Day - Article Title

1: TITAN Contractors Establishes Internal Affairs Service

TITAN Contractors establishes their Internal Affairs service. This is the beginning of the squadron news service, headed by William Mayweather. A more permanent station for IAS to perform their duties is considered by the operations crew - as the service is currently utilising Solaris communication facilities.

3: Internal Affairs Analyses Rising Tensions

Rising tensions in the galaxy between the NMLA and galactic authorities prompt an IAS analysis of the situation and how it could affect the squadron. While the operations crew warns of further combat-focused deployments, rumours suggest that TCON is developing an independent counter-terrorism unit. The claims, however, are unsubstantiated.

6: Textro Electronics Rejects Partnership / Severe Frameshift Failure Aboard the Solaris

Textro Electronics, a local electronics manufacturer based out of Mildeptu and Ross 104 deny a second partnership with TITAN Contractors. Previously, TCON was contracted by Textro before the creation of IAS to help develop a prototype device. Insufficent materials were delivered, and as such, the prototype failed. Textro cited different schedules and unreliability of independent communities as the reason for denying the second partnership. Later that day, the Solaris suffers an unexpected and sudden frame-shift failure, attributed to a manufacturing error. The failure strands the fleet carrier in the HIP 19175 with most services offline and critical damage inflicted upon the FSD, with coolant chambers damaged. No crew members are issued, but the fault prompts the investigation of a Brewer Corporation team, who expect to arrive tomorrow on the 7th for their investigation.

8: Tyger Launches Investigation Into Solaris Failure

The T.O.C. Tyger announces its intent to launch a second investigation into the Solaris failure, after running diagnostics on their own carrier and finding no faults. Rumours circulate that the Solaris has contacted authorities after a quick meeting with the Brewer Corporation tech team, but the claims were dismissed by Captain Chris Black and Squadron Commander Quinton Marshall.

10: Solaris Failure Attributed to Sabotage

The Solaris failure is attributed to sabotage, rather than a manufacturer error, after a statement is issued by Solaris head of maintenance, Natalya Sandoval. According to security teams, a cracked industrial router was found under the FSD in a maintenance tunnel, and disrupted navigation telemetry that instructs fuel injection and destination calculation, and an explosive was also placed in the coolant chambers to prevent the FSD cooling down safely.

To allow a proper investigation to take place, the Solaris is locked down. Some crew rumours imply that Textro is behind the sabotage, but it is stated that the claims will not be confirmed or denied until enough evidence is collected by the operations crew.

11: Saboteur Identified Among Solaris Crew

An investigation carried out by Federal authorities identifies the saboteur as Maintenance Foreman Desmond Blake. Almost narrowly escaping via a stolen ship stored aboard the carrier, Desmond Blake is arrested and taken into Federal custody, with the carrier returning to normal duties.

15-17: Federal Investigation Into Solaris Sabotage Continues / Desmond Blake Identified as NMLA Terrorist

Federal authorities confirm their interrogation is on-going with Desmond Blake. On the 17th, it is confirmed that Blake has been identified as an NMLA terrorist. Jedediah Scott, the chief investigator, suspects that taking down the Solaris carrier was a trial given to Blake by the NMLA, in order to recruit him. However, the true motive may still be unclear, as Desmond Blake hails from a Federal system and would have no reason to sabotage the carrier.

31: Thargoid Resurgence Warrants Combat Deployment

Thargoid resurgence in the Coalsack and Witch Head nebula warrants a combat deployment by the Solaris, in order to assist in rescues and anti-xeno activities in the related regions.

Day - Article Title

4: Thargoid Invasion 'Unstoppable'

The Thargoid invasion in the Coalsack and Witch Head nebulas is deemed 'unstoppable' by galactic communities, including the AXI. After two days of heavy fighting, only one system has all Thargoid presence wiped out. It is uncertain if the invasion can be beaten back before a second wave occurs.

9-11: Debates Over Solaris Deployment Spark / Operations Crew Denies Redeployment Request

Debates spark over the Solaris' deployment, with the crew split over whether or not the deployment is worth it. While the carrier can sustain the provided services as far as budget allows, most of the crew do not support the decision to begin with. The operations crew, after a while of debate and consideration, denies the redeployment request on the 11th.

12: Squadron Preparations Underway for TRIP Sigma

The operations crew announce the plans for the preparation of the third squadron trip, codenamed TRIP Sigma. While the Solaris remains on deployment, the trip plans to utilise the T.O.C. Tyger vessel, owned by CMDR Chillsner, in order to run the trip from the 15th to the 29th.

14: Solaris Withdrawn from Witch Head Nebula

As debates and tensions continue on the Solaris, the decision to withdraw the combat deployment to the Witch Head is made in order to ease morale. With TRIP Sigma beginning tomorrow, the Solaris plans to investigate opportunities or initiatives it may undertake upon returning to the bubble.

18: TITAN Contractors Considers Special Forces Investment

Rumours continue that TCON is considering establishing a special forces branch, which would expand the ground capabilities of the squadron. This comes at an opportune time, as new technologies and equipment is becoming available day-by-day. While the operations crew does not outright dismiss the claims, it is addressed that information will become available once it is ready to share.

20: Operations Team Onboards New Personnel

New personnel are onboarded into the operations crew, many of which assume their positions immediately. This is done in an attempt to bolster the management capacity of the squadron and renew many divisions with a public face.

The individuals hired are listed below:

Avery Ramirez - Chief of Operations

Christopher Rodriguez - Head of Security

Ashley Marshal - Head of Medical

CMDR Benjamin Griffin - Unknown at the time, later becomes Joint Special Operations Commander

CMDR Nicholas Idaho - Unknown at the time, later becomes CSF Division Leader

CMDR Elliot Goddard - Unknown at the time, later becomes Mantis Analytics Leader

24: Fundraiser Considered by Operations Crew

A fundraiser is considered by the operations crew in order to support possible squadron expansion. While it is expected that the funding is already available, more time is required to understand the scope of the new squadron expansions. It is assumed that the first expansion is to align with the military sector - which corresponds with recent advancements by suit, weapons and equipment manufacturer, Manticore.

27: Security Forces Aboard Solaris and Tyger Receive Upgrades

Security forces aboard both the Solaris and Tyger receive large amounts of new personnel and equipment upgrades, with the distribution handled by newly-appointed Head of Security, Christopher Rodriguez. It is not entirely clear what has caused this militarisation of the TITAN security sector, but it is likely related to the establishment of new, advanced divisions within the squadron.

29: Analysts Investigate Serene Harbour Logs

Analysts aboard the T.O.C. Solaris scrutinise log reports recovered from Serene Harbour, a secret imperial intelligence facility and penal colony located in the R CrA Sector AF-A D42 system. The information uncovered is commented on by CMDR Elliot Goddard, one of the new military personnel recruited by TITAN Contractors, who investigates the impact this discovery could have.

30: Sufficient Funds Raised for Squadron Expansion

Sufficient funds are raised for new squadron expansion, and new information on coming squadron divisions is expected to be available soon.

Day - Article Title

2: Newly Upgraded Sensor Suite to Preface First Division Completion

Newly installed sensors aboard the Solaris are assumed to preface the completion of a new, unnamed division, led by CMDR Elliot Goddard.

3: Elliot Goddard Criticises Serene Harbour Denial

The existence of the Imperial penal facility 'Serene Harbour' is denied by Senator Karl Nerva on behalf of the Empire, with the announcement being met with extreme criticism, including from TITAN's CMDR Elliot Goddard.

5: Mantis Analytics Command Unveiled

Mantis Analytics is unveiled as the new intelligence, strategy and command division, led by CMDR Elliot Goddard.

7: Military Training Course To Be Established

Plans for a military training course to be established aboard the T.O.C. Solaris are announced, following the hiring of hundreds of personnel with military or security backgrounds. The course plans to test the instincts, reactions and efficiency of the newly hired personnel, and the training is expected to be led by CMDR Benjamin Griffin and CMDR Nicholas Idaho.

8: Military Training Enters Full Swing / Phase One of Military Exercise Begins / Solaris Training Accelerates

Phase One of military training begins in full-swing, with all permits and initial equipment acquired to set up the course safely and legitimately. Phase One tests the stamina, reactions, and endurance of trainees, with a special centrifugal chamber created to imitiate varying levels of gravity. Four hours later, Phase One is completed, and it is estimated that out of six hundred individuals, only a drop-out of 12% has occured. Equipment crucial to Phase Two, which covers handling and usage of non-lethal weapons, must be delivered by independent Commanders in order for an effective advancement into Phase Two.

Later on in the day, non-lethal weapons are delivered with the help of independent Commanders, in record-time, which accelerates the training exercise. Phase Three will focus on the safe utilisation of lethal weaponry, which requires further deliveries.

10: Phase Two of Training Concludes; Phase Three to Commence Soon

Trainees advance into Phase Three, which involves progression through 'kill-houses' - reinforced, fake structures within the specialised centrifugal chamber where candidates will be forced to deal with static, holographic targets and potential civilians in a variety of situations. This is said to be the most punishing test, as no mistakes can be afforded in training, or in the field.

12: Trainees Advance Into Medical Training

Phase Four follows Phase Three, where trainees will now proceed into basic medical training. Candidates with more advanced backgrounds will undertake advanced medical training, but all trainees will have a basic qualification of combat treatment that encompasses a wide variey of hostile environments, including treatment in a vacuum or hazardous planetary environment.

15: Medical Training Concludes, With Zero-G Training To Follow / Zero-G Combat Training Underway

Phase Five commences, with all personnel now medically qualified. Phase Five encompasses zero-g movement with and without mobility asisstances, but is not expected to take very long as most trainees are already accustomed to the effects of zero-g. Phase Six, however, involves combat in zero-g, which is expected to be more taxing on trainees.

Later on in the day, Phase Six commences, where trainees practise combat in zero-g, mostly without any mobility assistances.

18: Troops Transferred to Planetary Outpost for Training

Soldiers are transferred to a secret planetary outpost on Kruger 60 B 1 for explosives training in Phase Seven. While Phase Seven is the last proper military course, Phase Eight is expected directly afterwards, which will combine the knowledge and skillsets of all trainees in a non-lethal team-vs-team exercise.

21: Large Scale Non-Lethal Exercise Begins / Teams Clash In Non-Lethal Exercise

Explosives training concludes, and the large-scale TvT exercise begins on Kruger 60 B 1. With all remaining trainees split down the middle into Red and Blue teams, the exercise spans over fifty square KM of terrain, with the ultimate objective to capture the opposition's headquarters. Several installations are established around the region with the permission of the Mars Congressional Republic Navy, all of which simulating natural strategic points or military facilities.

With each team starting at opposite sides of the exercise arena, the goal is for each team to advance, using their resources effectively, and capturing each strategic point, with the ultimate goal of forcing the enemy team to capitulate. The exercise, which plans to start in the evening, will be monitored by emergency responders and security services. The exercise is using custom-fitted SRVs and non-lethal weaponry, with the exercise being covered by IAS as it begins.

Later on in the day, it is confirmed that Red and Blue teams have 'clashed', with both sides engaging in non-lethal combat. It is now up to perseverance and sheer skill to see which team can break through and begin attacking the other sides assets.

22: Team Blue Shatters Midway Line / Team Blue Captures Majority of Territory / Team Red Gains Upper Hand in Military Exercise / Team Red Wins Military Exercise

As the exercise continues, Team Blue shatters what is known as the 'Midway Line', which is the middle point between both side's headquarters, and begins to capture the majority of all territory in the area of the exercise.

As Red is almost forced to capitulate, a sudden turn of events allows Team Red to gain the upperhand, sabotaging Blue's rear logistics and strategic points. Reportedly, a four-man team caused this turnaround, by sneaking behind Blue's lines and shutting down their SRV and infantry rearm and maintenance points. This sabotage caused a split of manpower, allowing Red to take down the opposition easier.

Later on in the day, it is confirmed that Team Red has won the exercise, as Blue surrenders and gives in to the superior strategy executed by Red. A statement issued by CMDR Benjamin Griffin later confirms the individuals responsible for the victory, who were led by Captain Kyle Lucas:

Captain Kyle Lucas

Specialist Aurora Adair

Assaulter Adrian Smith

Heavy Weapons Specialist Ted Marak

Combat Medic Lia Robin

23: Centurion SF Forged By Military Training

With the military exercise now completed, the name of the new division is released. Centurion Special Forces is TITAN's response to an ever-changing galaxy. With over 500 soldiers and three sub-divisions, Cobra, Pioneers and Eclipse, Centurion is ready to tackle the worst the galaxy has to offer.

24: Mantis Analytics Displays Interest in Guardian Artifacts

Mantis Analytics displays an interest in Guardian artefacts, with a request to obtain some artefacts issued by CMDR Elliot Goddard. The request is not yet acknowledged, as the carrier may require more fuel for such an operation.

26: Solaris Prioritises Galactic Summit

The Solaris prioritises assisting the Galactic Summit, a meeting between the superpowers, which halts all unrelated operations in order to focus on the security of the diplomatic conference.

Day - Article Title

8: Squadron Enjoys Relative Tranquillity

The squadron enjoys relative tranquility, with nothing to report. Discussions of a deep-space salvage mission with Mantis are underway, but more information is expected to be available in the week.

11: Multiple Starport Emergencies Declared

Multiple starport emergencies are declared, which raises the squadron to high alert. With the situation still unclear, the operations crew halts any action until circumstances are clear.

12: Centurion Forces Deployed as Squadron Alert Continues

The starport emergencies are confirmed to have been caused by NMLA bombings, which warrants the deployment of CSF to secure squadron rescue operations against any threats.

18: Squadron Alert Lowered

The squadron alert is lowered, as many stations begin to enter the repair phase. However, CSF remains deployed within the squadron in case of any further attacks.

19: Search and Rescue Agency, BLUSTAR Operations, Established

In response to the attacks, a new, smaller Search and Rescue-focused division, codenamed BLUSTAR, is established. Led by Head of Medical, Ashley Marshal, this division utilises existing assets from CSF and other divisions to provide search and rescue support.

25: Rescue Operations Conclude

Despite being created on such short notice, BLUSTAR rescue operations on all damaged starports conclude successfully. On the same day, Mantis Analytics takes the opportunity to start a new mission to salvage Guardian artefacts out in deep-space - hailing back to their original request on the 24th of February, with the mission planned to run from the 27th of March to the 31st of March.

27-31: Mantis Initiative to Salvage Guardian Artefacts

Mantis Analytics' deep-space salvaging operation for Guardian artefacts concludes. They successfully acquire 15 ancient keys, 33 Guardian relics, 16 Guardian totems, 3 Guardian orbs, 33 Guardian tablets, 33 Guardian caskets and 33 Guardian urns.

Day - Article Title

4: PANDORA Logistics Begins Operation

Pandora Logistics, a new division focused on bulk cargo, transport and logistics, is created to fill a gap in TITAN divisions. Led by head of commodity trading aboard the Solaris, Macy McIntyre, the division represents all hauling vessels that wish to unify in hauling cargo.

12: Guardian Artefacts Found Missing from Storage

Guardian artefacts previously recovered by Mantis on the 31st of March are found missing from secure storage. An investigation to find where the Guardian items were misplaced begins.

13: Encrypted Datapad Found In Secure Storage / Solaris Network Breached by Encrypted Datapad

An encrypted datapad is found in secure storage, where the Guardian artefacts were stored. Security footage is inconclusive, as it appears the feed was looped for an hour on the sixth of April. After the loop ends, a new container appears in place of the stolen ones. Security teams find the encrypted datapad plus other personal effects within the container, but all identifying information were removed or handled carefully to prevent any forensic evidence being pulled.

14: Mantis Requests Commanders to Decrypt Personal Logs

Commanders are requested by Mantis to decode logs recovered from the encrypted datapad. Due to a network worm that originated from the datapad when it was connected to the cryptography network, Mantis is unable to decode the datapad, and thus asks if Commanders could help.

16-17: Mantis Begin Decrypting Last Encrypted Log / Dr. Rocco Pearson Arrested Following Log Decryption / Rocco Pearson Released From Custody Following Inconclusive Investigation

The logs are decrypted by Commanders, with the last log being decrypted by Mantis due to a stagnation in progress. Mantis frees their cryptography network on the 17th from the network worm. Once decrypted, the logs point towards a Doctor aboard the Solaris, who is with a team carrying research out into experimental soil nutrient injection. Dr. Rocco Pearson is arrested by Solaris peacekeepers, but released shortly after an interrogation, along with the recovered logs. The interrogation with Pearson reveals that Dr. Douglas Gray may be a possible suspect.

18: Ship-Wide Search for Douglas Gray Begins / CSF Declares State of Emergency / Douglas Gray Killed By Centurion Operatives

CSF begin a ship-wide search for Douglas Gray after not finding him at his quarters. Some time later, CSF Captain Kyle Lucas declares a state of emergency after an armed gunman, identified as Dr. Douglas Gray, goes rogue onboard the carrier and steals several CSF weapons and equipment for use in his rampage. CSF locks down the carrier, and later on, they end up being forced to kill Dr. Gray at the end of their pursuit, closing a potential lead. His rampage kills several crew members and injures many more.

19: CSF Discover Strange Device In Quarters Belonging to Douglas Gray

As clean-up of the incident begins, CSF locate a strange device within Douglas Gray's quarters. CSF Specialist Aurora Adair, who examined the device, states that the device is shoddly-made, but very complex. Materials used in the device's construction are quite old, and it seems to be some kind of data storage device. In related news, the CSF requests medicinal supplies to be delivered to the Solaris to assist casualties aboard the carrier.

20: Strange Device Transmits Encrypted Message

The device found in Douglas Gray's quarters transmits an encrypted message, while Specialist Aurora Adair was examining the device in an attempt to power it up. The device emitted a burst data-packet, and before the network could be isolated, it shut off. The transmission is said to have connected to a location not onboard the carrier, which makes tracking it via network traffic impossible.

22: Select Commanders Receive Encoded Message

Rumours circulating suggest that Commanders have received an encoded message from an unknown contact. However, a security mandate issued by CSF prevents all squadron personnel from officially investigating, for the safety of the crew. The situation is monitored to ensure Commanders are not getting into danger, but it is hoped that actionable intel will be revealed by their actions.

28: Network Intrusion Detected Within CSF Network

A network intrusion is detected within Centurion's 'Galaxy' service, also known as G.R.I.D. The network intrusion originated from a worm only identified as 'Dominion'. A contact name, 'EMBER', is obtained from the worm, shortly before it self-destructs and deletes itself. CSF technicians assume that Commanders are receiving encrypted instructions from an unidentified contact, and as such Commanders are advised to be careful when executing unknown files from ominous contacts. CSF's G.R.I.D. service is given access to the digital Commander Concourse for further investigation.

Day - Article Title

9: Pandora Logistics Plans Deep Space Mining Operation 

Pandora Logistics announces plans to undertake a deep space mining operation, to collect and deliver valuable space minerals in an effort to boost squadron capital.

12: Solaris Carrier Struck by Unknown Energy Surge

The Solaris carrier is struck by an unknown energy surge. While core functions remain available, many subsystems are hit by the energy surge and shut down. Maintenance foreman, Jay Weaver, issues a quick statement, confirming that the shutdown was internal and not a standard malfunction. While it is not believed to be sabotage, to immobilise a carrier, a large electromagnetic pulse must originate from within the carrier, to bypass the Faraday shielding and hull plating.

14: Airlock Vent Aboard the Solaris Ejects Multiple Personnel

An airlock vent aboard the Solaris ejects multiple personnel, including CSF Specialist Aurora Adair, Sgt. Lukas Parker, and Armorer Dexter Robbins - a suspect in the recent CSF investigation. A witness statement suggests the airlock venting was caused during a confrontation between CSF soldiers and three other suspects, presumably rogue personnel. According to the statement, which was issued by one of the CSF soldiers who avoided the airlock vent, these suspects may have been responsible for the energy surge.

A short chase lead the soldiers and suspects to subsection 10, which contains two emergency airlocks. Presumably to avoid capture, the suspects cornered themselves in the emergency airlock, and threatened to vent it. However, de-escalation did not go as planned, and a rogue Peacekeeper, who was with the suspects, engaged CSF units and was killed in the ensuing firefight. This gave another suspect ample time to vent the airlock, and three individuals were vented out into space before the airlock could close automatically.

BLUSTAR confirms that all individuals were in pressurised suits, and are currently analysing potential trajectories to begin their search.

15: BLUSTAR Recovers Ejected CSF Operatives

BLUSTAR Operations successfully rescues two CSF operatives who were ejected into space, along with the one other suspect. The search took 14 hours, the majority of which was spent looking for CSF Specialist Aurora Adair - who narrowly avoided asphyxiation as her rationed suit power ran out. Further information about CSF's investigation is uncovered - and confirms CSF's knowledge about a secretive group known as 'EMBER'. It is assumed that their leader was Dr. Douglas Gray, but when he was killed, EMBER assumed new leadership. While CSF was making good progress, the shutdown of G.R.I.D in the energy surge prompted action against several known members of EMBER. This lead to the chase and subsequent airlock vent - but has only resulted in the death of late Peacekeeper Johnathan Hoyer.

The two other suspects, Dr. Ada Khan and Armorer Dexter Robbins, survived and were taken into CSF custody, with Robbins in a critical condition. Based on the after-action report, Dexter was shot multiple times by CSF operatives before venting the airlock. Thanks to him being in a hardsuit, he is lucky to have survived the wounds and vacuum of space.

25: Mantis Analytics Plans Private Survey / The Echoes of EMBER

Mantis Analytics announces plans to conduct a private, internal survey in order to further Mantis' research database. The survey is planned to focus on cataloguing organic life, and will have a large complement of crew hailing from all four TITAN divisions.

In other news, the squadron investigates the impact of the secretive cultist group known as EMBER. While the group is believed to have been effectively shut down thanks to the latest incident, echoes of its presence still exist aboard the carrier. With 34 crew members lost in Dr. Douglas Gray's rampage, CSF locating a mystery device, the Commander Concourse being digitally infiltrated, and some personnel almost being lost to space - two questions remain.

Who is EMBER, and what do they want?

Day - Article Title

10: TSV Journey Prepares For Survey Operation

A new survey vessel created by Mantis, known as TSV Journey, announces its intent to lead the private survey previously announced by Mantis Analytics. The TSV Journey will undertake the exobiological survey operation, now codenamed 'Calypso', and brings 70 personnel along with it. The survey also intends to test the viability of a dedicated survey vessel that will help further scientific understanding.

16: TSV Journey Surpasses Expectations

After starting its mission on the 14th of June, it is announced that TSV Journey has surpassed Mantis' initial expectations. Having already delivered very successful results, and reported back numerous findings, the TSV Journey continues its successful endeavour into deep-space exploration.

22: Hydra Team Locates TSV Journey

Disaster strikes as the TSV Journey is hijacked by an unidentified group of eleven individuals after landing on an uninhabited planet. With Commanders assisting CSF with their investigation via the Commander Concourse, the TSV Journey is eventually located by a spec-ops team and rescued. Thanks to the pilots of the vessel having the foresight to eject the emergency communication beacon, it was possible to locate the ship, which was found drifting in space, with multiple explosive charges onboard. Reportedly, the attackers boarded the ship, presumably when it landed, and forced security teams to retreat, before placing explosive charges around the ship, all with the timer set to one minute and eleven seconds.

The attackers left the ship shortly after, and no-one was hurt or killed in the incident. Spec-ops team Hydra, who found the TSV Journey with the help of Commanders and removed the explosives. They also returned CSF Exobiologist Tori May, who was mistakenly left behind on the planet with her SRV, after the TSV Journey attempted to escape its attackers. The TSV Journey continued its mission without incident thereafter, but the survey was shortened for the safety of the crew, and it returned to the Solaris in the next few days.

23: Montgomery Burns Carrier Bombed By Unknown Group

The Montgomery Burns carrier, owned by independent CMDR 'Mal', a squadron member within TITAN Contractors, is bombed by an unknown group while 3000ly from inhabited space. The attack injures multiple crew members, but thankfully detonated in a non-critical part of the vessel, resulting in no deaths. Security footage investigated by CSF suggests that a group of eleven attackers were spotted prior to security measures being disabled. Before the Montgomery Burns crew could react, a powerful explosive detonated in a landing bay.

It was later discovered that several ships, all owned by CMDR Mal and stored in their personal carrier shipyard, had been tagged with the number '111'. Solaris Peacekeepers suspect that the attack is related to the TSV Journey, as '111' appears once again, alongside the eleven masked attackers.

24: Tori May Arrested by Solaris Peacekeepers / CSF Demand Release of Tori May

Solaris Peacekeepers arrest CSF Exobiologist Tori May after her unique suit identification appears in recovered security footage from the Montgomery Burns - which was decrypted by independent Commanders. Further information suggests that Tori met with an unidentified contact, who may have coerced her into uploading a virus into G.R.I.D, but the attempt was foiled by Peacekeepers when she was halted on her way to the G.R.I.D mainframe. CSF demands the release of operative May, but was reminded that the Peacekeepers are fully within their right to carry out this investigation.

As tensions rise due to the related incidents, CSF threatens to execute their right to release Tori themselves, and cited that the information that has been obtained from independent Commanders could be inaccurate. The operations crew orders both sides to stand down, and halts the Peacekeeper's investigation until a decision is made.

25: Operations Crew Deny CSF Demand / Tori May Revealed as 'Praetor' Operative / Survivors Provide Insight into TSV Journey Attackers

An unknown individual accesses G.R.I.D and pleas for Commanders to vote in favor of Tori May, and the decision to shut-down G.R.I.D. However, the decision to keep G.R.I.D running and to arrest Tori May is chosen, and as such the operations crew denies CSF's request to release Tori May. However, conditions are laid out by Centurion - they will allow the investigation to continue, but no charges are to be laid against Tori unless there is concrete evidence, and that a CSF officer may join the investigation.

The conditions are accepted, and CSF later reveals that the unknown individual who accessed G.R.I.D was one of their operatives - The operations crew counters that their position in the squadron does not excuse them for taking such actions, and it is irresponsible to shut down G.R.I.D. However, it is unanimously agreed that some compromises must be made to avoid pitting the squadron against itself.

In the afternoon, the investigation makes substantial progress, and it is revealed that Tori May is an operative part of a previously-unknown CSF division, known as Praetor. Praetor is a black operations division, that focus on performing sometimes morally dubious operations in the interests of the squadron, but CSF did not comment on any further specifics or reveal any such operations.

After the investigation concludes, new information from survivors recovered from another ship that was in the TSV Journey's operation area gives further insight into the attackers. The survivors, who were crew-members from a research vessel known as Gaia's Legacy, were carrying out routine research into Guardian technology in the area. When they entered the system, they picked up the TSV Journey's emergency signal, but upon investigating, their ship was destroyed by a black Diamondback Explorer. It is believed this ship was used by the attackers for its speed and stealth, since the paint allowed it to evade detection, likely both visually and electronically. Most of the crew of the Gaia's Legacy did not survive planetfall, due to the slightly higher gravity.

26: Missing Guardian Artefacts Found in Storage

Guardian artefacts that were previously stolen out of secure holding mysteriously return, and are found by security teams to have all been returned, unscathed. It is unknown why or how the items were returned without any notice.

27: Multiple Solaris Personnel Killed in Meeting Bombing / Mantis Analytics Assumes Control of TITAN Contractors Operations

A bombing aboard the Solaris kills multiple operations personnel, and injures many more. The bombing was performed by one individual, who walked into the Solaris briefing room and detonated a compact personal explosive on their person, of which the resulting explosion and shrapnel killed multiple Peacekeepers in close proximity, and injured many operations crew members. With casualties still being identified by medical teams, the Peacekeeepers denied to release a statement, but confirmed that Chief of Operations Avery Ramirez, JSOC Benjamin Griffin, and Head of Security Christopher Rodriguez are amongst the injured.

As an emergency decision, Mantis Analytics assumes controls of TITAN Contractors temporarily, in an attempt to restore the command hierarchy. Emergency decisions are enacted to hunt down EMBER and restore order.

In related news, a list of casualties is confirmed by medical teams.

CSF:

Lt. Archer Lewis, Cpt. Jay Griffith, Sgt. Lukas Parker, Spc. Cody Barrera [KIA], Op. Erin Amber [KIA]

Operations:

Avery Ramirez, Benjamin Griffin, Christopher Rodriguez, Elias Gill, Scott Bradley, Ronan Barrett [KIA], Ariel Berg

Peacekeepers:

Kiara Hawkins, Braden Hyde, Alex Reynolds [KIA], Mya Rose [KIA], Ethan Chase, Jordi West [KIA], Percy Baker [KIA], Stephen Newman, Cleo Pearce [KIA], Andrew Cooke [KIA]

Day - Article Title

9: Bombing Averted Aboard the Solaris

A new bombing attempt is narrowly averted aboard the Solaris. The bomb was placed under the vessel's FSD by EMBER, after a carrier lockdown was enforced by EMBER's external interference. The squadron was faced with three decisions, hand over the Solaris, shut down G.R.I.D permanently, or kill one individual important to squadron function. If no decision was made, the bomb would detonate, and likely damage the carrier beyond repair.

While a solution was being implemented, CSF teams attempted to locate the bomb, with spec-ops team Hydra being the first team to uncover it under the FSD. However, it was believed that the bomb would take too long to disarm, as it was not conventional and was very complex. The complexity came from the bomb being covered in a multitude of wires, which could all have different, critical functions.

After liaising with Commanders, it was determined that the only appealing option would be to defuse the bomb, and it was then discovered that the wire's covering the bomb were duds - simply placed to slow down defusal efforts. With only 45 minutes remaining, the bomb began to transmit a code, which was recorded by Hydra. Commanders swiftly decoded it to be a bomb defusal code, and the bomb was defused narrowly.

10: Black Diamondback Explorer Located Onboard the Solaris / Squadron Commander Killed by EMBER Bombing

The black Diamondback Explorer is located aboard the Solaris in a locked down landing bay, with no crew or evidence within. It is assumed that EMBER is no longer trying to avoid capture, and Solaris teams hypothesize that this may be a last stand.

The theory may have been proven right, as another bombing attempt kills Squadron Commander Quinton Marshall aboard his Krait Phantom. The compact explosive was placed below the pilots seat, and detonated as he intended to leave the carrier. No body was recovered from the explosion, but footage aboard the Krait confirms he did not survive the explosion. This plunged the operations crew into slight turmoil, as all high-level squadron decisions were made by the Squadron Commander.

Thanks to assistance from Commanders, the detonator for the explosive was traced back, which resulted in the arrest of several EMBER members, most of which were private mercenaries who resisted capture and were subsequently killed, with the remainder being taken into custody.

11: EMBER Tied to Fanatical Cult

A deeper investigation concludes that EMBER has ties to a fanatical anarchist group known as 'Hivemind'. It is believed that Hivemind is a splinter group hailing from the pro-Thargoid Far God cult, but it was supposedly shut down by Federal authorities before they grew more. This appears to not be the case, as Hivemind has used their new-found influence to favour more violent methods to acquiring the resources they need.

It is believed that Hivemind wished to capture a fleet carrier in order to broaden their logistical capacity, but why they chose the Solaris is unknown. Perhaps it was because the squadron was already weakened due to previous issues, making it a target of opportunity, or that the carrier's storage contained useful items to Hivemind's cause.

14: Who Should Lead TITAN Contractors

A debate into who should lead TITAN Contractors comes forth, following the death of Squadron Commander

Quinton Marshall. However, due to the 'design' of the operations crew, no crew member is suitable for the posiiton, as no operations crew member has a bigger say over one another, including Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez. Protocols laid out by Commander Marshall dictate that a new Squadron Commander must be an individual unaffiliated with the operations crew, and cannot be an existing management figure.

While these protocols could technically be overwrittien, CO Avery Ramirez believes it is a disservice to Quinton Marshall, and that the squadron must respect the regulations laid out. A new Squadron Commander should be an experienced individual who is capable of stepping up as a strong leader and able to guide the squadron close to the original vision.

16: EMBER Dismantled Permanently

EMBER is dismantled permanently, with their leader and other arrested members handed over to authorities, so they can continue their investigation into 'Hivemind'.

24: Quinton Marshall's Memorial Service

A memorial service for Quinton Marshall is hosted in a private venue aboard the Marshall's Claim planetary port in LHS 2429.

Several eulogys were issued and made public by the operations crew.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez:

"It is with a heavy heart that today, we say goodbye to a good friend and leader. When I first took this position in the squadron, it was just a job... but since then, it has grown to be so much more. I can confidently say that I consider each and every one of my loyal crew members family, and Commander Marshall was no exception. The foundation he provided for us, as a squadron, to make our independent trail through the galaxy is one we are incredibly gracious for, and it is a shame that his family is not around anymore to see his success."

Captain Chris Black:

"Commander Marshall was one of the best people I knew. Loyal, honest, and always willing to give a helping hand. We often had mundane discussions over simple commodity decisions, especially related to humanitarian work, but when it came to budget, his answer would always be... 'Well, allocate whatever amount of money we need to help these people'. He was truly a man of remarkable character and integrity. We will look after the Solaris, and I pledge to always uphold his original values as we continue operation."

Commander Benjamin Griffin, JSOC:

"Quinton was a great friend and companion. His personal dealings with CSF and Mantis matters ensured the integrity and efficiency of our operation, and we are extremely grateful for everything he has provided. I don't wish to reiterate what others have already said, but it is incredibly sad that he has passed so early into his life, and CSF, Mantis, Pandora and BLUSTAR all vow to uphold the path he has laid out for us."

30: Encrypted Will Found In Squadron Commander's Quarters

Security teams uncover an encrypted datapad in Quinton Marshall's quarters. Due to an included note, it is believed that the datapad contains the will of Quinton Marshall. However, brute-forcing it does not work, as Mantis accidentally triggers a lockout countermeasure that will delete the hard-drive contents if any further brute-forcing occurs.

An unlocked partition is recovered off the hard-drive, which contains encoded images. Upon further investigation, Commanders determine that one of the images contains a message coinciding with the will, while the other images contain the passcode to decrypt the will, as well as the name of the individual that the will concerns.

Information pertaining to the investigation has been publicly released below.

DECODED INFORMATION

The will concerns CSF Specialist Aurora Adair, who seems to be the focus of Quinton's will. However, an extensive background check confirms that Quinton and Aurora have only ever met once, after CSF's TvT exercise, so it is believed there is no linked relationship. Personal logs recorded by Aurora do not offer suggestions as to why Quinton has decided to place the responsibility of Squadron Commander on Aurora, but it is believed that she was chosen for a reason. Further information suggests that Aurora is currently undertaking a Commander evaluation with the Pilots' Federation.

Should Commanders choose to hand over the will's access code to a Mantis investigator, the will may be acted upon - with a high likelihood of promoting Aurora Adair to the planned position.

FIRST MESSAGE:

Hello Commander. If you're reading this, I have likely been killed; by EMBER most likely, and you have probably been asked by Mantis to decrypt my will. However, there are implications. The machinations of EMBER have made me worried for the future of the squadron. While the squadron will be able to continue without me; the search of a new squadron commander will undoubtedly be enacted. That was one of the protocols discussed with the operations crew. This may draw the attention of our enemies, who may go to further lengths to shut down our operations.

My will dictates that all my assets belonging to me are to be transferred immediately to an individual of promising integrity and skill that I have chosen far in advance. But, life is precious, and while I truly believe in the work we have done; I am uncertain whether or not I can make the decision of placing the burden of the squadron on this

individual.

Instead of deleting my will, I have made the decision to encrypt it in a novel way that resists the Mantis cryptography mainframe, and leave it to, one day, be discovered. I hoped it would not come to it, but if you are reading this, it has.

The individual's name as well an encrypted key to access the hard-drive and will contents are included in the images. I trust that - should you figure out a way to decrypt them - that you will make the right decision. If the will is acted upon, this individual will become the Squadron Commander; but as we have learnt, this position may carry great risks with our current enemies. Choose wisely and be careful with the way you share this information.

Thank you for everything, Commanders.

Quinton Marshall

o7

Day - Article Title

1: Extended Investigation Into Anonymous Leak Stagnates

The investigation progresses into its sixth day, still no tangible evidence in sight. With no new information coming to light, and existing data being cryptic and scarce, the Peacekeepers struggle to advance their investigation in an attempt to identify its creator. However, assistance from Mantis allows investigators to realise the true extent of the leak - identifying that logbooks and pictures pertaining to Aurora specifically, and personal background information belonging to CDL Lucas, CO Ramirez, HSEC Rodriguez and HMED Marshal have been leaked.

This is said to only make up a quarter of the stolen files, so it is believed that the remainder is private communications that do not necessarily belong to the named individuals, but any conversation that remotely mentions them. Without the files, Chief Peacekeeper Stafford states that it is unclear what could be compromised in these conversations, but is likely dangerous either way - in the wrong hands.

5: Bucephalus Suffers Viral Outbreak

An incident of importance rises onboard the Bucephalus H2X-B1F fleet carrier, owned by independent Commander Kao Tchaikovsky. The carrier - assigned to DSMO Taurus mining operations - suffers the spread of a proliferating pathogen. However, no harmful symptoms are shown, with any symptoms experienced by infected individuals being very similar to the common flu. An initial theory rises - that the pathogen was contracted from mining operations, with the Bucephalus crew handling the raw minerals. BLUSTAR confirms that the pathogen has spread largely aboard the Bucephalus, whereas two other mining carriers - the T.O.C. Monty Burns and Heart of the Tempest - corroborate mild reports of the disease.

Despite displaying similar characteristics to the influenza virus, no medical treatments aboard any of the carriers prove effective against the pathogen, and analysis of the virus proves unsuccessful. Strangely, despite being in the operations area, the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N does not experience any outbreak, whereas the T.O.C. Acidik H2G-W3L - an AX support carrier nowhere remotely close to Taurus' mission area - reports a minor outbreak. Decontamination protocols are enforced, with Commanders warned to abide by PPE protocols.

Simultaneously, after discovering the Peacekeeper team onboard her ship on the 30th of August, Aurora spends time with Tori - a good friend of hers and one of the members of the security team. However, after returning to her ship later on the 5th, she realises Tori is missing, as well as the other two Peacekeepers apart of her security detail. Now corresponding her situation with the current events aboard the Bucephalus, she realises something might be wrong.

6: Emergency Quarantine Declared / Pathogen Identified as Biological Weapon / CSF Praetor Captain Killed In Confrontation / BLUSTAR Operations Creates Tau-A0X Antidote / Tau-A0X Eradicated by BLUSTAR Antidote

Early in the day, an emergency quarantine is suddenly declared after the unknown pathogen aboard the Bucephalus suddenly proves to be fatal. Hundreds of crew-members across four carriers are suddenly declared dead, plunging the mission into a state of emergency. Deck Officer Dennis Glenn of the Bucephalus declares lockdown aboard the carrier, reporting their medical systems overwhelemed. BLUSTAR Operations orders all infected carriers to quarantine immediately, but core operations begin to complicate significantly as the T.O.C. Monty Burns, T.O.C. Acidik, Heart of the Tempest, and Bucephalus all report major fatalities - whereas the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N still reports no sign of infection.

BLUSTAR CBRN teams thus decide to utilise the Solaris as a staging point, where quarantine measures are enacted to contain the virus. In the meantime, Aurora publicises a logbook, after suddenly being forced to rescue her own security detail from rogue CSF Praetor operatives. Suspecting something deeper is going on, she decides to carry out her own investigation, using information recovered from the Praetor operatives she killed.

Some time later, the pathogen is finally sequenced and identified as a heavily engineered strain of influenza by CBRN teams - who declare it a biological weapon and codename it "Tau-A0X". The virus exhibits symptoms similar to the flu during its initial phase, but later growth phases cause the virus to suddenly attack the central nervous system once it has replicated enough, which has an 100% fatality rate. Reaching this lethal phase takes around six hours, where the infected individual will thereafter die in a matter of minutes. BLUSTAR virologists confirm that the virus has been genetically engineered for this exact purpose, and has an abnormally high resistance to modern antibiotics.

By disrupting and avoiding the immune system, the virus replicates rapidly, and once the individual's immune system is weakened, the virus strikes. The Solaris locks down as a result, despite reporting no infections, and BLUSTAR begins to rapidly attempt to develop an antidote.

As Taurus continues to face siege by the Tau-A0X virus, a sudden confrontation in a CSF Praetor squad bay results in the death of CSF Praetor Captain Kolten Palmer. His death was caused after a stand-off between him and Squadron Commander Aurora Adair, who had followed information that suggested his involvement in the creation of the virus, kidnapping her security detail, as well as inspiring mutiny against her on top of that. An investigation confirms that Captain Palmer has been attempting to organise resistance against SC Adair - with minimal success - so he resorted to more unorthodox methods to achieve his goal. His fireteam comprised of three additional individuals, two of which were killed by SC Adair during her rescue of her security detail, with the plan to draw her out and finish her off alone.

The plan did not work as expected, as Adair was luckily not at her ship by the time the rogue CSF operatives arrived. Her security detail was then moved to a damaged settlement, likely for ransom - but an emergency message covertly sent by Tori allowed Aurora to locate the settlement and rescue her detail. Scavengers on location were paid off by the CSF operatives, but their plan ultimately convoluted due to poor planning. One Peacekeeper was killed, however, prior to their rescue. With one individual remaining of Palmer's team, he is interrogated - and the operations crew take this opportunity to praise Aurora's skill and loyalty.

Near the end of the day, BLUSTAR Operations announce that they have successfully created an antidote, codenamed T1-V0X, and would be preparing large batches to help cure thousands of infected crew members. While the antidote is successful, it reportedly causes worse, influenza-like symptoms - but at least prevents total fatality thus far. As BLUSTAR works efficiently and exceptionally hard at eradicating the Tau-A0X virus, they announce their success by the end of the day, confirming that the pathogen has now been eradicated, allowing all four infected carriers time to recover. 

However, investigation teams release a new statement, confirming that Captain Palmer did not in fact create the Tau-A0X virus, but did orchestrate the spread somewhat - implying that a third party may have assisted, and that SC Adair ultimately acted on doctored information, which has now resulted in the death of Kolten Palmer. She was not available for comment.

7: Security Teams Issue Investigation Statement

Security teams corroborate their earlier investigation by issuing a specific statement investigating the circumstances surrounding Captain Palmer's death. SC Adair - still denying a full comment - states that she was unaware that the information was doctored at the time, and would be complying with the Peacekeeper investigation. Security teams believe that Kolten Palmer did indeed receive external help - which may be marking the return of Hivemind and their terrorist attacks. This theory is believed to be true, and it is stated that CSF does not have the manpower to protect all carriers in the squadron, and some weakness still exists within the division due to previous events.

Other solutions may need to be implemented to cover this shortfall, but Peacekeeper Braden Hyde warns that the squadron is still at the risk of further, opportunistic attacks - thanks to the diminished capability of most squadron carriers. The interrogation of Palmer's last operative is also inconclusive - with very little extra information obtained from it.

9: Lt Riley Kairo Appointed as Praetor Leader

Lieutenant Riley Kairo - Captain Kolten Palmer's second in command - is appointed as the leader of CSF Praetor. Shocked by recent news, Lieutenant Kairo pledges to shift Praetor to face a new direction, and that she would be implementing a majority of changes to ensure that the division supports the squadron, rather than fights against it. Initial plans suggest that they would be adopting a new hyper-specialised vision, particularly focusing on role-gaps within CSF, like anti-xeno operations.

10: CSF Sentinel Joins Peacekeeper Investigation

CSF Praetor - now renamed and identified as Sentinel - announces their intent to join and assist the Peacekeeper investigation, which was investigating evidence relating to Captain Palmer at the time - but stagnating due to insufficient leads. CSF Sentinel dedicates military intelligence teams (MILINT) to continuing the investigation externally, outside the squadron, while still within legal bounds. They start at reviewing old Obi Dredgings evidence - a classified mining facility that was Commander Adair's previous place of employment - which may prove if she is compromised or not, and using the squadron for her own benefit. Their investigation makes her a suspect, but Aurora confirms that she would be fully compliant with their investigation.

12: CSF Sentinel Obtains Obi Dredgings Information

CSF Sentinel obtain worthwhile Obi Dredgings information and compile a full investigation report containing the real incident reports surrounding the incident - which ultimately determines Aurora to be innocent. However, the detailed incident reports recall past trauma Aurora has faced, unfortunately allow her to vividly relive what happened to her, inciting a mental breakdown. However, this works in her favour eventually, allowing her to recover and finally come to peace with the Obi incident after understanding what happened.

14: Squadron Commander Declared Missing

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair and Operative Tori May are suddenly declared missing after Aurora fails to perform two routine check-ins during a personal excursion. Her ship, a Krait Phantom codenamed 'Paladin', is found drifting in the Col 285 Sector GW-W d1-51 system unmanned - its trackers and systems disabled. CSF start a search, beginning at HIP 9452 - her destination system - but omit to share the destination settlement to Commanders. Their search proves unsuccessful as authorities in HIP 9452 are fairly unwilling to grant an investigation warrant.

Unbeknownst to the squadron at the time, Aurora finds herself in an abandoned settlement and recalls what happened during her flight, and unaware that the squadron is searching for her. With nobody coming to rescue her just yet, Commander Adair considers a risky alternative to get out of the settlement.

16: Commander Alexis Bright Rescues Squadron Commander / Hivemind Broadcasts Message

Commander Alexis Bright - an independent contractor in TITAN Contractors - decides to take matters into her own hands and breaks into Tsarenko Lodges, the destination settlement, after a CSF soldier shares its location with her, in the hopes that an independent Commander would be able to take more direct action. Her mission is successful, and she obtains a mysterious encrypted file planted in the settlement's network. After sharing the file publicly within the squadron, it is eventually decrypted by Mantis Analytics and shared through the G.R.I.D. service - with its contents revealing the location of a settlement. Despite a CSF team being dispatched there, Commander Bright wastes no time and quickly reaches the settlement, narrowly rescuing Squadron Commander Aurora Adair who was found critically injured within the settlement after being attacked by a band of mercenaries.

After being stabilised, Aurora is rescued by BLUSTAR operatives and treated before being taken back to the Solaris carrier. Aurora's logs covering her time in the unknown settlement are later publicised, sharing an insight into what happened to her when she was effectively kidnapped.

Later that day, Hivemind - the elusive pro-Thargoid splinter group with links to the Far God cult - broadcasts an anonymous message directed to TITAN Contractors, represented by a mysterious individual only identifying themselves as 'AC'. The message reads as follows:

"What once was, won't be forever. Aurora Adair has exposed vulnerabilities - pathetic weaknesses, rather - within the structure of the TITAN Contractors cooperative, that have allowed her to exploit them for her own gain. I aim to correct your direction and allow you to see the errors of your ways - and some day, we may even work together once you understand our meaning - of what it means to represent Hivemind. But today is not that day, and Commander Adair must be taught a lesson for her interference. You may not always agree with our methods, but that is hardly my problem - and my patience runs thin. Do not stand in our way - you may find it beneficial to your long-term survival to avoid resisting us."

In response to the message, the Peacekeepers emphasize that assisting a threat to the squadron in any way is a criminal offence, and as such Commanders are warned to avoid initiating contact with 'AC'. CSF also reiterates that they are now in a better-equipped position to defend the squadron, so any further attacks performed by Hivemind would be a declaration of war. In related news, BLUSTAR confirms that Commander Adair will make a full recovery from her injuries, with the search for Operative Tori May still underway.

18: Hivemind - Who Are They?

Still recovering from the biological attack, and two days after Hivemind's broadcast, squadron-wide uncertainty begins to rise in relation to Hivemind; questioning who they are and what they could possibly want. OMNIPOL Agent Logan Espinoza is interviewed by Internal Affairs staff to give some insight into the origins of Hivemind and EMBER - a terrorist group that was funded by Hivemind. His interview reads as follows:

"Hivemind has been around for at least two years now, with very, very strong links to the Order of the Far God... or, rather, just the Far God cult. Originally, it was believed that Hivemind formed as a sort of sub chapter within the Far God, but since the cult's inception, the mainstream galactic response has often resulted in fairly violent or contemptuous responses towards them, despite the fact that they were generally viewed to be harmless. In around 3305, not too long after the Federal Intelligence Agency launched an investigation into the Far God, Hivemind officially splintered off and pursued a much more dangerous, fanatical perspective, in response to the hostility. This was quickly snuffed out by the FIA before they developed too far, or so we thought."

"Essentially, Hivemind still draws a lot of similarities from the Far God cult. They are still radically pro-Thargoid with their beliefs rooted in the idea of 'holy, apocalyptic rebirth', heralded by the arrival of the Thargoids, but to pursue their beliefs, they resort to terrorism and violence to get what they want - but almost by proxy. Their group acts like an actual hivemind, splitting dozens of cells across inhabited space - all working together to achieve the same goal, and because of that, they have likely gathered substantial resources away from prying eyes, paying off bottom-feeder mercenaries or innocent people just trying to scrape by, in order to achieve their objectives. One such example is EMBER, which was a group of eleven individuals - mostly all hired guns, but some were compromised or blackmailed TITAN personnel."

"Now, why are they attacking TITAN Contractors? Why do they want to seize the Solaris fleet carrier? The simple answer is; we have no idea, but it is likely that Hivemind saw the vulnerabilities in the squadron at the time, and decided to seize the opportunity to capture a fleet carrier. However, that isn't a simple feat, and at this point they may be realising that it is no longer possible, at least not like this. So, now, it may just be a quest of vengeance. EMBER was well-equipped and well-trained, and now that we have finally removed them from the picture, it is likely that was a significant blow to their operations. They may be attempting to regroup now, and - based off their latest broadcasts - 'convert the squadron into submission' for a possible takeover - or, as I said, they may even have a personal vendetta now." 

- OMNIPOL Agent Logan Espinoza

Unfortunately, Agent Espinoza states that the nature of the incident and other galactic incidents means OMNIPOL would be working with the Peacekeepers in a very limited capacity, effectively forcing them to carry out the investigation alone.

19: AC Broadcasts Demand

The enigmatic figure only identifying themselves as 'AC' broadcasts a demand, directed right at independent Commanders within TITAN Contractors. His broadcast has been recorded below: 

"Commanders of TITAN Contractors, this message is directed at you in particular. Since my last broadcast on behalf of Hivemind - TITAN security teams have been desperately scrambling around, trying their best to research who Hivemind is... who I am. But, allow me to avoid all of that, and let's play a game, shall we? Being able to work together with you - such talented pilots and mercenaries - is one particular thing I look forward to, and the time has come to offer you a chance to make a difference. However, our cooperation cannot be ruined by the insistence of the Peacekeepers, CSF or Mantis. With this message I would like to lay out our foundation for future work - and what you may call demands - are simply reasonable offers. But as I said; fight the tide and you may quickly find that it will not be beneficial to your health."

"Firstly, security teams will receive a transmission not too long from now, and by then our next phase will begin. For a squadron so dependent on its Commanders - I would like to give you the opportunity to prove yourself. As such, security teams aboard the Solaris - or any carrier for that matter - will not be participating or assisting the investigation, with one single exception - Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford will be our intermediary between Solaris operations and our Commanders. The G.R.I.D service serves as the perfect medium for Commanders to obtain the information they need to make educated decisions. Secondly, failure to comply with this foundation will incur consequences - which will not be favourable to say the least. If I am to make you understand our ways, I will at least be kind enough to offer a chance at redemption. You may have wronged us several times, but I have confidence that placing the reins of this investigation in the hands of more level-headed individuals - our Commanders - will prove their capability and prove that the squadron is not as corrupt as once thought. I am looking forward to working with you to make meaningful changes in the squadron."

- AC

Christopher Rodriguez - the head of security aboard the Solaris - clarifies that any threat to the squadron will still not be taken lightly - but the Peacekeepers counter that independent Commanders are TITAN's best chance at tackling this new threat. Due to jurisdictional reasons, the operations crew issues a mandate which blocks CSF, Mantis and other security teams from pursuing the investigation - leaving it up to independent Commanders to solve the transmission with some assistance from the Peacekeepers.

30: TITAN Contractors Accepts Hivemind Demand

Since the last broadcast, Commanders are hard at work to decrypt a series of messages transmitted by AC - in order to understand his goals as well as Hivemind's ulterior motive. With the messages now successfully decrypted, it appears as if 'AC' is prompting Commanders to make yet another decision - ones which may have unforeseen consequences. A demand similiar to this was issued in the past by EMBER, where it appeared as if they wanted to gain control of the Solaris flagship carrier. However, the demands issued this time do not appear to assist AC's quest, which raises the question as to what they will achieve from them.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, elaborated on the demands and the decision made by Commanders in a statement below:

"AC's message was clear - that we, the operations crew, would not be getting directly involved in this investigation, nor would we be choosing a decision in the end. That responsibility has been placed in the hands of our Commanders; but I do have full confidence in the decision they have picked; and we will find out soon whether or not it was the right choice to make."

"To comply with AC's demands, we will be organizing a hand-off of Commanders Aurora Adair and Alexis Bright. The other decisions have either involved the release of CSF operative Tori May - which is one particular demand that raised the question of what Hivemind gets out of it - the shutdown of GRID, or the abandonment of the Solaris."

"Most of these options have been determined to be too risky or vague, and while it would seem like handing over SC Adair and Commander Bright would be the worst option - both have suitable backgrounds for this kind of operation, and the rest of the operations crew - after much consideration - believes they can handle themselves. We won't disclose specifics, but the hand-off will occur on the 1st of October, at around 16:00 UGT."

- Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez

On behalf of CSF, CDL Kyle Lucas states that, should any harm come to either Commander, that they would use the full extent of their military assets to hunt down any and all Hivemind cells. Both Commander Alexis Bright and Commander Aurora Adair receive a specialised briefing and prepare a day in advance for the hand-off.

Day - Article Title

1: New AC Broadcast Confirms Successful Handoff

A new broadcast issued by AC confirms that the hand-off of Commanders Alexis Bright and Aurora Adair was successful, and according to plan. His message is publicised once again for the interest of Commanders:

"Thank you, Commanders. Your assistance with my quest is highly valued, and we continue to work to inspire change in the galaxy. But, our first steps must focus on TITAN Contractors - the squadron that has unfortunately wronged my organisation numerous times. As you are aware, one of my demands has been met - the request for you to hand over Commander Aurora Adair and Commander Alexis Bright. Now, as a reward for your cooperation, I will announce my intent - but allow me to preface this by saying that no harm will come to either Commander as long as they cooperate with us. I will personally ensure it. Firstly, both Commanders will be treated fairly and provided a quarters at an undisclosed location, in which they will remain for the duration of our negotiation. Should our negotiation go successfully and proper change is made, both Commanders will be released and allowed to leave."

"However, you may think there is a catch, and I would be lying if I said there wasn't. Should the negotiation not go as planned, we will take measures in order to... 'remove'... both Commanders from interfering further. From there on, we will take drastic measures to ensure that TITAN Contractors never disrupts our operations again. Neither Adair or Bright are aware of my contingency - but fear not; if your so-called 'leader' is rational enough, we should not get to this point. Still, your assistance with this matter cannot be understated. It is my hope that a successful negotiation will mean that Hivemind and TITAN can cooperate in the future in order to achieve our goals. Stay alert, Commanders. Our work is far from over."

- AC

Due to the nature of the incident, the operations crew state that SC Adair and Commander Bright cannot be tracked or followed - meaning that should anything go wrong, they would be completely on their own. No counterstatement is issued to AC's message, but CSF remains on a heightened state of alert.

2: False Meeting Jeopardizes Squadron Safety

An emergency announcement issued remotely by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair determines that the Hivemind meeting was falsified in order to draw both Commanders in and entrap them. A partial version of Adair's statement is released in the Internal Affairs article:

"Commanders, the 'negotiation', meeting, or whatever you want to call it - was nothing more than a trap. There was never going to be any meeting with AC, and the sole purpose was to obviously draw us out so they could capture us and prevent us interfering in whatever plans they might have. We were lucky to even escape, thanks to the help of a contact of mine... which I might elaborate on at a later time. Right now, we have to focus on the immediate threat - that Hivemind is planning to launch an attack against the squadron, and there's no telling what's coming."

- Squadron Commander Aurora Adair

AC broadcasted a statement shortly after SC Adair's statement was publicised:

"This is a shameful act performed by Commander Adair - and just goes to prove my point about her impulsive, corrupt nature. I am done trying to resolve our differences peacefully - and while I will admit our meeting may not have gone entirely as planned, the opportunity for redemption has long past. This was not an opportunity for you to form a romantic bond with Commander Bright - but rather learn to rectify your past mistakes. I will no longer be as forgiving as I have in the past - so allow us to see if your passion for your so-called family will save you this time."

- AC

With tensions rising within the squadron in anticipation for an attack, CSF issues their own announcement as well:

"Attention Commanders. We remain committed to defending the squadron, and Hivemind's violation of their agreement is an intolerable act that has resulted in the direct harm of Commanders Aurora Adair and Alexis Bright. As of today, we are effectively declaring war against Hivemind. CSF assets will be used to track and hunt down Hivemind cells, and we will continue to do this until this threat has been fully eliminated. Shipments of military gear may be required to power our offensive - but rest assured; this will be the last time Hivemind threatens our cause."

- Centurion SF

With both Commanders now safe and returning to the Solaris carrier, CSF is given full authority to respond in force against Hivemind - which includes the ability to use the Solaris as a military asset. Commanders are advised to not participate in the direct offensive against Hivemind, but that their help may be necessary to power the offensive logistically.

3: Supply CSF Offensive Against Hivemind

CSF's initiative to supply their offensive against Hivemind begins, requesting shipments of Telemetry Suites, Skimmer Components and Modular Terminals to accomplish their goal. Successful completion of the initiative will boost the CSF offensive significantly, but a failure will stunt the operation considerably.

4: Mantis Analytics Counters CSF Initiative

Mantis Analytics, represented by CMDR Elliot Goddard, releases an official statement criticising CSF's rush to enter direct conflict with Hivemind, and warning that their assault may result in sustained casualties and further damage to squadron property. The statement reads as follows:

"CSF - while fully within their right to defend the squadron - are making a decision that could ultimately work against us. Hivemind have evaded our surveillance for months now - so it seems unlikely that CSF will be able to draw them out with such a harsh attack. This massive shift of strategy may expose vulnerabilities that Hivemind could use against us, and that might be something that not even CSF will be able to defend against. Instead of requesting novel, specialised gear, we could utilise our intelligence teams within Mantis, who are in a better equipped position to wage a much more covert 'war' against Hivemind. If given the opportunity, we believe we will be able to make more significant progress than CSF."

"Should CSF be allowed to go forth with this initiative, we may be entering conflict with an enemy whos manpower and resources is unknown, and we may sustain heavy casualties or further damage to squadron assets - which cannot be accepted at this time. Commanders who are assisting with the initiative, we ask that you reconsider your continued involvement, for the sake of everyone's safety."

- CMDR Elliot Goddard, Mantis Analytics

However, CSF does not issue a counter-response, other than stating that the initiative would continue as planned. The operations crew hesitantly confirms that - while they do not wish to inspire rivalry - the failure of CSF's initiative would cause Mantis to assume control of the Hivemind hunt, utilising their novel intelligence mainframe to covertly acquire information on hidden Hivemind cells.

5: Supply CSF Offensive Against Hivemind Failed

CSF's initiative fails due to insufficient deliveries of Telemetry Suites and Modular Terminals - however full deliveries of Skimmer Components are made, which are said to be used later if necessary. Mantis assumes control of the Hivemind hunt as discussed, and begins to covertly search for traces of Hivemind cells.

6: Hivemind Strike Foiled

Mantis Analytics foils a digital Hivemind strike - preventing a failure of Solaris security systems. The strike was performed in the early morning, and recognised by tech teams who have been reinforcing the squadron's network backend. CMDR Elliot Goddard elaborates on the nature of the strike below:

"Since CSF's initiative was withdrawn, our analytical teams have been carefully maintaining cybersecurity within the squadron and beginning a deep-dive into previous investigations or encryptions we have faced. One such team - who have been painstakingly ensuring that our network backend is secure - caught an infiltration attempt and were able to patch the vulnerability swiftly. Should this have been exploited correctly, it may have had dire consequences for our security systems."

"Since Hivemind became a threat to the squadron, Mantis has been constantly focused on patching vulnerabilities within the squadron network - its complexity means there are always new ones. The large majority are minor and hardly exploitable, but a small minority like this one pose a tangible threat."

"However, our teams are always thorough, and with our new security measures, digital attacks are now harder than ever. A vulnerability that poses a threat like this is an odd case - and unfortunately suggests that some insider work may be behind it. Sadly, this isn't the first time Hivemind has done something like that, so we may be on the precipice of something much bigger on the horizon."

- CMDR Elliot Goddard, Mantis Analytics

Mantis Analytics states that they will continue to monitor the vulnerability and update if necessary. There has still been no further comment from AC or Hivemind since CSF essentially declared war, and the operations crew has neglected to share any more information regarding internal counter-terrorist operations.

8: CSF Prepares For Hivemind Attacks

CSF announce that preparations are underway to fortify the squadron against impending Hivemind attacks. This follows a message broadcasted by the enigmatic AC, who has provided a timeline of Hivemind attacks, expected to begin on the 10th of October, and end on the 2nd of November. 

AC's message that coincided with the release of the timeline can be read below:

"Commanders. I am truly sorry this message does not reach you on better terms, but I have no further options than to expose the corruption of the squadron by force. You may consider me the enemy, but I am still prepared to show mercy, and give you ample time to reconsider your stance. I have said that peace is not an option - and it is not, but you will be able to choose how much you lose."

"Hivemind's attacks will increase in severity, until we get what we want. What falters first, Commanders? Will Commander Adair break under the pressure and lose control? Will CSF dismantle and fall in ruin, or will Commanders start to beg the operations crew to surrender? I quite look forward to seeing the result."

- AC

The image of the timeline can be viewed via this link.

CSF's preparations include the creation of three new special task-forces, codenamed Talon, Archangel, and Scorpion.

STF Talon is established aboard the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N, and led by Captain Jay Griffith.

STF Archangel is established aboard the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF, and led by Captain Sarah Ronin.

STF Scorpion is established aboard the T.O.C. Acidik H2G-W3L, and led by Lieutenant Archer Lewis.

The STF forces are expected to be deployed unconditionally until Hivemind has been officially eliminated.

9: CSF Taskforces Deployed Squadron-Wide

The deployment of all STF forces concludes, marking the squadron's first mass deployment of CSF forces, and the first time STF forces have been deployed. Overall, all three taskforces combined amount to around 300 personnel, mostly from CSF Cobra, and it is stated that such a deployment proves CSF's efficiency and capability, as the entire deployment took just a little under a day.

However, Mantis Analytics counters CSF's authority, citing that such a brash operation may make it harder for them to pre-emptively predict attacks. However, due to the first attack expected to begin tomorrow, CSF states that they are not prepared to withdraw any of the taskforces.

10: STF Talon Prevents Munition Sabotage / CSAR Team Rescues Operative Tori May

STF Talon, stationed aboard the T.O.C. Solaris, prevents munition sabotages aboard all three carriers thanks to the quick thinking of Talon's command coordinator. Around 10 to 15 shipments are confirmed sabotaged, and corroborated by similar reports from Archangel and Scorpion. These weapons were tested in a safe environment and confirmed to have been tampered with, so the weapon or ammunition would malfunction or detonate if the weapon was loaded or otherwise used. The majority of the sabotaged equipment is unfortunately discarded, as disarming attempts prove unsuccessful.

In related news, no further broadcasts have been received by AC or Hivemind, but CSF reported that they are investigating a communications anomaly that occurred on the 9th among STF forces.

Later that day, in a sudden turn of events, a CSF combat rescue team rescues Operative Tori May - who has been missing for roughly a month after being kidnapped by Hivemind. She was reportedly found unconscious, left several kilometres outside an anarchist settlement, albeit stable with minor injuries. She is returned to the Solaris, and it is discovered that the 'communication anomaly' that occurred on the 9th was actually a distress code encoded in Morse, sent by Tori using her encryption and access to the CSF milnet.

The anomaly was never reported appropriately by CSF, causing internal friction within the operations crew. CSF is reprimanded by Squadron Commander Adair for failing to report this in a timely manner, but JSOC Griffin and some Centurion officers counter that "Adair should stop letting her personal issues potentially compromise CSF security". An interrogation is expected to take place with Operative May as soon as possible.

11: Operative Tori May Declared Innocent 

Tori May is declared innocent after an investigation carried out by Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford is publicised. His full investigative statement is available below.

"Tori May arrived aboard the Solaris in a stable but unresponsive condition. It took a while before she came to, and by that time she was allowed a short visit with Commander Adair, before I - alone - carried out a 'soft' investigation. Essentially, while CSF may consider this matter to be close to them, the Peacekeepers are always in a much better position to tackle issues like this independently, and I didn't need an entire investigative team to figure out that Tori was innocent. As such, my 'interrogation' started off with simple questions, focusing on her wellbeing, before I began to tackle harder issues like the nature of her kidnapping."

"It would appear as if Tori experienced the same thing as Commander Adair did at Newton's Prospect... only Tori wasn't able to leave or break out of her cell. She reportedly spent ten or so days in there, surviving off rations left behind in the cell, before a mercenary team arrived at the settlement and whisked her away."

"Figuring out what happened next was extremely difficult, as my questions only prompted her to break down crying, and unfortunately I couldn't gather much more from that... There is no possible way she's faking such strong emotions, so as a result I'm closing this part of the investigation and declaring her innocent."

"Tori's reputation has certainly had its downs in the squadron, like the time she was falsely implicated in the Monty Burns bombing... or when she tried to sabotage GRID under orders from CSF - but all I see right now is a struggling young woman thrown under the bus by CSF, who needs to be left alone so she can recover."

"However, it is worth noting that I received a medical report from BLUSTAR, detailing her exact injuries, and - not including approximately sixteen bruises across her body - she has minor bone damage in one of her arms and in her ribs, and traces of an unidentified chemical in her bloodstream. Combining the medical report with her strong reaction to recalling what happened only indicates that she was likely tortured by Hivemind."

- Chief Peacekeeeper, Jaiden Stafford

CSF, who initially demanded that Tori was handed over to their care as she is a Centurion operative, retract their request following Stafford's investigation. Tori is expected to remain in BLUSTAR's intensive care unit until she has fully recovered. 

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair harshly condemns CSF's secrecy and threatens to defund the division, should they continue to impede the squadron and any investigations. An investigation into why STF CENTCOM did not report Tori's distress signal or send out a search team in a timely manner is expected in the coming days.

12: Acidik Carrier Suffers Containment Failure

The T.O.C. Acidik suffers a containment failure which results in the release of multiple corrosive Thargoid items, inflicting massive caustic damage aboard the carrier in one of the cargo-bays. Specialised AX gear aboard the carrier allows the crew to neutralize the caustic effect, but not before six crew members are killed with dozens ore injured. Several accusations towards STF Scorpion are made by some crew members, citing that they provided 'insufficient protection' or 'security measures' that would have been capable of preventing this failure. However, it has been countered that the T.O.C. Acidik is a dedicated anti-xeno carrier, fitted with countless amounts of AX gear - so how this incident even occurred in the first place is questionable.

13: STF Scorpion Eliminates Hivemind Stronghold / Hivemind Begins Assault; Emergency Declared / Hivemind Withdraws; STF Forces Devastated

A sudden raid performed by two squads from STF Scorpion reportedly eliminates a Hivemind stronghold, after military intelligence teams intercepted an encoded transmission in the vicinity of the T.O.C. Acidik. The stronghold and its occupants have been deemed responsible for sabotaging the T.O.C. Acidik storage systems, which resulted in a failure to contain several corrosive Thargoid items. Unfortunately, not much more information can be obtained from the settlement or the operatives, as STF forces destroyed a ship belonging to Hivemind operatives that was being used to escape - but it is determined that the settlement was indeed controlled by Hivemind, after their operatives paid off the settlement's local owner.

After the raid's success is announced, the mysterious 'AC' transmits another broadcast, publicised by Mantis Analytics below.

"There is still time, Commanders. Time to surrender and prevent further bloodshed. You may have removed one team from the picture, but rest assured another will take its place, and this will never stop until you give up. See? It's an easy decision, really... but clearly, you are not taking my warnings seriously. Allow me to make an example of you."

- AC

Later that day, an emergency is suddenly declared across the entirety of the squadron, as Hivemind forces begin an assault of unknown proportions, already inflicting massive casualties and damage aboard the T.O.C. Monty Burns and T.O.C. Acidik carriers. STF Scorpion and Archangel both issue separate emergency broadcasts.

STF Scorpion's emergency broadcast:

"Mayday, mayday! This is Captain Kaiden Marsh aboard the T.O.C. Acidik. I have assumed command of STF Scorpion - Lieutenant Archer Lewis has been killed in action. We have been boarded by an unknown enemy, with multiple of our units currently engaged in combat. Several high-yield explosives have detonated in a few landing bays, and we are being overwhelmed with civilian casualties about to reach the 200-mark. We can't hold out for much longer. We have lost control of the reactor room, FSD control and navigation, and most of maintenance. We were not prepared for a goddamn assault!"

- STF Scorpion, Cpt. Kaiden Marsh

STF Archangel's emergency broadcast:

"This is STF Archangel, Captain Ronin, requesting immediate reinforcements. The Monty Burns has been boarded by a hostile force, who are detonating specialised charges throughout the carrier, inflicting casualties. We are holding them back for now, but we need to close off their insertion points to prevent them resupplying, otherwise we may lose our footing. I have ordered flight control to lockdown all landing bays and enforce a no-fly zone around the carrier - with Commanders currently as the exception."

- STF Archangel, Cpt. Sarah Ronin

STF Talon refuses to dispatch their own reinforcements, citing that 'Hivemind may use this opportunity to strike the flagship'. As a result, CSF reserves are pulled to combat the offensive.

A few hours later, the assault aboard both carriers ceases, and Hivemind withdraws, leaving STF Scorpion devastated with heavy casualties and major damage to the Acidik carrier. The Monty Burns reportedly fairs better, with comparatively minor damage, and STF Archangel still in control of the carrier. However, the majority of the attackers are identified as mercenaries, belonging to 'Paladin Interstellar', a covert black-ops mercenary group wanted for multiple warcrimes in federal and imperial jurisdictions, having evaded capture for two years.

AC claims responsibility for the attack, and issues a broadcast:

"I always stick to my promises, Commanders. It is a shame Aurora could not see that when I called for a meeting. Maybe, if she was not so quick to jump to conclusions, we would not be at this point. But, I must wonder, is it sheer stubbornness, or some sense of pride that forces her to continue to stand against us? Look where that has got us... 400 souls dead across both carriers. How embarrassing."

"Heed my warning carefully, Commanders. This is only just a taste of what my contacts at Paladin Interstellar... of what we, as a Hivemind, are capable of. Surrender, and you will not have to face this again."

- AC

STF Talon provides a situation report on behalf of Scorpion and Archangel:

"Unfortunately, despite trying their utmost best, STF Scorpion have sustained heavy casualties. Captain Kaiden Marsh is now in a critical condition, and we can confirm that Lieutenant Archer Lewis is dead - killed in action after his ship was destroyed prior to landing. The Acidik has not faired any better - tech teams are starting to report that there may be irrepairable damage to the FSD and reactor - and that is not considering the hundreds of dead crew and soldiers aboard the carrier."

"STF Archangel continues to secure the T.O.C. Monty Burns from further attack, and the rapid response of our reserves has allowed them to fight back Paladin's mercenaries. Thankfully, damage aboard their carrier is minor, with slight damage to certain landing bays and hallways. Casualties are also much lower, so we suspect the Monty Burns will be able to continue operation freely. Considering Hivemind's attack timeline, it appears as if they have performed three of their attacks in just the span of around 30 minutes - and Paladin Interstellar's association with them may be a significant obstacle we will have to tackle."

- STF Talon, Cpt. Jay Griffith

In related news, the Peacekeepers confirm that the appropriate authorities had been notified of the reappearance of Paladin Interstellar, but that they would not provide any dedicated resources to hunt down the black-ops group, despite the Acidik's attack occurring in a Federal jurisdiction. Recovery operations are expected to commence shortly, and the operations crew enters a discussion regarding the entire situation.

14: Squadron Commander Aurora Adair Disappears

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair suddenly disappeared, after departing the Solaris with her Krait Phantom. No notice of her departure was given, and the only information indicating that she departed on her own will was a public logbook. This incident is met with mixed reactions, with some criticising Aurora for leaving the squadron in its time of need. However, the operations crew states that normal operations will continue without her for now, despite her being untraceable and unreachable.

A new timeline from AC is provided to Commanders after much debate within the operations crew. With the new timeline shortening the attack times, a race against the clock to prevent further attacks begins. You can see the timeline attached here.

15:  STF Talon Issues Early Warning / STF Talon's Report Deemed Inaccurate

STF Talon warns that another Hivemind attack may be imminent, this time targeting the Solaris, Monty Burns and Acidik carriers simultaneously - with the ultimate goal of disabling the Solaris' frame shift drive. This new information was reportedly intercepted and obtained from another Hivemind transmission - but uncertainty arises regarding the legitimacy of its source. 

STF Talon's statement can be read below:

"Attention Commanders. Another Hivemind attack is imminent. Information obtained by our MILINT teams confirms that a new strike is being orchestrated, with the goal to disable the Solaris' frame shift drive and cripple the Monty Burns and Acidik carriers permanently."

"This information was obtained earlier, which is why the Solaris has moved to the Misir system. With the Monty Burns and Solaris carriers in close proximity, STF Archangel and Talon will be able to bolster their strength. Unfortunately, we believe our warning has reached the Acidik too late due to extensive damage to the carriers communication systems, and as such they are out of range of any reinforcements."

- STF Talon, Cpt. Jay Griffith

STF Talon has been criticised for not utilising the G.R.I.D service to issue this warning in a timely manner, but it has been stated that the Acidik still has time to prepare for the possible attack if need be. Some individuals have expressed uncertainty around the authenticity of Hivemind's transmission - with concerns that it may be a redirect or trap. However, it was countered by Captain Jay Griffith that the information is indeed accurate, but it is possible that Hivemind may adjust their strategy in response to this.

In other news, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has still not been found, but it has been reported that independent Commanders may be organising a search to locate her. Information regarding her departure is still unclear, with no consensus as to why she suddenly departed the Solaris, nor why she cut communications with the squadron entirely.

Later that day, STF Talon's report is deemed inaccurate and false after no Hivemind attack occurs, despite hours of anticipation. STF Talon states that the information they obtained was genuine - despite several operations crew members critiquing them for wasting resources - but Hivemind may have shifted plans.

16: New Squadron Carrier Commissioned / Commander Benjamin Griffin Arrested

A new squadron carrier, the T.O.C. Triumph Eternal H8Y-46H, has been commissioned within TITAN Contractors, owned by independent Commander Falina. As Hivemind attacks have seen a significant resurgence, the carrier is included within squadron protection, and a new CSF response unit is created and dispatched aboard the Triumph Eternal. The new unit, codenamed SRU Inferno, is led by Lieutenant Laura Sharpe, who announces Inferno's intent and function.

With SRU Inferno comprised of specialists, combat pilots and operatives from CSF Pioneer, Eclipse and Sentinel respectively, they are the smallest response force yet, using their flexibility and mobility to respond to attacks rather than sheer firepower. This increases their operational range, which is expected to hopefully prove SRU Inferno's capability as the squadron's 'first line of defence' against Hivemind.

Later that day, Commander Benjamin Griffin is suddenly arrested, after investigators discover a possible link between him and the Hivemind terrorist organisation. The Peacekeepers state that Commander Griffin would be held in their custody so a deeper investigation can get underway.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford elaborates that this news came to be after a tip-off was provided from one of TITAN's own Commanders, which led to them discovering two hidden transmissions signifying Griffin's involvement. One such transmission refers to the reassignment of STF Scorpion's assets, leaving them unprepared for the assault on the Acidik on the 13th, while the other transmission references a chemical weapons shipment, where Benjamin Griffin redirected Mantis MILINT teams to distract them and avoid any signs of Hivemind's transport vessels being picked up.

17: SRU Inferno Intervention Halts Bombing Attempt / Peacekeepers Apprehend Bomber

SRU Inferno halts a bombing attempt aboard the Solaris carrier, minimizing casualties and preventing a presumed Hivemind bombing from killing the operations crew. As per the new timeline, the bombing was intended to be aboard the Solaris carrier, with the intended target now realized to have been the briefing room aboard the carrier, where daily operations briefings are hosted.

In other news, an interrogation with Commander Benjamin Griffin is underway, and an investigation into why STF forces did not report Tori May's distress call is expected to release a statement soon. Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has still not returned, but reportedly issued a public logbook in order to update the squadron on her situation. Some have critiqued her actions as reckless, while others have supported her proactive quest.

Later that day, the Peacekeepers apprehend the bomber responsible for throwing an improvised explosive charge into the briefing room. The bomber is identified as 25-year-old Jason Chapman, a maintenance worker aboard the Solaris. Security footage indicates Chapman accompanied two Peacekeeper officers to the briefing room, under the pretext of having an important testimony to share related to Hivemind - a violation of security protocols, as an interrogation must be undertaken first.

It is confirmed that Jason allowed the security officers to step ahead, granting him an opportunity to throw the charge into the briefing room, prior to pulling out a detonator switch and triggering it. However, instead of detonating the improvised charge, it armed itself instead, and power to the briefing room was suddenly cut, forcing the room and its doors into a lockdown state, trapping its occupants inside.

The investigation concluded that the detonator switch triggered a secondary charge in an electronics section connected to the briefing room, which destroyed power conduits linking to the room. Chapman claims to have no association with Hivemind, but instead claims to have wanted to kill the operations crew, so the divisions would fall into disarray, and Hivemind could take over the Solaris without further politics, with the rest of the crew being left alone. Additionally, it is stated that he shares a fairly strong hatred towards Squadron Commander Adair for abandoning the squadron in its time of need.

Jason Chapman is handed over to the Alliance Interpol as per his citizenship, where he will be charged appropriately for attempted murder and possession of an illegal explosive device.

18: Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford Arrested / Squadron Commander Adair Rescued By CSF Joint Team

In a shocking turn of events, Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford is arrested by his subordinates for reportedly interfering with Peacekeeper investigations and squadron operations. This revelation comes after the interrogation with Commander Benjamin Griffin yielded significant results, implying Stafford's involvement in shifting STF Scorpion's assets to enable a Hivemind assault, his redirection of MILINT teams to avoid the identification of an enemy chemical weapons shipment, and his suppression of Tori May's distress call.

Peacekeeper Kiara Hawkins, who has temporarily assumed command in place of Chief Peacekeeper Stafford's position, has issued a statement.

"When we brought Commander Griffin into our custody, Jaiden was adamant about carrying out the interrogation himself. However, usually, he assigns us - his team - to such tasks, so this sudden decision was very unusual. Much discussion went forth about this, but we eventually concluded that Chief Profiler Dawson and myself would be most able for carrying out the interrogation, much to his dismay."

"I hadn't seen Jaiden since, and the interrogation took several hours - from which we discovered that, based off the information Benjamin provided, he couldn't have possibly orchestrated the things he was accused of, mainly because he had zero idea of what we were talking about. He even dismissed us providing direct evidence, and at one point he commented that 'I don't sign my messages like that'."

"And, he was correct. We had missed it initially, but one of his messages did not exactly match his writing style. Coupled with that, he also told us that Jaiden asked him at one point if he could prepare STF Scorpion for a logistics check-up. This was not unusual, but it was perfectly timed, in two different ways. For one, STF Scorpion and Talon were facing some particularly difficult logistics issues which required the occasional check-up to ensure no gear was lost or misplaced."

"Sometimes, the military gear might be turned in by CSF personnel to verify which shipment it belongs to, which is what happened here. Secondly, this was perfectly timed with the Hivemind assault, so that during the check-up, when most were off-duty and relaxed, inspecting their gear and the likes, the assault began, leaving STF Scorpion and the Acidik unprepared. While we can partially fault Commander Griffin and STF Scorpion's command for permitting such a random logistics check, Jaiden was behind it ultimately."

"Interestingly, Commander Griffin also said he was completely unaware of Tori May's distress signal, up until the point where a Mantis cryptography specialist uncovered the signal in a communication archive and shared it with Commanders. Our deeper investigation has concluded that Chief Peacekeeper Stafford realised the transmission of the signal and kept it quiet for some time, convincing CSF's Central Command to not bother reporting the anomaly, citing it was of no importance."

"Unfortunately, Stafford's authority allowed him to gain the upper hand in all of these situations, without being questioned, and this has also been mostly kept from the rest of the Peacekeepers as well. Now that I have concluded my deeper investigation with the help of Chief Profiler Dawson, we have arrested Jaiden Stafford for his presumed link to Hivemind."

"It is worth stressing, however, that there are always two sides to a coin. This is very unusual behaviour from Jaiden, and I don't believe for a single minute that he would want to intentionally endanger the squadron by his own actions. We hope our investigation will reveal more information that may offer an insight into this entire situation."

- Peacekeeper, Kiara Hawkins

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford has pleaded guilty to the accusations made against him, expressing regret for 'failing the squadron'. He is expected to face an interrogation to determine motives and additional information, before facing any forthcoming charges.

Later that day, it is reported that a CSF/BLUSTAR team - jointly assisted by Commanders Alexis Bright and Isabella Levine - have successfully rescued Squadron Commander Aurora Adair from a Thargoid site in the HIP 18117 system. Commander Bright was once again the first individual to arrive on scene, after receiving a personal message from Commander Adair requesting her help. Commander Isabella Levine responded shortly after as well on behalf of BLUSTAR Operations, and assisted with the rescue by providing additional security and protection from Thargoid technology. Adair has now been returned to the Solaris carrier, where she will be further treated.

It is reported that Commander Adair undertook this personal quest in order to try isolate the leadership of Hivemind by investigating what they claimed as a 'temple', but in the process massive revelations have surfaced - major ones being the true identity of AC, known now as Orion Drake, a mercenary within Paladin Interstellar, and the fact that the entire conflict between Hivemind seems to have been by proxy, with no true involvement from Hivemind's side - all caused by Orion Drake in his pursuit of vengeance.

CSF begin a manhunt for Orion Drake, who is now suspected to be on the run after killing the Herald of the Final Chapter, Hivemind's leader. The Peacekeepers and Mantis Analytics provide additional resources in order to assist CSF with this manhunt, and an update is expected when possible.

In related news, Commander Novus has been issued a public order to hand himself in at the Solaris carrier immediately - for a presumed association with Hivemind and/or Orion Drake.

19: Complete Statement Regarding Hivemind Issued

A complete statement regarding Hivemind is issued, after intelligence teams have sorted through the last six months of squadron incident in order to tie things together. 

Still serving as a replacement for Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford, Peacekeeper Kiara Hawkin issues the full statement, which reads as follows below.

"We have finally been able to piece together this puzzle, based on information our Commanders have helped us recover throughout these last six months. The most recent information we've obtained has been a tide-turner, and mostly not for the better. The simplest way to explain is that AC, now known as Orion Drake, is likely singlehandedly responsible for this entire situation."

"Hivemind's communications have never been strong enough to reach us from their distant temples, one of which exists in HIP 18117. This is further evidenced by the fact that most of their transmissions directed to us never arrive at all, and the last few that have, have been corrupted or incomplete."

"It could be that the Thargoid technology they often interact with hampers or damages their equipment, meaning that, up until now, we have never actually received a proper transmission from Hivemind. We have only received transmissions from Orion Drake, and by association, Paladin Interstellar."

"There was never any war with Hivemind, but rather a proxy conflict caused by Drake to thin out Hivemind so he could take out their leadership. Why he chose TITAN specifically for this is unknown, but can probably be attributed to the fact that, when this all started, the squadron was already facing difficulties and threats to its security, and it proved easier to play off something like this by hiding it behind existing issues."

"From what we can gather, Drake wanted to serve justice for his brother, Leonard Drake, the records of which all indicate he was killed by Hivemind for refusing to simply collaborate with their operations. To do this he has played multiple sides - he may not even be a Paladin Interstellar merc, and the worst part is, he has met several Commanders from the squadron face-to-face."

"In fact, Commanders Adair, Bright and Novus have all met AC, or Orion Drake, to some extent - including the time where he, himself, rescued both Adair and Bright from Paladin Interstellar's custody. Orion has completed his objective - more on that shortly - but in the process has caused suffering for many people aboard our carriers."

"Orion's target was a figure known as the Herald of the Final Chapter, Hivemind's actual leader. We believe we found his body when rescuing Squadron Commander Adair from the Thargoid site in HIP 18117, and have identified him as 52-year-old Oberon Shephard. A deep-dive into his background reveals he has a son, Connor Shephard, who was the 1st Adherent of the Final Chapter as well, essentially his second in command."

"And, because of all the information we have obtained, we can almost certainly conclude this is the end of Hivemind - but not the end of Paladin Interstellar. Orion Drake and a large amount of Paladin mercs are likely still out there - and there's no telling what's next on their agenda."

In related news, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair is cleared of her injuries by BLUSTAR medical teams, and issues an emotional statement in response to these revelations. IA staff are explicitly asked to include the statement as is.

"I'm so sorry to everyone. I can't believe all of this was just over a personal vengeance of one person... that a little over 800 people had to die for... and... I met the man responsible for this. He was right #$@!ing in front of me and I didn't even know it... and I thought I was doing the right thing by going out there... trying to make a difference. But Hivemind wasn't the enemy, he was... he just happened to have everything in the right place at the right time."

"I'm so sorry... this has been awful, and I'm... broken, I guess... just for everyone who has suffered over this. Why us? Why the Acidik or... why the Monty? So... y'know what, I'm not done until Drake is in our custody, and Paladin Interstellar is shut down. And I will make sure every asset we have is dedicated to that task. He will not get away with this."

In other news, Commander Novus has been pardoned and released from Peacekeeper custody by Squadron Commander Adair, for dealing with Drake in order to prevent an attack aboard his carrier - and by association accidentally allowing Paladin Interstellar to frame Commander Benjamin Griffin.

Progress has been made with the investigation into Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford, but no more information on that has been issued just yet, other than the fact that it is strongly believed he was blackmailed by Orion Drake.

20: Paladin Interstellar Claim Attacks As 'Simple Misunderstanding'

An anonymous representative of Paladin Interstellar claims the proxy conflict between TITAN Contractors and Paladin was due to a 'simple misunderstanding'. It is known that Paladin Interstellar is a covert mercenary group with Federal origins, roughly the size of TITAN Contractors, and specialises in black operations across the galaxy. They are wanted for multiple heinous war crimes in the Federation and Empire - a bounty which amounts to almost 1 billion credits - and have notoriously avoided capture for over two years.

A hefty reimbursement of credits is offered to pay off any losses the squadron has faced due to Paladin's involvement, and the representative claims to sincerely apologize for their actions. However, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair issued an internal squadron statement, countering Paladin's 'apology'.

"I don't know about you, but I cannot just let Paladin Interstellar walk away. Not after everything they have done to the squadron. There was no 'honour code', and they didn't 'indirectly' cause damage to us. These were purposeful strikes, all for the money. No regard for anyone's life, or anything we have worked hard for."

"CSF will continue their hunt for Orion Drake, and while we consider an official stance against Paladin Interstellar, we will continue to prepare and collect information on our enemy. I made a promise to keep the squadron safe, but I am not just going to walk away from this whole incident and give up. Someone must be held accountable for all this."

- Squadron Commander, Aurora Adair

CSF state that, despite the Hivemind threat being eliminated, that their STF forces would remain in place aboard all squadron carriers until an official stance regarding Paladin Interstellar is made.

21: Jaiden Stafford Released Without Charges

Jaiden Stafford, the Chief Peacekeeper and de facto leader of the independent Peacekeeper security organisation created by TITAN, is released from Alliance Interpol custody with no charges placed against him. Investigators have determined that Jaiden's actions - which compromised the squadron - were due to extensive and planned blackmailing by Orion Drake and Paladin Interstellar, effectively forcing his hand. It is reported that the threats ranged from 'simple things', like threatening to perform more attacks, while in some cases it extended further, with threats towards his personal life.

Investigators conclude that Stafford was not easily compromised, mostly ignoring or questioning the threats, but as the legitimacy of them increased, he was forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. As such, he is granted temporary leave and optional counselling if needed, and suspended from his position until he is fit to return to duty. However, after constantly reiterating an apology for 'failing the squadron' and its Commanders, Stafford pledges to return to duty immediately and prove his worth once more within the squadron.

22: Squadron Commander Demands Paladin's Surrender

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair demands the surrender of Paladin Interstellar, along with Orion Drake, into federal custody. This call for justice is taken as an official stance representing TITAN Contractors, and SC Adair's statement can be read below:

"I direct this message straight to Paladin Interstellar - surrender Orion Drake and yourselves immediately. We are not looking to start a conflict, but Drake cannot be allowed to walk away from this situation after all the harm he has caused. I would like his associates within Paladin to yield as well, due to their involvement in several attacks against our squadron. Hundreds of people have died for Drake's selfish actions, and he must be held accountable for that, along with anyone who has assisted him."

A representative from Paladin Interstellar issued a counter-response.

"Paladin Interstellar cannot publicise locations or information regarding its clients - which includes Mr. Drake. I hope Commander Adair understands what a naive request this is, as Paladin has been in business for three years, with multiple successful contracts and an established reputation - which would simply be tarnished if we were to comply so easily to such a request."

"The Federation and Empire only wishes they could be as honest as we are about the contracts we must undertake for the better of this galaxy. They are no cleaner than Paladin Interstellar is. This is our final warning; we have pledged to protect our clients and their personal information. We will be forced to take reactive measures if TITAN continues to attempt to hunt down Orion Drake."

CSF and Mantis have both reported that intelligence reports acquired related to Paladin Interstellar confirm their strength to be roughly equivalent - if not slightly lower - than TITAN Contractors. However, their efficiency and ability to strike rapidly could pose a significant threat in an armed conflict. Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has constantly reiterated the fact that - while she wants to avoid a conflict at all costs - she will do what is necessary to at least bring Orion Drake to justice. No further comments from either side were issued.

24: Orion Drake Threat Creates Flashpoint

A threat issued by Orion Drake - the lone mercenary responsible for causing multiple squadron attacks and manipulating squadron officials - risks creating a flashpoint between CSF and Paladin Interstellar forces - the latter of which has vehemently committed to defending Drake as one of its clients.

Orion Drake's threat can be read below:

"Give it up already, Commanders. You were warned to stop pursuing me, yet it is still blatantly obvious that your intelligence teams continue to try hunt me down. If you were to ever find me, that would be because I want you to, and as you can imagine that's just not going to happen right now. I'm a free man, and I've done what I need to do."

"It's about time Aurora sucks up this whole naive attitude about 'justice' and 'accountability', and stops trying to be a hero. Welcome to the galaxy, sunshine. It's a dirty place. Should've taken you out when I had the chance... but make no mistake, continue down this road, and my contacts at Paladin Interstellar will be sure to make you regret it."

A representative from Paladin Interstellar issued a statement as well:

"We will issue no further warnings. TITAN is bordering on a conflict with us, as a threat towards our client still remains. You have an opportunity to withdraw your surveillance attempts - do so immediately, or we will react appropriately."

"Our mutual threat - Hivemind - has been destroyed with their leadership in disarray. I see no reason to continue further hostilities between eachother. Squadron Commander Adair should feel compelled to make the right decision to avoid the loss of further life."

CSF has made a counter-announcement in response to both statements:

"Our commitment to defending the squadron remains unfaltered. However, we stand by Commander Adair's decision - Orion Drake must be brought to justice for his crimes, and CSF pledges to enable that."

"We are taking further measures to advance our hunt, which we have made fair progress on thanks to the assistance of Mantis. We echo Commander Adair's wish to avoid a conflict, but we reiterate that any threat to the squadron will face an equal and rapid response."

In related news, security teams have stated that Orion Drake's comment confirms him to not have a direct association to Paladin Interstellar, as previously suspected, and is rather just a client of them. However, why Paladin Interstellar is risking such a damaging conflict and potential loss of reputation just to defend a single mercenary is unknown.

Squadron Commander Adair has called for Paladin Interstellar to yield once more, but no further comments were issued.

25: CSF Scout Team Ambushed by Paladin Interstellar

A CSF recon team is ambushed by Paladin Interstellar vessels after performing a search for Orion Drake. The team, aboard a Krait MK2 outfitted for scouting activities, was interdicted and ambushed by two Vultures belonging to Paladin in the Quince system. While no direct conflict followed, a warning was issued for the CSF team to surrender and leave the system immediately.

The CSF ship, albeit perfectly capable of defending itself, was placed under a strict ROE, forcing the team to disengage to avoid accidental hostilities. This unfortunately cut the team's search short, but the action of interdicting a CSF vessel was a direct, hostile move made by Paladin Interstellar - which could only be met by an equal reaction.

A warning issued by Paladin Interstellar states that all CSF and TITAN-owned vessels must avoid Paladin operation areas, or they will be fired upon. This effectively marks the start of a cold war between Paladin and TITAN, though Squadron Commander Adair orders a temporary recall of all scout teams, halting the manhunt for Orion Drake while a new strategy is implemented.

26:  Sudden CSF Strike Sparks Paladin Conflict

Multiple coordinated strikes performed by Centurion SF spark a conflict between TITAN Contractors and Paladin Interstellar, forcing the latter into a tactical withdrawal. CSF units, led largely by STF Talon and SRU Inferno, are said to be acting under directives issued by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair herself, but also off intel recovered from a data disk, provided by an anonymous Commander within the squadron.

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair issued a statement on her orders below.

"I understand that I initially rallied against starting a war with Paladin, but their increasingly hostile actions only suggests to me that they are intending to strike first, sooner or later. We really can't afford to lose the upper hand, so I made the call to have CSF act upon intel we recovered from a data disk. So far our CSF operation has already made significant progress, and - while I can't share many details - we believe we have significantly disrupted Paladin's supply chain of weapons, and destroyed a number of their vessels."

"The data disk that I was given by another Commander within the squadron - thank you, by the way - had significant intel on it relating to Paladin. Particularly a weapons shipment of personal firearms and equipment, as well as several locations where Paladin would receive said shipments. CSF forces have now disrupted these, and despite being met with some resistance, Paladin was clearly not prepared or equipped for such a sudden assault, and we have forced them into a fighting retreat."

"I know some have an... apprehension... to starting a war with Paladin Interstellar, but please understand that I did not make this decision lightly. I still believe it is in our best interests that we do not give Paladin the time to act and strike on their own terms, and hopefully, our assault will pressure them to surrender, so we can focus on apprehending Orion Drake."

While not sharing much detail, Squadron Commander Adair did confirm that there are other covert operations proceeding behind the scenes, which may focus on capturing Orion Drake or sabotaging Paladin's ability to fight back. All squadron carriers have been raised to high alert, with additional docking screening implemented by local CSF forces, but it was stated that this should not affect any independent carrier operations.

27: CSF Strikes Successful; Commanders Raid Fails

CSF's coordinated strikes against Paladin Interstellar advance successfully, concluding the initial phase of their operation. It is reported that multiple of Paladin's assets have been destroyed or captured, with their logistics disrupted and two settlements under CSF control. However, a settlement off CSF's strike path, located in HIP 74304, was raided by independent TITTAN Commanders. This raid, unfortunately, was met with strong resistance, and resulted in their failure, forcing CSF forces to step in.

A statement was issued below by STF Talon taskforce leader, Captain Jay Griffith.

"Our forces have 'captured' three logistics points belonging to Paladin Interstellar - essentially civilian starports used for the covert trafficking of materiel owned by Paladin. We have obtained 'war permits', which allow us an authority in this kind of situation - meaning that while we are still abiding by the local jurisdiction, if we can confirm we are hunting the notorious Paladin mercenary group, all legal charges placed on our actions are acquitted. While Paladin's forces did not last that long at our strike locations, they did, however, enact electronic warfare on us."

"This cut off our teams from our central command, and forced us to lockdown G.R.I.D. Thankfully, we have protocols in place to ensure our units can become independent and follow their previous orders without any hassle." 

"However, when we reconnected after destroying Paladin's jammer, we discovered that a group of four of our own Commanders had begun an assault elsewhere, at a Paladin military settlement in HIP 74304. A wing of CSF combat vessels and two squads were dispatched to intervene, as the group had reportedly taken multiple injuries."

"When the team arrived, we seized control of the settlement and arrested the four Commanders. Usually, in this kind of situation, all four of them would be facing charges for obstruction of a military operation, on top of any criminal charges they had acquired while assaulting the settlement within the local, lawful jurisdiction." 

"CSF operations are classified, internal functions that Commanders are not to be involved in unless required - and their actions could have had unforeseen consequences for our strike. However, under orders from Squadron Commander Adair, we will be pardoning all four Commanders and releasing them from our custody. Any criminal charges placed against them will be dismissed by the local jurisdiction thanks to the nature of our war permit."

"While we can confirm the settlement they attacked was controlled by Paladin Interstellar, on behalf of CSF I would like to reiterate once again - we are undertaking official military operations. Any Commanders involving themselves without permission may be potentially compromising our ability to act and strike in a coordinated, planned matter. You are advised to stay away from any and all CSF operations until further notice."

BLUSTAR confirms that one Commander, who has faced particularly life-threatening injuries, will remain in their custody until they have recovered. The remaining three Commanders have been pardoned and released immediately. Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has reprimanded their act as slightly reckless, but has stated an appreciation for their attempt to help.

Intel recovered from the settlement is under review by Mantis Analytics, with the hopes of uncovering further information to assist CSF's operation. In the meantime, preparations to garrison, fortify and exploit captured locations is underway, led by SRU Inferno forces.

28: Paladin Interstellar Strikes Back, Capturing CSF Operatives / Paladin Transmission Depicts Torture Of CSF Operatives

A counterstrike performed by Paladin Interstellar at Navarro's Hold in HIP 74304 leaves twelve CSF operatives dead and six missing. The counterstrike, although anticipated, came swiftly and massively overwhelmed local CSF forces, who could only spare a light garrison at Navarro's Hold. Due to the garrison belonging to SRU Inferno forces, the leader of the unit, Lieutenant Laura Sharpe, issued a statement.

"Because some of our Commanders attacked Navarro's Hold and seized it from Paladin's control - with the assistance of CSF - we have deviated slightly from our strike plan and garrisoned the settlement for further operations. However, our strike forces are already small as is, with the large majority of CSF forces still defending the carriers, so SRU Inferno could only spare two squads to garrison the military settlement."

"Inferno's other duties have involved fortifying CSF's presence at the other positions we have disrupted, to prevent Paladin retaking them. However, Navarro's Hold remained under exploitation for military intelligence, before we intended to abandon the settlement once we had finished. That was supposed to conclude soon, but that couldn't be accomplished before the team at Navarro issued a distress signal, stating they were under attack by Paladin forces."

"The CSF team reported the assault being undertaken by two heavily-armed Federal Corvettes and two Vultures, which the small team didn't stand a chance against. By the time our reinforcements had arrived, the settlement had taken minor damage, but our local forces had been decimated with their ship destroyed. I can't go into too much detail, but the reinforcing team reported that twelve CSF operatives had been found - brutally killed in a gruesome manner. However, there were 18 personnel garrisoned at that base, so we can only assume the other six are missing, likely captured by Paladin Interstellar."

"The nature of this attack - combined with the awful sight of our dead soldiers - only implies that Paladin Interstellar is making it personal. Thankfully, we can now confirm we did extract all the data from Navarro's Hold and have completed the combination with the intel recovered by our Commanders before, though it is heavily encrypted. We suspect this intel is of significant importance to Paladin if they threw so much at trying to take back the settlement."

Significant concern regarding this conflict has emerged, considering Paladin's horrific actions in this counterstrike. A lead on Orion Drake's location, discovered by security officials via partial intel from Navarro, has been inconclusive with the location abandoned. It is suspected he has used this war as a shield to escape, which - should he have escaped successfully - would imply that starting a war with Paladin was all for nothing.

Squadron Commander Adair faces harsh critique due to this, but stated that CSF's operation would continue.

Later that day, a transmission sent by Paladin Interstellar is received by the operations crew, depicting the brutal torture of the six CSF operatives that went missing from Navarro's Hold earlier on the 28th. The footage, while not publicised due to its sensitive nature, has been confirmed as authentic, with the identities of all six operatives established - all unfortunately now deceased. Anonymous mercenaries in the video have issued a statement on behalf of Paladin Interstellar.

"To TITAN Contractors, and any and all Commanders associated with them - allow the view behind me to serve as an example for what happens if you decide to #$@! with Paladin Interstellar. The blood of these six operatives is on your hands, considering you attacked first - and because of how blindly you follow Squadron Commander Adair's decisions. Some free-thinking may be due; or you may find that your incompetent, naïve Squadron Commander may very well drive you into the ground. We will not back off. Surrender immediately."

CSF has issued an announcement in response to this atrocity.

"We are horrified to see the fate of our six operatives that went missing from Navarro's Hold. However, this is a perfect example of why we cannot allow Paladin Interstellar to continue on their path. CSF will continue their strikes, and we will bring Paladin and their infrastructure crashing down - no matter the cost. Our operatives are fully equipped and prepared to serve their duty, and we will not let Paladin's scare tactics stand in our way."

Rumours aboard the Solaris carrier have suspected that CSF has contracted an external source to provide highly-trained mercenaries and prototype weaponry in preparation to form a specialised 'hunter squad', however the operations crew have debunked these rumours as unfounded and inaccurate. 

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has not issued a comment in response to this incident, but quickly stated that CSF has the authority to continue their operation. As a result, CSF strikes are expected to continue, following intel acquired from Navarro's Hold.

29: CSF Clashes With Paladin Interstellar / Squadron Commander Assaulted by Crew Member / Massive Explosion Aboard the T.O.C. Solaris / CSF Decimate Paladin Forces

CSF forces once again clash with Paladin Interstellar mercenaries in three different systems, with the latter now holding a strong defence, their retreat halted. While Centurion forces have not sustained any further casualties yet, heavy damage has been inflicted upon multiple of their vessels, with both forces struggling to break this stalemate. A further comment on the operation was offered by Captain Kaiden Marsh, the leader of all Eclipse forces involved in the strikes.

"Our four strike wings have faced heavy resistance, but we have met it with an equal reaction. Heavy fighting is currently ongoing in three systems, which remain classified for now. Sightings of the two heavily-engineered Federal Corvettes that attacked Navarro's Hold has been confirmed, but Paladin's hit-and-run tactics are making it difficult for our forces to break the stalemate. We are entering a protracted conflict where our forces are sustaining heavy damage, while Paladin ships escape before we can retaliate."

"We believe Paladin's space wings are a lot smaller in number than ours overall, but utilising faster ships and engineered weaponry. CSF forces overall are on a similar - if not, better - level, however we were more prepared to seek Paladin on the ground, rather than fight them in space. Further reinforcements might be required if our small contingent of Eclipse fighters are to break the enemy's resolve. We will be able to last for a while thanks to our support vessels, but I fear this might not be true for long."

The Solaris is expected to maintain its position to avoid making the carrier vulnerable, despite its ability to provide valuable combat services to CSF forces. Further updates, if necessary, are to be expected with regards to CSF's operation.

Halfway through the day, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair is reportedly assaulted by a Solaris crew-member, after a short confrontation resulted in her attempted stabbing. Thankfully, CSF soldiers on patrol stepped in before any further incident could occur. The crew-member is identified as shipyard worker Adrian Sutton, the brother of Sgt. Daniel Sutton - one of the CSF soldiers who went missing and faced subsequent torture at the hands of Paladin Interstellar.

Captain Jay Griffith, the leader of STF Talon, subsequently responsible for the CSF guard aboard the Solaris, issued a statement.

"Since Paladin's 'torture-tape', we have notified the families of the deceased soldiers and offered our condolences. One of the soldiers was Sergeant Daniel Sutton - whos brother is a shipyard worker aboard the Solaris. The news has obviously hit hard, and there are still some, like Adrian Sutton, that believe Commander Adair is solely responsible for this tragedy - since she initiated the war with Paladin. While our SC did nothing to provoke this incident, she happened to be near the shipyard at the same time as Sutton's shift."

"We have reason to believe he was actively seeking her out, but since things aligned perfectly, Sutton happened to encounter Commander Adair in one of the hallways. Security footage showcases that, without further thought, Sutton suddenly charged Adair, brandishing a knife from his utility belt. Thanks to her training, she was able to avoid being pinned to the wall as Adrian attempted to stab her, and gain distance from him. However, his timing was poor, as three CSF units witnessed the incident unfold and intervened. He surrendered immediately after being ordered to yield by the guards, and suffered a breakdown before being arrested."

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair released a quick statement in reassurance.

"I'm okay... It was a scary incident, but it proves that we have to bring justice to Paladin... Please, if anyone is struggling, please don't take it out on other people... and certainly not other squadron members. BLUSTAR has the resources for this, which will be provided free of charge. Please go to them if you need help..."

BLUSTAR has corroborated Adair's statement, announcing that any Commanders or crew-members suffering with any personal issues, can visit the medical wing for professional therapy, to help alleviate the mental strain of the war. In other news, no update on CSF's strike has been made available yet.

Later on in the day, CSF's protracted conflict with Paladin Interstellar leads to a massive explosion aboard the Solaris flagship carrier. Initially believed to be an attack by Paladin, further reports confirm that the detonation originated from a damaged CSF vessel involved in current on-going Centurion operations, and is not directly connected to Paladin interference. BLUSTAR rescue operatives attempt to identify casualties, the current count  estimated at around 25 dead, and 108 injured personnel.

Security reports indicate that a damaged CSF Anaconda-class vessel from one of the Eclipse strike wings - which are currently involved in heavy fighting against Paladin Interstellar - sustained massive damage and was ordered to return to base to avoid losing the ship. Basic maintenance repairs allowed the ship and its powerplant to remain functional, but the strain of frame-shift travel and the pre-existing damage caused the structure of the ship to degrade, prior to landing. Archived footage shows the ship landing, ablaze, with maintenance crews rushing to extinguish the ship and shut it down.

Seconds later, as the landing pad locked down, the ship suddenly suffered a catastrophic malfunction and the powerplant detonated, destroying the ship and killing dozens of shipyard workers and CSF personnel as it coated the landing bay with flames and shrapnel. The concussive force was contained by the landing bay and its bulkheads, increasing the damage, as the blast shook through the carrier and injured personnel not even close to the landing bay. Casualties are still being triaged, but the bodies of those within the landing bay are not expected to be recovered. Access to landing bay 02 is prohibited temporarily.

At midnight on the 29th, CSF Eclipse forces reportedly decimate Paladin's opposing space force, capturing strategic enemy assets in LFT 300, LHS 6282 and Gliese 113.1. Despite suffering the loss of three ships, including the one that detonated aboard the Solaris during an emergency landing, CSF has declared this second phase a complete success, having destroyed numerous Paladin vessels. 

However, the two heavily-engineered Federal Corvettes claimed to be responsible for the counterstrike on Navarro's Hold have retreated, and gone dark. While no CSF officials have been available for comment due to the Solaris' condition, an after-action report of their strike was published.

Two installations in both LFT 300 and LHS 6282, as well as a mining settlement in Gliese 113.1, have been boarded and captured by CSF forces, who have been swift in clearing out Paladin defenders. Local jurisdictions still remain compliant with CSF's interstellar warrant to hunt down Paladin Interstellar, clearing TITAN forces of any crimes or property damage caused by their pursuit of Paladin. 

Site exploitation aboard these installations is underway, with the hopes of uncovering further intel that may advance CSF's operation. Strike forces are expected to face a short recall to the Solaris, where ship rearms and repairs will be expedited in preparation for the operation's next phase.

In related news, BLUSTAR Operations has released an official casualty count, caused by an CSF vessel detonating aboard the carrier. The new count brings the death toll to 35 individuals, with 243 personnel injured, still remaining within the division's capabilities with minimal burden on the Solaris' medical wing. 

The operations crew have been in heavy discussion regarding the incident, with various opinions regarding Centurion's offensive causing heated debates. Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has been at the forefront of these arguments, demanding that CSF ramp up their operations, that Solaris repairs are accelerated, and that Paladin Interstellar is 'hunted down without mercy'.

This has been received as a welcome change by some, citing that a more aggressive approach may be beneficial to the squadron at this time. However, others have criticised Adair's haste, concerned that her sudden push to amplify squadron operations may jeopardize its success. 

The latter has been strongly countered by SC Adair, who has stated; "Paladin Interstellar cannot be allowed to operate any longer, and we will ensure that".

In other news, maintenance crews aboard the Solaris have reported that access to landing bay 02 has finally been achieved, with massive internal damage observed. Fragments of the Anaconda-class vessel remain peppered around the hangar, while the bay itself remains scorched by the explosion. 

As suspected, no bodies were found by rescue personnel. Commanders are advised that accelerated repairs are expected to take several hours, at least to remove the debris of the destroyed ship and restore full pad functionality.

30: CSF Strikes Continue; Solaris Repairs Successful / Orion Drake Found Dead At HIP 18117

CSF strike forces re-engage with Paladin forces, after recovering intel revealing further Paladin positions. As a result, CSF strike operations will advance full-force, under direct orders from Squadron Commander Aurora Adair. It has been stated that the new targets are three settlements, the systems of which will still remain classified until the strikes conclude.

In other news, repairs aboard the Solaris have been highly successful, with pad functionality restored to landing bay 02. Except for superficial damage within the hangar, maintenance crews report that bay 02 is now fully functional and perfectly usable for docking. As BLUSTAR continue to medically assist casualties, it is expected that ATC operation will resume fully later on in the day, as replacement personnel assume their new positions. Auxiliary vessels are being prepared for CSF, to replace the three destroyed ships from Eclipse TF.

Mantis Analytics teams are still busy decrypting the majority of military intel recovered by CSF's strike teams, which has mostly revealed weapon manifests and personal gear shipments, but it is believed that some important Paladin Command information, as well as intel pertaining towards Orion Drake - who has still evaded TITAN surveillance - may be recoverable. As of yet, no official statement has been released by Mantis Analytics, but it is unlikely any of their recovered intel will be made public due to its military nature.

The Solaris is still expected to hold its position, despite CSF's operation extending beyond 150ly - outside a reasonable range where reinforcements could arrive quickly. It is believed this decision is being made consciously, but without any specific reason as to why.

Later on in the day, a shocking turn of events reveals that Orion Drake - the mercenary responsible for sparking the conflict with Paladin, as well as numerous squadron attacks - has been found dead in HIP 18117, within a Thargoid site previously used as a Hivemind temple. His body was recovered by Commander Solix, with the assistance of an individual known as Connor Shephard - the son of the Herald, the deceased leader of Hivemind. Peacekeeper Kiara Hawkins has issued a statement with regards to this.

"Thanks to Commander Solix, we have discovered the dead body of Orion Drake in the HIP 18117 system, within a Hivemind temple - a Thargoid surface site. Reportedly, the body had been found stuffed in a pod which usually holds Thargoid technology, and happened to be just big enough for a human body. BLUSTAR have retrieved his body thanks to Commander Solix's recovery of it, and despite large amounts of corrosive damage occurring over time, his suit kept him mostly intact, with forensics conclusively identifying him as Orion Drake."

"It turns out that he likely never left that Thargoid surface site alive, with medical personnel suggesting that he has been dead for eleven days - his death occurring on the same day he encountered Commander Adair in the site itself. There are numerous people who would have a motivation to kill Orion Drake, but very few who would actually be capable of it." 

"Several things remain unclear though; if Orion Drake is dead, then who published his final messages from him after the 19th? And who has been placing 'ghost signals' for us to follow? Whoever it is has successfully tricked us into thinking we were tracking down Drake - when in reality, we have been chasing a dead man this entire time. Who is responsible for this?"

With the primary driving force behind CSF's current strike operation being the capture of Orion Drake - doubt has risen as to whether or not the war is necessary anymore. However, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has demanded that the strikes continue - citing that it is unlikely Paladin will yield now despite this information, and that they must still be held accountable for their past and present crimes - but this order has been countered by the operations crew, who have ordered CSF to adopt a defensive stance and halt their on-going strikes - a direct opposite to Adair's demands.

31: Squadron Commander Demands Strikes Continue / Squadron Commander Suspended From Duty

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair demands that - despite Orion Drake's death - CSF must continue their offensive against Paladin, citing that they are 'one of many risks to the galaxy, and that the squadron's opportunity to extinguish them should be taken'. However, this stance has been called out by the operations crew as uncharacteristic and abrasive, sparking arguments within operational briefings.

SC Adair's statement demanding this action has been made public below.

"We can't just allow Paladin to walk free, not after everything they have done to the squadron, and Orion Drake's death changes nothing. He may have caused this, but Paladin enabled it with their skills and manpower. We have an opportunity right now to remove this threat, and bring them to justice - and we should use it. We need to end this once and for all - in memory of everyone we have lost because of them."

However, CSF strike forces have withdrawn, adopting a defensive stance in systems currently controlled by them. A global operations statement has been issued below.

"The goal of our strikes was to expose Orion Drake so we could capture him and bring him to justice. These are our original orders that are now suddenly being adjusted by Squadron Commander Adair, but now that Orion Drake has been found dead, collectively we see no reason to continue a potentially costly war outside of defending the squadron. We unfortunately refuse to risk further assets and manpower to follow these uncharacteristically aggressive demands issued by Commander Adair."

CSF's statement has kicked off massive debate within the operations crew, to the point of almost initiating physical fights. Squadron Commander Adair has been asked to remove herself from the briefing room several times, forcing an early end to today's operational briefing. CSF strike forces are expected to fully withdraw if a unanimous decision is not made. No comment has been issued by Paladin Interstellar as of yet.

Later that day, in another turn of events, Aurora Adair, the current Squadron Commander of TITAN Contractors, is temporarily arrested and suspended after being deemed unfit to continue her duties. This decision has been made unanimously by the operations crew after a second ops briefing reportedly 'went poorly', resulting in Commander Adair narrowly assaulting Commander Benjamin Griffin. Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued a statement.

"Today has been rough for squadron operations, especially after our discovery of Orion Drake's death yesterday. Our first operations briefing today covered the withdrawal of CSF strike forces, but reasoning with Commander Adair has been extremely difficult. I hate to say it; but Aurora has been uncharacteristically hostile and... 'snappy'... lately. She refuses to talk to anyone about it, and she seems set on pursuing this war with Paladin, a stark contrast to her previous orders and the rest of the operations crew. Because of that, we ended our first operations briefing early, hoping to continue it later."

"Our second operations briefing, that we held not too long ago, attempted to discuss the same thing; hoping all sides had cleared their heads. Personally, I claim responsibility for this mistake, as it was clear neither side had forgotten earlier, because yet another argument sparked - this time resulting in Commander Adair almost assaulting our joint ops leader, Commander Griffin. She was quickly restrained by Peacekeeper guards present at the briefing, and, ultimately, we have decided that it is her best interests if she is suspended from her duties temporarily."

"It's unclear why her behaviour has changed, but protecting the squadron and handling its every point of management has been Aurora's motto since she accepted the position - and the duties are stressful, especially with what's on the line. Unfortunately, Commander Adair refuses to speak to any of us, nor our BLUSTAR therapists, so the operations crew will be assuming temporary control of the squadron until she is fit for duty again. This includes us withdrawing all CSF strike forces back to the Solaris, ending our attacks against Paladin."

All CSF strike forces are expected to withdraw from all controlled positions, effective immediately. However, a Centurion SF warning has been issued to Paladin Interstellar on public channels, ordering them to stay away from TITAN operations or they will face an appropriate response.

Day - Article Title

1: SC Adair Responsible for Drake's Death; Issues Apology Statement

A statement issued today by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has claimed responsibility for the death of Orion Drake, announcing an apology to the squadron, for her 'selfish pursuit of justice against Paladin'. This statement has surprisingly received an overwhelming majority support from Solaris crew members, and the operations team has supported Adair's admission. Her internal squadron statement can be read publicly below.

"Commanders, I need to apologise for my actions and careless decisions I've made recently... and I need to claim responsibility for something specific as well. At that Thargoid site in HIP 18117, I killed Orion Drake, but I lied about the circumstances of the incident and hid the body, not telling anyone. I wish I didn't do this now, but at the time I shared a strong hatred towards Paladin for all the deaths they have caused, hoping that - by not revealing that Drake was already dead - that we would be able to pursue Paladin under the pretext of chasing him down."

"So... I planted his PDA in Quince, and rigged several fake transmissions to make it seem like he was still alive... trying to buy us time to hunt down Paladin Interstellar. I'm so sorry I ever did this, and... I forgot that the whole point was to bring him to justice. Paladin was just an intermediary who enabled the attacks, so while they are partially responsible, Orion Drake was behind it in the end. And I forgot that was the original point... and my careless, selfish actions have made a new enemy of the squadron now." 

"I know a true apology will hardly mean much now... but know that I'm not excusing my actions. Never. But I made a commitment to protect the squadron and lead it properly. So, I'm going to get myself together and make things right again... and if I can't, I'll take the full consequence of my actions. I'm sorry if you feel betrayed or distrustful of me now, and I know that kind of stuff is hard to build. So, as a start, we will keep CSF strike forces withdrawn and start to decommission the STF task forces so CSF can rejoin as one unit, once again."

Aurora's statement has been applauded by the operations crew, who have reiterated a constant support of her - despite being slightly disappointed of this revelation. Surprisingly, a large majority of squadron crew has supported it as well, with the remainder holding a neutral stance to it. Hardly any backlash has been publicly stated, marking a shift in the squadron's support of Adair.

In other news, no comment has been issued by Paladin Interstellar, but Mantis Analytics has stated a confidence that they are aware of the death of Orion Drake. However, whether or not it impedes Paladin operations is yet to be seen.

2:  Paladin Interstellar Pursues Vengeance

Paladin Interstellar announce that their hostilities against TITAN Contractors will continue, in a pursuit of vengeance - due to the reputation and asset damage caused by TITAN's interference operations. 

CSF forces have been raised to a combat alert aboard all squadron carriers, but no offensive actions are being undertaken just yet. However, under orders from SC Adair, all STF forces were decommissioned yesterday, which complicates a redeployment of any dedicated taskforces to counter Paladin.

An anonymous representative issued a statement on behalf of Paladin Interstellar.

"This is over for you, Commanders. Drake's death changes nothing on our side, and your careless decisions have caused unnecessary damage to our reputation as well as many of our assets. We, however, are not backing down. We have already garnered further support from our close allies, and we will pursue retribution." 

"We will not stop until Commander Aurora Adair is dead, or until TITAN Contractors as an organisation has been destroyed. You started this fight, but we will make sure we finish it."

CSF have reiterated, once again, a continued commitment to defending the squadron. Centurion forces are currently abiding by a defensive ROE, meaning any Paladin attacks will face a reactive response. Squadron Commander Adair has explicitly called for no further strikes or offensives to be undertaken by CSF at the moment, but has warned Paladin that there is still an opportunity for them to surrender and avoid further casualties. 

With the decommissioning of the dedicated STF taskforces, however, a concern has risen as to whether or not the squadron could defend itself against further attacks in a timely manner.

Discussions are underway with regards to considering the redeployment of STF forces, however it has been stated this would now be logistically straining to move all the gear across carriers again, and likely a significant morale hit to CSF soldiers. 

Both avenues are being carefully considered by Commander Adair and the operations crew, before an ultimate decision is made.

3: Mantis Analytics Identifies Paladin Allies; Interpol Sides With TITAN

Mantis Analytics - who have been carefully monitoring the developing situation between Paladin Interstellar and TITAN Contractors - issue a statement of significance, believing they have identified two rival groups who are suspected to be forming a coalition with Paladin forces. This information has been revealed by a collaborative monitoring effort between Mantis and the Alliance Interpol, the latter of which has now taken a direct stance against Paladin Interstellar and announced a bid to assist TITAN Contractors in apprehending this dangerous mercenary organisation.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol issued a statement to TITAN Contractors.

"Our collaboration with TITAN's analytics division, Mantis, has been highly fruitful. Not only has this incredibly talented division outsourced their expertise to us on occasion, but they have proven exceptionally useful to TITAN's survival in this conflict against Paladin thanks to their skills." 

"We have sifted through the dozens of intel files and data Mantis has acquired related to Paladin - which have been previously used by CSF to counter them - and we still continue to be impressed by how much they have actually discovered; though it is mainly weapons and equipment manifests, plus several Paladin locations. Now that we have hit this tipping point in hostilities, we can finally publicise some of that information."

"We now know that Paladin Interstellar has essentially contracted two slightly smaller military groups, both providing their expertise in a similar fashion to Paladin Interstellar - undertaking covert black ops contracts in lawless environments around the bubble. However, over the years, they have essentially merged with Paladin - who owes their diverse expertise to these two smaller groups." 

"One of them - Blackshield Solutions - is a private military force specialising in contracts in extremely hazardous environments; usually high threat combat zones or retrieval operations in uninhabitable planetary regions. The other - only known as the Crimson Venators - is a highly notorious mercenary squad believed to be mainly comprised of ex-Federal black ops operatives, which would explain why the Federation has issued such a high bounty on Paladin Interstellar as well."

"Both groups have given Paladin Interstellar a highly unique skillset to work with - not to mention that the majority of Paladin's core force is trained mercenaries who all hail from incredibly diverse military backgrounds. This reformation of all three groups will pose a significant threat, which is why Interpol is choosing to get involved. We believe Paladin is a threat to the galaxy, and instead of standing by idly like the Federation and Empire, and watching them ruin lives, we at Interpol will be assisting TITAN in taking down Paladin." 

"As of this statement, we have already formed a joint ops counter-terrorism team with TITAN Contractors soldiers and Interpol officers. Internally codenamed 'Arrowhead', this group will focus on disrupting and collecting information against Paladin Interstellar. If we can obtain more information on Paladin, Interpol may be able to help organise a stronger reaction force against them, which will help us bring these notorious criminals to justice."

No further statements or announcements have been made by Paladin Interstellar, but Mantis Analytics has stated that it is believed they are gearing up for an offensive, and as such a race against time for Interpol's joint team to predict and prevent the strike begins. 

The operations crew has faced several queries as to whether or not CTU Arrowhead's existence substantiates earlier rumours - that CSF was contracting specialised personnel and prototype weaponry to form a specialised 'hunter squad' to hunt down Paladin Interstellar - but no comment was issued in response.

4: CTU Arrowhead Counters Paladin Strike

CTU Arrowhead - a joint team formed by CSF and the Alliance Interpol - successfully prevent a Paladin Interstellar strike aboard both the T.O.C. Starbird Base HBL-B8N and T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N. The attacks were believed to be carried out by two small strike teams, who would attempt to sabotage the carrier from within, however Interpol surveillance identified Paladin movement, with reports corroborated by Mantis Analytics - allowing the strike to be prevented.

Captain Sarah Hunt, the leader of CTU Arrowhead, issued a statement.

"Thanks to the help from Mantis Analytics, we have successfully prevented a new Paladin strike from occurring. While Arrowhead wasn't involved in any direct confrontation, we did manage to alert both carriers to the incoming strike teams, who were disguised as civilian logistic ships." 

"Both carriers locked down temporarily to restrict docking access, enforcing a no fly zone around them and carrying out deeper ship scans. The Paladin vessel around the Starbird Base fled immediately, whereas the one approaching the Solaris was intercepted by CSF forces and subsequently destroyed after it was properly identified, before it could escape."

"However, what Paladin was trying to accomplish with such a frontal attack is unknown - as well as why they targeted the Starbird Base seemingly randomly. The teams were believed to be very small, probably just teams intended to carry out sabotage, but why they performed it in such an obvious way is unclear." 

"It has been several hours after the fact, and no further moves have been made by Paladin. So, was this a probing attempt, or did Paladin genuinely try such a bold move? Or, maybe, there is something else at play here. We will continue to work with Mantis in order to figure this out."

In other news, the operations crew has confirmed Squadron Commander Aurora Adair had been fully reinstated and would continue her duties as usual, following her suspension from all operations management on the 31st of October.

She has stated that she will work closely with CTU Arrowhead in order to allow them more access to squadron assets, as well as personally monitor their progress - but confirmed that no reformation of the STF taskforces was planned.

6: Paladin Interstellar Goes Dark; SC Adair Defends Commanders

A report issued by CTU Arrowhead confirms that Paladin Interstellar - the notorious covert mercenary group at war with TITAN Contractors - has suddenly gone dark, with all tracking attempts inconclusive, consequently marking an abrupt break in Paladin's attempted strikes. Captain Sarah Hunt, the team leader of CTU Arrowhead, issued the report below.

"We have been following up on much of the intel Mantis Analytics has acquired before, with the hopes that we can continue to monitor Paladin Interstellar. We can also now reveal that - thanks to CSF strike teams - we obtained encryption codes for Paladin communications, which has allowed us to listen in on occasion. This is how we predicted and prevented the attack on the 4th. However, all of our information seems to be defunct now, as if Paladin Interstellar has just completely disappeared off the map."

"We suspect they have figured out we are monitoring their darknet, and they may have taken drastic measures to cut themselves off. Unfortunately now, there is no telling whether or not another attack is imminent, nor whether their level of coordination remains." 

"Our teams are currently actively in the field, carefully searching previous Paladin locations, with the hopes that we can find a new lead and continue to pursue them from there."

In other news, the operations crew has been in deep discussion regarding security mandates aboard the Solaris carrier. CSF officials have pushed for the further militarization of the Solaris, effectively replacing all normal Peacekeeper guards with CSF soldiers.

The Peacekeepers have suggested that this would only stretch CSF thin, and as such have countered that it may be more suitable for a division like Mantis Analytics to provide 'passive protection' for the squadron, by implementing a more novel access screening methods or liaising with Commanders to collect more information in the field that they may use against Paladin Interstellar.

However, a CSF officer has stated that it is 'inappropriate' and 'essentially illegal' to use independent Commanders for waging war against Paladin Interstellar - citing Navarro's Hold as a 'perfect example'. 

In response to this, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair passionately argued that CSF's war permit should include Commanders, and that using Navarro as an example is a 'pathetic attempt to devalue our Commanders'. 

A quote was transcribed from her in today's operations briefing, in response to the officer's comment.

"Yeah, Navarro's Hold failed horribly - but those Commanders were prepared to risk their lives for the squadron, all for a stupid war that I'm to blame for. So CSF needs to stop these pathetic attempts to devalue the help our Commanders are trying to offer, because it's my fault they were ever there, yet they still place their trust in me. I'm not letting you just simply wave them aside. If anything, do that to me - the person who actually deserves it. But we need their help - because the reality is, right now, their capability stretches far beyond Centurion's. They just need to be prepared."

Discussions into the adjustment of CSF's interstellar war permit against Paladin Interstellar is underway.

8: CSF Adjusts 'Interstellar War Permit' / CSF Scout Wing Destroyed by Paladin Interstellar

Centurion SF's interstellar war permit - a official agreement that grants TITAN the ability to hunt down Paladin Interstellar legally - has now been expanded to encompass independent Commanders associated with the squadron. Originally, CSF's permit has only previously allowed registered Centurion assets and soldiers to engage in combat against Paladin - and any Commander involvement was illegal and would be met with appropriate charges. 

The expansion of the permit's remit now allows Commanders to get involved legally, albeit with several guidelines and restrictions. In order to enable this cooperative effort, Commanders must receive evaluation training first to be considered for permit coverage eligibility, and Commanders may only exercise certain authority while operating with any CSF element. Any reckless usage or destruction of CSF assets is placed on the Commander directly as well, and they remain liable for any illegal action undertaken if it is not against a Paladin asset. 

CSF has clarified that the interstellar war permit adjustments would only go into effect later on in the day, at 1600 UGT, and until then Commanders are not yet legally covered by the permit.

Later that day, unfortunately before 1600 UGT, a CSF scout wing is destroyed by a singular Paladin vessel. The scout wing was reportedly investigating a previously captured Paladin settlement in HIP 74304, attempting to gain further information if possible. Prior to their destruction, the four-ship scout wing confirmed that the vessel they had encountered was one of the heavily engineered Federal Corvettes. 

Unfortunately, all contact with the team has been lost, and CSF have neglected to send a recovery team with the fear that further losses may be sustained. Captain Kaiden Marsh, the current combat coordinator of all Eclipse scout wings, commented.

"Our scout team's lead vessel suddenly reported an interdiction just a few minutes after arriving in HIP 74304. As per protocol, the lead vessel submitted to the interdiction and his three wingmen followed suit. However, upon arriving in normal space, the lead vessel began to suffer massive damage." 

"He was barely able to make a transmission back to us, identifying his attacker as one of the elusive, engineered Federal Corvettes on Paladin's side. No further identification of the vessel could be made before the team went dark, and unfortunately we believe the whole wing has been destroyed."

"Currently, we have no plans to dispatch a search team as we can't risk any further losses. Paladin has the upper hand currently, and will easily be able to anticipate us entering the system. Changes to our war permit are not in effect yet until 1600 UGT, so we cannot have Commanders legally investigate themselves just yet. We are considering other avenues of approach to see if we can identify and locate the team - and continue their previous objective of searching our target settlement."

As mentioned, changes to CSF's interstellar war permit to legally encompass Commanders and allow them to involve themselves in the war against Paladin are only expected to come into effect at 1600 UGT and be recognised legally again by local jurisdictions.

9: CSF Locates Enemy Locations; Paladin Launches Retaliatory Strike / Paladin Assault Approaches Solaris Carrier / Solaris Faces Massive Assault; Paladin Inflicts Casualties / Full Frontal Assault Repelled; Squadron Commander In Life-Threatening Condition

Taking matters into her own hands, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair breaks into a Paladin settlement in HIP 74304 and obtains intel from a settlement called Castillo Genetics. The intel subsequently reveals a large amount of strategic positions currently controlled by Paladin Interstellar forces, prompting the dispatch of a long-range CSF strike force to the system of Usdia, one such system that contains a high concentration of hostile settlements.

However, the strike team has reportedly already faced heavy resistance, and Mantis strategists believe Paladin is aware of the compromising intel TITAN recovered, and may be launching a retaliatory strike. However, the vessels encountered by the CSF strike team in Usdia are not the hostile Corvettes as reported before, implying Paladin has bolstered their spaceborne forces.

Commanders have been reminded that CSF's interstellar war permit is now in effect again, granting Commanders the ability to hunt down this notorious enemy force at will - as long as they conform to several operation guidelines. Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has stated she would be getting involved alongside CSF forces, but the operations crew has reiterated a concern for her safety. The intelligence acquired by her from Castillo Genetics implies that Usdia may contain a base of operations, or at least multiple critical installations, that are all vital to Paladin's self-sufficiency and operations.

The heavy resistance encountered so far implies that they will do anything to prevent these positions from falling. The Solaris has been raised to a high alert, with all nearby squadron carriers advised to do the same, and tighten security. Further updates on this developing situation will be issued when possible.

As the conflict continues, Paladin's retaliatory strike - initiated by CSF forces in the system of Usdia - reportedly begins to approach the Misir system, where the Solaris flagship carrier is located. CSF strike wings engaged in combat in Usdia report that several Paladin vessels have slipped through - and despite being pursued by Eclipse vessels, they are gradually making their approach to Misir. 

Local elections in Usdia have also complicated the strike, with the Usdia Empire Assembly demanding CSF vessels withdraw to avoid ruining a peaceful election, or face repercussions from local system defence forces.

As a result, some CSF strike wings have been recalled to the carrier in a defensive manoeuvre, while the remainder blockade Paladin vessels in an attempt to slow down the assault. Coinciding with their sudden push towards the Solaris, a representative of Paladin Interstellar broadcasted a public message.

"Stand aside, Commanders. Our forces have regrouped enough that we can make our final push to finish this war for good. Once Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has been killed, and your divisions crippled, this war will end for the both of us, and you will bear the consequences of your mistake. If you do not wish to get dragged down alongside her, we suggest you surrender and step aside. We only have an interest in the Solaris and SC Adair - and we will withdraw as soon as our objective is complete."

The operations crew has advised that the Solaris should be prepared to make an emergency jump, but Squadron Commander Adair has ordered the carrier to hold its position. The majority of CSF's Eclipse TF has begun a defensive patrol of the Misir system, and carrier docking has once again been restricted to Commanders only. 

CSF has iterated a confidence in their ability to hold a blockade around the Solaris, stating that it is 'highly unlikely that Paladin will be able to brute force through our forces'. Whether this statement proves to be true or not is unclear at this stage, and the heavily-engineered Corvettes that have been responsible for most of Paladin's space combat success have still not been spotted.

Later on in the evening, the Solaris reportedly faces a massive siege performed by Paladin Interstellar, having dropped off the grid at roughly 1600 UGT today due to unknown interference. For two hours, CSF forces have been desperately trying to fight back Paladin boarders - with some success. However, the arrival of the heavily-engineered Federal Corvettes has marked a tipping point in Paladin's attack, causing them to currently control the airspace around the Solaris carrier. 

Reportedly, one of the hostile Corvettes has purposefully crashed itself into one of the Solaris' landing bays in a kamikaze-like manoeuvre, specifically bay 4, which contained a vessel belonging to Squadron Commander Adair, another Federal Corvette codenamed the 'Icarus'.

The Icarus has subsequently been reported destroyed, which has caused several casualties. It is currently believed that Squadron Commander Aurora Adair may be one of the casualties - as she was present in hangar bay 4 at the time, alongside several CSF units. A full casualty count is unclear, but - while CSF has sustained losses - it is believed Paladin may be experiencing way more casualties due to the nature of their full-frontal assault. 

However, prior to their attack, they were reportedly able to force a complete shutdown of the Solaris carrier, disabling the autonomous weapons systems that would be capable of defending the carrier, as well as disabling G.R.I.D and IA's ability to issue a status report.

The interference has been lifted temporarily, restoring network connectivity - but the carrier remains heavily damaged and has ceased most functions, with the carrier weapons still non-functional. 

Depsite this, just an hour later, the full frontal assault on the Solaris is repelled by CSF forces. The damage reported to the carrier appears to be mostly superficial - with the exception of critical damage to landing bay 4, which has resulted in the death of several CSF units, as well as the destruction of a Federal Corvette belonging to the Squadron Commander, codenamed 'Icarus'.

Unfortunately, BLUSTAR medical teams have confirmed that Squadron Commander Aurora Adair was present in landing bay 4 at the time her ship was destroyed. She is currently in a life-threatening condition, forcing BLUSTAR teams to place her in a medically-induced coma as they work against the clock to save her. 

Despite BLUSTAR's reassurances to say otherwise, some have expressed little confidence in their ability to rescue Commander Adair from what might as well be the brink of death. CSF forces are currently in the process of sweeping the carrier and recovering any bodies - but it is believed that, despite CSF still sustaining losses, Paladin Interstellar may have well lost this fight, their casualties soaring into almost triple digits.

CSF have stated that this act of violence from Paladin Interstellar is only furthering this war, and they will face an equal response. 

Interpol's Arrowhead CTU team is currently liaising with a CSF strike force to return to Usdia and strike down Paladin's local command centre, with the hopes of revealing their main base of operations - shutting it down for good.

10: CSF Raid Usdia Command Center / Usdia Empire Assembly Stands Down; Paladin Withdrawing / A Daring Move To Save The Squadron

CSF perform a raid on Kotsuba Defence in the Usdia system - a military settlement garrisoned by Paladin Interstellar mercenaries. This action has been met by extreme protest by the Usdia Empire Assembly, who are currently hosting elections in the system. Control of Kotsuba Defence was forcefully obtained by Centurion, who have exploited the site and abandoned it directly afterwards. 

Intel analysis is currently underway, but CSF's further actions in Usdia have been threatened by the local system defence force, who have ordered CSF to withdraw.

However, this has threatened to create a flashpoint, as CSF have demanded Usdia Empire Assembly step aside and allow them to eliminate three remaining Paladin settlements in-system before they can escape. Legally, the interstellar war permit does allow Centurion to engage with any factions that are protecting Paladin or otherwise inhibiting TITAN's operation. 

However, a more diplomatic solution has been approached - but this has been entirely handled by the operations crew due to the Squadron Commander suffering critical injuries.

In other news, BLUSTAR Operations have tentatively confirmed that Squadron Commander Aurora Adair was still in a fairly critical condition, however her status has also significantly stabilised since the events yesterday. While she is still in a medically-induced coma, a statement is expected to be released later today with further details on her condition and recovery.

In the afternoon, demands issued by CSF to allow safe passage of their vessels and troops are finally met by the Usdia Empire Assembly - with the faction finally permitting CSF to attack three further settlements within the Usdia system after much debate. However, upon arrival at each of the settlements, they have been confirmed abandoned - in a hasty manner as well. 

It is suspected that the Usdia Empire Assembly may have been attempting to stall CSF, allowing Paladin to escape - but large amounts of intel acquired from the settlements confirm that Paladin Interstellar has sustained heavy casualties and is currently planning to withdraw from multiple bases.

CSF divisional leader, Kyle Lucas, commented directly.

"We now know that Paladin Interstellar are rapidly withdrawing their forces. Since their assault, they suffered heavy casualties and lost one of their heavily-engineered Federal Corvettes - all of which was the only backbone they had. This mistake might as well have crippled them, and they seem to be perfectly aware of that." 

"However, CSF will certainly show no mercy to these terrorists who have caused hundreds of casualties and extensive damage aboard our carriers. We believe we have acquired the locations of two command bases belonging to them. Paladin will not escape, and we will ensure that - if only to make sure our Squadron Commander's efforts were not in vain."

Security officials tentatively confirmed that the Solaris shutdown, which disabled all carrier weapons, GRID as well as CSF's tactical net during Paladin's assault, was an intentional order issued at the time - and not a carrier malfunction caused by hostile interference. The order was reportedly mandated by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair, before she was critically injured and placed in a life-threatening condition. 

Several concerns have risen once again, questioning why she would order such a dangerous move, one which almost resulted in the carrier's takeover and the further loss of life, but the Peacekeepers have countered that her decision actually saved the Solaris and the squadron as a whole.

A full statement regarding this is expected to be released later today, after the investigative statement is made public to Internal Affairs staff.

A Daring Move To Save The Squadron

Later that day, a situation report is issued by the Solaris Peacekeepers, covering the recent Paladin Interstellar assault - including the full nature of the carrier shutdown - which occurred around 40 minutes prior to the Solaris assault - as well as Squadron Commander Aurora Adair's current condition, after she was critically injured due to the attack.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford was responsible for issuing the report via the squadron-wide network.

"We have now compiled a report that covers the entire Paladin Interstellar assault on the Solaris - the full version of which we will be providing to Interpol to assist in their case against Paladin. However, I'd like to cover a few important excerpts of the report. During CSF's strike operation in Usdia, they began to face heavy resistance upon arrival. It quickly became apparent that, during combat, several of the enemy vessels were trying to breakout, some succeeding."

"CSF vessels that started to chase them down eventually realized that their courses seemed to direct towards Misir - the system where the Solaris is currently stationed. This implied that Paladin was beginning an assault on the Solaris, and as a result, the carrier was raised to a combat alert, with usual restrictions applying. At this time, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair was present in the operations room, trying to develop a defence strategy to counter Paladin."

"However, a Mantis specialist disrupted the briefing to announce that Paladin Interstellar had launched a cyberattack, infecting the Solaris network with a rapidly spreading virus. By the time the virus had reached a certain stage and became detectable, it had already spread extensively throughout the Solaris, and was beginning to make its way into infecting the rest of the network."

"If that happened, all squadron carriers would be compromised, and the virus would have essentially brought everything to its knees. Mantis confirmed it was designed to confuse IFF systems, and disable critical functions across the entire carrier - basically, the carriers would become effectively owned by Paladin Interstellar, and would turn against us."

"The virus was being fought back somewhat successfully, but ridding it from the network completely would have taken too long - almost an entire day - and may have still given Paladin partial control. Aurora made a rapid decision to perform the 'nuclear option' - a complete hard 'reset' of the entire carrier. This would wipe and reset almost everything to a factory state. Mantis maintains backups of course, but implementing them would take time; however not as long as trying to remove the virus."

"Her orders were very clear, and as such the Solaris was shut down completely, ten minutes after the virus was discovered. Unfortunately, with the loss of communications and chaos that followed, spreading this knowledge without misconstruing it was proving difficult - so most units were only told that the carrier suffered a 'sudden power malfunction'. Technical teams were hard at work restoring the carrier afterwards, but they were unable to finish in time before Paladin struck."

"However, Aurora did not safely remain in the operations room. Against the advice of the operations crew, she showed up armed, wearing the same Maverick suit she has had since her position in CSF - just heavily modified. The moment Paladin Interstellar arrived, she quickly assumed command of a CSF team, who fought their way to hangar bay 4 during the assault - her plan being to assume control of a combat ship in order to help defend. It is difficult to find a word adequate enough to describe her brave actions."

"Unfortunately, by the time she made it to her hangar with the CSF team, Paladin took the opportunity to strike. A Federal Corvette, belonging to the Crimson Venators, purposefully crashed into hangar bay 4, destroying Aurora's ship and killing four members of the CSF team. Aurora was seriously injured as well - and when she was recovered by the BLUSTAR team - she was initially declared dead. An immense effort from BLUSTAR and CSF has, however, brought us to today."

"The assault has now been repelled and Paladin are on the run. They have been incredibly weakened by their reckless manoeuvre, and we continue to collect large amounts of evidence to further assist Interpol. In time, CSF will be ready to perform their final strike. Unfortunately, as much as I hate to say it, Aurora may not be around to see it. Her injuries have been severe, and while she has been stabilised and BLUSTAR have stated there is unlikely to be any permanent damage to her body or nervous system if she recovers, the trauma and shock have forced medical teams to place her into an induced coma."

"Right now, we are forced to play a painful waiting game. The teams cannot force her out of the coma, and it is currently unclear when and if she will ever wake up naturally. She will be monitored constantly by medical teams, and CSF have reinforced this by posting two guards by her recovery unit. With most of the report covered, I would now like to say several, somewhat personal things; mostly directed to our Commanders." 

"Ever since Aurora accepted this position on the 9th of August 3307, she has selflessly dedicated her every day to the squadron for 3 entire months - even though she was previously just one of many CSF combat specialists within Centurion - and had no previous experience. She has made mistakes along the way, sometimes even reckless ones, but in spite of all that, she has tried to do her best, always. She is living proof that; no matter the hardships, no matter the pain, we can always move forward together."

"It has been an honour to serve under her command - just as it was with Commander Quinton Marshall. It crushes me once again to see someone so young, their life on the brink of ruin, caused by such a cruel galaxy. But Quinton and Aurora have both made one thing clear - that we, TITAN Contractors, should serve to be a lighthouse at sea. Something people can rely on; a place for some to truly call home. We have a chance to stop dangerous organisations like Paladin from harming any more people - and we should take that chance." 

"Since the assault, and Aurora's condition becoming publicly known across the carrier - CSF soldiers have started to adopt a particularly profound motto, with respects to our current leader. So, I would like to close my statement by leaving you with it, in the hopes that you feel as strongly about it as they do." 

"With a roar, we take a dare."

In related news, CSF's hunt for Paladin Interstellar continues, and it is believed they have located two bases of operations, one in Pethes, and one in Sefrys. A significant amount of CSF forces are mobilising to shut down Paladin operations permanently.

Overall, Aurora's selfless actions have earned a widespread respect throughout the squadron crew, with many praising it as an incredibly bold and brave initiative - 'a daring move to save the squadron'.

11: Paladin Interstellar Scrambled; Core Force Disrupted / CSF Declares Victory Against Paladin Interstellar

CSF's raid on two Paladin Interstellar command bases bears fruit. Despite being faced with significant resistance after finally encountering Paladin's core force - they have remained weakened, and as a result have stood no chance against CSF and Interpol strike teams. 

A ground settlement in Pethes has been confirmed to be the coordination base for Paladin teams, whilst a starport called Mercenary's Respite in Sefrys largely serves as a deployment and regroup point for the entirety of Paladin - kept a secret by extensive bribes and contacts made in system.

Captain Sarah Hunt of Interpol's counter-terrorist squad, Arrowhead, issued a statement.

"Along with CSF strike teams, we have apprehended numerous high-ranking Paladin individuals in Pethes. A large amount of their assets have also been seized or destroyed, and as far as we can tell, Paladin is completely on the backfoot. Their act of attacking the Solaris - expecting such an easy fight - has proved damaging to their operations." 

"However, many of the Paladin mercenaries who attacked the Solaris were not part of what we call the 'core team'. Essentially, our intel has now revealed that Paladin does indeed outsource, hiring freelance mercenaries and 'innocent people' who are just trying to find any job to scrape by, to fill gaps in their manpower."

"The 'core team' of Paladin, however, are all permanent hires, and might as well be the founders of the organisation. Most of them are ex-Federal black ops operatives, but surprisingly some are even defected Imperial intelligence agents - a seemingly ironic combination." 

"Not all of them were able to be apprehended unfortunately, since Paladin has adopted a 'suicidal mentality', meaning that if they are certain they are about to be captured, they will ensure that it is no longer possible for that to happen. We've prevented this in a few cases, but it is a shame that we cannot bring the entirety of their core team to justice."

CSF has made phenomenal progress against Paladin Interstellar, and a victory is expected to be declared later today. Currently, however, strike teams are liaising with local security forces in Sefrys to lock down sections of the Mercenary's Respite starport and sweep it for mercenaries who share an allegiance with Paladin Interstellar.

Later that day, Centurion SF, representing TITAN Contractors, officially declares victory against the notorious black-ops mercenary group, Paladin Interstellar, who have been responsible for extensive damage to the squadron, as well as hundreds of deaths across its associated carriers. 

CSF confirmed that a large portion of Paladin's command structure has been apprehended by Interpol strike teams, and dozens of military assets have been seized and neutralized.

CSF's divisional leader, Kyle Lucas, issued a victory statement.

"Finally, TITAN has emerged victorious against these dangerous terrorists. Thanks to the assistance of Interpol, we have apprehended a large amount of mercenaries associated with Paladin Interstellar - some even serving a critical role in its leadership - at Mercenary's Respite in Sefrys." 

"There is still some work to be done - and unfortunately we believe members of the notorious Crimson Venators have escaped - but regardless, we can finally announce victory against Paladin Interstellar, and at last they can be held responsible for all the suffering they have caused."

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol issued a statement as well.

"TITAN's show of force has certainly been impressive, and it has been a privilege to work alongside this independent squadron. My sincerest condolences go out to your Squadron Commander - and I hope she recovers swiftly. Her story is certainly impressive, as well as her perseverance with leading the squadron." 

"This is why the Alliance Interpol will be granting an additional 500 million credit bounty award to TITAN Contractors - for successfully removing the galaxy of this menace. We know this will not bring back those lost, but we hope it will allow you to rebuild what was damaged, and further fortify your divisions."

The operations crew confirmed that Federal authorities have reached out to fulfil the 1 billion credit bounty placed on Paladin Interstellar, but no other statement has been publicly issued by Imperial or Federal authorities. Despite the majority of Paladin being shut down and arrested, along with its subsidiary Blackshield Solutions, the Crimson Venators - a highly notorious group of rogue Federal spec-ops pilots and soldiers - still remain at large. 

The Crimson Venators are largely responsible for Paladin's infamy as well as critically injuring Squadron Commander Aurora Adair in the last attack - and it is suspected that their actions alone have garnered Paladin's 1 billion credit bounty. Their whereabouts are currently unclear, and it is suspected that - despite the destruction of one of their heavily-armed Federal Corvettes - they have not been as crippled as Paladin has. 

Interpol's 'Arrowhead' counter-terrorism team has stated they will continue to work closely with CSF, following up several leads that may lead them to locating the Crimson Venators.

In other news, damage to the Solaris has mostly been repaired, restoring access to landing bay 4, and further network patches are underway to secure the squadron network against known vulnerabilities. BLUSTAR Operations confirmed that Commander Adair is still in a stable condition - but had no further updates to share regarding her coma.

12: The Crimson Venators' Final Directive 

Interpol recovers a vital transmission sent by Paladin Interstellar prior to their disssolution, detailing a set of final orders issued to the Crimson Venators - presumed to be the last standing group responsible for founding Paladin. The orders, internally codenamed 'Final Directive', cover a plan to gain retribution for Paladin's fall - however the exact details of which are unclear. Whether it includes striking back as a whole against those who wronged Paladin, or taking down the specific individuals responsible, is unclear.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford issued a statement on behalf of the Peacekeepers.

"Interpol has approached us with intel regarding something called the 'Final Directives'. Although the investigation is in their hands, the information they discovered still remains pertinent to us - and unfortunately it signals that things may not be entirely over with Paladin Interstellar. Before they were captured and dissolved, taken into Interpol custody, Paladin transmitted one final message to what remains of the Crimson Venators." 

"The message is extremely vague, but has a poetic ring to it, and from what we can gather, it's a request to serve retribution for their defeat. Whether or not the Crimson Venators have received this message or if they will carry it through is unclear, however both are highly likely. It seems as if we are not quite done with this whole situation just yet."

A high-ranking individual within CSF provided an anonymous statement, vehemently pushing that IA staff include it. After much debate, the decision to include the statement has been made.

"The Crimson Venators do not scare or impose fear in any CSF troops, despite their reputation. Actually, if anything - after what they did to Squadron Commander Adair - a demand to hunt them down has soared among our division. I was around when Commander Quinton Marshall was killed, and personally; I will not stand by and have that happen again. CSF will stand ready, and when Commander Adair recovers - because I firmly believe she will - we will be ready to continue our hunt against the Crimson Venators."

The anonymous statement has been praised by other CSF captains, and appears to be an opinion generally adopted by the division. However, the operations crew has still expressed a worry over Aurora's condition - and unfortunately only time will tell if she will recover.

In other news, Interpol's intelligence collection regarding Paladin Interstellar and its subsidiaries has begun to broaden, and a plan to create a series of Internal Affairs articles, covering Paladin's origin and background, as well as manpower and resources, is expected by the end of the weekend.

13: Federation Issues Bounty On Crimson Venators

Federal authorities issue a sizeable bounty on the Crimson Venators - once again marking the start of a manhunt for the notorious criminal group. The bounty, currently amounting to 500 million credits, has been issued for TITAN Contractors to undertake directly, but the operations crew has refused to begin another manhunt due to Squadron Commander Adair's condition. 

Thanks to this, the Federal Intelligence Agency has instead stated that 'a Commander who apprehends or neutralizes the Crimson Venators will be handsomely rewarded'.

Agent Jay Faulkner, representing the FIA, issued an announcement.

"The Crimson Venators are a hazard to this galaxy, and an enemy of the Federation. A Commander who apprehends, neutralizes, or otherwise assists us greatly in our effort to track down these dangerous criminals, will be handsomely rewarded with a 500 million credit bounty voucher. At this time, we will only be issuing the voucher to one such Commander - if they can provide substantial proof that they have located or neutralized the Crimson Venators."

Originally, the bounty voucher was initially proposed to TITAN Contractors, as a sort of 'contract' to undertake. However, the operations crew have refused this prospect, citing that the Solaris must adopt a defensive mentality in order to protect Squadron Commander Aurora Adair, who is still in a coma after she sustained critical injuries in an explosion aboard the carrier. CSF have echoed this stance, stating that they would not be getting involved for the time being either, and would prioritise the defence of the squadron and its carriers.

However, the operations crew did state that they would honour the bounty voucher on behalf of the Federation, should Commanders locate and take down the Crimson Venators.

14: Paladin Interstellar History & Origins

Information obtained in Interpol's investigation of Paladin Interstellar is gradually compiled - granting Internal Affairs an opportunity to offer a deeper insight into Paladin and its operations.

This first of six articles will explore Paladin's history and origins - how the covert organisation came to be, and how it expanded so quickly over two years while avoiding capture from Federal and Imperial intelligence services alike.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol explores the history and origins of Paladin Interstellar below.

"Paladin Interstellar is believed to have been founded roughly at the beginning of 3305, by two rogue Federal operatives, however the exact timeframe is unclear. Our strongest theory suggests that Paladin came to be during March of that year, when the Lucifer Device - a portable nuclear device - was stolen by the Children of Tothos cult." 

"However, we believe Paladin's formation is unrelated to that incident - and may have been related to some inner workings of the FIA at the time, potentially corruption, based off the initial doctrine they adopted from their founders."

"It seems as if Paladin sought to remedy corruption in the Federation, but this seemingly insurmountable task quickly forced them to adapt to a more violent, yet covert approach. In March, Paladin had no more than 30 members, but just several months later, their overall manpower soared to approximately 150 members, hired with a sizeable amount of credits the operatives obtained after fleeing Federal space." 

"While those initial 30 members were all defected Federal operatives, from a wide variety of skillsets, their expansion led them to become a mercenary organisation more akin to TITAN Contractors by the end of 3305. In a few months, Paladin had covertly assassinated several low-ranking members of the Federal Navy, as well as disrupted Federal Intelligence, though these events were never significant enough or frequent enough to be reported."

"However, the FIA began to quickly counter Paladin, and issued a bounty on the organisation. By this point, Paladin's goal had broadened beyond its initial vision - to make ends meet, instead of targeting the Federation, they began to take on independent contracts that very few would be willing to do - trying to 'resolve' local corruption in fringe systems. Over time, this led to the integration of a similar group called Blackshield Solutions, who were bought out by Paladin Interstellar, and they began to gradually grow." 

"Contrary to our initial thoughts, the Crimson Venators are not a subsidiary of Paladin, but rather just a 'subgroup' of Federal black-ops pilots and soldiers. Around 20 members make up the group, and they adopted the name from the callsign they were given during their service in the Federal Navy - with some slight adjustments."

"While we have apprehended the majority of Paladin Interstellar, including their founder, the Crimson Venators still remain at large, and we believe they only sustained one casualty so far - when one of their Federal Corvettes was destroyed. Blackshield Solutions, as a company, has long since been dissolved since its integration into Paladin, but elements of that may have escaped alongside the Venators as well."

"Essentially, while we might have dismantled Paladin Interstellar, it seems we still have more work to do before we can truly consider this threat neutralized."

An article covering Paladin Interstellar's infrastructure and internal functions is expected to release tomorrow. Overall, squadron news remains relatively peaceful this week - as Solaris repairs fully complete, Squadron Commander Adair remains in BLUSTAR's care, and squadron operations continue as normal.

15: Paladin Interstellar Infrastructure

In this series of articles created in collaboration with the Alliance Interpol, Internal Affairs explores the background of Paladin Interstellar, compiling investigative information acquired by intel teams after successfully dissolving Paladin and its operations. 

This second article, out of six, will explore the organisation's infrastructure - how they internally functioned in such a covert manner, and how Paladin owes their success to a wide network of controlled settlements.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol explores the nature of Paladin Interstellar's infrastructure below.

"Paladin Interstellar largely owes its success to how much ground they were able to spread their operations across - and surprisingly with minimal loss in communication. During their initial stages of growth, Paladin operated out of ships they stole from their service in the Federal Navy, but as their members grew, they had to gain some kind of 'permanent residence'." 

"This quickly led to their infamy, and is largely one of the reasons why such a high bounty was issued on them. In order to obtain said residences, Paladin Interstellar raided civilian settlements covertly, using them as temporary staging posts before they could be tracked down by Federal strike teams."

"Reportedly, Paladin operatives were never actually seen during these raids. Instead of launching full frontal assaults, they instead usually had an undercover element break into the facility. A signature move they would perform would be to inject a chemical agent into the settlement's atmospheric processors, poisoning and killing the occupants in an inhumane manner." 

"This was declared a war crime by the Federation, who branded Paladin as 'war criminals' and issued the 1 billion credit bounty for their capture or elimination - earning them their notorious reputation."

"However, taking down entire settlements like this often disrupted entire production lines and intra-system trade, inevitably drawing attention to Paladin's presence. With so many after them, and still not quite at a large size, Paladin quickly adapted to use their newfound reputation and resources to bribe settlements and factions into covering for them."

"With this, Paladin could expand beyond their original vision. What is surprising, however, is how - despite all the links in the chain - that this never faltered. By that, I mean, no faction was willing to give Paladin up, some even willing to defend them."

"Whether or not it was just due to fear or whether or not Paladin could offer something worthwhile is unclear. The latter is likely, as many factions would like to get back at their opposition in a deniable manner - and what better avenue than to use a covert strike force known for their efficiency?" 

"Outside of bribing settlements, Paladin Interstellar also used several independent systems - places where no one would bat an eye at them, despite their reputation. Several systems were used as logistics points to move large shipments of weapons and munitions purchased from black markets, one example being Quince, and in some cases Paladin even utilised cargo megaships as a way to move cargo through undetected."

"This alone suggests Paladin's resources were much larger than expected. However, it certainly raises a question. Why did Paladin purposefully engage in a full-on assault on TITAN's flagship carrier, despite knowing that defeat was likely?" 

"Paladin has an extensive darknet, the likes of which has never been detected by the Federation. If they truly wanted to, they could vanish permanently and never be found again. So why didn't they?"

A third article exploring Paladin Interstellar's manpower and skillset is expected to release tomorrow. In other news, Mantis Analytics are currently investigating an alternate signal, potentially transmitted by remnant forces belonging to Paladin Interstellar. 

The timing of the signal has led investigators to believe it may be a response to the Crimson Venators' 'final directives'.

16: Paladin Interstellar: Manpower

In this series of articles created in collaboration with the Alliance Interpol, Internal Affairs explores the background of Paladin Interstellar, compiling investigative information acquired by intel teams after successfully dissolving Paladin and its operations. 

This third article, out of six, will explore the organisation's manpower - how large their organisation became, and covering the various skillsets they employed that allowed them to accomplish their tasks.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol explores the specifics regarding Paladin Interstellar's manpower below.

"As per CTU Arrowhead's last report, we learnt that Paladin almost certainly outsources its work, and very little of its core team, those responsible for founding the organisation, actually did the work - at least after their initial growth stages." 

"The core team - most of which have fled, with the remainder being arrested or found dead - would perform tasks only they would be capable of, using their expertise and training they were given in the Federal Navy."

"However, an interesting detail regarding Paladin and its core team - is not every member was a Federal operative. Some were defected Imperial Intelligence agents, who came in later. This seems odd - considering a fair majority of Federal spec-ops share a strong hatred for the Empire." 

"However, these people were willing to work together for a goal that was never openly stated. It could've been a bid to move closer to an independent organisation, or it could've been an ambitious attempt to try rid all superpowers of the same corruption that had caused Paladin Interstellar to be created in the first place."

"Or, maybe, they were all in it for the money - with no questions asked. It seems reasonable, albeit quite odd, that both sides were willing to set aside their differences for whatever planned ultimate goals they had - no matter what it was." 

"Of course, they could not do it alone, so outside of Blackshield and the Crimson Venators, Paladin employed hundreds of freelancers - usually by luring them in with the false promise of 'clean' mercenary work."

"Those who fell for it would be conditioned and trained - whoever refused or threatened to reveal Paladin would likely be killed or never seen again. This instilled a fear among their men, but the conditioning eventually inspired most to believe they were being brought into something bigger." 

"However, Paladin's downfall can be owed to its size and spread across the bubble. When they attacked the Solaris, a large majority of their strategy fell apart when they were met by CSF resistance, who overall had better training and preparation than the freelancers on the opposing side."

"None of the core team were present at the Solaris during the attack, other than two Crimson Venators' ships, one of which was destroyed. The pilot was never recovered from that ship, and only a few Paladin mercenaries survived the attack. Those who we have had the chance to interrogate have either been conditioned to lie - or have truly never been disclosed much information about Paladin, and as such cannot provide us much more information." 

"We have only learnt all that we know now thanks to our recovery of intel directly obtained from Paladin's command centres. So, we can conclude that, despite Paladin's 'superior training'  - they did not prepare their own men for a full-on assault. Unfortunately, we might not ever understand why Paladin performed such an overt move." 

"We know their goal was to cripple the Solaris and kill Squadron Commander Adair, but an entire assault was neither efficient nor effective."

A fourth article exploring Paladin Interstellar's resources and communications is expected to release tomorrow. In other news, Mantis Analytics are still investigating the mysterious signal as reported yesterday. 

It is now believed that the signal was transmitted from nearby the Solaris itself, with a response received from Paladin's communications network, which was connected to the carrier for investigations at the time.

17: Paladin Interstellar Resources & Communications

In this series of articles created in collaboration with the Alliance Interpol, Internal Affairs explores the background of Paladin Interstellar, compiling investigative information acquired by intel teams after successfully dissolving Paladin and its operations. 

This fourth article, out of six, will explore the organisation's resources and communications - how they were supplied so efficiently, and how their communication network functioned undetectably.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol explores Paladin Interstellar's logistics and darknet below.

"Since Paladin Interstellar became an entity on the Federation and Empire's radar, it has been known that their backend organisation is vastly stronger than most of its types. Not only did Paladin sport an effectively undetectable darknet, but their logistics and supply was never conclusively identified either - until now. While we didn't recover as much as we hoped, we did discover several things about Paladin Interstellar, and how their logistics was just so good."

"First, we have to backtrack to the 25th of October - about nine days before Interpol became involved. A CSF strike team was ambushed in the system of Quince - while investigating the starports there for leads related to Orion Drake at the time. This is ultimately where the war started." 

"We know Squadron Commander Adair received a data disk anonymously, which may have actually prompted the start of the war - since a deeper investigation discovered that data disk contained the information of Paladin's weapon shipments, primarily their origins, collection points, and so forth - one being in Quince. The shipment's exact origin - although it was never released at the time - was a system in Imperial space."

"Since this part of the investigation is now being handled by the IISS, we cannot share the exact specific system. However, this does confirm that Paladin Interstellar was being supplied by Imperial contacts - who were still actively serving in the Imperial navy. This raises more questions - as Paladin Interstellar was a federal group." 

"So why were rogue elements of the Imperial Navy working with them? What was their goal? We can reference back to the whole 'anti-corruption goal', but is this not the exact opposite of what they wanted? By bribing or convincing rogue Imperial officials to transport illegal weaponry through imperial logistics, is Paladin not feeding more corruption?"

"And it appears to expand beyond this. Paladin's darknet - the function and creation of it - seems to have been mostly enabled by a joint effort between its imperial and federal counterparts, but mostly the imperial part. By combining the 'best of both worlds', Paladin's dark net is not only powerful and interlinked, but essentially unbreakable from the outside." 

"So - if Paladin's logistics was so effective, and their darknet undetectable, how did they fail to coordinate an effective assault against the Solaris? Did they allow themselves to fail? If Paladin still has an endgame, it is unclear. The Crimson Venators are still out there, and maybe even remnant elements of Paladin. It is completely plausible that they still intend to fulfil whatever plan they had."

A fifth article exploring Blackshield Solutions, and how they came to be a subsidiary of Paladin, is expected to release tomorrow. In other news, there are no updates on the mysterious signal received by Mantis Analytics.

18: Paladin Interstellar Blackshield Solutions

In this series of articles created in collaboration with the Alliance Interpol, Internal Affairs explores the background of Paladin Interstellar, compiling investigative information acquired by intel teams after successfully dissolving Paladin and its operations. 

This fifth article, out of six, will explore the organisation's subsidiary - Blackshield Solutions, a private military company that specialised in hazardous environment operations and high-threat contracts.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol explores Paladin Interstellar's logistics and darknet below.

"Since 3298, Blackshield Solutions have been in operation as an independent company, led and founded by Tara Shield - the daughter of a rich conglomerate CEO. At this time, Blackshield Solutions was actually not an infamous criminal organisation operating as a subsidiary of Paladin, but they were a normal, independent freelance company very similar to TITAN Contractors. They only specialised in taking on contracts for system authorities or local governments - objectives that were too hazardous or dangerous. Ms. Shield, who founded Blackshield, operated under a similar mindset to TITAN and its current Squadron Commander too."

"Instead of sitting in a corporate headquarters orchestrating and managing her company, she often assumed direct ground command of squads in the field. She'd regularly deploy on operations and get her hands dirty. This was incredibly dangerous, but proved an effective morale boost to contractors in her company, and over time garnered a large amount of respect and support. Unfortunately, Ms. Shield was killed in action in 3301, after an operation she was on failed. The company went on to complete the contract, but took a significant blow to their leadership - and their small size exacerbated this."

"It was around then that the company was bought out by multi-millionaire Angus Crowe after much debate - who has been known to dabble in illegal activities and gambling, all for the money. After a few more years of ruining Blackshield's great reputation and forcing the company to sink into the criminal underworld, Blackshield Solutions was bought out by Paladin Interstellar somewhere in 3305, and almost immediately integrated into the organisation, with Crowe still in charge of the 'Blackshield division'."

"From there, Blackshield Solutions slowly lost its once-great identity, and we believe Crowe was dragged in to provide funding for Paladin Interstellar. He was arrested along with several elements of Paladin's leadership, when Interpol raided their HQ alongside CSF forces, but that sadly doesn't change how he ruined a company that once had a spotless reputation and operation." 

"Many similarities can be drawn between Blackshield and TITAN - selfless leadership, a humanitarian goal, unforeseen disasters and struggles - but thankfully with the exception of vast, internal corruption."

A sixth and final article exploring the Crimson Venators, and how they, as a subgroup, are responsible for Paladin's infamy, is expected to release tomorrow.

19: Paladin Interstellar Crimson Venators / Squadron Commander Aurora Adair Recovers

In this series of articles created in collaboration with the Alliance Interpol, Internal Affairs explores the background of Paladin Interstellar, compiling investigative information acquired by intel teams after successfully dissolving Paladin and its operations. 

This sixth and final article will explore a subgroup within the organisation - the Crimson Venators, a defected Federal black-ops group infamous for their lethal skill and hidden identity.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol explores the Crimson Venators; who they are, and how they have avoided capture for so long.

"Since Paladin Interstellar's creation in 3305, both Blackshield Solutions and the Crimson Venators have collaborated to ensure the success of their operation. Despite information regarding the Crimson Venators being so scarce, we have confidence that they are the group directly responsible for founding Paladin Interstellar, which would explain their secrecy and lack of identity - becoming only known as the 'Crimson Venators', a reference to the group's old callsign of 'Red Hunters'."

"Before the entire group of 18 Federal black-ops operatives defected, the Red Hunters were a covert operations group serving jointly across both the Federal Navy and Federal Intelligence Agency. Few records of their existence still remain, and any identification records have either been destroyed or lost prior to them defecting. Prominently, they were involved in raids against the League of Reparation and the Far God cult in 3304, but anything beyond that has been purged and lost." 

"We did query the federal agents that we are in contact with as to why this is, and while they weren't willing to share much information, they did confirm that the defectors were able to wipe any traces of their identities before leaving Federal space with a large amount of navy weaponry, and several ships."

"From there, any traces of the 'Red Hunters' was lost, until they resurfaced alongside Paladin Interstellar in 3305. Why they defected is still unknown, but with most of them once being high-ranking operatives within the Federation, the information and status they possessed threatened Federal operations, making them a high value target." 

"However, with no starting point and much information lost regarding the group, the Federation spent months grasping at straws, until the Crimson Venators involved themselves more directly in Paladin operations and became more overt, raiding civilian settlements on behalf of Paladin in order to acquire resources."

*"This is where Paladin earned its infamy - as Venator operatives conjured an illegal chemical agent, for the sole purpose of injecting it into settlement atmospheric processors, killing the occupants within before their suits could save them. This was the perfect opportunity for galactic authorities to issue a bounty on the group, and, while the Federation supported the 1 billion credit bounty on Paladin - that bounty was truly placed on the Crimson Venators, and their elimination." 

"Not only does their knowledge and skill pose a threat to the Federation, but it allows the Empire a chance to obtain vital information against the Federation. This is purely conjecture, but because Paladin Interstellar were being partially supplied by Imperial contacts, we can assume that the Crimson Venators may have promised the Empire something that could compromise the Federation, in exchange for weapons and supplies."

"This exchange of information never appears to have happened or had no consequences, however. Either the deal was never made, the Crimson Venators decided not to share the information, or the information wasn't substantial enough. Regardless, to this day, this notorious group still remains at large, with no other identity than their codenames." 

"The pilot of one of their Federal Corvettes, responsible for attacking the Solaris, reportedly identified themselves as 'Osiris' prior to their ship's destruction, and their subsequent death, with no chance at recovering his body. Interestingly, the ship blackbox was destroyed as well - or may not have been present when salvage teams investigated the wreckage." 

"On top of that, some of our interrogations and analysis of Paladin records has confirmed that few of Paladin's men have interacted with the Venators, but each report confirms that the operatives remained masked all the time, and never used real names."

"We will continue to look into the Crimson Venators, but unfortunately; their code names give us little idea of the people behind them. It is very unlikely that we will find them - unless they want to be found."

In other news, positive progression has been made with Squadron Commander Aurora Adair's status. BLUSTAR have confirmed that she is, at last, responsive, and they would be issuing a statement when possible.

Later that day, in breaking news, BLUSTAR Operations confirm that Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has recovered from a coma, which was induced after she faced potentially life-threatening injuries during an explosion aboard the Solaris. This announcement has been met with relief from the operations crew - but a contentious decision to prevent Commander Adair from interacting with squadron management during her recovery period is being enacted.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued a statement.

"We're extremely relieved to see Aurora recover after such a horrific event, and there is still a small road to travel until she can be fully considered 'recovered'. However, we've had to struggle against her adamant demands to 'catch up' with latest squadron operations. Once again, despite almost getting herself killed, Aurora wants to return to the line of duty - effective immediately." 

"While we can respect her commitment, the operations crew have collectively made the decision to bar her from squadron management until we are certain she is fit to return to duty. She will retain her title and her SC access, but she will not be allowed to make any decisions or actions on behalf of the squadron."

Commander Aurora Adair was not available for direct comment, but this decision made by the operations crew has been met with emotional dismay from her. Considering Aurora's ownership of the squadron - this operations decision holds no foundation alone, and as such the Peacekeepers have declared their intent to enforce this managerial decision made by CO Ramirez.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford elaborated.

"The TCS Charter dictates that the Solaris Peacekeepers must protect the squadron and its operations - from itself, if need be. Squadron Commander Adair has just woken up from a stressful coma, missing eleven days of squadron events, and she is not in the right mindset to lead the squadron at this time. While I can personally respect her eagerness to return to duty - it is nothing more than a desperate attempt to try prove her worth again, for whatever reason." 

"The large majority of the crew still agree that Adair and her decisions saved the Solaris - and by association, the squadron - which is more than anyone could ask for. It is time she rewarded herself with a long, well-deserved break. As a result, the Peacekeepers have been ordered to not permit her access to any operations facilities or documents, for now - and this is legally enforced by squadron law."

In related news, multiple CSF Captains have reportedly gifted Commander Adair with a 'celebratory recovery gift'. While the nature of the gift was not elaborated on, an extremely emotional Squadron Commander was only able to issue her 'sincerest thanks to the rest of the squadron, for believing in her'. 

BLUSTAR Operations otherwise confirmed Adair would make a full, physical recovery, thanks to the advanced medical techniques used to save her.

21: Solaris Infiltrated by Unknown Group / Quinton's Will Stolen By Infiltrators

Following the successful decryption of an unknown signal detected by Mantis Analytics, the Peacekeepers confirmed that the Solaris carrier may have been infiltrated by an unidentified group or individual - with their exact motives or objective still not determined. 

It is strongly believed that this infiltration was performed by an individual capable of bypassing security measures and remaining undetected. According to the decrypted signal, they were targeting stored intel aboard the carrier, but it is unclear what was stolen, if anything.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford elaborated on the situation.

"Thanks to the two Commanders who assisted us with decrypting the signal we discovered in our network on the 15th. We can now confirm that the transmission was very recent, and originated from the Solaris itself." 

"Shortly after, whoever it was received a response through Paladin's network. Unfortunately, we may have decrypted this too late to stop whatever they were planning, and we believe they may have been successful in whatever they were trying to obtain." 

"We're currently performing a storage audit on our intel databases, as well as physical data storage, in an attempt to determine what was taken. Interestingly, according to the message, it may be intel related to or somehow associated with Squadron Commander Adair - but the message implies she is not aware of 'it' - whatever 'it' may be." 

"Until we determine what was stolen, however, we cannot say for certain. Whoever did this was very, very good. Not only did they remain unseen by the carrier crew, but they never triggered a single security measure. Without the discovery of this signal, we may have never realized this intrusion."

Later that day, a second update regarding the signal and the stolen data is issued following a storage audit. It is determined that a personal datapad containing a will belonging to the late Commander Quinton Marshall has been stolen by unidentified infiltrators - who presumably infiltrated the carrier on the 15th of November. The will was originally located on the 29th of July earlier in the year, and once decrypted on the 7th of August, contained legal instructions on how to transfer all of his assets - including the squadron in its entirety - to Commander Aurora Adair, who was a CSF specialist at the time. 

After the will was honoured, the datapad and the rest of Quinton's personal assets were either handed over to Commander Adair, or stored securely aboard the Solaris.

The datapad is one such item that was stored securely, but has now been found missing. Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford elaborated on the theft.

"After an extensive storage audit, we have found only one item missing from secure holding - a personal datapad belonging to the late Quinton Marshall, who was the first Squadron Commander of TITAN Contractors. After his death in July, we found the datapad, which contained an encrypted will." 

"Once we decrypted it, it was realized that it contained legal instructions on how to promote Commander Adair - who was a CSF specialist at the time and was just about to complete her Pilots' Federation training - to her new position of Squadron Commander. Ontop of that, she inherited billions of credits and dozens of squadron assets, including the Solaris and Quinton's ships." 

"This was three months ago, but we never figured out why Quinton chose Aurora specifically to lead TITAN - they had only met once and had no personal connection. At the time, it could be argued that she may have been too inexperienced for the position as well."

"However, this datapad that contained the will has now been stolen. We believe whoever infiltrated the carrier had the sole objective of obtaining this datapad, for an unknown reason - and they knew exactly where to find it, and how to take it without being detected. Nothing else of importance was ever found on the datapad's drive by us at the time - though it is possible that it contained further hidden data that we never uncovered. It is still unclear why a will would be important to these infiltrators." 

"It has already been acted upon and doesn't contain any private information - just orders. This further solidifies the theory that the datapad may have had more information on it - after such covert measures were used to obtain it. Sadly, as it's been six days since the datapad was presumably stolen, there is a very low chance we will recover this datapad or figure out who took it."

The operations crew corroborated Stafford's statement, stating that they would be assisting with the investigation despite the lack of leads, but the likelihood of recovering the datapad now is extremely low.

24: Crimson Venators Claimed To Be Behind Infiltration / CSF Taskforces Reinstated

A new statement issued by Peacekeeper security teams raises a strong suspicion that the Crimson Venators - a notorious criminal group composed of rogue Federal black ops operatives - are behind the infiltration that stole a personal datapad containing the will of the late Commander Quinton Marshall. 

While it was initially speculated that the theft may have been related to them in some way, stronger evidence has been acquired, confirming their involvement as well as potential motives. However, despite this, it is still presumed that whoever physically infiltrated the carrier may not belong to the Venators themselves - and was instead externally contracted.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford issued this new statement, going into further detail.

"After an exhaustive investigation, we have determined several leads that imply the involvement of the Crimson Venators. Namely, we have been working with Mantis Analytics to determine the true source of that transmission. We know the transmission originated from within the Solaris - presumably from the infiltrator themselves, but shortly after they received a response through Paladin's network - which was detected as soon as it reached the recipient." 

"While we were too late to stop this, an extensive network audit has revealed that the response belongs to a Crimson Venator operative, only holding the callsign of 'Dawn', who used a network backdoor we were unaware of at the time to make this transmission."

"Now that we have discovered the backdoor, we were able to identify this operative's callsign, their ship at the time - which was a Federal Corvette - as well as the location they made the transmission from. Unfortunately, they are now long gone. An investigation turned up nothing of interest in the system they made the transmission from, and tracing their ship has been unsuccessful with very limited information to go off of." 

"As for the infiltrator, we have had no success in identifying them - not even a callsign. However, we may now have a possible motive as to why they wanted that datapad. Going back to when the will was initially decrypted with the help of some Commanders, Mantis internally reported a fragmented section of the datapad's drive in a status report. It was encrypted so heavily that it was initially thought to be corrupted, and as such it was subsequently ignored."

"However, reviewing that particular status report seems to now support our theory that the datapad has additional data of significant value on it. Should this be true, then whoever stole this datapad may also know how to reverse the encryption. Unfortunately, no backups of that drive partition was made - only of the will. We are currently investigating multiple leads that may begin our new chase to locate this datapad."

In other news, squadron officials are currently looking into purchasing expensive military upgrades and hardware for TITAN's Centurion SF division, in order to further reinforce it. Additional hires have been made as well, to replace lost manpower. 

Currently, this increases the number of armed CSF personnel up to 600 individuals, roughly a 25% increase in employed personnel. Rumours aboard the carrier also suggest that the STF taskforces are being reinstated as permanent CSF elements - though no official comment was given.

Later that day, an announcement does end up confirming that new Centurion SF taskforces are being reinstated, following an increase in CSF's manpower and resources. These new taskforces mark the permanent return of the STF program - an initiative that created special military elements designed to tackle specific threats to the squadron. 

All STF taskforces were originally decommissioned on the 1st of November 3307 after completing their objective at the time, but the squadron attacks that have followed since then have reaffirmed the demand for a stronger, more flexible defence force.

CDL Kyle Lucas, the divisional leader for CSF, issued the announcement regarding this new move.

"On the 9th of November, the squadron faced possibly the most daring threat to our operations yet - where almost a hundred operatives belonging to Paladin Interstellar boarded the carrier and engaged in combat against CSF units. While we repelled the attack successfully with minimal casualties - the prospect of an enemy striking right into the heart of our home, with the goal of inflicting massive damage - is an event we cannot allow to happen again."

"As such, CSF has onboarded around 150 new personnel in the last three days, and our training is going very smoothly. A large majority have military backgrounds, so we expect our new hires will fit in perfectly in no time. On top of that, we have been considering reinstating the STF taskforces once again - making them a permanent addition to our operations. Thanks to the dedicated work of the operations crew, arranging the logistics and purchasing new hardware for this has been very fruitful - and we're happy to announce the return of taskforces Talon, Archangel, Scorpion and Inferno."

"Each taskforce is supported by the best CSF has to offer, and while their original purpose will deviate from protecting specific carriers to protecting the entire squadron, their specialisation into specific fields will increase our capability to act quickly against further threats to the squadron."

These taskforces - while not quite in place yet - will be led by their former leaders, with new military equipment purchased specifically for them. However, it was stated that TF Scorpion would see a shift in leadership, with Captain Kaiden Marsh's position being newly assumed by CSF Pioneer Lieutenant Hunter Girard - due to Cpt. Marsh being re-tasked to Eclipse operations.

27: Peacekeepers Suspect Imminent Investigation Breakthrough

A statement issued by the Solaris Peacekeepers announces that they suspect they may be close to a breakthrough related to their current efforts to locate the datapad containing Quinton's will, which was stolen by the Crimson Venators. The announcement comes after substantial intel has been acquired from Paladin's dormant network, potentially providing a location of the Corvette belonging to the unknown Venator operative, codenamed 'Dawn'.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford issued this announcement.

"We're pleased to announce that we believe an imminent breakthrough with our investigation is likely. Much of Paladin's network has been scoured for clues, and with it all collated, we suspect we may have a way to track the Federal Corvette belonging to an operative who holds the callsign of 'Dawn'." 

"As far as we know, Dawn and an unidentified infiltrator are both responsible for stealing a datapad aboard the Solaris - the same datapad that contained the will of Quinton Marshall, which we now believe has additional information on it that went unnoticed before."

"However, it is completely likely that this lead may also not go anywhere, as it's been several days since the datapad was stolen. We need to investigate every possible opportunity, however, and we hope to have more information soon." 

"It is likely that we will need the assistance of our Commanders to break through the heavy, manual encryption Paladin has used, in order to track down this Corvette. Hopefully, if we find the ship, we may be closer to also figuring out who took this datapad, and why."

In other news, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair still remains willingly suspended from squadron operations - for an indefinite time. The operations crew have commented on their belief that she needs an extensive break to evaluate all that has happened, and as such they would once more assume her duties for the time being. 

Despite being suspended, she is expected to provide minor, periodic input on the investigation into the missing datapad - as the information may pertain to her.

All CSF taskforces have also been successfully reinstated, basing operations out of the Solaris carrier. Upgraded equipment and a combination of elite training and discipline are the hallmarks of these taskforces - representing CSF's best. 

Although no official figures were released, it is believed that an expensive investment of roughly 1.8 billion credits or more has been spent on thousands of modified weapons and suits, as well as new military hardware entirely, on all four taskforces as a whole.

Day - Article Title

1: Federal Agents Shutdown Investigation

A recent breakthrough made by the Peacekeepers - with the assistance of Mantis Analytics - has revealed tracking data related to a vessel holding the ID of 'DN-CV1'. This particular vessel is believed to be one of the Crimson Venators' Corvettes, specifically belonging to a operative with the codename 'Dawn'. 

However, the discovery of this data has been met with significant contention, with Federal authorities demanding full control over the investigation, due to the information within being of potential significance to the Federation, while the Alliance Interpol claims their right to reserve control over the investigation alongside the Solaris Peacekeepers.

This disputation has only been further exacerbated, after it was learned that a Mantis cryptography specialist leaked the 'DN-CV1' signal data to independent Commanders within the squadron, with the hopes that they may be able to decrypt it sooner. 

While this specialist faces disciplinary action for the leak, new Federal agents assigned to the investigation have only furthered tensions by now threatening to prosecute any Commanders who decrypt the data.

With Federal Agent Jay Faulkner no longer assigned to this case - his position has been newly assumed by anonymous FIA operatives, who issued a statement.

"Attention to all TITAN Commanders. The investigation into the DN-CV1 signal is now a Federal matter. Our team will be assuming direct control of Agent Faulkner's case, and any Commanders who interfere with our investigation will be prosecuted under Federal law." 

"We believe the Crimson Venators may withhold sensitive information regarding the Federation, and this signal data may lead us to them. Cease any decryption efforts immediately and allow us to continue our hunt for these notorious criminals without impediment."

This statement has been called out by some as 'an outrageous abuse of power', however it is believed that, despite initially standing their ground, the Alliance Interpol is likely to allow the Federation control over the investigation without further protest. 

The Solaris Peacekeepers have not issued an official statement, but Commanders have been warned that the threat of legal action from the Federation is very much real - and squadron law only offers a limited amount of protection in this regard. 

Despite that, further discussions in order to try sway the decision of the Federal team is underway - with limited success thus far.

2: Crimson Venators Corvette Found; Fake Federal Team Arrested / Technical Team Killed; CSF Assaults Castillo Genetics

Further investigative breakthroughs have been made with the DN-CV1 signal, with the contents of the signal finally decrypted at last, leading investigators to a settlement in the HIP 74304 system. This has now led security teams to locate a Federal Corvette belonging to the Crimson Venators - left on the outskirts of the settlement, powered down and abandoned without its pilot. 

While the ship remains under access lock, technical teams are currently implementing a field solution to break the ship's authorization, allowing investigators access.

This breakthrough was only made possible with the assistance of Commander Solix - who was first to decrypt the data, and also accidentally exposed the Federal team who took over the case as impostors. The team of four Federal operatives has now been arrested, but no information as to who they are and who sent them has come forth, and interrogations have not been fruitful thus far. 

However, after some further discussion, Agent Jay Faulkner has been reassigned to the case, and issued a statement below.

"On behalf of the Federation, I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies for allowing this fake team to assume control of the investigation - and by the sounds of it, it almost resulted in the loss of the important data leading us to the DN-CV1 signal. It is unclear who sent this team, but it is certain that all four are, in fact, official Federal operatives, determined after we performed a quick identification check." 

"So, while they might have the appropriate authority to carry out their demand, their warrant was faked, and they were unable - or rather refused - to confirm their identity when confronted, and in reality, the FIA did not send them at all."

"What this team hoped to gain by stealing or destroying the decrypted DN-CV1 data is uncertain, and so far they refuse to talk. In the meantime, on behalf of the FIA, I will continue to liaise with this investigation - but full control has been returned and will remain in the hands of the Alliance Interpol and the Solaris Peacekeepers." 

"We eagerly await to see what this next step uncovers, and hopefully this will lead us to shutting down the Crimson Venators for good."

A update on the technical team's progress was expected later that day, but was interrupted by a catastrophic ship explosion, leaving the majority of the tech team dead, killing several CSF soldiers as well. This incident occurred several hours after continuous attempts to gain access to the abandoned Federal Corvette left on the outskirts of the settlement, known as Castillo Genetics.

After spending hours attempting to gain access via a complicated series of authorisation overrides, the technical team was able to enter the ship for several minutes, before it suddenly self-destructed without warning. 

So far, CSF have reported 16 casualties, a large majority belonging to the technical team inside the ship, while the remainder were CSF soldiers in the proximity.

Captain Andrew Declan, the squad leader of the CSF team on-site, issued a situation report.

"We have a situation. The Federal Corvette we were investigating suddenly detonated, and we currently estimate about 16 casualties. Directly after that, my team started to sustain fire from the settlement a few kilometres out. We've engaged and captured the majority of the settlement, however we've lost the entirety of our technical team and a few men, and any physical data stored aboard the Corvette." 

"We suspect it's some kind of contingency protocol, to prevent unauthorised access to the ship, but thankfully our technical team was connected to our ship uplink up in orbit, so we didn't lose any of the data they recovered - although it's not much."

"So far, it appears as if the Corvette has still maintained an impartial flight plan, and we're currently searching the settlement for intel. Based off what we've found, it seems like 'Dawn' left their ship behind, and departed via a shuttle that docked to the settlement." 

"The destination of the shuttle isn't obvious right now, but we're hoping with this data, we'll be able to locate it and track it further, which may lead us to finding the lost datapad. Unfortunately, with the loss of our talented technical team, it's a struggle to get anything beyond basic available data."

A secondary team of Mantis specialists is expected to be dispatched to Castillo Genetics, accompanied by a CSF team, for further analysis. An update will be issued when possible.

4: CSF Team Goes Dark / Mantis Analytics Plans Long Range Survey

The CSF field team stationed at Castillo Genetics has suddenly gone dark and cut all communications with the squadron, after assaulting and garrisoning the settlementin the HIP 74304 system. The team, led by Captain Andrew Declan, was responsible for locating a Federal Corvette belonging to the Crimson Venators, but after the ship detonated, leaving the entirety of their technical team dead, they faced a sudden retaliation from the nearby settlement. 

Despite the team emerging victorious and beginning their acquisition of intel, their communications with the squadron have suddenly ceased, and no signs of their presence were located by Mantis teams upon arrival. Unfortunately, local anarchists have complicated the deployment of the new Mantis team, and as a result the effort to reclaim Castillo Genetics has been abandoned, with the CSF team declared AWOL.

Commander Elliot Goddard, the head of Mantis Analytics, issued a statement.

"We have spent the last good part of our day attempting to dispatch a Mantis team to assist CSF in decrypting and obtaining intel from the settlement - but the complications associated with moving our gear through anarchist space forced us to use the team's remote ship uplink to receive the data instead, as a temporary measure." 

"After arranging a ship and CSF team to accompany our MILINT personnel, the flow of data from the team was consistent, but unfortunately was not revealing anything of interest. However, as larger data packets began to transfer through - likely containing heavily encrypted information - the connection was abruptly severed, and the team cut communications, causing the data they were transferring to corrupt." 

"Usually, we would blame this on a technical fault or third-party interference, but upon arriving at the settlement, our team found no signs of Captain Declan's squad, at all. There were no bodies of CSF personnel, and their ship was not present at all, nor were there any signs of communication interference at the site. Likewise, the site was completely devoid of intel, and we were unable to do a full deep-sweep of its network before local factions jeopardized the safety of the Mantis/CSF team."

"This has raised several questions of course - but a strong theory adopted by CSF officers is that the team have purposefully gone dark, for an unknown reason, assuming complete autonomy over their operation. Captain Andrew Declan is a distinguished soldier with an extensive military background, and remains highly popular among CSF troops, so the thought of him and his team abandoning their squadron and going rogue has been cited as a highly unlikely possibility."

"Unfortunately, there's no telling what might have happened to them, or what they discovered. Without a way to track the team off the grid, only time will tell what has happened now."

No comment was issued by CSF, and investigators have stated that the potential loss of this team would heavily stall investigation efforts.

In alternative news, Mantis Analytics announces new plans for a deep space survey operation, expected to commence tomorrow. Despite a CSF team recently going missing, it seems as though the survey will go ahead as planned, using the Solaris carrier to cross an 8000ly gap between the bubble and their destination in the Formidine Rift. 

Rumours have suggested that this survey operation may be potentially covering for a covert attempt to locate Captain Declan and his missing squad, though no official comment was issued by the operations crew.

This operation has been arranged as a result of a joint effort between Commander Elliot Goddard and the operations crew, with Squadron Commander Aurora Adair - who is still voluntarily suspended - playing a little part in making this decision. The destination, Eafots LZ-H b10-0, happens to be the area in which several abandoned settlements were located, belonging to a long-forgotten expedition.

Commander Elliot Goddard issued a statement below.

"While it is true that CSF are still searching for the missing team, our new survey hosted by Mantis Analytics should hardly disrupt their operations at all. We have arranged for accommodations for TF Talon to be stationed aboard the T.O.C. Monty Burns, who will continue regular protection duties near Misir. A small contingent of technical personnel and Mantis intelligence officers will accompany the taskforce, so they can act completely independent of the Solaris without disruption."

"Our survey will visit the Eafots LZ-H b10-0 system, all the way out in the Formidine Rift. Starting tomorrow, the Solaris will cross roughly 8000ly of space, providing services and transport to Commanders interested in accompanying the mission. Upon arrival, our teams will begin to survey the local area for exploration data and information related to a missing expedition related to Project Dynasty, a mystery of which will be certainly interesting to discover."

"The survey will last for a week, ending on Friday the 10th, though this may be subject to extensions depending on the success of the mission. All Commanders are welcome to partake, though explorer-capable ships are recommended. The Solaris will outfit gear that - while not being completely optimal - will provide a chance for those who may lack the equipment."

Currently, the departure of the survey is slated for tomorrow, Sunday the 5th, where the carrier will begin jumps at 1400 UGT. These times are subject to change if not suitable, and updates will be issued as appropriate. It has been implied that Mantis' premiere survey vessel, the TSV Journey, may be recommissioned and involved in the survey, though no concrete information regarding that was shared.

6: Mantis Analytics Begins Deep Space Survey

Mantis Analytics' new survey operation - codenamed Northstar - successfully begins, after the Solaris crossed an 8000ly gap between the Misir and Eafots LZ-H b10-0 system. While the survey operation primarily serves as an way for Commanders to explore deep space, it also offers an opportunity for the squadron to explore the remnants of Project Dynasty, a long forgotten expedition sent out to chart habitable worlds for humanity.

The survey operation is expected to last until the 10th of Friday - with possible extensions depending on the overall reception of the survey. The TSV Journey, Mantis' prime survey vessel, has also marked its return - with the crew of 70 personnel going forth to chart desolate worlds and recover information regarding Project Dynasty. The survey has once again seen a successful start, similar to its previous operation, Calypso.

In other news, squadron officials have tentatively confirmed that TF Talon - who are currently stationed aboard the T.O.C. Monty Burns back in the bubble - had a potential lead on the location of Captain Declan's squad, however no further information was given. It is believed that the team did, in fact, go dark intentionally, though their motives are still unclear. No further traces of the Crimson Venators' have been reported either. An update on Talon's progress regarding this is expected sometime this week.

8: Deep Space Survey Completed; TF Talon Locates Lead

Survey operation Northstar, a recovery mission hosted by Mantis Analytics with the goal of salvaging information regarding Project Dynasty, successfully concludes - in record time, too. 

While the mission was mostly assisted by public databases documenting the location of the previously-discovered Project Dynasty sites, physical data obtained from these locations by the TSV Journey have also revealed minor quirks and anomalies in the recovered data - and while being nothing vital - data like this is of value to Mantis, for pure scientific interest.

Despite the mission being completed prematurely, the Solaris will still remain on its previous flight schedule - with a departure date from the Eafots LZ-H b10-0 system still slated to be on the 10th of December at 1400 UGT. Commanders are reminded to ensure they dock with the Solaris to avoid being left behind, as the travel back to the bubble would encompass thousands upon thousands of light years.

In other news, Captain Jay Griffith, the leader of TF Talon stationed aboard the T.O.C. Monty Burns, has issued a statement pertinent to the lost CSF squad, who went dark in the HIP 74304 system. His statement can be read below.

"While the Solaris has been occupied with Mantis' survey operation, Talon have been monitoring local system communications specifically centred around HIP 74304. Our goal was to locate any leads regarding Captain Declan's squad - and we believe we may have accomplished that to some extent. While we have no direct traces leading us to the team just yet, we did intercept a communication that may be pertinent to them."

"Unfortunately, we cannot share the exact contents of the communication just yet - and even then, there is still little to go off of. However, the message does imply operatives 'Dawn' and 'Nemesis' are still active, and may be utilising dormant parts of Paladin's darknet to assist them in decrypting the datapad they stole. The message is not all that recent, dated the 3rd of December, but it does include a system name, which may give us an indicator as to why the team went dark."

"It's completely likely that the team located the same information we have before they went dark, and took their opportunity to pursue the lead quietly, to avoid alerting the Crimson Venators in advance. We're not sure if this has been successful or not, but we do have a small team investigating the mentioned system now. There is still more to investigate regarding the message, so it is likely we may be too late, and the enemy may have moved on already. Time will tell."

11: Captain Declan's Squad Reconnects / Federation Admiral Isaiah Adair Assassinated / Squadron Commander Aurora Adair To Resign

Early on the 11th, the missing CSF squad, led by Captain Andrew Declan, reconnects with the squadron and issues a situation report on the Crimson Venators. This squad initially went dark on the 4th of December without any notice, and CSF teams were unsuccessful in locating or re-establishing contact with the team - until now. This new development, alongside a new situation report provided by Captain Declan, has confirmed the theory that the squad intentionally went dark to pursue a lead regarding the stolen datapad - one that they thought might alert the Crimson Venators if issued publicly.

Captain Jay Griffith has now issued a statement summarising Captain Declan's situation report, and for the interest of Commanders, this has been publicized on squadron channels.

"Our last few days searching for Captain Declan's squad have unfortunately not been successful, but thankfully the team have reconnected suddenly and issued a situation report. Our initial theory that they were pursuing a covert lead has now been confirmed, and they have provided us with the intel they recovered. Unfortunately, a large part of it is no longer actionable - and we may be too late to stop the Crimson Venators from decrypting the datapad."

"The intel they have obtained mostly consists of communication logs between 'Dawn' and 'Nemesis', the two operatives responsible for stealing and attempting to decrypt the datapad. However, since these remnant forces have been trying to use Paladin's darknet to assist them with decrypting the information, they've left behind a trace. We can't use this to locate them anymore sadly, since the intel is outdated, but we can at least get an idea of what they were trying to decrypt." 

"Information is extremely scarce and vague, but we've been able to determine that the datapad may contain sensitive information regarding the Federation. In the wrong hands, this information could be costly - depending on what it is. Unfortunately, we don't even have an idea as to what the information pertains to, but one thing is certain; it seems sourced from a 'whistleblower' within the Federation, which would align with the communication logs we previously recovered." 

"Who this whistleblower is remains unclear, but it is likely the Crimson Venators will seek to assassinate this individual before they can use the information for their own purposes. Once they have gained control of the information, they will have control of a bargaining chip which might allow them to recover from Paladin's downfall." 

"We've notified Federal authorities, but unfortunately based off the limited information we have, we have no way of tracking Dawn and Nemesis down, or stopping them. And, it's highly likely that they have fully decrypted the datapad already, with all the time we have given them."

Many have argued that information pertinent to the Federation is of no concern to TITAN Contractors, but the operations crew have implied that - due to the datapad previously belonging to Quinton Marshall, the first Squadron Commander of TITAN - this could have legal consequences now depending on the severity of the information and how it was obtained. 

Details regarding this are still extremely uncertain, but the Peacekeepers have stated that they are hard at work with Federal authorities to ensure this case goes forth successfully.

In other news, the Solaris has returned from an 8000ly trip hosted by Mantis Analytics, having successfully completed its mission. TF Talon is also expected to shortly mobilize and regroup aboard the Solaris - after using the T.O.C. Monty Burns as an operations carrier for the last week.

However, later that morning, in a shocking turn of events, The Federal Times reports on the death of retired Federal Navy Admiral, Isaiah Adair, who was killed earlier that day in Sol. Internal Affairs staff have been asked to publicize the obituary of Admiral Adair, as well as additional investigation information pertinent to his death, which was acquired by internal squadron security teams.

The Federal Times, reporter Alisha Cross:

"We mourn the loss of Isaiah Adair, a distinguished Admiral who served the Federal Navy with pride and honour for 30 years, before being honourably discharged due to his exemplary conduct and excellent service. Admiral Adair has served prominently in hundreds of Federal Navy operations - big and small - and was one of the few individuals within the Navy to also officially hold the Pilots' Federation title of Commander." 

"His hands-on, can-do attitude and exceptional leadership will be sorely missed by those who served under his command, and has inspired many to rise to his standard. He is survived by his wife, Lauren Adair, his son, Joshua Adair, and his two daughters, Raya and Aurora Adair."

Despite The Federal Times not publicizing Isaiah's cause of death, squadron security teams have now confirmed that he was assassinated by Crimson Venator operatives during a solo outing aboard the Li Qing Jao starport - despite the station's extreme security measures. It is now believed that he was, in fact, the whistleblower of sensitive Federal information, however there is no consensus on what the information might be just yet. 

SC Adair has been completely devastated by this news, and refused to provide any comment to Internal Affairs.

Most of the operations crew have shared her emotional upset - with Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, citing that this 'horrific event has only made this period of recovery for Aurora more difficult', and many have agreed with this view. 

While no statement was issued, CSF and the Peacekeepers have both implied that this event, while awful, could allow them an opportunity to catch and shut down the Crimson Venators, and they have been working closely with Federal authorities to attempt to accomplish this goal.

Despite the squadron's attempts to find those responsible for killing her father, an emotionally driven Squadron Commander announces her intent to voluntarily resign from her position - effective immediately - following the events of her father's death several hours prior. This announcement has been met with large upset and shock throughout crews aboard the Solaris, though no attempt to reason with her decision has been successful.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, commented in lieu of an official statement issued by Aurora herself.

"We're incredibly saddened to see Aurora make a difficult decision to leave her position as SC - and while we largely disagree with her stance and would like to give her time to process the events - she seems set on giving up her position and responsibility as Squadron Commander entirely." 

"Unfortunately, she cannot just easily detach from her position. Fully leaving her position as SC would mean she would have to sell TITAN Contractors as a whole - the Solaris, all our divisions, essentially the entire organisation."

"For the time being at least, Aurora does not seem to be hard set on selling the squadron - which could disrupt our operations significantly - but rather that she just wishes to leave her position and left alone. We plan to give it time before we attempt to reason with her again, but personally for me, it is heart-breaking to be seeing the full effects of her stress, built up over three months, finally set off by the catalyst of her father's death. The entirety of the crew offer their sincerest condolences - and I'm not sure there's much else we can say for how sad these events are."

As mentioned, no comment has been issued by SC Adair, and it is unlikely there will be one. What happens next is unclear, but it could very well heavily influence the future of TITAN Contractors as a squadron.

12: Enemy Operative Found Dead By Investigators

A rogue Federal operative belonging to the Crimson Venators is found dead in Quilmen, aboard the Wrangell Landing starport. This operative has now been identified as Federal Agent Otis Powell, who also carried the callsign of Nemesis. 

It is understood that, while Agent Powell was not directly apart of the Venators, he has played a large part in stealing the datapad and assisting with its decryption - though why the Venators have appeared to have killed him is unclear.

Two Commanders reportedly located the body several minutes prior to a CSF/Peacekeeper team arriving, though only advanced technical support from starport maintenance teams was able to allow investigators access to the ship. 

A comment was issued by Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford after investigators swept the ship for more information.

"Thanks to the help of our Commanders, and their extremely swift decryption of tracking and comms data, we have located a Vulture belonging to Federal Agent Otis Powell - who we previously knew as 'Nemesis'." 

"Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, Otis was found dead outside his ship, left in a locked down and isolated hangar, with multiple gunshot wounds. Starport security was none the wiser, as it appears as if the hangar security footage was looped, and no shots were heard, though no security guards were present nearby."

"It would seem as if the Crimson Venators are still not showing all of their cards, as manipulating and bypassing starport security is a serious offence and not something easy to pull off. Regardless, we have managed to acquire further information from Agent Otis' ship, though most of it confirms what we already know." 

"We still have no lead on the datapad or what information it contained within, but we may have a very small lead that could lead us to operative Dawn himself. That will be investigated by security teams in the coming days." 

"For now, we have reported the death of this rogue agent to Federal authorities, though it raises the question of what Otis hoped to gain by defecting from the Federation. One thing is certain, however; that there is something of extreme importance on that datapad - something that the Venators are willing to kill their own over."

In other news, the operations crew have raised concerns regarding Squadron Commander Aurora Adair's safety. After effectively announcing her resignation yesterday - despite it not going through officially yet - Commander Adair departed the Solaris aboard her Krait Phantom, cutting herself off from the squadron.

Some members of the operations crew have cited that 'she may just need time to process everything', though it has been largely countered that her status as an active target for the Crimson Venators may place her in danger, while she remains out of reach of the squadron.

14: Quinton Marshall Alive / Aurora Adair To Remain As Squadron Commander

Continuing the trend of shocking events that threaten to disturb the balance of the squadron, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair returns to the Solaris with the claim that she has met Quinton Marshall - the first leader of TITAN Contractors, who was supposedly killed in a terrorist attack aboard the carrier on the 11th of July. Initially, her claims were dismissed with confusion, but a recording of their meeting provided by Aurora herself confirms that Quinton Marshall is, in fact, alive - and survived the attack by faking his death. 

This revelation has caused major upset within the squadron crew, with many angry at Quinton for abandoning the squadron, and others now doubting if Aurora's position is truly legitimate.

Several legal concerns regarding the will have also come to light, though the Peacekeepers have confirmed that they were in touch with a Bank of Zaonce representative to verify the legitimacy of the will and Aurora's position. 

In the meantime, Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford issued a comment on the claim made by Aurora.

"After arriving at the Solaris yesterday, Aurora has now provided us a recording today, of an interaction she had between a previously unknown individual and herself. While we have no visual, the audio has now confirmed that she did, in fact, meet with Quinton Marshall. He was presumed dead on the 11th of July after an explosion aboard the bridge of his Phantom detonated, planted by terrorists, however we now know that this was used as a cover to fake his death."

"This stretches way back, to the very beginning of TITAN, and links to Admiral Isaiah Adair as well. Both Quinton and Isaiah seem to have abandoned what they stood for, all for the information hidden away on the datapad owned by Quinton, which has been stolen by the Crimson Venators. And thanks to this recording, we may now have an idea of what the datapad contains - extensive intel regarding a corruption plot within the Federation, all obtained by Admiral Isaiah himself." 

"There is much more information to sort through - and we will need the datapad for the rest. Unfortunately, we are still busy tracking the lead that may bring us to operative Dawn, but now we have a potential understanding the true damage the Crimson Venators may be able to do with this information. Likewise, now that Quinton is alive, this complicates the nature of the will, and sadly we need to doubt the legitimacy of Aurora's position. We are in touch with the Bank of Zaonce and other contacts to try verify this."

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair issued a short statement as well.

"I honestly didn't expect to find Quinton alive - but what he shared and told me makes me now understand why, and how, everything happened. Why my father died for the information he withheld, and why I was chosen in that will. I know the legitimacy of my position is in doubt, but no matter what happens, I'm still determined to continue to do right by the squadron. If we can just obtain that datapad, we might finally have a chance of shutting down the Crimson Venators, and ending this whole thing, for good."

An update from the Peacekeepers regarding the will's legitimacy is to be expected, though the operations crew did imply that the circumstances surrounding Quinton's fake death worked towards a higher purpose, which may clear potential legal issues - especially as it appears that Quinton himself no longer wishes to assume the position of Squadron Commander, and has intentionally left it all to Commander Adair regardless.

Later that day, discussions with legal representatives and the Solaris Peacekeepers confirms that Aurora Adair will be able to remain as Squadron Commander and maintain all her assets and authority, following the reveal of Quinton Marshall's faked death. While the will was acted upon under the impression that he was killed, and that the squadron required a new leader, its initial conditions essentially dictated that Aurora would replace Quinton's position permanently. 

While the revelation of him being alive was originally thought to threaten the validity of the will, little resistance has been encountered in verifying the legitimacy of it.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford commented.

"Following the discovery that Quinton Marshall survived the bombing aboard the Solaris and fled to fake his death, we entered important discussions in order to determine the validity of his will, and whether or not it still stands now that he has been found alive. Seeing as Quinton also no longer actually wishes to lead the squadron, and that Aurora has become its true leader over the last few months, we're happy to confirm that the legitimacy of the will and what was acted upon continues to stand."

"Aurora will remain in full control of her assets, and the squadron. A remote meeting with Quinton has confirmed his status, and that he also intends to relinquish his Pilots' Federation license soon. In our remote meeting, he iterated the same thing that was stated in the recording Aurora took of their initial contact, that he is 'immensely proud of her, and would rather she continues to lead the squadron than him'. A majority of the squadron crew share a similar view, though this is due to the fact that many remain unenthused about Quinton's abandonment of his own company."

"With that, we may finally understand why Aurora was promoted to Squadron Commander, and with all things considered, I personally think she has done an outstanding job with the toolset she was given, and will continue to do so - and Quinton believes so too. With this wrapped up, we now intend to continue our original investigation with the assistance of the Alliance Interpol - and so our hunt for the Crimson Venators, and the information that they hold against the Federation, resumes."

Commanders have been requested to assist Mantis Analytics via the squadron's digital concourse channel, in order to decrypt stored tracking data that may be used to locate operatives belonging to the Crimson Venators.

In related news, the Alliance Interpol has confirmed that the bounty against the Venators has now been raised to 1 billion credits - and once rewarded, would be split evenly among all Commanders who commit to assisting with the investigation, and apprehending these notorious criminals.

18: CSF Kill Crimson Venators Leader

CSF make a critical announcement, confirming the death of a high-ranking Crimson Venators operative, believed to be their leader. After performing a stakeout in the system of HIP 71462, a special operations strike squad positively identified a Federal Corvette docked to the Celebi Terminal starport, and proceeded to monitor the ship for several hours with the assistance of local security. At around 1620 UGT, an operative matching a potential description was spotted entering the hangar along with several bodyguards, where the squad followed their objective to intercept and capture him.

Subsequently, a firefight broke out within the isolated hangar, resulting in a single CSF casualty and the death of the target operative, as well as his three bodyguards. An incident report issued by Lieutenant Hunter Girard of TF Scorpion has been issued below.

"We are pleased to announce that we have potentially dealt a significant blow to the Crimson Venators. Information recovered with the help of our Commanders has led us to the HIP 71462 system, where our spec-ops strike squad encountered a Federal Corvette matching the exact description provided. With the help of starport security, we were able to isolate the hangar and eventually funnel the operatives back into the hangar, where our team intercepted."

"Despite being under a strict ROE to capture the target, it was reported that the hostile operatives began to throw handheld explosives within the hangar, jeopardizing the integrity of the station and the lives of our men. The ultimate call to eliminate the threat was made by the team's squad leader, and the operatives were killed swiftly after. Unfortunately, body recognition has been difficult to say the least, as some of the operatives dropped armed explosives upon their death. However, we have been able to identify two bodies, one which may be the leader of the Crimson Venators."

"According to Federal intelligence, the Crimson Venators were started by an element of high-ranking FIA black-ops operative, of which their founder quickly and publicly adopted the callsign 'Venator' when the group was formed. While much data of his true identity was wiped, forensics carried out by Mantis have positively identified him as Captain Samson Hunt, the true Venator. However, whether or not the death of the Crimson Venators' leader proves damaging to their operations is uncertain - we still know little about their command structure and who they may actually answer to."

CSF has still globally cited this incident to be of 'extreme importance to their fight against the Crimson Venators', and that 'this victory would be just one step towards the squadron's path to triumph over the Crimson Venators'. The operations crew have, however, been extremely wary to comment on the situation, stating that it may still be too soon to jump to conclusions. 

In related news, the Alliance Interpol has issued a thanks to all Commanders who have assisted with decrypting important intel related to the case. While still much regarding the entire case has been occurring behind the scenes, it was implied that those who have assisted so far will be listed and marked as eligible to receive the 1 billion credit reward, split across all those that have assisted.

20: Crimson Venator Operatives Identified

CSF have revealed the identities of all four operatives belonging to the Crimson Venators who were killed in combat in HIP 71462, as well as additional information recovered from a Federal Corvette at the scene. Several discoveries have led the Alliance Interpol to believe that the death of Captain Samson Hunt, the leader of the Venators, is unlikely to impact their operations.

Inspector Eva Bishop of the Alliance Interpol commented.

"Thanks to extensive forensics, we have now identified all operatives killed by CSF aboard the Celebi Terminal starport, and we've also been able to safely gain access to the Corvette belonging to them. This leads us to several unfortunate discoveries - namely the fact that we may be too late to stop the Crimson Venators from utilising the data on the datapad they stole."

"According to archived communication logs, the Venators may have already used the data to gain further leverage, resulting in a large influx of supplies from an unknown supplier. So far, even with the help of our Federal liaison, we have been unable to locate this supplier, nor the exact amount or nature of the supplies, or their destination - just that it is mentioned. The Crimson Venators have gone far to ensure their command chain remains undisrupted by this event, and they seem to constantly switch encrypted channels."

"Likewise, none of their members carry critical information or data on their person. There is much effort being put into their attempt to remain hidden, and so far, it is being successful. We do, however, at least believe that the reason these four members were together, was for a meeting. One of the operatives used to belong to the Imperial Intelligence Service, before they defected. They may have been trying to consider how they could use the data against the Empire as well."

"Unfortunately, the death of all four operatives leaves us with barely any leads. We plan an extensive audit of the Corvette's data storage systems with the hopes that this may reveal more information."

No statements were issued by squadron operations or divisions. The implied influx of supplies for the Crimson Venators has raised worries within the operations crew, though no comments on potential countermeasures were made.

23: No Sight Of The Crimson Venators

The Alliance Interpol and Federal Intelligence Agency hve both release liaison statements regarding the Crimson Venators, in collaboration with Peacekeeper security teams from TITAN Contractors. Despite the failure to stop these notorious criminals from utilizing sensitive Federation information, and the presumed threat of new attacks on the horizons, no new movements or communications have been made by the Venators. 

It was presumed that they had obtained logistical support from an unknown supplier, but it has been unfortunately cited by several as 'impossible' to track or predict the movement or production of rogue supplies for the Crimson Venators, as explained below by the FIA liaison assigned to the case.

FIA liaison, Agent Jay Faulkner's statement:

"The Crimson Venators continue to effectively evade our surveillance and manipulate their way past our security. We believe, thanks to information obtained by TITAN when Captain Hunt was eliminated, that the Crimson Venators have already been able to reconnect with their a corrupt supplier and gain further leverage." 

"Our working theory is that this supplier is an experienced, rogue element within the Federal Navy, deeply entwined with this so-called 'corruption plot'. Should this be true, then tracking and locating the supplier will be practically impossible on this scale - across the entire navy - unless we have the raw data to lead us directly to them."

"Unfortunately, since we have failed to obtain the data, this supplier will continue to evade us. While talks are underway to implement heavier screening, if this supplier truly is deep within the Federation, then it is unlikely that new screening measures will be effective."

Alliance Interpol, Inspector Eva Bishop's statement:

"The Alliance Interpol continues to work constantly with the Solaris Peacekeepers security agency, following old and new leads alike as we seek a new trail leading to the Crimson Venators." 

"Initially, it was hypothesized that an influx of supplies for the Venators would prompt new attacks, however this no longer seems to hold true, as there have been no signs of this notorious criminal group since their presumed leader was killed." 

"It may be that they are shying away from the public eye in order to reform their operations with their newfound resources, which cannot be allowed to happen. We continue to investigate any possible leads."

Mantis Analytics did tentatively confirm that extensive analysis of heavily encrypted data, found aboard an enemy Corvette in HIP 71462, was still underway, though it was implied that it may be possible to share more information regarding this soon.

25: A Holiday Message from Internal Affairs

In spirit with the holiday season, the IA team issue a special holiday message to all Commanders:
Internal Affairs would like to wish all Commanders a happy holiday season, as this year comes to a close, soon marking two years of successful squadron operation.

Since its inception, our Internal Affairs team has had the complete privilege of delivering accurate, important information to the squadron and its valued Commanders, and immense effort has gone into ensuring the squadron's communication remains as effective as it can be.

While we continue to monitor events within the squadron, and our diligent divisions continue their hunt for the Crimson Venators, we still hope to enjoy this holiday period peacefully aboard the Solaris flagship carrier. On behalf of the operations crew, we wish you all a merry holiday, and may the odds always be in your favour.

To many more years, Commanders. Blaze your trail.

Fly safe, o7

- The Internal Affairs team

26: IISS Targets TITAN Commander

The Imperial Internal Security Service targets a Commander within TITAN Contractors, accusing the squadron of housing a wanted terrorist. This allegation has been heavily refuted by the operations crew and the Solaris Peacekeepers, who have cited that the IISS is 'overstepping their boundaries with outlandish claims against a law-abiding squadron'.

This accusation has been directly pointed at Commander Isabella Levine, a freelance Pilots' Federation Commander belonging to TITAN Contractors, who has been externally charged with aiding terrorism and evading capture by Imperial security forces.

Imperial agent Hector Wolf issued a call for justice below.

"Commander Isabella Levine is a dangerous terrorist that poses a tangible threat to Imperial society. Her actions have enabled the trafficking of bomb-making supplies crucial to the efforts of the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army, attacks of which have killed millions of innocent lives aboard dozens of starports."

"Furthermore, she was complicit in allowing a prison break to occur on one of our detention megaships once she was arrested, which ultimately resulted in the destruction of said vessel when pirates disabled crucial functions to the ship. We have now confirmed that that commotion allowed her an opportunity to escape, and we have suffered the total loss of the megaship and its crew as a result."

"Thousands of more lives have been lost due to this rogue Commander's actions, and the IISS pledge to exercise their right to remove the galaxy of this menace, and her association with TITAN Contractors has allowed us to narrow down our search area significantly."

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford of the Solaris Peacekeepers issued a counter statement.

"We have found no evidence to substantiate these insane claims made by Agent Wolf, and Commander Levine has no record of misconduct within the squadron, nor any past or present ties to the NMLA."

"This is a weak attempt to diminish one of our highly valued Commanders, and since the IISS refuse to provide the so-called 'evidence' they have acquired that claims to incriminate Commander Levine, we see no reason why we should take their investigation seriously until they do."

"Without a warrant - which has not been provided to us yet either - no Imperial agent is welcome aboard any carrier belonging to the squadron, and we reserve our legal right to protect our private property."

Military forces belonging to CSF have issued a global warning, stating that any Imperial agent attempting to investigate the squadron and its private assets without an official warrant would be arrested for trespassing, and prosecuted. No response to this by Imperial officials was given - though rising tensions have been observed, as the IISS have been effectively barricaded from interacting with the squadron in any way without a proper warrant.

28: CSF Blockade IISS Investigation

CSF military forces blockade the Solaris carrier, preventing the Imperial Internal Security Service from conducting a sudden investigation into a freelance Commander by the name of Isabella Levine, who is apart of the TITAN Contractors squadron. Commander Levine has been accused of aiding terrorism and supplying NMLA forces with bomb-making supplies, however these accusations have been largely refuted by the operations crew, and heavily by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair herself. 

As the IISS is believed to be underway with obtaining a warrant to investigate the squadron, a new global operations statement issued by CSF has newly confirmed that Imperial investigators are blocked from boarding the Solaris carrier until an internal squadron investigation has concluded - even if a legal warrant was produced by the IISS.

Lieutenant Hunter Girard of TF Scorpion issued the global operations statement.

"We believe that the IISS are conducting a false, rogue investigation that is attempting to incriminate a squadron member. As per our squadron charter, and a request from internal security, CSF stands to protect our valiant Commanders, and as such we will prevent any and all Imperial forces from boarding the Solaris carrier, until we have conducted our own internal investigation - regardless of any warrant. Our stance is covered by our local jurisdiction, and thus any agents who violate this blockade will be subject to prosecution under Federal law for trespassing on private property."

The declaration of this stance applying regardless of any legal warrant has caused significant tensions - and implied legal consequences for the squadron should Imperial officers obtain a warrant. IISS agent Hector Wolf issued a counter statement below.

"It is unfathomable how this independent squadron wishes to risk itself for a single Commander. Rest assured that the IISS will assume full control of this case, and we will soon have Commander Isabella Levine in our custody, regardless of whatever stance your private mercenaries take. Should we continue to encounter resistance once we have our warrant, the squadron will most certainly face heavy legal action, for being complicit with harbouring a terrorist. People like Commander Levine have enabled the NMLA to kill millions of people, and with their leader now dead, we will continue to dismantle any and every sign that remains of these terrorists, until nothing remains."

No statement has been issued by the operations crew, and it is largely unclear what will happen should the squadron face legal action. However, it was confirmed that security teams are hard at work conducting an internal investigation of some extent, though no information on that has been shared yet either.

Day - Article Title

2: Rogue IISS Investigation Exposed

The Imperial Internal Security Service's investigation into freelance Commander Isabella Levine is exposed as an unfounded, rogue attempt to falsely imprison her, after Mantis Analytics and the Solaris Peacekeepers acquired intelligence revealing two rogue agents behind the plot. 

Agents Hector Wolf and Alexandre Corbett have both been accused of doctoring evidence, and the Peacekeepers have stated that legal proceedings will be following shortly.

While the question of how Mantis Analytics acquired the information remains unanswered, the information obtained by them has been confirmed by an alternative IISS team as legitimate, with an internal Imperial investigation now underway into the two rogue agents, effectively suspending them from their duties. 

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford commented on the situation below.

"Thanks to the help of our Commanders once again, and work done by Mantis Analytics, we have confirmed that the IISS agents assigned to Commander Isabella Levine's case are rogue." 

"We have forwarded the appropriate information to the relevant authorities, and will be joining the case ourselves to ensure that Agent Alexandre Corbett is arrested for his attempts to falsely imprison Commander Levine."

"Furthermore, the intel we have obtained now clearly shows that Agent Corbett is prepared to go to great lengths to inflict vengeance, and his desperation on this quest has now threatened the safety of our Squadron Commander - a prospect that we will not tolerate again." 

"As a result, the Peacekeepers will work closely with the IISS to ensure that Agent Corbett is charged and locked away aboard an independent detention foundation ship - out of reach of his contacts - and a CSF taskforce has been dedicated to defending the carrier and arresting any rogue Imperial agents who are associated with him."

CSF has confirmed that TF Archangel has been assigned to the case, and would be working alongside the Solaris Peacekeepers to ensure that Agent Wolf and Agent Corbett's arrests go forth smoothly. 

No response statements were issued by the IISS or any of the rogue agents.

6: A Busy Start to 3308

After facing a particularly tumultuous last year, the squadron now steps foot into an equally busy 3308, close to marking a second full year of continued squadron operation. With planning underway for more missions undertaken by TITAN Contractors, as well as expansions to the organisation itself, 3308 appears as a bright, exciting year, unfortunately plagued by similar issues from the past.

Interpol and Peacekeeper investigators continue the search for the Crimson Venators - a black-ops mercenary group that previously originated from a Federal special forces team codenamed "Red Hunters", before they defected and worked with an independent criminal organisation known as Paladin Interstellar - enabling several serious attacks on the squadron in the past year. 

While Paladin has now been dismantled, the Crimson Venators still remain at large, and investigators have struggled to find any trace of them thus far.

Likewise, the Imperial Internal Security Service has targeted the squadron under the pretext of attempting to arrest a notorious terrorist within the squadron - which has been heavily countered and now proven to be false, with the IISS investigation exposed as a rogue movement led by Agent Alexandre Corbett. 

Progress made on this has been reportedly minimal, though the Peacekeepers refuse to provide more of a comment, only citing that 'an investigation into Agent Corbett is well underway'.

Multiple new squadron carriers have been inducted into the Squadron Carrier Programme, officially introducing the T.O.C. Skies Unknown H3T-2KX, the T.O.C. Mortal Dictata H1X-NTW, and the T.O.C. Acidik H2G-W3L into service, with some carriers already launching missions to mark the start of their service. 

Alongside this, CSF military forces have contemplated further expansion, and enticing prospects have all been put forth by TITAN's numerous divisions. Mantis Analytics has continued to display a curiosity in Thargoid and Guardian artefacts, while Pandora Logistics and BLUSTAR Operations announced preliminary plans to launch a joint salvage/repair effort into damaged starports caused by recent alien incursions.

Furthermore, tentative plans for a new exploration trip have been considered - with rumours suggesting that it may be opportunely scheduled to celebrate the squadron's second anniversary on January the 23rd. While the operations crew have made no further comment, news on this is expected soon.

However, despite a seemingly bright future for the squadron in 3308, operations continue to be potentially threatened by an increasingly hostile galaxy, filled with opportunistic criminal gangs, rogue private militaries, superpower tensions, and the ever-present, existential threat of the Thargoids. 

Despite a drastic growth in numbers and strength, the question still remains; can TITAN Contractors ford the depths of danger once again, with the support of its talented Commanders?

7: IISS Agents Arrested; Corrupt Investigation Halted

Information recovered by the Solaris Peacekeepers has now led to the arrest of several corrupt agents behind a rogue IISS investigation into TITAN Contractors. The investigation - initially claiming to be seeking a so-called terrorist within the squadron - was believed by most to be a rogue attempt to frame independent Commander Isabella Levine. 

Now, new intel has led independent investigators to truly expose and confirm the nature of the investigation, as a rogue agent's attempt to frame Commander Levine and falsify her involvement with the NMLA in the pursuit of personal retribution.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford provided a full statement regarding the incident below.

"Intel obtained from a reliable source within the IISS has now led us to expose Agent Corbett's potential ties to the NMLA - after an unofficial meeting with an arrested Neo-Marlinist associate prompted his attempt to fabricate evidence, in order to try strike down Commander Levine and imprison her for life." 

"This attempt came close, and she would've been locked away for life, were it not for her prompt escape from an Imperial detention ship prior to its destruction. However, there is no evidence that suggests that Commander Levine had any hand in the megaship's destruction whatsoever - just that she took an opportunity to avoid being wrongly imprisoned for life."

"Furthermore, it seems as if Corbett's quest for vengeance is fuelled by a dangerous personal vendetta, one placed against Commander Isabella Levine's father - despite his death several months ago." 

"Our collation of intel suggests that her father, being a commanding officer within the Imperial Navy at the time, exposed Agent Corbett for committing a warcrime, by massacring multiple civilians under the pretext of 'halting fleeing terrorists'. Corbett was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. What happened next, however, is unclear."

"It appears as if Alexandre Corbett was released, and indoctrinated by the Imperial Intelligence Service for his willingness to commit to his duties, regardless of morals. With his newfound position, Agent Corbett aimed to enact his revenge against the man who ruined his navy career - starting with Commander Levine herself." 

"On behalf of the squadron, the Peacekeepers will now be following up with legal proceedings against these rogue agents. Agent Alexandre Corbett and his subordinate, Agent Wolf, have both been arrested at this time. Once processed by an independent court, they will face life imprisonment aboard an independent detention ship."

The Imperial Internal Security Service refused to offer an official statement, but did confirm that a new team would be carrying out an investigation into Agent Corbett's team, cooperating alongside Peacekeeper officers.

10: Investigation Into The Crimson Venators Closed

The investigation into the notorious black-ops group, the 'Crimson Venators', has been closed after a joint effort between the Peacekeepers and Alliance Interpol failed to reveal more information. 

This decision was reportedly inspired by a discussion amongst the operations crew, who made the executive decision to cancel the investigation, a decision made on behalf of Squadron Commander Aurora Adair, who is currently not present aboard the Solaris carrier.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued the announcement.

"Today, we announce the official closure of our investigation into the Crimson Venators. Unfortunately, our joint investigation has struggled to reveal any new information that may assist us with tracking down these notorious criminals, and both the Peacekeepers and Alliance Interpol agree that it is a waste of resources to continue any further attempts."

"While it has been a complete privilege to work with Interpol to try apprehend this dangerous group, the lack of any trace or actions from the Crimson Venators essentially neutralizes the threat for the time being."

"CSF will continue to remain vigilant and defend the squadron from intrusion, but our active investigation into the Crimson Venators will now come to a close, and we look forward to further squadron operations unimpeded by our mutual enemy."

Inspector Eva Bishop, the Interpol officer assigned to the Venator case, commented.

"It has been a pleasure to work with TITAN Contractors to hunt down the Crimson Venators - however all good things must come to an end eventually. The information they have helped us obtain has been invaluable, but unfortunately it was not enough to lead us to shutting down these criminals permanently." 

"Hopefully, TITAN may bring down this notorious group once and for all if they should ever reveal themselves again, but for the time being, the Alliance Interpol will be closing their case regarding the Venators until our services are required again."

CSF echoed CO Ramirez's statement, stating that the division's commitment to protecting the squadron remains unwavering. In fact, rumours aboard the carrier suggest that CSF, along with other divisions, are planning new operations to further reinforce the Solaris carrier, protecting against intrusion and potentially providing more services to independent Commanders. 

No announcements on these new missions have been made yet, but it is assumed that preparations for a new exploration trip on the squadron's anniversary are underway.

15: Squadron Expedition Trip Enters Advanced Planning

A currently unnamed squadron expedition trip has reportedly entered a stage of advanced planning, as stated by the operations crew. 

This expedition trip, expected to be revealed on the 23rd of January, has been cited as a way for Commanders to venture out and explore hidden aspects of the galaxy - while also acting as a sort of fundraiser for squadron divisions.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, commented.

"While it's still too early to make concrete announcements, we're happy to confirm that we are in the process of organising our next expedition trip, which will be revealed on the 23rd of January." 

"This trip, like our others before, will focus on covering numerous points of interest and sites of wonder in the galaxy, and serves as a nice breakaway from the turbulent year the squadron faced in 3307."

"Without giving too much away, the plan for the trip is more ambitious in scope than usual, incorporating aspects of our previous trips, as well as focusing on making new stellar discoveries. The trip will be used to raise a small amount of funds for the squadron - but the primary point of the trip is to celebrate the squadron's second anniversary, occurring on the 23rd." 

"As such, the operations crew will front the full cost of the expedition with our available budget, and we plan to incorporate other squadron-assigned carriers into our biggest trip yet."

However, despite this confirmation, the operations crew stressed that planning was in early stages still, and that many individual working parts would have to come together to ensure the success of the trip. 

A full announcement regarding this new venture will be made on the 23rd of January, with any date-changing updates to be announced as necessary.

20: Carriers Prepare for Expedition; Trip Announcement Imminent

Multiple squadron carriers within TITAN Contractors prepare for an upcoming expedition trip, an announcement of which is epxected on the 23rd of January to celebrate the squadron's second anniversary. These preparations include the distribution of equipment and personnel to facilitate collaboration between the assigned carriers, providing them with the capabilities offered by the various squadron divisions.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez comments on the preparations.

"We are now far enough along in our planning to begin preparations logistically. Multiple divisions are now positioning themselves in place among multiple squadron carriers assigned to the mission, other than the Solaris itself."

"This includes the stationing of equipment and personnel that will represent the operations of each division, as well as the installation of temporary facilities that will further reinforce communications and logistics."

"Examples of this would be PANDORA Logistics dividing logi ships across the support carriers for the mission, to enable refuelling for the long journeys we have planned. Mantis Analytics will maintain analysis stations aboard each carrier, potentially liaising with local research teams to validate and collect cartographic or genetic data. BLUSTAR Operations will lead survey teams and be prepared for rescue operations - should we require it. And, as always, CSF will provide a military backbone to ensure the trip goes forth without issue."

"As previously mentioned, the operations crew will release their formal announcement regarding this trip in three days, on the 23rd. This day will celebrate the squadron's second year of operation, and our subsequent trip will allow us to further enjoy it."

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has newly iterated her excitement for the trip as well.

"This expedition trip almost feels like a vacation - one that I think is well-deserved in the squadron after everything that has happened. I feel like it's about time to leave last year behind and start to look forward to what this new year has to offer."

"Personally, I'm super excited to actually get a chance to explore the galaxy - something I've always wanted to really do, and now I get to experience that for the first time, with a squadron I'm proud to have the privilege of leading. Truly, the operations crew has poured immense effort into this, and this would not be possible without your support. So, thank you. Here's to an amazing journey."

The expedition's full codename is expected to be announced on the 23rd of January.

23: TRIP Omega Expedition Announced 

TRIP Omega, the squadron's fourth and largest expedition trip, is announced, with a launch scheduled for the 12th of February. While preparations are still underway, the operations crew confirm that the trip is divided into several different phases, segmenting different parts of the trip into their own 'categories'.

A survey indicates that roughly 91% of all Solaris crew members are excited to undertake the journey, considering the proposition of Phase 3, which will follow a long journey to Colonia along the newly established Colonia Bridge, and the mysteries of the yet-unrevealed Phases 4 and 5.

Phases 1 and 2 are expected to explore aspects visited in trips Gamma, Epsilon and Sigma, allowing Commanders to revisit these structures once again.

Day - Article Title

2: Technical Fault Aboard the Solaris

A technical fault aboard the Solaris severs complete communications, cutting off networks like G.R.I.D, Internal Affairs and inter-carrier communication facilities.

Despite the issue now close to being fully remedied, several questions have arisen regarding the nature of the malfunction.

Maintenance foreman, Jay Weaver, offered a statement to Internal Affairs.

"On the 25th of January, the Solaris suffered degraded communications - a uncommon phenomenon often attributed to ambient cosmic radiation, electromagnetic interference or a database failure. Usually, fixing the issue is as simple as switching to our smaller, shielded backup array while the issue is patched, however this time it was unsuccessful for an unknown reason."

"For the last nine or so days, technical teams have been hard at work trying to diagnose and fix the issue, leaving the rest of the squadron unaware of our issue. There was no cause for alarm, so no 'messaging teams' were dispatched to other carriers at the time, unless absolutely critical."

"Currently, we believe all resources available for Commanders have been unaffected as the network is shared by the squadron carriers, but all Solaris-specific services like the Internal Affairs network, Mantis' G.R.I.D. database, or our carrier communications - with the exception of local comms - have been impaired."

"Thanks to a breakthrough however, we've now restored temporary functionality to all above services while we work on a more permanent fix. For Commanders, no differences will be noted, and there is no cause for alarm."

"While we are still uncertain as to what the issue's origin is, the carrier remains safe and secure, and we will work to ensure we avoid an incident like this again."

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, confirmed that the malfunction would not impact the TRIP Omega expedition in any way. In the event that the issue was still not fixed closer to the launch date, a contingency to launch messaging teams would have been enacted as stated by foreman Jay Weaver - however that has been deemed no longer necessary.

In related news, the expedition trip is still confirmed to be on track for the 12th of February 3308. Commanders who wish to participate in Phase 1 should dock to the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF, which has provided services to allow the transfer of vessels and modules that pilots may want to bring along on this journey.

5: CSF Suspects Crimson Venators Sabotage

Centurion SF issues a warning suggesting that the Crimson Venators may be responsible for the latest malfunction aboard the Solaris. While no specific hypothesises were given as to how the fault exactly occurred, a global operations statement considers that the nature of the technical fault is unlikely to be simply caused by an equipment malfunction, and that a deeper investigation to determine what happened exactly is required.

The operations statement from CSF has been provided below as is.

"We believe that, despite reassurances from maintenance teams, the only possible way a communication fault of the aforementioned scale could've occurred, is by intentional sabotage performed by enemies of the squadron. Due to incidents in the past, CSF have implemented several measures to ensure our tactical grid remains untouched by an event like this."

"However, what technical teams failed to mention is CSF's tacnet was impacted by this communications failure - heavily. While our soldiers can operate almost completely independently of the squadron, losing access to our tactical network has repercussions that were obvious during the largest attack on the Solaris in November last year."

"At our current scale, CSF just cannot operate as effectively without it, and despite our high security measures to ensure we avoid a situation like this outright, it has been futile. Who or what caused this malfunction knew exactly how to do it to circumvent our security measures."

"Thus, we propose that TRIP Omega is temporarily suspended to ensure CSF can carry out a full investigation before further damage is inflicted upon the squadron."

The statement has been received with a mixed reaction throughout the Solaris crew, with some advocating for the hunt for the Crimson Venators to continue, while others believe they are no longer the squadron's concern.

Despite the worry shared by many of the crew, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair confirmed that there would be no changes to the upcoming trip, and provided her own statement below.

"I believe both sides, and what our CSF officers have stated is perfectly possible - however the Venators have clearly made no attempt to directly attack the squadron, even though this was the best opportunity for them. Likewise, maintenance teams didn't report any lasting side-effects that may impact the trip or other carrier services."

"This incident is still extremely close to me, and I want the Venators gone just like anyone else, but I don't believe it is worth risking a repeat of the war with Paladin. While they might lose in the end, we may also lose so much more, evidenced by the horrific attack that occurred last year."

"So, unless they initiate a direct confrontation with us once again, the squadron will not directly concern themselves with the Crimson Venators, and TRIP Omega will go ahead as planned."

Commander Adair's statement, although still somewhat met with a mixed reaction, has received a larger support from crew members who do not wish to involve themselves with the Crimson Venators.

CSF issued no further statement, however a representative of the division stated that they would continue to conduct their own internal audit to determine the true nature of the fault - one that would not affect the trip in any way.

6: TF Inferno Moved to Mortal Dictata

In minor news, Task Force Inferno is moved to the T.O.C. Mortal Dictata H1X-NTW fleet carrier to assist with AX and CSAR operations, as well as forming additional preparations for TRIP Omega, providing security further along the route if necessary. CSF confirm that this redeployment was a decision undertaken by TF Inferno after an independent inquiry by the Commander of the Mortal Dictata - and that it was not related to their internal investigation in any way.

The operations crew furthered corroborated this by stating that the task forces are within their right to redeploy and operate independently as they see fit - so long as it does not jeopardize squadron operations.

In other news, PANDORA Logistics has announced preliminary plans to initiate a tritium loading operation, that will prepare carriers assigned to the expedition for the journey ahead of them.

7: Tritium Loading Operation for TRIP Omega A Tritium loading operation to refuel and stockpile Tritium aboard the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N and T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF is launched.

8: Tritium Loading Operation for TRIP Omega Successful / No Consensus on Communications Sabotage

The Tritium loading operation to provide Tritium to the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N and T.O.C Monty Burns V5Z-TKF carriers is successful.

In other news, there is still no consensus regarding the suspected communications sabotage that occurred on the 25th of January has been reached by CSF specialists, and the operations crew has requested that their internal investigation is halted, due to orders given by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued the request on behalf of Commander Adair.

"CSF's diligent investigation into why our communications failed on the 25th of January, which heavily impacted several services including CSF's military network, has still not revealed the cause of the incident."

"While we respect the effort, Squadron Commander Adair has requested that the internal investigation is closed due to a lack of provided evidence, and that CSF units focus on security and logistics for the upcoming TRIP Omega expedition, due to launch in 4 days."

"Since no permanent damage was caused and there has been no concrete evidence suggesting it was the Venators, we believe it is a waste of resources to continue this investigation further while the squadron prepares for its biggest expedition trip yet."

A statement was issued in response by a CSF officer who wishes to remain anonymous.

"While we fully respect Commander Adair's stance, we also believe that the only possible cause of this failure was sabotage by enemy forces. While we cannot yet determine the cause, we suspect that with time, we will be able to evidence that the Solaris has once again been sabotaged internally."

"Should Commander Adair delay the expedition temporarily and allow us an opportunity to dedicate the full extent of CSF and Mantis resources to identifying the fault, we guarantee that we will be able to figure out the cause sooner rather than later. This decision made by her could be potentially costly to the safety of the squadron."

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair issued no further comment, but the operations crew has confirmed that CSF was ordered to desist immediately, and so far the division has complied, focusing its resources on logistics screening and security operations in preparation for the TRIP Omega expedition, which will launch on the 12th of February in 4 days.

11: 'Strange Amalgamation' Located Aboard Solaris 

THE START OF THE "MARS" STORYLINE

A 'horrific amalgamation' is discovered aboard the Solaris, reported to be contained within an empty Tritium canister. The canister, which was one of thousands supplied in the squadron's recent Tritium refuelling operation, was undergoing normal cargo safety screening by CSF, until the discovery of its true contents prompted a Centurion-enforced security lockdown throughout the carrier.

While specific details of the incident have been purposefully withheld to avoid particularly graphic descriptions, BLUSTAR specialists stated that the amalgamation is 'a horrific, unidentified mass, the composition of which may likely be multiple human constituents' - though no further comments were given.

Since its discovery two hours ago, the cargo bay in which the mass was located has been locked down, though no consensus on what or 'who' the mass is has been reached by BLUSTAR medical officers. Massive upset and concern has spread among the Solaris crew - many who have openly claimed that this is a 'return of Crimson Venator attacks'.

CSF has ordered any and all personnel to avoid cargo bay Delta-One until the incident has been fully resolved. Once again, calls for TRIP Omega to be halted have been made - this time reaching a overwhelming majority support among the carrier.

Due to this, the operations crew confirmed that the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF fleet carrier would continue to undertake the initial phase of TRIP Omega alone, and that the Solaris would not follow along the route. This compromise has been deemed acceptable by CSF, who are expected to conduct a full internal investigation alongside BLUSTAR to confirm the amalgamation's origin and cause. No carrier services should be impacted by the security lockdown, but Commanders are asked to avoid cargo transactions with the Solaris until further notice.

12: Amalgamation Fails To Be Identified

BLUSTAR medical officers fail to identify the origin and cause of the unknown organic mass located aboard the Solaris, nicknamed the 'Amalgamation' by crew members.

The mass, which was located in an empty Tritium canister, was previously reported to have 'likely contained human constituent parts', however no further information outside of that was revealed at the time.

A medical officer from BLUSTAR Operations has now offered a more detailed statement, however readers are advised to be wary of slightly graphic descriptions.

"The mass located in the canister by CSF has so far been unexplainable by our medical teams. Our initial theory was that the mass is a combination of multiple human beings or parts of them, that have been crushed and subjected to acid treatment before being disposed of in the canister - among other things. However, most of the blood seems to have been purposefully removed."

"For the size of the mass, one would expect there to be more, but the canister only contained the mass itself and not much more. The mass may also have been chemically tampered with, as our usual methods of identification have failed."

"Thanks to that, who or what the mass is and where it originates from is still unclear. We are still underway with obtaining and analysing a pure sample, but it seems as if our theory has been confirmed. Several aspects of the mass are clearly human, containing bone matter and flesh that is all visually consistent with what we would expect. We hope to be able to share more information soon."

CSF have released the lockdown on cargo bay Delta-One as the mass and its canister have now been moved by BLUSTAR operatives to a research laboratory aboard the carrier.

While the Solaris will now resume normal cargo transactions, the operations crew still confirmed that the carrier would not follow the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF for the time being, though it was likely that normal functions would resume in time for Phase 2. No comment on the situation has been issued by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair.

14: 'Amalgamation' Identified by BLUSTAR Operations

BLUSTAR personnel officially identify the origin of the unknown organic mass dubbed the 'Amalgamation'. The mass, while initially reported to have contained human constituent parts, has now been confirmed as the combined remains of four Solaris crew members - the names of which have not been publicized for privacy reasons.

This announcement has brought a second wave of hysteria over the carrier, with many crew members now fearing that the squadron is on the precipice of continued horrific attacks caused by the Crimson Venators. CSF have taken the opportunity to further argue that the squadron's safety remains threatened, and that the Solaris cannot embark on TRIP Omega itself until the issue is resolved.

The operations crew, under orders from Squadron Commander Adair, have called for calm, citing that despite CSF's stance, the squadron is 'more secure than ever', and that cancelling TRIP Omega is unnecessary.

This statement was heavily criticised by the majority of crew aboard the Solaris, with some attacking Commander Adair for refusing to issue her own official statement. In isolated incidents, CSF units have been forced to step in to avoid crew members damaging squadron property or carrier equipment.

Due to this, a representative of CSF offered a quick comment, while the internal investigation continues.

"While we believe the safety of the squadron is under threat by our previous enemies, Centurion units are under strict orders to not tolerate any internal dissidence. Any Solaris crew members found violating squadron law or damaging TITAN equipment will be prosecuted and arrested immediately."

"We will continue to work to investigate this incident, but infighting is completely unnecessary and will not be tolerated."

In related news, BLUSTAR Operations released a statement regarding the 'Amalgamation'. Readers are warned of graphic descriptions once more.

"Our sampling and identification of the mass unofficially nicknamed the 'amalgamation' has now completed. Unfortunately, we can confirm that the mass is the remains of four Solaris maintenance workers. The extensive work done to ensure identification was borderline impossible, as well as the original location of the mass, implies that whoever did this may be trying to send a message."

"We still have no conclusive evidence to suggest what that message may be or why these specific crew members were brutally murdered and mutilated, but security teams have suggested that none of this is consistent with an attack the Crimson Venators may perform. Either, this is something completely different, or the Venators have seen a drastic shift in ideology. Regardless, we have handed over our findings to the Peacekeepers, with the hopes that the investigation can be furthered."

Despite this revelation, and calls for an official comment, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has still not issued her own statement, only stating that TRIP Omega would continue and that CSF were permitted to continue their investigation, along with BLUSTAR Operations and the Solaris Peacekeepers.

16: Mantis Analytics Opens 'Amalgamation' Investigation

Mantis Analytics and the Solaris Peacekeepers announce that the internal investigation into the 'amalgamation' incident will be imminently opened to Commanders. For the last four days, security teams have been hard at work trying to identify the origin of the amalgamation as well as the cause.

While the origin has now been determined by BLUSTAR medical professionals, the cause still remains unknown.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford commented.

"The brutally murdered, disfigured mass of four Solaris crew members known as the 'amalgamation' has proved that there is a direct threat to squadron security. While I respect Squadron Commander Adair's decision to stray as far away as we can from anything to do with the Crimson Venators, those responsible for this atrocious act must be held accountable."

"We believe that the incident is most certainly related to the Venators, but something more sinister may be abound. The nature of the amalgamation does not necessarily match the doctrine of the Venators, and we believe the squadron may be facing a darker, unknown threat."

CSF has echoed their continued commitment to defending the squadron. Likewise, Mantis Analytics confirmed that military intelligence teams would be helping the Peacekeepers analyse intel with regards to the amalgamation, with some intel reportedly discovered already.

However, with Mantis' small specialist team stretched thin, Commanders have been called upon to assist with intel decryption. CMDR Elliot Goddard issued a statement.

"Our small team here at Mantis Analytics has been chipping away at the backlog of security work required to ensure our OSIRIS network remains secure and running for TRIP Omega, as well as maintaining overall network security. This has left us little time to fully focus work on decrypting the intel discovered by the Peacekeepers."

"An intelligence team of three specialists is already assisting with the process, but we will require the help of our Commanders. As a result, we have permission to open the investigation to allow Commanders to assist. Our specialists will be in touch shortly to bring them up to speed."

Due to the uncertainty of the situation, Centurion SF CENTCOM has ordered that any Commanders who assist with the investigation are no longer permitted to pursue any leads directly. A specialized official element has been prepared to physically hunt down any leads that may be pertinent to the amalgamation and its cause.

In other news, TRIP Omega continues smoothly and remains led by the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF. The operations crew also tentatively confirmed that the Solaris may still be able to pursue Phase 2, despite the recent incidents.

18: Recovered Data Causes Mass Panic Aboard Solaris

Recovered, decrypted data pertinent to the ongoing 'Amalgamation' investigation has reportedly been leaked, the contents of which has now caused mass panic aboard the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N fleet carrier.  While investigators are still unsure how the data was leaked from secure Mantis storage, security teams have been forced to place the carrier in a state of alert in order to attempt to address trepidation among crew members.

Security teams issued a global operations statement with regards to the situation.

"All crew are asked to remain calm. The security of the Solaris remains as Centurion's ultimate priority, and we have no reason to suspect any further intrusions have taken place. The data appears to have been leaked internally, however the cause is still to be determined. This is not the first time the squadron has faced threats, nor is it likely to be the last."

"However, the Solaris remains secured by a private army of over six-hundred military personnel, backed up by our security guard aboard the Solaris. Threats to the squadron's interests and its assets will never be taken lightly, and as we speak a specialized CSF team is being assembled to investigate the nature of the data we have recovered."

Despite reassurances given by the operations crew, a large majority of Solaris crew members have called out the global operations statement as 'patronising' and 'dismissive', citing the deaths of approximately 800 TITAN personnel caused by attacks against the squadron last year.

No further response was given, but rumours circulating among carrier crew suggest that CSF has been ordered to 'enforce squadron law' and to 'subdue any dissidence'.

Demands for Squadron Commander Aurora Adair to issue a statement on the situation have not been met either, causing a deeper rift within the squadron. Many have questioned Commander Adair's loyalty, while others are concerned as to whether or not she still remains the leader of TITAN Contractors.

Both rumours have been dispelled by the operations crew, who cited that 'Commander Adair is taking some time to herself while the squadron undertakes TRIP Omega'.

This dismissal has only caused further anger among Solaris crew, the majority of which have called out 'Adair's audacity to abandon the squadron once again in its time of need'. Still, no response has been issued, but the operations crew has once again issued a call for order, stating that 'any crew member continuing to organize what is effectively mutiny will be prosecuted by CSF forces'.

In other, related news, Internal Affairs has publicized part of the recovered data that was leaked from the investigation below, for the interest of Commanders.

OUR POWER KNOWS NO BOUNDS:

THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM YOUR CONSEQUENCES.

TITAN'S DEMISE IS NIGH.

YOU WILL SERVE AS THE PERFECT TEST SUBJECTS FOR OUR PROJECT.

LOST AND FORGOTTEN TO HISTORY.

20: Protests Aboard the Solaris Intensify

Protests aboard the Solaris performed by certain members of the crew begin to intensify, borderline reaching full-on riots as crew members damage or restrict access to TITAN equipment. Despite calls from security teams demanding the group desist, around two hundred crew members have joined a protest group calling themselves the 'Reorder'.

CSF units have been deployed around the Solaris in an attempt to quell the rebellion, but preventing damage to critical equipment has been a top priority - preventing any kind of engagement, non-lethal or otherwise.

Security teams issued a global operations statement earlier today, ordering Commanders to stay away from the Solaris or any cordoned-off areas until the situation is resolved.

"The Solaris has been placed under total lockdown, thanks to the actions of a group we now know as the 'Reorder'. This group of Solaris crew members is estimated at around two hundred individuals, all of which are demanding that Squadron Commander Aurora Adair steps down immediately, due to her actions and decisions potentially endangering the squadron. We have no explanation for this - as some crew members supporting the 'Reorder' movement were previously avid supporters of Adair's leadership."

"Unfortunately, despite our requests, Squadron Commander Adair has continuously refused to comment, and our communications with her ceased earlier today. We suspect that while she may be safe and in proximity to the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF carrier, a lack of any comment will further destabilise our situation aboard the Solaris. Should it become necessary, CSF units will be forced to non-lethally resolve these so-called 'protests', which are causing damage to squadron property."

"Regardless, anyone supporting the 'Reorder' movement will be arrested and prosecuted under squadron law. This is direct mutiny against squadron authority, and there is no reason to believe that Commander Adair is incapable of leading the squadron. The large majority of neutral crew recognize this, but understandably her lack of comment does not inspire much confidence. We will continue to work hard to resolve this incident."

Squadron Commander Adair has still issued no comment since the global operations statement was released, forcing security elements to further tighten restrictions aboard the carrier as 'Reorder' protests continue. The operations crew has cited a worry that any engagement between security teams and protesters may result in a proper, armed conflict aboard the carrier, one which cannot be afforded at this stage.

Thankfully, no such event has occurred just yet. The T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF continues to undertake TRIP Omega's Phase 1, but whether or not the Solaris will be prepared in time for Phase 2 remains unclear. Further updates to follow as necessary.

21: Squadron Commander Issues Full Statement

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has released a remote squadron-wide statement explaining her absence, lack of communications, and expanded upon the personal turmoil she has faced for six months, since becoming TITAN's second SC on the 9th of August 3307. Internal Affairs have been asked to keep the statement as is below.

"First off, I'd like to apologise specifically to every single Commander in the squadron, for everything that has happened recently. Since becoming a Commander, I know I was never like any of you. I had no experience, no knowledge - nothing like anyone else had."

"I mean, who goes from being a random CSF soldier to a Commander literally owning an entire squadron worth billions overnight? Me, apparently... and it's only because of my father and Quinton working a plan together that this happened. And, yes, I wouldn't trade it for anything, but I'd be lying to you if I acted like everything has been okay since."

"Figuring out what to say in this statement has been hard, but I want to be as honest as I can. Things hit a tipping point for me yesterday, and while I won't go into full detail, I almost did something stupid that would've affected everyone close to me as well as the entire squadron."

"I still don't know why I did it or how it happened exactly, but it happened and almost cost me a lot. It's only thanks to a really special someone that I'm still around, because quite honestly, I've never thought I was cut out for any of this."

"What I thought made that clear was the protests occurring aboard the Solaris. People don't want me around, and sure, that's fine. But after what happened yesterday, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I don't actually owe this squadron anything."

"I've loved leading the squadron and meeting all these amazing people and Commanders, and I still do. I'm extremely grateful of what it's given me and that I now have a familiar place that I can actually call home, along with what is basically a new family for me."

"But I also acknowledge that the squadron has taken everything from me as well. I'm not who I used to be, and I don't think I ever will be. My father is dead because of the Crimson Venators. I still doubt my legitimacy after finding out our first Squadron Commander isn't actually dead."

"I've been injured numerous times and have put my life on the line to try keep everyone safe. I've gone above and beyond to try do what's right for the squadron for six months, and yet some people still want me to resign just because I won't issue a statement that appeals to them."

"The reason why I have tried to maintain my silence is because I wanted to quite literally get a break from everything, and try avoid any confrontation with the Crimson Venators again. This year has already started to feel like a repeat of last year for me, what with the four murdered Solaris crew members, and the recovered data confirming that we are once again being targeted."

"So, sure, go ahead and blame me for wanting just a little bit of breathing room to think, or to spend time with the people I love. The operations have the squadron in good hands without me for now, and I'm only human in the end. I am trying my best, believe it or not, and I won't apologize for trying to do what I think is right. When I heal and feel ready, I'll be back to continue my responsibilities."

In related news, BLUSTAR Operations confirmed that a medical team was dispatched to the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF fleet carrier in order to treat a severe injury Commander Adair sustained. No further information was given.

Additionally, the operations crew and a large majority of Solaris crew members have praised Commander Adair's statement, however 'Reorder' protests continue. Although it has been reported that they have lost some members to Adair's statement, security teams report that the protesters have reached approximately 500 members and continue to disrupt the peace aboard the carrier.

The leader of the 'Reorder' group, who has now identified himself as Lukas Kazan, issued a counter statement.

"Are we just expected to believe our emotionally unstable Squadron Commander is capable of leading, even after she herself admits otherwise? This is the exact reason why it is time that we make a stand for ourselves and ensure she cannot actively ignore threats against the squadron that could have us all killed. Are we going to ignore the fact that she thinks she doesn't 'owe us anything' when she has our lives in her hands? Aurora simply cannot be allowed to continue us on this path."

Now following SC Adair's statement, a build-up of CSF troops near cordoned off protest areas has been reported. Despite being almost outnumbered by the protesters, Centurion officials confirmed that 'highly trained and well-armed elements would soon be putting an end to the Reorder group'.

The Peacekeepers clarified that any and all supporters of the 'Reorder' movement would be arrested under squadron law regardless, but that CSF had been equipped non-lethally for the task. Further updates to follow as necessary.

22: CSF Shut Down 'Reorder' Protests

After a deadlock that lasted approximately 11 hours between 'Reorder' protesters and TITAN military forces, CSF breach the protest cordon established by security teams and apprehend 'Reorder' leader and coordinator, Lukas Kazan, effectively bringing a total end to the protests aboard the Solaris carrier.

Additionally, approximately 200 crew members are arrested enmasse and charged with mutiny - a severe violation under squadron law.

Preliminary reports suggest that several non-lethal devices, including gas injected into carrier ventilation systems, were deployed in order to subdue the protesters. This move has been reportedly successful with minimal injuries, and while some protestors have shown some resistance, BLUSTAR confirmed that neither side had sustained any life-threatening injuries.

A CSF official provided a statement regarding the division's actions below.

"Our decision to non-lethally force an end to the 'Reorder' protest was made after an 11 hour stalemate led to no satisfying conclusion with their leader, Lukas Kazan. We can now confirm that Kazan has been arrested and charges will be placed against him for his reckless behaviour aboard the Solaris carrier."

"Likewise, hundreds of other protesters will be prosecuted as well for their continued involvement. Those who abandoned the protests prior to these arrests will have their backgrounds screened and their integrity verified."

"Once again, CSF will not tolerate any threat to the squadron, whether internal or external. Those who disagree with the leadership of our Squadron Commander are more than welcome to leave - but we at Centurion, alongside an overwhelming majority of the Solaris crew, continue our commitment and loyalty to Commander Adair, and we will continue to protect the ideals that this squadron stands for."

Lukas Kazan has refused to give any comment. Thanks to CSF's manoeuvre, the morale of all 'Reorder' protesters has been reportedly shattered, with those arrested suddenly requesting amnesty for their actions. The Peacekeepers emphasized that any threat to the squadron was serious - no matter how minor - and as such no pardon will be granted.

Notably, squadron officials have commented on how abruptly the 'Reorder' movement started in the first place. Several factors have been suggested, but none have explained the organisation and motivation of the protesters. While discussions regarding this continue, CSF confirmed that, in other news, a specialised strike team would be investigating a new lead discovered, related to the data decrypted by Commanders on the 18th.

Further updates will be provided as necessary.

23: CSF Strike Team Encounter Unknown Hostile Force

A specialised CSF strike force that was dispatched to HIP 71938 in order to investigate a lead regarding the Amalgamation Signal has reportedly suffered several casualties after engaging with an unidentified hostile force.

The strike force, led by a ground element as well as two Scorpion SRVs, has been recovered by BLUSTAR Operations as well as CSF reinforcements, but no signs of the hostile force were located upon their arrival.

After much discussion, CSF officials have released a statement regarding the operation.

"At around 05:00 UGT today, soldiers under command of Centurion SF undertook a raid operation against a surface installation at HIP 71938. We believe this installation was the origin point of the Amalgamation Signal, a set of data recovered and decrypted by Commanders, which was injected into our network via a listening post connected to this facility."

"System authorities assured us that the facility was unmanned and was previously an mining outpost that was abandoned and potentially seized by scavengers, however precautions to try ensure our raid was successful were enacted."

"A strike force of eight personnel, excluding our armed dropships, were dispatched to the target location. Two Scorpions were deployed and manned, while our Sabre team led the charge as our ground element. Clearing the perimeter and making entry to the facility was simple, and defeating the autonomous sentry drones protecting the perimeter of the installation was easy."

"What happened next is unclear, and we hope to have more information soon. Thirty minutes into our operation, where Sabre had cleared the majority of the facility, their team leader ran into an unknown hostile group."

"Recorded suit footage indicates that the armed individuals were extremely well-armed and trained, equipped with custom-modified combat suits. One distinction was the etched insignia of a skull on their visors - confirming that this is not the Crimson Venators."

"Unfortunately, one of our SRVs was destroyed, resulting in the death of two of our personnel. Our remaining SRV suffered critical damage and three of our men have sustained injuries. They will make a full recovery, but who our assailants are remains unknown."

"When reinforcements sweeped the facility and secured it, the bodies of around 20 Solaris crew members were located in disfigured shapes, completely unrecognizable. These crew were never reported missing, and were only identifiable thanks to the uniforms that still remained on them."

"Interestingly, the enemy may have provided us a lead. Sabre's team leader was apparently provided an encrypted PDA by their attackers, prior to losing consciousness. We have recovered the PDA and will carry out a thorough investigation to ensure we can continue our pursuit of those who threaten the squadron."

Mantis Analytics confirmed that Commanders may be provided access to this part of the investigation once more to allow them to assist the division with further decrypting the mystery of the Amalgamation Signal. Further updates to follow as necessary.

24: G.R.I.D Malfunction Severs Concourse Communications

An unknown malfunction in Mantis Analytics' G.R.I.D service has left communications to the digital Commander Concourse channel severed, impacting the current investigation into a PDA recovered by CSF forces.

Despite hours of work, Mantis specialists are reportedly still no closer to restoring the service, leaving the current investigation completely up to Commanders for the time being.

Cryptography specialist Kyle Ryder provided a statement on his team's restoration of G.R.I.D.

"Our connection to the concourse channel via G.R.I.D was abruptly severed last night after we revealed the next steps into our investigation. The data I provided was the decrypted result of the PDA CSF's strike team obtained from HIP 71938, containing a strange message and list of callsigns with encrypted data associated with them. We still haven't quite figured out all of it, and with G.R.I.D impacted, progress has been slower than usual."

"All of our attempts so far to restore normal service have fell flat. A theory not exactly welcomed by the team is that G.R.I.D is being purposefully interfered with, either by someone who knows what they're doing or by an insider, and is preventing us from assisting the investigation in order to play some elaborate game again. I know our Commanders will make successful progress without us, but it raises the question as to who is doing this and why."

"What is actually on that datapad that could be of so much importance to our Commanders specifically, enough to warrant someone forcibly jamming our only way of assisting them?"

Commanders have been asked by security teams to cautiously continue their complete decryption of the PDA provided by Mantis Analytics. If the data can be successfully decrypted, some Mantis specialists have theorized that the interference may be 'lifted' by whoever has caused it in the first place.

Regardless, specialists continue to work away at resorting normal G.R.I.D routines in order to continue the investigation.

25: Crimson Venators' True Identities Revealed

The true identities of the Crimson Venators have been revealed after Commanders decrypted a set of data providing the real names of all active Venator operatives.

This discovery was made after the restoration of Mantis Analytics' G.R.I.D service, that returned to full functionality minutes after the data was decrypted successfully.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford issued a statement regarding the investigation below.

"Thanks to the assistance of our Commanders as always, our investigation has been propelled forward and we have made new discoveries related to the Crimson Venators. While we have been in contact with Federal authorities, we can confirm that the datapad obtained from enemy forces in HP 71938 contains a list of callsigns all belonging to Venator operatives that are still active."

"Thanks to the tireless work of our specialists working with FIA agents to comb database archives and vice versa, we now know the names of notorious individuals responsible for attacks against the squadron, such as Dawn. This has resulted in the Federal Intelligence Agency launching a manhunt in an attempt to apprehend these criminals, though no progress has been made so far."

"Unfortunately, we have no further data that may assist them with their investigation - but we can confirm that any Commanders that continue to assist our efforts to shut down the Crimson Venators will still share a 1 billion credit bounty voucher, honoured by the squadron itself."

"As for the rest of the data we have uncovered, our internal investigation continues. There is still many unknowns regarding this whole situation, but we remain committed to revealing the truth - and finishing the Venators once and for all."

The Peacekeepers did not elaborate on the 'rest of the data' recovered by Commanders.

In related news, G.R.I.D has now resumed normal service - although no exact consensus has been reached on the nature of the failure. While current theories suggest third-party interference, security teams have been reluctant to confirm anything. Further news to follow when applicable.

28: 46 4f 58 48 4f 55 4e 44 / Solaris Resists Cyberattack

A cyberattack performed on the Solaris breaches the Internal Affairs network and forces an auto-generated failure message through. Commanders can decrypt the hexadecimal by running it through an RC4 decryption algorithm with the key 'FOXHOUND' (46 4f 58 48 4f 55 4e 44).

95 bc 2c 27 cb 73 3e 06 f8 83 b0 f6 3f a4 cb 32 bb de 31 e8 99 43 f9 59 f4 24 8d cd 86 02 4e c4 76 9f 89 e2 bd 59 fd 72 a9 af 4d 5a b1 80 d9 4c 3a 38 f9 d2 b8 8d 5e 85 24 ab ac cf bc a0 56 fc 84 25 f4 15 c6 77 21 f1 ac 46 f8 35 9c d3 53 9b 1c db b5 23 f2 c4 bd e0 cb ed 9f 18 5d 70 18 6c fc 26 6f 77 ed 29 25 6e bd d3 15 fe 5a 8b 0d 29 f6 d1 ed 07 37 59 73 6e 3e b0 38 df 0c c7 19 43 d2 c1 8d b0 30 19 4d 9b 23 6e bb 43 8e 3b 07 7e 62 5c fc 74 17 c7 f4 cf d6 e7 5f e8 d8 92 3c 84 9a 94 a5 36 4f 55 b8 01 f2 79 ff 84 c8 d5 e8 c9 b1 f2 b9 81 08 cf 9f f4 17 fb 3a 9b 48 f5 87 3c 65 2c 0c 28 46 84 cc 6d f7 97 25 5b d8 42 8f 3a 7a d1 9b 20 a5 78 c8 a0 0f 51 ba 49 1d 5d a6 d1 25 fd bf 27 04 a7 8b f6 de bb 22 5d 1a fd 91 64 f9 67 62 37 8b 52 bd 35 59 ee 9f 41 82 02 9d b5 d0 d5 e2 8b b4 2b 8d b4 3a 80 da f0 11 0f c8 ea 2a 2a 04 af 74 77 30 72 f2 4a 35 4a 3e 1e 47 19 f5 57 c3 1e da 96 03 9f 37 a4 4f 49 ec 36 29 e4 79 7d eb 83 6d 68 eb 53 49 47 10 2a 70 18 30 39 c6 fb 58 b6 9f ae fe d2 c4 e6 6c fa 62 cd 16 e6 76 a1 2c 1a 38 da b9 b8 79 ed f3 92 45 0a 57 1b 4e a4 10 d6 21 e0 43 be 96 74 f8 f3 b6 38 bf 3d 0c fa 8d 12 ac be 25 0e 7a 46 aa 87 03 ad 06 d1 0f f7 56 63 6c 5f af 6c f3 e9 dc 10 96 7d 63 cf 23 cc 73 c2 0e fe 30 c8 3a 0f 52 90 c9 70 1e 30 39 eb 78 9a 5d ca 17 d4 51 fe df 6f 68 20 13 37 e6 05 0f b4 db f0 ed 18 bc 57 46 5f c0 65 c8 eb d1 33 b0 6d 2c 14 ca 5c 1d 5f da fd 07 a0 b3 e4 f2 fa df 5c f2 1a 6d cb fc 38 ec 3d cf 6e f1 ca ef d2 af 71 20 a2 4c 21 21 ce da 5c 2a 06 ad 72 30 7d b6 8c 82 50 a2 32 50 9b e6 fa 31 c2 a8 b2 41 39 3b 6e 7d 88 f4 32 a4 a4 fd d5 3f e8 18 e5 ac 26 05 19 06 d3 18 62 69 26 4e 59 ca 68 c9 27 0c dc 96 61 26 00 30 52 44 fb 21 cf 18 b2 70 16 2f fa 77 13 fb c0 87 64 c7 be 54 e2 2c dc 55 1e 4c a4 45 4d e1 58 a9 45 ff aa aa bf 35 ba f4 3a f8 66 68 88 ea 66 2d 16 60 cc 47 64 5f a2 46 3e c9 7b 4d dc 38 2e ee 51 f6 4b 59 52 00 53 b3 a8 b9 7c 53 c8 1f 04 4c 5b 4d 99 26 d9 96 74 02 f2 75 34 04 a9 14 77 0e de fe 22 85 50 e9 cb a0 3f e5 0f 54 a9 3f 73 9b d8 a6 55 df b0 3d 98 15 9f 8a 77 a3 a4 9a 70 16 95 0a 1b c1 e0 5e 72 66 67 ad ba 1d 4c e4 9b 2a fc 34 1e 43 a3 c9 3f 5e 7e 59 42 d2 84 9c 96 86 b9 cd 07 51 cf 08 5c b7 c7 d0 1c ec b3 a9 ef 9a b9 76 b2 c1 d3 8d d0 9e 5f c8 8e e5 d3 a7 60 b9 78 86 40 ca 55 40 ac c4 36 f9 a8 df 3d 82 d1 4d e6 4e 44 cf 2f 5b 41 2a 68 29 fc d5 28 bb 85 db b0 05 f2 97 05 ac c9 54 52 3b 37 a1 83 54 0d 7e df 91 ca 63 3d 56 1f b4 c3 52 1d a8 b3 48 59 7e d7 be 8a ed f1 cf e2 ca 4e e3 b1 a2 58 62 47 f0 b1 23 1f b8 e0 30 1d 9d 68 63 c7 be f3 db 41 e1 aa e4 af 57 4f e5 58 1c 0e 07 45 f3 6a b5 d6 68 0d af cd a4 cc 79 01 c4 90 71 15 73 2f e4 f0 80 b0 1e 47 87 4f 15 72 53 49 7c c1 55 cc 0b 5c a9 06 04 19 c8 79 1c a6 fd d8 ce 72 7e 06 0c 92 7a b3 ba f0 28 d8 4c 0a 5f d7 62 b1 6c 0f 1c 54 4d cf 3c 2c 63 fb 3d 84 2d 38 be a3 c2 60 2f 36 12 2a 63 42 9b e5 fc a8 72 79 9c d5 39 03 94 1a 76 fd 76 50 13 3e 56 8d 5a 72 d1 84 5f ae c9 ad 17 42 72 b6 f0 e9 9c 3c 17 47 14 1b 3a d5 aa 01 78 c1 97 20 34 e2 5b c0 74 3f ac 5b 79 cd 68 65 ad c3 99 04 73 35 76 7b f2 7f 19 e8 4b 97 9a 86 ad 46 42 ed fc e1 a7 cf 41 ac cc 0c 57 d0 4d 69 49 d7 9e 79 56 c5 32 74 4b 11 f9 7c 6c 7a 27 6b f2 5e d8 72 9e 62 1b 62 30 50 68 14 03 7d 7c d6 bf be 4c c2 7e 85 6a d3 2e 0b b1 53 ad 29 e8 3c 0d cf 58 0d ae ab 9e ce 02 4f 23 24 5f a2 40 21 8e cf fd bf a5 d8 29 a7 15 5e 59 83 0a 15 b6 d2 74 bc c4 57 ea 95 fc 07 e1 e4 f8 97 70 53 82 e0 23 c9 0e 3d 78 b3 58 fc ae 86 0a a6 63 d5 95 f0 c4 78 25 12 30 aa e6 e5 71 30 5c d5 d8 83 25 3b 26 3b 31 93 e3 41 92 58 57 bc 17 ae 7f e2 de 26 41 1d 72 af d5 35 9c 18 c1 4d c9 1e f2 01 3b c7 93 fc 2a 1c 58 8a 49 3c cf d5 40 a5 94 5f 3b 2d 19 52 f0 12 a4 ad e1 bf ee a2 a1 f2 e7 1b 51 3c 94 bc bd fd 65 e4 11 bb 6d 84 e0 2c 21 21 c4 a1 ea 40 c2 1c d4 6b 6b 6f a7 e4 1e 24 72 3d 4d 79 b9 f8 a3 12 aa 30 a9 22 06 7b 5f a6 10 fe 3d 67 e2 2c 9a f1 45 8e a2 8f f2 d1 18 f0 1b f1 78 db 95 c6 68 e1 69 60 68 12 c8 cf 17 84 d7 80 4f 42 b5 62 2e d0 c0 92 db 98 bc c3 9e 1b 2e 9a 40 52 a8 64 49 f4 01 18 53 58 c8 65 75 d8 3a 75 51 13 57 02 6c 9e f8 19 dc 75 34 2e d6 66 5e bb 25 5a 2d 6f a0 98 1e f1 3c 2d e5 3c ed bd cb 4e b2 dc 72 d6 5c bb 41 bf 89 21 e8 f6 fc 1c fc a7 c9 97 05 93 5b 05 26 aa 7d b5 d6 ee ec f2 15 2b c3 01 b5 71 66 fd ce 9d 17 c7 bc 6e e5 d7 f5 d3 ba de 90 6b 20 7d 47

Later that day, a full report on the cyberattack is released:

The T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N has resisted a cyberattack that focused on critical carrier systems, such as G.R.I.D, OSIRIS and CSF's Central Command tactical network.

While the Internal Affairs network was initially compromised, allowing Commanders to gain an insight into the incident, Mantis specialists have reassured that the Solaris is now fully secure again.

Commander Elliot Goddard of Mantis Analytics commented below.

"Earlier today, at 1200 UGT, the Solaris was hit by a cyberattack originating from an unknown source. While the attack did target critical carrier systems, our automated security measures blocked the attempt and left only the Internal Affairs network open and compromised."

"No lasting damage or loss of data has occurred, however we believe this cyberattack was used as a vector to insert further data into our network via three devices, and further references information obtained in the last part of our investigation."

"Parts of the network that were tampered with via these devices have now been isolated for further analysis. We hope to have results soon that may provide us with a deeper insight into the attack itself, however our investigation into the data previously recovered still continues. Federal authorities have kept us in the loop regarding their current manhunt for the Crimson Venators, but still have nothing new to share just yet."

"On behalf of CSF and Mantis, I would like to personally reiterate to Commanders that the Solaris remains in a perfect condition and is more secure than ever, with hundreds of CSF personnel guarding the carrier and Mantis specialists working night and day to ensure the network remains in tip-top shape. Our preparations for TRIP Omega should thus be unhampered."

The operations crew corroborated Commander Goddard's statement, confirming that the Solaris would undertake Phase 2 of TRIP Omega if there were no critical disruptions.

In related news, CSF forces have tightened security around the carrier, issuing a request to Commanders to abide by all security protocols and fully comply with any requests made by security teams.

Day - Article Title

2: Further Squadron Expansion Underway

Further expansion of various squadron-related assets is initiated in response to an unknown, growing threat that is believed to be targeting the TITAN Contractors squadron specifically.

While this encompasses the further augmentation of CSF military forces, it was confirmed that a refit of the Solaris carrier may see new, additional services installed, as well as an overhaul to several existing facilities aboard the carrier, which may positively affect other squadron divisions.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued a statement on this expansion.

"In response to the growing threat against TITAN Contractors, we see it fit to further expand our divisions and enhance the safety of the Solaris now, while we still can. While our expansion primarily focuses on onboarding hundreds of more CSF soldiers, we will also be improving the defence of the carrier by reinforcing existing facilities, and implementing new services for the convenience of Commanders."

"While we do not have many details to share right now, we can confirm that the gradual growth and training of new CSF forces is proceeding comfortably and within our expectations. Soon, we expect CSF's numbers to soar from around 600 active, armed personnel, to around 1,500 personnel."

"New facilities are being introduced slowly to ease this expansion, and we expect this to take some time to ensure this is done effectively without overwhelming our operations."

"Of course, this does not exclude our other divisions. While CSF is the focus for the safety of the carrier, Mantis, BLUSTAR and Pandora will all be granted access to new and improved facilities with better security, larger capacity and more equipment."

"We continue to improve our network safety, medical facilities, logistics facilities, personnel equipment and overall defence of the squadron, for the comfort of all our divisions, crew and Commanders. We hope to share more details soon."

Maintenance foreman Jay Weaver confirmed that the physical concourse aboard the carrier's bridge would also be restricted until the refitting and installation of specific, new services related to the concourse is completed. An update regarding this expansion is expected next week.

5: Cyberattack Data Decrypted; Solaris To Continue Phase 2

Data acquired from a cyberattack that occurred aboard the Solaris on the 28th of February is successfully decrypted. During the attack, a set of data was embedded in isolated parts of the TITAN network, leaving investigators with a breadcrumb trail to decrypt transmissions pertinent to the Crimson Venators.

With the help of Commanders, this data has now been decrypted fully, the result of which has left more questions than answers.

Cryptography specialist Kyle Ryder from Mantis Analytics commented on the recovered data below.

"Thanks to the help from our Commanders as always, the data seeded into our network during the cyberattack on the 28th has now been mostly decrypted. The data appears to be a set of two conversation transcripts between various Crimson Venator operatives, who now seem to be aware that their names have been leaked. However, we're still not sure who leaked their names, or who even has the capability to do so."

"According to Federal records, all traces of the Crimson Venators and their links to their real identities was supposed to be wiped. It is only thanks to extensive work in cross-referencing and remaking these links with the help of both several Federal agents, as well as the name list we acquired, that we have made any progress regarding some of the names listed. Unfortunately, this has not been the same for every name, with some still remaining unknown."

"What is of note, however, is the fact that this may be the first time that an entity known as 'Syn' is mentioned officially, alongside the implication of a classified weapons project. While I'm not exactly qualified to comment on it, it seems as if we may not be dealing with the Venators anymore - but something completely different."

"Regardless, our investigation continues. Internally, we may have located a lead on the source of this cyberattack, which will be handled as they see fit. Thanks once again to all of our Commanders for their help."

In other news, the process of refitting the Solaris to accommodate new personnel, services and more is still underway, with solid progress reported so far. In a planned overhaul of the carrier, a new, improved carrier concourse will also be brought online in order to offer more services and comfort to Commanders.

Likewise, various existing carrier facilities will be enhanced beyond their usual capacity and function, adapting to an influx of CSF troops and more division personnel overall. While exact numbers have not been confirmed, the costs of this full expansion and overhaul are expected to be immense.

Several rising concerns citing that carrier services may be 'overwhelmed' by these changes have been dismissed by the operations crew, who have stated that 'during the next week, the Solaris will see the completion of a full overhaul of structural improvements that will broaden internal capacity and provide a stronger defence against further attacks'.

Despite this, the Solaris will continue Phase 2 for expedition trip Omega as normal, however slight disruptions may be experienced during the Phase as new services are delivered and installed.

8: CSF Issue Report On Potential Enemy Carrier

Centurion SF issue a critical operations report that suggests the existence of a hostile fleet carrier operating against TITAN Contractors.

This report was issued after an unauthorized recon operation performed by two CSF soldiers followed up on a lead previously obtained from the cyberattack that targeted the Solaris on the 28th of February.

So far, no name, identification or full location of the hostile carrier has been revealed, but CSF have issued a strong belief in its existence - implying that the current threat against the squadron may have a much wider reach than previously believed.

CSF officials issued an operations statement below.

"At approximately 1600 UGT today, a small element of CSF soldiers undertook an unauthorized recon operation pursuing a lead that was not permitted by Centurion Central Command."

"While we are still investigating the nature of how these soldiers obtained the information we had acquired from the cyberattack, that provided the location of a downed satellite, we can confirm that their recon operation was fruitful - and provided new information that may have revealed a potential, direct danger to the squadron."

"The satellite, which was located in an empty system, was harboured in an unidentified, unguarded compound, reportedly left undamaged at the site for unknown reasons, even after it was presumed to have crashed."

"However, despite the risky move, our CSF soldiers encountered no tangible resistance - only an isolated incident where they were forced to deal with a sniper that seems to have fled the area and was thus not identified. Subsequently after locating the compound, they were able to confirm that the satellite was a relay post that was initially used as an attack vector for the cyberattack against the Solaris, and had connected to the attack's source before it was disabled by a third-party."

"While we knew the satellite was only utilised as an attack vector after we obtained our information, we previously had no information on its true source, until now. Thanks to the direct analysis of the satellite, we have confirmed that the source of the cyberattack originates from a currently unknown fleet carrier that may be hostile towards TITAN Contractors."

"What our soldiers performed was reckless, we do owe our thanks to them for risking their lives in order to obtain more information that may help us identify our enemy and bring their hostilities to an end."

No comment was issued by Squadron Commander Aurora Adair or the operations crew regarding the cyberattack or the potential existence of an enemy fleet carrier, but preparations have been made by CSF to tighten carrier security and ensure operations continue as normal.

In other news, the full refit of the Solaris carrier and hiring of new personnel for all TITAN divisions has faced difficulty with the shipping of new services and their associated equipment, as well as improving the internal structure of the carrier to reinforce it against attacks and provide further internal space.

The operations crew confirmed that a much larger investment was required in order to fully improve the entire structure of the carrier, in order to accommodate the new improvements to the vessel.

As a result, the expansion attempt has been paused temporarily while new evaluations to determine the cost of further overhauls is made. This will not affect TRIP Omega in any substantial way, but will affect the deployment of new services like the Commander Concourse overhaul, increased existing service capacity and capability, and particularly larger CSF reserves and resources, among other things for the remaining divisions.

14: Recovered Satellite Yields No Data

Several days have passed since Centurion SF teams recovered an unknown satellite that has implied the existence of a hostile fleet carrier working against the squadron. 

Despite it being physically recovered and extensively analysed, no further information has been pulled from the data storage aboard the satellite, bringing an end to a potential lead.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford elaborated on this part of the investigation.

"Our investigation into the Amalgamation and all associated incidents continues. On the 28th of February, CSF obtained a tangible lead on the source of the cyberattack that targeted the Solaris." 

"The lead was reportedly not pursued or declassified at the time due to the fear of further loss of life and the potential of stretching TITAN military forces thin while we work to expand the squadron and its divisions, leaving little resources currently for field operations."

"However, thanks to the machinations of an anonymous Mantis Analytics specialist, and the work of three Centurion soldiers, including a pilot, the satellite was located and recovered with minimal confrontation." 

"Personally, I commend the bravery and skill of these soldiers, who took a risky move to further our investigation, without knowing whether or not they would encounter a deadly enemy force."

"Despite this, unfortunately any physical analysis of the satellite has failed, yielding no further information other than a scrambled fleet carrier ident of FJ6-T44, and garbled data that suggests the hostile fleet carrier has made a jump away from its previous location on the 7th of March, a day before CSF teams located the satellite."

"Thanks to the lack of data, our investigation has come to a grinding halt. Unless the fleet carrier can be identified just off the scrambled identification, it is unlikely we'll locate any trace of the vessel or its owners - unless they want to be found."

In other news, cost evaluations for squadron expansion are still underway, with a full evaluation soon to be completed. Hiring and training of new CSF personnel has resumed, as well as upgrades to existing facilities, however more time is required to evaluate the cost of fully refitting the Solaris carrier beyond the original specifications to add additional services and continue further expansion.

Further updates to follow when applicable.

15: Solaris Mobilizes for Carrier Refit / Solaris Refit Completed

The T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N flagship carrier has deviated from the TRIP Omega route and relocated to the Rutu system in preparation for extensive carrier refit operations. 

Not only will this refit apply massive upgrades to the Solaris, but new equipment and facilities will be onloaded, both geared towards improvements and additions to all TITAN divisions, but also towards implementing new Commander services.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, commented on the expansion.

"After an extensive day spent evaluating our final expansion costs, the decision to mobilise the Solaris to a carrier administration system has been made. The budget has been immensely expanded for this operation, and we have some exciting plans slated."

"An estimated amount of roughly 5 billion credits will be spent on military hardware geared towards arming and preparing approximately 900 new Centurion SF personnel, as well as improvements to various facilities related to the Mantis, Pandora and BLUSTAR divisions."

"Most prominently, however, will be the large-scale augmentation of the Solaris fleet carrier. While we would like to leave some of our plans as a surprise to our Commanders, we can confirm that a refit of our onboard concourse will bring a fresher look, as well as new services offering various functions to our Commanders. Immensely improved structural improvements and security updates will also reinforce the carrier against any further attacks. We hope our plans proceed accordingly, however we will update if our schedule shifts."

"However, it is natural to expect disruptions to the TRIP Omega route. We believe the safety of the Solaris and the squadron is of our utmost concern, and this new expansion will better equip us for the task at hand, but we may see changes or shifts to the scheduling and route plan of TRIP Omega. We will do our best to remedy and avoid extreme cases."

No further information was given regarding the Solaris refit. While all current facilities are expected to continue function as normal, new services will enhance the carrier's capabilities and offer a more comfortable experience to Commanders. 

Massive structural improvements and novel firmware updates to the Solaris may also bring vastly improved security measures and carrier defence, fortifying the TITAN flagship against any impending threats.

It is expected for this process to take several hours to complete initial phases, and will finalize with the biggest upgrades to the Solaris, with the remainder to follow later. More updates to follow when applicable.

Later that day, the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N flagship carrier successfully completes its brand new overhaul, and has rejoins the TRIP Omega route. 

This major overhaul includes drastic improvements to the carrier structural layout and fortification, as well as aesthetic changes to freshen the look of the carrier. New services have also been installed in the new and improved concourse, offering a wider range of services to Commanders.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued a squadron-wide statement.

"The Solaris has successfully completed our first initial, major enhancements. Most prominently, Commanders will notice that the Solaris has been fully upgraded to a new class of carrier, the Victory-class. Likewise, several changes to the aesthetic and look of the carrier provide a fresher look to match the new upgrades."

"Of course, most of these are not cosmetic. While the Victory-class offers a more reinforced structure to the carrier allowing for better defence and larger internal space, our complete overhaul of the onboard concourse has allowed us to bring a wider range of services to our Commanders, adding Pioneer Supplies, Vista Genomics and a concourse bar for those who wish to unwind."

"In the coming weeks, these new initial changes will set the stage for several improvements to our divisions, including the hiring of 900 new CSF personnel and purchase of related gear, a reinforced security and defence network provided by Mantis Analytics, enhanced cargo facilities for PANDORA, and new medical facilities and equipment for BLUSTAR."

"Thankfully, these changes have affected TRIP Omega minimally. The Solaris has now returned to its designated route, and any further changes we undertake can be done independently while we travel."

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair offered a short comment.

"The operations crew has my thanks for making these improvements a reality. Not only does the Solaris look incredible now, but we can now offer several new services to Commanders, on top of improving existing ones to make further division expansion more possible and comfortable. I'm so glad we can make the Solaris a better, safer place for us all, in such uncertain times."

New improvements to the Solaris concourse has seen the addition of brand new services, including a Pioneer Supplies vendor with a plethora of purchasable equipment, a Vista Genomics contact to register and analyse organic data, and a concourse bar for Commanders to relax after a long journey, as well as to enable material transactions. 

Further updates regarding CSF's specific expansion and further Solaris security improvements will follow at a later time.

19: TITAN Military Expansion Commences

Further military expansion has commenced in TITAN Contractors' private mercenary force, expanding the squadron's defence capability and military strength.

Over 900 new personnel will be trained and hired by TITAN's Centurion SF division, and will be inducted into the various subdivisions and task forces after passing rigorous background checks and military exercises. 

Likewise, during the Solaris refit, thousands of munitions and personnel gear have been on-loaded to the carrier to supply both Commanders and Centurion SF soldiers with crucial equipment to defend the carrier.

A representative of CSF commented on this expansion.

"Today, Centurion SF will be carrying out our largest expansion to date, employing approximately 900 new personnel and fielding thousands of weapon systems and dozens of combat vehicles." 

"We are also taking heavy precautions, along with extremely stringent regulations, to ensure our new personnel do not undermine or pose a threat to our operations, either via proxy agents from our mutual enemy, or by those who wish to sabotage the squadron from within for whatever reason."

"The majority of our new personnel hail from ex-military backgrounds with good history. Many have recently served the Federal Navy, Imperial Navy or the Alliance Defence Force, while the large remainder are independent mercenaries much like the rest of our CSF force, which consequently increases the diversity of our division." 

"This hiring process will be slow and gradual to ensure the process is as smooth as possible, and will include training much like Centurion's initiation when it was first created."

"We understand that this expansion has raised concerns about the squadron shifting to a fully militaristic style of operation, however we would like to clarify that CSF's motto has always been to defend the squadron and its interests." 

"In an increasingly hostile galaxy, our new expansion will only further our capability to keep the Solaris and other squadron carriers safe."

Personnel distributions were provided by Centurion SF below.

CSF Cobra: 350~ to 850~ distributed across...

- TF Talon: 100~ to 300~

- TF Archangel: 100~ to 200~

- TF Scorpion: 100~ to 200~

- TF Inferno: 50~ to 150~

CSF Pioneers: 100~ to 250~

CSF Eclipse: 80~ to 200~

CSF Sentinel: 70~ to 200~

Total: 600~ to 1500~

21: Satellite Revival Severely Compromises The Solaris

The unidentified satellite that was recovered by Centurion SF teams on the 8th of March and brought aboard the Solaris has reportedly revived itself and launched an internal, secondary cyberattack on the Solaris. 

While several functions of the Solaris were impaired or outright disabled before the attack could be quarantined, no permanent damage has been sustained. 

Unfortunately, the severity of the attack has made it impossible to trace the source of the connection, as the satellite has self-destructed several functions and deleted large partitions of its data to prevent this. 

Investigators have suggested that the enemy may be implementing more thorough measures to prevent discovery, and a detailed statement has been released below by Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford.

"Unfortunately, we can confirm that the Solaris has been hit by a second cyberattack, much more severe than the last. Instead of impairing mostly communications, the entire carrier has been brought down to its knees, even preventing effective navigation." 

"Thus, jumping to continue the TRIP Omega route may have placed the Frame Shift Drive or carrier as a whole at risk, and the decision could not be confidently made to do so."

"This frankly terrifying show of force from the enemy proves that we cannot afford to allow any part of our network to be compromised at all. The necessary measures to draw all tangible data from the satellite has been made, prior to its destruction to prevent further attacks." 

"With our various division improvements, we are now expediting construction of a quarantine facility specifically for physical and digital analysis of various objects, and bringing in additional measures to enhance network screening."

"Additionally, we have been unable to trace the source of this attack at all. Although we have now physically destroyed the satellite, prior to its destruction the satellite reportedly committed self-deletion and wiped a large majority of its functions and data. Only a few fragments of data remain, which we have pieced together, and believe we may have the next lead in our investigation."

"Two Commanders are mentioned in this data, so we will be immediately involving them in the Mantis investigation, along with the rest of our Commanders. The sooner we can get to the bottom of this, the better, and the higher chances we have of preventing an incident like this from recurring a third time."

Mantis Analytics have stated that a specialist team would be in touch with the aforementioned Commanders in order to continue the investigation into this incident. CSF have announced that 'the Solaris remains physically secure, more than ever, despite all recent attacks'.

This statement has been controversially disputed, with many Solaris crew members arguing that 'CSF continues to militarize a humanitarian carrier while pursing delusional goals that fail to be reached, and continue contradicting itself despite the frequent loss of its crucial tactical network'. No counter statement has been issued.

22: Squadron Militarization Met With Controversy

Increased militarization aboard the Solaris has been met with widespread controversy, following CSF's continued commitment to hire large amounts of new personnel, and purchase vast quantities of military gear. 

Many Solaris crew members have advocated for the drawdown of new CSF assets, while more extreme exponents have demanded the total dissolution of Centurion SF to replace it with an internal, council-led squadron security service.

Neither demands have been met with any satisfying response from CSF officials, who issued a global operations statement clarifying the expansion.

"While it is true that the Solaris operates more as a military carrier now, Centurion SF's expansion is absolutely necessary and is a core foundation of our ability to protect ourselves." 

"An enemy should be forced to think twice before attacking the squadron, and CSF have always maintained that as their motto. Our remit strictly includes defensive actions that protect the squadron, its members and its interests, or the interests of parties we wish to assist."

"It is outlandish that some Solaris crew members believe that dissolving CSF and replacing it is our best way forward. This is hardly the case. Centurion's combat effectiveness has easily been proven multiple times, and is the only reason why the squadron still stands to this date. Our new personnel and purchased equipment only benefits the squadron, by allowing us to provide a more effective deterrent against the enemy."

An anonymous Solaris crew member spoke up in response to CSF's operations statement.

"TITAN Contractors was founded on humanitarian goals - helping those in need. If CSF was already 'so effective' with 600 personnel, then why does it need more? Why must we compromise our founding ideals to pursue a militaristic style of living aboard the carrier? There are thousands of people on board that believe in the squadron and its leadership, and make their living here, but we cannot help but doubt the solidity of this expansion."

"It doesn't help that our Squadron Commander refuses to issue statements to clarify the squadron's stance on operations like this - leaving it up to ambiguous comments made by Centurion personnel or the operations crew. Surely Commander Adair, who has claimed that the squadron will only defend itself if necessary, does not want the squadron to pursue such a warmongering mentality?"

"Or, will CSF continue to ignore the fact that each attack drawn by their military might damages the Solaris in various ways, to the point of even inhibiting entire divisional functions? Or, what if there is plenty more that both CSF and our so-called leaders know about and are keeping us in the dark over, refusing to provide us the full picture of their plans when it may very well be endangering our lives?"

The operations crew have cited that 'there is no reason to believe that CSF's further military expansion will compromise squadron ideals, only providing a more powerful tool with which to protect the squadron with'. As a result, CSF will continue their expansion as planned, which has caused upset within crew members opposing the idea.

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair did not provide any statement in response to the controversy.

23: Squadron Commander Addresses Controversy; Protests Abruptly Cease

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has newly addressed recent CSF-related controversy in a global squadrons statement, citing that 'continued division growth is necessary for the safety of the squadron, but will not change operations in any significant way'.

Surprisingly, while it was initially predicted that a strong reaction would be had towards this statement, all protests aboard the Solaris have ceased, with strong advocates of complete CSF drawdown now withdrawing their stance in support of continued division expansion.

Squadron Commander Aurora Adair's statement can be read below.

"I understand that there is a lot of concerns about the squadron shifting heavily towards a militaristic style of operation thanks to CSF's latest growth, however this is not exactly the case. When TITAN was first created, its goal was to assist those in need and provide a foundation for humanitarian work." 

"To protect our interests and those we assist, our four divisions were created early on by my predecessor, Commander Quinton Marshall, to fulfil several areas in the squadron. Thanks to that, since its conception the squadron has always been pointed towards a more military focus - using our power to defend us and our interests in a corrupt, dangerous galaxy, and all of our divisions have been militarily equipped in various ways so they can protect themselves and our operations."

"However, the truth is; CSF specifically has always been underequipped for the job of defending the carrier, and especially our other squadron carriers. The Solaris in particular houses thousands of crew members and provides them with a safe environment to live and work in since many of the crew are permanently employed. CSF's initial numbers of approximately 600 personnel is not enough to adequately protect both the squadron and its crew - not just our Commanders - against an unknown, growing threat."

"This is why we - I - have made the overall decision to expand CSF's numbers. In terms of function, nothing will change. CSF continues to employ some of the best and train them to be even better, and their diversity and skill is unparalleled in their field." 

"When I was a CSF combat specialist before all this happened, I had the privilege to meet some incredible, talented people. Centurion is composed of the most diverse, loyal individuals I have ever met. Many of them have ex-military backgrounds, many of them come from tough walks of life, and many of them consider this squadron as their family and only home."

"So, just because they are simply expanding their operations to defend us, we cannot now turn our back on the very people that are keeping us safe. Centurion SF, just like the rest of the squadron, have my full commitment and I promise to do what I can to keep everyone safe. This means a rapid expansion of our military force is absolutely necessary, to ensure we have the capability to defend ourselves, because in the end, CSF is the only thing that stands between us, and potentially losing everything."

Following this statement, CSF units have reported that protests - primarily focused around landing bay 13 - have ceased, with all crew resuming normal duties. Subsequently, the CSF-enforced lockdown of bay 13 has now been lifted.

This sudden change in crew behaviour has been remarked by some BLUSTAR medical officers, with one providing a short statement.

"Considering that the Solaris crew have been exposed to CSF and its military operations for almost a year now, for such a vehement reaction to their growth to both commence and cease so quickly raises an eyebrow."

"At BLUSTAR, we're committed to the mental and physical health of the crew and our Commanders, and we suspect that recent events may be amplifying stress within the crew, causing unreasonable reactions such as this."

CSF echoed Commander Adair's statement, announcing that division expansions would continue as normal, with no major protocol or law changes to be expected at all, emphasizing that 'Centurion SF will continue defence operations as it always has'.

25: CSF Undertakes Clandestine Operation; Results In Friendly Fire Incident

Centurion SF have disclosed a clandestine operation that has resulted in a friendly fire incident and several injuries. 

While the location of this operation has not been revealed, new details have surfaced confirming that the satellite - which launched the second cyberattack on the Solaris - was not destroyed as planned, and was instead used to carry out a covert military operation thousands of light years from the Solaris.

A CSF representative issued a full operations statement below.

"A covert operation carried out by elements of Centurion SF has unfortunately failed and resulted in the injury of two of our personnel, with one in a critical condition. Additionally, an abnormal friendly fire incident - which cannot necessarily be explained at this time - occurred, causing one of the injuries."

"While we cannot reveal many details for privacy reasons, we can confirm that the operation took place in order to try determine if we could uncover a new investigation lead. This involved us halting the planned destruction of the satellite and returning it to the same structure we found it at. Our goal was to locate an entrance to the structure, and potentially use the satellite to interface with the site, however this has resulted in failure."

"After we had successfully gained access to the structure, an inexplicable friendly fire incident occurred when the team had attempted to power up the facility. Their squad leader reportedly engaged an unidentified contact, but ended up shooting a squad member. Despite the various measures and training CSF soldiers utilise to ensure top efficiency, this incident was somehow able to occur."

"We are currently investigating whether or not this incident transpired due to misconduct, however our initial report suggests that their squad leader has no proper recollection of the event. BLUSTAR are currently investigating psychological avenues, but we cannot comment more on this at this time."

"After the friendly fire incident occurred, the team was forced into a firefight with robotic avatars at the location. We have been unable to determine what or who caused the activation of the drones, but we can likely confirm that these avatars were closely controlled by human operators. Unfortunately, no traces of this connection or its source were found." 

"A reinforcement group that swept the structure after our initial team was recovered has also not revealed any new leads, after a very thorough search. During the firefight, the satellite we intended to utilise was also destroyed, so while it has been dealt with, we have unfortunately lost our only potential lead, and have now abandoned the site."

No other comments have been issued by any other divisions. A large amount of Solaris crew members have expressed distaste in the nature of CSF's operation, while others have cited that 'actions like this may be necessary to take the initiative'. 

However, CSF has stated that, while investigations into the incident would continue, no more field operations would take place while the squadron continues its expedition trip, unless absolutely necessary.

28: T.O.C. Skies Unknown Removed From Squadron Service

The T.O.C. Skies Unknown H3T-2KX fleet carrier has been removed from the SCI, an act which offers mutual protection and assistance to member carriers, and allows them to serve the squadron while expecting them to abide by both squadron and interstellar laws. 

An announcement from the operations crew has now confirmed that the Skies Unknown's inclusion in the SCI has now been revoked, due to an incident aboard the carrier which involved its owner, Commander Harper Lastimosa, going rogue and causing a death toll of approximately 30 individuals, ranging from carrier personnel to system authority members. 

Squadron investigative teams confirmed that the Commander in question was now deceased, but refused to elaborate further.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, offered a short comment on the incident.

"Our decision to remove the Skies Unknown from our Squadron Carrier Initiative has been swift, following the horrific incident aboard the carrier. Commander Lastimosa's actions do not represent TITAN Contractors as a whole, and we will not tolerate any actions that violate the ideals we stand for." 

"Any equipment provided to the Skies Unknown has now been withdrawn, and while BLUSTAR Operations has and will provide humanitarian aid to the carrier, no further security support will be given. Our deepest condolences go out to those affected, and most certainly to Commander Lastimosa's family for their loss."

CSF officials confirmed that no Centurion SF operators were involved in the incident, and offered a statement below.

"Although security equipment was given to the Skies Unknown, no CSF personnel were intended to be stationed aboard the carrier, instead allowing us to opt for QRF teams that watch over all carriers remotely. Outside of that, we ensure we arm and, if necessary, train security forces aboard these individual carriers, but they are otherwise free to operate as they wish, with respect to squadron law." 

"As the Skies Unknown and its owner are in violation of this, we will provide humanitarian aid to those afflicted, but the carrier will receive no further assistance or security guarantees from the squadron."

The operations crew and several high-ranking squadron officials have issued their condolences to those affected by the incident, with Squadron Commander Aurora Adair providing a statement of her own.

"It's truly heartbreaking to hear of an incident like this happening within our squadron. I'd never had the chance to met Commander Lastimosa personally, but after hearing from others, he seemed to carry himself with pride and honour. And while he was what I'd say 'endearingly conceited', he also projected a strong respect for others who had earned it, to the point where I was apparently given the title 'Lady Adair' by him." 

"While the actions he took were most certainly wrong and resulted in the deaths of several innocent people, I also know how it can feel to snap and break down too. No one could've predicted this, but I just wish we could've been there in time to help him through whatever he was struggling through, and to have prevented this entirely."

Additionally, while BLUSTAR has donated large amounts of medical aid to the Skies Unknown and provided medical personnel to assist with casualties, Squadron Commander Adair has issued her sincerest condolences to the Lastimosa family for their loss, as well as giving further reassurances that all personal property would be recovered and returned to his family as soon as possible.

31: Squadron Expansion Close to Completion

Squadron expansion pertaining to the enhancement of several TITAN divisions as well as the refit of the Solaris flagship carrier has neared completion, significantly bolstering several aspects of the squadron.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued an announcement regarding the expansion.

"We're pleased to announce that our significant expansion regarding the Solaris and all TITAN divisions is almost complete. While there is still some ways to go before we can declare it fully complete, we have now reached the stage where we can consider all major augments finalized." 

"Not only has this increased the security of the squadron, but it has broadened the capability of our divisions, expanded their operations and granted them enhanced equipment that will protect the squadron's interests now, and in the future."

All divisions issued statements to elaborate on their various developments.

Centurion SF representative:

"CSF has seen an increase of approximately 900 new personnel, which matches our initial projections. While there is still more training to be done, our new personnel continue to meet our standards, if not surpass them. Based off our original numbers, all taskforces and subdivisions have seen increases in supplied equipment and manpower, and contrary to militarization concerns, there has been zero changes to operation policy. Our distribution of security forces aboard the Solaris remains the same, as the rest of our manpower is split across to other carriers, like the Monty Burns and Mortal Dictata."

Commander Elliot Goddard, Mantis Analytics:

"Mantis Analytics has seen large software improvements to our existing sensor suite, as well as specific vulnerability patches to G.R.I.D and the Tauna pipeline to further strengthen them specifically. We have also made a better use of our Osiris suite which has provided TRIP Omega statistics to Commanders throughout our journey, and with the Solaris refit, the squadron network as a whole has received numerous encryption improvements."

Ashley Marshal, BLUSTAR Operations:

"A generous investment made by the rest of the operations crew has allowed BLUSTAR the opportunity to hire additional medical personnel and purchase a large amount of additional medical equipment, which has already been retrofitted into our high-tech medical wings. Our pledge to uphold the mental and physical health of the squadron and its crew remains ever strong, and these enhancements will broaden our capability to handle any incidents."

Macy Mcintyre, PANDORA Logistics:

"While PANDORA Logistics remains at the lower end of the expansion's focus, enhanced cargo facilities, more logistics equipment and more personnel have allowed us to perform our critical duty within the squadron. PANDORA vessels and personnel continue to power every logistics effort behind the squadron, from the safe handling of military equipment, to couriering data and carrying critical medical supplies."

All squadron expansion is expected to conclude within the next two days, prior to the start of TRIP Omega Phase 3. An overwhelmingly large majority of the Solaris crew have iterated a support for the expansion of all divisions, particularly CSF thanks to enhanced security measures within the squadron.

However, relatedly, the Peacekeepers have issued a direct call to Commanders within the squadron specifically.

"Commanders. While the squadron continues its expansion and expedition trip, we request that you be extremely vigilant. Trained medical personnel from BLUSTAR Operations have still been unable to explain the sudden shift in crew mentality, and the recent, vehement support of continued expansion remains in direct contrast to previous reactions. Any suspicious activity should be reported to a Peacekeeper officer or squadron official immediately. Thank you, and we hope you enjoy the coming journey."

Day - Article Title

1: Unidentified Transmission Source

fd ac 19 ab ae 36 35 10 30 8c 52 e1 6f 8f 74 [5] f5 fd 64 4d 4f 56 c6 b8 f7 61 6e [4] 84 3a 6d 32 b4 3e 65 ca a4 d8 19 f1 8b 97 52 3b 5f ff 2b a0 6f 3a fb c6 da e6 bd a9 eb 71 d7 d1 de fb ae 8a 77 8c da e8 ae b2 64 15 29 1e c7 62 ff 4b 73 5c 5d f3 f8 fb 26 67 19 34 b3 00 b9 9b 8d 0e a1 af 1e c6 05 36 15 45 be 47 ad 78 [3] dc 92 35 e3 94 3c c9 fd 72 3f a3 25 a5 f1 79 de 0a e0 66 9a 27 35 a1 db b7 d5 03 a4 b9 df 8d 95 2c a0 57 46 03 4b c6 35 f4 31 d4 e1 94 fd 75 86 23 55 9c fc 1e 07 4c 54 e1 0d f1 62 67 0f 6a 4e c6 60 35 3d 54 53 91 a1 60 31 [2] 2d ef fd ad 9f 81 fb 08 9d a0 18 54 56 b0 4c 3b 0a f2 f3 80 26 4f df 56 59 8d 72 5f c1 f8 89 e8 bd 53 df f7 33 14 da 1c c5 5d 51 c5 dd 0e fa a4 5b 52 a5 6f 1a 95 e6 da 7b a3 16 9b f7 6d e7 27 c7 8e c8 2b d4 32 9c 53 1b 8f f8 e2 67 f7 14 d9 c0 40 e1 47 be 75 b9 c3 b4 35 cc 5f ca 2b 69 2c d0 e8 3c 65 70 cc 2b d0 98 2c eb b1 ab 3e ee 49 94 48 bb 63 9f 56 a6 75 b7 43 75 a7 16 f4 13 ab 7b e3 58 ef 88 da 0f c5 f4 e5 04 05 47 e1 c3 b1 0f 52 52 e2 56 a2 6e fc 80 29 e4 f1 7a f3 13 c6 8e 87 20 65 60 22 58 fb c3 75 b6 b3 d2 0d cf d1 bb 0e 3f 6e 73 93 64 77 17 95 e9 98 41 92 c2 b2 07 3f 4b c4 e0 e4 c2 95 5f 69 66 3b 07 79 22 d8 d8 65 22 14 1f 7f 86 bc d8 97 9e 38 fe 8b d5 73 9a 32 cb 13 f9 f7 e4 a9 b3 ee fc 4d 38 00 b6 2a f9 fc 99 d9 50 88 d1 79 8d 14 41 1f 15 8f 67 e1 4d e6 ef e9 32 c5 79 c0 9a 0a ad d0 de 6b c8 b5 c8 bc c1 43 80 5e ee dc 48 f2 e7 66 09 ec 07 39 74 84 6e 2f eb e1 59 bb 7c 8e 4a 12 27 1d fa c9 70 a1 9e 6e ea 41 39 c4 ce 8c c8 b7 af 6c 54 98 69 38 6a 33 89 cd db e6 6c ed a7 f3 2b c0 88 f8 0e 61 6d 17 dd 04 aa 1f 42 92 78 85 9c e6 d2 4c 5a 8f fc f3 48 19 69 18 ef 32 6b e0 1d 99 2b fb 87 60 ca 34 0f c0 25 56 68 [1] 08 a0 77 [6] 99 63 cd a3 fa 15 e0 3d a7 6d 50 f5 2e 26 1d 43

2: Division Expansions Complete; TRIP Omega Phase 3 Greenlit

A recent announcement made by the operations crew has confirmed that all squadron division expansions and training have completed in time for the launch of TRIP Omega Phase 3, effectively greenlighting the squadron's largest expedition trip to date.

With several developments officially initiated on the 2nd of March, massive changes have been brought to the squadron, most chiefly being a full expedited refit of the Solaris carrier, upgrading the vessel's class while enhancing physical defence and improved digital security network safety measures. 

Divisions have received a slew of improvements, including more allocated personnel for all divisions with a prominent focus on CSF forces, as well as enhanced and upgraded gear, facilities and security. Likewise, several services have been installed on a new, improved Solaris concourse for the interest of Commanders, broadening the carrier's capabilities.

Chief of Operations, Avery Ramirez, issued the announcement.

"We're happy to confirm that all squadron division expansions have been reported as successful, just in time for the launch of TRIP Omega's Phase 3 trip later today. Our new journey will offer an exciting opportunity for Commanders to explore deep space, while also giving the crew of the Solaris a well-deserved breakaway from the bubble. Rest assured that our divisions remain at max efficiency and will continue to do everything they can to uphold the squadron and its safety, operations and ideals."

"As elaborated on in our previous announcement, CSF have received the broadest of upgrades, better equipping them for the task of defending our home. Both the Solaris and Monty Burns carriers will remain as secure as possible, with additional security forces provided to our logistics carriers to protect them as well. Of course, this does not exempt our other divisions, all of which are equally as important to squadron function." 

"Mantis has been able to provide a vastly more secure and encrypted network, BLUSTAR's capability to issue aid and carry out deep-space research in conjunction with Mantis has been broadened, and PANDORA continues to power our critical logistics network that will fuel the Solaris and Monty on our journey. We are looking at further improvements constantly, and may consider focusing our efforts on developing our smaller divisions upon our return to the bubble."

"We hope these new improvements not only offer further reassurances to our Commanders that we will do everything in our power to keep our carriers, their crew and  members as safe as possible, but to also allow further flexibility in our operations. Particularly on this journey, we hope deeper exploration is enabled with our new services, with Commanders able to upload exploration data via our cartographic contact, as well as collecting and handing in any genetic data they may find out there."

In preparation for the launch of TRIP Omega Phase 3 later today at 1400 UGT, a final boarding call has been made by the T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N in the Misir system. Commanders wishing to participate in Phases 3, 4 and 5 must dock to the Solaris immediately, or risk missing the opportunity to participate on the journey. 

Those who potentially miss the first jumps may be able to catch up to the T.O.C. Monty Burns V5Z-TKF which will remain a waypoint behind at all times, however this has been advised against by BLUSTAR rescue teams - citing that the 'staggered nature' of jump waypoints is intentional in the event that anyone is left behind.

In other news, Mantis Analytics and the Internal Affairs staff wish to clarify that yesterday's unidentified transmission source was a light-hearted April Fools joke, fabricated to appear as an encrypted communication from the T.O.C. Mortal Dictata H1X-NTW carrier stationed in NLTT 19808. 

Our sincerest condolences are offered to Commanders who have decrypted the communication.

6: The Silence of The Enemy

The Solaris Peacekeepers, an elite regiment of squadron security personnel, have issued a statement questioning the silence of an unknown enemy faced by the squadron in recent months. 

While TRIP Omega continues smoothly, concerns of hostile third-party interference or attacks disrupting the expedition trip have brought uncertainty within the squadron, despite only facing one disruption that was said to have been countered swiftly. 

No further strikes against the squadron have occurred since, which has been noted as a peculiarity by squadron authority.

Chief Peacekeeper Jaiden Stafford issued the statement below to Commanders specifically.

"Commanders. While the TRIP Omega expedition continues without interruption, the Peacekeepers have been working extremely hard in the background to identify the threat to the squadron that we believe we still face." 

"However, our investigations into this have encountered numerous dead-ends and cold trails, with no conclusive evidence obtained thus far. We know that, based off recovered data, that our enemy only identifies as 'Syn', which confirms that this is no longer the Crimson Venators we have dealt with in the past."

"Likewise, no signs of the Venators have been reported recently at all. Whether or not this is related is unclear, but many ends remain untied. Namely, what happened to the datapad stolen by the Venators, which may contain data regarding a deadly secret within the Federation? Our attempts to locate and retrieve it have unfortunately failed since, but we have seen no repercussions of the data being potentially used either."

"What is even more peculiar is the silence of our enemy. While I am always confident in the squadron's ability to defend itself and persevere, the latest cyberattacks carried out by the enemy have, at least on one occasion, brought the squadron down to its knees once again."

"While no permanent damage has been done, the enemy seem to abstain from performing decisive strikes against the squadron at its most vulnerable points, and have now gone completely silent. The question is; why?"

"What might be the play of our mutual threat? Is it possible that we came close to a critical discovery, forcing them into hiding? Or, is this enemy simply waiting for the right opportunity, where it may be exploited to its fullest extent? Time will tell, but unfortunately we cannot fight an enemy we know nothing about, and it would seem they are very good at keeping themselves unknown." 

"We continue to ask Commanders to remain extremely vigilant on our journey, as we cannot afford to let our guard down, not for a second. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance, as always."

In related news, TRIP Omega continues without major complications, with maintenance teams reporting that the Solaris 'performs its duty flawlessly'. All new services and improvements to the carrier have integrated seamlessly with squadron operations, and continue to provide a safety net for exploring Commanders. 

An additional reminder has been issued that, as the carrier travels further into deep-space, Commanders must ensure they remain securely docked to the Solaris or Monty Burns at all times, prior to any jump times.

16: Crew Disturbances Reported Aboard The Solaris

Over the last two weeks, the Solaris and its crew have undertaken a vast journey to Colonia, maintaining and powering the flagship vessel across thousands of light-years. 

With only approximately 6,000ly left remaining between Colonia and the Solaris' current position, the crew and the carrier itself have both been put to the test as the various hazards of space take their toll.

However, while the Solaris remains fully secure and in perfect condition, BLUSTAR Operations has issued a medical report noting strange, minor disturbances reported or noticed among the crew. A summary of the detailed report can be read below.

"During the Solaris' travel following the Phase 3 route on TRIP Omega, multiple inconsistent disturbances have been noticed among the crew. At BLUSTAR, we prioritize the safety of the crew, as well as their physical and mental health."

"Space travel can be particularly taxing overall. Space madness is a potential, serious condition worth considering, however the crew aboard the Solaris are very frequently exposed to social interactions, and have the freedom to roam the massive carrier."

"On top of that, an array of high-powered communication antennas ensure that the crew have a constant connection to galactic news, and the ability to speak and interact with their families if need be."

"However, despite these several amenities, we have noticed odd disruptions among the crew. While minor in nature, the inconsistency with expected behaviour is notable. In some cases, certain crew have failed to perform regular tasks that they are usually familiar and disciplined with." 

"In other cases, crew have broke out into random, senseless arguments that cease immediately after several minutes. In about three cases, severe disruptions like crew refusing to respond or acknowledge the presence of other personnel have occurred, immediately resolving minutes later."

"While one could attribute this to the crew taking their first trip to this scale a bit too 'lax', we cannot help but be reminded of spontaneous, unreasonable protests in the past, or various incidents of similar nature within the squadron." 

"No medical examinations or discussions with the crew have yielded any insight as to what might be happening. In all cases, the crew either dismiss their behaviour or simply don't remember."

"For the time being, BLUSTAR will be placing stringent regulations and screening on the consumption of certain foods and beverages aboard the Solaris, in order to begin isolating specific areas."