Black-Bart

Mere hours after the Canonn Interstellar Research Group defeated the Labour of Varati in the recent Bond Hub election, more than fifty CIRG scientists arrived at Bond Hub from Thompson Dock. The scientists were accompanied by tonnes of equipment, which has been installed in makeshift labs. Professor D Luffy, lead scientist for the team, explained what was happening:
“First, we thank the residents of Bond Hub for calling for this election, voting for us, and allowing us to continue our work on the Unknown Artefacts. We have pledged to investigate the station malfunctions that have dominated the news in recent weeks, and since Bond is also affected we have an opportunity to put it at the heart of our research.”
“Our teams have started monitoring the malfunctions side-by-side with UAs brought from the Merope shell, so we can determine the exact nature of the UAs’ relationship to these malfunctions.”
Commander Lord ZoltanUpdate from Galnet News

Last month, a remarkable story emerged from the Noti system. According to an anonymous report, an organisation known as the Revolutionary Noti Values Party had created a new strain of slave labour known as ‘the Master Chefs’. The unidentified whistleblower claimed the slaves were subjected to an intensive training programme designed to transform them into the galaxy’s greatest gourmets – a claim dismissed by many as an imaginative hoax. A subsequent report from the Federal Times of a Master Chef training facility at Weber Gateway went some way towards lending credibility to the story, but most people remained unconvinced.
The sceptics were proved wrong, however, when the Revolutionary Noti Values Party announced that not only were the Master Chefs real, they would soon be available for purchase. The announcement invoked the ire of human rights activists, who condemned the allegedly inhuman practices employed in training the Master Chefs. But this did little to deter consumers from placing advance orders for the epicurean slaves.
Now, the Revolutionary Noti Values Party has announced that it intends to further improve the efficacy of its gastronomic labourers by implanting a comprehensive compendium of culinary knowledge directly into their cerebellums. A spokesperson for the organisation said:
“By embedding this knowledge directly in a slave’s brain, we can ensure total data integration and retention, which when combined with the slave’s inherent culinary ability will result in unmatched gastronomic efficacy. These guys will be able to make a bacon sandwich fit for a king.”
The Revolutionary Noti Values Party concluded its announcement with a public appeal for Xihe Companions, which it will combine with the latest holographic technology to create the implants. The group has promised to give generous rewards to pilots who deliver the necessary materials.Update from Galnet News

A faction known as the Drug Empire of Xelabara has issued a request for the controversial narcotic onionhead. The drug was once a significant trade commodity, but it suffered a setback last year when former Federal President Jasmina Halsey declared it illegal in Federal space. Rooney ‘Rush’ Romero, a spokesperson for the Drug Empire of Xelabara, explained that the appeal is partly intended to revitalise the market:
“The fact is that people want onionhead. The Federation might not like it, but that’s their problem – our organisation is well within its rights to establish a trading operation in Xelabara. Trouble is, although we’ve got the money, we don’t have the merchandise. That’s why we’re offering generous incentives to pilots who deliver onionhead to our base of operations in Xelabara.”
The Drug Empire of Xelabara is not believed to be connected to the Farmer’s Cooperative of the Kappa Fornacis system, onionhead’s main producer. The Federation has not released an official statement concerning the request.Update from Galnet News

Authorities in the 64 Arietis system have confirmed that station services at Weyn Dock have been suspended due to ongoing technical issues at the starport. The announcement came within an hour of a similar statement from 49 Arietis, where it was confirmed that station services had also been suspended at Gaiman Dock. Shipyards at both starports are still understood to be accessible.
Meanwhile, the Arawere system has become the latest to be affected by the mysterious malfunctions, with Korolyov Hub experiencing similar issues to those plaguing starports in Warkushanui, 49 Arietis, 64 Arietis, Varati, Ngobe, Iapodes and Sol.
Technical teams at the affected starports are working around the clock to determine the cause of the malfunctions, and scientists across the galaxy, including those of the Canonn Interstellar Research Group, are desperately trying to find a solution to the problem, but so far no progress has been made.Update from Galnet News

The Drug Empire of Xelabara has announced that its appeal for onionhead has been successful. According to Rooney ‘Rush’ Romero, a spokesperson for the Drug Empire of Xelabara, the faction has received significant quantities of the controversial narcotic over the past week:
“This just goes to show that the demand for onionhead is a strong as ever, despite the Federation’s attempts to quash it. I want to say a big thank you to all the traders who made the journey to Xelabara, and to all the pilots who helped clear the pirates from our spaceways. You guys rock!”
Romero announced that all those who contributed to the appeal could collect their rewards from Navigator Market in Xelabara.Update from Galnet News

Reports coming in from the Xelabara system indicate that the recent request from the Drug Empire of Xelabara for onion head has drawn hundreds of pirates to the system. According to system authorities, the pirates are targeting the traders travelling to and from Navigator Market, the hub of the onion head operation. Fortunately, the Xelabara Republic Party has promised to reward pilots who help eliminate the pirates. A spokesperson for the Xelabara Republic Party said:
“We suspected the increase in trade activity would attract pirates, so we set aside some privateer bonds for combat pilots to help clear the spaceways. So if you own a combat ship and you know how to use it, get yourself over to Xelabara. We need you!”Update from Galnet News

A faction known as the Drug Empire of Xelabara has issued a request for the controversial narcotic onion head. The drug was once a significant trade commodity, but it suffered a setback last year when former Federal President Jasmina Halsey declared it illegal in Federation space. Rooney ‘Rush’ Romero, a spokesperson for the Drug Empire of Xelabara, explained that the appeal is partly intended to revitalise the market:
“The fact is that people want onion head. The Federation might not like it, but that’s their problem – our organisation is well within its rights to establish a trading operation in Xelabara. Trouble is, although we’ve got the money, we don’t have the merchandise. That’s why we’re offering generous incentives to pilots who deliver onion head to our base of operations in Xelabara.”
The Federation has not released an official statement concerning the request.Update from Galnet News

Over the past month, starports in the Warkushanui, 49 Arietis, 64 Arietis, and Varati systems have experienced a raft of mysterious technical issues and malfunctions. Gurragchaa Gateway in Warkushanui has been the worst affected, and at the time of writing the station remains in a state of partial closure.
As the problems persist, reports of similar – and equally mysterious – issues have arrived from Hinz Hub in the Ngobe system, Tsunenaga Dock in the Iapodes system, and Li Qing Jao in Sol. Precise details are not available, but the problems are understood to be similar to those plaguing Warkushanui, 49 Arietis, 64 Arietis, and Varati.
All starports in the affected systems are believed to be fully operational, but if the issues are not addressed soon, closures may be inevitable.Update from Galnet News

Last week, the Sirius Corporation launched an initiative to boost the economy of the HIP 8396 system, which was recently brought under its control. The initiative was underpinned by an open contract for osmium, which contractors were asked to deliver to Stepping Stone Base. The response to the appeal was positive, with hundreds of miners taking to their ships to gather resources for the people of HIP 8396. Li Yong-Rui, the CEO of Sirius Corp., expressed his satisfaction at the response:
“The pilots who contributed to this initiative have performed a great service, and proved that the people of this galaxy are motivated as much by altruism as by the promise of reward. We are all humanitarians at heart.”
It is expected that the Sirius Corporation will announce the next initiative in its multi-system revitalisation programme soon.Update from Galnet News

The Explorers’ Association has announced that the third stage of its ambitious starport project is complete. The materials needed for the final phase of construction have been delivered, and the finishing touches are now being applied to the Kaushpoos system’s new Ocellus starport. A spokesperson for the Explorers’ Association expressed satisfaction with the result, but stressed that the starport was not yet open for business:
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the many hundreds of independent pilots who supported this project, and helped make our dream a reality. There’s still work to do, but we’re on schedule to officially open the starport next month. We look forward to seeing you at the opening ceremony!”
In keeping with the public-spirited nature of the project, the name of the starport was decided by public vote. The result was ‘Obsidian Orbital’.Update from Galnet News