It is said that a Beacon burns most brightly in the darkest depths of night - as a new darkness descends on the galaxy we offer a place for hope to shine again.

We will not lie and claim to be unbiased as other publications do, our aim is to give an opportunity to all the Humans and Aliens who oppose the darkness that has infiltrated the Empire of Man to tell their side of the story. It is up to you as readers to hear both sides of the story and decide who you believe is telling you the truth.



Darkness Descends in Astra - The Ground assault begins



The fighting in Coreward continues to rage with the Civilian governments powerless to stop the Imperial/Caliphate aggression in their systems. Following the bombardment of the planet Xing Lannus in Astra last week the Civilian governments posted 204 Galactic Trade and Transport (GTT) and 15 Caliphate (CAL) ships for attacking the planet and breeching their laws.

This week saw a massive Imperial (IMP) ground party of over 250,000 Mercenaries deployed to attack the Hexamon (HEX) base on planet. We have been told that the Civilian government has called up the Militia against this aggression but we have few details currently on the battle that is (presumably) still raging for the planet.

What we do know is that the former Garcia Enterprises (GCE) Board of Director Jake Lange has been killed in the fighting on Xing Lannus. Mr Lange left the GCE to join with the HEX after the GCE capitulated to the CAL. The Hexamon Mind published the following statement following his death:


It is with a tremendous sadness felt throughout the collective that we must announce that the honourable Jake Lange has died.

He died fighting to protect the people of Xing Lannus and the ideals of freedom which the civilian government of Astra was founded upon.

When the orbital bombardment of the planet started he refused to leave on the cloaked ships which evacuated the few families and injured that could be saved from the Base. He insisted on staying to rally the defenders and protect those that he cared about .

It was on the second day of the ground assault when local Militia started to arrive to try and help the bases defenders that Jake Lang sadly fell - he died fighting on the frontlines keeping the entry points open so that the Militia ground parties could enter and join with the bases defenders.

He was an exceptional individual of great moral character and determination and was a great example of what an independent mind can achieve.

Since joining the Hexamon he had connected and shared his thoughts with the Collective Mind and these thoughts and memories which he shared will be treasured and passed on to each generation that connects to the Collective Mind.

Although his body is no longer with us his mind and his voice will live on as long as there is a Hexamon alive.


The Beacon team had previously interviewed Mr Lange and wish to offer our sympathies to his family and our respects to all those that have fallen on Xing Lannus. We will always remember these words which Mr Lange said:


I believe in freedom. Individuals should never be forced to bend a knee to a government, even a benevolent one.



Journey to the Stars - An Interview with the Felini (FEL)



The Felini developed on the warm planet known as Pride in the Leonis system. While the atmosphere was humid and perpetually mist shrouded, the stars were virtually always concealed so astronomy was late to develop on their world. Even after their race formed permanent settlements and the use of nuclear power began, the lack of astronomy and even less knowledge about other worlds meant that war for territory was quite common on Pride.

Encounters with the Architects (ARC) and the Flagritz (FLZ) united their race but also left their Homeworld devastated. The Felini turned to the stars to find the resources needed to rebuild and secure the future of their race.

It has now been several decades since the Felini began their journey to the stars and they have forged an empire of their own. We took the opportunity to speak with Karrsh of the Felini to find out a little more about this fascinating race:

- Can you tell us a little bit of the background about the FEL and where you originate from?

The FEL, the Felini Tyranny, to give it is full name is a sovereign goverment of the Felini people. The Felini originated on Pride, a cloud-shrouded world of Savannah's and Plains, archaeological evidence from several worlds indicates that the race known as the ARC came to our world and removed entire population groups, resettling them on other worlds. This is the origin of such the Bast Felini of the Clans and the Elamites. Those left behind spread into the empty spaces left by the absences and formed the pre-Tyrannic governments, a morass of feuding theocratic Matriarchys, the Tyrannic revolution overthrew the matriarchs and established the enlightened and meritocratic secular absolute despotism we enjoy today. The felini Prides are the fundamental unit of our society. Each Pride is a grouping of families, technical groups, clades united under a pride council. Partway between a union, a family and a feudal domain. The clans of the Cluster where reincorporated as Prides. My own Pride is the Starhunters, we descended from the rare mountain dwellers who sought the sky beyond the clouds in ancient times.

- What do you think the FEL's primary role and purpose is - what motivates/focuses you?

We are the territory and Prides of Felini people, our goal is the same as any sentient race, prosperity and survival.

- There was a time when the FEL were at war with the FLZ but you are now friends, can you tell us how this came about?

An accident of astrographics lead to the war, a cyclic wormhole connecting our home system and the Flagritz Empire. There attempt at invasion and long-term subjugation was.... spectacularly unsuccessful leading to generations of war and resulting in the mutal devestation of our respective homeworlds, they nuked ours and satuatesd it with chemical weapons, our counter attack dropped an artifical wormhole terminus on theirs. Our last great offensive, the invasion of Twilight periphery alongside our SMS and FCN allies was cut short by the treacherous intervention of the Baron Liquan and his Confederate puppet masters, from their the war descended into holding actions, raids and eventually our defeat by the DEN/FLZ alliance in the Cluster war. One of the last actions of that conflict was to seal the wormhole access that linked FLZ and FEL territory. With the point of contact sealed the war became nothing more than sniping and aggravation, since we both new that if we committed the forces needed for a major strike, some human faction or the other would interfere. The war in short became less about survival and became just a grindstone to wear our species out. This led to the current peace the 'friendship' is a decree from our respective governments, to ensure overeager starcaptains don't start the whole thing again. FEL and FLZ do not like each other, but in the face of a hostile galaxy their is no advantage to shooting at each other at the moment.

- As maybe the only 'Alien' affiliation allied to a human affiliation can you tell us a little bit about how that came about?

Stellar Mining and Smelting was one of our earliest contacts, engineers and builders they traded with us when we where overlooked by the human powers, stood with us when the darkness came. They where the first offworlders to be welcomed to the surface of Pride as guests. I have nothing but respect for the valiant workers of the SMS.

- As a Governmental affiliation which maintains its own areas of space do you believe that there is a place for affiliations that are neutral and do not fall under governmental flags?

In a word, yes. trade must flow for prosperity to be achieved, without prosperity how can their be peace?

- There was a time when the Cluster was all part of another Feline group called the CLN are you able to tell us about this?

The clans where descendants of Felini removed from pride and settled in the cluster by the Architects, they where uplifted technologically but not culturally and came to dominate the region of space. Primarily we believe to serve as soldiers in the DEN/ARC war though their is no direct evidence of ARC motivation. When the ARC left and the DEN collapsed the CLN expanded its reach and its fleets. But lacking the unity of our Tyrants they where poltically unstable and their government collapsed after a number of conflicts with humanity The last ruler of the CLN accepted absorption into the Tyranny and reintegration of the population.

- What is your take on the ending of the Imperial/Confederacy war and/or the emergence of the Caliphate?

The wheel turns, frankly how long this caliphate will last, who knows, certainly samual's emergence is something of an interesting jolt to stellar empire, a real victory for the RCF. One wonders how Jasil feels about this.

- Do you believe that affiliations like the AFT and GCE are collaborating against the empire of man with Aliens?

If human governments want to institute state trade monopolies, then do so, it is their right as sovereign powers to decree who trades in their space. But to cloak it in this political nonsense just insulting to the intellect. Frankly if I want weapons or high tech or warships or anything that would give an advantage to an affiliation, I would buy them off the FET or the DOM. Affiliations who aren't targeted by this decree because they are strong enough and influential enough to make it hurt if it was tried on them and actually have such good for sale. Instead its just asset seizure of weaker affiliations justifed by sanctimouse ramblings.

- As one of the 'Alien' affiliations do you feel there is a human alliance growing against the aliens?

I think their is a definite political trend being motivated by certain factions, what their goal is I would not care to speculate.

- What can be done to defuse the current situations or is war inevitable?

War is never inevitable, as for defusing it, well that depends on the agenda of the affiliations involved. These 'tensions' are not the result of genuine political disputes but rather manufactured to an agenda, find out the agenda find out the cause, find out how to aver the war. Though frankly I suspect they've taken on a moment of their own. the CAL efforts to ' contain or limit' the dispute with the FLZ and the DEN seem to have failed or failing certainly.


Freedom to Trade - An interview with the new CEO of Garcia Enterprises (GCE)



It is easy to forget that the Caliphates war began with attacks on the neutral trading affiliations especially as in recent weeks the war has shifted its focus against the Aliens. The first to capitulate was Garcia Enterprises which saw many of its captains and governors leave the organisation.

We spoke with Tonkers, the new CEO of Garcia Enterprises to find out what the organisation is like now post independence and to also to get his views on some of the current events happening:

- What originally attracted you to the GCE?

I was first attracted to the GCE as the company policy was supportive and friendly with a peaceful outlook and a taste for exploration and trade. I ever wanted to get into the politics favoured by the large political affiliations, the sabre rattling and posturing wasn't what I was looking for. I guess I was looking forward to building up a small trade empire with the support and assistance of like minded friends avoiding the greater politics of the power hungry affiliations. The exploration of the universe and bringing new resources and opportunities to all was what lead Erasmus and myself to join GCE.

- What was the GCE like prior to the CAL take over and What is the GCE like now under CAL "protectorship"?

I can't comment on GCE's past before I joined, but GCE worked together as a well formed team. We had weekly board meeting where all Managers got together to talk of their plans and we worked together to achieve these goals or advise as required. About a year ago our leader Fernando Garcia decided to move on and passed control of the company on to Jeremiah Phillips. Quite soon after this Tarquin al-Schmidt decided to move on followed by CAL deciding to put pleasure on GCE to form a stronger allegiance to them and the other human affiliations. As GCE used to have good relationships with most affiliations including a lot of the alien affiliation, this wasn't taken too well by some board members including the CEO. This lead to the subsequent split of the board seeing Jake Lange join the Hexamon and Erasmus Lars Anderson hand over the CEO position before establishing himself as an independent trader.

Apart from the lowered standing with some alien affiliations and the loss of most of the experienced board members, GCE continues with business as usual since our alignment with CAL. There is still a lot of internal re-structuring going on, but we have endeavoured to maintain our trading markets while centralising our assets and working to improve our defensive actability. We may not have been persuaded to align with the CAL under the best of circumstance, but we are where we are and we are will make the most of our new found position.

- If the CAL were to allow you to be independent tomorrow would you want to be or would you prefer to stay as part of the CAL block?

I'm not sure it would make a great deal of difference apart from the possibility of closer relationships with some of the alien affiliations. CAL have not made any attempts to control or dictate rule over GCE, but they have offered to provide funding to help support system claims. If we were to go independent it may allow us to improve trade with some affiliations, but it would also leave us more open to attack from nations such as the DEN and their attack against Garcia HQ.

- What are your thoughts on those that have left the GCE?

We hold no ill feeling towards any past member of GCE, indeed we wish all ex-GCE members the very best in their new endeavours and would hope to maintain positive ties. After all we were friends for a long time and all departures were discussed in advance with some personal assets handed back to the GCE to help maintain the affiliation after members departed.

- Can the GCE recover from this - is there still the motivation to make it work?

I'm not sure there is anything to recover from, all companies go through periods of change and any new challenges will be addressed as they are encountered. Our markets are still open to all and we intend to continue our exploration activities to increase our current item availability. GCE remains a motivated and dedicated affiliation aiming to discover and provide a wide range of manufactured and unique goods to anyone who wants to buy them.

- What are the challenges ahead that keep you awake at night now you are the CEO of the company?

I do not perceive any challenges which would be keeping any of us awake at night unless other affiliations feel ill of our current position are planning to do us any harm. We will continue to act as the friendly traders, will not be involved in any hostilities and will always aim to abide by regional laws wherever we operate.

- What can others do to help the GCE?

Where to start, GCE are short of a lot of technology which we are working to obtain and we have quite a small fleet currently. I guess GCE would benefit from continued good relationships with all other affiliations, the ability to trade freely unmolested by raiding parties and perhaps a nice supply of Zionite…

- What are your views on the HEX reflagging their merchant ships to FRE?

If the HEX have reflagged their merchant ships to FRE in order to avoid conflict I can understand why they did it and there is no law (rule) preventing this. Is there any difference between this and the old earth tradition of flagging a governments shipping and military (Royal Navy) or civilian (Merchant Navy)? In my humble opinion as a trader, I can understand the intentions behind the re-flagging, GCE considered a similar course of action to try and save some of the personnel and equipment from Garcia HQ when it was attacked.

- Do you think the IMP/CAL were right to go to war with the FRE?

I guess as a government the IMP/CAL have the right to go to war with whoever they desire. Only other governments can keep government in check with diplomacy or aggression. From an independent point of view, IMP/CAL are seeking ways of preventing a stated enemy from moving assets. In defence of HEX, using the FRE flag to remove themselves from a conflict zone seems like a reasonable way to avoid conflict, but they have potentially put other FRE traders in an awkward position. Maybe there could be a flag of independence which cannot be used by a political who is affiliated to registered affiliation?

- What impact has this had on the GCE as a trading affiliation/do you use FRE ships?

This will have no effect on the GCE at all, we don't use any flag but our registered affiliation flag. The only reason for using FRE, IND, MRC, etc., is to avoid being recognised as a member of your chosen affiliation.

Who Are Beacon and what do they do?
Based in Yank, Halo and Corewards the Beacon team is a mixture of Human and Alien traders who fly under a number of different flags. Able to gather stories and information from all over the galaxy they have unrivalled access to the events of the day.

All our reports are prepared based on observations (OOC: turn data provided), submissions which are verified, interviews which are credited to their source and historical data and communications available publicly.

Can others Submit?
While we have a team of writers we are happy to accept submissions from others outside the Beacon team. To send a submission send a PM to “The Beacon”.