FSC Tempest launched

THE SECOND in the line of Nimbus-class cruisers was personally launched today by President Saxon.

The line started life as a project conceived by the late Gabriel Seismos and actualised by the Nimbus, the vessel which famously took part in the raid on the FVF fortress in June and carried President Saxon into Ferveo City on June 2.

The FSC Tempest has a force comparable to the strongest battleships in the Fervean Navy and is powered by two nuclear reactors and a surface of photovoltaic cells. Its heavy armament is complemented by thick armour, and an alarmingly high top speed of 487 knots, considering its huge size.

Speaking to the thousands-strong crowd at Foxtrot Airbase on Terminus Island, Ms Saxon said "I hope you will join me in congratulating our aeronautical engineers on this incredible feat of technology."

"I beg you not to worry about our priorities in this time; the Tempest was almost complete at the time of the June 2 bombings, and our efforts remain as ever on the recovery effort, education, welfare and healthcare."

When asked about rumours that the Tempest is carrying experimental technology, Ms Saxon replied, "The contents of the Tempest are, regrettably, confidential in the interest of national security."

"But," she continued with a rare smile, "I can see you don't want to hear me waffle on about statistics and the like." She moved on, formally naming the aircraft. The flight crew gave the crowd a short demonstration of the Tempest's speed and manoeuvrability, before ending the event.

The ceremony was marred, however, by a large demonstration by the Pacifist Organisation of Ferveo. The protestors made no attempt to block the events taking place; rather, they somewhat loudly made their presence and opinions known to onlookers.

Death toll of June 2 bombings released

THE GOVERNMENT has released figures for the June 2 atrocities.

According to the figures, a total of 4,573 people were killed as a direct result of the blasts and the buildings brought down by them. A further 312 died as a result of respiratory failure and other complications caused by dust and smoke bringing the death toll to a staggering 4,885.

5,459 people were moderately or severely injured but have since recovered or been pronounced "stable", while 279 are either comatose or still in a critical condition. At least 6,500 people were mildly injured, and 157 people remain unaccounted for.

President Saxon addressed the nation outside her residence in Ferveo City today.

Visibly shaken, the President said, "The sheer scale of this tragedy is horrifying. That any group could murder almost 5,000 people simply beggars belief.

"But these terrorists, the Fervean Values Force, their leaders have been either killed or arrested by the finest soldiers in the region - Fervean, Jageran and Pagemaster. Though the threat is not over, the perpetrators of these monstrous crimes have been or will be brought swiftly and summarily to justice.

"What these people want is instability. In many other nations tragedies of this magnitude have destroyed democracy and brought in fascist régimes. We cannot allow this to happen, not when we have seen first-hand what this ideology can do."

Surveying the crowd, Ms Saxon continued, "I am not going to mince words. These attacks were not only politically motivated, they were also religiously motivated. Specifically, motivated by fundamentalist Christians.

"These people are the remains of a movement which started and ended with the Unseen Master himself. We simply cannot allow them to gain any power, or we risk another Great Holocaust.

"As President it is my duty to keep this nation together at this time. Do not judge me by my age or by my gender; I want the best for this nation, and I will listen - and have listened - to its people. To you.

"We are the future. We must move on from this tragedy and turn our grief into fortitude, a national strength that will not be eroded by clumsy terrorism. We must turn our faces to these monsters and say, 'No! You shall not destroy everything our people fought and died for!

"Peace through politics. Thank you."

Windows smash in Terminus Island riddle

HOUSES near the secretive Research Site 19 on Terminus Island had some of their windows smashed simultaneously last night, as eyewitnesses described hearing a  "buzzing" noise.

Residents within an approximately 4-km radius reported seeing some windows, glasses and even old spectacles shatter into "hundreds of tiny pieces". A number of related injuries have been reported at Ayyubids Hospital in Port Collins. The number of incidents increased the closer to the site, but the area is sparsely populated.

No response has yet been made by the government; however, Home Secretary Logan Birch is expected to make an announcement later today.