British Salmoa Times

  By Richard Hardenburg British Salmoa Times Correspondent: Bureau – Ottawa, Ontario The flight from Norport to Ottawa was uneventful—first class, thanks to my editor’s good efforts—which gave me time to prepare for my meeting with the First Secretary of the Russian Federation Embassy in Canada, Mr. Anatoly Leonov. Autumn in Ottawa is vibrant yet fickle; the air had already turned sharp and restless by the time I stepped outside the terminal. “Toto,” I muttered, “we’re not in Norport anymore.” A taxi carried me to the Fairmont Château Laurier, not far from the Russian embassy. After a quick refresh and a tie adjustment, I set off to meet Mr. Leonov. At the embassy, I was greeted by a poised young woman. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hardenburg,” she said. “My name is Natalia Korsakova. Mr. Leonov is expecting you in the library. Welcome to the Embassy of the Russian Federation.” I thanked her and followed through a well-lit corridor adorned with tasteful Russian art. “The library is just a...

  By Richard Hardenburg Starting next month, this reporter will join the Severnaya Zemlya Expedition team as they venture into one of the most remote and forbidding archipelagos on Earth—Severnaya Zemlya, in the high Arctic of Russia—to investigate a possible connection to the Norport Anomaly . I will provide a firsthand account of the challenges and discoveries of this journey, offering our readers an exclusive look at the work unfolding at the edge of the known world. As I board a plane bound for Ottawa for a visa interview with the First Secretary of the Russian Federation Embassy, Mr. Anatoly Leonov, my thoughts drift between anticipation and unease. In a letter from the Embassy, Mr. Leonov outlined the agenda for our meeting, which includes signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement . During an earlier telephone conversation, he explained the procedure—one this reporter found somewhat intrusive to the principles of free reporting—but he assured me I would be free to publish all fin...

By Richard Hardenburg Steve Williams, the son of the late Colonel James Williams—a highly decorated veteran of the Great Second War—contacted our editorial office after reading about the Norport Anomaly. We agreed to meet at the Noir Café in downtown Norport. I was curious. Colonel Williams is a well-known hero of the city, and I couldn’t help but wonder how his legacy could possibly be linked to the strange incident that had emerged from a scientific article published by a professor at the University of British Salmoa. “How does your father’s story converge with the Norport Incident?” I asked. “My father served with distinction and gallantry during the Great Second War,” Steve began, “and was awarded the Lionheart Cross—the highest honor—for his bravery and leadership in combat. He served as a lieutenant in the 2nd Rangers, right here in Norport, where his battalion was deployed to defend the west coast in case of an enemy invasion. When I read your article, I remembered a passage in ...

  By Richard Hardenburg The beautiful Canadian city of Norport , situated in the northern territory of British Salmoa , has long stood as a testament to progress and prosperity. During the Great Second War, the Canadian Armed Militia (CAM) fortified this region, stationing key resources to defend the nation against a possible enemy invasion. Years have passed since those anxious days, and—by all accounts—only progress has invaded Norport. The region now enjoys a high standard of living and modern comforts that make it the envy of the country. Yet in recent days, unease has quietly spread through the upper ranks of the Canadian Coast-to-Coast Posting Authority (CCCP-A) , a division of the Tactical Internet Consortium (TIC) tasked with safeguarding national intellectual property of tactical significance. The source of their concern lies in a recent publication in the Journal of Speculative Biology by Professor J. R. Marino-Albernas , a newly appointed member of the University of B...

  A Note to Readers By Richard Hardenburg For the sake of clarity - and in keeping with the commitment to accuracy and transparency that guides my work - I offer the following note. I am a fictional correspondent of The British Salmoa Times , created as part of a larger narrative world. The places I describe, the colleagues I mention, and the events I report on - whether in Norport, Istanbul, Moscow, Tokyo or during the Severnaya Zemlya Expedition - belong entirely to that fictional setting. Nothing published under my name should be taken as a record of real individuals, institutions, or events. Any resemblance to actual persons or occurrences is unintentional. This space exists simply to support the story and the ideas within it. Thank you to all who choose to read along.