court martialled and the captured Musashi became the flagship of Salvation’s growing forces. Commodore Morag Halloran, formerly of the Alliance Defence Force, took command and became his military coordinator.
By December 3307, the Alliance, Empire and Federation had officially acknowledged that Salvation possessed the technology required to defeat the Thargoids. This assumption was then put to the test when the Delphi, Maia and Merope systems suffered simultaneous full-scale invasions.
Once again the Thargoids were routed following the detonation of three newly constructed superweapons, repeating Salvation’s success at Cornsar. His triumphant proclamations now verged on the messianic “I urge the peoples of the galaxy to unite behind my crusade. Aegis is finished. I am the only remaining defence for humanity. I am Salvation.”
By this point, public opinion toward Salvation was generally positive. Volunteers flocked to Taurus Mining Ventures to offer support, with naval crews from the superpowers defecting to take part in battling the Thargoids. Secondment to Salvation’s forces soon became officially authorised, showing an increasing acceptance of the anonymous scientist’s methods and results.
January 3308 saw a number of developments. Admiral Tanner’s court martial was interrupted by a statement from the renowned scientist Ram Tah, confirming the non-human origins of Salvation’s superweapon. Ram Tah theorised that it was based on a Guardian device found by Azimuth Biochemicals scientists at the Proteus site, which generated an electromagnetic pulse to disrupt the Thargoids’ biomechanical vessels.
But this justification of Tanner’s concerns was not enough to prevent the inevitable fall of Aegis. The Baumann Report delivered a damning indictment of the agency’s operations, concluding that it should be shut down. The three superpowers began using their own militaries to replace Aegis with separate anti-xeno taskforces.
A more surprising event that month was the discovery of debris from the missing megaship Alexandria, scattered across the planetary rings of Wregoe TC-X b29-0 AB 2 A. Captain Morales’s report revealed that the ship had emerged from hyperspace off course due to sabotage, before being raided by a quasi-military force which hijacked its cargo of Guardian artefacts. The surviving crew’s attempt to restart the damaged hyperdrive was the cause of the Alexandria’s destruction.
Morales also mentioned that the raiders were obeying orders from someone named ‘the Witch’. This detail was seized upon by Aegis’s remaining leaders, who matched it to abandoned research facilities found in August 3307 within the HIP 22460 and HIP 26176 systems. These were the sites of the mysterious Project Seraph, an attempt to install human pilots into a captured Thargoid scout. Both the Witch and Azimuth were referenced in its surviving logs.
Aegis’s warning was clear Azimuth Biochemicals, which was supposedly liquidated two centuries ago, had survived to the present day.
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June 24, 3308
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Azimuth: A Historical Perspective (Part Two)
A summary of key events around the rise and fall of the tri-superpower organisation Aegis.
The Alliance, Empire and Federation created Aegis in 3303 to lead xenological research and coordinate defensive actions against the Thargoids. With fears that the alien species might one day overwhelm human-controlled space, Aegis’s role was to spearhead the resistance against a common enemy.
There were concerns that Aegis might adopt the same unethical practices as its notorious predecessor INRA, which had been formed back in 3125 during the First Thargoid War. But the new agency was welcomed by most, providing intelligence on Thargoid activity as well as advanced weapons.
Since capital ships were vulnerable to the Thargoid shutdown field, Aegis soon had no choice but to rely heavily on independent pilots to perform ship-to-ship combat. And despite its effectiveness at coordinating defence, it was criticised for having no strategy to actually defeat the alien threat.
By 3306, Aegis already showed signs of decline. Its Eagle Eye detection network had ceased to provide warnings about Thargoid attacks, and there were no new developments in anti-xeno weaponry. The rise of the NMLA had altered the political landscape, with funding for Aegis being redirected toward countering the terrorists and preparing for possible Federal-Imperial war.
In March 3307, the Galactic Summit failed to ratify the Sirius Treaty, which would have united superpowers, corporations and independent systems against the Thargoids. Instead, Aegis was directed to undertake new research into the Guardians. Their extinct civilisation was thought to hold the key to outmatching the Thargoids’ biomechanical technology.
A successful initiative in May 3307 resulted in enormous quantities of Guardian artefacts being delivered to the Aegis megaship Alexandria. Thargoid vessels were drawn to this concentration of technology created by their ancient enemy, and pursued the Alexandria from system to system. When the megaship did not emerge from a hyperspace jump, it was assumed to have been intercepted and destroyed.
An independent board of inquiry was established to investigate the loss of the Alexandria. So thorough was this investigation that most of Aegis’s activities were suspended, and many leading figures forced to resign. Public confidence in the agency was low, with a general sense that it was no longer fit for purpose.
In November 3307, Aegis was brought further into disrepute when its chief military liaison went rogue. Admiral Aden Tanner led an unauthorised assault against Hind Mine in the T Tauri system, the headquarters of Salvation’s corporate ally Taurus Mining Ventures. Tanner was convinced that Salvation’s activities deliberately provoked the Thargoids and that the starport contained evidence of this. His actions would result in failure and court martial, accelerating Aegis’s fall from grace.
The Baumann Report, which published the inquiry’s findings in January 3308, exposed endemic weaknesses including negligence, poor management, and the treatment of pilots as disposable mercenaries. The casualties resulting from the Alexandria disaster and the Hind Mine attack were the final nails in the agency’s coffin.
The Alliance, Empire and Federation announced that Aegis would be replaced by devolved anti-xeno taskforces. Its support megaships, still active during Thargoid incursions, were crewed by volunteers until the combat logistics corporation Frontline Solutions agreed to operate them.
Even after the true fate of the Alexandria was discovered, along with data supporting Admiral Tanner’s suspicions, the collapse of Aegis was by now irreversible. For in recent months, Salvation had achieved impressive results on a scale that no military power could hope to match.
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June 22, 3308
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Superpowers Stand with Azimuth
The Alliance, Empire and Federation will continue collaborating with Salvation and Azimuth Biotech on anti-xeno operations.
Political journalist Conrad Sterling reviewed the latest developments for Vox Galactica:
“We now know the truth: Azimuth not only survived, but was responsible for many controversial activities. It contributed to the mycoid virus’s development, coordinated with Black Flight and oversaw Project Seraph. Now, this notorious organisation enjoys the trust of all three superpowers to eliminate the Thargoid threat.”
“Vocal members of the Assembly, Congress and Senate have called for everyone at Azimuth Biotech – formerly Taurus Mining Ventures – to be arrested as criminals. Professor Alba Tesreau has demanded justice for the crew of the Alexandria, which was sabotaged by Azimuth to obtain its cargo of Guardian artefacts.”
“But Allied, Federal and Imperial leaders have all deferred to their militaries to determine a course of action until the current war’s end. Their perspective can be summed up by Admiral Maxton Price’s comment: ‘Without Salvation’s superweapon, we will be locked in conflict with the Thargoids forever.’”
“Many still claim that the INRA outpost at DG Canum Venaticorum was faked by Aegis loyalists. Others noted that Salvation did not confirm that he is Caleb Wycherley, and is potentially a far younger man building upon his predecessor’s research.”
“The reality is that the momentum of Salvation’s campaign is now too strong to be diverted. As is often the case during wartime, legality and morality have been set aside to focus on achieving victory. Azimuth has done more than just survive: it has triumphed.”
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June 17, 3308
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A Renewed Journey for the Golconda
The generation ship Golconda has departed from the Upaniklis system with much of its former population on board.
Three years ago, the Golcondans abandoned their ship and resettled at the Forester’s Choice outpost in Upaniklis. Approximately 60% of these 70,000 people have now elected to resume their itinerant lifestyle aboard the vessel, which was recently upgraded with modern megaship technology by the Artificers Clan.
The Federation has made assurances that the Golconda is under its protection, and is equipped with comms systems to summon aid if needed. The Forester’s Choice outpost remains operational and will continue to export Apa Vietti, a unique alcoholic spirit.
Shortly before the Golconda made its first jump into hyperspace, Vox Galactica published a statement from Commander Javi Alvarado:
“The last few weeks have been a bittersweet experience for me, watching these people prepare to return to their old home. My plan was to keep making trade runs to the outpost, but when Captain Forester asked me to join them on their voyage, I agreed without hesitation. It’s hardwired into Golcondan culture to distrust outsiders, so I know what a rare honour this invitation is.”
“The Golconda can now leap rather than crawl between the stars, and the whole galaxy is its horizon. For the first time in my piloting career, I have no idea what my destination is. But at least I’ll be travelling in the company of born explorers.”
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June 16, 3308
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Xenological Project Receives Thargoid Artefacts
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
A range of alien objects have been delivered to the Arque system for Professor Ishmael Palin’s study of the Thargoids.
The conclusion of the project was announced by Professor Palin:
“I am highly impressed with the number of Thargoid probes, resin and sensors that were delivered to Abel Laboratory. Collecting and transporting these items can be a hazardous task, so I deeply appreciate the effort made by pilots to obtain them.”
“It is becoming increasingly urgent to improve our understanding of the Thargoids’ biomechanical technology. There is no sign that hostilities are about to end, so the need to produce defences has become paramount. Only through ensuring our research focuses on up-to-date samples can we be sure that we are working as efficiently as possible.”
Contributors can now collect their rewards from Baird Gateway in the Arque system. This includes Grade 5 engineered Heavy Duty Hull Reinforcement Packages for eligible contributors.