ONN: Martian Wars Updates, Restrictions Set on the Asteroid Belt
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Originally Published on July 2nd, 2490
Orbital News Network/Grant Jones Reporting
The Martian Wars continue to rage on with several encounters and skirmishes taking place on the entire planet. Up until a few hours ago, the Martian Native Tribe Clans were fighting defensively and targeting convoys that were en route on the wilderness of the red planet, however, military reports suggest that some colonies may have been infiltrated as there are reports of several missing individuals from Tartessos Colony and there may be some more reports on the way. Tartessos Colony, while not as touristic as Alba City or Ara Colony, is known to offer housing for Advanced Research and Experimental Systems officers and has a high degree of security around it, if this infiltration theory is proven to be correct, then another weapon of the Natives may have been discovered: Stealth Tactics.
Last month, Advanced Research and Experimental Systems, in a joint press conference with New Geneva Elder Councillor Michael Nikolaidis, suggested that they won't hesitate to use ARES's state of the art Orbital Network and aim it for the first time since its creation and deployment to the red planet itself. However, nothing more has been said about it, and while ARES has not offered an official statement about this, rumors abound that while a series of attacks on Mars got most of ARES's attention, a dedicated team managed to infiltrate a Phobos facility and obtained full control of the Orbital Network, and in fact locking ARES out of their own defense (Or in this case, offense) capabilities from orbit. While these are rumors and speculations, it should be noted that right at this moment, a sizable amount of ARES's fleet is being redeployed to Mars, this will add a hefty backup on both officers, synths, cyborgs, vehicles, and overall naval capabilities.
As the War continues, there have been supplying efforts going on both sides, more so on the Native side with several convoys leaving colonies and settlements to support ongoing battles and skirmishes, in one of these such situations, ARES's surveillance managed to discover important information that might risk the War bleeding out of Mars and on to the rest of the system: The supplies came from a very well known corporation based on Xin Beijing. This revelation caused an emergency meeting at New Geneva between the New Geneva council and Cassandra Areia, Ambassador from Advanced Research and Experimental Systems, as the meeting finalized a few hours ago, this is what was communicated to us afterwards.
| “The fact that the battlefield has seen supplies coming in from a well known corporation from Xin Beijing potentially changes the way ARES is facing this War. It could mean one out of two things: Either this corporation has seen a massive security breach and has had sympathizers steal supplies of all kinds and had them all shipped towards Mars, or two, this corporation itself is making an unethical move by supporting a War that is causing the loss of corporate assets and corporate lives.
As of now, the New Geneva Council has authorized Advanced Research and Experimental Systems to use their resources to investigate any and all corporations within the Inner Planets and their possible security breaches that have gone unreported, and the loss of assets that have gone unaccounted for, as well as their potential connections to the Martian Native Tribe Clans and their ongoing efforts against ARES and New Geneva itself. New Geneva also authorizes ARES carte blanche to proceed as they see fit should any connections between corporations and the Clans are to be found, from asset seizing, and the removal of executives from corporate boards of directors, to even the destruction of assets that would be otherwise used to support the Clans. Advanced Research and Experimental Systems will also be conducting diplomatic efforts to ensure the loyalty and disposition of every corporation.” |
In the coming weeks, it appears that ARES will be counter attacking in every possible way to ensure corporate victory and ensuring that all corporate assets, interests, and investments will be preserved as a delegation of officers is being organized to visit different facilities in all of the Inner Planets to ensure cooperation and to strengthen bonds of cordiality with fellow corporate bodies.
At the same time, New Geneva is now issuing travel restrictions that go beyond the Asteroid Belt, an hour after Cassandra Areia's statement went live, his own statement on the matter came live as well.
| “A massive ion storm was formed just outside the Asteroid Belt several hours ago, risking traveling as well as the well being of all corporate interests there, as a measure of precaution and initiative by New Geneva, effective immediately, all travel to the Outer Planets is now restricted to Authorized Corporate Personnel only. We've issued a joint contract to Advanced Research and Experimental Systems, Armitech Corporation, and Matsumoto-Zaibatsu to deploy forces all around the Belt. Unsanctioned ships on the Belt with intentions to travel beyond will be immediately destroyed.
This statement is your only warning, as the ion storm made everything past the Belt unstable and dangerous, New Geneva is taking the initiative of setting measurements for your own protection. For the corporate assets located beyond the Belt and that are not considered authorized by New Geneva, such as space stations and colonies, a six months period for all those assets to be liquidated, or otherwise, moved to the Inner Planets will be granted. In the coming days, a full list of Authorized Corporate Personnel will be published.” |
With this statement, the Outer Planets are officially put under very heavy surveillance and are effectively cut off from the Inner Planets. This movie reminds us of the old Earth Site 0041Z, after several conflicting reports of explosions, that Earth Site was put under permanent quarantine by a joint effort of ARES and Armitech on January 19th, 2489 and since then, the 0041Z has remained inaccessible, it helped matters when with impeccable timing, Vulca Group announced the opening of its own Earth Site X-17 to the general public at the same time.
As usual, rumors are swirling around, New Geneva's presence is not as prominent on the Outer Planets as it is on the Inner Planets, but if the War Effort on Mars is acquiring supplies and weapons from other locations, it's possible this is a preemptive move to close out supply lines to the Clans, and therefore, this could have been a move motivated by Advanced Research and Experimental Systems themselves.
As always, we will provide you with the latest information on the Martian Wars, as well as future changes that New Geneva may issue as they happen.
What are your opinions on these sanctions and restrictions? Is it possible that the Martian Wars fail to be contained to Mars alone? Do you think certain corporations are aiding the Clans, or is a third party facilitating supplies and weapons for them? What do you think of the restrictions to travel to the Outer Planets? Will they affect you directly? Please leave your comment and your opinion on the comment section below.