At today's opening of Congress, President Hudson laid out his plans to motivate our youth and strengthen the navy.

„As I said at the weekend, we are entering dangerous times, with the Empire becoming ever stronger. Today we are beginning a pilot program to encourage our youth into the navy. We will do this by introducing, and funding, gladiatorial contests, and once they are working well, we will roll them out throughout Federal space. These will be called the Close Quarters Championships, and the winners will have excellent piloting skills, and will be well rewarded. They will be treated as celebrities by our youth, and so they will want to take part too. It will give them something to practice for in their precious sims. It will motivate them, but also they will start to hold our navy in high regard as they once did in the past, and the best will sign up for service. Our navy will be great once again.“

When asked for comment, Shadow President Winters described it as a cynical way of dragging our youth into war. Nevertheless many pundits have responded positively, while others are busily buying shares in Core Dynamics – whose share price has continued to rise to an ever increasing all-time high on this news. GalNet, 16.06.3301