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Iderati / Five Sisters / Spinward Marches

Tigress Battle Group Activated

The Five Sisters Tigress Battle Group stationed here at the subsector capital left unexpectedly today amidst a sea of rumors. In fact, it was not until the fleet actually jumped that the Imperial Navy acknowledged that anything was going on. Even then, information was limited to the following prepared statement:

"The Five Sisters Llannamith Tigress Battle Group has been deployed out of system. That's all we can tell you."

Our unofficial contacts were unable to provide any more information on the battle group's mission. All we could find out was that it left with a full load of ordnance, and a full complement of marines.

Rumors have filled in the space left by the official announcements. Most are obviously unlikely, such as the suggestion of a war against the Darrian Confederation, but there are some which bear scrutiny. They are presented here without comment:

Intelligence has been received of a major impending Aslan incursion towards Five Sisters.
It is rumored that Retired Admiral Lord Santanocheev was seen with the commander of the fleet, and was also seen boarding the flagship Llannamith immediately before its departure.
A Fifth Frontier War is about to start or has started, and the battle group is either taking part in a preemptive first strike or is countering Zhodani and Sword World forces.
Santanocheev is using this fleet to depose Archduke Norris and take charge of the Domain of Deneb in order to start a Fifth Frontier War against the Zhodani.
The Imperial Navy wants us to think they're using our taxes to protect us, and the fleet is just moving around to pretend they're fighting some imaginary threat.

It must be said that there have been not even any rumors before this event that could hint at a reason for the battle group's departure. Tigress class ships are rarely deployed in anger due to their expense and value, but this does not appear to be a diplomatic mission. That does suggest that the fleet is being sent to deal with a major military threat -- but what that could possibly be is a complete mystery.