July Wave will not be delayed

The July Wave exercise for next month will not be delayed because of the reactor failure at Solaris Orbital HQ says Director of Operations Knobhead. Solaris is usually used as the primary assembly point for ships engaging in exercises but because Solaris OHQ is out of service DDS Orbital HQ over GHQ will instead be used. "I did discuss with AP postponing or even canceling the exercise but i felt it would be best to just use GHQ instead as otherwise it would inconvenience our Remedian and Dino allies who will be taking part in July Wave."

Knobhead also announced that the trials ship X111 Isometric will be joining the deployment. It has been fitted with the new Z7 cannon and it will be used during the exercises to test its ground mode.

180/6

Biggest
Who is being bought back? (Endgame P1)

Reactor failure at Solaris Orbital HQ

The main reactor array at Solaris Orbital HQ has suffered multiple failures in its regulator flow valves. The incident is not considered dangerous as the reactors are designed to shut down if this happened (and they have). A backup reactor has now kicked in though this only provides enough power for basic operations and life support. A DDS Engineering spokeswoman said that no foul play is thought to be behind the failures.

New valves will be fitted next week and then the reactors will be restarted and run back up to full power again. Unfortunately this will take around two weeks to accomplish and until then Solaris OHQ will remain un-operational.

The problem for the DDS is that Solaris OHQ is one of the major orbital hubs for the DDS. DDS Operations is currently reallocating ships to DDS GHQ and Liberation.

• A 850 million zark upgrade of the Voth Space Navy's fleet of 12 Kalahati Tuuls (though only 5 are currently in service) has begun. The DDS are carrying out the upgrade in Voth space though some parts are being fabricated by the Raegris. The upgrade includes a new TPM compatible missile launcher, passive sensors, a 5036-A combat suite and an export version of IWC (optimised to handle Bolitic info-attacks). The docking bays will also be modified so Dinomark XTs can dock with the ships. A refurbishment will also be carried out. The Voth say they expect to keep the KTs as the backbone of their fleet until the mid-2120s and this upgrade will keep them competitive for that.

Dino View : Is this El Diablo's time?

Legate Dralson, ex-Dino Army and Security Council

As the Summer enters its height on Dino-Land the election campaigns of the various candidates for the Consul election in November swing into top gear. This year is even more important than usual as we switch to the modified Republican system with a single Consul holding power for 2 years instead of two post-holders sharing the job.

So who will be this first single Consul? Polling evidence and sentiment is pointing to El Diablo. He is currently ahead of his nearest rival MBH by 8% in the polls.

Candidate	Party	Poll Rating %
El Diablo	Liberal	42
MBH	Dino Truth	34
Malanson	Imperial Order	21
Others		3

El Diablo is doing very well indeed, his poll ratings are rising too so he may even be able to get the 50% he needs to win in the first round. Malanson is trailing badly though few expected him to win. Imperial Order have a problem with potential candidates now Ronald and GBH have retired from front-line politics it is generally believed Malanson's candidacy is mostly to give him experience and rise his profile ahead of a more serious attempt in 2 years time.

It could all change of course, MBH has formed a new political party recently and is now ramping up his campaign. However the sentiment on the streets i have picked up is that it is "El Diablo's time". The former Emperor's disasterous reign is now fading into the past and the people seem willing to give him a second chance. That could change though as polling day approaches and MBH really homes in on his targets. We'll know for sure in November.

180/5

Pure + Simple
Ronald confronts the usurper (Origins P4)

Dino View : Interview with Doombringer

Legate Dralson, ex-Dino Army and Security Council

HCS, DDS and now DTA, in his new role as military adviser to Sirikwan, Doombringer has done it all. And much more besides as we found out in this exclusive interview he was kind enough to grant me while he was visiting Dino-Land last week.

Dralson : Doombringer, now you have taken up this role with Sirikwan you have done the "grand slam" so to speak of the major Central Powers. But by no means are these the only entries on your CV.

Doombringer : Indeed not, i have travelled the galaxy for millennia and worked for 67 factions at least! Most of which are totally unknown here.

DR : What of your origins, can you say where you originally came from?

DO : Unfortunately not though it was somewhere on the other side of the galaxy i think. Originally i was a war robot i am told but i suffered serious injuries in battle and lost all of my original memories.

DR : Why have you continued to move on from job to job and not stay in the same place?

DO : I don't need glory or wealth, the only thing i need is to remain interested in what i am doing. That is the main reason i move on (if i have a choice in the matter!), when i become bored.

DR : 67 factions sounds like there is a big galaxy out there we have only skimmed the surface of in this area of space.

DO : Indeed there is. Only a tiny amount of the galaxy is known to the Dinos and other Central Powers. There are hundreds of different factions and empires out there, some dwarf the Tarbot Empire, some are highly advanced and highly dangerous.

DR : Have you ever been tempted to tell people whats out there? You have famously, or infamously, always refused to do this.

DO : No because i don't think its a good idea. The Dinos, DDS and HCS need to worry more about their own area of space for the moment and not factions thousands of light years away. I'll just say this, there are factions out there that could take the Central Powers apart in an afternoon. Its best you keep away from them for now!

DR : Years ago you joined the HCS, how did this come about?

DO : I left my previous job and continued wandering. I came upon the Clones and Oojok asked me to provide experience and firepower to his embryonic and frankly rather shambolic HCS.

DR : You formed an elite unit with 2 other robots called the Legion of Doom. Where did the other 2 robots come from?

DO : Unknown, they were not created by the same people as me and were nowhere near as sophisticated. Which is probably why i am here talking to you now and not rusting away on a planet far away [laughs].

DR : Early on in the HCS you mainly had a combat role, is that what you prefer or do you prefer the strategic role?

DO : The latter though i do occasionally like to "keep my hand in".

DR : The high point of your HCS career was masterminding the invasion of Earth as part of Benito's New Rome Project. How does that rank in your long list of achievements?

DO : Very high indeed! However i like a varied career so if i succeed with my Sirikwanese role then i will consider that a great achievement too.

DR : Lets talk about that, what exactly will you be doing?

DO : Sirikwan and the DTA want the Sirikwanese forces to become a strong back-up to the Dinos. Sirikwan has a lot of potential, it just needs some focus and some building up in some key areas. I will be carrying this out over the next couple of years.

DR : And then what after that, will you move on again?

DO : Most likely but i don't like to leave before i have finished my job so i shall be here for a few more years yet!