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MELBOURNE - Over the last year, Natio Octavarium has gone from being a nation without a home, barely 30,000 refugees crammed into anything that can fly, to being well established as a growing, influential player in the Tau Region. After we were invited to share Tau-44 with the Crayter Republic, Melbourne Station was constructed to serve as the headquarters of the Octavarium Government and the Fourth Octavarium Fleet. Though modest, Melbourne was the first permanent structure established by our government, and signaled that our long journey was finally over. We were home.

With our government, military, and our increasing civilian population all now firmly established on Canberra Star City, the Octavarium Government has made the decision to decommission Melbourne Station. Government officials cited the location's waning strategic importance and the increased expense of resupply due to the recent shifting of the jump hole network as the primary factors behind this decision. Over the last week, non-essential personnel have been rotated off station and critical supplies and equipment have been moved to Canberra. Demolition crews are expected to begin dismantling the station soon.

Melbourne's once bustling corridors are now quiet, much of what made it special now gone. Even in the quiet, however, you can still feel echoes of the life this station once held. Though the station will be gone soon, it will forever hold a place in our history as the place where our wandering ended, and our new lives began.

GRAN CANARIA - The Omega-49 system, normally a peaceful place were people from all over can find neutral ground, has been in an uproar in recent weeks. The Bretonian Armed Forces recently relocated the aging HMS Stirling away from the Gallic lines and into Omega-49. Opinions are divided on what this move, ostensibly in violation of treaty, will mean for the future of the system.

Many are convinced that the Stirling's presence is the herald of a full-scale Bretonian invasion and annexation of the system. Others feel that the ship might be there to put pressure on the Zoners in advance of next year's scheduled renewal of the Port Jackson Accords.

The Bretonian Government insists that the ship is there merely to secure Bretonian citizens against Corsair attacks, alleging that local Zoners are not doing enough to maintain the system's neutrality. Frederick Stewart, Bretonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs explained "It is the Government's intention to ensure the safety of Bretonian Citizens within Omega-49 and to ensure the system is adequately guarded from Corsair forces who frequent the system." Admiral Dagon of the Stirling was unavailable for comment.

I had an opportunity to speak with Premier Selim of the Coalition People's Republic, who would only go on the record to state "The People's Republic will be securing its interests."

High officials and Heads of State weren't the only people I had opportunity to speak with. I met a Zoner pilot in command of OSI-Rob's.Repairship, who asked to be called Von. He shared his thoughts with me, though made it clear that he was not speaking officially on behalf of Omicron Supply Industries. When asked his opinion on the situation, he said "not much of a situation to speak of, lots of posturing, not a whole lot of action." I then asked him if he was at all concerned. He told me "Of the Brits? Not really, if anything I'm worried about elements within our own groups going off the deep end and doing something drastic."

Of course, not everyone agrees with him. Many civilians are convinced an invasion is coming and are looking to get off world before it does. Organizations and nations from all over Sirius, including Natio Octavarium, have pledged their assistance.

Taskmaster Harold Kane of the Ministry of Relations went on the record to state, "The Natio expresses its deepest sympathies to the people of Omega-49 who are evacuating the system, as the situation mirrors that which we ourselves faced some four years ago. The Natio is prepared at this time to take in and give citizenship to ten thousand refugees from Omega-49, with potentially more on the horizon as we continue to assess the situation and our capacity for further expansion of the population."

Though there seem to be as many opinions as there are people involved, one thing is certain. This is a tense situation that will not be over quickly. We will continue to follow this story as it develops.

GRAN CANARIA - At approximately 1300 Sirius Standard Time on December 16th, the Zoner Consensus announced via sector-wide broadwave that Tombstone Estate, the home of prominent Zoner physician Dr. John Henry Holliday, had been destroyed by parties unknown in a nuclear explosion. According to the Bretonian Armed Forces, 150,000 sq. km. of Gran Canaria's surface has been affected, a number that would've been far worse had a shield at the estate not partially contained the explosion. Information from the Confederation of Freeports puts the affected area at a much lower 12,000 sq. km. Neither Professor William Mortimer of Cambridge University, who was reportedly on site to meet with Dr. Holliday, nor Dr. Holliday himself have been heard from since the event. Their status at the time of this writing is unclear.

The official story from Dr. Alessa Samson of the Zoner Consensus, who has claimed to be speaking on Dr. Holliday's behalf, was that Dr. Samson, Dr. Holliday, and his daughter Emiko were away from the Estate on Dr. Holliday's private ocean yacht when the explosion occurred. She reports that Professor Mortimer's shuttle left the estate two minutes before the explosion, despite reports that the Professor never returned from his meeting. She also reports the presence of a Corsair freighter piloted by Julio James Cortez at the estate at the time of the event. Dr. Samson has stated that Professor Mortimer or Mr. Cortez are the prime suspects at this time.

Outside investigations, however, have cast doubt on the official story. According to Megan Joy of OSI, the evidence provided by Dr. Samson is "not pristine". She has stated that the incident is more in line with other incidents of "scorched earth" being carried out by evacuating Zoners across the planet, destroying facilities and infrastructure ahead of an expected Bretonian invasion. If true, this would be the largest such incident to date.

Admiral Kaze Dagon of the Bretonian Armed Forces, commanding officer of the HMS Stirling, has confirmed the material facts of the incident, but has had little more official information to share as the BAF's investigation is still ongoing. She did confirm that the city of Port Jackson, Bretonia's colony on Gran Canaria, was placed on lockdown after the incident and that she has dispatched additional military personnel to assist with security and relief efforts. Admiral Dagon did share some speculation, stating that it was unlikely that the Corsairs were involved. She cited a lack of concrete evidence of the Corsair's presence and Dr. Holliday's past support for the Corsairs.

A source within the Octavarium Intelligence Commission has reported that the OIC's analysis was that an assassination attempt is not a likely explanation for the event. As evidence, the OIC has cited the presence of a shield generator hardened to resist a nuclear initiation and designed to contain the explosion to the Estate grounds, which is something a normal orbital defense shield is not capable of. The OIC has concluded that such a thorough destruction of the estate was done to dispose of evidence of some other activity.

An answer to what actually happened that day at Tombstone Estate may never come, but what is certain is that we do not have the entire story. A lot of unanswered questions remain, and an already tense situation is that much closer to unraveling entirely. We will continue following this story as new developments come to light.

UPDATE: The article has been updated to include information from the Confederation of Freeports on the total area affected by nuclear fallout.

CANBERRA STAR CITY - The results of the historic first elections for the Octavarium Senate are in and the official results have been released.

Coming in first with 64% of the vote is Natio Octavarium United (NO-U). They will receive ten of the Senate's 16 seats, granting them an absolute majority and the right to form a Government. NO-U leader John Riley will receive the Consul's chair and will appoint a new Cabinet in the coming days. His leadership during the crisis after the loss of the previous Government was the key deciding factor for many voters. The NO-U platform promising closer ties and increased commerce with the Crayter Republic, the continued expansion of Octavarium territory and population, and continued resistance against Gallic expansion into the Taus resonated with others.

Taking second place is the Octavarium Independence Party (OIP) with 33% of the vote. They will receive five seats in the Senate and will lead the Loyal Opposition. The party's platform of independence from the Crayter Republic and sovereignty over the entire Tau-44 system, restricted immigration from the major Houses, and neutrality in the conflicts in the Tau Region, including the Gallic War, found fertile ground among a vocal minority of the Natio's population, but failed to expand beyond that base.

In last place is the Orange Dream Party with 3% of the vote. The fringe party ran on a platform of full integration with the Maltese Nation, and failed to find much support with the electorate. Nonetheless, they will receive one seat in the Senate, granting them a platform where they hope to sway others to their side in future elections.

CANBERRA STAR CITY - Earlier today, the Octavarium Government officially announced the return of former Minister of Intelligence Victor Delacroix and former Fleet Taskmaster Rodney Miller.

Government officials stated that Mr. Delacroix was onboard one of the OES Redshift's escort vessels during the ill-fated jump-drive demonstration rather than on board the Redshift as previously thought. Mr. Delacroix's ship was separated from the Redshift and the other escort ships during the jump malfunction, and appeared in Omega-41. Mr. Delacroix was able to make it to Gran Canaria (Sydney), but was hospitalized for severe radiation poisoning after prolonged exposure due to conducting an extensive search of the Omega-41 system. After examination by medical staff at Canberra Hospital, Mr. Delacroix was confirmed to have made a complete recovery from his ordeal. Consul John Riley convened a special session of the Senate earlier today to nominate Mr. Delacroix to his previous post of Minister of Intelligence. The nomination was confirmed in a rare unanimous vote of all sixteen Senators. Minister Daniel Keighley, at his own request, will return to duty with the Fourth Octavarium Fleet. In an official statement, Mr. Delacroix stated that the Octavarium Intelligence Commission would be dedicating all of its resources to locating the Redshift and the rest of the Lost.

Rodney Miller, formerly Taskmaster of the Fleet's Away Division, also returned to us this week. He had been reported missing in action shortly before the disappearance of the Redshift. Upon his return, Mr. Miller reported that he had been captured by the Gallic Royal Navy and was held in a makeshift POW camp. He was eventually able to effect an escape and was picked up by the Liberty Navy and transported to a refugee camp on California Minor. Once Mr. Miller was able to leave California Minor, he returned directly to Canberra. Once Mr. Miller is cleared to return to duty, he will be assigned to the fleet at the rank of Commander. Mr. Miller has chosen to take a demotion to preserve the current chain-of-command. Fleet officials stated that Mr. Miller will still be paid a Taskmaster's salary, however.

The return of two of our missing people has buoyed the spirits of everyone on Canberra, and brought new hope that the rest of The Lost will soon return home safely. Canberra News will continue to follow this story as it develops.