Chicago, UCAS -- Reconstruction continues on the outskirts of the Chicago Core, and a new light has begun to shine for the people of the beleaguered city. The Church of the Seven Stars is a non-profit organization that has taken up residence on the southern edge of the former Chicago Containment Zone. The Church is lead by Rosetta Windrunner, a Salish-borne shaman. "These people have been through so much," she said at the site dedication ceremony, "we are here to ensure that they get the help and guidance they need at this very trying time." The Church plans to open "assistance shelters" throughout the area of the Core to assist citizens with medical and spiritual needs.
Detroit, UCAS -- On Friday Ares Macrotechnology announced that the launch of the Velox I and Velox II will be delayed until December due to necessary adjustments needed in the probe designs. These adjustments, Ares officials claimed, are simply minor corrections to assure Ares Research and Development that the probes will be as successful as possible. Though the probes will not be part of the initial rush to the comet, "They'll surprise everyone when they get there, I can assure you.", launch specialist Adrian Nissini stated during the press conference.
London, UK -- This week's announcement by British telecom giant Amedriana Inc. that they would be extending offers of employment to distinctly non-metahuman species met with some criticism in financial circles. The free spirits Elphoia and Toast have been offered positions within the company's R&D facility. CEO Randolph Carter stated in a press release on Thursday, "We're proud to add them to our corporate family, and look forward to the unique perspective they will bring to our research." Amedriana's stock fell by two nuyen in heavy trading on Friday.
Renton -- A chilling follow-up to the story we reported to you last week regarding the explosion at the Mitsurana Sky Tower. Erik Demiko, staff shaman at the Mitsurana Tower, and his entire family were found murdered in their Renton area home on Friday. Demiko was still recovering from a hospital visit caused by a car accident on the same day of the explosion. They were found by the family's housekeeper, Sylvia Montenague Friday morning when she arrived to clean the house. All of the members of the family had been mutilated around the face and neck, and Demiko's tongue had been cut from his head and spiked to a wall nearby. Police are still investigating the crime, which we are told is tied to the Mitsurana incident by some as yet unreleased piece of evidence. Police are still investigating reports of a "crazed looking" man in a business suit with some sort of sash knocking over trashcans and screaming at the house earlier in the week. It is still unclear whether the vagrant and these killings are related.
New Orleans, CAS -- Magical violence marred an otherwise quiet weekend in the city of New Orleans yesterday. Houguns from the Pethwa Organization, a professional league of Voodoo practitioners, clashed with a wiz-gang outside their lodge late last night. The Cloud-Marmets, a urban blight from the swampy edges of town, attacked the Houguns as they dispersed from a meeting. The gang reportedly shouted slurs such as "Dead Lover!" and "You won't make a zombie out of me!" as they attacked with magical assaults. The Houguns reportedly quickly formed into a small group, erected shields, and fought back. All members of the Cloud-Marmet gang were already dead when the police arrived on the scene. As is city law, the corpses of the Cloud-Marmets were the legal property of the Pethwa Organization upon completion of the investigation. No statement has yet been released by the Pethwa about this attack, or about what they plan to do with the remains of the Cloud-Marmets.
Summary of news for remainder of week (from email from Michael):
The media continues to report on the blast for the rest of the week, and eventually Mitsurana and Lone Star attribute the blast to a bad admixture of chemicals in a research lab. Media attention dies away quickly, until the death of the shaman the following weekend.