Arianne Drulović, nee Bjelac. The woman who is hailed by many as the "Savior of Terra", for her service in keeping foreign nations away from taking our sovereignty. The woman that, with the Democratic Coalition's Remerov Talkeski(dec), revealed the Aschen's attempts at bullying the fledgling Terran Government. Rumoured to have been involved with the ceasefire that was made with the Taiyou as they loomed over Terra. Respected even by the UCON operatives stationed on Terra, she commands respect for all she has done.

But, how much do we really know about her, the woman with so much power. The woman who is rumoured even to hold strings in parliament. The Drulović Debates, and the beginnings of the seeds of doubt, began when information was uncovered that indicated Drulović's involvement in Kendra Shaw's escape. This sprouted much debate on the matter, and no final conclusion as to whether she was really involved has been reached, despite many investigations into the matter.

Recently, I had the distinct honour to speak privately to Minister Rubano Malijin, and during the conversation he expressed his own mistrust of the Director. But, unlike a lot of the masses involved with the Drulović Debates, he had a little more reason to wonder.

"I have recently discovered some... disturbing news regarding the past of Madame Director Drulović." He explained to me, during our talk. His curiosity into the subject of the Drulović Debates had brought to light some horrifying history.

As many know, our esteemed Director was, before Terra gained the ability to travel in space and before it was subjugated under Aschen, Taiyou, and UCON feet, a CIA agent, involved in field work for thirty-five years from 1964 - 1999 before staying in primarily administrative positions from 1999 - 2008. During this period she was sent to service in Yugoslavia. For 27 years she was in the Balkans and Yugoslavia, an undercover agent in Lavovi Srbija, or the Lions of Serbia, from 1972 - 1999. During this time she took part in several terrorist attacks, including the Genocide of Sarajevo and the Srebenica Massacre, in which she aided in slaughtering Bosnian and Albanian civilians.

"From what I understand, Director Drulović had no qualms in mercilessly gunning down innocent civilians," he continued when I asked more in depth about the happenings during this period. And the most surprising thing was that even after being imprisoned, the "Savior of Terra" had done nothing but slaughter the innocent.

"How can she profess to defending the freedom of Terra's people when she's already killed hundreds of them in cold-blood?" Malijin added, a conundrum which I doubt even the best of us would struggle with. And yet, that is what her history shows.

So it really must be asked. How can we trust Director Drulović? Is there redemption somewhere hidden in this tale, unfound and lost in history? Or does a murderer sit above us, dangling our lives like the strings of a puppet? And so I must pose the question: "How much do we really know about our intelligence director?"




Long sought for terrorism related crimes, the man usually seen in a ludicrous jester’s outfit was apprehended by the Aschen in what Terran officials claim was an illegal violation of Terra’s sovereignty. Blackjack was sought for his role in the death of former American FBI agent turned Aschen LDA agent Natalie Elisabeth Schultz, a Terran native, a few years before the formation of the Terran National Government, as well as a series of terrorist attacks against the Aschen Confederation following Schultz’s murder.

After orbiting Terra for months, the Aschen Reverence II Long Night of Solace disappeared from Terran space without Parliament’s authorization under the Xenia Compromise, an initiative of Rubano Malijin. The LNOS had Blackjack aboard.

“Blackjack is a Terran citizen,” said legal expert Rachel Hamdani, “and under the law, Terran citizens can be extradited only with court authorization. No authorization was sought or received in his case. The Aschen responsible for the arrest did not notify Terran officials of the planned operation, nor turn over the detainee to Terran custody to wait for the adjudication of an extradition request. Furthermore, they carried out the arrest on sovereign Terran soil without authorization from any Terran official or the military. The entire operation was illegal.”

Reports filtering from sources who requested not to be named stated that the LNOS made the jump to hyperspace after sightings of ships from the Belkan Hegemony were sighted near Jupiter, having made a sudden jump into the Sol system. The United Coalition of Organized Nations and the Aschen Confederation of Planets have been engaged in a long war against the Belkans, and it is possible that the LNOS fled in order to avoid combat with the Hegemony. Another source dismissed that possibility in favor of the allegation that the LNOS took advantage of potential confusion to escape the Terran system with an illegally arrested and detained Terran citizen.

Neither the Ministry of Justice nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement.




An explosion killed Joran Aleksandr Šerifović (58), Fatemah Nur Bajrami (19), and Jelena Marijan Tafilaj (104) in the National Memorial Cemetery in Priština, Kosovo. Šerifović was previously Hataf’s regional chief for Kosovo, and had been sought by the NPA. Before the formation of the TNG, Šerifović had had an Interpol red notice issued against him after several former nations in Eastern Europe had issued arrest warrants. Bajrami, a native of Priština, was a student at the Albanian-language Universiteti i Prishtinës. Tafilaj, a retired professor of theology, was the oldest living woman in Kosovo as of last year.

The Terran Intelligence Bureau’s Chief of Staff, Ahmad Quadir Fazari, was also caught in the cemetery blast and rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The TIB has not released a statement about Fazari’s hospitalization, but did announce the appointment of Brooklyn native Nujood Latimer-Sibley as interim Chief of Staff to the Director.

The NPA is currently conducting an investigation into possible motives for the bombing. Special Agent Marie Damas, the lead investigator, has refused to speak to the press about the ongoing investigation, which has not named any suspects or made any arrests. It is not known whether the attack targeted Šerifović in particular, or whether the Hataf regional leader’s presence at the time of the attack was a coincidence.

“We are thankful,” said Meriem Bushati, a local resident, “that no one else was hurt. If the bomb had been detonated during a funeral, or in any other place than the cemetery, there would be a much larger body count.”

Other citizens see the attack as an unforgivable act of desecration against the dead. Mehmed Sokoli, another local resident, said, “All the bodies of our ancestors -- our grandparents, their parents, their grandparents -- they’ve all been ripped from their resting places, strewn about the ground, gravestones overturned. The criminals responsible might think they can get a reduced sentence because these people were already dead, but not so. It is an unspoken rule. Do not desecrate the dead.”

Priština officials plan to initiate a recovery effort to track the remains of loved ones interred in the National Memorial Cemetery and restore the grave sites once the crime scene personnel have completed processing and released the scene.




Wing City based financial and development giant Bennington-Gray announced this weekend a partnership in its rebuilding efforts with Aschen corporation Tech Con Group, which has holdings across Terra. “This new business venture,” said Bennington-Gray outreach specialist Kelly Banks-Wheldon, “will join two major corporations in a humanitarian effort to rebuild and redevelop devastated parts of Africa destroyed in Ordo Infernus several years ago.”

The Ministry of Development contract with Bennington-Gray allowed the Terran company to initiate partnerships and subsidiary relationships with other firms or corporations to fulfill its part of the contract. The Ministry offered no statement on the publicly announced partnership. The company is required to work to rebuild devastated infrastructure as well as buildings such as homes, schools, and medical facilities, much of which was destroyed during the Aschen glassing.

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(OOC: The article about Drulović and the CIA was written entirely by Alasund De’astio, and is the culmination of several collaborative pieces from multiple writers in the Family Pictures sequence, which must be read in context to be fully understood. The Drulović file photo is one that I took a few years ago of Janet Newell, may she rest in peace, inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi al-raji'un.

The segment regarding Blackjack was collaborated by Conumbra, barney_fife, and I. I have logs, but did not publicly post them. The segment regarding the bombing in Priština was collaborated by Alasund De’astio and I, and can be read in prose here. The segment regarding Bennington-Gray and Tech Con was collaborated by barney_fife and I. I have logs, but did not publicly post them yet.

I welcome ideas for involvement and collaboration, so if you are interested, please contact me or any of the people listed. I have a splitting headache and can barely focus enough to read what I'm typing at the moment, so please forgive me firstly for the tardiness of this post and secondly for the fact that it's missing a number of things I usually include or thought I would include.)

Whereas the Council has formally committed acts of aggression against the Government and the people of the Aschen Confederation of Planets:

Therefore be it resolved by the Quorum and House of Parliament of the Aschen Confederation of Planets in Unity Assembled, That the state of total war between the Aschen Confederation and the Council which has thus been thrust upon the Aschen Confederation is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the Aschen Confederation and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Council; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the confederation are hereby pledged by the Parliament of the Aschen Confederation.



(Signed) Siress Robin Wenutu, Speaker of the House of Parliament and Siress of the Prefecture of Picon
(Signed) C. Boron, Vice President of the Aschen Confederation of Planets
Approved Ianuarius, 11th Age 3:05 PM Caprican Standard Time
(Signed) Laura Roslin

WING CITY, TERRA -- The election results are in! Cranford and the Libertarian-Conservative party have suffered sweeping losses to the Rightists, with Attorney General Luis Galdámez winning the race for Prime Minister.

“I’m humbled and honored,” said Galdámez, in a victory speech that took less than six minutes to deliver from the side steps of Government Center. “As Prime Minister, I will take it as my solemn duty to serve the Terran people, not special interests, not a political platform.”

The Rightists seized nearly one-third of the seats in Parliament, with Janis McMorrow elected as Foreign Affairs Minister and Jamallah Gordon to the top Defence post. Sisavang Khamtai kept his position as Justice Minister, with Jonathan Ashkenazi and Farabundo Guzman pushed out of office.

“I concede victory to my friend and colleague,” said Cranford when asked his thoughts on his defeat in his bid for re-election as Prime Minister. “Luis won the election in a democratic vote, and I have nothing more to say about it.”

McMorrow brings a pledge for a more aggressive foreign policy during her term than her predecessor. “I will be working with Ms. Gordon and Mr. Galdámez in the effort to strengthen national defense, expand offensive capabilities, and improve our international standing,” said McMorrow.

McMorrow is the former American Ambassador to China under the Maynard administration. Standing at only 5’3”, the Cleveland native quipped, “I’m probably going to be possibly the shortest member of the administration, except for Drulović.” With a bright smile, and red hair cut in a bob, McMorrow does not fit the harsh platform she has taken toward foreign incursions, particularly by the Aschen.

The newly elected Defence Minister, Jamallah Gordon, hails from Kingston, Jamaica, and has pledged to increase both the military and intelligence budgets. “Without a strong military and intelligence apparatus, Terra will continue to be a mat that more powerful nations can walk all over.”

The Center-Rightist party, led by Rubano Malijin, gained the second largest number of seats in the elections. These elections also marked the historical election of two ethnically Taiyou members of Parliament. Yosho Kaneda and Junichi Masaki, both members of the Center-Rightist party, were elected in what some say was a demographically influenced election.

“We’ve seen enormous influx and growth of Taiyou populations in Eastern Asia,” said Asian studies expert Yael Aharoni, who teaches at the University of Essex. “Because of extremely high birth rates, ethnic Taiyous now outnumber ethnic Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, by at least two to one, as much as four to one in some areas.”

Other citizens expressed concern that two Taiyou will be serving in the Terran government.

“The Taiyou have occupied Terra at least twice,” said Minsoo Jung, who owns a hair salon in Seoul. “They’ve been brutal; they don’t believe Terrans are human beings, and their government actively seeks to destroy Terra as we know it. I wouldn’t trust Taiyou farther than I could throw them, and look at me,” said Jung, laughing, “I couldn’t throw them that far. They want to take away our sovereignty.”

Cranford, whose Libertarian-Conservative party came in third place, was elected as a member of Parliament from his home in the British Isles, but will cede the Prime Minister-ship to Galdámez when the new Parliament is sworn into office in only a few months.





LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- Multiple blasts destroyed the Hagopian Convention Center in Los Angeles during the International Physicists Association Annual Conference. NPA agents clearing the rubble identified over fourteen confirmed Hataf members, and are investigating whether the physics conference could have been used as a ruse for a large scale meeting.

“Right now, we’re still identifying all of the bodies,” said NPA Director Jamal Morrison Lebrun, who confirmed a current body count at thirty-nine, with over ninety wounded receiving treatment in local hospitals. “We will release the names of the Hataf operatives killed once all of the victims have been identified and the families notified.”

The Hagopian center will be unoccupied for at least several months while extensive repairs are made. The physics conference has been canceled.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of many of our friends and colleagues,” said Dr. Chirag Sunil Parekh of Cornell University, who serves on the IPA’s board. “Our sincerest sympathies are with their families, and the IPA will be here to provide whatever support we can.”

Parekh said that fellow IPA board member Dr. Meghan N. Robertson, who teaches at the University of Cambridge, was among those killed in the blasts.

Over the last two years, a number of bombings have targeted locations known or suspected to be Hataf meeting places, killing several Hataf leaders at both the regional and national level. The NPA has been investigating the attacks, which have also killed hundreds of civilians.

Many suspect that the Terran government is behind the attacks.

“It makes perfect sense,” said second year law student Rachel Hillis. “The government has access to more information than the public does, and it’s not as if covert or clandestine operations are non-existent; they happen all the time, but the public rarely learns about them or who was behind them because that’s the point.”

Hataf’s leadership agrees with Hillis. In a statement issued hours after the bombing, Hataf senior councillor Margaret Fabrizio blamed the Terran Intelligence Bureau for the repeated attacks.

“Arianne Drulović has been targeting our families in an attempt to stop us from carrying out the will of God,” said Fabrizio in a recorded statement. “My niece is dead. Another councillor’s son is dead. It is clear that Drulović and her Bureau are behind these spineless attacks against the children of God.”

When asked whether the TIB was behind today’s bombing, Lebrun denied the accusation. “The Terran government does not engage in vigilante justice that leaves this much collateral damage,” said the NPA Director. “We will find those responsible and we will bring them to justice.”





BELGRADE, SERBIA -- Ethnic tensions in the Balkans exploded with the detonation of C4 explosives outside a Ministry of Justice building in Belgrade, where Serbian nationalists affiliated with terrorist group Lavovi Srbija say the Terran government isn’t doing enough to give Serbs the right to self-rule.

In a statement issued hours after the bombing, Lavovi Srbija’s seventy-two year old leader, Đorđe Nebojša Veličković, demanded greater rights for Serbs, including the expansion of the Serbian province to encroach on territory historically belonging to neighboring Croatia, Albania, and Bosnia.

“It is the right of the Serbian people to unite with our brothers and sisters currently living as strangers among other peoples, so that we can become one,” said Veličković. “For too long, the Yugoslavians, and then the Croatians, and then the Americans, and now the Terran ‘national’ government’ have kept Serbians from reaching our true potential, have created false barriers to empowerment and unity in one statehood.”

In the same statement, Veličković explained Lavovi Srbija’s history, claiming that former TIB Director Arianne Drulović, in her previous employment with the CIA, actively worked to undermine Lavovi Srbija’s activities. The organization offered a million cubits for killing the Terran spymaster.

“Drulović is a traitor to her race,” said Veličković in his statement. “She sold us out to the Communists and then to the Americans.”

The NPA has not issued an official statement, but an agent speaking on condition of anonymity said that the national police are actively working to locate Veličković and arrest the individuals responsible for bombing the Justice Ministry building.




CHASM CITY, YELLOWSTONE, Stardate -311274.7 -- One of Chasm City's oldest companies announced Tuesday that they would begin to branch out in a new direction; Orbital Reclamation.

The CEO and Owner of Baqui Heavy Industries, Claire Angelique was quoted as saying, "This is an untapped market. I don't think that even TechCon has considered this resource." Reclaiming debris that lay in certain orbits, while dirty, can lead to possibly lucrative profits Ms. Angelique believes. With most of this "junk" laying in dangerous orbits which may cause problems for the normal flow of interstellar traffic patterns, are less than a centimeter in size.

"A particle that tiny could cause catastrophic damage and a potentially life threatening decompression into a vacuum. In other words, we're looking at solving one of the potential causes of the Kessler Syndrome."

This Kessler Syndrome is a collisional cascading effect, in which the density of objects in low orbit is high enough that collisions between these objects could cause occur. In other words, the more junk in orbit, the greater the likelihood of collisions which will generate more debris.

With Yellowstone's large shipping industry to stands to gain a substantial amount of new revenue in this process of orbital reclamation, leading to clearer shipping lanes, parking orbits, and fewer incidents with crews taking shelter within life support pods due to dangerously close debris.

"On average you could say that many of these objects come about say 11 kilometers from a hull, I realize that doesn't sound dangerous or very close, but in terms of the "junk" that's up there… It's pretty close. Especially since these things are just zipping about out there with no real means of direction," says Angelique.

This is not only a means of profit for Baqui, but also a means to aid the general populous, unlike many other companies this one seems to have more than just the profit on their minds when it comes to the bottom line. This may also be a means of revitalizing an aging planetary economy, and providing some much needed jobs within the tech sector.




WING CITY, TERRA -- With trade-relations opened with nations such as the Democratic Coalition and the Jackalite Trade Confederacy as well as the recent economic stability ushered by the sanctions and alliances established by the Terran National Government, the humble planet of Terra has found itself suddenly in supply of a great many resources.

"When the Aschen glassed the planet, we thought our daily lives were over," explained Nikolae Razumakin, a Russian farmer, "seeing the stability and strength of the Terran National Government has given both myself and my comrades the strength to persevere. Our farm is back-up, running, and better then ever. We are very proud."

Razumakin is not the only Terran citizen to be inspired so. All of the globe, men and women of every country are coming out of their shelters to re-forge their lives and make them better then ever.

The Terran National Government has been doing much more than just providing an example for its people. With the recent bill passed by Minister Rubano Malijin, ten new fusion reactors are to be installed in cities all over the world. The energy provided from the reactors will play a key role in sustaining impoverished towns and keeping Terra's power supply in pristine condition world-wide. The TNG has also made efforts to heal the planet environmentally, administering bio-chemicals and solvents into various parts of the planet to heal the crushing wounds left in the wake of its previous catastrophes.

"Terra's made of stronger stuff than you might think," remarks geologist Ling Xaio, "if the TNG continues its efforts to heal our planet, it'll be as good as new in no time."

The TNG has wasted no time in utilizing the sudden growth of its economy for the greater good of the planet. With the recent construction of thirteen new shipyards, the Terran fleet is already producing 300% more then it was last year. With an influx of eager employees ready to take up arms as marines, technicians, engineers or captains, the TNG is no short supply of hard-working citizens who wish to see their world made a better place. With the recent success of the 'Trireme' class battleship, the demand for specialized defensive mechanisms have never been higher.

All in all, the days of hope and prosperity so many Terrans desired to see have at last come about. Under the authority of the Terran National Government, the people of this world can at last sleep easy knowing that, for once, tomorrow can only get better.




WING CITY, TERRA -- The investigation into Intelligence Director Arianne Drulović’s activities under the CIA during the 1990’s has continued, culminating in today’s vote by Parliament to relieve Drulović of her official duties pending the final outcome of the investigation.

“We feel that this is the right thing to do,” said Defence Minister Farabundo Guzman in a joint statement issued by a voting bloc including the Rightists, Libertarian-Conservatives, and Center-Rightists. “Because of the nature of the accusations against Director Drulović, we feel that it would be inappropriate at best and dangerous at worst for her to continue in her present duties.”

This action means that while Drulović will technically retain her position, she will be legally stripped of her powers and responsibilities as Director of the TIB. Parliament has been expected to take this vote for several weeks.

If the Special Court for War Crimes, presided by the Honorable Henry Milorin, chooses to issue an indictment, Drulović could face charges of crimes against humanity for her alleged role in the genocides against the Croatians and Bosnians during the 1990’s.

Ahmad Fazari is serving as the TIB’s Acting Director until either Drulović is reinstated or charged in lieu of a permanent appointee. The TIB has not issued an official statement, and Drulović has not responded to requests for comment.

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(OOC: The segment regarding the attack on the physics conference was written by Alasund De’astio and I, and can be read in prose here. The “Big Boom” article by Marco Dremmen was written by Nemo in its entirety. The Yellowstone article was written by Izoi in its entirety.

The images are, in order,

- picture of the bombed convention center is from the Guardian, in an article that can be read here.

- picture of the Lavovi Srbija leader, Đorđe Nebojša Veličković, is from Politika novine i Magazini, in an article that can be read here.

I welcome ideas for involvement and collaboration, so if you are interested, please contact me or the people listed for the correct story. Re: invasion, I personally am treating this as all having happened months before the invasion and the invasion as technically not having occurred yet.)