Vespucci News Network - Plans to develop Guadalajara Announced; Some Outraged

[Commonwealth of House Liberty]

The Commonwealth announced their plans to construct a docking ring yesterday to great applause at Thastus Square in the capital city of Hykarsis. The docking ring is one of only many plans in what the Commonwealth has dubbed the Ceres Initiative. Michelle Sarno, secretary of state said in her speech,

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"The Ceres Initiative is a comprehensive step by step plan to to bring Guadalajara's standard of living up to par with those of the houses. We want every Bretonian refugee, every family fleeing the Munich disaster to know, that they don't need to sacrifice anything to make their new home the Commonwealth."

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While not every detail of the Ceres Initiative was touched upon, long term plans include strip mining of the surface, possibly contracted out to DSE, BMM, or the IMG. This would allow resources to be allocated to the building of more advanced infrastructure to withstand Guadalajara's fierce weather, a problem which has long plagued many settlements.

Another part of the plan covered energy, with the capital's power grid currently dependent on hydroelectric energy, all plans for expansion have been on hold. The Ceres Initiative outlined plans to construct at least two nuclear reactors to help power current and future population centers on the planet for years to come.

Despite the largely positive reception, some citizens and Legionnaires were shocked and angered by the news. Retired Legionnaire and three star ace Leonard Harrington had this to say:

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"I've served the Legion for two decades of my life. That's nearly as long as the Legion has existed itself, let alone this gods damned Commonwealth. Guadalajara was meant to be a quiet place for us old men to retire. It was meant to be a bastion of the Legion and the pride and joy of our rebellion. Now they want to tear up the mountain range view I have from my cabin because of some vein of ore. You might hear the crowd cheering behind us but you mark my words, I'm not the only one who feels this way. We ain't gonna stand for this. We're not going to stand by and let the Commonwealth rαpe and pillage our goddamned home!"

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While others echoed Legionnaire Harrington's concerns, Commonwealth officials assured the people that these were mere growing pains, and would be only a flash in the pan once the Ceres Initiative was completed.

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Ted Halkins, Vespucci News Network