Federation: Difference between revisions
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Simultaneously with the Federation's political turmoil, the [[Empire]] was focused on an internal anti-terrorism operation to root out the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army]]. Believing that supporters of the [[Marlin Duval|Marlinist]] ideology were collaborating with the more radical and violent NMLA, the [[Imperial Navy]] attempted mass arrests of Marlinists. Millions fled their homes to escape persecution, sparking the [[Marlinist refugee crisis]], and by October 20, 3306, many had arrived in several outlying Federal systems. The Empire formally requested that the refugees be returned, but Federal Ambassador [[Jordan Rochester]] refused and asked Federal Congress to grant the refugees asylum.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f8eccd964813d010413e662 GalNet: Marlinist Refugees Flee to the Federation]</ref> On October 26, Congress approved a proposal from [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] to grant temporary citizenship to the Marlinists in defiance of President Hudson's stated intention to return them to the Empire.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f96dae3c5f82d16485c8ba7 GalNet: Congress Votes to Accept Marlinist Immigrants]</ref> As a result, tensions between the Federation and the Empire increased, with some fearing that the Empire could declare war to recapture the Marlinists.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f9c3b09f940387d9539a785 GalNet: Empire and Federation Clash Over Marlinists]</ref>
The situation worsened on November 5, 3306, when the Empire invaded LTT 1935, a Federal system in neutral space that the [[Imperial Internal Security Service]] had reason to believe contained multiple hidden NMLA bomb-making facilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fa3f841861db67e3c548667 GalNet: Federal and Imperial Forces Engage in Battle]</ref> The conflict ended on November 12, with the LTT 1935 Confederacy securing a decisive victory and preventing an Imperial occupation.<ref name="FedResists">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fad25247ca22b31b03796c3 GalNet: Federal System Resists Imperial Takeover]</ref> On November 19, the NMLA bombed the Federal starport Kepler Orbital in Atropos to silence nine NMLA members who had been detained there by the [[Federal Security Service]] for interrogation.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fb518e848b07248665182e7 GalNet: Terrorists Identified Among Marlinist Refugees]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fb66b8eb296e87ab41dfd6b GalNet: Terrorist Bombing at Federal Starport]</ref> This resulted in blacklash against Winters' acceptance of the Marlinist refugees, and as concerns mounted about the possibility of a war between the superpowers, President Hudson recovered much of his lost standing.<ref name="Shadow War">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fc0f66cdb6b4a02124bfdc1 GalNet: The Shadow of War]</ref>
As relations between the Empire and the Federation continued to deteriorate, both superpowers took more aggressive stances. In response to the Empire withdrawing funding from [[Aegis]], the Federation did the same.<ref
Amid the turbulence caused by the Marlinist refugee crisis, a [[Thargoid]] [[Second Thargoid War|resurgence]], tensions between the Empire and Federation, and widespread economic instability, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of [[Utopia]] proposed the [[Galactic Summit]] on January 1, 3307. It would be the first ever diplomatic conference between the three superpowers, and its purpose was to allow the Alliance, Empire, and Federation to peacefully debate their differences and agree on solutions to the most significant threats facing humanity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fdce4b7b4ba847e4533d98e GalNet: Utopia Invites Superpowers to Galactic Summit]</ref> Despite the idea originating with Utopia, the superpowers ultimately selected Sirius Corporation to host the Galactic Summit after CEO Li Yong-Rui demonstrated he could better prepare security for the event.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/6012ad824aaf2914d56a6da3 GalNet: Sirius Corporation Secures Hosting of Galactic Summit]</ref> The Federation's delegation to the Galactic Summit was led by President Zachary Hudson, and included Shadow President Felicia Winters, members of the [[Federal Diplomatic Corps]], and other representatives of civil and corporate interests.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/6033aa6c4a1a21547020ba4d GalNet: Hudson and Winters Confirmed for Galactic Summit]</ref>
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On March 3, 3307, at the Galactic Summit in [[Sirius]], President Hudson personally ratified the [[Cornelius-Lasky Convention]] with his Allied and Imperial counterparts.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/603f8712228a4030f344bcb3 GalNet: Superpowers Make Progress at the Galactic Summit]</ref> The conference was cancelled on March 11 following a series of coordinated attacks on starports in nine major systems, including [[Li Qing Jao]] in Sol, that were carried out by the NMLA.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/604a1301b02d5114c742fe00 GalNet: Galactic Summit Cancelled – NMLA Attacks Superpowers]</ref> Vice President [[Brad Mitchell]] and several Federal Cabinent members were among the tens of thousands who died at Li Qing Jao. The Federation blamed the [[Nine Martyrs]] attacks on the Empire due to NMLA bombmakers escaping [[Serene Harbour]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/604b64ec0edb312109560151 GalNet: Starport Bombing Casualties Include Federal Vice President]</ref> As a result of the Cornelius-Lasky Convention establishing new communications protocols between the security forces of the superpowers, the Federal Intelligence Agency participated in the creation of the [[Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit|Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit (ACT)]] to defeat the NMLA.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/6051fcec549a83506f45143f GalNet: Anti-NMLA Intelligence Unit Formed]</ref> [[Federal Congress]] followed this up on March 30 with the approval of the [[Domestic Counter-Terrorism Act]], an emergency law proposed by new Vice President [[Jerome Archer]] to expand the Federal government's surveillance powers with the aim of preventing future terrorist attacks.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/606311954f9eda52a923b05e GalNet: Federal Congress Grants Emergency Surveillance Powers]</ref> Under the act, the Federal Intelligence Agency created the [[Proactive Detection Bureau]] to monitor public and private communications networks for terrorist activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/606c4bee6ac730131e7bf110 GalNet: Federation Begins Anti-Terrorist Monitoring]</ref> As the PDB became mired in controversy and public support for the enhanced surveillance polarized, President Hudson and Shadow President Winters launched competing data collection initiatives on April 29. Hudson desired to expand the PDB's reach and effectiveness, while Winters sought the opposite by planning to distribute legal technology and techniques to protect personal communications from government intrusion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/608aaf2306df062baf07813c GalNet: Federal Leaders Launch Rival Data Requests]</ref> Hudson's campaign prevailed, which the Federal government interpreted as a popular mandate to continue the program. The PDB was strengthened substantially, enabling it to scan almost all public and private comms networks in Federation space, which resulted in a sharp rise in arrest rates and the dismantling of criminal groups.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/6093d8eec8a3b342392ba3ef GalNet: Hudson Initiative Increases Federal Surveillance]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/609e64f064b3c15c99541d03 GalNet: Federal Citizens Approve Government Scrutiny]</ref>
The Federation's doubling-down on increased public and private surveillance caused a wave of discontent to ripple through Federal systems within Shadow President Winters's sphere of influence, culminating on June 29, 3307 with Mayor [[Constanza Noguera]] of the Azaladshu Free faction proclaiming the secession of the four systems under its control: Azaladshu, LHS 277, LTT 3919, and LFT 824.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/60db0b9122e29a28d731c813 GalNet: Four Federal Systems Declare Independence]</ref> President Hudson charged the Federal loyalist faction Neche Inc with containing the [[Federal Rebellion of 3307|rebellion]] on July 1, but Azaladshu Free defeated Federal forces and secured its independence on July 8. Three other Federal factions were inspired to secede as well: the Coalition of Uteran, which controlled Uteran and Ga'anjob'al; LP 726-6 Free, which controlled LP 726-6 and Aunochis; and Gluscap Labour, which controlled Gluscap and V902 Centauri. This embarrassed not only Hudson, who failed to quash the rebellion, but Winters, who was accused by some of orchestrating the secession due to her vocal opposition to the new surveillance measures.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/60ddcacff026382a6d0865e9 GalNet: Federation Battles Independents in the Azaladshu System]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/60e6e7816d8ad419973f01df GalNet: Independence Spreads from Azaladshu System]</ref> The Azaladshu affair emboldened other Federal factions to also weigh abandoning their fealty, and by July 21, it was reported that the FIA was arresting independence-minded leaders on spurious charges to contain the situation.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/60f82834f353e248204f2416 GalNet: Federation Threatened by Further Secession]</ref> Governor [[Sonal Mishra]] of New Kuwembaa Labour withdrew his five systems from the Federation on July 30, and three other factions
==Society==
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