Capital News Service - News from Acronis

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21


Crown Prince Otan No Longer Commanding Officer of Aircraft Carrier Žavražan

ZARAM-- Crown Prince Otan, who has served in the Royal Acronian Navy since his 18th birthday and as the commanding officer of one of the Navy’s two aircraft carriers since February, is no longer serving in the latter position, the Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday. Whether or not he is still in active duty in the Navy was not immediately clear, and the nature of the Prince’s departure from the position was not mentioned by the Ministry’s official statement. However, unnamed Ministry sources have confirmed to Capital News Service that the Prince - known as Captain Davras Sholosar in the Navy - was asked to step down because the Žavražan is soon to be ordered to assist in Ni-Rao, and the government felt it unsafe to place the heir to the throne in an active war zone.

The official location of the Acronian Empire’s two aircraft carriers at any given time is classified as a state secret in the interest of national security. However, Capital News Service has obtained a written copy of the orders issued to Žavražan, which entail heading first to the port in Zaram to bring on a new command staff and then to the Port of Amao in North Ni-Rao.

The Prince made headlines and stirred a minor political debate in 2008 when, upon reaching the age of 18, he applied to serve in the military under the same terms that any other Acronian 18-year-old would: by going through boot camp and then serving a 36-month period of mandatory conscription. Members of the Royal Family are explicitly exempted from conscription under the law, and at first the Ministry of Defense stated that it could not legally accept Crown Prince Otan as a conscript. While many members of the Royal Family have served in honorary military positions over the years, no royal has served as a member of the “rank and file” since the end of the Fourth Tavari War in 1683. However, Otan continued to express his desire to serve on the same terms as the rest of the public, and a mass outpouring of support for the Prince from the people led to a change in the law to allow for a “one-off exception” in the case of Otan himself only.

By all accounts, the Prince’s service in the military has been exceptional. His appointment as commanding officer of the Žavražan was hailed by both officers and conscripts across the military, especially after it became public that the Prince had scored the highest score on the Commanding Officer’s Aptitude Test in 40 years. Both the Prince and the Navy have maintained that the Prince has received no special accommodation in regard to his position. “The Prince has slept in the same bunks, participated in the same drills, and been responsible for the same tasks as every other sailor in the Navy,” said retired Admiral Antor Nikrat Dovrodan, who made the formal recommendation that the Prince be promoted to Captain. “People think that because he made Captain at 30 he must have been given special deference. It’s just not true. The Prince is the best damned sailor I have ever known in my life. I’m heartbroken to see him taken off command, and I’m sure that he is too.”

An anonymous high-level Ministry of Defense official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, stated to Capital News Service that “the Ministry [of Defense] always knew that they would never actually allow the Prince to serve in any military situation where the risk of actual military engagement was high. Prince Otan knew that too. Still, though, it hurts. It hurts us, because we know he would do great, and it hurts him even more.”

The official stated that the decision on where the Prince will go from here has not yet been made. “It’s likely he will leave active duty military status, probably by either an honorable discharge or by being allowed to retire early through an administrative exception.” The source added that if the latter happened, which would entitle the Crown Prince to lifetime military benefits including a pension, it would be “the final insult” to the Prince “by giving him the one thing he always demanded never to have: special treatment.”

The Office of the King declined comment on this story.

22


BREAKING: Prime Minister Announces Crown Prince Otan to be Awarded Medal of Supreme Merit, Named Ambassador to the League of Novaris

ZARAM-- In a press conference called shortly after Capital News Service published a wire report regarding Crown Prince Otan’s separation from the Royal Navy, Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar announced that Crown Prince Otan is to be awarded the Medal of Supreme Merit, the third-highest honor given to members of the Armed Forces, and that he will “be retired from the Royal Acronian Navy by order-in-council.” The Prince has served as an active duty officer in the Navy since 2008.

Current regulation requires 20 years of military service before becoming eligible to retire. Formally retiring from the military grants a lifetime pension and access to military healthcare facilities, as well as the right to use the post-nominal (Ret.) or (Retired), along with their rank at the time of retirement, among other honors. Crown Prince Otan, having served slightly more than half the minimum, would ordinarily not be entitled to these benefits. The Prime Minister stated that the Prince will be afforded these benefits by order of the King and the government.

“In 2008, when the Crown Prince joined the military, the government made a promise to him that he would be treated the same as any other sailor, and that he would be subject to the same expectations of service in combat. Today, the government broke our promise to the Prince. We have removed the Prince from command through no fault of his own, but simply because we determined it would be unsafe for the heir to the throne to serve in combat. I have apologized to the Prince in person, and these actions today are an effort by the government to make the Prince whole,” said the Prime Minister.

Additionally, the Prince will be awarded the Medal of Supreme Merit (Naval), which is awarded to members of the Navy who “perform far beyond the call of duty with remarkable distinction and honor in the service of the Navy.” Along with Medals of Supreme Merit for the other three branches, it is the third-highest military honor, and the highest for service not related to combat. The Prime Minister said a full description of why the Prince was given this honor will be read when the medal is formally awarded to the Crown Prince at a later date, but it will include reference to his “remarkable sense of duty and obligation to the Empire” and his “particularly capable handling of the Acronian military response to the destabilization of Lunaria as a brand-new captain of one of the Empire’s flagships.”

The Crown Prince’s career move after the military will be two-fold: he will be named Ambassador to the League of Novaris, in which the Acronian Empire is an observer state. Additionally, he will be named as Ambassador-at-Large to the Global Community of Monarchies, meaning he will be a special envoy of the Empire to other monarchies on Urth. Building relationships with foreign monarchies has been a priority of the Prime Minister, along with building economic partnerships. “Our Royal Family have always served as representatives of Acronis to other countries, but to be clear, these are not ‘honorary’ positions. This is not like being the nominal head of some charity. These are formal, official postings in the Acronian Foreign Service. The Prince, in both of these positions, will be afforded staff, office space, and budget funding from the Ministry of External Affairs. We have been looking for a permanent representative to the LN for some time, and the Crown Prince has proven himself as a capable leader of people as well as diplomatically-minded and dedicated to both strongly representing Acronian interests and providing a listening ear to consider the points of view of other countries. I would not have appointed the Prince to these positions unless I was certain he could perform well. I am more than certain he can and will.”

The Prince was not available to be present at the press conference either in person or virtually, and did not respond to requests for comment. While not confirmed by the Prime Minister, the Prince is believed to still be on board the Žavražan as it returns to port in Zaram. The Prime Minister did, however, comment on why the announcement of the Prince’s departure was made at an unusual time - a Saturday morning - and without many specific details. “When we became aware that CNS was preparing to leak the MoD order to the Prince before the government had completed preparations for the move, we released a preliminary statement as a way of staying ahead of the news media. Certain legal and constitutional questions regarding the Prince’s retirement were yet to be fully answered until now. It is significantly unusual, and frankly concerning, that the news media would leak classified military orders concerning the location of one of our most strategically important vessels. These are not issues of kitchen table gossip, this is national security. Nevertheless, the government is certain that these moves are the best moves for the country.”

Closing out the press conference, the Prime Minister said “We thank Captain Davras Sholosar for his selfless and remarkable service of more than a decade in the Royal Acronian Navy, and we look forward to seeing him continue to serve the country in diplomatic roles. It is unusual, indeed unheard of in our modern system of government, for members of the Royal Family to serve in government roles such as these, but Crown Prince Otan has proven himself to be unusually competent.”

23


“I am a Proud Lesbian Woman,” Prime Minister Announces at Press Briefing

Privétia Tauríllien, New Leganés-- Prime Minister Žaris Nevran Alandar is in the capital of New Leganés today to celebrate that country’s 100th anniversary of democracy, and at her press briefing before the commencement of official events, she had a few minor updates to give. She announced that her chief of security, Linai Nakana Modrovai has resigned, that negotiations with the ANG on purchasing land for a permanent headquarters have concluded successfully, and as a final footnote to her address, she came out as a lesbian.

“As a final note, I have some news of a personal nature that I need to share with you,” the Prime Minister said at the press briefing. “Normally I don’t comment on things of this nature, especially not on foreign visits, but in the interest of ethics and transparency, I feel I need to be honest with you about the reason why my chief of security has resigned. She and I have entered into a committed romantic relationship. I am, and always have been, a proud lesbian woman.”

At the time of her announcement, the assembled audience - which also included various international media outlets and, on the other side of a set of barricades, members of the Cukish public - is reported to have burst into applause. The Prime Minister quickly raised a hand to silence them and added “I’m unmarried at 45 and I played football in high school. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.”

The Prime Minister clarified that she made the announcement in an effort to “get out ahead of any surprise news” about the relationship, which she said she feared would “distract” from the purpose of her visit to New Leganés and also to her upcoming visit to Acronian troops in Alksearia. “I’m getting it out of the way now in the hopes that at least some of the headlines in the next few days will be about today’s celebration of democracy and tomorrow’s visit to our brave women and men in uniform, and not about some trumped up scandal about how the PM was secretly dating her bodyguard.”

Her (now former) chief of security, Linai Nakana Modrovai, has served as the Chief of Personal Security at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence since 2015, and also served previous Prime Minister Aniríl Dravana Niktat. Nakana Modrovai did not respond to requests for comment, and the Office of the Prime Minister said that they would not be providing any statement on her behalf. In responding to questions, the Prime Minister said that Nakana Modrovai “will be returning to the private sector” and that there are “no plans at this time” for Nakana Modrovai to begin attending any functions as an “official member of the Prime Minister’s household.” This stands in contrast to the husband of previous Prime Minister Dravana Niktat, who was given an office and staff under the title First Gentleman.

“We’ve just started dating, I’m not going to trot her out and make her cut any ribbons yet. I like to take things slow,” the Prime Minister said in her typical wry sense of humor.

Congratulations have begun to pour in from all sectors. “I’m very pleased for the Prime Minister and I hope this brings her great happiness,” said Leader of the Opposition Movra Vodroni Alištar. The Matron is said to have called the Prime Minister directly to send well wishes, according to a Church official.

Nevran Alandar is the first openly lesbian woman to serve as Prime Minister of the Acronian Empire, and only the fourth to serve as a Member of Parliament.

24


Largest Drug Bust This Century Sees Over 5,000 Av. of Cocaine Seized

IDALAN, Šana Province-- In what the Royal Marshals are calling “the largest seizure of illegal narcotics since the turn of the 21st century,” over 5,000 avtemo (approx. 8,000 kilograms) of cocaine was seized on Tuesday at Idalan, the only land border crossing into Vultuca. The drugs were packed into hidden interior compartments of automobiles purported to be destined for sale in Vultuca. The cars, which were seized by the Royal Marshals, were reported as stolen by https://tep.wiki/wiki/Ranzalar_Holdings#Monata_Automotive last year.

“While these criminals are sure to have thought themselves clever, this is nothing we haven’t seen before, and actually a rather unintelligent move. It was as simple as checking the VIN on the car in the registry of reported automobile thefts. The customs paperwork was all forged, and the individuals who presented the papers to customs officials have been arrested and charged with both drug trafficking and forgery,” said the Royal Acronian Marshals, Border and Immigration Control Division in a statement. While the Division has not yet released names of those arrested, they have indicated that four people were arrested during the bust.

The Acronian narcotics industry is believed to have been in a state of decline for the past several years, as enforcement increased under several government administrations. Many in the cocaine business had moved to Ni-Rao, where enforcement is much more lax and coca (the plant from which cocaine is derived) is both entirely legal and commonly used by the public. However, the recent coup and civil war in Ni-Rao are believed to have encouraged drug trafficking to return to Acronis.

“Of course, the industry never really left Acronis, and it’s always been believed that the leaders and business operations of these cartels were always based in Acronis, even if the growing and shipping was done elsewhere. It’s far, far easier to get cash and get access to the international market through Acronis than through Ni-Rao, and in a country where a full third of the land area is a completely undeveloped national park that would be impossible to patrol the entirety of, you just can’t beat the real estate here,” said University of Zaram professor Taika Nolar Vantrovíš, who studies the international drug industry.

“It’s likely that Vultuca was not the final destination,” continued Nolar Vantrovíš, a sentiment with which the Border and Immigration Control Division concurred.

“It’s actually pretty rare to see drugs go through the formal border crossing points,” said an anonymous Border Control official who was not authorized to speak publicly. “Usually these drugs are shipped clandestinely through the far north and then taken by smaller boats out into international waters, where they can be loaded onto larger international cargo vessels.”

According to Professor Nolar Vantrovíš, most Acronian cocaine is consumed outside of the country, and it could have been headed to any number of destinations. “We see the demand for cocaine mostly in urbanized countries, but there are markets for it on every inhabited continent and in most countries on Urth.” The Border Control official added that authorities have noticed “a recent uptick in cocaine shipments believed to be destined for Meagharia.”

25


Renovations Complete at Royal Naval Base Kanor Minor, Now Largest in Acronis

MAAPAGULINN, Kanor Major-- With the ceremonial cutting of a ribbon by Minister of Defense Nama Oren Kantoreš, the Royal Acronian Naval Base at Kanor Minor was officially “re-inaugurated” on Monday after a major renovation and refit that lasted six years. With the project now complete, RNB Kanor Minor is the largest naval base in the Acronian Empire, and the third-largest military facility overall, behind only Joint Defense Facilities One and Two.

“I am very proud to announce that, with this project now complete, Royal Naval Base Kanor Minor is now the shining crown jewel of the Royal Acronian Armed Forces, not just in the Rodoka Sector but in the whole of the country. Acronians everywhere can rest easier tonight knowing they are safer and more secure today than they ever have been,” said the Minister of Defense in brief remarks at the base. The base has more than doubled in size, both in terms of land area and population. It is larger even than Royal Naval Base Sinajärv, and now becomes only the second facility outside the Home Islands (Sinajärv being the first) with the capability to berth both of Acronis’ aircraft carriers, if necessary.

The Ministry of Defense would not comment on specific upgrades to the facility, citing national security. However, plans presented to the Native Rodokan Tribal Authority, which governs zoning and development on the island because it is part of the Native Rodokan Reserve, indicate that the facility will now serve as a “critical nexus for communications, signals intelligence, and Acronian forward defense capabilities.” Most controversially, the Ministry of Defense told the Native Rodokan Tribal Authority that it “could not rule out” the future presence of nuclear facilities on the base, the closest the Empire has ever come to indicating it might be working to develop nuclear capabilities. A nuclear-powered carrier docking at the base in the future is also a “theoretical possibility,” the MoD also said. The admission was required for the Tribal Authority to grant their approval to the expansion, which they did in 2015.

“Obviously we would prefer that there be no nuclear materials of any kind whatsoever on the base,” said Jaakob Ratas, a spokesperson for the Native Rodokan Tribal Administration, which governs all of the Isles of Kanor with the exception of the military bases there. “However, we recognize the importance of the Empire to be able to properly secure our defense. This is a sacred tradition for us, going back to the Acronian-Milofite War when we took the islands in the name of Acronis in the first place.”

26


Tsunami Warning Issued for Anarís After Urthquake in Far Northern Acronis

ANARÍS, Metrati Anar-- The Acronian National Weather Center issued a tsunami warning for the island of Anarís, home to the city of the same name, after a 6.2 Urthquake occurred in the far northern region of Acronis. The epicenter of the quake was in the National Reserve, approximately 30 monai (approximately 31.5km) southeast of the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The region of the epicenter is completely uninhabited. While some 275,000 out of the approximately 400,000 people who live in Metrati Anar live on the island of Anarís, authorities did not order an evacuation, stating the tsunami would be “relatively small” by the time it reached the island, and that “the warning was issued to get people off the beaches and out of an abundance of caution,” according to a spokesperson for the National Weather Center.

“Urthquakes occur relatively frequently in the northwest of the Acronian home islands,” said Mitara Navrai Todralak, a professor of geology at Crystal Coast University. “There is a major underwater volcanic hotspot between Acronis and Lunaria, and various associated fault systems nearby.” Navrai Todralak noted that while today’s quake is the largest in two years in the region, it is “by no means unusual.”

“Anarís is always prepared for tsunamis, and for the direct impact of quakes as well,” said Edori Navar Tendrokai, the Administrator of Metrati Anar. “We live in an active tectonic region. We’ve closed the beaches, but we expect a relatively minor event once the wave reaches here.”

The Royal Acronian Armed Forces maintain some facilities in the Acronian far north. A request seeking comment about the status of these facilities after the quake was not returned by press time.

27


BREAKING: Elder Anda Has Died at 114

ZARAM-- The 34th Elder to sit upon the Seat of Anda has passed away, the Church of Akrona announced on Friday morning. She was 114 years old, and at the time of her passing was the oldest serving Elder.

“At 10:34 AM today, the 34th Elder who bore the name Anda was called home to enter into eternal communion with Akrona,” announced The Matron in a written statement. “We are all tremendously saddened to have lost one of the wisest, most compassionate servants of Akrona and the Church we have ever known. Even so, we hold great happiness in our hearts that we had the chance to know her, and that she now has the chance to know communion with the Benefactor.”

A cause of death was not immediately known. Anda, who was born Tovrea Ralara Važantik on November 3rd, 1906 CE, had previously served as the High Priestess of Mina Province from 1980-1997 and for many years prior served as the Priestess of Zaram Central Parish, known as “the Temple of Kings” for its proximity to the Royal Palace and consequent position as the parish temple of dozens of members of the royal family and Prime Ministers over the years. She was appointed in the year 1997 by the 36th Matron, and was the longest-serving current member of The Elders at the time of her passing.

Per a long-standing tradition of The Elders, Anda’s remains will be returned to her family, who have the right to decide how they wish to commemorate the life of their family member. In the past, the Cabinet has afforded the families of departed Elders a state funeral, should they so choose. Anda was married for 77 years to University of Zaram Professor Rokandar Šaništ Elazandri, who pre-deceased her in 2007. Anda is survived by four of her six children, fourteen grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great-grandchildren.

Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar has ordered all Acronian flags at half-mast for fourteen days in Anda’s honor.

28


Matron Plans to Appoint Ekvatoran High Priestess to Seat of Anda: Report

ZARAM-- Several unnamed sources in the administration of the Church of Akrona have reported that The Matron will appoint Klara Lejla Isaković, the High Priestess of Arlinthia in Ekvatora, to be the 35th Elder to sit upon the Seat of Anda. If this is true, Lejla Isaković would be the first Elder in the history of the Church to have been born outside the Acronian Empire. Perhaps even more historically, Lejla Isaković - a Dwarf - would be the first Elder to not be of the Elven species.

Lejla Isaković, age 71, has served as High Priestess of Arlinthia since 2012. Further information on Lejla Isaković was not immediately available. Representatives of the Akronist Province of Arlinthia did not respond to requests for comment.

It is typical for appointments to the position of Elder to be made very quickly after the death of a previous Elder. Of the 4 appointments the 37th and current Matron has made, three of them were made within 24 hours. The tradition comes from Edict 24, issued by the First Elders in 1481 CE, which states simply: “There must always be Seven.”

29


Acronis Announces Nuclear Capability; Coalition Collapses In Response

ZARAM-- Ending a decades-long period of ambiguity regarding nuclear weapons, the Acronian Empire announced today that it has successfully produced and tested a nuclear weapon. In addition to its native nuclear capability, through a defense agreement with Vistaraland, the Acronian Empire will acquire additional nuclear warheads and deploy them “in such positions across the Empire as to provide sufficient defensive capability across the whole of the Empire.” According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the treaty was negotiated in the preceding months and is the result of a policy of increased outreach to Vistaraland, which was once considered to be an opposing force in Northern Gondwana.

“At this time, I can confirm that the https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=240386#p240386 was the result of the most recent underground test detonation of a nuclear warhead. The test was successful, and the Acronian Empire will proceed with the construction and deployment of these warheads,” said Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar.

“In the past, we have used our stance of deliberate ambiguity - our refusal to confirm or deny that we sought nuclear weapons - as a deterrent. As the number of nuclear states on Urth increases, this strategy becomes increasingly ineffective as a deterrent. As a result, the Empire has decided to proceed with a nuclear weapons program.” The Prime Minister added that “This is an awesome responsibility that no one takes lightly.”

The Prime Minister took care in her address to, in her words, “offer unprecedented transparency” into the Acronian nuclear program. “It is in our interest, and the interest of every nuclear state, to be as open about these weapons as possible, to keep tensions low.” The Prime Minister explained that Acronis will not pursue a so-called “nuclear triad” of sea, land, and air-based nuclear weapons. Instead, it will focus on sea and air-based weapons. The Prime Minister also confirmed that, in compliance with long-standing agreements with the Native Rodokan Tribal Administration, “part, but not all, of the nuclear arsenal will be stored in military facilities on Native Rodokan tribal lands,” meaning either Royal Air Base Sinajärv or Royal Naval Base Kanor Minor. The others, said the Prime Minister, “will be stored in other locations across the Empire.”

In addition to its home-grown nuclear program, Acronis has signed a treaty with Vistaraland for the exchange of up to four nuclear warheads from the Vistari arsenal to the Royal Acronian Armed Forces. Going forward, the two countries will share knowledge and cooperate in the design and production of further nuclear weapons.

“We are thankful to and proud of our allies in Vistaraland, and we look forward to many years of future cooperation,” said the Prime Minister. In her statement, she added that the nuclear weapons, purchased from Vistaraland, would become Acronian property and exclusively under the control of the Royal Acronian Armed Forces and, ultimately, of her office.

The treaty was ratified by the closest possible margin in Parliament. 232 people in the Diet voted in favor and 230 were opposed. The votes in favor consisted of the entire Remembrance caucus and 38 Liberals. The Socialist Party for Democracy (SPD) broke with the coalition and voted entirely opposed, as did the Greens, the Elder-Appointed Caucus, and the remaining Liberals. Due to two members of the Greens not being present for debate, however, the motion passed with what would have otherwise been a margin one vote short of a majority of the 464-member Diet.

In the Senate, the bill passed by a similarly narrow majority of 90-82. 31 Liberals and the single Goddess and Country Senator joined the 58 Remembrance Senators to vote in favor, with all of the SPD and the Greens opposed.

Almost immediately after the vote, the Socialist Party for Democracy (SPD) announced that it would be withdrawing from the government coalition, leaving Nevran Alandar’s party Remembrance with a minority government. “The Prime Minister is currently in talks with the King to call an early election. We expect Parliament to be dissolved on January 20th, with the election to take place on February 10th,” said a spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister.

“The conditions under which we formed this coalition no longer exist, and as such, we have withdrawn from government,” said Atra Lanaš Metravar, the leader of SPD and former Minister of External Affairs. She has already tendered her resignation to the Prime Minister. “To be clear, it is our position that we did not leave government voluntarily, we were pushed out. Remembrance did not honor its promises to us. We were under the impression that we would be building a government focused on broadening Acronian economic relationships through peaceful diplomacy. We did not sign up to give Žarís Nevran Alandar a blank check to gallop across the planet waging war and buying nuclear warheads from imperialists,” her statement continued.

The Office of the Prime Minister had no comment when contacted by CNS except to refer us to the Prime Minister’s address. Deputy Prime Minister Jeila Telan Vandravat declined comment for this story, but sources within her office indicate that she, along with the rest of the party apparatus, are already preparing for the campaign.

“This has changed the political calculus entirely,” said an unnamed source in the Deputy PM’s office who was not authorized to comment publicly. “No one expected this. That said, Remembrance hasn’t felt this energized in years.”

30


Editor’s Note: Since the https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=240756#p240756, previous CNS articles on the Acronian military are seeing remarkable increases in interest and are being shared across the Internet. We are reposting this article from 2015 that dealt with the most significant restructure of the Acronian military since the Fourth Tavari War. Its original date of publication was Tašmet 28th, 535 KV/February 13th, 2015.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: In Groundbreaking Strategic Shift, Acronis Announces End of Mandatory Conscription

ZARAM-- The Royal Acronian Armed Forces announced on Friday the most significant policy change it has made since the Fourth Tavari War: beginning in 2016, there will no longer be mandatory conscription into the military. Conscription was first instituted in 1677, when the King announced a “national impressment” of every adult into the armed forces in response to the Tavari burning the city of East Harbor to the ground. By the 20th century, the system had evolved into one wherein every adult served a total of three years in the military: 18 months in active duty and 18 months in the reserve. Conscription has long been political popular and has never seen public opinion drop below 50% approval. However, the Royal Acronian Armed Forces now say that conscription is no longer necessary to ensure Acronian defense. In fact, they say it may be hindering it.

“The simple fact of the matter is that we have more people than we have work to be done,” said Minister of Defense Tarak Nolai Venštrovi. “Every soldier needs a salary, needs food, needs housing, needs training. And when every single adult Acronian serves three years in the military, that adds up quickly. But more often than not, since planes and ships have limited capacity, we end up placing these soldiers on bases or in the Army, where they have been absolutely overwhelming our capacity for years.”

Effective on January 1st, 2016, Acronians who turn 18 (or Acronians who graduate from college after deferring their conscription) will no longer be required to sign up for the military. Instead, the military will depend on voluntary recruits, which officials say presents no concern as there have always been more recruits seeking to serve as career soldiers than there are available positions. The military remains the most popular Acronian institution, regularly seeing approval ratings in the 80th and 90th percentiles and always greater than the approval ratings of the incumbent Prime Minister or Parliament.

“This will result in a numerical reduction in troops. In some areas, the numerical reduction will appear quite drastic. But what’s really happening - and I want to emphasize that everyone who is currently serving is doing a damn good, damn important job - is that we are creating a leaner, more powerful, more modern military,” said Nolai Venštrovi. “War is not now and never has been just a numbers game. It’s about effectiveness, and we’re doing this to make our military more effective.”

In addition, the Royal Acronian Armed Forces announced that they will be ordering 250 brand new tanks and two nuclear-powered submarines - the Empire’s first nuclear vessels. “The tanks are Colonarius Mark II models from Morstaybishlia, the modern and upgraded version of what our troops already use. We expect delivery in 2017. For the nuclear submarines, the current order is for two, one being delivered in 2019 and the other in 2021. This is part of our standard course of upgrading equipment,” said the Minister of Defense, noting that some current Acronian submarines date to as early as the 1970s. Nuclear submarines, the Minister said, are capable of going far longer without refueling - almost indefinitely - and “are much better suited to the broad Acronian range of Acronian naval activity, from King’s Island to Metratri Anar to Rodoka.” While these submarines are capable of being fitted for the launch of nuclear missiles and other ballistic, long-range missiles, the Minister would not comment on whether or not the military would be seeking to use these capabilities.

“With these changes, along with the launch of the first ever Acronian aircraft carrier next year, we are truly bringing the Acronian military into the future, and we will be far better able to meet our international agreements and defense needs,” concluded the Minister in his remarks on Friday. The aircraft carrier, one of two that will be delivered, was announced in 2010 and has been long awaited by the Navy, which had been requesting funding for them from the Diet for decades.

“All said and done, we’re very happy with the announcements,” said a Naval official who was not authorized to comment publicly. “This will make us leaner, meaner, and more capable. And Akrona knows we need to be. The world’s getting crazier every day.”

31


Parliament Dissolved for Election in Shadow of Largest Protest in Years

ZARAM-- More than thirty thousand people gathered at Parliament Plaza on Wednesday to protest the announcement of the Acronian nuclear weapons program. It is the largest protest seen in the capital in more than forty years - a title it took from the protests at the Tavari Embassy that happened only in September. The crowd flooded out of the streets that had been cordoned off for the event by the Royal Marshals and the Zaram Metropolitan Police Department, requiring them to close off more of the city than expected.

The massive protest takes place on the same day as Parliament is officially dissolved, as the Remembrance-Socialist Party for Democracy (SPD) coalition collapsed Monday - also a consequence of the Acronian nuclear program. Members of Parliament had to be escorted into the building through back entrances in order to attend the ceremony, which is typically a very formal event. Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar formally read the order, given by the King on her advice, that closed the current sessions of both the Diet and the Senate and ordered that writs of election be issued for February 10th.

Attending the event was the Prime Minister’s partner, Linai Nakana Modrovai, in her first appearance at a state function since the Prime Minister https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=239703#p239703. According to tradition for the event - also followed at the opening of Parliament - every member of the Senate wore a black robe and a traditional powdered wig, which was once the mandatory dress code. Members of the Diet are entitled to wear the robes without the wigs, and while Remembrance and Liberal members of the Diet did so, the SPD and Green members did not.

“This isn’t a time for playing dress-up. This will be the single most consequential election of our lifetimes,” said SPD Leader Atra Lanaš Metravar, who until Monday was the Minister of External Affairs. “I hope the Prime Minister is paying attention to the people that are outside this building today.”

Outside as Parliament went through the formal rituals of ending the session, more than twenty different speakers addressed the massive crowds. Foremost among them was https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=227577#p227577 https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=227722#p227722 Tinor Avan Tokrania, who is the president of the Acronian Network for Peace, which bills itself “the largest organization of peace activists in the country.”

“All of us here today, all of us all around the world, have to stand up NOW, because this is the most pivotal moment any of us could imagine. Our country has made a terrible choice, a sickening choice, a choice that will damn us and all the generations that come after us into a never-ending spiral of violence, fear, hate, and yes, as they call it, mutually assured destruction,” said Avan Tokrania, who even through a microphone and sound system had to shout to be heard. “This is the moment. Today. Now. We have to do everything we can to tell them no, because every single second we spend sitting on these terrible, terrible weapons is another chance for the worst to happen.”

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Acronis Announces Defense Agreement with Aponivia

WENDAKE, Aponivia-- In a rare announcement of new government policy during an election period, Acronian Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar announced on Saturday that Acronis had concluded a significant defense agreement with Aponivia, a country in West Novaris with a history of connection with Acronis.

“This agreement was negotiated over the past several months, and while the announcement was held up due to some last minute bureaucratic loose ends needing to be tied up, the bulk of the work was concluded by the time Parliament dissolved. Significant credit is due to the hard work of Atra Lanaš Metravar, who was External Affairs Minister during the negotiations even if she is now my electoral opponent,” said the Prime Minister in a statement to assembled reporters in the Aponivian capital. Nevran Alandar is technically in a “caretaker” administration between elections, and statute generally disallows any new international agreements from being effected while Parliament is dissolved. It is likely the defense agreement will need to be ratified by a vote of Parliament when it resumes after the election.

The agreement establishes defensive and military cooperation between Aponivia and Acronis. The navies of each country will be permitted to operate in the territorial waters of the other, and the Royal Acronian Army and Royal Acronian Air Force will establish a permanent presence in one Aponivian military base each, with the possibility of expansion later with mutual agreement. The agreement establishes that Acronis will defend Aponivia in the event of an attack from external forces. Notably, as both countries are known to be environmentally conscious, the agreement establishes significant environmental regulation on both militaries as the operate in the territory of the other country.

“Aponivia is a peaceful country. This agreement is done primarily to ensure that it stays that way. Security is important, but more important is stability, which we feel is an interest served by this agreement,” said Prime Minister Erick Blue of Aponiva.

Former Minister of External Affairs Atra Lanaš Metravar was not in Aponivia to inaugurate the agreement, but instead on the campaign trail in the city of Anara. Her campaign released a written statement on the agreement. “Our two countries have been partners since the first time Akronists reach the shores of Lobakroa, the only other country on Urth to be named after Akrona. I am very pleased that, in our efforts to step up and become part of West Novaris, we have been able to forge this partnership with Aponivia.”

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Zaram Transit Agency Lowers Senior Discount Age - For Non-Elves

ZARAM-- Eremonar Zakarís Žrat Zaram (EZŽZ), the transit agency serving the capital metropolis, has long promised senior citizens aged 80 and above free service for life. On Friday it announced the first change to the policy since it was instituted in 1961: the age would be lowered to 65, but only for members of species other than elves. Elves would continue to need to reach the age of 80 before being issued the free-fare card.

The change has been brought about “in an effort to better align ourselves with the reality of our society, which is a diverse one,” said EZŽZ spokesperson Ladra Tošoni Šetardra. “Elves have a longer natural lifespan than other species groups, meaning that members of other species groups needed to live life spans statistically less likely than an elf reaching the same age. “Other species groups had to work harder to get the same thing,” Tošoni Šetardra said. “In short, it wasn’t fair. So for these other species groups, who are minorities in our country, whose perspectives our agency has not properly considered in the past, we adjusted the eligibility age to one that more accurately reflects their natural life span.”

The change has proved controversial. “This feels very, very divisive, to bring the species issue into something like this,” said Rondra Karínat Elenan, the president of the Zaram Area Center for Senior Citizen Advocacy. “Our society isn’t divided on species like in some other countries. To make the divide so starkly visible can only harm the situation, not improve it.” And furthermore, Karínat Elenan added, “it comes off as stingy. I mean, they couldn’t just lower it to 65 for everybody?”

The agency firmly defended its position in response. “The reason she [Karínat Elenan] feels that our society ‘isn’t divided on species’ is because their solution to the species issue is to pretend there are no non-elves in Acronis. There’s more than 2.5 million of them in our country and nearly a million of them live here in Metro Zaram. So obviously they exist. We instituted our senior fare policy out of a desire to honor the elders of our community, because we owe so much to those who came before us. But it simply isn’t fair that human elders or feline elders and to live practically to their average age of death to get an award that for elves is just the welcome mat into retirement,” responded Tošoni Šetardra. On the point of lowering the age to 65 for all species, she said “We would dilute the honor of this award we give our seniors if we expanded it to a lower age. And if we did, we would be right back at the same problem we had before about differences in life expectancy. We are making this change to make sure non-elves get exactly the SAME honor as elves. Same in all caps, print that. S-A-M-E.”

Human and feline advocacy groups applauded the news. Shala Meo, President of the Raonite Expat Akronist Society, said that it made her feel “welcomed and acknowledged in this country, in a time when my people really need it.” Alan Smith Jones, a human rights activist active in Zaram, agreed. “We still need to talk about healthcare and justice inequities, certainly, but while this wasn’t something we were asking for, we’re happy to see it. Those with age based policies anywhere should consider what the implications are for members of minority species.”

EZŽZ would not respond directly to questions of whether or not the impact on revenue was also considered as part of the reason why the age was not lowered to 65 for elves as well. University of Zaram economics professor Dr. Odra Tokoš Víndalaš, an expert in transportation economics, estimated that the revenue impact would be in the “millions of Nashdat, at least.” “It’s simple math. More elves live to 65 than humans do. Losing the revenue from non-elven groups between 65 and 80 would have already cost them some, but for elves? That age bracket is practically the peak of the age distribution curve. They simply wouldn’t be able to maintain the same level of service if they lost that revenue,” said the professor.

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Bay of Rodoka, Acronian Navy’s Second Nuclear Submarine, is Formally Christened and Launched

NEW EAST HARBOR-- With a bottle of rum broken over the bow and the words of a ceremonial prayer to “follow always the light of the moon and you will always find safe harbor,” the Royal Acronian Navy’s newest submarine was officially christened and launched on Monday morning. A crowd of some 5,000 people gathered in New East Harbor to watch the ceremony, which was presided over by His Majesty King Mital II and, in her first public appearance since her appointment, Her Beneficience the Elder Anda. It is extraordinarily rare for any Elder to appear in unaccompanied by the Matron or another Elder, and historically ship christenings are done by the Matron, but the Church said in a statement that “the event of the Bay of Rodoka’s christening was a perfect opportunity for the people to have the first chance to get to know our newest Elder.” Anda is the first Dwarf, and the first person born outside the Acronian Empire, to serve as an Elder.

Ship christenings have long been a formal tradition in the Royal Acronian Navy. The First Matron is recorded as having issued a prayer upon the event of a new ship entering service as early as the year 1485, during the War of Foundation. In the modern ceremony, the Matron or an Elder - in this case, Anda - recites the Canticle of the Mariner, a prayer written to invoke the grace of Akrona during voyages at sea. Though in recent decades it has been recited by speaking, Anda sang the Canticle according to its traditional melody, to great aplomb. “Well how am I supposed to follow an act like that?” The King joked as Anda concluded her performance.

For his part in the ceremony, King Mital toured the ship “to ensure seaworthiness” and then broke a bottle of rum over the bow, which sailors hold will bring good luck to the ship. According to Naval tradition, the rum must have been aged at least 4 years in barrels of Acronian mahogany or teak. The bottle the King used today was a Ranat Reserve, aged 7 years in mahogany, and came from the King’s own personal stock. The Silver Palace keeps a stock of rum on hand for ship christenings as well as “other formal occasions,” such as state dinners, a palace aide said.

The Bay of Rodoka now begins its sea trials, in which the Navy will see how she performs at sea and make any changes or repairs before she is formally commissioned and enters into service. She is the second of Acronis’ two nuclear-powered submarines, following her sister ship Crystal Bay, launched in 2019. Both ships, once fully operational, are equipped to store ballistic missiles, including nuclear weapons. While the exact location of both submarines is now classified under national security, it is believed the Bay of Rodoka will undertake sea trials in waters around Avnatra and then dock in Crystal Coast to be commissioned sometime later this year.

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BREAKING: MATRON ANNOUNCES INTENT TO NAME HERSELF, ONE OTHER AS ELDER-APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE DIET

ZARAM-- In an unprecedented development, the Matron announced on Friday afternoon that she intends to use her ancient authority to appoint two members of the Diet when it convenes after the election - and one of them will be herself.

“Since the dawn of our parliamentary system, the law has allowed for each Elder to appoint up to two individuals to the Diet, who serve alongside their elected counterparts for the duration of the term of that Diet. Historically, the Matron has declined to make appointments except in extraordinary circumstances. The recent announcement of Acronian nuclear weapons capability is such a circumstance,” said the Matron in a press conference. “In good conscience, I must appoint those individuals who I believe have the best chance of bringing the best possible perspective and response to the situation at hand. As such, I will be appointing long-time peace activist Tinor Avan Tokrania, the President of the Acronian Network for Peace, and I will also be appointing myself. I will take my seat in the Diet under my birth name, Vana Nevran Dandreal.”

The only other time in history a Matron has appointed a member of the Diet was during the Great War, and no Elder has ever appointed themselves to the office. Elder-appointed Members of the Diet are not affiliated with any party and sit as their own caucus, known as the Elder-Appointed Caucus. According to convention, the Elder-Appointed Caucus always forms part of the Opposition, no matter which party holds the Prime Minister’s office.

“It is certainly unconventional, but there is no legal prohibition,” said professor and constitutional law analyst Tavrai Nodarak Eštori of Zaram University. “I expect the Matron feels that with such a dramatic change in Acronian policy, the government should need to be able to face and oppose the Matron - and along with her, the entire Church.” The Church of Akrona, famously tight-lipped, had no statement regarding why the Matron made this decision. However, it did later release a brief statement indicating that “the Church will be able to operate as normally and without interruption” despite the presence of its chief executive in the Diet.

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ELECTION 2021: Absolute Rout for Remembrance as Liberals Collapse; SPD and Greens Ascendant

ZARAM-- The voters have delivered the largest Parliamentary majority in over 30 years to Žarís Nevran Alandar’s Remembrance, in what will almost certainly be seen as an overwhelming vote of approval for Acronis’ controversial new nuclear weapons program. With all precincts reporting unofficial results, Remembrance has won 261 seats, 67 more than in the previous Diet and a majority of 27 seats.

The other major story of the evening is what can only be described as a catastrophic collapse of the Liberal Party, who lost 148 seats. They go from holding 186 seats to just 38, and drop from the second largest party to the smallest, excluding the Elder-Appointed Caucus. It is the largest drop in seats in a single election ever seen in the history of Acronian democracy. A significant portion of those seats were picked up by either SPD or The Greens, the former rising to its record largest size in the Diet since its formation.

“This election fell almost completely on pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear lines,” said professor and election analyst at Zaram University Evaro Nokrai Tanakat. “The Liberals failed to take a coherent stance one way or the other, and it led to their destruction. The anti-nuclear vote was split between the SPD and the Greens, and only the most solid of Liberal constituencies voted for the Liberals over Remembrance. Notably, the only Liberal members who were re-elected were those that voted in favor of ratifying the nuclear treaty with Vistaraland. All of this combined rolled out the red carpet for Remembrance.”

In the Senate, which unlike the Diet is elected proportionally (except for a handful of members who have been appointed for life by the King), Remembrance’s victory was less pronounced, but still present. Remembrance took 85 seats out of 172, two short of a majority. However, the Goddess and Country party claimed two seats (a gain of one) and have already stated they plan to support the government through confidence and supply. The Senate has fewer powers than the Diet, and can only delay legislation rather than outright block it, meaning that the power of the Prime Minister is based much more in the Diet than the Senate. SPD increased their share of the Senate by 16 seats to 48 total. The Greens actually lost 2 seats, a function of the Senate’s proportionality compared to the Diet’s first-past-the-post system. The Liberals lost 42 seats, an echo of their collapse in the Diet, now holding only 6 seats.

Movra Vodroni Alištar, leader of the Liberal Party, has resigned her position, though she was one of the 6 Liberal Senators to keep a seat in that house. “It is quite clear that the Liberals failed to live up to this moment,” she said in brief remarks to supporters.

The new Leader of the Opposition will be Atra Lanaš Metravar, leader of the SPD and former Minister of External Affairs. She has stated that she intends to form an “opposition coalition” between her party and The Greens. “We need to stand up and speak out with a clear voice in opposition to this government. Democracy depends on dissent, and we intend to keep the Prime Minister in check before she turns the entire world into her military playground,” said Lanaš Metravar.

Reaction at Remembrance headquarters on Ocean Avenue in Zaram was jubilant and overjoyed. At times, Prime Minister Nevran Alandar had to shout to be heard over her roaring supporters. “Together, we have turned a new page for Acronis. Together, we have made an indelible mark on the world. And together, we will continue to lead and continue to advocate for a strong, fair, just Acronis that both on its own and with international partnerships will step up and be a global leader now and forever,” she said as the polls closed. Once seen as a weak “compromise candidate” selected as leader only after every other plausible option was defeated, Nevran Alandar has cemented her place as the architect and leader of Remembrance’s greatest electoral victory in a generation.

RESULTS:

DIET:
Remembrance: 261 (+67)
SPD: 89 (+43)
The Greens: 64 (+38)
The Liberal Party: 38 (-148)
Elder-Appointed: 14 (+2)

SENATE:
Remembrance: 85 (+27)
SPD: 48 (+16)
The Greens: 31 (-2)
The Liberal Party: 6 (-42)
Goddess and Country: 2 (+1)

Result: Remembrance government with secured support of Goddess and Country in Senate

37


King Appoints Minister of Defense to Life Position in Senate

ZARAM-- Nama Oren Kantoreš, who has twice served as Minister of Defense and who has served in the Diet since 1999, has been appointed to serve as a lifetime member of the Senate, the upper house of the Acronian legislature. Lifetime appointments are made by the King typically on the advice of the Prime Minister, although the monarchy reserves the right to use this power unilaterally. Oren Kantoreš’ appointment was made on the recommendation of Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar.

Oren Kantoreš has something of a controversial reputation both inside and outside the legislature. She strongly advocated for Acronian involvement in the Arkian Civil War in 2004, in an effort that was ultimately unsuccessful and led to the deaths of hundreds of Acronian soldiers for what would end up being a losing side in that conflict. Though she remained in Parliament, she was largely sidelined until Nevran Alandar brought her onboard the Cabinet in the same position in 2017. Despite the Arkian controversy, Oren Kantoreš has long been known as a source of wisdom and advice among the Remembrance caucus, and she is known to be popular among the leadership of the Royal Acronian Armed Forces.

“Nama Oren Kantoreš has long been a stalwart adviser to us and the entire government, and our nation benefits from her counsel,” said the King in his statement announcing the appointment.

This is the first appointment to the Senate made since Nevran Alandar became Prime Minister in 2017. Her predecessor, Aniríl Dravana Niktat of the Liberal Party, made six appointments in just two years. Currently, there are 7 lifetime members of the Senate: 4 of them Liberals, 2 Greens, and 1 from Goddess and Country. Historically being appointed as a lifetime Senator was a rare honor reserved for the most distinguished public servants, though they have become more common in recent years.

With Oren Kantoreš in the Senate, the fragile and narrow government majority there increases to 88, although due to the increase in total Senators from 172 to 173, the increased number of Remembrance Senators barely moves the needle in terms of numerical majority. It does, however, reduce the dependence Remembrance has on Goddess and Country in the Senate, as only with the confidence and supply of those two Senators does the government have control of the Senate. Though considered to be the “upper” house of the legislature and the more collegial body - known as a chamber for “sober second-thought” - the Senate has less constitutional power than the Diet. It cannot outright block bills, it can only delay their passage, or it may recommend that the King use his royal prerogative to veto a bill, a very rare occurrence.

Oren Kantoreš was the Member of the Diet for Rokai-Tovranašt, in Trovai province. A by-election will be held to fill her seat. The constituency has voted for Remembrance solidly since 1987, so it is widely expected that Remembrance will hold the seat.

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In Historic First, Rodokan Named Acronian Ambassador to I.F. Security Council

RILANON, Christie Island-- Jaak Vähi, formerly the Acronian ambassador to Tretrid, has been appointed to serve as Acronis’ representative in the International Forum Security Council on Thursday - the first Rodokan to ever represent Acronis to the I.F. in its hundred-year history. As the position sometimes meets with the Cabinet, this raises the number of Rodokans at Cabinet level in government to two, the highest it has ever been. Advancing the cause of Rodoka has been a political focus of Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar, who served her conscription at Royal Air Base Sinajärv and who is known for her competence in the Rodokan language.

“I am of course tremendously honored to represent our country in one of the most iconic halls of power in the world, but I don’t give any thought to the citizen-or-national question or the nationality thing. I’m an Acronian. I represent Acronis,” said Vähi. “Though, if there are Rodokans or humans out there who look at me and feel inspired, then I am proud to be that for them,” he added. The indigenous population of Rodoka are humans who speak a language believed to be distantly related to Asendavian. According to the 2017 census, there are more than 1.6 million native Rodokans in the Empire today.

“This does mean a lot. This is the government saying in the clearest possible terms that Native Rodokans are Acronian, that they’re part of Acronis, and that Native Rodokans can be a face for the Empire just like elves can,” said Ivi Laar, the Chief of the Puna tribe and Presiding Chief of the Native Rodokan Tribal Administration. “For most of Acronian history we’ve just been shoehorned over here into our little corner. Things like Jaak Vähi’s appointment are impactful because they show that we’re just as Acronian as anyone else.”

The Office of the Prime Minister declined to comment on this story, except to say that “the Prime Minister appoints people to government office on the basis of their qualification for the job.” However, she has said in the past that a goal of hers is to increase the presence of Rodokans in government. Her largest effort in that goal was the Rodoka Act of 2020, which fully integrated Rodoka into Acronis with the status of a province and increased Rodokan seats in the Diet from just 2 to 42. Another Rodokan, Saima Kerska, has served as Minister of Rodokan Affairs and Minister of the Environment since 2017.

39


More Than Four Years Later, A Permanent Memorial for Air Acronis Flight 704

DONDARA, Zinai Province-- It was called “one of the darkest days in Acronian history” when Air Acronis Flight 704 was struck by space debris and crashed into a residential neighborhood in Zinai Province in the middle of the night. Two hundred and seventy-four people perished in the crash, all 177 people on the plane and 97 people who had been asleep in their homes. Among the dead was the only son of then-Prime Minister Aniríl Dravana Niktat, who ordered that no information about the deceased be released until after polls closed because he feared that people would vote for him out of pity. He would lose that election to Žarís Nevran Alandar.

Today, more than four years after the crash, the permanent memorial to the victims has been completed and opened to the public. The crash site has since been turned into a grassy park, and the most visually striking part of the memorial is the field of brightly-colored flowers that cover nearly every piece of land. From the street, a single concrete pathway - placed in precisely the path of the plane - leads up to a massive marble tower in the shape of the Akronist diamond, cut diagonally at the top to show the cross section.

On the diamond-shaped face are the words of the Canticle of the Benefactor, the prayer that was said by Co-Pilot Nevar Dravana Niktat, the Prime Minister’s son, as the plane went down. The prayer was recorded by the plane’s black box, which was recovered, and the recording became famous after it was released. The Matron was said to be so moved that she issued an Edict explicitly permitting the Canticle of the Benefactor to be used as a last rite, which it had not been before. The plane’s black box is kept in the New Temple of Administration.

The Matron herself presided over the ceremony, with the families of the victims in attendance along with the current Prime Minister, Žarís Nevran Alandar. While the Matron is known for her very powerful voice when speaking, during the ceremony on Saturday she choked up several times, and finished her address in tears. “There has been no greater prayer, no greater prayer ever given to the Goddess, then what that brave young man gave on the plane that day. Let it be a testament, forever and ever, that all the best parts of life - bravery, grace, compassion, comfort - can be found even in its most terrible moments.”

It was an emotional day for everyone present. Former Prime Minister Aniríl Dravana Niktat spoke briefly, but the most striking moment was when, after he spoke, he turned to face the monument, and eventually walked up to touch it. Both the Matron and Ms. Nevran Alandar walked up to approach him, and the three stood together, their arms draped over each other’s shoulders, silently before the monument.

While the Ms. Nevran Alandar is said to have become a very close friend of Mr. Dravana Niktat since the crash, relations between the civil government and the Matron have almost never been more tense as they are currently. The Matron is now a Member of the Diet in direct political opposition to the Prime Minister’s nuclear program. But for a moment on Saturday afternoon, a brief, silent moment, they stood together. And when they turned back towards the crowd, none of their eyes were dry.

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UPDATED STORY: Lockdown in Anara Lifted as Murder Suspect Apprehended; Prime Minister Slammed for Declining to Respond

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the shelter-in-place orders in Indar Province have been lifted and that the suspect is in custody, and to include comment from the Office of the Prime Minister.

ANARA, Indar Province-- The Royal Acronian Marshals issued a shelter-in-place order for the City of Anara and six townships in Indar Province on Thursday afternoon after announcing that a believed serial murderer and rapist was armed and at large in the area. The suspect, who has not been identified, is alleged to have committed as many as 35 attacks, all of them fatal, over the past 7 years.

Early Thursday morning, the body of a victim, who is not being identified by the Marshals, was discovered in her apartment. At that time she had already been dead for three days, and Marshals noticed similarities in the particulars of the case with several other cold cases on file. Believing the suspect to be both armed and dangerous, the Marshals took the unprecedented step of issuing a lockdown order.

“It was immediately clear that this was an individual that needed to be apprehended as quickly as possible, because they were a clear and present danger to the community,” said Royal Acronian Marshals Major Vantra Kantani Dovredal, Operations Commander for Indar Province. “We had evidence from the most recent case that helped us quickly identify possible places the killer could be, we took action on the evidence, and the suspect was apprehended at 1647 hours, approximately two hours and twenty three minutes after the shelter-in-place was ordered.”

It was initially announced by the office of Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar that she would give remarks on the events after concluding previously-scheduled remarks in Rosamund Island, where she was scheduled to address the Acronian military incident there in January as well as conduct trade talks with the Morstaybishlian government. However, she did not do so, and left the podium to attend the trade talks without responding to requests for comment.

“I am appalled and sickened at these attacks, but what really, really sickens me the most is that I just watched side-by-side coverage on Acronis National News of helicopters and Marshals in S.W.A.T. gear in Anara while the Prime Minister was cracking jokes about the antics of drunken sailors,” said Atra Lanaš Metravar, Leader of the Opposition. “This is just an absolute and total failure of government at every level, and people need to be held accountable.”

After the Prime Minister’s televised remarks, the Office of the Prime Minister reached out to CNS and issued a statement, stating that “the Acronian government is aware of and focused on the crisis in Indar Province, and we are leveraging all resources available to ensure that the suspect(s) will be apprehended. The safety of all Acronians is always our top priority.” The statement also added that “A miscommunication by a member of the Prime Minister’s staff occurred that resulted in the mixup regarding the Prime Minister’s televised remarks. The Prime Minister apologies for the miscommunication.”