Did the United Terran Federation test its new weapon, the Q-Bomb? This is the question everyone is asking after images made by the Galileo Observation Probe where released yesterday. The image taken in the Gamma Quadrant, shows the destruction of a planet know as OM-1, that was located near UTF controlled territory.
The image shows the destruction of OM-1 and its moons by a large explosion, "something that only the Q-Bomb could achieve" as experts say. So far the event is still investigated and no official comment was made by any side.
This events overshadows the passing of the new defense bill by the congress that allows the Military of the USD to develop a defensive capability against the new superweapon. The bill, that gives gives the Military 1.2 Billion Credits additional funds had been debated hotly in the past weeks with the opposition voicing their concern about a out of control military as a result of overspending.
with the passing of the bill, the Military researchers started almost immediately their work to find a solution to the problem that is The Q-Bomb.
yesterday, a civilian transport carrying nuns and orphans to their new frontier home in the Pollux system, was shot down by a Anti-Aircraft missile that was launched from a hidden Missile site. The Space bug 101 was experiencing engine problems and requested an emergency landing on Splintered rock.When they entered the atmosphere they were met with surface to air missiles from Khayal Alramady.
A terrorist group calling themselves "Maruders" confessed the attack with the word: ""We will smite the invaders from our skies. There will be more in the days to come. We are here. We will not be ignored. We will win. We are the Marauders. Expect us."
This marks a new twist in the conflict between the Fremen and the Imperium and is the first attack of this kind where innocent civilians where killed.
A official statement of the Al Raqian authorities is eagerly awaited by everyone.
In the recent days, one Congress meeting hunted the next, after the United Terran Federation unveiled its new Superweapon. Yesterday marked the first time in the History of the Directorate that a Congress meeting had to be postponed due to turmoil. The new Defense Bill, that the High Council presented to the Congress, had been heavily debated the last couple of days, while heated, it never reached yesterdays level of intensity, when Congressman Jim Nakamura from the United Power League called the everyone that is against this bill "spineless, headless, pinko-hippy bunch of cowardly traitors."
Members of several parties, among them the PPC (Party of Progressive citizens), Traders Union, The Progressive Federalists among others who had stated that the bill would give the military too much power, started shouting back at Nakamura. Others left the meeting altogether, making it impossible to go on with the meeting. One Congressman, Trent Easton from the Centerpoint Party, approached Nakamura while on the podium and started an argument with him, wildly gesturing, to retract and apologize for what he said.
The turmoil reached its height, when members of both parties ran to the podium, wildly arguing with each other. While it did not came to physical attacks, the security had to separate the group and escort them outside.
"I am a membe of this Congress for 30 years and I have never seen anything like this. We all reperent the people of this Nation and we should know better then to throw child like fits at each other." said Kreg Corilla from the Union for Advancement.
yesterday the High Council released and official statement regarding the development of the Q-bomb by the UTF. In this statement, it was made clear that the United Systems directorate would not stand idly by and will take measures to ensure the security of its citizens.
"This new Superweapon is a threat for every nation in the galaxy and will further destabilize the balance of power to the favor of the Terran Federation. We are concerned about the peace and safety of our Nation and its citizens. We have taken steps now, to ensure this safety. A new defense bill will be presented to congress that allows the military to develop counter measures against this new threat. We want to emphasis that we are, at this point in time, are not interested in building our own Q-Bomb. We see no reason why our nation should posses such a weapon and we want to make it clear that other nations should also not see any need for the development of such a terrifying weapon.
We are still willing to extant a hand as a gesture of peace towards the UTF and want to invite the UTF leaders for a summit to deescalate the current situation. This invite also stands for the representatives of the Hegemony and any other nation that feels threated by this new concerning development.
We will overcome this crisis, like we have overcome so many in the past. We are certain that there is a way to solve this crisis for the good of all of us."
At this poitn, no answer of any nation was given but are eagerly awaited by the USD. The new defense bill is now in the hands of the congress and voting on it will begin shortly. Experts say that the majority will vote for this bill, so the development of a new defense device against the Q-Bomb can start right away.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have gathered at the Embassy district to demonstrate for peace in front of the UTF and Hegemony Embassies. The protest is peacefully and so far everything has been quite.
Right now, everyone is holding its breath, concerned of what will happen next.
In a stunning public revelation, the United Terran Federation (UTF) unveiled its new weapon system, called "The Q-Bomb" a Quantum accelerator weapon that makes it possible to unleash great amounts of destructive energy at once. The weapon is to be rumored to be able to destroy complete planets.
Should that be correct, then this would be the most destructive weapon that has ever been build. A UTF spokesman said that this new weapon was build for deterrence only. Critics say that this weapon could shift the power in the galaxy gradually and may create another arms race to build equal or even more powerful weapons.
"I am very concerned about this, we always feared that at some point mankind would be able to build a weapon that can destroy whole planets at once." said Brian Wilkis, head of the political research group at the Sagan Institute. "If this weapon falls into wrong hands it could be devastating."
Military experts are worried as well "In the past, the only thing you could do was use orbital nuclear strikes to wipe out all life on a planet, now you can completely obliterate the planet and blow it into fragments, you could easily smash a gap into any defensive measures if you simply blow up the planet the forces are on. There are not many ways to protect yourself against an attack with a weapon like this." said Major General William Xavier, current chief of the Planetary Defense Force.
Even within the UTF, the weapon is controversial discussed, even if propaganda is brushing it away as usual as this News Footage shows:
If the weapon was tested yet, is currently unknown, as much as it is unknown how many Q-bombs exist and how many of these weapons will be produced and deployed. "We can only hope that this insanity can be stopped, before we destroy ourselves" says Vicki Lance, a peace activist wanting a ban on all Weapons of Mass Destruction and a gradual reduction of the militaries of all factions involved.
The Ekaterinian Hegemony has already accounted, that it will develop its own weapons like the q-bomb and that it will not tolerate any interference in this goal. A expansion of the fleet was also accounted as well as increasing the intake of conscripts, reinforcing the fears for a arms race that might lead to a clash between any of the factions involved.
At this moment, there is no official statement from the High Council about this matter but it its awaited eagerly by all.
