Wallglass Investigations Agency

Template:CorpsInfobox The Wallglass Investigations Agency is private investigation company that operates throughout the Core Systems. Notable cases it has been involved in include the search for missing heiress Talitha Ambrose, the murder of Alliance presidential candidate Fazia Silva, the conspiracy behind the Starship One disaster, the mystery of the ghost ship Adamastor and its sister ship Hesperus, the hunt for the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army, Hyford's Cache, Jokers' Deck, and the Winking Cat.

Timeline

Template:Scrollbox-begin 23 DEC 3307

• *Pilots' Federation ALERT*
  Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency provides an overview of the Winking Cat's latest escapade. "The meaning of the message scrawled on the back of the Jokers' Deck ceremonial playing card has become clear. This time, the galaxy's most infamous larcenist is actually giving away treasure rather than stealing it. Three mysterious riddles were somehow inserted into the GalNet feed over the last week. Commanders have reported that clues within these riddles led them to three concealed caches, each in a different system. According to the dates specified by the Winking Cat, these three caches will only be operational for a two-week period, ending on the 30th of December. We can then deduce that caches four, five and six will activate today, and likewise remain available for the next two weeks. This is not the first philanthropic gesture from the Winking Cat. The long-lost painting Penance Street reappeared in 3305 alongside the thief's signature graphic of a cheeky feline face, but this is a more generous giveaway. Some even see it as a redistribution of wealth, noting that the Winking Cat only ever targets corporations, governments or super-rich individuals."

16 DEC 3307

• *Pilots' Federation ALERT*
  Detective Erik Gunnarson has claimed that the Winking Cat thief has something planned for the weeks ahead. "After our investigation into the Jokers' Deck gambling circle, Wolfe and I were hired to track down their stolen ceremonial playing card. The good news is that we now have the card in our possession. We can hardly claim credit, however: it was posted to us by the one who stole it! The ancient joker card arrived via a courier service, with no data as to its point of origin. But the playing card now has text stamped on the back, which I'm convinced is intended to be a public message. It simply reads 'The hunt is on!' and is followed by two sets of numbers:
  '1, 2, 3: 16th to 30th'
  '4, 5, 6: 23rd to 6th'.
  At the bottom is a drawing of – you guessed it – a smirking, winking cat's face. It's speculation, of course, but some of these numbers must be dates. Perhaps this 'hunt' is scheduled to happen over the next three weeks. Are we being invited to hunt the Winking Cat, or will something else be the prize? The feline thief has been busy of late, purloining everything from prized artwork to prototype robots. Entertainment mogul Oscar Goldsun recently reported that his private collection of rarities had been hit, and there are rumours that WorldCraft corporation's vaults were somehow broken into. How that crime spree connects to this message is a mystery that we've yet to crack."

22 NOV 3307

• An expert larcenist known as the Winking Cat has triggered widespread alarm with a spree of high-profile thefts. Vox Galactica published this feature by crime correspondent Mira Bukowski: "Last month, the galaxy's most infamous thief reappeared in the headlines after a long absence. It appears the Winking Cat is making up for lost time by stealing multiple items in quick succession. One notable target was a portrait of Emperor Olban Hensard Duval, the tenth ruler of the Empire. Painted in 2989, it was notable for being seven metres high - as was the graphic of a smirking feline face engraved on the wall where it once hung. Another disappearance, albeit of a less artistic nature, was the only working prototype of Achilles Corporation's XS1001 security robot. This was being guarded by several XS801 models which, according to insiders, were found lying on their sides and emitting an unusual 'purring' sound. There are reports of several other rare or precious artefacts disappearing from secure locations. In all cases, there are no clues as to how security systems were circumvented. The Wallglass Investigations Agency has theorised that the Winking Cat may not be an individual after all, but a group of criminal specialists working together. They also suspect that these latest thefts may be intended for some larger purpose."

19 OCT 3307

• Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency has sent a final report from her infiltration of the secretive gambling circle. "The bad news is that Jokers' Deck security caught up with me as I was trying to sneak onboard a ship to get off-planet. The good news is that they didn't gun me down, or even threaten to press charges. Instead, they offered me a job! Lexi October, the current host, was surprisingly gracious. Turns out she's a fan of the Galactic Mysteries pieces that Gunnarson and I run, but more importantly, she believes we could give her what she really wants – the Winking Cat. "She explained that the Joker playing card that was stolen is hugely symbolic to the group, having belonged to its original founder. She also assured me that Jokers' Deck is extremely private but not criminal. Its members sign legal waivers, and there is a strict honour code to ensure all bets are paid. So, Lexi October wants to hire us to track down the infamous Winking Cat thief and retrieve the ceremonial playing card. This may also be a way for her to save face with her fellow super-rich gamblers, who are understandably unhappy about the exposure." Erik Gunnarson, Wolfe's detective partner, added: "It's a huge relief that Wolfe is safe, but what has she got us into now? Will we really be able to catch the Winking Cat? I wouldn't bet on it."

12 OCT 3307

• The secretive gambling circle of the super-rich has been raided by the notorious criminal known only as the Winking Cat. The information was revealed by Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency, who infiltrated the event. Her report, which was relayed from an unidentified location, has been published by her fellow detective Erik Gunnarson. "I'm not sure this will reach Gunnarson, but I must try. After the security alert the staff started getting their IDs checked, which might have revealed mine to be fake. I managed to slip out of the warehouse and into an abandoned industrial district. I still don't know what planet I'm on, but I've found an old comms transmitter to send this message. Before I escaped, I learned what had caused the alert. There was a VIP ceremony involving the group's most precious possession: an ancient Joker playing card. Apparently this has been passed between senior members of Jokers' Deck for centuries, always held by the current host. But when Lexi October publicly unveiled the card, she found it had been replaced by one showing a different graphic – a winking cat. It's two years since we’ve heard from the galaxy's greatest larcenist, but there's no doubt that only the Winking Cat's legendary skills could have circumvented their security systems. I'm fascinated that a battered scrap of card has greater value than any of the billion-credit items being wagered here. Guards are searching for the thief now. I hope I can get off-world before they find me instead. They're armed to the teeth and not in the mood to talk..."

05 OCT 3307

• Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency provides an inside view of the Jokers' Deck gambling circle. "Gunnarson's intel was correct. The latest host is multi-billionaire investor Lexi October, the lady who rescued Supratech from bankruptcy. We're in one of October Consortium's disused warehouse complexes, which looks derelict on the outside but is a fabulous glittering palace within. I don't actually know what planet I'm on, since all the servants – including me with my fake ID – were transported here in total secrecy. Jokers' Deck is exactly what you'd expect of a luxury casino for the super-rich. Exquisite food, sumptuous clothes, and dozens of games from deadlock poker to Giant Verrix racing. Wagers are made using billion-credit chips, precious gemstones and even land deeds to an entire continent. And that's not counting the VIP rooms that I can't get into. I've served exotic drinks to several famous faces, such as Duchess Rouncival and Scorpio DeVorrow. I've seen Senator Leatrix talking earnestly to Ambassador Rochester about a princess they both know. Arch-Corsairs Trask and Volantyne from the Kumo Council are here, taking on Zachary Rackham at the roue mortelle tables. And there's no mistaking the voice of Alliance megastar Xiona whenever she wins big. Oh, and who should walk in just now but... wait, I can hear an alarm. Looks like a security alert. Damn it, have they detected me? I should – " The message was published by Erik Gunnarson, who added this coda: "I've heard nothing more from Wolfe since receiving this, and she didn't check in at a scheduled rendezvous point. I've decided to share her report as a warning to Jokers' Deck. If anything happens to her, just remember we know who you are."

29 SEP 3307

• Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency discusses the secretive gambling circle attended by the galaxy's wealthiest players. "Casinos and gaming hubs have always been popular, tempting people to risk their credits for the chance to score a lucrative win. But where do the billionaires and trillionaires go to enjoy that buzz? Jokers' Deck is a highly exclusive gambling event attended only by the rich and powerful. Nobody knows who runs it, only that it's held in a different location each time. Its attendees are guaranteed – and can afford – total anonymity. There was one exception. In 3305, Wallglass was hired to find the heiress Lady Talitha Ambrose, after she vanished along with her family's fortune. I was part of the team that discovered she had gambled away 300 billion credits at Jokers' Deck in a high-stakes game of deadlock poker. Their security was so tight that we never learned much more. This year I've been tracking several rumours, such as Jokers' Deck being present at the Galactic Summit and inviting political leaders to settle their differences at the roue mortelle table. But thanks to some costly bribes – which hopefully I can claim back as expenses – I've finally got a solid lead. My partner, Francesca Wolfe, and I should have more to reveal soon. With a little luck we will gain a unique insight into this most privileged of gambling dens. Assuming we play our cards right..."

31 AUG 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  A data bank left by a crashed vessel on the moon Colonia 5 e a has reactivated, revealing clues as to its origin. The crash site was first discovered over four years ago via listening posts in the Colonia, Neche and Wasat systems. These posts held transmissions from the ship's owner, Commander Hyford, discussing his attempts to avoid members of a private military outfit he had previously worked for. This latest development was discussed by Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency: "Commander Hyford spoke of making deliveries to a nameless organisation in the Pleiades, and left a data cache in the Colonia system that provided further details. Hyford's Cache, as some investigators referred to it, had remained locked until a manually-set timer system finally expired last week. The information within has apparently directed pilots to investigate the HIP 26176 system. It's possible that Kit Fowler's recent theories regarding Black Flight – another old mystery – might prove relevant after all. But there are bigger questions that need answering. Who was Hyford working for? Were they responsible for causing his ship to crash? And if so, what secrets were they trying to keep?"

19 JUL 3307

• The enigmatic Thargoid-worshipping religious order is examined by Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency. "Of all the myriad faiths practised across the galaxy, the Far God cult is one of the strangest and least understood. But in recent years it has grown from a fringe sect to a widespread religion. Its central tenet is that an unknowable being exists beyond our dimension – the Far God. What we call the Thargoids are its heralds, preparing for when it descends from hyperspace to instantly wipe out all life. This apocalyptic creed therefore attracts people who have nothing to live for, and who find purpose in awaiting armageddon. The cult has no official name or spokespeople, and its followers willingly replace their names with titles such as adherent, disciple and witness. This dehumanising approach includes its members wearing simple black robes and making their hive-chapels resemble Thargoid bio-technology, complete with ammonia fumes. Despite praying to an alien species, this is not the Thargoid fifth column many feared it to be. In fact they are pacifistic fatalists, expecting death and never offering resistance. This has caused them to be victimised by other doomsayer cults, anti-xeno activists and even the Federal Intelligence Agency… yet their serene patience has allowed them to survive. The discovery of two abandoned void-temples in the Etain system provided an insight into the cultists' mindset. Here can be heard the final testaments of people willingly entombed in suspended animation to await the Far God's arrival. More recently there are reports of several chapters of the sect migrating to the Panjabell system. This is controlled by the Pleiades Concordat, a theocracy devoted to the Far God, so perhaps it is preparing something bigger – or stranger – than we've seen before."

09 JUL 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  The dredger belonging to the Scriveners Clan has left the Perseus Dark Region KC-V c2-2 system, where the Hesperus megaship is located. The 200-year-old 'ghost ship', once owned by Azimuth Biochemicals, was discovered in April when the nomadic clan began salvaging it for materials and data. Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency speculated: "When the Scriveners laid claim to the Hesperus, I expected only a cloud of fragments would remain. But their salvage operation has been prematurely abandoned, after stripping the megaship's innards and leaving behind a mostly intact hull. Why have they done this? Perhaps because this particular dredger clan avoids outsiders. Public interest in the Hesperus inspired thousands of curious travellers to see it for themselves, potentially drawing more scrutiny than the secretive tribe could bear. Alternatively, the Scriveners detected richer pickings elsewhere – either fresh resources for the dredger to consume or new information for their 'Knowledge Core'. In theory they could still be tracked down as their vessel's hyperdrive has a similar range to modern-day fleet carriers. We know very little about the Scriveners, and even less about other clans. However, with the recent appearance of the Blue Viper Club dredger at Kumo City, I'm hopeful more may be revealed about these roaming societies."

02 JUL 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  A Blue Viper Club dredger has entered the Pegasi Sector PN-T C3-14 system, and may have links with the Kumo Crew syndicate. The Dredger-class bulk cruiser has taken position near Kumo City, one of five starports recently constructed by pirate warlord Archon Delaine. Dredger Clans are nomadic communities that travel on the fringes of civilisation, and their ancient vessels are rarely seen. Pilots in Pegasi Sector PN-T C3-14 have been warned to keep a safe distance from the dredger. Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency published her observations: "The Blue Viper Club is a fiercely independent tribe with an unsavoury reputation. Dredger Clans typically survive by gathering materials and salvage, but these people indulge in more criminal behaviour including drug running and raiding outposts. The clan occupies more than one dredger, but these have never entered an inhabited system before now. There has been no conflict with local factions or system security. However, unmarked personnel shuttles have been witnessed travelling to and from the dredger. Are we looking at a piratical alliance between the Blue Viper Club and the Kumo Crew? Is Archon Delaine expanding his reach to the Dredger Clans? Or have they brought him something of value that they discovered in deep space?"

14 JUN 3307

• The Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit has published an update on its investigation into the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army. Senior Agent Tanya Ramirez, one of ACT's joint leaders, gave a statement to the media: "ACT is currently pursuing multiple lines of enquiry, which must remain classified for reasons of security. Our agents are gathering evidence from sites across the Alliance, Empire and Federation. As yet we cannot report any significant breakthroughs. NMLA activists appear to use a dark-comms network that defies detection. They also compartmentalise their operations, so individual cells have little knowledge of each other. In recent months, NMLA incidents have been restricted to minor strikes against Imperial authorities, which were dealt with by local police forces. There has been no activity by Theta Group, the hardcore extremists responsible for the 'Nine Martyrs' starport bombings. The collapse of the Neo-Marlinist Order of Mudhrid may have deprived the NMLA of their logistical capability to deliver large-scale attacks. But it remains possible that a new wave of terrorist atrocities is being planned." ACT later confirmed that it has recruited additional personnel from Alliance Interpol, the Federal Intelligence Agency, the Imperial Internal Security Service, the Marlinist Constabulary, Nova Imperium's Praetorian Guard and the Wallglass Investigations Agency.

27 APR 3307

• Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency examines the Hesperus megaship and the Dredger Clan that caused its recent discovery. "When the Adamastor derelict received a strange signal, smart money was on it originating from its sister ship, the Hesperus. Both were owned by Azimuth Biochemicals and had vanished 200 years ago. After a united effort to decode and trace the signal, independent pilots located the Hesperus in an asteroid belt around the second star of the Perseus Dark Region KC-V C2-2 system. Like the Adamastor, it was devoid of life – but not alone. Alongside it was a dredger, whose proximity had triggered the Hesperus's mayday. This was a rare sighting of a Dredger Clan, one of the nomadic tribes that Gunnarson recently discussed. The Scriveners Clan was originally a fleet of research vessels for a long-forgotten academic consortium. Over centuries they became a self-sufficient society, constantly acquiring materials and information. They're not aggressive, but shun outsiders and jealously guard their 'Knowledge Core'. I'm fascinated by mentions of research-sergeants and lector-generals, suggesting their culture is a merger of scholastic and military. With the Hesperus claimed as salvage by the Scriveners and its drives stripped, all chance of learning more was lost. Luckily, four encoded data files had resisted upload, and a gap in the dredger's antiquated firewalls allowed pilots to hack them. The decrypted logs have now been preserved for posterity in a nearby tourist beacon. They tell a disturbing story of corporate rivalry, murder and revenge, but also leave many unanswered questions... We know that survivors abandoned ship to continue searching for 'alien artefacts'. Did they all die in space or did they find something? What did Azimuth's probes detect back in 3113? And who the hell is 'Salvation', the shadowy figure who contacted pilots to find the Hesperus?"

12 APR 3307

• Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency discusses the nomadic tribes that wander the galaxy in converted dredger megaships. "It's well known that there are many travelling communities – groups of people who prefer to live on the move rather than settle anywhere. Proudly independent, they survive on the fringes of civilisation and tend to avoid interacting with the authorities. Those commonly known as the Dredger Clans are among the most successful. Dredger-class bulk cruisers convert both natural and man-made minerals into raw resources, to sustain themselves on deep-space voyages. Improved hyperdrives and fuel-scooping systems made this design redundant long ago, but some were taken over by nomads and kept operational. These dredgers are now a type of generation ship. Each hosts tens of thousands of people, whose cultures have evolved – or devolved – over decades or centuries. Some are true loners while others have formed alliances, or occasionally gather to increase their gene pools. Typically these clans act as scavengers, quickly passing through systems to steal anything not locked down. Several take what they need in more aggressive ways, such as raiding unprotected outposts. A few have even darker reputations. I remember being told as a boy: 'If you don't behave, the Phagos take you away in your sleep and eat you up.' All my childhood nightmares came surging back when I discovered there may be some truth to that story. More recently, I've heard rumours that a rarely seen Dredger Clan has resurfaced. Naturally, Wolfe has rushed off to find out more. Hopefully she'll be able to increase our limited knowledge of these mysterious tribes."

02 APR 3307

• Erik Gunnarson and Francesca Wolfe investigate the abandoned relics of spacefaring communities from the early years of colonisation.
  Wolfe: "Generation ships are essentially mobile cities designed to carry expanding populations, and are always an impressive sight. But there's one I keep returning to – the Thetis, orbiting Nefertem 6 a. Listening to its logs always chills my blood. They describe how a whispered phrase from an uninhabited planet somehow caused over 17,000 people to slaughter each other. Nobody knows if it was mass hysteria, psychological stress from decades in space, or… something else. So many visits to the Thetis, and I still can't work up the nerve to play its final log entry. I've been warned that I won't be the same afterwards."
  Gunnarson: "Before hyperdrives, generation ships were a viable way to colonise distant star systems. Millions of people lived out their whole lives within self-contained societies, so their descendants might walk upon new worlds. The tragedy is that many of these pioneering megaships vanished entirely, never reaching their destinations. But some were rediscovered, usually because of listening posts intercepting their ancient broadcasts. There are various reasons why these expeditions failed. The Lazarus, now orbiting Virudnir 6, suffered mechanical breakdowns whereas the Pleione, in the Hez Ur system, had a population that only produced male babies. Most disturbing are those where the crew descended into barbarism, like the Artemis at Mu Cassiopeia C 1 and the Demeter in the Mizuchi system. Along with Wolfe's favourite – if that's the right word – these stand as horrific monuments to our darker natures. Lost generation ships rarely carry survivors, but that was the case with the Golconda, whose people now occupy an outpost on Upaniklis B 3. So perhaps more living relics are still adrift in the void, waiting to complete centuries-long missions."

19 MAR 3307

• Private investigators Erik Gunnarson and Francesca Wolfe review the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army.
  Gunnarson: "We don't usually get involved with political cases, but it's hard to ignore the largest terrorist attack in history. The NMLA is a radical offshoot of Marlinism, a democratic movement named after the Republic of Achenar's original ruler, Marlin Duval. Most are peaceful protester types, but Neo-Marlinists want to overthrow the government by permanently removing the Imperial Family. What nobody knows is how the NMLA went from minor troublemakers to interstellar terrorists. The starport bombings last September came from nowhere, and their assassins have killed many Imperial bigwigs including Prince Harold Duval. Smart money was on them being funded by Empire's enemies, but now the NMLA treat the Alliance and Federation as equal targets. Hitting all three superpower capitals was a hugely symbolic gesture, and should have been impossible. How did they bypass security and plant explosives without detection? Who the hell are these people? Even Wallglass doesn't have a clue. But we won't stop searching."
  Wolfe: "Despite my enquiries – and some unauthorised snooping – there's no trace of the rumoured NMLA bomb factory in LTT 1935. But it did once exist, because the Empire captured its occupants. Not that they'll admit it. 'There is no such place as Serene Harbour', right? Well, I've been to R CrA Sector AF-A d42 3b and seen it myself. It's bleak. Hope-crushing. And yet the NMLA prisoners listed as Theta Group escaped, broken out by what seems like Imperial Intelligence double-agents. That genuinely scares me. If the NMLA can worm inside the most shadowy security organisation in known space, they could be anywhere. And none of us are safe."

10 MAR 3307

• Erik Gunnarson and Francesca Wolfe, two detectives from the Wallglass Investigations Agency, examine the background of the Adamastor megaship.
  Gunnarson: "When Wolfe and I started this project, we knew this case would come first. We're both protégés of Benjamin Chester, creator of the Wallglass Archive. He retired years ago, but that old spark kicked in when a 'ghost ship' turned up on his doorstep! The Adamastor is a 200 year old derelict that drifted into the Chukchan system on autopilot. It's still there, with the Alliance Salvage Guild poking through its guts. Chester investigated its owners, a super-secretive company called Azimuth Biochemicals. We don't know what they were searching for, but what they found was possibly the first recorded Thargoid encounter. I've since tracked down evidence that the Adamastor had a sister ship – the Hesperus – which in 3113 was sent to… somewhere! Neither ship returned, but we only know what happened on the Adamastor mission. Of course, Wolfe had to go see that with her own eyes."
  Wolfe: "Musca Dark Region PJ-P b6-1 is a busy system nowadays, but was unexplored when Professor Carver's survey team were there. Listening to their logs from two centuries ago while examining the research base was chilling… ghost voices from a ghost ship. There was evidence of blast scars, but I've seen enough battlefields to know what exchanged gunfire looks like. Azimuth's mercenaries weren't just firing at Thargoids, but at someone who shot back with laser rifles. Gunnarson tells me Azimuth was swallowed up by a rival called Pharmasapien. Did they infiltrate the Adamastor and try to take over? Or did the thing that Carver captured drive everyone insane? This is a seriously cold case, even for us. But maybe one day, more tantalising clues will emerge. And that's what we live for."

02 FEB 3307

• Evidence presented at the trial of Fleet Admiral Vincent suggested financial links to Federal shipbuilding corporation Core Dynamics. This significant development was covered by Ethan Takahashi for The Federal Times: "The initial investigations around Starship One's destruction in 3301 were outlined by the prosecution. When the Federal Attorney's Office revisited this historical data, traces were found of financial transfers routed through non-Federation banking systems. The FAO brought in the expertise of the Wallglass Investigations Agency, which discovered that these transactions were made via shell companies created by Core Dynamics. Fleet Admiral Vincent, as well as several other naval officers, received billions of credits through these companies that went undeclared. Vincent refused to answer any questions about this evidence, once again claiming that he is the victim of a conspiracy to hand the presidency to Felicia Winters." Despite multiple requests from the press, Core Dynamics has not made any public comment. There are unverified reports of large-scale activity taking place at some of the corporation’s centres of operation.

29 OCT 3306

• A private investigator has uncovered some background to the derelict megaship that recently arrived in this system. Little is known about the Adamastor, which returned on autopilot after two hundred years with no sign of its crew. But an experienced detective has come out of retirement to tackle this mystery. Local resident Benjamin Chester, who was a founding member of the renowned Wallglass Investigations Agency, told journalists: "I convinced the Alliance Salvage Guild to pass on some serial numbers that they discovered inside the Adamastor. Then I started scouring databases, interviewing sources and, well, doing my old job. The megaship was owned by a corporation called Azimuth Biochemicals. This was taken over by a similar company called Pharmasapien, but both were liquidated long ago. No mission records exist, but service crew reports mention that the Adamastor's passengers included scientists, engineers and some kind of military. Eventually I unearthed a flight plan, logged in October 3111. It plotted a course toward Barnard's Loop with fuel for approximately 370 light years, and was scheduled to pass by the HIP 39748 and HIP 33386 systems. I'm way too old to head out there myself, but l hope someone can use this info, and help satisfy my curiosity about what happened all those years ago."

13 JUN 3305

• President Gibson Kincaid has been removed from office after a majority vote in the Alliance Assembly, following charges of treason, murder and corruption. The date of his trial is expected to be confirmed soon. Alliance Interpol confirmed that Kincaid was detained while attempting to flee his personal estate on Zaonce. A firefight broke out between Interpol agents and emissaries from the Office of the Alliance President, acting as Kincaid's personal bodyguards. Several fatalities were later confirmed. A number of influential corporate and political figures who supported Kincaid's conspiracy to gain executive control of the Alliance have also been arrested, including a senior director at the Bank of Zaonce. Prosecutions are expected to rely heavily on the recent testimony of Admiral Frederick Yamamoto and a detailed report provided by the Wallglass Investigations Agency. Tashmira Silva, who privately commissioned the report, told the media: "I am satisfied that Kincaid will at last face justice for his crimes, including my sister's murder. Fazia championed fairness, and succeeded as an entrepreneur by believing in others, she would be pleased to know that the Alliance has been purged of such a corrupt presence."

01 JUN 3305

• Admiral Frederick Yamamoto, head of the Alliance fleet in Zaonce, has been charged with the assassination of former presidential candidate Fazia Silva. The shocking statement was delivered by Tashmira Silva, who became CEO of Silva Holdings Inc after her sister's death: "When the inquiry into Fazia's murder closed, I hired the Wallglass Investigations Agency at great expense to uncover the truth. They identified that a professional assassin with a background in the Alliance Defence Force was responsible. Unravelling a complex trail of financial evidence and encrypted communications led directly to Admiral Yamamoto. He personally arranged to have Fazia killed during the presidential election campaign, presumably to remove her political threat to his friend Gibson Kincaid." Alliance Interpol recently verified the Wallglass report and has now detained Yamamoto pending trial. The Zaonce fleet has been placed under the joint command of the Council of Admirals. There has been no comment from President Kincaid.

02 MAR 3305

• It has been revealed that Lady Talitha Ambrose's 300 billion credit fortune vanished as a result of her participation in a powerful gambling ring. Confirmation came when Baroness Oksana Ambrose shared a report from the Wallglass Investigations Agency: "Multiple sources verify that Lady Talitha has been a member of Jokers' Deck for years. At the group's most recent event, she bet the entire Ambrose Foundation during an epic game of high-stakes deadlock poker, and eventually lost. Lady Talitha was apparently devastated, fleeing the venue soon after. Some attendees believe that the game was rigged by one or more other players, who aimed to exploit Lady Talitha's well-known gambling addiction. The organisers of Jokers' Deck remain anonymous and untraceable, so retrieving the family’s assets is unlikely." An Ambrose Foundation spokesperson later stated that Baroness Oksana has officially revoked Lady Talitha's title, vowing never to speak to her daughter again.

15 FEB 3305

• The Ambrose Foundation has confirmed that Lady Talitha Ambrose is missing, and that all of its assets have been lost. Baroness Oksana Ambrose, head of the institution, told the media: "Everything we own has been transferred from our accounts to who knows where. Emergency funds are being used to settle debts and pay staff, but essentially the Ambrose Foundation is ruined. I can only assume that vicious criminals have kidnapped Lady Talitha and tortured her into surrendering her inheritance. I have used the last of our reserves to hire the Wallglass Investigations Agency. I pray that they can locate and rescue my beloved daughter."