INTERSTELLAR NEWS EXCLUSIVE

Report dated: 23 December 3027

As rioting moves into its third day after last week's terrorist attack upon the upper echelons of the Tikonov Military, the Maskirovka again are sweeping the streets in an attempt to stop what is now being called the Christmas Riots.

Unconfirmed reports of mass slayings by the Maskirovka have not helped the matter any; instead, fueling the rebellious population of Ridzia and surrounding communities to new heights of violence. Irina Shishkova, de facto commander of the on-planet Tikonov Reserves, has pleaded to no avail for the citizens to put down their arms and return peacefully to their homes.

Our sources within the Reserves say that the Maskirovka are in fact running the military, with Captain Shishkova as a figurehead, and are planning a major offensive to begin on the morning of the 24th if the riots have not been quelled by the end of the day.

--Taoe Weiss, ISN Tikonov

Sweeping the streets

*click*

...has heightened tensions along the Davion-Draconis border today with the re-fortification of the planet Caph by elements of the newly rebuilt 35th Aragon Borderers. Caph, a former Terran Hegemony world, has been claimed by both the Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns since the fall of the Star League nearly three hundred years ago. While currently listed as a Davion member-world, it is uncertain whether or not Duke Aaron Sandoval will expend any real effort to protect the virtually worthless planet if the Combine presses their claim upon it.

Zooming in from the full map of the Inner Sphere we can see the area to be affected by this shift in strength. The red sections are Kuritan, blue Steiner, purple Marik, green Liao, and with yellow representing Davion held worlds. Terra is, of course, the neutrally-claimed territory of ComStar.

Only time will tell how these borders will appear in the coming months. Once again, this is Thom Glommit, reporting for the Galactic News Network, January 13th, 3028.

[music plays as screen fades to a familiar anchor desk]

Next on GNN: Daljit Deriwell reports on the mysterious decline in tourism being reported across the Successor States. Could this be a precursor of renewed hostiliti-

*click*


[Man with face darkened is being interviewed by an unseen reporter] 

Rep: I assure you sir, your identity will be kept a secret. 

Man: [voice garbling unable to hide the thick German accent] Are you 
cer-tain you are vith Starlight BroadKasting? 

Rep: Would you like to see my ID again sir, we are broadcasting live. 

Man: Very vell, vhat I have to say is unknown outside of the Palace! 

Rep: And that would be? 

Man: The Princess, Archon-Designate Melissa, she is NOT the TRUE Princess. 

Rep: What do you mean by your claim? 

Man: Das mädchen, the girl, she is an im-pos-ter! She is... 

[The scene is broken by a jostling of the camera as a door flies
open. Several shots are heard as well as the flash of multiple 
small laser weapons. The screen fades to static.] 

      Starlight Broadcasting is experiencing techni-

*click*


"Anything good?" Visp asked of Fiona as she exited the dressing room 
in her usual jumpsuit outfit. 

"The usual bloody crap tha's always on," the former-waitress responded
with her Northwind brogue.

"Any word on Pavel Ridzik?"

"The le'der of the Tikonov Commonal-ity? No, he's still presumed dead, why?"

"That's a major part of an neighboring, and enemy realm. Instability
there could lead to a war here."

"Och, ya be havin' a good point thare."

"Where's the team?" 

"Outside, waitin' fer us. They've got directions to the Darkside Tavern." 

"You think Zafir Widakas is really going to be there?" 

"We can on'ly hope. What ha' me worried is Rex." 

"Why?" 

"You seen how he's taken a likin' ta the lassie JC?" 

"Yeah..." 

"Just what do Odessan Raxxes eat anyway?..."

"You really don't want to know."

"Aye, I'll agree wit ya' on tha' one mos' likely."

"So what happens when we find Zaffir?"

"We be all polite like an' try ta convince him ta' join our wee little cause.
He is tha' on-ly one tha' knows where this Package went, without him we're 
proverbally bent over the table if ya' be knowin' what I mean there."

"Aye," replied Visp. I've really got to get away from this cultural group...

"We then report back ta' Mister Sando-val and go tha' hell home."

"Really think it'll be that easy?" Visp asked, receiving only silence in responce,
"I didn't think so..."

"Le's get this ov-er wit," said Fionna quietly, heading out the door to 
the waiting team beyond.

Visp packed up her bag and followed shortly after, quoting a popular
entertainment vid from her youth, "We're all gonna die..."

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