Olympus Tribune 1.16.2120
"The word from the Mount"

Disappearances Baffle Authorities
Lunar officials Name Coincidence as Primary Suspect
INTERNATIONAL CENTER, OLYMPUS, LUNA - The rash of disappearance in Olympus' Downside section has left Lunar investigators baffled. A total of 14 people have been reported missing in the past two months from Yeltsingrad, Yutu Yinchon, Lejanas and even Camelot sectors.

Officials admit that missing persons aren't entirely uncommon in the slum sections of Yeltsingrad, also known as "the Pit," or even in the low levels of Yutu Tinchon. However, the most recent disappearances have been reported in neighborhoods just a few levels below the Lunar surface. These areas are considered safe, middle - class sectors.

"It's a sad fact that many of the people who find their way to the underground slums of Yeltsingrad vanish without a trace," Police Commissioner Monika Richtig said today as a holocat press conference. "Such occurrences are much less common in higher levels of Olympus and the surrounding colony spurs. However we treat all missing persons reports with the same degree of dedication, no matter where they are reported."
The Unified Lunar Police Force has fallen under criticism, having found no solid leads as yet. Although the body of Constance Duarte, a longtime resident of Lejanas, was found mutilated three weeks after her disappearance, officials refuse to link her to other missing persons.

No other missing individuals have been found'" Commissioner Richtig stated. "We have no reason to believe that he tragic death of Ms. Duarte is in any way related to the other disappearance on file." Legionnaire Victor Marsich, the psion who stumbled across the corpse, was himself assaulted at the scene. He is in stable condition at the nearby Beaulac Clinic.

Anxious citizens are calling for increased Legion patrols and the assistance of clairsentient investigators. Individual psions in the employ of the ULPF an who work



independently have initiated investigations. Like the police, however, they have yet to uncover any conclusive information.

Commission Richtig cautioned against anyone investigating the matter independently, without first consulting the ULPF: "we must all coordinate our efforts. We do everything we can to follow up on any leads we find, and private citizens are encouraged to work with us if they feel the need to get involved. Operating as vigilantes only serves to make our job more difficult."

Richtig stated further that helpful, organized assistance from outside the police department may be welcome. "Olympus is a big place, and our department is limited by its available personnel and resources. We appreciate help, but in the end, you must understand that this is a police matter."


The New Lunar Slums

- David Watson, The Final Frontier © 2113
Lunar society has undergone a dramatic reversal from the old days as a subterranean colony to a sprawling surface city of shimmering towers and gleaming domes. This is thanks to the development of shielding that protects inhabitants from harmful cosmic radiation. Mylex, plasteel and bioglass are responsible for the growth of hundreds of domes and towers across Luna in the past five years. Since such construction is by no means inexpensive, the affluent are the only ones who can take advantage of it thus far. Lunar status used to be measured by how far below the surface one lived. Now, the taller the tower you live in, the greater your standing.

Filling the vacuum, the homeless and poor migrate to the now empty lower levels of Olympus. Once grand underground estates have become burrows for the destitute and shiftless. Yeltsingrad alone has seen a massive migration of homeless into the now dark Cenczyk and Mirac complexes. This presents innumerable health hazards to the masses of migrants, who huddle in the dark without power, water or atmosphere hookups.

Not surprisingly, the wealthy and middle class communities that cling to their lower level status - a status that seems increasingly outdated - do not appreciate their new neighbors. The influx of homeless has lowered property values of remaining Deep Burrows (also known as "Downside" - with the deepest parts labeled the "Underworld" by incurable romantics and mystery writers), making it increasingly difficult for residents of complexes like Glanowicz and Pale to "move on up" to the surface.

"The situations's reached a crisis level in terms of public health," Beaulac Clinic head Dr. Jerzy Grabowshi stated. "It's virtually impossible to track every flight to Luna, and hundreds of people come to Olympus every day hoping for a new start. Unfortunately, most of them end up in Downside. We have no idea how many people are down there, what sorts of facilities they have access to, or how to reach them to provide proper medical care. A highly contagious disease, say, tuberculosis, could spread like wildfire through those warrens - and it's made 10 times worse because the people down there actively avoid "the authorities." We have no way of knowing if the entire population of a pirate burrow drops dead 0 none at all."

Granowski advocates a drastic solution: "We should seal up a burrow the minute the last paying resident moves out. IT's an imperative matter of public safety."


Subject: More Departures
From: Dr. Grabowski
To: Staff
Date: 08:30:06 2.15.2120

It seems like only yesterday that Doctors Mangels and Aduiluna joined us fro Earthside rotation, but I now have the sad duty of reporting that both of those worthies will soon be leaving us. Dr. Mangels accepted a position i the Organ Bank Directorate in Basel, while Dr. Aushiluna is on assignment with Orgotek's Qin Bioware Studies facility near Wanjing on Mars.

We should all take a moment to congratulate these individuals, who exemplify the best of both psion and physician, on their promotions and new challenges, and to thank them for their stellar work during their time here. Who can forget how heroically both of these doctors labored i the wake of the collapse of Freak Alley, just a few levels below our own Beaulac Clinic? And surely their research on applying vitakinesis to stimulate nerve growth in damaged limbs will have repercussions far beyond our small clinic.

Friday is the last day for Dr. Magels, while Dr. Ashiluna leaves on Tuesday. AS the recent spate of personnel transfers has left us woefully shorthanded, we will combine their farewell parties into one gala on Thursday at 17:30 in the cafeteria on Sublevel 5. Don't miss this chance to say farewell to a pair of our finest doctors.

Grabowshi
JRG/als