BoN Hiring
Jun 17th 2010, 10:25:30 PM

The Brotherhood of Nod is now hiring! If you are a new or low strength player then this is the perfect opportunity to gain some strength. After signing up players will be given a stimulus package and they get the added protection of being in an alliance. Depending on your level your stimulus package could be as much as 2 million credits! Sign up now and become part of the Brotherhood today!

--Posted by Major Narsilion

A Joint Announcement
Jun 13th 2010, 07:59:51 PM

To our fellow men from the other parts of the galaxy, greetings!

Please allow me to introduce myself: I am Alton Lloyd, Premier of the Federation of Alkimia, in the Outer Verge.

Alas, you have already met our good friend the Lord Protector and his stuck-up Commonwealth. I assure you that we are nothing like them, nor are we rebel riff-raff, as he might have you believe.

Alkimia is a glorious nation founded on the principles of reason and empiricism; we believe that no problem is insoluble so long as one approaches it rationally, that success comes to those who act, that men are masters of their own destiny. Unlike our Commonwealth brethren, we have no need for conceited fatalism, and it was for this reason that we seceded.

Along with the rebellion of the Arcadians (who will be speaking shortly), our secession sparked the civil war that currently rages on in the Verge. Frankly, it was not going well for us until you entered the Verge, "defiling" and "pillaging" as you went. The Lord Protector and the Commonwealth wept for the "wanton destruction". We, though, celebrated, for while he sent his Armadas of Peace and Glory and Rebirth to smash your fleets in righteous anger, our own fleets could repair and regroup.

For that brief respite, I, and my people, are indebted. We would now like to help you, in return for your inadvertent aid.

I understand that several of you have taken heavy losses in battle with the Commonwealth. I also understand that you believe that you have scored a single victory in annihilating the planet of Kitezh.

Alas, this is not the case. Your weapons of mass destruction, though potent, are insufficient to overwhelm the Commonwealth's shielding abilities. Recall as well that the Commonwealth was able to cloak the entirety of the Outer Verge prior to the war. It is my regret to inform you that it is most unlikely that Kitezh was actually destroyed; the Commonwealth has probably been cloaking it until now in the hopes of lulling you into a false sense of triumph.

Some of you still have great fleets not yet touched, and perhaps you hope to vanquish the Commonwealth's vaunted armadas with them. Again, I am pessimistic. Our unparalleled battle simulations tell us that you have a poor chance of victory against the Armadas. You likely - nay, you MUST not - know what exactly you are fighting, or else you would be far more cautious.

We offer you this, though: if not an alliance outright, an agreement of cooperation. We both are fighting the Commonwealth, and so it is logical that we should help each other. As you would say idiomatically, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

And now, I yield to my Arcadian colleagues.

-Alton Lloyd, Premier of the Federation of Alkimia

--Posted by Alton Lloyd

PSVs - Press Release
Jun 13th 2010, 08:09:04 AM

New Zanzibar

Reguarding the new developments in the "Outer Verge", the New Zanzibar government would like to announce its entrance into the PSV age. Albeit late to many other empires, New Zanzibar had never found a true need for such cruel weapons. Like many other empires, New Zanzibar will follow the "PSV laws" created by the other empires.

--Posted by UNSC Shooter

Declaration of War
Jun 9th 2010, 07:10:54 AM

In light of recent attacks on our homeplanet of Atomus, I Joshua, Emperor of the Atomun Empire, declare war on Lord Protector and his Commonwealth. I shall still refrain from attacking his homeworld as long as he leaves mine, but if he does it again, It shall meet the ravages of war. The Hounds of War are about to be unleashed.

Joshua, Emperor of the Atomun Empire

--Posted by Knight of Orient

A Declaration to the Galaxy
Jun 3rd 2010, 07:57:54 PM

Greetings, fellow citizens of the galaxy!

It is my understanding that you have only recently penetrated the mysteries of this most glorious of regions, the Outer Verge. You have already discovered what seems to be the great riches your legends spoke of, and like all humanity, you have begun squabbling over them.

I know. I, and my people, have been watching.

The Phoenix Commonwealth is a peaceful, but isolated nation. Long ago, our forefathers realized that the vast treasures of the Outer Verge could never be entrusted to all of humanity and its avarice.

The answer was a complex array of systems designed to veil the region. It was this that prevented your efforts to chart the Outer Verge, and it was this that kept us shielded from the outside world for so long.

And it was this that attracted your attention.

Like its namesake, the Phoenix Commonwealth periodically falls in a civil war and is reborn. This time was no different... except that in the process, the cloaking system was destroyed, along with our former capital of Ur. The explosion that resulted is what you have deemed your "yottanova".

We watched with trepidation as you occupied the shattered fragments of Ur, as you explored the Outer Verge, as you discovered the planets of Kalia and Lyonesse, as the avarice our forefathers feared revealed its dark self. Your empires fought over the smouldering pebbles you called "Outer Verge Bodies", and we laughed back tears at the idiocy. Your empires fought over control of the space around Kalia and Lyonesse, and we became uneasy.

And then one of your empires conquered Lyonesse. Lyonesse - a planet of the Commonwealth! It suddenly became truly real, truly urgent to us. Our own people were now under the terrible rule of these avaricious men. Our own people were now being exploited for their vile purposes. We had to act.

This is why we reveal ourselves now to you. Our civil war continues, as it must, but we remain far more powerful than your puny empires.

The Phoenix Commonwealth views the whole of the Outer Verge as its sovereign territory. All of your forces currently deployed here are therefore, in our view, intruding upon our territorial integrity.

We ask that you withdraw from the Outer Verge in 24 hours. After that period of grace, we will view as hostile any and all forces that remain in the Outer Verge.

We do not like the use of force; though you may be flawed, you are men like us, and we empathize with your struggles. If you wish to overcome the flaws of human nature, we will be happy to help - but that is for another time. Withdraw your forces now, and leave us in peace rather than war.

May you make the right choice.

-Edward Carleon, Lord Protector of The Phoenix Commonwealth

--Posted by The Lord Protector

Scientists Announce Discovery of "Megaplanets"
May 24th 2010, 07:36:22 PM

FRSF Also Confirms Loss of Magellan Expedition

The Malthusian

SCAPA FLOW

TODAY WAS a bittersweet day for scientists at the FRSF's Outer Verge base of Camp Hope today. On the one hand, they announced an unprecedented breakthrough in the charting of the Outer Verge - the discovery of a number of enormous, habitable planets. On the other hand, today they confirmed the loss of the daring Magellan Expedition, first broken by the tabloid Inquirer and initially doubted.

The Outer Verge has always been a region shrouded in mystery; until the recent "yottanova" - a massive nova event far more powerful than anything ever observed - scientific instruments had never penetrated its depths. After the yottanova, though, the advances came rapidly: several "Outer Verge Bodies" [OVB) were discovered and secured; various nations established forward bases there, like Camp Hope. From these bases, the first glimmers of massive, habitable planets began to appear.

The audacious Magellan Expedition was launched with one purpose in mind - to visit and evaluate some of these possible planets for life. It was the first of its kind to be attempted for years; the last manned expedition to the Outer Verge - Kepler IV - vanished mysteriously and has yet to be explained. Scientists this time hoped, though, that the Magellan team would fare far better. Unlike the time of Kepler IV, remote scanners could penetrate the depths of the Outer Verge - and the FRSF had a base within the region. The three Titan-class destroyers were crewed with the most experienced mariners available and lavishly equipped.

All this was for naught, as announced by the FRSF today. In a short statement issued by the Ministry for Science and Technology, the FRSF confirmed reports that it had lost contact with the Magellan Expedition while it was in distress. There are no plans for a rescue mission due to the risk; an unmanned probe will be sent to the expedition's last known location, though. Wild rumors have already begun to swirl around the loss of the Magellan group and its disturbing final transmission.

Meanwhile, scientists at Camp Hope had independently achieved what the Magellan Expedition had set out to do - confirm the existence of the "megaplanets". Thus far, two have been discovered - both larger than any other planet known to exist. Provisionally named "Luteria" and "Westoria", both are Class 125 planets, believed to have breathable atmospheres. Indeed, spectrometry suggests that both support vast amounts of life.

The FRSF, loathe to lose another expedition to the Outer Verge, will not be sending any ships to investigate the planets, instead calling on other nations to do so. It does, however, request any nations doing so to share any data gathered with the galactic community.

--Posted by WaterMonkey314

Magellan Expedition Vanishes!
May 19th 2010, 08:17:08 PM

The Inquirer

INQUIRER EXCLUSIVE - The Inquirer has learned that scientists at Camp Hope have lost contact with the Magellan Expedition while it explored the Outer Verge!

In response to questions about the progress of the Magellan Expedition, the FRSF claims that all is well. "Everything is going perfectly well," said a Science and Technology ministry spokesman. "We are in constant communication with the Magellan team, and they are doing perfectly fine."

HOWEVER, according to well-placed sources, the Magellan ships stopped responding to messages from Camp Hope two days after they departed the base and have not been heard from since!

In fact, thanks to these sources, the Inquirer can reveal that the Magellan Expedition was last heard from while under fire from an unknown source of unimaginable power.

In an exclusive recording of the final transmissions of the flotilla, alarm klaxons can be heard blaring. Amidst the noise, the sound of panicked crewmen can just be made out:

=====================================================
CREWMAN 1: "They're ..z.fn .. at us! Evade! Evade!"
[crash, boom)
COMPUTER SYSTEM: "Warning - starboard eng..xz... failure. kzzthl.. .Alert - port engine critical..."
CREWMAN 2: "More of them..fldnzzzt... out! I've never seen ...nldsnflag... so fast!"
[yell)
CREWMAN 3: "We've lost contact ...sdmf,n,sag... liberate! Can anyone see her?"
[boom, clatter, crash, scream)
COMPUTER: "Warning - starboard -[boom]-ure. Warning - port e..knzld...ure. Danger - reactor core breach. ...sngljanfg... laser turret disabled..."
SR RADIO TRANS: "This is ...kzzt... repeat, this is Dominion! We can't evade the ...skkkxxt... will have to ditch soon... repeat, we will have to ...KREEEEE! -static-"
COMPUTER: "Warning - power system failure. Warning - emergency power system failure. Error - insufficient voltage for operation; commencing emergency shut-down."
CREWMAN 1: "What? (boom) -ost the autopilot? ...sabgkjsfdg (BOOM).sngja... This is Commander ...skzzt... of the Discovery... to anyone listening, we have been ambushed by.. .skldgja... taken severe damage and have to ditch on ..sd.gm.a..a... To any rescuers: beware of the white... oh no - they're targeting our anten-"
[silence)
=======================================================

The last line uttered by the captain of the doomed Discovery - "beware of the white" - is particularly beguiling. What is the white? The white what?

What happened to the Magellan Expedition? Did they meet what doomed the Kepler IV expedition before them? The mystery of the Outer Verge only grows...

--Posted by WaterMonkey314

FRSF Launches Manned Outer Verge Expedition
May 16th 2010, 08:10:56 PM

The New Ceresean Times

OVB 2396, FRSF - The FRSF today launched a manned expedition from its outpost here into the hitherto uncharted territory of the Outer Verge.

The Magellan Expedition, named for a legendary explorer who circumnavigated Earth with only primitive technology, will visit various positions believed to be the sites of planets and investigate their potential for life.

The three Titan-class destroyers - Discovery, Deliberate, and Dominion - set off early this morning from the FRSF base on OVB 2396, Camp Hope.

The journey is wrought with danger - the manned Kepler IV expedition vanished without a trace in the Outer Verge in one of history's most persistent mysteries. For this reason, the expedition ships have been equipped with the latest equipment available, as well as being crewed with an all-volunteer group of experienced mariners.

Speaking at a conference at Ceres, FRSF Science and Technology Minister Peter Bourbaki praised the bravery of the Magellan crew. "We can only admire the audacity and courage that these men and women show by volunteering themselves for this mission from which they may not return. On behalf of the whole nation, I wish them luck and a safe return. Godspeed."

As an additional precaution, scientists at Camp Hope will closely track the expedition team on their journey; some have speculated morbidly that they will only witness the destruction of the Magellan expedition by unknown forces.

--Posted by WaterMonkey314

Scientists Announce Discovery of First Outer Verge Bodies
May 5th 2010, 07:58:55 PM

The New Ceresean Times

Ceres, FRSF - Three days after the record-setting nova event observed in the Outer Verge, scientists at the University of Mars have announced the discovery of the first planetary objects in the hitherto uncharted region.

After the "yottanova" - as scientists have termed the massive nova event - scientists immediately began to pay closer attention to the Outer Verge. Strangely, the gravity lens effects which plagued all previous attempts to research the Outer verge had vanished, and numerous moving bodies were discovered and catalogued.

With several days' observations, the scientists were able to conclusively determine that a handful of these bodies are extremely small asteroids - the first astronomical bodies ever discovered in the Outer Verge.

"This is an amazing discovery - especially so close on the heels of the Outer Verge yottanova," said Dr Robert Steinlin. "This is certainly a wonderful time to be an astronomer."

Neither Dr Steinlin nor his colleagues were able to explain the sudden disappearance of the gravity lens effect. One scientist did speculate that perhaps the yottanova and the disappearance were related, but she made clear that she had no evidence to support her hypothesis.

The newly discovered bodies' coordinates have been submitted to the International Navigational Administration; they have been provisionally named numerically, with prefixes beginning "OVB" for "Outer Verge Body".

Scientists are continuing to track other bodies in the Outer Verge - including some possibly habitable planets. "In fact, some of these might be veritable paradises if our preliminary data is right - but it does sound too good to be true. Well, we'll just have to wait and see," said Dr Steinlin.

--Posted by WaterMonkey314

Mysterious Nova Event Observed in Outer Verge
May 2nd 2010, 01:26:41 PM

The New Ceresean Times

Ceres, FRSF - Scientists across the galaxy today reported observing a mysterious nova event occur in the mysterious Outer Verge region.

The flash, which occurred at approximately 12:05 PM Ceresean Standard Time, was the most powerful ever observed, with a luminosity of 9.8 on the Standardized Nova Event scale (SNE).

A typical supernova lies within the 3 to 5 range on the SNE. The brightest event prior to today - the detonation of an experimental PSV that inadvertently annihilated the Republic of Gladisent - was ranked at just 7.8. Since the SNE is a logarithmic scale, today's event was about 100 times more powerful, releasing an astonishing 26 septillion yottajoules.

Scientists were astounded, to say the least, by the massive flash; few could imagine what could have caused such an explosion.

"This is unlike anything ever encountered in the history of science - such an enormous amount of energy being released all at once," said Dr Robert Steinlin of the University of Mars. "But coming from the Outer Verge - the land of legend - it's not as surprising. Obviously, there still is much to be learned about our universe."

Indeed, this event is one of the few times that scientists have ever managed to collect data on the Outer Verge. Numerous attempts to chart it have all failed for various reasons: remote scanners have been plagued by complex and mysterious gravity lens effects, while the manned Kepler IV expedition infamously vanished without a trace shortly upon arrival.

These failures have led to the emergence of legends surrounding the mysterious region, particularly those of a long-lost, supremely prosperous and advanced civilization.

Believers in these legends see today's nova as a confirmation of their beliefs. An unnamed supporter that your correspondent met on the streets of Scapa Flow commented, "It's a sign - they're coming to reclaim their own, and the faithful few who believed in them will be delivered to Paradise!"

--Posted by WaterMonkey314