ANDROMEDA HOSTAGE CRISIS AVERTED

Ganymede Base Epsilon, where members of the Andromeda Outreach Mission were taken hostage.

AP (Avalon Press) - Two dead, five injured after a terrorist cell took control of the Andromeda Outreach Mission's relief station within Ganymede Base Epsilon.

According to authorities, ten heavily armed terrorists stormed the relief station, taking hostages and transmitting demands to the Avalon government. The details of those demands and the identity of the terrorists have not been released.

The terrorists were overpowered by a handful of hostages, in what authorities are calling a "dangerous", but "carefully plotted" escape attempt.

"There were more than thirty hostages at the relief station," Officer Ken Briggs of the local Ganymede Security Police said, "but, about five of them, including one of the doctors were able to take down two of the terrorists."

Reports are inconsistent about how the remaining terrorists were dealt with, however, rumors have surfaced about an Avalon Defense Force strike team covertly storming the facility. Unfortunately, there is currently no confirmation from authorities that this, in fact, took place.

The Andromeda Outreach Mission is a non-profit organization that provides relief efforts for alien refugees escaping into the Sol System and often facilitates their transition to Avalon Citizenship. The organization employs volunteers from various fields, including military, medical and legal representatives.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32A

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ASSISTANT PROJECT CANCELED

AP - Holodyne Systems, creators of many of the modern artificial intelligence driven programs

throughout Avalon, has announced that their latest project has been canceled.

Development on the Long-range Operations and Logistics Assistant (LOLA) that was being designed for military operations came to an abrupt end after senior designers noted "inconsistencies in simulated emotional algorithms".

"To put it bluntly," lead designer Howard Feinberg said, "the A.I. was having wild 'mood swings'."

Simulated emotional responses are not new to artificial intelligence technology. Feinberg noted that previous military assistants were able to affect calming emotional responses for soldiers experiencing combat fatigue, while others were made for younger users, offering praise when completing homework assignments and school projects.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44B