cyclops

Governor Orders Investigation

Governor of the Schatten Star System, Andrea Maddox, has called for a civilian lead investigation into the documents recently released to the public. Although there was some question as to whether or not the Department of Judicial Services would allow the investigation, they have confirmed that they are pushing forward with the Department of Protection and Investigation and opening a formal inquery into the alleged activities. Under the law Mike-037 cannot be proscuted for the crimes of his people nor for crimes commited in another universe. However, the documents have brought to light items which seriously jepordize the faith which has been put in his ability to do his job. Since Mr. 037 has declined to shed light on the accusations against him it leaves many wondering if the accusations are true.

In addition to the DPI inquiry the Civilian Oversight Board has been given the green light to open their own investigation into the matter with the blessing of Director Alice Barnes of the Department of Military Actions and Services. At this point it is impossible to say what the two independant investigations may find.

In a statement yesterday Fleet Admiral Lance Thomas made the position of Solas Tempus clear, saying that the record since joining the organization of Mike-037 has been exemplary and he has carried out every order and has shown no evidence of mental instability. The Admiral went on to say; “Doing this job I have seen a great many people over the years who are capable, I have also seen a fair number of people over the years who are steadfast and loyal, and I have seen an even smaller number of people over the years who are brave and willing to push forward with courage. I have, however, seldom seen a person who is capable, loyal, and couragous. These are not qualities that I take lightly nor are they qualities which are in great supply. Lt. Commander Mike-037 has the full faith and confidence of myself, Admiral D’Amico, and the rest of Solas Tempus. These documents released reflect one thing and one thing only, accusations against a group which cannot be confirmed and we dare not condem a man for the actions of a group he belongs to, this is enshrined in our constitution and the 8th Gaurentee, which probhibits such things. Until some shed of evidence that the Commander himself commited actionable crimes against civilians I stand by him, as do my officers.”

The statement makes it a certainty that if the civilian investigations come to a negative conclusion, it will be the first test of the government’s ability to control and regulate the organization. Personal accounts about Admiral Thomas himself suggest that he may not be as willing as others to concede authority over someone he claims we should not even be looking into in the first place. His interpretation of the constitution is correct, however, Mr. 037 cannot be prosecuted for crimes which occured outside the Concord by others, no matter his affiliation. The investigations held will be to determine if Mr. 037 is to be trusted with military authority. A finding of wrongdoing by either the COD or the DIP could force the hand of Director Barnes or Prime Minister Th’chaaveq and end with an order to bar Mike-037 from military service.

Pushing for Colonization

Governor Maddox has incidacted that she is pushing forward with plans to break ground on the first civilian colony of the Schatten System to be located on Soteria. Several different sites are being looked at for what will become the focal point for civilian politics on that world once established. Currently the political powers of the system are housed on Nimbus Station, a military run facility. While the Governor had originally wished to take control of the station it became clear that this was an ill-conceived notion when, recently, the station and occupants left the system for several months. Details about why this happened are classified and the only statement releasted indicates that Solas Tempus conducted operations under the Temporal Command division of Blue Team. This suggests a temporal event of some kind occured, but the operational details are classified and Admiral D’Amico has instructed civilians to contact the office of the DMAS office for public relations to obtain further information. The new colony site is expected to break ground soon and Solas Tempus engineers have already agreed to be available to assist in construction efforts.

Farming Settlement Site Approved

A site has been chosen for the new farming settlement on Soteria. The settlement will be built by the agricultural group Temperance and Sustenance which will supply the settlement with the initial supplies needed to begun cultivating the land. This is a great boon to the agricultural economy of the system which has thus far relied nearly entirely on shipments in and food and other natural materials. Though some of these materials have been gathered on Soteria the biggest need by far is that of food stuffs. The group has approved a site just south 990 kilometers south along the coast from the Anguta Bay. If successful the group is planning to begin supplying food within a 5-7 year period once cultivation can get established at the required levels. It will be at least a full year, however, before the first crops are seen from the new settlement.

The Concord has gaurenteed supplies for the settlement and Solas Tempuas science teams have also pledged support for the new site as needed. Engineers from the military have also already received requests for assistance in construction of new facilities.

Latest Arrival Sighted – A Spartan

In the light of the current controversy reguarding Mike-037 the appearance of another Spartan today on Soteria was troubling. Details are scant at this time, other than he was injured and had a child with him who was deceased. This latest sighting has also prompted the DPI to begin looking into other Spartan’s who may also be on the station but not holding official positions. Another of the group is known to be on Nimbus Station, Alicia-052 though it is unknown if the DPI plans to question Alica about the conduct of the Spartan’s.

A Population Divided

Given the recent revelations about the station’s X.O. the population has started to divide along the expected lines. While many people just want answers there are two growing groups; the group that believes the X.O. should be treated solely on the merit of his conduct since coming here and those who believe that even the accusation of such crimes is enough to disqualify a person from holding such a position. While this started as a matter for the civilians which did not penetrate into the ranks of Solas Tempus there is at least one confirmed report of the X.O. being impared from diffusing a conflict by questions regaurding the released documents. Solas Tempus may soon find itself in the difficult position of defending a man who may well have commited what we would consider war crimes. Whatever the outcome, it is clear that we may never know the truth. The actions of the Spartans prior to being here was in an entirely different reality and that in and of itself will likely keep many things in the dark.

Serial Killer Still at Large

The previous reports of a diabolical serial killer remain unresolved. Police investigations have stalled and little information has been passed to the public. It is clear, however, that the killings have not stopped. These bloody killings seem to involve multiple dead with differen methods which suggests a team. The FBI has been called in to profile the killers in an attempt to discover their next victem. Since the first discoveries of the killings the investigation has focused on the supernatural community. Vampires are still at the top of the suspect pool after a rogue group of teenage vampires were caught draining people in plain view of the mundanes in the area. This prompted the immediate execution of those Vampires and a statement being released that the Vampire community values its partnership with city leaders and other officials who are welcome to present any evidence of Vampire involvement. Further statements indicate that the fragile truce which has lasted for decades within the city may be fraying in places since the city has produced on such proof.

Private investigators have also been on the case, attempting to solve the problem for the community itself. Though such investigations are hardly public, one source has given the Morning Star exclusive access to documents which suggest a potential occult link which could point to ordinary humans being at fault. This has escelated tensions between mundane humans and supernatural’s who have lived in relative peace for most of the cities history. Since magic and psionic users have operated on the fringe of both socities for some time it has fallen to such leaders who attempt to hold the uneasy peace. The mayor’s office has admitted that it is considering strengthening its protections for those citizens who are less able to defend themselves, though no details have been released on exactly what this would mean. It is clear, however, that if there isn’t a break in the case soon the two major factions of the population could become violent as pressure increases to stop the killings which have left over two dozen dead in increasingly savage killings.

The peculiar habit of the killers of not only brutally murdering one but then leaving another dead of apparent brain injury has left many questioning if the two are even related. However, police have commented that there is a strong correlation and even local organized crime outfits have offered assistance to the police in uncovering who is behind these strange and savage murders.

Investigation Stalled

The investigation into numerous attacks has been stalled and stone-walled. Largely by the US Department of Defense, where officials are still choosing not to comment. Details are scant, and so far the witnesses who have come forward have recanted stating that they misunderstood what they saw before they decline to comment further. The mayor’s office has previously stated that they will find answers for those impacted by the recent attacks but that office has also fallen silent. The supernatural community has provided little in the way of explination either as many there also seem to have no idea what happened other than the fact that it appears several large scale creatures attacked the civilian population and were defeated. Reports as to the people who actually participated in the fight are sketchy at best.

Possible Home Invasions

In the Old Town Triangle area of Chicago a number of home invasions have been reported. Police have declined to comment about the ongoing investigation but have confirmed that incidents did occur in the wealthy area. Confirmed reports from other sources have also stated that several families were found dead and evidence suggests that the attacks were potentially carried about by a rogue Ghoul attempting to feed. Witnesses described a male and female pair, though it is unclear if both are Ghoul’s or just one. The pair appear to have some method for gaining entry into the apartments similar to the spells cast by a Vampire, though contacts in the Vampire community are just as anxious to resolve the situation as anyone else and claim to have no knowledge of the perpetrators.

Since magic appears to be involved beyond the normal abilities of a Ghoul the investigation has focused primarily on that community. A spokeman for the local guild of magic users have stated that they know nothing about the incidents and indicated that the answer may be found with other communities, perhaps even those with psionic abilities.

Vigilante Justice

An unknown individual has been sighted in the city performing what some are calling a public service, killing local thugs and drug dealers in cold blood. Police are investigating the claims much to the critism of some, who claim their time is better spent trying to protect law abiding citizens. Though city officials have admitted the criminal element is one which has plagued many they denounce the actions of the vigilante and have called for citizens to understand the police follow the laws and vigilantism is the gateway to chaos. Police officials have stated that if found, the vigilante will face charges for multiple counts of homocide.

Mike-037 Fit for Command?

The release of the Spartan documents, which detail atrocities commited by the Spartan’s calls into serious question the position of Lt. Commander Mike-037, currenly the XO of Nimbus Station here on Soteria. The documents detail the chilling activities of the group and the attempted coverup by their own military.

The public response to this information has been quick and fierce, calling for the civilian government to revoke the comission of Mike-037 in order to preserve the security of future operation. This is the first time the fledgling civilian government has been asked to override the direct appointments of Solas Tempus command, particularly Fleet Admiral Lance Thomas and Admiral Sal D’Amico who cleared Mike-037 for duty and approved the appointment to become Executive Officer of Nimbus Station.

Borg Captive Sighted?

Unconfirmed reports say that the Borg captive has been interviewed by Admiral D’Amico himself. The details of the conversation are unknown, though repeated requests for more information have been filed with the civilian government following a refusal to comment by Solas Tempus itself. The Serenity Concord has also declined to comment except for a press release stating that they are reviewing the potential issues associated with the continued captivity of a Borg drone.

Icarus League Fighting Again

The Icarus League is again filing legal suit. The recent decision that certain “droids” aboard some of the spliced in vessels qualify for rights under the ALFRE (Artificial Life Forms Rights and Enforcement Act) has sparked the group to begin the legal battle to get all such beings classified as autonomous and given rights under the law. Thus far the New Hope and the Cabur have both complied with requests by the Turing Agency to interview and otherwise assess their droids to determine their status but it is unclear how the Captains of those vessels would feel about their entire stock of droids being given the same rights as the human crew. Currently the group has simply filed requesting the court to invoke the ALFRE Act and simply declare the droids a race unto themselves of artificial beings on the merits of past discoveries made. Both the Cabur and the New Home have had roughly the same percentage of the droids on board declared to be sentient. This method is the most expedient but it is unlikely the court will summarily grant such a status itself and instead issue an order for the Turing Agency to make a more detailed analysis. Since the agency is so young it is unclear at this time what qualifications are in place already to determine if a group of artificial beings such as the droids constitutes a race.

Fan Groups Organize

On the lighter side, several groups in favor of Solas Tempus have begun to organize themselves, specifically in order to create a convention. It is unknown when this might occur but a growing movement of people see many of the key and best-known figures of Solas Tempus as sort-of icons and a subculture on Nimbus has started to develop and is gaining speed. Reporters have encountered fans of the organization before and often interviewed such people for their opinions about Solas Tempus’s activities, however in recent weeks such fans and advocate have begun to group together. In particularly interesting advent is that habit of some people to dress up as or similar to key figures in the organization. Already prior to the release of the AI known as Leo from his holographic isolation some of the members of the Icarus League were sighted dressing up or otherwise giving themselves a similar look to how Leo has been seen in the past.

Currently there are sightings of people dressing up as Captain Drem Confoscho, Admiral Lance Thomas, Captain Aytise Alshat, and even the infamous Tal Ravis has gained a significant following. An interesting aside, the current questions against the station XO, Mike-037, has only intensified the support of some civilians fans who have been extremely vocal on a wide variety of potential explinations, including that he is not responcible for what others have done but also going so far as to say it is a Federation plot to keep such a skilled person from continuing in such a critical position. This movement is quickly gaining speed and many see it as people having a good time after spending months trapped alone with an unsure future, though military sources have declined to comment on such activity.

Akron Mystery Intensifies

Solas Tempus released documents recently which reflect a mysterous encounter with a derelict vessel, the USS Akron, the boarding party encountered resistance from unknown parties and Solas Tempus has been tight lipped about its possible connection the computer system anomalies and system failures which occured after the boarding party returned to Nimbus. It was noted, however, that derelect vessel was able to follow us through the wormhole intact and is currently in the Schatten System, though the exact location has yet to be disclosed. Further details are not forthcoming and have been classified by Solas Tempus.

It has also been confirmed that at least one person is missing since the boarding party to the Akron, that of Flask, who worked on board the USS Drakon and is noted as being a valuable member of the crew. His exact location is unknown at this time, while the official statement is that he is on an a classified mission under direct orders of Admiral Sal D’Amico there are uncomfirmed rumors that he was left on board the Akron for some unknown reason. As a final note, an area near the asteroid belt close to Schatten II has been cordoned off and has been declared a no-fly zone, reasons could be related to the Akron but Solas Tempus has not responded to request for comments.

Tal Ravis – Improper Conduct?

Accusations surrounding the now infamous, Tal Ravis. His name is most recently known for the daring rescue of Fleet Admiral Lance Thomas but also of the far more infamous role in the destruction of not only an aggressive force attacking installations here in the Schatten System, but also over half of the Umbral Shipyards, which caused the appearance of the Umbral Rift. Sources inside the security forces for Solas Tempus have revealed that there are accusations of misconduct relating to a peculiar new arrival, which has caused some serious concern. This new arrival is reportedly very young and could be involved in an improper relationship with Mr. Ravis. While details on exactly what kind of relationship may be suspected are confused, it is documented that the new arirval has been seen calling him Master on numerous occasion and is prone to appearing in public in scant clothing. Admiral D’Amico’s office has declined to comment and Solas Tempus Security has similarly said that they are unable to confirm or deny whether Mr. Ravis is currently under investigation or not.

Disturbing Documents Released

New documents have surfeced from an unknown source which detail the programs which trained the Executive Officer of Nimbus Station, Lt. Commander Mike-037. The documents tell the story children being abducted and replaced by clones and then trained for military service starting as young as age 6. Detailed in the documents are reports of children being not only educated in general terms but conditioned for combat. At age 14 the children are left in the forest as a final test, upon rendezvous with each other they are promoted to Chief Petty Officer.

While so far this is not an uncommon practice among militaries in our own universe, the documents released then detail the augmentation of the young teens over a period of 4 years where some 40 of the original 70 children die or become too disabled to continue. Following this the remaining 30 “Spartans” are put into what appears to be standard military training routines. They finally see combat later and are extensively successful.

At the same time the political machinery behind the program promotes the idea that “Spartan’s Never Die”, this is done through a variety of ways but most notably, none are listed as dead, simply Missing in Action. Later, a reporter native to that universe is killed when attempting to inform the publica bout the truth to the program. This is done to cover up the fact that the Spartan’s commited war crimes, mass killings and slaughtering of civilians. The detailed atrocities are extensive and paint the image of a monsterous group of people who have dangerous propensity for extreme violence.

OOC: A link to the original data is provided. Ask Mike for Details.

Borg Prisoner?

On condition of anomyniity, sources within Solas Tempus Security have confirmed that a Borg is being held. The Borg has reportedly been severed from the collective. It is unknown the purpose for the continued incarceration of the Borg, security chief Angelos has been unavailable for comment thus far. This raises serious questions for the continued security of the station.

Announcements

A new vessel, the Severed Grace appeared and created a tense situation temporarily where it was possible the vessel may turn hostile. Someone from the same universe, Orn’VaOrnomai, was able to diffuse the situation shortly after the vessel’s arrival.
John Angelos and Itza were married on May 13th, 2385 not long after returning to the Schatten System.
A new vessel has appeared through a Splice, the Irvyn, which appears to be some form of ironclad flying vessel and is currently docked with Nimbus via the ocean docks. It’s Captain Clancy spliced in separately.
The head of Solas Tempus, Fleet Admiral Lance Thomas, and Captain Drem Confoscho of the USS Drakon have announced their impending marriage, though a specific date has not been set.