His Grace, Sardar Kumar Sri Rai Sahib Khanzadeh, 627th in line to the Lion Throne of the Imperium.
Investigations Concluded into Araxes Government Collapse
By Alidar Moxie - Guild Propagandist
Al Raqis City, Araxes. Two cycles ago the world of Araxes suddenly found itself without a government. While backwater and colony worlds are in such a state more often than not, in this case the deposing of the Araxian government came at an unfortunate time. Araxes was briefly the focus of activity to provide a vaccine for the Saf virus. Indeed many have proposed that there is a strong link between that vital medical research and the collapse of the ruling powers.
The Imperial Court on Trantor decided that the situation was so dire that a Special Prosecutor was appointed by the Emperor, who claims authority in the matter through his titles of Kshetrapati of all Known Space, Imperatritsa Sultan of the Solomani Sphere and Rao Maharajadhiraja Khanzada and Paramount Sahib of the Orion Arm. In its wisdom the imperial court commanded His Grace, Sri Rai Sahib Khanzadeh to investigate the situation on Araxes.
Upon his arrival the special prosecutor proceeded to Al Raqis city to meet Magistrate Al Jofar, who was under arrest in the magistrate's keep. The Magistrate related how the recently appointed second house of government, the Beit Dawla had ordered the arrest of all members of the Landsraat. Jade Moonkill had made the initial call for the arrests, stating that the restrictive measures imposed on the distribution of the Saf virus serum were illegal.
The prosecutor initially endorsed the warrants upon learning that the governemtn of Araxes had failed to do everything possible to maintain the blockade. His Grace, Sri Rai Sahib Khanzadeh interviewed all the members of the Landsraat who were under house arrest in Al Raqis. The Union of Allied Planets (UAP) had objected to the detainment of the two Landsraat members who were also UAP citizens, Lady Zenobie Baxton (a powerful regent on Zenobia) and Lady Calina Tereschenko (a prominent member of a UAP Guild). The prosecutor authorised their release some days after his arrival.
There was a further call for the release of another UAP citizen but His Grace was unable to comply with this. The request was for the release of Jade Moonkill, the Beit Dawla delegate who had caused the dissolution of the landsraat in the first place. She was not in detention, but dead! The exact circumstances are still unknown, but those who are willing to speculate on the matter point at the Myrmidon Order, probably acting on behalf of the other noble houses with influence in the Landsraat.
Several weeks later, His Grace, Sri Rai Sahib Khanzadeh had determined that all relevant information was at his disposal and he formally recanted all the arrest warrants upon receiving pledges from all houses in the landsraat that they would obey the forms and hearing an oath of fealty to the emporer. He advised that the Beit Dawla itself should be reconstituted through new elections. Having made his proclamation, the prosecutor was heard to remark that he had been away from Trantor for far too long, that he could not comprehend how anyone could withstand the lack of proper ablutions on Araxes and that he never wished to see this damned dustball ever again.
Spice Production by various factions on Araxes over the 12 Cycles of the previous Orbis
Orbis 011 Spice Production
By Dorvin Saeth - Guild Comptoler
Splintered Rock, Guild Citadel. The Guild is pleased to report that spice production has once again reached new highs over the past orbis. The early cycles of the orbital period were dominated by the spice harvesting efforts of the United Systems Directorate (USD) and House Tairis. While USD continued to gather significant amounts of spice throughout the orbis, House Tairis started to harvest less and ceased harvesting in the middle of the orbis.
The native contribution to spice mining that was provided by House Tairis was replaced by the Khayal Alramady, Clan Misrim and the Hoto Nagi. Other minor spicing concerns have also contributed significant amounts of spice throughout the orbis, notably Golden Sun and the SSFS who established a deep desert base in order to facilitate their mining operations. House Zenobia have been active with interventions on the spice market thoughout the orbis.
The Guild loks forward to another orbis of record spice production on Araxes.
The AR Pharma Laboratory burns after it was blown apart by several explosions.
AR Phama Facilities Destroyed
By Alidar Moxie - Guild Propagandist
Al Raqis City, Araxes. Shortly after the Landsraat was effectively dissolved on the orders of the Beit Dawla, the AR Pharma production facilities on Araxes were attacked by persons unknown. The existing SAF virus serum stock was destroyed along with most of the building.
Representatives of the noble houses who have interest in AR Pharma were soon o nthe scene assuring everyone that 'production has been slowed but not halted'. However, it soon became clear that this was far fro mthe truth and in fact AR Pharma no longer had the ability to produce the serum.
There is still much speculation about who was behind the attack. At the time, the SAF virus was causing widespread panic throughout the Vega subsectors of the galaxy including the densely populated 34 Tauri system and the Solomani Sphere and whoever could find a cure or preventative and ensure they were the sole source would accrue huge wealth. It is known that there were several other interests who were working on cures and vaccines and they no doubt wished to halt production of any such cure by rivals.
There was also wide-spread revulsion at the degree of profiteering that was occurring from a badly needed medical cure and it may be that forces sympathetic to this cause were behind the attack. Some credibility is given to this view by the logs of the SS Harrier which have appeared anonymously on The Cortex. The ship was registered to Vulture Shipping and it appears the owner used the ship to deliver a small amount of serum developed by a Native clan on Araxes to Deshima Station.
Whoever was behind the attack, it soon became clear that a cure and vaccine would become freely available as several laboratories throughout the affected sectors announced they had been able to develope vaccine after gaining independent access to a sample of serum and vital medical data. The blockade of Araxes was lifted some days after these announcement, much to he relief of spice traders, and everyone in the Vega region of the galaxy hopes that the story of the SAF sysdemic is finally over.
Candidates for the Beit Dawla: Serendipity Undercroft, Skhmet Pryxis, DaveDorm Gaffer, Doctor Thomas Issac, Khajied Narstrom, Willard Deerhunter, Captain Sisko Aries, Mr. Senet and Arnold J. Gustav
Irregularities at Beit Dawla Elections
By Dashielle Loudwater - Political Analyst
Al Raqis City, Araxes. The elections for new members of the Beit Dawla, the second house of government in Al Raqis were plagued with difficulties. During the Imperial Festival of Greeting, data crystals from the polling kiosk near Sanctuary, the renowned Al Raqis social club, were lost. Sources suggest that it may have happened during the appearance of the Diva Plava Laguna at the club.
Authories nevertheless, were determined to continue with the elections and extended the polling an extra week. The winners were announced recently at the Al Raqis Courtroom. Arnold Gustav, DaveDorm Gaffer and Serendipity Undercroft all took their seats in the Beit Dawla. Captain Sisko and Willard Deerhunter will share with one half vote each and will have the right to exercise a full vote in sessions where the other delegate is not present.
Arnold Gustav, head of Kaden Security at the newly established KPS desert base.
Kaden Security comes to Araxes
By Salmo Jenkins - Security Analyst
Araxes, Eastern Desert Basin. Kaden Private Security (KPS) recently set up offices in the Highport orbiting Araxes. The organisation states that it hopes to provide security services to businesses and corporations operating on the planet.
I met up with Arnolds Gustav, the head of KPS operations on Araxes out in the Desert Basin to the east of Splintered Rock, where he was making the final check of a new 'field operations outpost' that KPS is establishing there. He told me that the outpost includes an information relay centre, a surface-to-air missile capability and extensive small ship landing facility. He was also keen to tell me about the services KPS offers to its clients, who are 'able to pick their preference of tactics used by our operatives as well as what their approach should be to combat situations'.
