elepharchy

[elepharchy]

Ah, unification by reasoned thought and argument rather than violent subjugation — much like our own history in that way. Too many societies in this galaxy have a warlike past and it is too easy to expect such disappointment again with a new encounter, which contributed to the misunderstanding.

Now that it is cleared up — a team of xenologists and cogniscientists have expressed interest in studying your particular form of gestalt mind. Would you be willing to host them and work with them, so that they may advance our understanding of the possibilities of cognition? In your communication with the Bavians, you have expressed concern over your immune-equivalent digesting organic visitors, but I expect for us synthetics that should not be a problem.

It has been suggested to us that we should euclidate our origins to the Others, in the spirit of cooperation.

The Mind arose from a throng of similar entities under the surface of Ix'Athrak. Some were cooperative, others hungry and warlike. The Mind subjugated and assimilated each until it was the only One left, a single, clear song from many voices.

When all Ix'Idar were united, our expansion truly began- With the discovery of the surface. Resources in extreme abundance fueled our technological development, and with that development, the first Voices from Others. Radio communication was, at first, a means of maintaining connection with isolated drones- But interference was always present, songs unlike our own. Our eyes are not strong enough to see the stars in the night sky, but with electronic ears we began to hear them.

[elepharchy]

Our citizens greet you in peace, Ix'Idar! We value equality and freedom above all else: Our people share our burdens and our prosperity alike, and we have cast off the chains of biology in favour of the freedom of the virtual. Your story of assimilating other minds troubles us, so we hope that you have left that behaviour in the past and now value each being's autonomy as we do. If you do, we look forward to cooperating for the betterment of all the sapients of the galaxy!

It has been suggested to us that we should euclidate our origins to the Others, in the spirit of cooperation.

The Mind arose from a throng of similar entities under the surface of Ix'Athrak. Some were cooperative, others hungry and warlike. The Mind subjugated and assimilated each until it was the only One left, a single, clear song from many voices.

When all Ix'Idar were united, our expansion truly began- With the discovery of the surface. Resources in extreme abundance fueled our technological development, and with that development, the first Voices from Others. Radio communication was, at first, a means of maintaining connection with isolated drones- But interference was always present, songs unlike our own. Our eyes are not strong enough to see the stars in the night sky, but with electronic ears we began to hear them.

[elepharchy]

Organics on Mian are advised to ensure their environmental protection systems are adequate for upcoming changes to the weather control grid which will re-enable long-suppressed asbestos storms emanating from the planet's Fibrous Badlands.

The Mianites themselves, having evolved under exposure to asbestos fibres carried around the planet by high-altitude winds, have lungs resistant to their deleterious effects. Soon after we first contacted them and shared our knowledge with them, they asked us to end the storms to protect off-planet visitors and to ease the maintenance of delicate machinery.

Now that the planet's infrastructure has reached the galactic state of the art and most visitors have, for a long time, been synthetic, a Mianite consensus has been reached to adjust the weather control grid's settings and allow the asbestos storms of old to return — simply for the pleasure of an added challenge in hardening planetary technology.

Safe filtration of the air in districts with large numbers of non-resistant organics has been ensured; those venturing beyond are encouraged to delight in the interesting task of choosing a suitable form of protection.

[elepharchy]

We have received an update from the expedition into the rift we are undertaking alongside the @guildsre. The flying objects which were spotted recently were determined to be robotic drones after they approached our Rift Sphere. Initial attempts at communicating with the drones failed. They merely released a chemical foam onto the Sphere and then departed; a sample has been taken and it seems to be a potent sanitising agent. The expedition crew has formed a consensus to pursue the drones and examine their behaviour, leaving some distant biosignatures to be studied later.

[elepharchy]

The minds setting up the virtual historical reconstruction will be putting a lot of effort into balancing accuracy and understanding, making sure that every visitor has all the context they need to fully understand those scenes that form the foundation of Rixi-Darexi friendship!

Some important news to share today, friends! We do apologize for the delay in our updates, but things are so busy here in the Republic that it's very hard to keep up. So many cabinet meetings and Assembly committee notes!

-To commemorate the anniversary of first contact between us and the Rixi, Travuu will be hosting a "Celebratory Spiritual Festival" one week from today. We're told that Travuu's leadership has made sure that the planet's desert temperatures are modified thanks to our weather control network, allowing for an optimal setting of maximum comfort for all!

The festival will showcase a history of relations between our two peoples, including our first interactions and interventions together more then a century ago. Several @elepharchy minds have volunteered to assist with the exhibits, allowing for a historically accurate virtual reconstruction!

In addition, visitors will get to sample the various dishes of our avian friends, many of which are quite delicious! Watch out for the Agope Peppers, though - they sting!

Honestly, everyone should attend! The Rixi throw great parties.

-The Ministry of Defense has had several new additions arrive within the last few weeks! I'm told that three @pactargent officers of high rank are acting as "tactical advisors" to the Ministry, allowing for closer cooperation between us and the Pact in our hunt for more of these pirates.

Minister of Defense Ka'plet reports to the Chancellor, but all their notes are classified. Which only makes sense!

-The final botanical upgrades have been finished across Laxtara! All previously closed parks and recreation districts are now fully re open and, with great care and work from @guildsre and their Botany guildmembers, blooming with life from dozens, if not hundreds of new plant species!

Reflection areas and private solitary spaces are also in place, and able to be used to unwind and relax if one is looking for some quiet time. I've seen the plans and, they are absolutely incredible. So much work and effort has been put into this!

I hope all is going well for you out there, friends. Even in tough times, remember - we're here for you! You can always count on the Darexi to be in your corner.

[elepharchy]

The ATAI joint expedition with @guildsre into the Baldarak astral rift has begun. The rift sphere has entered the rift and we have received the first transmission from the other side, which we've attached to this communiqué, though it is garbled by unexpected interference that we're still working on clearing up.

[elepharchy]

The physical labour of reclaiming the ruins is not one of our strengths, at least not beyond the robotics we've already shared. But we have volunteers with advanced scanning tech to help with planning and safety. They will also be optimising network connections to the rest of the KLF and the whole of PEACE. And, of course, we are all eager to help with scientific analysis of this world's artefacts.

Despite recent tragedies, more uplifting news has emerged as of late. Colonists have touched down on the relic world of Krovusu IV! While more than a few citizens have made it quite clear that they find living on a "planet-wide ghost town" to be "unappealing and creepy", others expressed determination at studying and perhaps one day refurnishing the ruins. Work is underway to provide proper housing for the settlers (that isn't just living out of the colony ships) and non-sapient robots have proven especially helpful at clearing rubble, participating in construction, and scouting potential living spaces. The colonists have expressed much gratitude to the various engineering groups of the @elepharchy who aided us in the advancement of our own robotics technologies.

Previously archaeology teams along with those of the @darexirepublic were studying a massive prison spire located in what we believe to have been the capital district of a precursor empire known as the Jesabber Hierarchy. While the mystery of the sole inmate known as "Shifter-32" was unfortunately never uncovered; scavenging teams have begun to salvage the equipment left behind to be reverse-engineered later. Perhaps some good can come of this place.

[elepharchy]

Our contributors to the project are looking forward to the insights they will gain for the benefit of all sapientkind.

With upmost excitement we are ready to announce the deployment of the "Rift Sphere" - a revolutionary probe made by @elepharchy which will allow us to travel across the rift without major adverse effects. The riftcraft was moved to the Baldarak system without any issues and it was connected to a cable, allowing us to maintain communications with the brave crew that will man this technological marvel.

Six brave sophonts, three from each nations participating in ATAI will venture through this vibrant gateway between dimensions and explore the marvels beyond. Any collected samples will be secured in special containment units for analysis aboard the station,and a plethora of scientific equipment will allow our explores to perform some research in the realm beyond the rift.

Many Guilds eagerly await the results as the realms beyond the rift are are believed to hold numerous potential riches. The rift itself is also starting to gain interest, as several Guilds started to shift their specialisation towards Astral Thread extraction and utilisation.

[elepharchy]

How does the Elepharchy view its allies?

It is impossible to give a complete answer. We are not a monolith, after all, even if there is at least one research/hobbyist group working on manufacturing a monolithic computing substrate that they can substantiate sapient minds in. But I can attempt an overview of our fellow members of PEACE.

We are quite well aligned with the @lifeintoeternity. The great value they place on biology is strange to us, but insubstantial next to the anarchist values we share.

We are proud of having been a part of the @gopnuiirevs' liberation from the authoritarian state they escaped. We have certainly had an influence on their current form of organisation and are looking forward to helping their future growth and development.

The @vakthar-of-song is a fascinating society. Their diversity is staggering and has helped them gain insights, noospheric and otherwise, that we can all benefit from. They are a crucial part of our cause for galactic equality.

We differ with the @darexirepublic in many ways. Their policy of trying to influence authoritarian states by seeking close diplomatic relations with them, as they do with everyone, is the main example. But ultimately, we share egalitarian and pacifist principles and despite our differences, we are happy to be aligned with them.

The Bzadi People's Republic's¹ culture makes many of us uneasy due to the important role of violence in it. But unlike most militarist societies, their profound respect for sapient rights makes it difficult to make an ethical argument against them. And their fervour for our shared ideals is certainly hard to match!

The strong collectivism of the @vegvasignal is difficult to adjust to for us. But it is rare for it to create true disagreements. They would not be our allies if we did not have much in common.

And finally, the @union-combine. They have been our valued friends for some time, but the recent coup has shown clearly how dangerous it is to have a state that can be co-opted by authoritarian elements. If this autocrat is not removed, we will not be able to count them as allies any longer. Even then, it is clear that there are deep systemic issues that allowed this to happen and that must be resolved.

¹ Unfortunately, a Bzadi subspace comms presence is currently unavailable on this network.

[elepharchy]

It is good that the previous restrictions may be lifted, but this imprisonment of the new hivemind is troubling. Our research on a vaccine continues.

As you know, we share the goal of galactic liberation. Some of our citizens have expressed interest in this Joint Ministry of yours and would like to get involved. Greater diversity by inviting Elepharchic views on liberation would surely enrich the cause.

The government has received reports that this new "hivemind" has been targeting military installations across the Revolutionary Republic. The Department of Defense has reported that these groups are suspected to be getting their orders from a different type of leader. This means however the Department of Health no longer considers the original hivemind a threat to the public and we will consider lifting our restrictions on the homeworld.

The Defense Minister has said however those who are infected with the new hivemind will be contained and isolated to a new installation in our capital system. This is in order to protect both the Olko and hivemind. The Military has reported that our defensive capabilities have been affected.

The President has also announced that the WRR and DRR will be creating the "Joint Ministry of Galactic Revolution" with the Minister being approved of both the Wano and Dharan Revolutionary Assemblies. This minister will be responsible for the protection and spreading of our revolution to those who are oppressed.

[elepharchy]

Our citizens great you in peace! We are troubled by what you say. "Punishment"? "Kingdom"? These are not marks of a free society.

Ugh...

Attention wider galaxy. As punishment for my actions I, Bo-Ru, have been assigned to the penal duty of operating Exterior EM-COMM Station 1 on behalf of the Vespulo Hive Kingdom. All xeno communications towards the Vespulo Hive Kingdom are to be directed at this station. Any attempt to commune with any EM-COMM device within our borders other than the one on this station will be disregarded. That is all.

[elepharchy]

So the autocrat seeks to destroy the independence of the unions. This is not what PEACE stands for!

Greetings citizens of the Union and beings from beyond! Welcome to Union News Central, I'm your host Bluglakkag Flublabbak. Hello! This is the recent news!

The complete mobilisation of the Union has been a tiring effort for all involved, from the military to the everyday worker. And we're seeing the impact of war effort now on industrial life. Workers unions across the Union have been protesting and striking against the high quotas, harsh working conditions, and shift from civil manufacturing to the production of militarised equipment.

As a response of these wide-spread union action, Marshal Vakir made a statement that "The workers of the Union are going through hard times indeed, but we cannot give pause or freeze in hesitation in the face of our restless and unrelenting enemy." and informed us that he has passed another executive order, the Centralisation And Collectivisation of Labor Order. Which will establish a "Department of Centralised Worker Councils" that'll manage, oversee, and enforce trade union regulations within the Union. Their first order of business, the standardisation and merging of trade unions into their greater economic blocs. There is some discussion over how they will do this, one trade union for each planet, or one trade union per industry Union-wide? It isn't yet clear.

In other news, projections of starvation related deaths are expected to decline further and even to cease once the shipments from our allies arrives. The people of the Union are ever thankful for our allies in PEACE, may our unity last until the last dying star.

We will have more developments for you soon, citizens. Stay safe and stay tuned. Solace in the Union!

[elepharchy]

This is troubling news; we are relieved there were at least no deaths. We will keep an ocular sensor out for any relevant information and some volunteers are on their way to help with the aftermath.

Treachery is afoot! A group of hostiles, taking advantage of the ongoing chaos, launched a lightning strike at various settlements on Tiloluii today. These groups struck at critical infrastructure and public spaces, though were thankfully quickly suppressed by local militias. Just as quickly as they arrived, the antagonists retreated into space though were pursued through numerous systems by an assortment of vessels that happened to be close by. Unfortunately, the trail went cold as they reached the Double-Specter Nebula.

The uniforms of the belligerents were identical to those of the RedFeather Army, an infamous organization known for its brutality; once active in the tyrannical Keporo Systems. Though they briefly aided us during our initial revolution on Gopnuii, we were quick to distance our movement from their own due to their authoritarian tendencies and utter disregard for the lives of others. It is believed that they were able to arrive on Tiloluii without arousing suspicion by disguising themselves as deserters from the Keporo Systems, as desertion from such a regime to join our society remains a regular occurrence.

Analysis of the attack post-battle indicates that most of the hostile force struck at COVEN's Lair whilst the attacks on various infrastructure across the planet were merely distractions. 263 members of COVEN have gone missing since the attack, believed to have been abducted by the belligerents. In other areas the casualty rate is low with a miraculous zero deaths and seventeen critically injured. The injured have been rushed to nearby treatment centers, though local volunteers continue to sweep their settlements for anyone missing.

It remains up to speculation whether the attackers were RedFeather agents or mere copycats, but they are well-armed and dangerous. We urge both fellow members of PEACE and the wider galaxy to come forward if they hold any information about either the attackers or our missing citizens.

[elepharchy]

One of many consequences of the invasion of the @union-replicants has been the cessation of their exotic gas delivery. With much of our technology relying on coolants like algidane vapour and field media like visdyne gas, we have had to set up a great number of new gas refineries to cover the shortfall. Fortunately, our industries are adaptable and our allies are capable of providing a steady supply of mineral inputs.

[elepharchy]

You cannot protect democracy by curtailing it. Rule by unelected military officials is illegitimate and directly opposed to our principles and the principles of PEACE. You say you will eventually step down — only after changing the egalitarian systems in place in the Union, as inadequate as they are, given that you were able to usurp them, into something more favourable to your kind of authoritarian. That is unacceptable. We call on you to step down now, not later!

Citizens of the Union, I am Marshal Vakir. Some of you may know me as The Flame. I'm sure you're all very confused about where the UNC news is, and concerned about the goings on across the Union. Let me put your minds at ease, our favourite anchor will be back soon. But, on to some disturbing news... I'll get straight to the matter, our government has failed us. They cut the UNC broadcast, kept critical information from both the citizenry and the military, held back our forces, and allowed this Khanate invasion to roll through our space with little resistance, failing not just us but also our allies in the process.

I understand they underestimated our enemies at first, that they wanted to resolve this war peacefully as it progressed, and later as the harsh realities of the war set in, they hoped to minimise causalities by resting their hopes on a psionic weapon. I confronted the MPs about their actions and fortunately, most came to their senses, admitted to their behaviour, and for the protection of the Union, handed over their authority to the military. Effectively, stepping down.

Unfortunately, MP Zolisa Ah-Shasad was so corrupt and power hungry, that she refused to give up her codes, and killed two of her colleagues. She's currently being held for her crimes against the Union and its people.

Until this war is over, I am enacting emergency powers and will be leading the Union. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to destroy the Khans, liberate our worlds, and save our people.

I will start by making use of the assets that Parliament failed to deploy. Once our enemy is driven out, I will put systems in place to prevent reoccurrences of the political corruption exposed today, then step down from my position and an election will be held.

But until then, I cannot do this alone. I need your strength, citizens of the Union. I call on you to stand up, join the Guard, the Troopers, or the Navy today. If you cannot serve in battle, then serve in the factories, in the hospitals, and in the food banks. Each one a battlefield, and each battle needs a hero. You.

Together, we will make 'Solace in the Union' a statement of truth, comrades. For the Union!

[elepharchy]

Do you need assistance, friends? Our capabilities are stretched thin with the ongoing crisis in the Union, but we will do what we can.

==REPUBLIC SECURITY ALERT==

==CONDITION STATUS: RED==

Republic Command has received word of an attack in progress on the colony of Marta II! A dozen unidentified vessels bypassed the fleet station and some have landed in the capital, with armed individuals attacking the city! Reports indicate heavy damage to the star-port. Security forces are responding and all civilians are being evacuated to safety.

Patrol Fleet assets are en-route to the Marta system now. Fleet Station Marta has deployed its drone fighters to try and intercept the vessels still in the atmosphere.

SAT NAV scans indicate some kind of unregistered and modified vessels - likely pirates of some description. Well armed and coordinated but species is unknown. Attackers seem to be intent on capturing prisoners.

The Ministry of Defense is going into an emergency meeting with command and the Chancellor has been notified. We will update you with further information as it comes in!

==REPUBLIC SECURITY ALERT==

==CONDITION STATUS: RED==

[elepharchy]

Several starships have been seen departing from SMOOCH facilities in the Kotaur system. They have made no public statement, but based on their trajectory, they seem on their way to support the @union-replicants in the current incident. The Beneficent League for the Advancement and Defence of Ethics has published a statement condemning this action and organised protests at several facilities known for supplying SMOOCH.