Fazia Silva

Fazia Silva was a successful Alliance entrepreneur from the Vamm system who founded and directed Silva Holdings Inc. She was a candidate in the 3304 Alliance presidential election against Councillor Elijah Beck and incumbent Alliance President Gibson Kincaid. Silva planned to apply her business expertise to improve the Alliance's economy if elected, but before the election took place, she was murdered on October 5, 3304 while staying at Hume Orbital, Mullag. Fazia's sister Tashmira Silva inherited her corporate empire.

The Fazia Silva assassination remained unsolved for months. In May 3305, after Councillor Beck accused President Kincaid of campaign finance violations, Kincaid insinuated Beck may have been involved in Silva's demise. On June 1, however, Tashmira revealed that the Wallglass Investigations Agency had determined Admiral Frederick Yamamoto, a close friend of President Kincaid, had contracted the assassination to benefit Kincaid's reelection campaign. Yamamoto was arrested by Alliance Interpol and relieved of his command pending trial, and was also expected to testify against Kincaid.

Timeline

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."

07 JUN 3305

• The Alliance Tribune has revealed that Admiral Frederick Yamamoto has committed multiple crimes at the behest of Alliance president Gibson Kincaid. In a detailed report, journalist Vanya Driscoll said: "As part of a plea bargain to avoid life imprisonment, Yamamoto has provided Alliance Interpol with data regarding actions carried out on the direct orders of President Kincaid. Along with the assassination of presidential candidate Fazia Silva, Yamamoto arranged to murder, injure and intimidate many others to facilitate Kincaid's rise to power. The admiral coordinated his efforts with a number of influential corporate, military and political figures, who allied themselves with Kincaid in exchange for certain advantages. This included a Bank of Zaonce senior director, who illegally redirected funds to bankroll Kincaid's re-election campaign. Kincaid's ultimate aim was to transfer executive power from Alioth to Zaonce, establishing a base of support to eventually become the supreme ruler of the Alliance. But with such a detailed and damning testimony from Yamamoto, it seems impossible that his presidency can survive these revelations."

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.

10 MAY 3305

• President Gibson Kincaid has refuted allegations of illegal campaign funding and is refusing to cooperate with the official inquiry. He gave this statement to The Alliance Tribune: "The claims are nothing more than an attempt to besmirch my reputation. Councillor Elijah Beck has fabricated this wild mudlark chase as revenge for his loss to me in the presidential vote last year. If the Assembly wants to entertain conspiracies, they could review the assassination of Fazia Silva, the third presidential candidate. It's interesting that Beck's own campaign gained a lot of support after Silva was murdered." The Bank of Zaonce has also declined the inquiry's requests for information. A spokesperson insisted that all campaign funds it handles adhere to strict financial guidelines. They added that Beck's evidence was deemed insufficient until a verified source could be provided.

31 OCT 3304

• The investigation into the death of Alliance presidential candidate Fazia Silva has concluded. No convictions have been made. Inspector Erin Sangster of Alliance Interpol made this statement: "The death of Fazia Silva has been officially ruled as homicide. The use of a sophisticated nerve toxin and the circumvention of security at Hume Orbital suggests the involvement of one or more professional assassins. Unfortunately, we have now exhausted all possible avenues of investigation, and are left with no option but to consider the case closed." President Gibson Kincaid told the media: "I have no doubt that the murder of Ms. Silva was designed to disrupt our democracy, and I will not rest until the Alliance's enemies pay for their crimes." Tashmira Silva has now assumed permanent control of her late sister's corporate empire.

17 OCT 3304

• Gibson Kincaid was announced as the winner of the Alliance presidential election. He will continue serving as president of the Alliance. Kincaid obtained a small majority of the public vote, defeating Councillor Elijah Beck. Entrepreneur Fazia Silva, the third candidate in the race, was recently found dead, and is the subject of an Interpol investigation. President Kincaid addressed his followers at a victory rally: "My thanks go to every citizen who saw the wisdom of my vision. I vow to lead you into a glorious future!" Prime Minister Edmund Mahon gave a statement to the media: "I offer my congratulations to President Kincaid on being successfully re-elected. The Assembly is continuing to debate his proposal to imbue the presidential role with executive powers. We have agreed to extend the deadline by one week, after which a parliamentary vote will decide the outcome."

13 OCT 3304

• The two remaining candidates in the Alliance presidential race returned to the Alioth system to make their final campaign vows. In the parliamentary chamber of the Assembly, Elijah Beck addressed his fellow council members: "The Alliance occupies a unique position, and as such must remain true to its principles. My focus as president will be on attracting more independent systems to our interstellar family." He was followed by the current incumbent, President Gibson Kincaid: "Fazia Silva's assassination was an assault on our democracy. The Alliance's enemies are growing bold, and we must do the same. I beseech the Assembly to imbue the presidential role with executive powers, to transform our Alliance into a true superpower capable of challenging its adversaries." Prime Minister Edmund Mahon thanked both candidates and wished them good luck in the election. The public vote will take place on Tuesday the 16th of October and the results will be announced later that week.

05 OCT 3304

• Alliance presidential candidate Fazia Silva was found dead in her room at Hume Orbital, Mullag, and authorities believed she had been murdered. Inspector Erin Sangster of Alliance Interpol informed the media: "Ms. Silva's body was found in a room at Hume Orbital, where she was staying during her presidential campaign. Medical teams detected traces of poison, making this a suspected homicide." There has already been speculation that this was a political killing, motivated by Silva's proposed changes to Alliance financial policy. The entrepreneur also had fierce rivals in the business world. Her sister Tashmira Silva, who has been overseeing the Silva corporate empire, stated: "Our family is devastated – we can't believe that Fazia has been taken from us. I will honour her by continuing to run the companies that she made so successful." Condolences have been delivered by Prime Minister Edmund Mahon and both of Ms Silva's election rivals, Gibson Kincaid and Elijah Beck. President Kincaid said: "This tragedy constitutes a direct attack on our democracy. The Alliance's enemies will do anything they can to destabilise us, including murder. If we are to fight back, we will need strong leadership."

27 SEP 3304

• The three candidates for the Alliance presidency have spent much of the past week delivering their campaign messages. Incumbent president Gibson Kincaid, who seeks re-election, has demanded radical change to the constitution: "To occupy the same league as the other superpowers, we need a single ruler with overall control. I ask that you empower me to lead the Alliance into a new era of strength and unity. That is my vision." An increase in commerce is the focus for entrepreneur Fazia Silva: "The current president is driven entirely by ego, as are all career politicians, but it's money that makes the galaxy go round. Only by investing in trade and industry can the Alliance truly grow." Councillor Elijah Beck has been critical of his rivals' approach: "President Kincaid has little respect for our values, and Ms Silva wants to make it easier for her companies to increase profits. The Alliance deserves a president who puts the wellbeing of its people first, rather than their own selfish goals." The new president of the Alliance will be announced in October.

21 SEP 3304

• With the Alliance presidential race gathering speed, political journalist Vanya Driscoll has published an analysis in The Alliance Tribune: "The election of a new president is usually a ceremonial matter, during which voters select a public 'face' for the Alliance, but this year is a genuine power struggle – one that may have major consequences. Elijah Beck is the only candidate who seems content with the status quo. By contrast, entrepreneur Fazia Silva promises to boost the economy and increase commerce. Her new financial policies have been welcomed by interstellar corporations and small businesses alike. President Gibson Kincaid is causing the most controversy, however. His proposal that the role of president should include executive powers is being taken seriously by the Assembly. Kincaid claims that having a single controlling voice will enable the Alliance to 'challenge our rivals' dominance'. There is a surprising amount of support for this combative rhetoric. Many agree that the Alliance could be stronger, and that Prime Minister Mahon is often hamstrung by bureaucracy. Rumours suggest that the Empire and Federation are watching this election far more closely than usual."

14 SEP 3304

• The other two candidates running against President Gibson Kincaid in the Alliance presidential election officially launched their campaigns. Alliance Tribune political journalist Vanya Driscoll stated: "Fazia Silva is a successful entrepreneur from the Vamm system. Although lacking political experience, she intends to leverage her business acumen to increase trade and boost economies throughout the Alliance. She has delegated control of her corporate empire to her sister, freeing her to run for office. Elijah Beck, by contrast, is a highly experienced politician. Hailing from the Leesti system, he has served in the Assembly for over four decades. He is generally considered a safe pair of hands, but it's unlikely that he would bring about any significant changes as president. Recent polls suggest that Kincaid, Silva and Beck are roughly equal in terms of popular support, but it's still early days. All three will vigorously campaign for support in the coming weeks, in advance of the public vote on Tuesday the 16th of October."

13 SEP 3304

• The Alioth Independents has announced that its appeal for exotic food and drink has reached a successful conclusion, having received an overwhelming response from the galactic community. Huge quantities of Esuseku Caviar, Ceremonial Heike Tea and Live Hecate Sea Worms were delivered to Smith Landing over the past week, which will now be used to host their gala event. With the initiative at an end, Durien Ballas, chairman of the Alioth Independents, issued the following statement: "This will be an event like no other, and we are proud to be introducing Fazia Silva and Elijah Beck to the galactic stage. Along with Gibson Kincaid, I'm sure they will soon do battle in a good-natured yet robust election campaign." Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Smith Landing in the Amber system.