Dinos believe Long Shot follow-up is lost

The Dinos have declared the Long Shot follow-up expedition as lost and think all 4 Dinomark PTs have been destroyed. It is thought they used telemetry from a drone Provider XMA transport (which is now returning to the DTA) and intelligence from undisclosed allies and third-parties to piece together the final movements of their ships and the suspected loss to the Terrasaurs.

Consul El Diablo has declared the Dinos will mourn and avenge the lost including the respected deployment commander Legate Hyperbole. What the Dinos will do next is likely to be decided after the Consul election in a few days.

Dinos voicing serious doubts about Long Shot follow-up

A few months ago a small Dino Army expedition headed off to follow-up on some of the planets and peoples discovered by Ronald on his epic "Long Shot" mission from last year. Contact was lost with the expedition though this was expected due to the extreme distances involved. However the expedition have now failed to make 2 scheduled communications with a Sirikwan ship stationed at the edge of DTA space.

It could be the expedition has been unable to double back to make the communication for innocent reasons though it is feared the reasons are serious. It is rumoured the ships were sent to investigate the Terrasaurs and in that case the ships could be lost considering how dangerous the old Dino foes are.

Dinos admit they have lost contact with Long Shot follow-up

A few weeks ago a Dino expedition following up Ronald's epic "Long Shot" voyage last year left DTA space. The expedition is said to have consisted of 5 Dinomark PTs and an unmanned oiler which also acted as a communications relay. The expedition headed off to explore Terrasaur and Terib-Kan space and assess the threat to the Dinos.

However contact appears to have been lost with the expedition. The Dinos say it could just be due to the extreme distances involved or a technical problem.

Dinos launch expedition to follow up on Long Shot

The Dinos have launched a 5 ship expedition to follow up on Ronald's epic Long Shot voyage last year. The expedition will officially cover several areas Ronald visited but insiders say the real reason for the mission is to assess the strength and threat of the Terrasaurs whom Ronald ran into towards the end of his voyage.

The Terrasaurs' Saurian allies the Terib-Kan will also be of interest, their technology is said to be on a par with the Dinos but the strength of this new faction is unknown.

Dinomark returns to service following refit

Dinomark, the iconic flagship of Ronald, has returned to service after a refit. The ship covered hundreds of lightyears last year on Ronald's Long Shot expedition and suffered damage a number of times. The refit saw the ship fully repaired, refuelled and receive a number of tactical and internal system updates.

The ship, which serves as part of the 6th Legion's air detachment when Ronald isn't using it, will undertake its first mission after refit is likely to take Ronald on an official visit to Cloneworld which he will make next month after he returns from his honeymoon.

Dino Senate reshuffles

The return of Ronald and GBH from the Long Shot mission means they of course now return to the Dino Senate. Jimmy took over as Head of the Senate in Ronald's absence and Razorback was made a Senator as a temporary assignment. The return of the 2 icons has meant there has been a senate reshuffle.

Ronald has now resumed his role with Jimmy having Cruggson's Interior Ministry job. Cruggson has said he wanted to return to his engineering and technical roots and has taken up the new role as Minister of Science, Technology & Research. Razorback's rank of Senator has been made permanent though GBH has resumed the post of Minister of the DTA. Instead Razorback is now in the new role of Minister of Social Services, taking over part of his party colleague Spikeson's job who admitted he was only interested in the health part of his portfolio (more nurses).

Dinomark returns home

Operation Long Shot is over, escorted by the entire 6th Legion's space wing, Ronald's ship Dinomark has returned to Dino-Land after its year long mission of discovery. Ronald then visited the Dino Senate (officially resuming his role of the Head of the Senate) and addressed the Senate in an open session televised across the Dino Republic and beyond.

As for the crew of the Long Shot mission of course two died (Jau and Lingson) and both will be given military burials with full honours in the new year. Ronald has already issued promotions and reassignments to the other crew members though and these were as follows:

• Tribune Oeirkan has been promoted to Legate and will be the 6th Legion's new commanding officer.
• Centurion Galaxian will command the 1st Century of the 6th Legion.
• Centurion Bite has been promoted to Tribune and will be Oeikan's deputy.
• Decurion Krusty has been promoted to Centurion and will be Dinomark's new captain.
• Decurion Adamson will be Krusty's deputy on Dinomark.
• Legionary Jerry has been promoted to Centurion and will head the Dino scientific analysis into the new planets explored on the mission.
• Legionary Brunt is to look into reorganising underwater and marine portions of the 6th Legion.
• Charltonson and Verute, ex-Dino Army agents and fugitives who were found on a remote planet, have been pardoned by the Anointed One.

Ronald addresses the Dinos

Dinomark is now close enough (just) for full asynchronous video communications. Ronald gave a short address to the Dinos which was watched by billions (though many watched it because the SS threatened a "fate worse than death" if they caught anyone watching Celebrity Bellydancing instead).

Ronald said that the Long Shot mission had been mixed, the Dinos know knew the reason for the lost colonies like the Bolitic and why many of them hate the Dinos but Ronald had been unable to make any new allies, though he said the ultra advanced Malanas Assembly could be friends one day. Ronald said a full debrief could wait until he returned to Dino-Land.

Ronald said there had been two fatalities on the mission. Legionary Lingson and SS-D Legionary Jau had both died in the line of duty and would be receiving full military honours. Two Dinos also joined the crew Ronald added, Ronald did not elaborate.

Dinomark is expected to reach Voth in a couple of days.

Ronald is returning!

The Voth are reporting that they have received a signal from Ronald's ship Dinomark which is returning from its year long exploration mission termed Operation Long Shot. Ronald's ship should reach Voth space by the end of the week and then reach Dino-Land by the end of the year. Full asynchronous communications should be available by the 24th.

In a short datagram Ronald said that there had been a couple of fatalities among the crew though 2 new crew members (Dinos discovered in uncharted space) had joined too. Ronald did not say anymore and that a full debrief will wait until he is on Dino-Land.

Ronald's son Smellyson and wife Meika are travelling to Voth to rendezvous with Dinomark.

Ronald nears home

The Dinos have said they have received a hyperlaser message from Ronald's "Long Shot" exploration. Dinomark is now returning to home space and is expected to reach the edge of the DTA in a few weeks.

The Dinos reported that there have been a couple of casualties on the voyage though the crew has been filled out by 2 Dinos who were found hundreds of light years away.

HCSAF to disband 42 squadrons

The HCSAF are to disband 42 squadrons though 17 squadrons will also be strengthened by some crews and aircraft being redeployed. The cuts are part of the downsizing already planned for the air force and will mostly involve aircraft like the F-40 which are coming to the end of their lives.

Some squadrons may be moved to the forthcoming National Territorial Armies which will take over the day to day patrol and garrison duties in the empire if the army changes are agreed (probably by the end of the year). The HCSAF have said the changes will take place over the next 3 years.

• Ronald's expedition Operation Long Shot is reported to have entered the space of the mysterious and ultra-isolationist IKA Federation.
• The 3rd Armoured Brigade (Terra) has been declared operational by the DDS Terrestrial Force Land Division. The brigade is part of the 2nd Combat Department though Zeppelin, the head of DDS land forces, said that the Land Division will be having one of its periodic rotations soon.

Ronald prepares for mission

Operation Long Shot, Ronald's year long exploratory mission into uncharted space, will begin at the weekend. It was due to leave last weekend but Centurion Bite picked up a virus over the New Year period and it was thought prudent to delay the mission for a week to make sure no one else was infected.

Dinomark will set off from Central AFB and then cross the DTA to Voth where supplies will be topped up. The ship will then skirt the edge of Bolitic space to reach the Raegris. There supplies will be topped up again and Ronald will meet Raegris officials. After that the Dinomark will head off past IKA Federation space and pretty soon will be in uncharted space.

Photo call for Operation Long Shot

Ronald will soon head off with a specially picked crew on a long-range exploration, which has now been given the codename Operation Long Shot. Yesterday a media day was held and the following poster of the crew issued.