NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: This thread will be for me to just keep track of goings-on in Bretonia, and so that if by some stretch of the imagination I got involved in an RP with somebody, they could refer to it if necessary. Military-only announcements (short of massive wars/incidents) will more likely appear on the BRAF thread.

IC:

***Bretonia Colony News***

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

With the 805 General Elections less than a week away, various party leaders were engaging in publicity stunts in order to promote their major policies.

Prime Minister Jacobi has been photographed in a HazMat Suit on Planet Leeds, assisting teams there with the clean-up of dangerous toxic wastes, buried on the planet after centuries of unregulated BMM expansion. A photo of Mr. Jacobi was published on the late-night edition of Leeds Daily, depicting him helping lift a barrel of dangerous toxic waste.

Leader of the opposition party, Alexander Graham, received publicity of a different kind today, however. Mr. Graham's policy has consistently been 'peace through peaceful means': the philosophy behind his aims of reducing military spending by almost 50%.
In an effort to prove his theory, Mr. Graham yesterday went to the Dublin system to engage in peace talks with the Mollys, a long-standing terrorist organisation bent on Dublin independence. Three hours ago, the HMS Hood received a ransom demand from the Mollys. Mr. Graham was rescued by the Hood after a bold move by the crew of the Hood; a covert boarding party gained entrance to the Molly base and planted explosive charges in key locations. Mr. Graham was extracted just before the Molly base exploded, killing all aboard.
Upon arrival at Planet New London, Mr. Graham gave no comment when asked if he would continue to endeavour to dismantle the Armed Forces.

Liberal Candidate Alice Matthews spent the day advocating the rights of criminals in the New London High Court, insisting that no human should be locked up, 'regardless of his crime'.



Admiral Rochester, a well-respected officer of the Bretonian Armed Forces, was perfectly willing to give his opinions on the subject.

*Picture changes to the Admiral, in his off-duty uniform*

"Prime Minister Jacobi consistently recognises the needs of the Armed Forces to have sufficient resources to do the job that needs to be done," he said, leaning back in his chair. "He's a realist; he understands that terrorists and pirates will not listen to reason, nor will they simply lie back and leave us alone if we reduce military numbers."

"Are you saying that Alexander Graham does not understand this?" an off-camera voice asked.

"I think if today's little escapade proved anything, it's that Graham is a lunatic," Rochester snorted. "And a naive one at that. He believes that the Mollys will suddenly relinquish their claims to the Dublin system. He seems to forget that the only reason the Mollys want that system is because of the extensive quantities of gold in that system. I find it odd that he should want to slash military spending even after we saved his hind earlier today. Frankly, the Hood has better things to be doing than rescuing half-witted politicians from their own stupidity."

"Any thoughts on the Liberal candidate?" the voice asked.

"Matthews?" the Admiral snorted. "That little girl is even more naive than Graham. She thinks that criminals should just be left to their own devices, and they won't hurt as many people. It's been tried before; give criminals a little wriggle-room, and all they'll do is wriggle free and cause more problems. If she had her way, the prisons of Bretonia would be converted into pre-schools. Matthews is the reason the Liberals have never achieved more than 10% of the vote, and why they never will. They need to get rid of her and get someone sensible in."

"So your vote will be going for Jacobi this year, I assume?"

"Damn right," Rochester nodded. "He has some decent economical ideas, some decent social ideas, and some damn good military ideas. That and he's the first Prime Minister in history to try and tackle some environmental issues in this place. Neither the socialist Graham nor the anarchist Matthews will touch Leeds with a ten-lightyear freighter tractor beam, but Jacobi is actually there, in person, getting his hands dirty. A vote for him is a vote for plain common sense, I tell you."

"Thank you, Admiral," the voice said.

*Picture changes back to the studio*

That was Admiral Rochester, there, voicing his thoughts on this election's candidates.

In other news, Her Majesty Queen Carina is now further from Bretonian territories than any other Bretonian has been before, attending a classical music concert in Siesatia. Both the HMS Ulysses and the HMS Victoria are using an unknown form of propulsion which BRAF is still reluctant to uncover. Her Majesty will herself be reporting on her experiences on an alien world when she recovers.

This has been John Evans for BCN, saying good bye until next time. And now, a look at what the weather will be doing throughout Bretonia...

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

In a landslide victory last night, Prime Minister Jacobi secured his third term as Prime Minister of Bretonia. In the speech that followed, Jacobi pledged to continue his plans of economic reform, environmental clean-up programs, and support of the military. He also hinted that educational spending could also be on the up. With a reported $98 billion being wasted by the government, Jacobi assured the people that the money for his reforms would come not from tax hikes, but from spending taxation money more efficiently.

Alexander Graham of the People's Party was found dead this morning by the Bretonia Police Authority. Early statements indicate that Mr. Graham shot himself in the head with a pulse pistol.

In other news, the HMS Norfolk reported its status as 'off-mission' yesterday in a message sent to the automated comms relay station near Alpha-Epsilon. Commodore Yates informed Armed Forces Admiralty that they were investigating a distress call broadcast by the Coventry-class HMS Shropshire. Both ships are on long-term exploratory missions in star systems of interest, and up until now both have encountered little in the way of major problems. We'll have more on this story as it develops.

Admiral Rochester today unveiled his 'Five Year Solution' plan to decrease terrorism in the Dublin system. Both the HMS Essex and the HMS Hood have been permanently stationed in this system for the past two years, and even now terrorist activities continue to rise. Unofficial figures indicate that out of all the attempts to ship gold out of the system, only 50% of freighters successfully reach the jump gate.
Rochester informed the press that 'this is an unacceptable figure. The Molly scum have killed one-too-many innocent freighter crews, and now they must be stopped'.
The plan includes strategic Stafford-class bomber attacks on known Molly outposts, as well as stationing an additional five Coventry-class cruisers throughout the system to try and locate additional bases. More details are classified for security reasons.


This has been John Evans for BCN, saying good bye until next time. And now, a look at what the weather will be doing throughout Bretonia...

Tag

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

Disturbing news has just arrived today, as we receive an anonymous tip from member of the crew of the HMS Norfolk, a Victoria-class battleship on exploratory duties in deep space. Commodore Yates, respected and powerful officer in the Bretonian Royal Armed Forces, is reported to have engaged in an unlawful act of genocide against a race of aliens previously unknown to us. Commodore Yates is thought to have been responding to an unprovoked attack upon the HMS Shropshire days earlier, which left the cruiser crippled and several Bretonian crew members dead or injured.

Joining forces with two powers known as 'The Imperial Navy' and 'Moleland', the HMS Norfolk engaged the aliens with biological weaponry, which was apparently necessary to damage the organic ships used by the aliens. Once the alien fleet was defeated, the Commodore ordered full nuclear bombardment of the planet in concert with the Imperial Navy forces. The HMS Shropshire was destroyed in the engagement, with just over 40 survivors. The Norfolk's current position is in orbit of the planet, apparently laying claim to a section of its landmass.

Admiral Rochester has deemed Yates' actions 'disgusting', and has vowed that he will be brought to justice under Bretonian law. The HMS Victoria is the closest ship to the area, and the only vessel powerful enough to engage the Norfolk in combat should the Commodore have become a rogue officer. The commanding officer of the Victoria, Captain Williamson, has been given the authority to relieve the Commodore of duty, arrest him and his senior staff, and return both vessels to Bretonian space at best speed. The HMS Illustrious is already on the way to replace the Victoria in guarding the Queen and her ship.

Prime Minister Jacobi sided with the Admiral, making the following statement just a few minutes before this broadcast began:
"Today is a sad day for our people. One of our own has become no better than the terrorists that plague our society. The Bretonian Armed Forces is supposed to represent a paragon of justice and decency, and an officer as high ranking as a Commodore has accomplished the opposite. We wish our people, and indeed the people of the whole galaxy, to know that this was not an authorised action. The Bretonian Government, nor the Armed Forces Admiralty, had any knowledge of this action until we received word of it earlier today. And I assure you, that this man will be brought to trial over his despicable display of sadism and callousness. The lives he has taken can never be restored, but they can be allowed to rest in peace."

We will have more on this disturbing story as it develops.

This has been John Evans for BCN, saying good bye until next time. And now, a look at what the weather will be doing throughout Bretonia...

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

Celebrations are planned for this evening throughout the colonies, as the one billionth Bretonian citizen was born on Planet Cambridge at 1:29am New London Time. Weighing in at just over 8 pounds, this male child was born just moments before the another child, winning the race against his seven and a half pound female rival.
The Queen is expected to say a few words from all the way in Siesatia, and a huge party in the streets has been planned by various organisations.

The Prime Minister visited the child and his mother at Cambridge Public Hospital earlier today, and issued the following statement to the press:
"Today is a monumental step forward in Bretonia's development. Our people have a reputation for creativity, ingenuity, determination and skill in everything we do, and now a new generation with fresh ideas will be able to carry on that tradition -- only they will have more people than ever before to use to make their dreams a reality."

Admiral Rochester has just unveiled the capabilities of the HMS Carina, the first and possibly only Carina-class Battleship to be built. Although commissioned earlier today, it is currently undergoing the final stages of hull stress tests at high velocity before it can receive its crew and begin a shakedown cruise. Captain Jelico is the favoured contender for the command of this prestigious vessel.

In other news, the trial of Commodore Yates is in full swing. The charges brought against the Commodore include such serious issues as genocide and two counts of disobeying orders from his superiors. This high-profile case even has alien witnesses; a visitor from The Imperial Navy is expected to testify later today. The alien ambassador is being housed in a secure location for his own security.

This has been John Evans for BCN, saying good bye until next time. And now, a look at what the weather will be doing throughout Bretonia...

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

With the economy showing high growth levels in the second quarter of this financial year, the government has unveiled new tax incentives for businesses. As well as a minor overall commercial taxation cut, the government will be offering further incentives to companies who source their products exclusively from other Bretonian companies. The idea is according to Minister of Commerce Jeff Gregson, 'to encourage internal growth without relying too much on foreign trade or investments'. The scheme was pioneered amid cries that a new influx of foreign trade could have detrimental effects on the historically stable Bretonian economy.

Also today, the Crown company Bretonia Mining and Manufacturing has been under investigation by industry trading standards officials yet again for allegedly failing to provide sufficient health and safety to their workers. BMM was in the news seven years ago for knowingly building a temporary worker habitat over a known toxic waste dump on Planet Leeds, and all the workers who lived there died shortly afterwards. The scandal prompted serious investigation into the company's ethical practices. BMM has historically been exempt from government restrictions due to its important role in the construction of the Bretonian infrastructure and its position as a crown company, but since the Toxic Waste Incident, people have been calling for this to be reformed. Several top executives of the company are due to appear in court early next week.

In other news, Prime Minister John Jacobi has announced that military spending will remain 'static' for at least half a year. With more and more money being poured into the construction of new ships and recruiting new troops, outspoken critics of the Prime Minister have accused him of 'war mongering and money wasting'. Jacobi said an extra 5% of funding that was originally due to be allocated to the Armed Forces in the next quarter will instead be distributed to the ailing National Health Service facilities on Planet Leeds, a move which temporarily satisfied critics.

And finally for today, a bizarre story involving a 17-year-old girl, an unusually large banana, a proctologist and a monkey on Planet Gaia. Three days ago, whilst a teenage girl was visiting the planet on one of the few sanctioned expeditions permitted to the world, a monkey apparently shoved a rather large banana up...

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Woohoo! You're back?

OOC: I come and go like a... um... koala bear? I've been lurking for some time, though. :D

I haven't seen you posting recently... Hey, take my random quizzes in my sig.

Wham Tag thankyou man! :D

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

Yesterday, relations between Bretonia and the nation of The Planet Federation nearly broke down after the government heard news that The Planet Federation had 'annexed' a small independent planet called 'Forall'. Planet Forall had been helping The Planet Federation economically and the two nations were on good terms, and so the news that Forall had been annexed was most distressing to the Bretonian government.

It wasn't until the HMS King George had been pulled off defensive duties of The Planet Federation's border in protest of the annexation that the Bretonian government learned that it was a typographical error on the part of The Planet Federation. After lengthy corrections and explanations, and after reviewing all the related evidence, the Bretonian government learned that Forall had, in fact, agreed to a 'union' with The Planet Federation. Relations quickly normalised, and the HMS Dover was dispatched to replace the HMS King George's defensive station beside The Planet Federation's border.

"This just goes to show, you can never hire a good enough secretary," Prime Minister Jacobi said, rather amused by the incident early this morning. "The wording of The Planet Federation's declaration led us to believe that Forall had been annexed by a military force, when in actual fact the planet's government had agreed, with popular support of the people, to 'merge' with The Planet Federation. Thanks to the responsible leadership of The Planet Federation, the issue was quickly straightened out and our relations have since normalised. So we managed to avoid an incident. Pretty funny in hindsight, really."

Later this afternoon it was learned that The Planet Federation is to host an international dinner celebrating the union of the two nations, to which the Bretonian leadership was personally invited. Our internal sources suggest that the invitation was accepted a few moments ago. It is not clear at present whether Prime Minister Jacobi or Queen Carina, or both of them, will be attending the event.

In other news, the Bretonian Armed Forces has begun a program of refitting all models of ships with updated/new technologies. It is rumoured that ALL ships in the Armed Forces will finally be equipped with the revolutionary 'advanced cruise mode' faster-than-light drive systems, thus bringing the Bretonian Armed Forces up to par with the rest of the galaxy at last. The Admiralty is currently discussing whether or not to finally decommission remaining ships of the Dunkirk and Warwick classes, or to refit them with more sophisticated technologies to prolong their lifespan.

Finally, the serial killer known only as 'New London Slayer' was finally identified and apprehended by the Bretonian Police Authority today, and they revealed to the press that his identity is 'Jack Bauer', a 37-year-old male from the Wimbledon area of New London. He will be taken to trial this July. Jack Bauer is charged with the brutal murder of 72 Bretonian citizens, five foreign tourists and the rape of over 12 women, after he embarked upon a wave of terror across the Northern hemisphere of the planet.

This has been John Evans for BCN, saying good bye until next time. And now, a look at what the weather will be doing throughout Bretonia...

Hello and welcome, I am John Evans reporting for BCN.

Today the Armed Forces Intelligence Section released some startling information to the government. According to Admiral Sucher, head of the Intelligence Section, they believe the Corsairs to be funding a program of capital ship construction. Capital ships are large, heavily armed warships capable of independently engaging large-scale enemy forces. Historically, pirates have never bothered trying to gain such a weapon without simply stealing it, but the Admiralty believes that it is possible for the Corsairs to successfully build capital ships, albeit at a slow pace. They have known ship construction facilities hidden outside of civilised space, which are the sources of the powerful Corsair 'Titan' fighters.

Admiral Rochester reinforced the statement, saying that a great deal of the increased piracy activity is focussed on the Leeds and New London systems, where most capital ship components are made and shipped. He believes that this represents an 'imminent threat to the security of Bretonia', and has recommended yet another closure of Bretonian territory to foreign ships.

Prime Minister Jacobi informed the press that he was considering all the options, but at the present time he was not going to follow the Admiral's recommendation. He did hint at the possibility of a pre-emptive strike against the Corsairs, when he stated "I guarantee you that if they are building capital ships, they will not reach completion if I have anything to do with it."

According the intelligence report, the Corsairs could have acquired enough material to construct two battleships of less or similar ability to the Dunkirk-class. With such colossally powerful warships at their disposal, the Corsairs could theoretically take piracy to the next level, and lay siege to entire planets or stations. Rochester assures the general public that the current fleet refit would not interfere with standard defensive deployments, and that no capital ship from ANYWHERE could lay siege to any Bretonian holdings without being subject to a full capital strike force. All the same, additional automated weapons turrets are being deployed in sensitive areas such as Cambridge and the Dublin jumpgate.

This has been John Evans for BCN, saying good bye until next time. And now, a look at what the weather will be doing throughout Bretonia...

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New London Telegraph
NewsNet Online Publication
Subscription Members Only!

END TO ENDURING ISOLATION?

REPORTING in last week's political feature, Dr. David Reynolds highlighted a shift in Bretonian foreign policy which suggested an end to the self-imposed isolation which has lasted for nearly a decade. Earlier today we saw even clearer evidence than ever before that the Foreign Office was considering a relaxation on this strictly-imposed policy.

"The Alpha-Epsilon Jump Gate will be reopened to commercial and civilian traffic within the next month," Foreign Affairs Minister Gordon James said at a press conference early this morning. "The gate has been closed to all non-military traffic for almost ten years, a policy which was established during a time of particularly volatile interstellar affairs. As the only viable entrance into the Bretonian Empire this policy spelled the end of foreign trade and foreign affairs, with companies in the construction, mining and tourism industries in particular feeling the negative economical effects. After an extensive study undertaken by an independent party, we have come to the conclusion that such a strict border policy is no longer necessary."

When asked by a journalist from BCN, "does this mean that the Bretonian government will be actively pursuing relations with foreign nations?", Minister James responded simply with "no comment".

Political analyst Dr. Jason Revnet gave a comment to the New London Telegraph shortly after the news conference. "The Bretonian government has been toying with the idea of relaxing border controls for the last three years," he stated in an interview. "Being given the green flag by a so-called 'independent party' absolves them of all blame if things go pear shaped. But if nothing goes wrong and the economy gets a boost, they are hailed as visionaries. It's an ingenious play on their part. But I would like to know who this 'independent party' was. We don't get a great deal of foreign news in Bretonia since the gate closure, but what little we do know suggests to me that the galaxy is not a safer place now than it was ten years ago. Certainly, more money from foreign trade is a good thing for all of us. But is it worth risking total annihilation over? With the gate closed we are afforded almost total protection thanks to the Great Barrier, but like a flood gate, once it is opened..."

The Alpha-Epsilon Jump Gate, forming the only link between Bretonia and the outside world, was closed down to all non-military traffic almost ten years ago by the Bretonian Government. Although a minimal number of military vessels continued exploratory missions, no commercial or civilian ships or communications were allowed to pass through the gate. The government cited national security issues as a priority concern, claiming that the galaxy was "too dangerous a place to risk continued foreign dealing". The closure of the Alpha-Epsilon gate coincided with the cessation of work to the as-yet unfinished Beta-Epsilon gate, which would have connected Manchester to the universe at large.

The statement by Minister James earlier today opens up new opportunities to Bretonian business, as well as new fears. Whether the government does indeed intend to embark on renewed foreign affairs programs remains to be seen.

The Alpha-Epsilon Jump Gate is scheduled to be re-opened in 28 days. There is no news as yet on whether the government plans to resume construction of the Beta-Epsilon Jump Gate program.

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Leeds Gazette
NewsNet Publication
Subscription Members Only!

MILITARY MALADIES

TODAY Her Majesty's Ship Northampton was reported missing by top military officials, in an emergency press conference on Fort Calverly less than an hour ago.

The HMS Northampton is the latest ship of the Victoria-class line of Battleships to leave Southampton Shipyards, and was reported to be on an overdue shakedown cruise in an unidentified system in neutral space, some 132 lightyears from the Bretonian border. This is not the first incident with this unfortunate vessel -- two years ago, her construction was interrupted as a major fuel explosion crippled 25% of Southampton Shipyards, severely damaging the almost-completed ship and incurring damages of several billion credits. Her first attempt at a shakedown cruise was interrupted by a Corsair ambush, damaging the ship sufficiently to put her back into the shipyard for six additional months.

Contact with the Battleship was officially lost seven hours ago, with military officers scrambling to determine its present whereabouts.

"The Northampton is a fair distance from the Alpha-Epsilon Jump Gate," Admiral Rochester commented at the military press conference. "Communication at those distances can become delayed or interrupted, even with the latest advances in FTL communications equipment -- we are not fearing the worst just yet. This could all turn out to be a system error, which is simply resulting in a delay. But just in case, the HMS Dorset and the HMS Middlesbrough are being put on alert in case a search and rescue operation is required. I have already urged the families of the Northampton crew to remain calm and wait for further news, and I urge the same again. We will keep you all updated."

Critics argue that this is first-hand evidence that long-range space travel beyond the Great Barrier is foolhardy at best. "There's a lot of crazy stuff going on out there," Liberal Party Minister Davis commented. "Half of the stuff in our own space is still baffling the boffins at Cambridge, and who knows how worse it is out there? And that is not to mention that there are aliens out there, honest-to-god aliens! The poor crew of that fateful ship could be undergoing bizarre experiments as we speak! Ban space travel, save lives. Close the Alpha-Epsilon gate permanently, and secure Bretonian safety."

In spite of this incident, the government intends to open the Alpha-Epsilon Jump Gate to civilian and commercial traffic on schedule. The re-opening is expected to revitalise the local Leeds economy, which has suffered significantly under the present government's harsh regulations.

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New London Telegraph
NewsNet Online Publication
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THE FLOOD GATES ARE OPEN

EARLY THIS morning the Alpha-Epsilon Jump Gate was opened to civilian traffic once again, for the first time in ten years. The opening was on schedule, and accompanied by a small ceremony. Champagne was smashed against the gate's superstructure in a 're-Christening' ceremony, and Bretonia Mining and Manufacturing was given the honour of sending the first commercial convoy through.

In a controversial and previously unannounced decision, the government has also imposed a congestion fee on all non-commercial traffic heading through the gate, at a rate of 3,000 credits per trip.

"As was learned last time the gate was open, severe traffic jams are a certainty, and a detriment to the economy," John Hargreaves, Minister for Space Transportation said shortly after the ceremony. "Civilians have no business leaving Bretonian space on their own. And yet as we found out previously, many people find the idea of adventuring beyond the gate an exciting idea. For one thing, this caused severe traffic jams and prevented commercial traffic from going about their business. For another thing, operating a jump gate of this scale is an extremely expensive endeavor, and up until now has been subsidised entirely by the government. If you are not bringing money into the economy with your trips, you are costing us money, and you will pay it back. And more importantly, the casualty rate was absolutely appalling when civilians were given free rides to Unknown Space. Thousands of people were either killed or never heard from again, and we still have military ships looking for missing persons, ten years on. We do not want to impede on freedom of movement, but we do hope that this fee will discourage most people from entering Unknown Space, for their own sake."

Minister Hargreaves did indicate that if the Manchester Jump Gate were ever completed, the government would consider reducing this fee.

"This is just stealth taxing," Shadow Transport Minister Preace said, on the issue of congestion fees. "They know for a fact that people are going to use the gate if they are determined enough to risk their lives in the first place, so they figure that they may as well make some money in the process. Which is by now typical of this government. You give them long enough in power, and they'll slap a fee on the tradelane network as well. Not only that, but I sense a little bit of Big Brother going on here. Keeping civilians contained within the Great Barrier makes perfect sense for a totalitarian state..."

Geoff Tucker, lead military tactician at Cambridge, was more concerned with the security implications. "The flood gates are open. Sure, people can get out again. But they can get in again as well. Yes, the government and Aegira Technologies both repeatedly state that there are safeguards in place to make sure that only registered Bretonian ships can use the jump gate network without authorisation, but just how secure is that safeguard? And I also believe we need to think twice before opening up our economy to galactic trade. If we become too dependent on foreign finance, a determined enemy only needs to destroy the Alpha-Epsilon gate on the outside in order to cripple us financially. I emphatically disagree with the government on this issue."

Companies within Bretonia have been eager to re-establish old business partnerships with foreign companies however. Bretonia Mining and Manufacturing have send fifteen convoys through the gate in the last three hours, and Aegira Technologies have already begun marketing campaigns on foreign media.

Edinburgh Subspace, the popular radio network in the system where the domestic Alpha-Epsilon gate is located, has already reported two hour jams.

In other news, BRAF has still not managed to locate the HMS Northampton. Officials say, "the search continues".

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