IAE-INN News Feed

Delivering the latest news from all across the empire, The IAE-Imperial News Network uses state-of-the-art galactic communication technology to ensure daily transmissions of the most important stories to wherever you are. Welcome to the IAE-INN News Feed.

Week 1
December 1 - Environmental Groups Criticize IAE Industry

- ''Euskanian environmental organizations are calling out IAE industrial worlds on their emissions and insisting they reduce them for the good of their respective planets. They cite Euskana as a perfect example of quick and mostly painless de-industrialization. Industry leaders have returned fire saying that “it’s easy to criticize the ecological practices of a planet you’ve never visited. If these environmentalists want to enjoy the same quality of products we’ve provided for over 5,000 years they’ll find something else to complain about.” There's been no response from any of the leading environmental groups just yet. '' December 2 – New Chapter in Diabloian Conflict - ''The IAE’s 48th invasion fleet broke through to the Diabloian planet of Kronovos only several hours ago. Offensive analysts isolated a gap in the Diabloian defenses and orbital drop forces were able to quickly establish a (now undisclosed) beachhead on the surface. Kronovos was targeted for its proximity to IAE space and its rich iridium and titanium deposits. The market demand for the two resources is already rising as the acting commander of the operation, Admiral Brosak, publicly predicts a swift victory.'' December 3 – IAE Outer Rim Colonies Unite in Protest - ''Over three dozen of the colonies on the loosely defined Outer Rim are uniting to demand increased fleet presence and planetside protection. A spokesman for the loose affiliation was quoted as saying: “Over 90% of the attacks against our great empire are on the Outer Rim inhabited by brave colonists that want to make a peaceful honest living. We’re tired of being the battered shield for the rest of The IAE!” The protest movement is unlikely to become violent but it has already caught the attention of The High Council who has begun brief deliberations about the matter. A number of independent defense firms under The IAE’s scope have also started offering protection to several colonies for resource kickbacks and terrestrial development space.'' December 4 – Isolated Skirmishes Escalate on Kronovos - ''It’s only been two days since IAE forces landed and already lightly armed units have begun hit-and-run attacks against vulnerable installations and several command posts. A small detachment of marines managed to briefly wrestle control of a mining town before being forced to retreat after superior Diabloian reinforcements arrived. The tactical resourcefulness of this one detachment has encouraged Adm. Brosak to push up the schedule for the full offensive citing that he has total faith in his soldiers and their abilities. “We’re here to make sure they know that their turf advantage isn’t enough to stop us,” Brosak was quoted as saying.'' December 5 – Battle for Orbit Still not over on Kronovos - ''Although ground teams are set up and ready to deploy, the battle for orbit is quickly reaching a stalemate. Most of the Diabloian ships have retreated to Kronovos’ large moon and hold it with no opposition. Reconnaissance operations indicate that they may be quickly expanding on the moon’s existing infrastructure to establish a centralized military command. “I won’t deny it’s an effective strategy and all, but once we take the planet the moon will no doubt come soon after, that is, if we don’t take them both outright,” one senior officer had to say about the tactical retreat.'' December 6 – Defector Caught During Transfer of Vital Information - ''One of Euskana’s own scientific minds, Dr. Aryev was caught in an attempt to sell vital information from a lab facility on the mainland earlier today. Apparently in a rush to upload the information, the doctor utilized a poorly decrypted offworld channel which was intercepted by an anti-cyber warfare satellite in orbit. The content of the transmission was quickly decrypted and analyzed and internal security forces stormed Aryev’s location within minutes, catching him in the act.'' December 7 – Attempted Leak Analyzed - ''After yesterday’s data transfer scandal, investigators quickly but thoroughly went through the extent of the data in question. The lead investigator explained that “much of it was minor tactical data that was near expiring. It would’ve only been useful for punching a small hole in our defense lines in certain quadrants but only if the buyers were ready to attack immediately. In hindsight, I realize why the Doc was so hasty with sending the data but he picked a pretty bad way to defect and now he’s in my capable hands.” Dr. Aryev mentioned some of his buyers as the Volkaan Federation, the Diabloians, and others but it’s impossible to confirm his claims.''

Week 2
December 8 – “Eumara Unlikely to Recover Soon” Analysts Say - ''Survey teams are finally returning with news about Eumara’s future habitation. “Eumara is unlikely to recover from the attack any time soon. It will take at least 100 years as well as extensive terraforming projects for the environment to substantially recover,” the head of the expedition said. Currently it’s impossible to safely inhabit the area near the disaster site without military grade breathing equipment and additional supplies for the unpredictable seismic upheavals. Many advocacy groups are calling for The IAE to set standardized rules of engagement with other empires to prevent further ecological destruction of this scale again.'' December 9 – Controversy Over “Capitalizing” on Eumara Massacre - ''No one can forget the inspiring images of firefights with battle police alongside civilians, the powerful scenes of destruction, or the heart-wrenching relief of seeing the survivors being evacuated. However, one of the major Euskanian filmmaking firms, Inner Planet Productions, is attempting to produce a big budget picture dramatizing the massacre. Families of victims and survivors are intensely opposed to anyone making money from “the blood and tears” of Eumarians. Many of the directors interested in the project have justified it by saying that future generations are unlikely to scour news footage to learn about the event and that the movie will “be as much of a documentary as it is an action movie based on real events”.'' December 10 – Full Offensive Launched on Kronovos - ''IAE forces finally launched Admiral Brosak’s grand attack against Diabloian positions earlier today. Casualties were high on both sides despite the use of heavy armor and unmanned forces. Major Diabloian targets including a fuel refinery, three mining outposts, a barracks, and a vehicle depot were all raided and occupied within the opening hours of the attack. IAE troops are already reinforcing the front lines for the inevitable counterattack. Brosak was quoted as saying “I’ve been fighting the Diabs for a couple years now; they won’t take a loss like this sitting down.”'' December 11 – IAE Meets Brosak’s Expected Counterattack - ''As the Admiral predicted yesterday, Diabloian forces launched a vicious counteroffensive to reclaim territory lost yesterday in the IAE push forward. Diabloians made extensive use of infantry, aerial units, and artillery in an attempt to overwhelm The IAE’s new defensive positions. Friendly forces were able to hold all positions with moderate casualties except the fuel refinery which fell back into Diabloian hands after a seven hour skirmish. Brosak has not announced any intention to retake the facility as of now.'' December 12 – Diabloian Forces Reel from IAE Trap - ''Unmanned recon drones caught footage of Diabloian troops reinforcing the oil refinery captured from IAE forces yesterday only for it to explode violently after remote charges placed during the retreat went off. All Diabloian forces in the area were either killed or heavily scattered and have yet to regroup, likely due to the loss of radio equipment during the blast. Enemy casualties are projected to be very high. Admiral Brosak declined to comment about anything related to the blast or if he ordered it to be executed personally.'' December 13 - Reldar Z'Gion Celebrates Ten Years of Late Night - ''Tonight will be the special 10th anniversary broadcast of Late Night with Reldar Z’Gion, hosted by the famed veteran talk show host. Along with getting a whole new set, Reldar will be having guests like actress Ria Armin, comedian Nelo Kymia, an exclusive real-time interview with Admiral Brosak from his command post in the Kronovosian system, as well as musical guest Euskana Daytrip. “It’s gonna be a great night and I hope everyone stays up late and tunes in. You won’t regret it,” Reldar said with a smile during one of many promos.'' December 14 – Recap of Reldar Z’Gion’s Anniversary Show - ''Last night, viewers were treated with Reldar’s all new stage set as well as his announcement that the network had renewed his contract for the next several seasons, which was met with much applause. After discussing Ria Armin’s new movie projects and playing around with Nelo Kymia, Reldar began his long-awaited interview with Admiral Brosak via satellite. The two made very casual conversation about the whole Kronovos conflict after which Reldar finally got Brosak to talk about the oil refinery incident. “It’s fair to say I’m a sore loser,” Brosak said chuckling, “and a firm believer in a tactical retreat. Who says running away has to mean you lost?” The Admiral was met with much applause before Euskana Daytrip performed a single off their new album and the show concluded.''

Week 3
December 15 – High Council Approves Outer Rim Defense Contract - ''After almost two weeks of convening on the matter, the HC finally approved the deployment of heavier forces in the Outer Rim. They also told colony leaders that they are free to seek protection from private defense firms as well as any outside mercenary corporations in good standing with the empire. “We’re really happy at this decision,” one colony leader commented, “All the citizens are partying and it’s good to know the HC never forgets about the little guys like us.” Nominal tax increases are expected in order to support the new contract.'' December 16 – Unexpected Colonization Wave in the Middle Rim - ''Colonization boards were stunned to find totally uninhabited clusters in the middle of IAE space. A board member interviewed said “it seems like all these systems were totally overlooked during the initial stages of colonization in this area. We already have people lining up to inhabit the systems. We think their location being surrounded by settled space is a big motivator, the systems could develop pretty rapidly.” Scout teams have already begun deployment to map the new space completely.'' December 17 – Surprising Find in Newly Discovered Systems - ''More unexpected news in the Middle Rim colonization front. Scout teams deployed to one of the clusters reported sightings and scanning reports that point to Euskanian pirates. “Not many Euskanians live independent of The IAE anymore, so this is an amazing find,” one expert commented, “these pirates have likely been living in these clusters for many generations. In my opinion, we should attempt to contact them and see how their culture has developed independent of our own.”'' December 18 – Debates Rage Over Euskanian Pirates - ''Contrary to the statements expressed by the historical expert featured in yesterday’s story, many are now insisting the military take steps to exterminate the pirates. One colony leader said that “having pirates in our territory, no matter how historical they may be, is totally unacceptable. I can’t have my colony at risk because some scientists want to have tea with them.” Others like him are bolstering their colony’s defenses in preparation that the pirates may decide to leave their unnamed systems for whatever reason.'' December 19 – Defense Council Makes Decision on Euskanian Pirate Issue - ''After less than a day of deliberating, the defense council decided that instead of blindly annihilating the pirates in the new clusters that they would do as many scientists have been suggesting and make first contact with them. Already an envoy is being prepared with a small number of ships specialized with heavy shielding and escape systems in the event they become hostile. The defense council stated that they would like to avoid any kind of confrontation and although the pirates are surrounded an outnumbered, “it’d be a shame to lose a piece of our empire’s history that’s been missing for so long”.'' December 20 – Conflict on Kronovos Beginning to Reignite - ''It’s been over a week since the last major operation on Kronovos and the Diabloians have not forgotten the losses they sustained. IAE and Diabloian forces began pushing the battle lines back in forth, gaining ground only to loss it again. Both sides made extensive use of artillery in an attempt to temporarily stop reinforcements. Two IAE convoys were delayed by artillery fire but eventually reached their destinations in time. Both sides have reached a stalemate this time unable to overwhelm the other’s superior defenses.'' December 21 – First Contact with Euskanian Pirates Made - ''After a tense couple hours of locating and opening communication with a pirate brigade, first contact has been made. “The pirates are less dangerous than we had imagined,” one of the team members said, “the weapons on their ships are specifically designed for cracking open asteroids for mining. They are pirates only the sense that they aren’t part of The IAE.” The pirates speak a unique dialect of Euskanian language that shares many words with modern Euskanian but is different in numerous ways. The contact team was reportedly able to get around the language barrier fairly easily and make formal conversation with the pirates. Numerous councils are now convening on what to do with the pirates.''

Week 4
December 22 – Tensions Over Acropolan Alliance - ''The IAE’s longstanding alliance with the Acropolan Republics is under fire today as allies of both entities are insisting that the agreement be nullified. As the IAE and Acropolans are on opposite sides of The Great War, correspondents have noted slow but surely increasing tensions on relations. Some senators are suggesting that the policies that give Acropolans automatic alien residency within IAE space be repealed. Some of the Acropolans more right-wing politicians are reportedly agreeing on the matter of their own similar policies.'' December 23 – Four Thousandth Anniversary of Armaka Weapons Firm - ''Established in the heat of the Continuum Wars, Armaka’s technological contributions to the military have always been significant and are being recognized in light of their anniversary today. Founded by renowned IAE patriot and scientific mind Alero Armaka, the firm quickly grew into a multi-billion credit giant through a combination of The IAE’s desperate need for innovative weapons at the time, Armaka’s veteran marketing team (interestingly composed of many of his childhood friends), and a number of high profile scientists they were able to recruit from the start. Today, Armaka is one of The IAE’s top military technology development firms responsible for greatly extending the life of each soldier and keeping the empire’s enemies far from the Outer Rim.'' December 24 – Story of Heroism from Kronovos - ''From the front lines comes the story of Pvt. Emero who inexplicably saved the lives of his entire platoon. After returning to camp from an intense firefight with the Diabloians, one of his injured comrades informed Emero that he lost a keepsake on the battlefield. Sacrificing the small time he had to rest before the next operation, Emero went to find the keepsake by himself. During his search he managed to spot incoming Diabloian bombers flying below radar. He radioed his platoon and they were able to scramble several aircraft accordingly, forcing the enemy attack wing to pull off and retreat. Emero never found the keepsake but his friend was reportedly very grateful for what he did accomplish.'' December 25 – Accord Reached with Euskanian Pirates - ''After much convening on the matter as well as negotiating with the de facto leaders of the Euskanian pirates for the past couple days, the Council has reached a peaceful and mutually beneficial compromise with them. The pirates, now politically correctly named Bestelako Euskanians, have been absorbed as another protectorate empire under the IAE. The Bestalako have been all been granted full citizenship as well as token resource aid. The majority of political analysts are in agreement with the decision while a few claim that the Bestelako are no longer of the Euskanian species. There’s no scientific evidence to prove or disprove their claims at the moment. Social scientists are unanimously eager to learn about the Bestelako as hundreds of them flock to their clusters to set up.'' December 26 – “Massacre at Eumara” Action Movie Already Cancelled - ''Following the ongoing and enormous backlash over their project, Inner Planet Productions has been forced to cancel their planned production of “Massacre at Eumara”. Protestors haven’t ceased reminding IPP that it’s too soon to capitalize on the massacre. “We at Inner Planet Productions admit we were a little overzealous with our project,” a spokesman had to say, “A nonprofit documentary about the incident is being planned it its place to assure the public that our intentions are only to preserve the memory of those lost.” Many of the families have backed down their opposition for the most part while many still remain united against any kind of Eumara based film.'' December 27 – IAE Contacted by the Sauran Solidarity - ''“Seeing new races is never rare but you’re still never quite prepared,” said one citizen of the colony Aumera. Earlier today, a small diplomatic party from an enigmatic race of reptilian creatures calling themselves the Sauran landed on Aumera intent on learning about IAE culture. The towering but friendly ambassadors will have to wait for now as the colony’s local government arranges their accommodations and approves their request to tour the capital. “I had to give them all my suites,” said one hotel owner, “our regular rooms aren’t exactly… spacious enough.”'' December 28 – Sauran Ambassadors Tour Aumeran Capital - ''There was a full interchange of cultures on Aumera today. The ambassadors from Sauran Solidarity that landed on the planet yesterday were given a full tour of the capital, all the while sharing information about their culture during conversations with locals and IAE diplomats. They approached many civilians that although were initially intimidated by their size were at ease with the polite Sauran. Diplomats that accompanied them reported that the Sauran were highly impressed by the sophistication of an Outer Rim colony like Aumera. However, they also mentioned the relative lack of nature integrated into the colony compared to their homeworld and more importantly that “the doors were too small”.''

Week 5
December 29 – Nalstros Capture Euskanian Orbital Colony - ''Not even two hours ago, a band of Nalstrosian pirates attacked and occupied one of the colonies orbiting the gas giant Iumira without warning. Faced with superior pirate forces, the colonial IAE forces were forced to evacuate as many civilians as possible and retreat. Surviving colonial board members have stated that not everyone on record has been accounted for, most notably including colonial director Iero Meutera. The station’s propulsion systems have been remotely deactivated but the Nalstros’ occupation still poses a grave threat to anyone in the system. More on this story as it develops.'' December 30 – Tensions Mount Over Iumiran Colony Crisis - ''Colonists in the other stations above Iumira are actively expressing concern over the Nalstros held station. IAE forces are already mobilizing in response to the occupation of the colony. Special interception forces to prevent the Nalstros from escaping have already been mobilized around the station and have deployed troops to the other stations to prevent the Nalstros from capturing anything else. Colony board members have requested that the military refrain from destroying the stations in the event that the Nalstros have hostages. Nothing has been heard from the commanding officers of this operation as of now.''  December 31 – Iumiran Hostage Standoff Begins - ''Minutes before midnight, Standard Euskanian Time (SET), the Nalstros occupying the Iumiran station delivered their demands via transmission from the colony’s central hub. The video was leaked to the public the following morning. Depicted in the transmission is the leader of the band, Lord Orro, saying (in poorly translated Euskanian) that the remaining colonists including Director Meutera are totally unharmed and will be released to The IAE if he and his band are able to safely escape with what they’ve stolen. The transmission cut to a number of restrained colonists (estimated by video analysts to be at least a dozen or more) before ending. ''

Week 1
January 1- IAE Ambassadors Invited to Aradan - ''Following the Sauran Solidary ambassador's visit to Aumera several days ago, IAE ambassadors have been invited to tour the Sauran’s homeworld as part of diplomatic negotiations. Extensive communication has been happening between the diplomatic committees of both parties and just yesterday the Sauran’s said they would open up their homeworld to a visit. Already, ambassadors from all levels of the diplomatic division are fighting to be part of the expedition. The mission is set to launch later tomorrow and reach Aradan before midnight SET.'' January 2- Secondary Base on Kronovos Compromised - ''The IAE’s secondary forward base on Kronovos was treated to an unpleasant surprise as Diabloian forces suddenly moved in to overwhelm them earlier today. They brought several tank divisions as well as a great deal of infantry and aircraft. IAE forces fought with all at their disposal for atleast 2 hours until it was clear that the Diabloians would not stop reinforcing their attack. Vital records were either destroyed or left with the retreating IAE forces. In a bold maneuver, Admiral Brosak ordered artillery to fire while moving in reverse to cover their escape. The IAE suffered heavy casualties but not without inflicting some on the Diabloians as well as successfully falling back to the IAE’s main forward base on Kronovos.'' January 3 – Diplomatic Visit to Aradan “a sure success”  - ''Reports of the visit to Aradan are in. Diplomatic team leader Karo Meura called the mission “a sure success”. The team members reported landing on a bustling spaceport nearly in the middle of the jungle. From there they traveled on the Sauran’s large public transportation system (similar to that of a train) that runs from city-state to city-state across the planet. The diplomat’s tram passed over one of Aradan’s white oceans to the planet’s capital, an enormous city structure with towering arcologies intermixed with natural elements all floating on the sea of white. Throughout their tour the diplomatic team made mention of the lack of civilian vehicles (and therefore pollution) and heavy integration of nature even into big cities like the capital. Ambassador Meura was also quoted as saying that “if this alliance goes through, this is the first place I’m buying a summer home”.''  January 4 – IAE Responds to Iumiran Hostage Crisis - ''Following the hostage video leak late last month, defense council members announced that they intend to give in to the demands of Lord Orro. One member was cited as saying, “We’ve talked to many experts and Iumiran inhabitants about the matter and all agreed that the Nalstros’ demands were not out of the question. Colonial council members told us that nothing stored on the station is remotely worth the lives of those being held hostage and we’re going to hold them to their statements. We’ve already prepared a jump corridor for the Nalstros to leave peacefully once we’ve confirmed the safety of the colonists.”'' January 5 – Iumiran Crisis Finally Over - ''IAE soldiers boarded the occupied Iumiran station today as part of the compromise reached with the Nalstros. Although the moment was not recorded, one of the security team members recalled the event for IAE-INN. “We entered the central hub very peacefully; the Nalstros were standing in plain view. The sergeant walked up to what was clearly their leader, I couldn’t hear exactly what was said but the leader motioned to the hostages at one point and the sarge and him almost shook hands at the end. Almost. Then sarge motioned for us to move into the hub and the Nalstros started walking out. If you’ve ever had time to look at one (while you weren’t shooting at it), they all have a hell of a death stare. Once we passed them I expected to be shot in the back. It obviously never happened and they went on their way to whatever hellhole they came from but... [the interviewee took a long pause here] I don’t feel like it’s over.”'' January 6 – Ria Armin to Enter Rehab - ''Actress Ria Armin is set to enter drug rehabilitation after appearing to the set of her latest film heavily under the influence not just once but several times. The director, Boro Miuro, was cited as saying that he tried to ignore the problem but it’s impossible to make any progress on the filming. “We’d have to wait at least an hour for her to sober up, then she’d need heavy makeup, and even after that she wasn’t in any condition to shoot any real scenes. I’m done with her until she turns around or something,” Miuro said in a press release. Reldar Z’Gion, who interviewed her a couple weeks ago, said she seemed fine at the time and hopes “that she has a quick and painless journey to sobriety”.'' January 7 – IAE Signs NAP with Sauran Solidarity - ''Following the trading of diplomatic visits and one of the fastest alliance drafting periods in recorded history, IAE and Sauran diplomats met at a conference on their planet of Rua Zo’ol to sign a non-aggression pact between the two empires. An elegant open-air auditorium in the capital was reserved specifically for the event. “May as well have done it at a resort,” said one delegate about the location, “I was waiting for them to take us to the sauna to sign the thing.” The pact was finally signed at the end of the event, to much applause from both sides of the aisle. Visual examples of Sauran can be found in the IAE-INN database for any IAE citizens wary of unknown visitors to their colonies or those looking to acquaint themselves with the species.'' January 8 – Troop Deployment Escalates on Kronovos - ''Requests for more troops and supplies by Admiral Brosak have been granted today as he prepares to escalate operations. The Admiral appealed to his superiors with a lengthy request which notably included his belief that “losses and stalemates will only waste money. We may as well use our resources to defeat them sooner than later”. Brosak has not commented on how he plans to use his newfound strength but his ground commanders have said that they can only imagine that “it’ll be fun”.'' January 9 – Spectacular Meteor Shower Seen From Iunira - ''Colonists of and visitors to Iunira will be treated with a celestial show later tonight as meteorologists from the colony have isolated a meteor shower with perfect visibility from Iunira. Colony leaders have even been successfully convinced to pass edicts to reduce light pollution during the event. “If people aren’t considerate enough to turn off their lights for just a little,” one petitioner said, “they’re gonna be shut off.” Roofs, observatories, and even the higher floors of some buildings are packed already with people eager to see the shower. “I think it’s really good that even in this day and age a lot of us have such an appreciation for nature,” said one citizen.'' January 10 – Colonists Concerned About Mercenary Activity - ''"Mercenaries and mercenary companies in good standing with The IAE often find places to operate within the Outer Rim, sometimes going as far as setting up headquarters in our backyards," one colonist on Eutima, a newly established colony, had to say. Many others like him are concerned about the physical and social effects of mercenaries "running around" their compounds. Four civilian deaths have been directly or indirectly attributed to mercenary activity in the last seven cycles and people are taking notice. "I really think we need stricter merc laws, just for everyone's protection," said the same colonist.'' January 11 – Offensive #2 Launched on Kronovos - ''With his new wealth of troops, Admiral Brosak ordered the next wave of attacks against Diabloian emplacements on Kronovos. The offensive has inflicted heavy casualties on the Diabloians so far and punched numerous exploitable holes in their defenses. Brosak expressed great satisfaction over the opening hours of the attack. Brosak commented that “we’re overwhelming their defenses one by one. Soon it’s going to be a straight shot to the capital and the military nerve centers of Kronovos. Hope the Diabs have some nice escape plans.”'' January 12 – Friendly Fire Situation on Metvon - ''Conflict with mixed Peacekeeper forces on Metvon nearly turned tragic earlier today. An equipment malfunction at an IAE fire base designated another fire base as hostile. The two bases traded fire for nearly 30 minutes before the misunderstanding was cleared up. The shelling caused extensive damage to some number of equipment but thankfully no lives were lost. One soldier serving during the incident though that “it wasn’t much of a shocker when we figured the whole thing out, I mean, we knew the enemy couldn’t have been that tough,” he said with a chuckle.'' January 13 – “Euskana Steel” Opens this Weekend - ''The long-awaited action thriller produced by Inner Planet Productions opens in theaters across the empire this weekend. Produced by famed Euskanian movie veteran, Uri Eurana, maker of such famous blockbusters like Blood and Crimson, Behind the HUD, and Terminal, the film is expected to gross millions of credits just in the opening weekend. Online critics at all levels of prestige are unanimous in their predictions. One that chose to remain anonymous was quoted as saying that “this is typical of a Eurana film, except Euskana Steel has been more hyped than the rest of his other films combined. He’ll be buying the homeworld by next week.”'' January 14 – Unfortunate News for Sector 117 Subscribers - ''Due to recent space conflicts with the Ektar Imperium near IAE-INN substations, the IAE-INN News Feed will be unavailable in your sector starting tomorrow, pending important repairs after the conflict has been resolved. All subscribers in your sector will not be charged until service is restored and will exclusively receive a reduced subscription fee for the following month of service. Everyone at IAE-INN thanks you for your continuing support in this matter and hopes to continue delivering the most important stories to you as soon as possible.''

Week 1
February 1 – Welcoming Back Sector 117 Subscribers -	''After IAE fleets quickly crushed remaining Ektar opposition three days ago, IAE-INN service has finally been restored to all subscribers in Sector 117. Staying true to our promise earlier, all subscribers in that sector have not been charged and will now receive a significantly lower subscription fee for the next month. IAE forces are expected to take the Ektar homeworld sometime next week, an action IAE-INN greatly applauds.''  February 2 – Forces Make Steady Advance to Kronovosian Capital -	''After months off intense fighting, Diabloian lines are weakening in many exploitable locations, military reports say. Admiral Brosak has been described as being “his typical giddy self” throughout the past few weeks as operations have succeeded one after another. Brosak’s analysts (whom he now affectionately refers to as his “prophets”) believe that The IAE will be able to occupy the capital within a few days if things go as planned. ''  February 3 – Ecoterrorists Strike Again -	'' Following the wave of devastating attacks started late last month, another colony was subjected to an ecoterrorist strike. Ausena was targeting by the so far nameless group who utilized bioengineered “hyperplants” to cause massive damage to the colony’s entire downtown area. Massive vines and roots tore through the streets and a fair majority of them have yet to be destroyed and removed properly. Several IAE-INN reporters commented that after comparing statements from the witnesses of several attacks they determined that the overgrowth of the Ausenan attack “grew twice as quickly as and many times more aggressively than known hyperplantforms.” ''  February 4 – Four Thousandth Twenty Second GEMA Graduation -	'' Today marked the commencements of the 4022nd Grand Euskanian Military Academy graduation. Though not the oldest, GEMA is one of the foremost military universities in IAE space. From its doors came almost a thousand graduates tonight, all from the many corners of the empire, all with the potential to become The IAE’s next generation of admirals, generals, and all kinds of superior officers. Students at GEMA are rigorously taught myriads of military procedures, strategies, and the most up to date information regarding The IAE’s many member species and neighbors (friendly or otherwise). ''  February 5 – Ektar Homeworld Captured -	''After a short but brutal battle with the remnants of the Ektar Imperium’s military, IAE forces broke through the blockade around their homeworld and were able to take major points on the surface within hours. Analysts speculate that with the Ektarian’s major centers under full control the remaining disjointed pockets of resistance will quickly fall. IAE-INN would like to personally congratulate our men and women in white for the job well done and extend our deepest thanks for reconnecting Sector 117 subscribers. I’m sure they appreciate it too. ''  February 6 – Euskanian Species Given a New Chance -	''Using cutting edge scientific methods, a long-extinct species known as the Melenwi was brought back to the universe. Melenwi died out as far back as Euskana’s final industrial age. Scientists at the time had no way of stopping their crawl to extinction in the face of rapid industrialization and took genetic samples that survived to the present. Finally after years of working with the archived material, scientists were able to clone the first living Melenwi to exist in hundreds of years. The creature, nicknamed Mel, is unfortunately sterile but further grants have been received to produce a fully viable Melenwi in the near future. ''  February 7– Eudera Set for Full Evacuation -	''Following a sudden and violent upheaval of unknown origins in Eudera’s star, the entire colony has been ordered to be dismantled and evacuated immediately. Already the military is transporting civilians from every major settlement across the inhabited area of the planet. All possible public entities are being dismantled to be reused or recycled elsewhere in an attempt to save as much as possible so proper studies can evaluate the star’s condition. Research ships with specialized heat and radiation shielding are moving into place to assess the star.''

Week 2
 February 8 – Ria Armin Expected to Leave Rehab -	''After the shocking revelation of actress Ria Armin’s crippling substance addiction several cycles ago, sources inside her secluded rehabilitation center are saying that she might be ready to leave already. “Ria is really devoted to her acting career, she’s been cooperatively working with us since the day she got here,” said one employee. Armin has been described as “unbelievably humble and making excellent progress” by a number of employees. Boro Miuro, the director of the film Armin was working on when the story broke, has put the entire production on standby as an act of good faith. Sources say Armin is very appreciative.''  February 9 – IAE Troops March on Kronovosian Capital -	''After months of fighting, IAE forces have finally breached the defenses of the Kronovosian capital. Tanks and troop transports rolled into the city limits after repeated raids and harassment from aerial forces broke their defenses. Reports indicate that Diabloian resistance is “fierce but not surprising”. Currently the IAE still holds only a small portion of the city. IAE forces have also reinforced their back lines in the event that remaining Diabloian forces from across Kronovos attempt to flank them. '' February 10 – Frontier Solutions Prefab Recall -	''The prominent colonization technology firm Frontier Solutions issued an immediate recall of its latest Homefront 7 series of residential prefabs. The HVAC and power systems of the Homefront 7 model reportedly malfunction resulting in poor ventilation or sudden loss of power. An FS representative said that the problem is a hardware one and cannot be resolved with a software update. He has also warned all owners of the Homefront 7 prefab not to tamper with the HVAC system or generator. He stated that improper rerouting of power could flush the septic tank into the ventilation system. '' February 11 – Deaf Man Becomes an Audio Technologies Researcher -	''On Aumera, one Nimor Dahni is doing what most people would consider fundamentally impossible. Dahni is irreparably deaf after a severe neural injury several years ago. In defiance of his injuries however, Dahni resolved to continue his dream of pursuing a career in the audio and acoustic field. Now with a grant from the Aumeran Foundation, Dahni has received a special treatment that allows him to detect sound with a device that transmits impulses directly to his brain. “I still can’t hear anything,” Dahni said “but I can feel the sounds in my brain and recognize them like any normal person. I can listen to music, hold normal conversations, and most importantly continue my research like nothing ever happened.” Different firms have looked at Dahni’s solution for a wide range of other applications. '' February 12 – Civil Unrest Erupts on Deumira -	''After the already unstable colony of Deumira suffered a heavy depreciation of its Iridium-based export markets several weeks ago, reports of battle police brutality have surfaced much to the horror of the Deumiran administration. Already riots are breaking out across major cities to protest supposedly predatory economic policies and police brutality and corruption. Colony leader Baro Tessar has responded by saying that nothing is wrong with the Deumiran markets but the reports of police brutality are being thoroughly investigated. Military leaders on the planet say they are prepared to meet any potential insurgency with brute force if necessary. '' February 13 –Admiral Merodac Transferred to Sector 117 -	''Following a resounding and some say brutal victory against the Braidai in Sector 91, Admiral Telan Merodac is set to transfer to Sector 117. Merodac commented that he will immediately resume active duty on his arrival saying that “the Peacekeeper threat has yet to meet an admiral worthy of the title Warlord”. Senator Kemmo Daedion of Sector 117 has welcomed Merodac’s assistance with open arms. “Though I cannot completely agree with Merodac’s methods, he is a welcome addition to this sector’s military repertoire,” Daedion said when interviewed about the famous admiral’s transfer. Experts say that an admiral like Merodac will be able to orient himself with a new sector within a week or more and be staging operations not much later.'' February 14 – Another Story of Bravery from Kronovos -	''From the front comes the story of gunship pilot Tiero Reu. Reu was part of the vanguard for the invasion of the Kronovosian capital. Unfortunately for him, massed anti-air fire tore through his gunship and he ended up crash landing far from friendly forces. Reu sustained multiple injuries to his legs in the crash but was otherwise fine. He ended up crawling his way back to safety. Reu told the IAE-INN that he often had to wait hours in the shadows for Diabloian patrols to pass long enough for him to crawl across a street or through an alley. Reu finally reached an IAE patrol after days of crawling and subsisting on whatever Diabloian food seemed safe. Reu is now being treated for possible food poisoning and the injuries he sustained and is expected to make a full recovery. ''

Week 3
February 15 - Ecoterrorists Strike Commercial Spaceship -	''In another devastating ecoterrorist attack, a combination cargo-passenger ship was crippled after a hyperplantform set to grow out of control choked the engines and maintenance areas with enormous vines. Investigators isolated the source of the plant as a small shipping container filled with enriched soil and other chemical components. The documents as well as the scheduled destination of the shipping crate were found to be falsified. Investigators believe that the perpetrators accessed the cargo area of the ship mid-flight to initiate the hypergrowth process. It is unknown whether the person(s) responsible are hidden among the survivors or escaped the ship at some point. Life support systems were left undamaged during the crash and most passengers have suffered only minor injuries. '' February 16 – New Orbital Colony Launched on Euskana -	''The launch of Eu-75 marks the first new Euskanian orbital colony in nearly a century. Eu-75 is equipped with above standard amenities as well as new features. It has state of the art communication arrays for clear realtime communication across several parsecs and the latest computer and information systems. It also boasts sophisticated automated defenses, armor, and shielding. Naturally, the price of renting or owning property inside the station is exorbitant but the colony administration says that they’ve already received a good number of prospective residents. The station is set to reach full functionality next week.'' February 17 – New Potential Protectorate Contacted -	''Not far from the frontier of sector 125 is the small territory of the Dassnia Interstellar States. The Dassnia officially hold 6 star systems to the galactic east of sector 125 and stumbled upon an IAE military patrol while scouting an unoccupied system. Since then, negotiations have gone smoothly and many Dassnia representatives are favoring either an alliance or protectorateship with the IAE. The diplomatic division reported that the Dassnia said they are timid with regards to the rest of the universe and would be relieved to be able to better their species and infrastructure instead of defense. They also stated that their first contact with alien life was with the Nalstros and the affair went as one might predict. '' February 18 – Holdouts After Euderan Evacuation -	''Even after the rapid and extensive evacuation of Eudera following solar upheavals, significant enclaves of residents are refusing to leave. Many of the holdouts are from long-standing Euderan families or particularly stubborn individuals. The most notable of these individuals is one of the colonial board members, Naro Tenia. Tenia has insisted that the evacuation is a result of “a totally overblown investigation” and likely the result of “faulty detection equipment”. Tenia has installed himself as colony leader and now a large number of remaining colonists have vowed to keep what is left of the colony running smoothly in anticipation of a retraction of the evacuation order. “The hoverails might be less than prompt but I assure you everything will be how you left it,” Tenia said in a general statement to the evacuated colonists.'' February 19 – Remesa to Join Inner Planets -	''After a somewhat lengthy negotiation session, the planet Remesa and central authorities have finally reached an agreement in Remesa’s Inner Planet status. Problems arose from Remesa’s barely standard mineral economy, its distance from the major trade routes in its sector, and continued pirating issues. Agreements by the colonial board to bolster Remesa’s mining and mineral export operations upon receiving additional central funding helped move the meetings along. The board also argued that the additional military assets it would receive from Inner Planet status would greatly mitigate its pirating problem. Remesa’s new status is set to take effect in the coming months.'' February 20 - White Collar Criminal Apprehended  -	''Reports indicate that one of the treasury supervisors of the largest Armaka research lab on Aumera (17th largest in the IAE) was implicated in a significant embezzling scheme. Through a shocking amount of loopholes and cover-ups, the still unnamed supervisor managed to funnel billions of credits into his private accounts. He bolstered this already significant operation by slowly making unwarranted increases to his salary and pocketing the salaries of recently deceased employees. The size of typical Armaka facilities often meant that these tactics were difficult to detect. The guilty party involved is facing steep charges beyond full reimbursement of all stolen funds. The case has made some speculate that the current anti-embezzlement laws are not strict enough, at least in larger firms.'' February 21 – Civil War Breaks out on Deumira -	''After days of constant rioting, colony leader Baro Tessar has reluctantly declared the planet to be in a state of civil war. Though more remote areas and smaller cities have yet to display any violence, larger urban areas have become highly dangerous. Military leaders have dispatched riot squads armed with volt pistols, nonlethal liquid nitrogen rifles, and various other pieces of equipment. Tessar has expressed concern saying that “if the rioters are determined to use lethal force, I will have to respond in kind whether I want to or not. I am not losing any battle police.” Travel to Deumira has already been restricted and only IAE military cargo crafts are allowed to enter the system for fear of weaponry being smuggled to possible insurgents.''

Week 4
February 22 – IAE Forces Take Kronovosian Capital -	''In one of the bloodiest battles since the beginning of the campaign on Kronovos, IAE forces stormed the remaining Diabloian held areas of the capital. Heavy use of low-flying aircraft and armored columns finally scattered enemy forces before they finally regrouped at the main capital building. The IAE took heavy casualties but wrestled control of the capital building in the final hours of the battle. Brosak reports that IAE forces have full control of the city as of last night. He continued however, saying that the campaign is far from over and expects extensive counterattacks and guerrilla action. Soldiers and analysts are now combing the city and capitals building for possible intel on the remaining Diabloian forces.'' February 23 – EHAS to Excavate Euskana International Park  -	''After a lengthy (though barely publicized) battle for an excavation permit, the Euskanian Historic and Archaeological Society (EHAS) finally won rights to study a small portion of Euskana International Park. Though it seems like little, an excavation permit for the park, nevermind the planet Euskana, is the dream of similar foundations across the empire. Ecological groups as well as a very eco-centric High Council outlawed any kind of disturbing of park ground several hundred years ago. Now, however, the Euskanian government has allowed the EHAS to excavate small areas of the park under certain stipulations agreed upon in their negotiations. Nothing has been heard from any environmental groups just yet. The dig is set to start less than a week from today.'' February 24 – Powerful Solar Flare Occurs in Euderan System  -	''Following a solar upheaval earlier this month, a high magnitude coronal mass ejection erupted from Eudera’s sun blanketing the planet in radiation. Numerous crew members of the scientific ships in the system are being treated for possible radiation poisoning, one source said. Apparently the flare was intense enough to (lightly) breach the specialized radiation armor plating of one of the ships and affect those on board. All those present at the solar event are now being screened to be safe. One scientist commented saying that “none of the Euderan holdouts could be alive. The colony was hit with the biggest blast of radiation I’ve ever observed.” Refugees from the planet are asking that the military attempt to definitively confirm the status of the holdouts or at the very least perform planetary scans. '' February 25 – Admiral Merodac Opens Offensive Front Against Karahotdoum Empire -	''After a short period to acclimate himself, the newly transferred Admiral Merodac has wasted no time in escalating the Karahotdoum front. Previously a strictly defensive war front, the Karahotdoum conflict has long been a candidate for an offensive but has been the subject of debates about the efficacy of doing so. Numerous military leaders that have been arguing in favor of an offensive front against the Kara are glad to now have Merodac to put the debate to rest. The admiral declined an interview saying: “I’m sorry but I’ve got some dogs to put down.” Information about the offensive is naturally classified but reportedly already well underway.'' February 26 – Euderan Refugees to be Relocated to Aumera -	''While the IAE forces in the Euderan area have approved the refugees formal request for a planetary sweep for survivors, the refugees are finally being relocated to a new location. “Remesa was the first colony we considered,” said one official, “however we felt that given Eudera’s advanced urban development the refugees would be better suited to a more advanced world like Aumera.” Aumeran officials have complied with the request and welcomed the refugees with open arms. A colonial board member was quoted as saying “We realize this is a very large amount of refugees, however, if we do everything in our power to make this work it could greatly benefit Aumeran culture and industry.”'' February 27 – Kronovosian Capital Building Annihilated by Orbital Strike -	''In a shocking development of the Kronovos campaign, the Diabloian capital building captured in the battle for the city several days ago was destroyed by an orbital strike last night. Sources report that the attack came from a long range weapon located on the Kronovosian moon, a location firmly held by the Diabloians. There is also confirmation that a number of soldiers and analysts were present in the building during the precision bombardment and did not survive. Brosak has commented saying that the attack was “unexpected” and believes that “the Diabloians were shooting for minimum collateral damage during the strike in expectation of taking the city back.” The admiral continued by saying “they should’ve destroyed the whole city.” '' February 28 - Uri Eurana to Release Extensive Memoirs -	''After the highly successful release of his latest movie, Euskana Steel, famed movie mogul Uri Eurana has announced that he is already significantly far along in an autobiographical novel detailing his life and insider experiences with the movie industry. He stated in a short interview with IAE-INN he has been creating the novel over a large period of time and is finally going to move towards publishing it now that he is slowly moving towards retirement. “I’ve seen and done my fair share of extraordinary things and have enough credits to last me three lifetimes, it’s time to settle down,” Eurana said during the interview, “don’t expect my memoirs to be half as exciting as my movies though,” he continued with a chuckle. The expected release date is undecided as of now. ''

Week 5
February 29 - Naro Tenia Found Alive on Eudera  -	''Following the intense solar flare in the Euderan system several days ago, planetary scans and search teams have located and extracted Naro Tenia. The very vocal de facto colony leader was found in an underground bunker with minor radiation burns but otherwise alright. Tenia stated that the colony was constructing radiation proof bunkers due to increasing concerns by the holdouts about the system’s star. “Time was not on our side however and the flare struck during a maintenance operation,” he said, “only a few workers were anywhere near the bunker and didn’t make it.” The military is still searching for survivors despite Tenia’s story.''

Week 1
March 1 – Deumira Erupts into a Civil War Zone -	''Despite repeated attempts by colony leader Baro Tessar to resolve the situation, protests have become violent on the colony of Deumira. Already Battle Police have taken casualties against armed dissidents across its major urban areas. Tessar reluctantly authorized lethal weaponry yesterday as the capital became a hotbed for both peaceful but intense protests and violent insurgency. The military reports that the capital and a large majority of rural areas are still under IAE control while numerous cities have become greatly contested. Stricter travel restrictions have been put in place as well as closer internal monitoring of military resources to prevent the insurgents from gaining any supplies to further fuel their efforts.'' March 2 – Sector 74 Markets Flooded with Metals -	''In an odd turn of events, the markets of Sector 74 have been inundated with an abnormal surplus of various metals driving prices incredibly low and shaking the sector’s economy. Economic authorities have been rushing to stabilize the market as prices for over 23 different commercial metals plummet. Analysts have noted that the metals have no discernible source and have entered the market too rapidly for a sector with relatively few metal producing worlds. They are pointing towards foul play and saying that they believe a person or persons stockpiled the metals for this odd purpose. Senator Terin has said she is gathering the best analysts and authorities to resolve the matter and will not be appealing to central economic authorities.'' March 3 – New Spaceport to be Built on Ronena ''Despite not having progressed beyond the prefab stage of colonization, the colony of Ronena is receiving a grant specifically for the construction of a significant spaceport. The Aumeran Foundation, which made news several weeks ago for its contribution to deaf scientist Nimor Dahni, provided the grant with the stipulation that the Ronenan people use it for developing a spaceport and establishing trade routes. A foundation spokesperson commented saying that “other than simply being philanthropic, we at the Aumeran Foundation want to see how much a colony’s growth can be augmented with substantial trade and transportation early on. It could greatly increase overall growth in the Outer Rim and a strong Outer Rim is a stronger IAE.” Construction will take place in the coming weeks.'' March 4 – Ausena Still Recovering from Ecoterrorist Attack -	''Following a devastating hyperplant attack in the colony’s downtown area, Ausena is finally doing significant repairs to its infrastructure. The long delay is the result of a lengthy removal process of the vines and roots obstructing the roads and buildings in the area. The process required extensive use of hazardous chemicals and laser technology. Attempts to preserve as much of the affected area for later rebuilding also contributed to the delay. The area is expected to regain much of its functionality in the coming weeks as relief funds from central authorities pour into the colony as well as donations from various figures with ties to the community.'' March 5 – Nin Kanio Appointed to System Cluster 117-7 Administrator -	''Following the passing of the former administrator, Talor Rik, at the venerable age of 143, Nin Kanio was appointed to the position of administrator of System Cluster 117-7 for the remainder of Rik’s term. Kanio is one of Rik’s former advisors and was given the new position as outlined by the former administrator contingency plan (after approval from the subsector administrator). Kanio has never received much media attention so his policies are mostly unknown but some analysts speculate that his closeness to the late administrator means he will likely perform his job the same. Kanio is set to meet with Senator Daedion as well as his subordinates in the coming days. '' March 6 – EHAS Uncover Blacktech Industries Labs in National Park Excavation -	''Following the very notable granting of a permit to the Euskanian Historic and Archaeological Society (EHAS) to excavate a section of Euskana International Park, workers on the site have found segments of research labs used by the Proto-Euskanian liberation company Blacktech Industries. The EHAS believes they could glean exciting new historical information from whatever they find in their continuing excavation. Some data drives have already been recovered but will not be decoded for some time given the vast gap in technology and programming language. The Society has pledged to keep IAE-INN and the general public informed of their progress.'' March 7 – Diabloians Push Back on Kronovos -	''The skies above the contested Diabloian world of Kronovos were lit up yesterday following an attempted counterattack by enemy forces. The battle took place primarily in the middle and upper atmospheres of the planet as Diabloian ships and aircraft attempted to make planetfall near the capital. Admiral Brosak and his forces responded viciously, utilizing ground-to-air weaponry, aircraft and aerial infantry, and numerous spaceships. On the ground, enemy forces staged numerous raids against the nearly fortified capital but were repelled. IAE forces were able to hold the multiple fronts well and Diab forces were forced to retreat.''

Week 2
March 8 – Power Outage Cripples Desera -	''A surge of unknown origin in the colony Desera’s power grid resulted in a crippling blackout across the colony. The blackout occurred during the early afternoon and gave the military police ample time to secure areas of the colony in the event of widespread looting. Numerous facilities and businesses were able to sustain themselves with emergency generators throughout the rest of the day. As night fell the colony stayed mostly peaceful save for some isolated incidents which were resolved fairly quickly by battle police officers. Much of the power grid has been restored though technicians are still trying to get the colony back to full functionality. No foul play is suspected to have caused the blackout.'' March 9 – Nin Kanio Arrested on Bribery Charges -	''In a shocking development, Nin Kanio, who only a few days ago was given the position of administrator of System Cluster 117-7, has been charged with trying to bribe Senator Daedion. Authorities report that during the conference between system cluster and subsector officials, Kanio, and Senator Daedion, the new administrator waited until he was alone with Daedion and attempted to bribe him. Senator Daedion says that he listened to Kanio’s offer and then immediately called in his personal guard to take Kanio into custody. What Kanio was attempting to receive from Daedion and what he was offering is still unclear. Senator Daedion told IAE-INN that he wondered if Kanio “thought he was talking to a different Senator Kemmo Daedion of Sector 117,” or “was just exceptionally stupid.”'' March 10 – Cargo Vessel Rid of Nalstros  -	''The cargo vessel, Desia Sun, was intercepted by a small group of Nalstros in Sector 116 several hours ago. As they were boarding though, a military patrol stumbled upon the incident and immediately initiated a counterattack. The resulting skirmish resulted in the total destruction of the Nalstros ship and all pirates while several workers on the Desia Sun received varying injuries. The ship, whose drive systems had been thoroughly damaged, was towed to a nearby colony for repair and relief protocols. The military reports that the Nalstros may have had ties to Pirate Lord Varr. ''