MUTTOKON - A press conference held by the Republic Security Services this afternoon has confirmed speculation that the Kyonoke Plague is responsible for the lockdown of a Freedom Extension space elevator in the system of Muttokon.
This new revelation, which was made by Field Administrator Abja Etbald of the RSS, accompanied an announcement that the detached orbital platform of the space elevator has been towed to a concealed location in high orbit by Republic Fleet vessels, in order to further distance it from the densely populated planet below.
During the press conference, Administrator Etbald commented that "despite the fact that we have almost a million people currently detained within the quarantine cordon, the RSS believes that the people of Muttokon II have been incredibly fortunate that the fast actions of Freedom Extension prevented the pathogen from reaching the surface" before continuing to elaborate on the decision to tow the platform into high orbit, saying that "should the platform suffer any form of critical systems failure, or detachment from its positioning array, its location in high orbit will allow the Republic Military more time to react, preventing further complications to an already treacherous situation.
Critics of the Shakor administration have been outspoken about his heavy handed approach to problem solving and diplomacy in the past, referencing both the Colelie incident in the wake of Karin Midular's assassination and the Sanmatar's visit to the Amarr Empire last year for the coronation of Empress Catiz I.
A number of opponents have pointed out that the relocation of the platform into high orbit may be a contingency plan to allow its safe destruction, should the situation be unable to be resolved.
This announcement by the RSS brings the total number of sites where Kyonoke has been detected to four, with the Society of Conscious Thought confirming that representatives have reached out to the Tribal Council, with a view to information sharing and assisting with the increasingly dire situation.