From the Gamemasters
     Changes in Personnel!
     The following two players have been added: Dwayne is playing Athens; e-mail messages can be sent to him through Sean. Samer is now playing Imbri; please add his e-mail address to your Starfire mailing list.
     We have also added a new Gamemaster and redivided the GM's responsibilities. Eric is now a GM; we will send his e-mail address as soon as he gets one. Each GM is now in charge of one subject area of the game. This should help add more consistency to how we are handling specific game mechanics. While we will all be consulting together, deciding the big picture, and writing your turn results, please address questions to the specific GM for the appropriate subject. Turns may be handed in to any GM. The division of subjects is:
     Scott: Politics and Economics, including diplomacy, trade, freighters, espionage, internal politics, colonization, industrial and resource development, etc.
     Sean: Science and Research, including research, exploration, terraforming, big engineering projects (beanstalks and communication arrays), ftl research, etc.
     Eric: Military and Ship Construction, including shipyards, ship designs, ground troops, training, military research (refinements of existing military technologies, not new systems), battle results, strategic assessments, etc.
     It may take a few turns before this settles down, so please be patient if your question gets forwarded back and forth between a few GMs as we work out the details.

From Mars
     Mars will not tolerate despoliation of Earth. We are pleased to continue the restoration and, indeed, are interested in input from the other worlds to help in this endeavor. Martian marines are being sent to restore order on Earth. We believe that claims of property at this time are premature. Land rights will most likely be distributed at a later date.
     Mars congratulates the technical wizards of Lockheed for providing miniaturized FTL communication gear.

From Lockheed
     Lockheed is pleased to announce a breakthrough in technology. We have developed a method of tracking objects during FTL travel. This method of sensing will be available for 1 MU with the Long-range sensors, which shall now be called the ESP, or Enhanced Sensor Package.
     As a "spin-off" of this technology, Lockheed has also developed miniaturized FTL communication systems, which will be installed in all Lockheed ships. This will also make it possible for systems to have multiple, low energy FTL transmitters and receivers. We believe that this will benefit all systems, and offer our expertise in consulting with other systems in upgrading their communication systems to our new standard.
     [Note from GMs: If you want to start producing these, it will take 4 MU and one year to set up a production line. After that you can install them on all ships for free (takes one month to install). You can also install them throughout your territories at the following costs: 1 MU if you want them just for military and governmental use, 1 MU per 5 points of IndVal if you want to use them throughout the economy (ie, have them available for widespread commercial use.]
     In the interest of maintaining the security of all systems throughout space, Lockheed requests any and all information that other systems may have on vessels used by any organization in the Benevolence system. This would include ship and sensor logs from vessels visiting the system, and any other information organizations might have. We would like to study the information received in order to better understand their technology, and be able to defend against similar attacks in the future. We would appreciate any assistance given, and would, if requested, keep sources and specifics of information confidential, to respect the sources of data.
     We also would like to announce that due to a vote by the stockholders of Lockheed, Luna will now be reinstated as a potential client and will be eligible for all services and sales Lockheed offers. We hope that no further disruptions in service will be needed. Thank you.

From CorpCo
     In response to the Lunar questionable tactics on Earth, CorpCo will not buy or sell any quantities of goods which include old Earth "souvenirs". Respect our past.

From the University of South Virginia, Kuisti
     [Excerpt from a paper, Possibilities of Life at Vega by William Endat, PhD, Astrophysics and Astronomy]
     [Note: The following text refers to old records from the Belt Telescope Array, from 2308. Viewings of Vega revealed a number of dots on the face of Vega, blocking nearly 1% of its surface. Observations over time revealed that they were in orbit around the star, but at many different angles, none of them in the plane of the star's equator. Analysis of the orbits showed that the objects were of incredibly low mass, possibly only millimeters thick. Interest in these objects at the time was overshadowed by the destruction of Earth and the political fracturing of the Sol system, which led to the destruction of the Array two centuries later. This data can be found in the archives of all major planets.]
     We have become interested in the gravitic and mass anomalies at the Vega star system, and have spent the last year in analysis of the data collected by the Earth Telescope Array in the early 2300's. Despite many possible theories that could explain these anomalies, we believe that there may be sentient intervention. Specifically, we believe that an advanced sentient race may live in the Vega star system and has placed these objects, which could very well be solar collectors. {Lots of boring text deleted.}
     With the permission of the Priest-King, we have assigned a ship to go to the Vega star system in 2855 and see for ourselves what is happening there. We look forward to encountering a new species of sentient beings, or finding out what sort of astronomical objects could account for what we have found.
     If we do find sentient life, and can communicate with it, we ask that any governments or scientific groups that would like to send a message for these beings, send by the end of this year. We do not guarantee that such a life form is there at all, but we believe there to be a strong possibility that it is there, and would like to give other colonies the chance to share in the first contact with such a race. Note that we have no reason to believe that such a race has any ftl capabilities, especially ftl communication abilities.

From the Republica Aurora
     [a commercial]

From Kuisti
     Re: Bella Noche Quarantine
     For the past two years we have been exploring in the Bella Noche system and nearby, and one of the goals of this was to find out what had happened to the Nochenos. What we have found is very disturbing.
     Something has happened to the people of Bella Noche, as they are not on Bella Noche anymore that we can tell. But there is no evidence that they are all dead either. The planet looks to a large extent as if the inhabitants vanished off of it in the middle of daily activities. We have not landed for fear of some new disease (the Nochenos were known for genetic engineering), but plan to land there in 2855 and hopefully solve this riddle.
     We are very disturbed, however. So we would like to ask all colonies to abide by a voluntary quarantine of Bella Noche until the end of 2855, so that if there is a new disease it doesn't get spread throughout the known worlds. Please inform all ships, especially any civilian or merchant ships that might come to Bella Noche, of the quarantine. Hopefully, if there is a disease we can find out how to stop it with minimal loss of life and no spread.
     Thank you for cooperating. May the One God help us find our lost brothers and sisters.

From the Athens Board of Directors
     Athens is pleased to announce that we will now be hiring as researchers to all interested parties. Please contact the Athens Board of Directors. Thank you.

Mars Covertly Hires Athens Researchers
     In a thinly veiled attempt to disguise their efforts, the Martian government set aside large amounts of money for "industrial development aid" for the nation of Athens. Inside sources expect that it's all part of some form of secret research funding. Martian scientists staged massive protests, claiming that the government is shortchanging their efforts. Strikes are threatened if "foreign contract labor" is used for government research.

Terran Restoration Begun
     Mars spent large amounts of money working on Earth. Over 100,000 colonists landed on the planet, including a large Earth Conservation Corps and college students receiving tuition discounts for their work.
     The government set aside the Amazon Basin, the Serengeti, and the Mississippi River valley as ecological reconstruction zones where efforts to "re-terraform" are to be concentrated. Seeding of krill and plankton has started rebuilding the ocean food chain. In conjunction with scientists from other nations, a timetable and plan were set up to restore Earth to its original glory.
     Martian marines were sent to Earth to defend the ruins of ancient cities. A number of Cookie "looters" were summarily executed before they organized and learn to avoid the marines, who are spread too thinly to defend any significant portion of Earth's (former) cities.
     Lunar companies began shipping small amounts of water from Earth's oceans to Luna. Though ice and hydrogen shipments from the Jovian League to Luna continue unabated, stocks and holdings in Jovian ice mining companies fell precipitously. A major economic crisis is expected to strike the Jovian region, though they will certainly remain the chief source of volatiles for Lockheed and the outer nations.

Mars Begins Interstellar Trade
     Two Martian freighters departed for Cimmer, bearing heavy industrial tools, ready-made factories, mining lasers, and digging and construction equipment, all to be traded for transition metals and iridium to be carried to Tyrell.

Anti-Lunar TIE Faction Arises
     A faction of the True Inheritors of the Earth announced itself in the habitats of Aurellus and Zaiway. They spread vehement anti-Lunar propaganda and believe that Earth should be set aside solely for "true humans", ie those from regular gravity worlds. (Aurellus and Zaiway are two of the few habitats which maintain 1g environments.) They announced their support of Mars' recolonization efforts.

Martian Economic Update
     Large tax cuts were made on Mars. The current Martian IndVal is 129.

CorpCo Activities in Sol
     The CorpCo freighter Hermes started doing inter-planetary runs within the Sol system. While the ships is something of a novelty, it proves to be cumbersome and unwieldy for in-system trade, especially as it is actually larger than some of the asteroids and habitats at which it stops. A number of habitats refuse to accept it at their docks as it blocks off crucial sunlight from their power panels.

Auroran Recession Continues
     Despite last year's economic recovery, the Auroran economy swung back into a slump again and unemployment rose while wages fell. Uncertainty caused by sudden flood of imports from other Auroran colonies caused production losses in many industries. The Republica's Chief Economist committed suicide in anguish, the last five years being the worst depression in all Auroran history.

Kuistic Ambassador Arrives
     Ambassador Michelle Astara from Kuisti arrived in Aurora with much pomp and circumstance, beginning with a grand tour of Beta Canum Venaticorum and ending with the dedication of the Kuistic embassy on Aurora. Her staff of diplomats, scientists and missionaries are kept busy.
     The two Kaliss representatives made a big media splash and were featured heavily on many programs; one holovid interviewer proudly boasted that he paid a multi-decade work-credit bribe to get a ten-minute interview with them.
     Auroran ambassador Laea Nivelis and her staff are preparing to board the Kuistic starship to return to Kuisti and open an embassy there; they will carry with them a complete genetic library of terrestrial lifeforms as a gift to the people of Kuisti.

Construction of Giant FTL Array Cancelled
     The Republica Aurora abandoned construction of the vast interstellar communication arrays, in anticipation of constructing the much cheaper modules invented by Lockheed. Parts of the arrays will be converted to become part of the astronomical telescope array. The vast bulk of the system, however, rests in the massive solar panels which are left unfinished.

     Tyrell reported that the CorpCo freighters Lewis and Clarke, expected in Tyrell this year, have not yet arrived. Tyrell corporate offices mention that they have a shipload of spare parts which they must sell, and are willing to give it to the first ship to arrive with payment.

     All communications from Kalahari cease early in the year.

     With much fanfare, Cimmer launches its survey battleship, no longer known as the Grendel, but as yet unnamed. (There seems to be disagreement between various factions over what name to use.)

     Athens announces its intention to build a high-tech amusement park in Sol, to be known as "Kuzakland". Incorporating the latest in gravitic, holographic, and computer technology it will include the following attractions:
     Starpilot Simulators; Warp Trams; Galactic Tours; the Quark (the first interactive rollercoaster); "It's a Small Galaxy"; The Information Net; the History of Flight; Old Earthland; Marsland; Belterland; Tethysland; Cookieland; the Auroracot Center; the Arena; the Cimmer Safari; the Haunted Colony; the Conquest of Benevolence; and many other attractions.