For Immediate Release
10 June 2010



WASHINGTON DC - Over the past several days, the Aschen Confederation's Ministry of Law and the United States Magical Enforcement Agency have been embroiled in disagreement over the charges pending against MEA Special Agent in Charge Cameron FIELDS, accused of being an unlawful member of the criminal Orsa of Terminus organization, and currently in LDA custody in the Aschen Confederation.

At the same time, the Aschen Confederation and the United States have been working in concert to act against the Orsa of Terminus, most recently with the incident of the rogue Aiyanna-A android, originally created by Graystone Industries. The FBI kindly lent the services of Supervisory Special Agent Natalie E. SCHULTZ to Graystone Industries and the Aschen government in order to incapacitate Aiyanna-A. Following the successful takeover of Aiyanna-A's base ships, allegedly used to 'assimilate' beings by removing their organs and limbs to replace them with mechanical prosthetics, Agent SCHULTZ was detained by the LDA.

The Aschen Ministry of Law announced the detention of Agent SCHULTZ in a press release disseminated yesterday. Agent SCHULTZ, a well-respected counterterrorism operative, has been instrumental in investigating and combating sleeper cells associated with terrorist grops including Al Qaeda, Hataf, and the Earth Liberation Front. Agent SCHULTZ's work has led to the convictions of nearly two dozen Hataf terrorists whose self-proclaimed mission is to bring about the end of all time through violent means. Agent SCHULTZ is respected within the Bureau for her linguistic abilities and ability to process enormous volumes of information in the course of an ongoing investigation.

First hired in 1995, Agent SCHULTZ has worked in organized crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, and counterterrorism. Agent SCHULTZ has worked with the CIA, the Armed Forces, the NSA, and the Joint Counterterrorism Task Force, to which she is permanently attached. Agent SCHULTZ is the lead agent on the Tahira Ali task force, whose primary purpose is the ongoing investigation into the activities of convicted terrorist Tahira ALI and her organization, Hataf. Agent SCHULTZ is one of the Bureau's primary assets in the War on Terror. If the Aschen continue to detain her without cause, they will be indirectly inhibiting the abilities of the Bureau to carry out its stated mission.

Furthermore, Agent SCHULTZ's family has come forward, asking the Aschen Confederation to repatriate Agent SCHULTZ on compassionate grounds. Her mother, Dr. Mara SCHULTZ, a professor of Modern Languages and Literature at Harvard University, has issued a statement to the Bureau disclosing that Agent SCHULTZ suffers from a debilitating combination of obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, and Asperger's Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. Individuals on the autism spectrum tend to rely on routine and predictability as stabilizing factors to alleviate high levels of anxiety associated with change and randomness. They have great difficulties adapting to change, and may be overloaded with sensory stimuli and anxiety when confronted with stressful changes.

Agent SCHULTZ was sent to Caprica City with little warning and no foreknowledge of the circumstances under which she was being temporarily reassigned to Graystone Industries. Not being permitted to leave, and being detained for reasons not pertaining to her own actions, Agent SCHULTZ may be in severe psychological trauma, and in danger of an adverse psychological reaction to these sudden developments resulting in her detention. The sooner Agent SCHULTZ is repatriated, the higher the probability that she will recover psychologically and return to her duties within the Bureau.

The FBI is committed to the wellbeing of its agents, and is asking the Aschen government to release Agent SCHULTZ from detention so that negotiations may proceed in the FIELDS case. The FBI is not involved in the ongoing investigation of Agent FIELDS, and only wishes to see Agent SCHULTZ safely home.

For Immediate Release
20 June 2010



WING CITY - Two weeks ago, Special Agent in Charge Cameron FIELDS of the MEA's Wing City Field Office was arrested by the Aschen Langaran Defense Agency as an alleged member of the designated unlawful "Orsa of Terminus" organization. Transferred to American custody, FIELDS has been extradited to the United States, and is facing a grand jury indictment of Conspiracy, Terrorism, Attempted Murder, Unlawful Fraternization with a Criminal Organization, and Proving Material Aid to a Criminal Organization.

MEA Special Agent Karen L. TORGESEN was the lead investigator assigned to Agent FIELDS's case in response to the LDA arrest. As a result of the findings of the criminal investigation, the MEA has removed Agent FIELDS from official duties without pay. The results of a separate Internal Affairs investigation are being prepared for a formal report, which could result in Agent FIELDS's permanent termination from all duties.

In the wake of Agent FIELDS's absence, Deputy Director Lisa SHEAHAN has appointed Assistant Special Agent in Charge Amira QAHTANI as Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Wing City Field Office, pending a permanent appointee. The U.S. Attorney responsible for Wing City and its district, Oluwadara UGOCHUKWU, has assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney Ndidi UMENYIORA to Agent FIELDS's case, with a preliminary reading of the charges scheduled for tomorrow morning at the Wing City Courthouse.

If convicted, Agent FIELDS faces a maximum punishment of the death penalty. At this time, it is unknown whether he has procured legal counsel. Director Ayasha ZIEDINS is unavailable for comment. Any comments may be directed to the Press Office of the MEA Wing City Field Office.

For Immediate Release
20 June 2010



WASHINGTON DC - Due to the international nature of the charges pending against MEA Special Agent in Charge Cameron FIELDS, accused of being an unlawful member of the terrorist Orsa of Terminus organization, disagreement between the United States and the Aschen Confederation resulted in a press release from the Aschen Ministry of Law announcing the detention of FBI Supervisory Special Agent Natalie E. SCHULTZ eleven days ago by the LDA.

Agent SCHULTZ, a well-respected counterterrorism operative, has been instrumental in investigating and combating sleeper cells associated with terrorist grops including Al Qaeda, Hataf, and the Earth Liberation Front. First hired in 1995, Agent SCHULTZ has worked in organized crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, and counterterrorism. Agent SCHULTZ has worked with the CIA, the Armed Forces, the NSA, and the Joint Counterterrorism Task Force, to which she is permanently attached. Agent SCHULTZ is the lead agent on the Tahira Ali task force, whose primary purpose is the ongoing investigation into the activities of convicted terrorist Tahira ALI and her organization, Hataf.

After a lengthy debriefing, Agent SCHULTZ has disclosed that she was detained in a Sanitarium, or mental institution, following her detention by the LDA. Now home again, Agent SCHULTZ has insisted on returning immediately to her duties, resuming where she left off before being sent to Caprica City. Her supervisor, Assistant Director of the National Security Branch, Emma LANDERS, has expressed deep gratitude to the Ministry of Law for deciding to return Agent SCHULTZ home. The FBI wishes to welcome Agent SCHULTZ to her home and her family, and looks forward to future successful cases.

For Immediate Release
23 June 2010



WING CITY - Last month, MEA Director Ayasha ZIEDINS was visiting local Wing City attraction Gambit's Bar when she was attacked by local Drakus FLAVAAR, who kidnapped the Director, allegedly in connection with ongoing tensions between the Orsa of Terminus organization and the Patronus Guardians. Director ZIEDINS stated that she was held for several days against her will in FLAVAAR's home several hours outside Wing City, in a makeshift prison in a basement. "I was to be held ransom in exchange for artefacts," Director ZIEDINS said. "I was a hostage, and that is how FLAVAAR referred to me."

After escaping, with the assistance of an unnamed associate, Director ZIEDINS visited the Aschen Confederation regarding Special Agent in Charge Cameron FIELDS of the Wing City MEA Field Office, who was recently returned to American custody to face various terrorism related charges. Director ZIEDINS was incommunicado until a few days ago, when she returned to the United States to announce the MEA's search for Drakus FLAVAAR.

Drakus FLAVAAR is described as a tall white male of athletic build with black hair and dark eyes, who wears a white glove over a disfigured left hand. FLAVAAR wears a long white sleeve shirt, black button up vest with gold buttons, black pants, and black shoes. He has a belt and sheaths for a number of throwing knives, two swords and a cloak. FLAVAAR is considered armed and extremely dangerous, as well as proficient with magic. The MEA is currently offering a $250,000 reward for information leading directly to the apprehension of FLAVAAR. If you have any information about FLAVAAR, please contact your local MEA field office immediately.

Any comments may be directed to the Press Office of the MEA Wing City Field Office.

Caprica Prefecture due for Census:

You've seen the ads on the MAGLEV. You've watched the PSAs on CAP TV. Yes, that's right, the Caprica Census is coming! In just a few short months, you'll be asked by the Office of Statistics to complete a short questionnaire that will help the prefecture determine how to allocate future budgetary funds to better support the colony's infrastructure based on population.

As you may recall, the last census of Caprica was taken 10 years ago and a lot has changed since then. Among the standard questions on the upcoming census (e.g. number of members in household, ages, planet/prefecture of origin, etc.) expect to see some new questions that reflect a more modern Aschen society:

- Vehicles per household?
- Members of household in group marriage?
- Computers per household?

Also available for the first time is the ability to fill out a census form electronically. If you've registered your laptop ISP address with the Office of Records in the last year, you may be eligible for an e-census form. This method of electronic data collection will yield a more streamlined process and allow information to be aggregated more quickly. Though some worry about the e-census system being hacked, the Office of Records has taken great measures to prevent such an attack. They have teamed up with the Vergis Corporation's Systems Security Division to ensure a safe and reliable system. Despite such conveniences, most Capricans we interviewed for this story said they'd be sticking with the paper census again this year.

So expect to see census workers out in force this summer. Now, get ready to be counted! '

---

STOP THE SAGITTARON STEREOTYPES!

I was watching Young People Going Out with Each Other the other night and, in a remarkable twist on the show's usual theme, there was a character that turned down a woman's invitation to go back to her apartment after meeting at a dance club. "What are you, a Sagittaron?" she asks, mocking his decision to remain sexually abstinent.

I was watching Sketch Comedy Friday the other night and there was a skit where a hospital was taken over by a Sagittaron doctor, who banned all modern medicine and demanded patients only be administered herbal remedies and faith healing. Everyone in the hospital started dying from their sicknesses and injuries, and when the staff pleaded with the doctor to allow them to reinstate their usual health procedures, he refused, saying, "It is the Sagittaron Way."

I caught an old horror movie called Terror in Tawa in which a young Sagittaron girl becomes pregnant out of wedlock and gets an abortion. Everyone on her block finds out and they proceed to subject her to horrific physical and emotional tortures before burning her to death in front of a temple in the center of town as "a warning to others."

I have many more examples, but do I really need to go on?

Yes, stereotypes usually exist because they are based on some kind of truth. But they also exist because it is easier to simplify something you don't understand rather than try to truly be educated about it. Stereotypes are based on ignorance, and fear, and laziness. The Caprican entertainment industry chooses to see Sagittarons as pedantic religious zealots hopelessly behind the times, and from that point of view they are able to conjure endless sources of humiliation disguised as comic relief.

What they base their material on is certainly founded in some sort of reality. But it is far, far from the complete picture.

In short, I'm sick of the Sagittaron stereotypes in movies and on TV. By humiliating us for the sake of a laugh, the entertainment industry is only spreading its offensive ignorance and fear to its audience.

For shame!

---

Where to Eat & Drink
Holo Cafe
An entire virtual world waits behind these doors.

Comfy sofas, tasty food and easy access to cyber land--
this is not your parent's café. With multiport access and unlimited bandwidth,
if you're thirsting for a force greater than caffeine, the Holo-band Café is the place to be.

Connie's Place restaurant

It's classic Tauron fare all the way at Connie's Place.
With its no frills atmosphere and that great home cooked feel,
head to over Connies in Little Tauron - and tell them The Caprican sent you!
Gemenese Street Vendors

Don't pass up an opportunity to hit up the food carts on the street corners of Caprica City.
Here, you'll find authentic street food from the Confederation. Our favorite,
by far, are the Gemenon carts. We're especially partial to those Gemenese noodles! Yum.

TAHIRA ALI PAROLLED BY MINISTRY OF LAW


SAGITTARON - In a stunning announcement by the Aschen Ministry of Law the other night, Tahira Ali was paroled the other week. The Langaran Defense Agency has issued a full parole of Tahira Ali, and an invocation of full citizenship after sources say she converted to Kobollianism the other day.

The Americans seem to hold this parole in not very high regard, but the law stands firm. Tahira has been granted citizenship, given treatments as part of her citizenship, and allowed to go free. We'll see how the rest of the galaxy reacts to this, and hopefully Tahira won't let us all down.

For Immediate Release
27 June 2010



WASHINGTON DC - Sunday afternoon, a man sought for disorderly conduct under suspicion of activity threatening national security fled when FBI agents approached to apprehend him. Fleeing on foot down Pennsylvania Avenue, Admiral Raphael E. McGREGOR, a native of Sagittaria, drew a Fuel Rod weapon and fired several times at pursuing FBI agents and civilians in the area, resulting in the deaths of Special Agent Shannon BOHJALIAN, Bethesda native Marilyn PORTER, and her two daughters, Ophelia KINGSTON and Clarice KINGSTON. It is reported that PORTER was seven months pregnant at the time of death.

McGREGOR continued to flee in a motor vehicle with accomplices down the interstate, blowing through a roadblock, heading towards Jug Bay Wetlands and the Black Water Creek, where he headed for a cave. When agents continued to pursue McGREGOR, he shot down a helicopter after being asked several times to surrender peacefully. Special Agents Amanda VALDEZ, Karim UMARI, Haris FLETCHER, Julian ROBERTS, Ustaj SAMEEN, Neil UNGUDMAN, Gerald BOVIENNEAUX, Taylor GOLDBERG, and Alex WILLIAMS died in the explosion. McGREGOR's actions also resulted in the wounding of over thirteen civilians and nineteen government personnel.

Earlier in the day, McGREGOR was stopped and questioned by US Secret Service Special Agent Alexandra PATTERSON for suspicious behavior on the lawn of the White House. According to Agent PATTERSON, McGREGOR allegedly verbally abused both her and the American government and defaced an American flag before leaving. After leaving the White House, McGREGOR entered the FBI J. Edgar Hoover Building, requesting to visit Supervisory Special Agent Natalie E. SCHULTZ. According to Special Agent Alec ROBISON, McGREGOR allegedly entered the counterterrorism department in an ostentatious, brazenly rude manner, spewing insults and racial epithets. Safwan QASIM, Director of the National Security Division, commented, "Admiral McGREGOR verbally mocked Agent SCHULTZ when he spoke to her, treating her as if she were the class outcast in a middle school playground. It was unacceptable behavior." These incidents led to an exhortation to detain McGREGOR for disorderly conduct.

"This man came to America to taunt our government and our country, but his mischievous, if somewhat misguided, intentions transformed into a sickening trail of destructive behavior," commented US Attorney Evan S. DRUMMOND of the District of Washington DC, "which has ruined the lives of thirteen individuals and affected their families and friends. No matter what else he is, or what else he has done, he is a murderer, and he will be brought to justice."

"The Aschen Confederation has revoked Admiral McGREGOR's Article Five rights, permitting us to seek and apprehend him," FBI Director Robert EDWARDS said. "Currently, he is being charged with resisting arrest, reckless endangerment, and thirteen counts of first degree murder." If convicted, McGREGOR faces a maximum sentence of the death penalty. A formal indictment was returned late this afternoon from a sitting grand jury convened in media res.

The FBI's Public Affairs office further announced that with the removal of Tahira ALI from the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program, Raphael McGREGOR will be added to the list, which was created in the 1960s by then Director J. Edgar HOOVER to provide an avenue for greater publicity of the most dangerous fugitives sought by the Bureau in order to increase the changes of public assistance in bringing them to justice. The reward being offered for information leading directly to McGREGOR's apprehension is $10,000,000 USD.

Raphael McGREGOR is described as a tall man with pale blond hair, a pale complexion, and blue eyes. He carries a Sagittaria driver's license and prefectural ID, as well as an Aschen High Space Command ID. Raphael McGREGOR was last seen in a Nakajima G7-2 Renzan Taiyou General Purpose military shuttle modified for pirate use. He entered hyperspace in the Terran solar system, and is believed to be heading toward Niihama, a Taiyou system. His last confirmed location was just outside Kallana. McGREGOR is considered armed and extremely dangerous. If any citizen should see McGREGOR, you are asked to contact the nearest FBI field office immediately. Do not approach.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents Scott DeLONG and Mary MONTAGUE and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Allison M. CAIN. All comments should be directed toward the Public Affairs office.

Three days ago, the Aschen Ministry of Law announced that the Langaran Defense Agency paroled Tahira Ali from her life sentence, as well as granting her Aschen citizenship. Last year, in a controversial move, Aschen President Richard Adar issued a full presidential pardon for Ali's crimes, and earlier this year, that pardon was overturned by a vote of the Aschen Parliament, resulting in a life sentence to Hadante, an Aschen penal colony, which was only months ago commuted to time in a minimum security facility in Sagittaron with strict restrictions of movement.

Tahira Ali is a convicted terrorist, with ties to the apocalyptic Islamic cult Ḥizbulṭālibulintifāḍat, better known as the shortened form Hataf. According to a spokesman from Muđahedin al-Qiyāmahm, Hataf's public relations division, Ali first became privy to Hataf's dealings in 1965, and later rose to a leadership position within the organization by 1972. Over the course of several decades, Ali was involved in the planning and executing of numerous assassinations, bombings, and massacres, targeting those Hataf considers to be unbelievers.

Ali was convicted in the Aschen courts of Assaulting a Member of Parliament with the Intent to Kill, Assassination, Conspiracy to Commit Heinous Acts, Destabilization of Law and Order, and Conspiracy to Incite Uprising. She was involved in bombing the Gemenon Prefectural Capital building, the Scorpion Fleet Shipyard, and the American embassy in Saudi Arabia; the assassinations of Aschen President Terrence Vallis, Tanzanian President-Elect Mohammed Ntamuhanga, Macedonian/Indian Roman Catholic Cardinal Srgjan Doshi, Mutalistani Minister Zalmai Abdel Rahman, and American Senator and Presidential Candidate Jordan Normandeau; in addition to numerous other terrorist conspiracies.

Since 1968, Ali has been on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, and since 2001, the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists List, making her both the first woman to be added to the former, and the longest listed. She has been sought internationally on Terra and intergalatically in the Multiverse. Thus, for President Adar to pardon her - and later, for the LDA to parole her, is quite a shock. Ali's crimes are heinous beyond belief, and the woman has admitted under interrogation to the same. Whether or not she is remorseful for these crimes, as various sources claim with varying degrees of credibility, many legal experts maintain that there is no justice in the current situation.

"We are no longer actively seeking Ali, under the provisions of Article Five," commented the press secretary for the US Attorney General's office in a prepared statement. "However, we urge all citizens to be vigilant for any suspicious activity, and we express disappointment at the LDA's decision in handling Ali's case. We believe justice would have been better served if Ali had remained imprisoned without parole."

"I can't believe the woman who murdered my father is being let off essentially scot-free," said Karen Normandeau, Senator Normandeau's surviving daughter, to our reporters. "They're letting her just walk off...they're letting her leave the city, and who knows what she'll do next! What if she targets me, or my kids, or someone I know? What then?"

Despite the negative criticism, the LDA has stood firm by their decision, according to Aschen law concerning criminal justice sentence. Under Sagittaran law, convicted foreign nationals have the opportunity to change status from resident alien to Aschen citizen through good behavior and cultural assimilation. Furthermore, convicted felons who serve out their sentences are restored to full civil rights, including the right to run for and hold public office, as in the famous case of Aschen Sire Thomas Zarek, also a convicted terrorist, who was elected to Parliament after serving a prison sentence for terrorism, and later impeached from office on grounds of corruption within the past year.

Regardless of the final outcome of this situation, Tahira Ali will not be a name disappearing from international politics and intrigue anytime soon. Hataf continues to expand its operations, and continues to use Ali's name in some of its propaganda, published both by the English Da'Wa Publishing House and the Muđahedin al-Qiyāmahm, the latter of which is more closely related to the internal affairs of the corporate-like terrorist organization. Ali's case itself has been reputedly used as leverage in negotiations between the Aschen Confederation and the United States, although the credibility of these sources is not well established.

For now, Ali makes her permanent residence in the Prefecture of Sagittaria on Langara, but has been seen in the past few days in the notable Wing City establishment Gambit's Bar.

CAPRICA CITY - Just one week ago, Graystone Industries stock was at a 52 secton low following failure of the Aiyanna project. And that was before Dr. Amanda Graystone announced her daughter's involvement in the MAGLEV bombing. Suffice it to say that things are not looking good for Graystone. Can the pioneering technology company and its founder, Daniel Graystone, recover?

Computer sales have slowed to a crawl and the safety of the Holoband has been called into question as Aschen come to terms with the news that the daughter of the CEO of Graystone Industries was in some way linked to the attack. As expected, stocks are on a steady decline as well. "Any poor publicity will negatively affect stock prices," said business analyst Cyndra Malone, "But an announcement of this magnitude could be catastrophic to the future of the company." Graystone Industries still has yet to release a statement about Zoe Graystone's involvement in the attack. A Graystone Industries spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

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Two (Out of Seven) MAGLEV Stations set to Re-open

CAPRICA CITY - Hey, yeah, it's something, but it's still a disgrace.

I'd like to send out a half-assed "Congratulations" to the Caprica Prefectural Department of Public Works, the Department of Community Relations, the Department of Roads and Bridges, the Department of Transportation and the dozens of other departments that I'm sure are involved with this continuing fiasco for actually managing to open not one but two MAGLEV stations that were, shall we say, "affected" by the STO bombing a few months ago.

Wow, guys. Two whole stations! Out of seven! Yeah, the street and sidewalk below is still a frakkin' mess, but at least people can actually get to that mess - or a part of it, anyway - via MAGLEV train now. After about what seems like a hundred months after the incident. Yeah!

For the love of the gods, I'm talking about accountability here, people. I'm talking about Aschen pride. The longer the MAGLEV line and the streets below lie in ruins, the more powerful a message of complacency and apathy we're giving to the rest of the galaxy. Yeah, come one, come all, come and blow us up, we don't care! Eventually, oh, corrosion or something will clean up the mess.

I don't care where the "funding" comes from, pass around a frakkin' hat. But get the money, and get it fixed, and get it cleaned up. Now. Or else the rest of the Confederation will shake their heads and sigh and wonder why we're asleep all the godsdamn time.

CAPRICA CITY - Caprica City Police and Langaran Defense Agency personnel yesterday were caught in a harrowing and brutal police chase of an unidentified assailant attempting to escape after an explosion rocked the residence of LDA Agent, Marlene Angel.

"We will search for this assailant, whom is at large, and we will bring them to justice, dead or alive." Announced LDA Spokesperson Eran Talthus. "He blatantly bombed the home of one of our agents, and attempted to evade capture, and is currently at large." She said in an announcement to the Caprica News 9 team this morning.

Reports say that the unidentified assailant infiltrated the house of Marlene Angel, planted a series of bombs which detonated when Lieutenant Jr. Grade, Orlin McGregor opened the house, setting the explosives off and killing him instantly. Resulting in the assailant stealing the man's car, and attempting to flee from police, GPS Tracking and eyewitness reports allowed for Caprica City Police to commence pursuit.

The Caprica City Police managed to shut down the car through a remote protocol, in which a standoff took hold, with another bomb being threatened, right on the very highroad. However an LDA agent, the very one whom house he bombed, talked him out of the car, and apprehended him. Negotiating apparently something for his release.

It is unclear at this time whether or not the bombing was an act of terrorism, or an attempt on the Agent's life, the Aschen Confederation Defense Ministry is offering a 500,000 Cubit reward for information leading to the arrest of the employer(s) of the assailant.

---

Opinion:





There's no disputing, at least in my mind, that Caprica is the beating heart of the Aschen Confederation, and you'll find no prouder resident of our fair prefecture and our fair city than me. And yet, fellow Aschen, there is a plague loose in our great society, one that has been allowed to grow in a fashion that I find unacceptable. That plague, friends, is the unbecoming prejudice against the people of Tauron. It's everywhere. It's ugly. And it needs to stop.

I recently heard about an incident involving a Tauron father and his young son enjoying a day of fishing together just outside of Caprica City. Their idyllic day was interrupted when a group of nearby kids were nearby started to call the boy a "dirt eater." The father told his son to just ignore them, which the boy tried to do. However, one of the kids in particular just wouldn't let up.

"Dirt eater." "Little dirt eater."

Finally, the Tauron boy picked up a rock and threw it at his tormentor, hitting him square in the forehead. The Tauron boy then proceeded to viciously attack the wounded boy, hitting him over and over until his father pulled him off.

I tell you, fellow Langarans, it makes me despair.

It makes me despair that a race that is identified with strength and virility, of strong familial connections and personal honor, has to tolerate such mindless disrespect. Not just disrespect - hatred.

And ignorance. Do any of you occasional mutterers of such racial slurs even stop to think about what a term like "dirt eater" actually means? What feelings of horror and shame it must conjure for any Tauron unfortunate enough to hear it?

Allow me to educate you.

Tauron has a violent and troubled history, a not insignificant chapter being the Tauron Uprising, aka The Tauron Civil War, a mere thirty-five years ago, which pitted the Ha'La'Tha against the then Nation's own democratic party. I'm sure you know about that unfortunate bit of business.

But the trouble goes back even further, as over 800 years ago, Tauron's lack of resources made it an easy target for corrupt occupation by the likes of Virgon and Leonis. Liberation came in the form of "Our Day," but it was a long, hard road to get there.

Some early Tauron settlements were cut off from certain resources during times of war, one of which was beef liver. The lack of vitamins from the beef liver caused these settlers to develop "the spots" - bleeding from membranes, spotting on the skin as collagen broke down, and finally, death. These people were desperate for food but had no idea what their bodies needed, so they would resort to eating just about anything.

Yes, even dirt.

So that's where it comes from. And now that you know, open your heart, use your head and shut your mouth.

This cannot stand, Capricans. This will not stand.

Niles Ferris, Caprica News Opinion

The following is a transcript of a video recording which was sent to all the major international and intergalactic news media corporations around 5:30AM GMT. This video was released by the Muđahedin al-Qiyāmah, the public relations division of Hataf, headquarted in Cairo. Originally, it was broadcast live around 4:30AM GMT, streamed from http://www.mudahedinalqiyamah.com. Afterward, it was distributed galaxywide in a media news storm. The original languages were English and Taiyou/Japanese, but it was also published with subtitles in Arabic, French, Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Chinese, Anquietas (an Aschen language), and Kiswahili. No individual author was named, but Muđahedin al-Qiyāmah itself.

Words scroll across the screen, white against black:

Ḥizbulṭālibulintifāḍat
Commonly known as HATAF
The Party of Students of the Uprising

Press Release

Muđahedin al-Qiyāmah
245 Rifa'a el-Tahtawi Street
Cairo, Egypt

For Immediate Release

Fade to black, before fading to a middle-aged, clean-shaven Egyptian man dressed in a Western style suit, seated alone at a table, with the name DAWOOD ALMISRI captioned at the bottom of the frame, in Latin and Arabic script. Behind him is a plain white wall with the seal of Muđahedin al-Qiyāmah mounted behind him. Only the empty surface of the table, and a cushioned office chair are visible. Outside, one can hear screams, unintelligible shouting, and feral sounds belonging to no man, mostly in the background.

ALMISRI: In the Name of God, all praise is due to God. Prayers and peace be upon on the Messenger of God, and on his family, companions, and allies. True Muslim brothers and sisters everywhere: Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of God.

ALMISRI's name fades. ALMISRI looks down, clearing his throat. He shifts his weight, before looking into the camera again.

ALMISRI: Mount Shalal in the Republic of Mutalistan, has been destroyed by the forces of the Taiyou Empire, as have Mount Zirkel in the State of Colorado, Mount Agamemnon in Anvers Island, and En Nahud in Sudan. Many of the faithful have been murdered at the hands of the ungodly. But we do not mourn our brothers and sisters, for when you murdered them, they were embraced by God, and entered Paradise.

ALMISRI leans slightly forward on the table, staring unblinkingly into the camera.

ALMISRI: You may murder us all, one by one, but in the end, God will pass judgment and you will be damned to hell for your attacks on the faithful. We do not need to be saved or rescued, for we look forward eagerly to the End of All Time, when the faithful will enter Paradise, and the unbelievers will be damned to hell. God will pass judgment on each of you and on each of us, and then you will know who will receive his reward.

ALMISRI straightens his posture, leaning back into his seat, as he folds his hands deliberately over the surface of the table, still looking directly into the camera.

ALMISRI: Know this. You may murder us all. But you will never win. For now, you will kill and you will mock the faithful, and you will be Satan's instrument of destruction and delay. But when the End of Time comes, you will stand before God, and you will be cast forever into hellfire for your blasphemy against the Most High.

Sound of a door opening and closing offscreen. When the door opens, the sounds of screams and shouts are amplified for a moment, until it closes. ALMISRI pauses, turning just enough to greet someone offscreen.

ALMISRI: Assalamu alaykum.

OFFSCREEN VOICE: Wa alaykum salaam.

ALMISRI looks back towards the camera, glancing downward before unfolding his hands, laying them palms down on the table as a second man moves into view, a fairly young, East Asian man dressed in a short-sleeved white polo and khakis. He pulls up a chair, sitting next to ALMISRI, and once settled, a caption appears under his figure reading TAKUAN HIKARU in Latin and Arabic script, before the Arabic script is erased, replaced with Kanji script beneath the Latin script. TAKUAN straightens his shirt, pushing his chair closer to the table.

ALMISRI: The faithful everywhere are called to arms against those who oppress us and deny the Revelations of God to his messengers and prophets. The Father spoke Truth in a world infested with lies: the End of Time is fast approaching, and unprepared souls are called to seek within themselves the foreknowledge granted them by God, to surrender without reservation to God, and to join us the faithful in our holy struggle to bring about the End of Time. And our final prayer is that all praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds. May God send prayers and peace on our Master Muhammad and his family and companions.

ALMISRI looks toward TAKUAN, before reaching under the table, and handing him a single slip of paper, with illegible writing. TAKUAN glances down, before looking up at the camera, clutching the paper as he reads in the Japanese language, repeating ALMISRI's message in Japanese. Throughout, ALMISRI glances between TAKUAN, the camera, and the door offscreen. At TAKUAN's conclusion, the sound of a loud cracking and a crash is heard, as dust fills the screen, obscuring the vision of the camera. A brief flash of an insectoid creature, and then the sounds of screaming and a dull thud, and then squishy sounds before the camera fizzes out to black.

The Following is a transcript of the Press releases compiled by various officials within the Taiyou Empire. All information is as is, without edit by the state. May her eminence reign supreme, and bring the wrath of a thousand planets on our enemies.

The Taiyou Empire:
Message Origin - Niihama City, Niihama
Inter-Galactic broadcast.

Kazundo Gouda wrote:I bid you greetings, people of the Empire, may her eminence live for a thousand years... I am here to make a public announcement to all those whom would defy the Empire. Your days will be short and your end at our hands will be swift and drawn out painful. I am Kazundo Gouda, Director of the Cabinet Intelligence Service of the Empress' Greater Cabinet of the Taiyou Empire. I am here to send a message to the Ḥizbulṭālibulintifāḍat. A message to demonstrate our resolve, a message to demonstrate that our Empire will remain for time immemorial.

The Blue will destroy you, our troops will hunt you, and our armies will lay seige to your homes, to your families, and to your nations. We do not forgive, we do not forget, expect us.

The Taiyou Empire has stood for thousands of years, and will stand for thousands more, while Ḥizbulṭālibulintifāḍat, their days, are numbered... they will not meet a fate in paradise.. rather.. they will meet a fate at the hands of our brave soldier, whom usher in glorious victory for our people.

私はあなたに、彼女の隆起は1000年生きることが挨拶、帝国の人々を入札...私はここに公表する午前にすべての人帝国を無視するだろう。あなたの日は短く、私たちの手で、エンド迅速されると痛いから描画されます。私はゴーダ、太陽の帝国の大内閣皇后'の内閣情報サービスのディレクターをKazundoしています。私はここḤizbulṭālibulintifāḍatにメッセージを送信するためにしています。メッセージは、私たちの帝国は太古の昔のままになります示すために私たちの決意を、メッセージ実証する。

青、なる狩りをし、私達の軍隊を破壊する私たちの軍隊があなたの家を包囲するが、あなたの家族に、あなたの国に。我々は許していない、我々は、私たちに期待を忘れないでください。

太陽帝国は数千年の、と立っている数千人以上の立つ、Ḥizbulṭālibulintifāḍatは、その日は、番号が付いている...彼らは楽園の運命を...満たしていないがむしろ..私たちの勇敢な戦士、私たちの人々の輝かしい勝利に導くの手で運命を満たすこと。

This was just released from the Empire's CIS Last week, announcing that the Taiyou Empire will vow to continue pursuit of Hataf, until every last one of them is destroyed.

This is Yumiko Takagawa, reporting.

---

Helene Chaska Released from Prison

SAGITTARON Just yesterday it has been announced that Helene Chaska, former corrupt Minister of Defense has been released from Lower Tawa Prison, they say she is in good spirits, and ready to tackle the life ahead.

"I will not let my actions detract from my spirits, I may have made some mistakes but I am only human, I will move forward with dignity, and trepidation. But I will move forward. I look forward to my life, free from the confines of prison."

That was a statement released by the former minister before she was ushered to a waiting limousine, and driven home. Minister Chaska was charged with corruption charges leading up to what many has dubbed the Great Schism, but since a restructuring of the Aschen Government, threats of violence have subsided.





Raphael McGregor walks after a lengthy trial and appeals

CAPRICA CITY:
Raphael McGregor was a former AHSC Admiral assigned to the legendary 1st fleet, his flagship was the Pious Inquisitor, but the man was known to have a history of mental instability. With that he had traveled to earth, with the most hateful of intent.

The situation unfolded with Raphael being approached by a member of the American Secret Service, invoking his article five rights, they couldn't detain him. He proceeded to deface the American flag and spit insults at the government, prompting them to detain him under the allegedly illegal authorization of the Minister of Defense. They gave chase and Raphael fled, killing several of the men in the process.

However Raphael fled to Niihama, where the chase continued. But it didn't stop there. Raphael would eventually be caught and forced to face Triad, he was found innocent on grounds of Mental Instability.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation pushed Parliament to reconsider, to no avail. So Raphael McGregor walks a free man, albeit Parliament is deliberating. Some say he's a flight risk, other's say he's a danger to himself and others. Only time will tell.

A response... to the Declaration of War

宣言戦争への当社の対応、

THE IMPERIAL TAIYOU GLOBAL MILITARY FORCES

After recieving information stating a declaration of war, the Taiyou Imperial Family met with the Taiyou Cabinet, and a decision was made to commence hostilities in the extragalactic theater that is the UCON-Aschen Engagement. The Taiyou Government will pledge it's full support behind the Aschen Confederation, economically, militarily, and politically. A message broadcasted to the farthest reaches of Imperial space in the AXIS Galaxy, her extragalactic colonies, and Garrisons in the Outer Galaxy. The Taiyou Empire is calling it's military to mobilization to respond to the declaration of Total War, utilizing every asset, including each and every ship available to the Imperial Taiyou Navy, which will begin to ship out to the Outer Galaxy through Hyperspace Gates, and Inter-Galactic transportation systems.

The Taiyou Empire has also authorized every protocol possible to secure it's interests, and protect it's sovereignty. The Science ministry ordered to be fully mobilized, as well as the mobilization of the Imperial Shogunate to counter the UCON Threat.

Her Imperial Majesty wrote:Broadcast live...

"People.. subjects of the Empire... today is the day that destiny has promised us. The Aggressor-Conqueror nation that is the United Coalition of Nations has drawn our unfortunate attention by threatening our esteemed, peace loving allies. The Aschen Confederation, outgunned and outmatched by the United Coalition of Organized Nations... will have the full and unwavering support of every Imperial military asset we have under our control. Including our feared Shogun Battleships. As of this moment I am appointing Commander Kenji Shirada to the Outer Galaxy to oversee operations against the Coalition occupation of Terra. Furthermore I am appointing Jyunichi Hakuro as honorable Shogun of the Outer Galaxy. He will be in charge with overseeing all Taiyou Operations in this alien.. and hostile galaxy. I have also convened with the AXIS Cooperation Forces of this galaxy, a vote was cast in the AXIS High Council. We will not be fighting this war alone. The Following is a list of AXIS Factions and Militaries that have pledged their support to the cause of justice.

The New Paradigm, The Collective of Communist Republics, The New World Order of Athos V, The Matokian Sovereignty, The Argosian Empire, The United NEXUS Directive, and the Quasadran Hive. All Pledge their support to this threat... if we do not act proactively in this war to come. The Coalition will seek us at our doorsteps, pillage our homes, and destroy all we have worked to build. We cannot let that happen. All further inquiries will be directed to Shogun Hakuro."

As of now, all Taiyou Military assets are to be mobilized, all AXIS Military assets are to be organized. Our armies will drink the rivers dry.. our starships will outnumber the stars themselves. The United Coalition has awakened a sleeping giant... and filled it with a terrible resolve."

Following the Empress' announcement, Taiyou forces from all across the galaxy will assemble, at every transit point to the Outer Galaxy, from there they will begin the journey to Terra, Langara, with the intention of reinforcing Aschen defenses, and establishing a foothold and staging area in the Enemy galaxy. So far the Empire has not received a response from the Aschen Government. Only silence within their borders since the last attack.

Herbert Selian, Secretary of Defense
Henrietta Croffert - Secretary of the Navy
Paul Davidson - Secretary of the Army
Bryan Little - Secretary of the Air Force
General Judson Barrows, Coast Guard Commandant

Thomas Rayfield, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
James Kennedy, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Matthew Osborne, Army Chief of Staff
General Daniel McMullin, Air Force Chief of Staff
General Jennings Shaw, Chief of Naval Operations
General Lloyd Farrar, Commandant of the Marine Corps

Rawan Mekkaoui, Secretary of Homeland Security
Naazmat Chakladar, Attorney General of the United States
Annmarie Yore, Secretary of State
Iliana Politi, Secretary of the Treasury
Katrina Pascal, Secretary of Energy

Michael Bohjalian, Director of National Intelligence
Omar Durrani, Director of Central Intelligence
Jackson Clark, Director of the National Security Agency
Louis Monsini - Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
Robert Edwards, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Karen Reynolds, Director of the Drug Enforcement Agency

Following the declaration of war by the United Coalition of Organized Nations against the Aschen Confederation and the Taiyou Empire, the United States of America hereby pledges its military, economic, and political aid to her allies, the Aschen and the Taiyou, in order to defend our homeland against Coalition aggressors, and to preserve Terra for future generations. The Congress of the United States of America met in emergency session this afternoon to issue a formal declaration of war.

No longer will the American people sit on the sidelines while Terran space is threatened, and our allies at war against a Coalition which represents the destruction of all the principles we stand for. This state of war shall remain unabated until the Coalition ends its demands, or suffers loss in battle. The full resources of the United States Armed Forces and Intelligence Community shall be dedicated toward the end of achieving these objectives, for the greater good of all American and Terran peoples. All other matters are of far less importance than the preservation of our very existence.

We will lend all necessary aid to our allies in this time of war, and we will not be intimidated by acts of terrorism against our people. We do not negotiate with terrorists. We solemnly vow to uph –



Image is replaced with black screen and voiceover, a scratchy sounding recording, as if made with older technology decades ago.

I implore you, my brethren, my countrymen, you who believe, to unite in common cause: the service of the Almighty. We shall be a terror to the infidel in the night, a waking lamp to keep vigil til the coming of the Lord, for when the end comes, only the righteous will escape eternal damnation. The End of Days is fast approaching. Do not abandon your soul to the wrong side of heaven when it comes!

All the earth and its hollow riches will be destroyed in a cataclysm of light and thunderous silence, all life rendered dust before dust. For the earth was formless and empty in the void, and thus it shall be again. Temporal things are ever transitory, but the Truth of God is an eternal beacon of hope to those who see it. Store up your riches in heaven; leave your sins and old life behind.

Error transmitting mes -

Bismillah ar-rahman ar-raheem al-Hamdullahi rabbi-l-qaalameen ar-rahmaani ar-raheem, maliki yawmi-d-deen. 'Ayyaka na’abudu wa 'ayyaka nasta’ainu 'ihdinaa s’iraa t’a-l-mustaqema s’iraa t’a-lladhiina 'ana’amta a’alayhim ghayri-al-magh d’uubi a’alayhim walaa-d-d’aalleen.

END TRANSMISSION……

The dull glow of the many televisions for sale illuminated the nearby street and drew in the attention of those passing by in the otherwise empty streets. Most were at home. The news reporter had his brown hair in a sensible haircut and kept his focus forward as he spoke. He also had a brown mustache and plain black-rimmed glasses.

"...was the last they've heard of them since."

Adjusting his papers the newsreader moves onto the next story.

"In other news, a recently escaped criminal by the name of Drakus Flavaar was apprehended today. He first had escaped when a known faction associate assaulted Director Ayasha Ziedens and spent the next week on the constant run from the US Government. Today he was apprehended by the MEA department, though there were mixed reports of what occured on the rooftops of the notorious Gambit's Bar in Wing City. There were reports of a tense struggle and potential magic use on a powerful scale, but there is a frequent insistence from the MEA that Drakus Flavaar came along quietly without trouble and was magically transported to be interrogated."

"Drakus Flavaar was initially arrested due to his crimes against the American Director of the Magical Enforcement Agency including assault and kidnapping. This once again goes to show that no one is above the law and puts faith back into the people over the abilities of those who go about to defend them. We'll have more on this story as it goes to court. Over to you Karen."

The camera moves to a woman with strangely matching brown hair, but instead it was straight and she seemed much more youthful.

"Thank you Tom. I don't know about you, but I believe there's something we're not being told about what happened. Our next story is to do with the new trend of..."