Genetic Analysis Connects Conflux to Extinct Sea Creature

by Thane Carios
(Cornea Station) Sutonia College announced today that the study of sentient conflux biomass by Prof. Athena ShaiDen indicates a genetic connection to the Giant Cephalosian, a long-extinct sea creature on Hypsos.
As noted in Prof. Athena Shaiden’s preliminary report on the genetic analysis of a donated sample of sentient conflux biomass, we have found some genetic markers which may indicate a family-level (“Oegopsina”) connection to the giant cephalosian — a deep sea invertebrate that had been found in Hypsos’ Tethiyan Ocean which has been extinct for more than 100 years. It should be noted that this is very a tenuous connection and that before drawing any conclusions, new, unique sentient biomass extractions — preferrably from different sources — would need to be studied.
The initial sentient conflux biomass samples were collected from a C14 sentient on 123.12.27 by pilot GrimGriz and were donated to Sutonia College by Edgar Reece Industries (E.R.I.).
As far as we know, just one captive (cloned) Cephalosian remains — and it is on display in the docking bay of Hyperial Station. According to our sources, a request by the college to Hyperial for a tissue sample was denied.

Restoration Day Wrap-Up

UUNN Newswire

(UUNN HQ)  More than 80 pilots logged in for duty to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Restoration Day.

Solrain Premier Demeter Garreth made a public appearance featuring this brief speech:

Happy Tenth Anniversary of Restoration Day! What an amazing, GREAT day. I remember 10-plus years ago when everything went dark.

I was sitting in my office getting reading for a meeting with Cris Parce, the Premier at that time. Then there was this slight tingling vibration.

All went dark.

There was no light. There was no sound. There were no backups coming on.
And it was very clear that the air recirculators were not … “recirculating.”

I know you all see me as a tough, old “b-lady” but I’m not ashamed to admit I was scared.
But because of so many who kept their wits about them … so many whose bravery was beyond compare … we made it through.

So let’s all celebrate those people and celebrate US. Because we’re HERE!
And because you’re HERE, come have a Solrain Stout with me on Solrain Core in the next 45 minutes and you will be awarded a Captain’s Commendation!

Congratulations. Thank you! And Happy Tenth Restoration Day!

The SpaceBar Pub had a “spin to win” contest for patrons buying a beer — with prizes including Antiflux, Thief, Burglar, Trap, RB-2 and some rare tradegoods.

Pilots Drive off Ferocious Attack on Tripoint

by Phineas Attora

(Tripoint Station) Sentient Conflux activity was first detected in The Quadrangle at 16:30 UTC and a relentless barrage went on until pilots Kanthakeh, Peng, Algore and Hammer-BS were able to destroy the sentient eel in Tripoint Station Sector at 21:22 UTC.

As overheard from pilots in the #ready-room, the attack began with the Conflux sealing off all of the jumpgates to The Quadrangle with infestations, and continued with the infestation of all gates into Tic-Tac’s Hook. At 18:13 UTC, KTRI reported the beginning of the bombardment of the Helium Nano Assembler. Active pilots assembled, blasting their way through infestations to launch their defense of Tripoint sector and its infrastructure.

The Sentient Eel was defended by numerous drones, but the gritty pilots whittled away at the Conflux horde and destroyed its leader, putting an end to the hours-long assault . Pilot Peng reported the building has sustained significant damage, but was not destroyed. Concerted repair efforts were able to restore the Nano Assembler building to functionality fairly quickly.

Sentients Infest TRI-Pact Factions

by Phineas Attora

(Solrain Core Station)  Conflux sentients began an assault yesterday (123.7.28) against all three TRI-Pact factions resulting in infested anomaly sectors in each faction’s home space.  According to logs, sentient activity was initially detected by the Octavian Shore Subspace Transceiver at 19:58 UTC — where  the same Subspace Transcever had detected Sentient activity last week.

The Octavian Shore sector was quickly sealed off by Infestations, but just as pilots began to rally to break through, more Sentient activity was reported in Solrain Space in The Fields sector.  Pilot dope of Koops Inc. risked his Viceroy freighter to observe the sentient activity in The Fields reportedly seeing a Nautiloid and Jellyfish as that sector too, began to be sealed off.

Infestation Epidemic!

UUNN Newswire

(UUNN HQ)  With nine known infestations, some are saying this is the largest infestation event ever.  Acting with unexpected speed and coordination, Conflux infester drones have successfully cut off all access to unregulated space in just a matter of hours.  TRI-SEC has requested that pilots report any new infestations or sentient sightings.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

New FluxBuster Patch Unveiled

UUNN Newswire

(UUNN HQ) A new “FluxBuster” patch has been unveiled to recognize pilot participation in significant efforts to destroy Conflux Hives, clear Conflux Swarms and drive off  Conflux Sentients.  The patch can be awarded multiple times and pilots are encouraged to display them proudly on their flight-suits.

The first pilots to receive the patch are Aeghwhyn, Alafan, Don_Brasco, StopSign and Tallo — who combined to clear eight infestations scattered throughout Solrain space and disrupting trade.

The (Unregulated) Update

Vol. III, No. 2 – by Ares Kiden

Conflux Score Lucky Hit?

Inventories were damaged and production was disrupted when Amananth Station was attacked by a Conflux C10-s on 119.1.9.  The damage was caused by a deemed “lucky hit.” Call me skeptical, but I think I would look into station defenses more closely before writing this one off as “lucky” — or maybe the next “lucky hit” will target nukes (i.e. BIG boom) — or take out a big chunk of the remaining, irreplaceable Antiflux inventory.

In this instance it was Flashfires, Guardians and Whistles that took the hit — and a quickly addressed Faction Mission to repair things was completed in just a few days (nice work, folks!).

Amananth Suffers Production Damage

by Thane Carios

 * * * UPDATED 119.1.10.00:45 * * *

(Amananth) An apparent lucky hit caused much more significant damage than expected in yesterday’s sentient attack on Amananth Station.  Some suspected that the attack was targeted at the nukes recently stockpiled on Amananth, but those items were not damaged.  What was impacted was production of Flashfires, Guardians and Whistles — along with significant inventories of those same items plus Displacers as well.

Pilot Orka reported that DPDQ communicated the following message:

436f6e66 6c757820 61747461 636b6564 20726570 6f72743a 20666972 65732068 61766520 6265656e 20737570 70726573 7365643b 2064616d 61676520 61737365 73736d65 6e742069 6e207072 6f677265 73732e

This hex string translates as Conflux Attacked Report: Fires have been supressed, damage assessment in progress.

Some officials have expressed concern that black-market hoarding, panic-buying and price inflation could start if production is not restored quickly.

 

The (Unregulated) Update

Vol. II, No. 6 – by Ares Kiden

Oct Core Bombarded by Flux

Oct Core was attacked by Conflux on 7.5 with the station sustaining some minor damage.  Apparently the Conflux attacked outbuildings first, but there has been not official report on any damage there.  They also attacked the station and were trying to do something at the ETP.  This was the largest station attack we have seen in quite some time.  You have to wonder if this was random or if Flux aggression will be ramping up.

Chatty AI

For the first time in a very long time we’ve been hearing from the Amananth Station AI (aka DPDQ).  First in relation to repairing the production for the “inhibitor” (aka antiflux); and later when it apparently scolded RazorsKiss for having someone blow up an old New Dawn area in the station.  The messages were transmitted in hex — which just seems lazy to me.

Conflux Invade Oct Core

by Thane Carios

(Octavius Core)  Octavius Core Station sustained fairly significant damage today when it was attacked by Conflux drones and sentients.

“The attack started around 22:00 when we received alerts that some of the outbuildings were being hit,” said Oct Core Station Governor Hasdrubar Carto.  “Then there were several direct nuke-hits on the station.  Our sensors showed quite a few conflux in-sector, including C0s, 3s, 7s, 14s — and probably others.  There were a lot.”

“One C14 was doing something at the energy transfer port.  I don’t think it was able to damage anything, but we have crews out inspecting the port right now.  It’s a good thing Axiomoon and Utanmadan showed up when they did.  I think things could have been much worse.”

According to Carto, the damage was limited to some external armor and one cargo bay, which took a direct nuke hit.  That bay had contained BCUs, Dreams, Featherfires, Flashfires, Lances, Mauls, Nitrogen and POS Markets.

“I don’t mean to downplay the loss,” said Governor Carto.  “But it could have been much worse.  Most of these things can be replaced easily.”