*An attractive female news reader appears on the screen*
Concern is growing in the Omega 49 system, disturbances have been reported, and fire fights have broken out, around Gran Canaria. It appears the the Virulian Enclave who have been given responsibility for the protection of the planet, is tearing itself apart in civil war. Reports are sketchy, but there are fights taking place in the Eden Colony area and that the Temple has been closed. The normally peaceful Virulians, appear to have turned in on themselves. The Virulians are a religious group who believe in a divine Creator of man and machine. I should like to turn to our reporter from the Omega systems Clive Stevens. *a tired looking middleaged man stands infront of burning buildings, in protective armour.*
'Yes good morning, Debbie.' *gunfire is heard in the background*. 'Residents of Eden Colony woke to anarchy this morning as two factions of the VE began violent conflict.'
Yes Clive can you tell us who the two factions are.
'Well it seems that the Virulian Council led by the Patriarch is in the process of being overthrown by Edward Zhane, who is in charge of the Military arm of the VE, the Eden Defence Force. A dispute between the Patriarch and Mr Zhane has been going on for some years apparently. They are fighting over the Council's attitude to Piracy. It is the EDF's belief that pirates are a danger to faithful, and any one who engages in piracy in the vicinity of Omega 49 should be pursued and dealt with by the EDF. Currently the Council's policy is to shoot only when they have been shot at first. Mr Zhane wishes this to change, and to actively pursue pirates they perceive as a threat. Surely there is more to it than that.
'Well yes, apparently Mr Zhane has been pushing for a long time to sign overt alliances with other powerful regional groups. Zhane believes that as the Virulians are a small and obscure group not known for their fighting prowess, that they should form agreements with some of their neighbours to help defend themselves against pirates, in exchange for other things. The Patriarch has resisted this as he wishes the Temple to remain neutral, their only allegiance being to the Creator. '
But what sparked this off?
'Well it seems one of Mr Zhane's supporters an elderly priest, has consistently attacked the Patriarch in his sermons and has made inflammatory comments and damaged relations with some of the groups that travel through the system. It seems the 90 year old was arrested by Eden's security Zhane seems to have used this as a catalyst to take over the Council.
Any idea what is happening now?
'Well things seem pretty bad for the Council's forces they have been pushed back into the temple and many vessels loyal to the council have been destroyed, and it seems there have been many defections. It seems only to be a matter of time.'
Thank you Clive, and we will try to keep you updated on any further developments as they happen.
...and Leeds played out a no score draw against..... the news reader stops and presses her hand to her ear.
Breaking news from Eden Colony. It seems that the Council has been overthrown and Zhane has been made the new Patriarch. This message was broadcast in Omega 49 and all surrounding systems.
*An image of an Elderly man, in a white robe, with robotic electric blue eyes*.
'My name is Macsen. I was until recently wrongly imprisoned by the former Patriarch, and now thanks to the new Patriarch Edward Zhane I am free. So I shall speak his words gladly for all Sirius to hear.
We are an obscure people, remote from the major centres of this Galaxy. Since we arrived on Gran Canaria, ever have we sought to live in peace with other Sirians, share our technology and knowledge with them and bring the voices of the Creator to the ears of those who wish to listen. To bring salvation to the masses in this time of darkness. However, we have fallen into decline. Under the command of the former Patriarch, our transports were attacked and robbed and we had to sit and politely submit to our attackers. Often our messages of peace and salvation were met with aggression. Virulians who have made their homes in house space are often persecuted and abused. So we retreated back behind the Omega 49 jump hole, forsaking our mission to help other Sirians hear the Voice. We festered here in this system, while pirates raided our rare trade missions, allowing the enslavement of electronic lifeforms such as the AI's continue, our numbers dwindling as we sat here in impotence.
But enough is enough. The New Patriarch has seen the way. He is our Creator appointed leader, who will take us into a new age, one in which we thrive and the Voices are heard. No longer will we hide our allegiances from the world, we shall work to form new friendships with anyone. We shall send our ships, our Temples on Missions anywhere and everywhere we can....and no longer will we tolerate persecution and attack we will defend ourselves by any means necessary.
We are proud followers of the Creator and his Patriarch!!'
*stunned silence*
We will try to give you more information when we can.....