Securing the Borders in the Ceti Sector

The return of Onionhead to Panem may be a blessing for the farmers of Kappa Fornacis, but for their neighbours, the Fornacian dream has turned into a living nightmare.

“It’s not right,” one concerned resident of the nearby BD-18 394 system told GalNet. “Sure, they’re doing alright over there in Kappa F, but what about us? What do we get? I’ll tell you, smugglers and pirates, that’s what.”

Crime has spiralled out of control throughout the Ceti Sector, with many locals echoing the sentiment that the Farmers Union of Kappa Fornacis should be held responsible for attracting such unsavoury characters to what was once a peaceful area.

In an attempt to clean up the sector, the Independent Autahenetsi Labour Party are currently offering a range of bonus payments to any Bounty Hunters who sign up to act as Federal Ceti Sector Security Services Agents at Artyukhin Ring in Autahenetsi.

President Under Pressure to Punish Panem

Shadow President Hudson appeared before Congress earlier today to demand that President Halsey address the continued spread of Onionhead throughout Federal space.

Despite the implementation of aggressive Federal policies aimed at criminalising possession and distribution of Onionhead, recent reports suggest that Onionhead sales have gone up by as much as 800% in some regions.

With prohibition clearly failing, Congress is now calling on the President to once again act against the Onionhead plantations on Panem. So far, the President has been reluctant to launch another attack on Panem, citing the existence of Lucan Onionhead as proof that an all-out assault on the Onionhead fields will only result in driving the operation underground.

While the President is almost certainly correct in her assessment of the situation, that fact is unlikely to stop Shadow President Hudson from demanding she does everything in her power to shut down Panem's production once and for all.

Demand for Original Onionhead Higher Than Ever

Thousands of traders have started flocking back to Kappa Fornacis following the announcement that Onionhead is once again available for sale onboard Harvestport.

Demand for the original strain of Onionhead has remained high over the last few months, despite (or perhaps due to) the Federation’s attempts to completely wipe the plant from the face of the galaxy. Street prices for the totally organic narcotic had skyrocketed by several hundred per cent, although the price is expected to level out again now that a new supply has become readily available.

For now the Onionhead trade on Kappa Fornacis is being allowed to continue unabated, but once the war in Lugh is over, the Federation is sure to turn its attention back to the farmers of Panem.

Late Night Session Held Over Lugh Escalation

The debate in Congress turned ugly tonight, as members of both parties grilled the President over her mishandling of the Federation’s interests during the last six months.

Particularly hot topics included the heavy-handed ban against Onionhead, the resultant bombing of Panem, the loss of multiple frontier systems to pirates and apathy, as well as her most recent blunders in the handling of the attack on Lugh.

Shadow President Hudson went so far as to remark:

“The Federal Navy handed you victory in Lugh on a silver platter, and how do you thank them? You murder thousands of our own people! The incompetence has to stop and it has to stop now!”

Onionhead Returns to Kappa Fornacis

The Kappa Fornacis Farmers Union appears to be up to its old tricks again, as news has started to come out of the region that Onionhead is once again available in the ports around Panem.

“We aren’t going to be kept down by the man, man,” Georgio Algeria announced to the gathered crowds in the marketplace aboard Harvestport. “You can’t stop the crop. It’s always out there, man. That’s nature, that’s just how it works. The people know what they want, and what they want is 100% organic, original blend Onionhead.”

When asked for comment, President Halsey’s office said that the matter would be dealt with in due course.

Rebels Declare War on the Federation in 78 Ursae Majoris

The system of 78 Ursae Majoris, home to over 10 billion people, has erupted into civil war today. The conflict started just hours after news broke that the frontier system was planning to announce its intention to secede from the Federation.

We spoke to local resident and farmer, Gryph Jones, who woke up this morning to find he now lives near one of the heaviest focal points of the conflict. He had this to say on the matter:

"Pah! The Federation! Now, I won't say I support this war, the revolutionaries are monsters and criminals, but the inability of the local Federal government to keep things under control is exactly why those folks are so unpopular here! The Feds are too busy playing with Lughnatics and Onionheads half a galaxy to focus on places like this - maybe both sides will kill each other off, I can't help but think we'd be better off for it.”

Pirates Prospering in Tanmark

Despite the Defence Force of Tanmark’s overwhelming success in closing down the Tanmark Posse’s operations on Luca, hundreds of unmarked pirate ships have been attacking innocent traders as they go about their business in the system.

It would appear that the recent wave of criminal activity has been sparked by the economic boom that the region has been experiencing, as a result of the increased production of Lucan Onionhead.

So far the Defence Force of Tanmark has only been allowing traders access to a very limited amount of Lucan Onionhead, a decision that they claim was made in an attempt to stop criminals from targeting individual traders on their way out of the system. That could all change, however, as the Defence Force of Tanmark is now offering to empty out its storerooms once security in the region has been restored.

Commanders interested in taking part in the security initiative should sign up for active duty aboard Cassie-L-Peia in Tanmark.

Internal Strife Strikes Tanmark

News is coming out of the Tanmark system of an ongoing conflict having broken out between the Defence Force of Tanmark and a local criminal gang known as the Tanmark Posse. The Tanmark Posse are reportedly the main driving force behind the recent cultivation of Lucan Onionhead in hidden facilities throughout Luca.

So far, fighting between the two factions has remained confined to the surface of Luca. Security forces are currently in the process of raiding all known Tanmark Posse holdings on the planet, which has caused all but the most loyal gang members to abandon the system in search of more hospitable surroundings.

A source close to the two groups, who has asked to remain anonymous for their own safety, informed GalNet that the fighting is a direct result of the Tanmark Posse misleading the Defence Force of Tanmark into believing that the cultivation of Onionhead on Luca would be a short term arrangement.

Now that it’s become clear that Lucan Onionhead has been deliberately modified in order to stop it from being able to produce natural offspring, the Defence Force of Tanmark are taking pre-emptive steps to ensure that Luca doesn’t suffer the same fate as Panem.

Lucan Onionhead Lives on in Tanmark

The Defence Force of Tanmark, in association with the Farmers Union of Kappa Fornacis, is pleased to announce the success of their initiative to increase the local production of Lucan Onionhead.

Over the last week hundreds of independently-minded contractors delivered over 500,000 tons of land enrichment systems to Cassie-L-Peia. Specialist farmers from Kappa Fornacis were then able to stimulate the mass growth of Lucan Onionhead clones.

When asked for comment, President Halsey's office reiterated that Lucan Onionhead is illegal within all Federal jurisdictions and that anyone caught transporting, cultivating or otherwise selling the drug would be subject to prosecution.

Lucan Onionhead Farmers Welcome Agricultural Commodities Traders

Reports have reached GalNet that Lucan Onionhead farmers in the Tanmark system have been receiving regular supplies of Agricultural Medicine, Crop Harvesters, Land Enrichment Systems and Biowaste from intrepid traders sympathetic to their cause.

Georgio Algeria of the Kappa Fornacis Farmers Union said:

"This is welcome news. A few Commanders helped us in Panem, and that's cool but not enough. If enough of you can help get them to Tanmark we'll be happy. And so will you. This is the way we make Onionhead bigger - better. It's what we all want. Long live Onionhead! Lucan Onionhead for all!"

No Federal representatives were available to comment.

Lucan Onionhead Declared an Illegal Narcotic

After a week of hurried testing and rushed legislation, finally Lucan Onionhead has been declared an illegal narcotic in all sectors of Federal space. This new statute was rushed onto the books in response to the appearance of a new, slightly modified strain of Onionhead in the Tanmark system.

Onionhead has proven to be a contentious issue among Federal communities over the last few months. The drug is extremely popular among young adults, with many claiming the use of Onionhead is completely harmless.

President Halsey disagrees, pointing to reports by respected Federal scientists that warn of the dangers associated with the popular narcotic. Evidence collected by Federal scientists supposedly suggests the neurological damage being done by the drug not only causes severe impairment of judgement in the short term, but that it may also cause amyloid plaques to form throughout the brains of long term users. Such studies have yet to be made available to the public.

Lucan Onionhead Now Cultivated in the Tanmark System

Breaking news from the Tanmark system would seem to indicate that Admiral Vincent's bombing of Panem has only slowed the spread of Onionhead.

News has reached GalNet that a new strain of Onionhead, which is believed to have been cultivated in secret somewhere on Luca with assistance from farmers from Panem in the Kappa Fornacis system, has begun turning up on the local markets.

A dedicated reporter managed to track down Georgio Algeria on Panem, and it seems his group have been part of this:

"I said we would be back, and here we are. You cannot spoil our happiness. We are still cool. We have more friends than you realise. And now we are rich!"

Due to a quirk of Federal Law, the new strain does not fall under the statute banning sale of Onionhead, as Lucan Onionhead is a different strain. Federal Labs are reported to be rushing the tests through in order to make it illegal as soon as their processes allow.

Onionhead Now Wiped Out

Admiral Vincent, the Federal Admiral of the Fleet, has announced that the Federal Navy has now practically eliminated the narcotic 'onionhead' from Panem in Kappa Fornacis.

"Our systematic destruction of the crop has now paid off, and I am pleased to say we have destroyed all the crops without the loss of a single life since the unfortunate incident a few weeks ago."

Despite continued pockets of resistance the Admiral also announced a civic aid package to help rebuild the farms to produce less controversial crops, a move that has earned praise from commentators for its political shrewdness.

In a follow up statement an aide requested that independent pilots provide Agri Medicines, Crop Harvesters, Land Enrichment Systems and Biowaste to meet the increased demand generated by the package.

Federal President Clarifies Approach to Onionhead

In an attempt to quell the clamour for her resignation, President Jasmina Halsey has tried to clarify the rift between the Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral Vincent, and her office.

"Admiral Vincent runs our Navy, and I run the government. From time to time, he gives me a status report on naval operations, and we discuss issues of importance to the Federation. On the events in Kappa Fornacis the Admiral acted unilaterally, and simply reported his actions after the orders had been carried out. It is not my role to interfere with naval operations, but I do expect to be consulted when decisions of such import are made."

Political pundits are speculating that this carefully worded speech she read out must have been the result of negotiations between the Navy and Halsey's office. They are rumoured to detest each other, and the friendship between the Shadow President and Admiral Vincent has doubtless not gone unnoticed.

Secret Federal Anger Now That Onionhead Sales at All Time High

We have seen several off-the-record comments from unnamed Congressmen who are angry at the publicity Onionhead has received from the President's various announcements, and her criticism of the Admiral of the Fleet.

According to reports on black market pricing, the value of Onionhead has soared throughout Federal space, despite its illegality. The 'Oniongate' protests are still ongoing, seemingly paralysing the senior leadership from taking further action.