Gaia 9 Action News Archive

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

2004
Halloween '04
Xmas '04

2005
Anniversary '05
April Fools '05
Gino Returns
Halloween '05 Pt. 1
Halloween '05 Pt. 2
Xmas '05

2006
New Year's '06
Ian Shot!
April Fools '06
Halloween '06
UFO 09 Shot!
Xmas '06 Pt. 1
Xmas '06 Pt. 2

2007
Zurg Leave Gaia
Edmund Attacked

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

TERROR STRIKES GAMBINO PARTY
By Cindy Donovinh
Sunday, October 31, 2004

The Halloween party of business magnate Johnny K. Gambino erupted in terror as the outbreak of a mysterious virus caused the dead to rise up and attack the living. The party was disrupted by the arrival of several of Gambino's own LabTech team, scientists who work in his highly secretive G-Corp laboratory. (+)The LabTechs had apparently become infected with the virus that they were attempting to synthesize, and began exhibiting bizarre and violent behavior. Several Gaians were bitten by the infected LabTechs, causing a massive outbreak of "G-Virus" within the Gambino Mansion. Gambino issued shotguns to those partygoers lucky enough to avoid infection, and a brief battle was waged between the infected "zombies" and the uninfected Gaians.

With the battle growing increasingly hopeless, G-Corp security chief Bucho was called in to put a permanent end to the situation. Bucho deployed an explosive, virus-killing superweapon known as the Silent Flash, which obliterated the Gambino mansion. Those infected Gaians survived who the blast were cured by the mysterious vials of liquid that a man known as LabTech X sold prior to this event, which raises questions of whether some employees of G-Corp knew in advance that this outbreak would occur.



Tragically, Gambino's son and sole heir, Gino Gambino, has been missing since the explosion; he is presumed dead.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

GAMBINO REUINTED WITH MISSING SON
By Cindy Donovinh
Saturday, December 25, 2004

In what some might call an Xmas miracle, Johnny Gambino has been reunited with his son, Gino.(+) After a months-long search, Gambino had reportedly become despondent, fearing that he had lost his son forever. Eyewitness accounts reveal that Gambino was on the brink of committing suicide by leaping into the chilly reservoir at the Durem Reclamation Facility; at the last minute, his son appeared and saved him from certain doom.

How Gino Gambino managed to escape from the carnage at the infamous Gambino Mansion Halloween Party is unknown; doctors have concluded that some trauma, mental or physical, has caused Gino to lose his memory. Whether Gino will recover from his amnesia is unknown.

See an account of the incident here.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

FAMILY TENSIONS DISTURB GALA EVENT; GAMBINO STRIKES BACK WITH TOWER
By Cindy Donovinh
Friday, February 25, 2005

With the Gambino Mansion disgraced and destroyed by the recent Halloween fiasco, the wealthy Von Helson family stepped up to host the gala Gaia Anniversary Ball at the stately Von Helson Mansion. (+)Though the event was suitably lavish, it quickly exploded into inter-family feuding with the arrival of Johnny K. Gambino and his son Gino, with whom he was recently reunited.

The Von Helson sisters, worried that the flamboyant Gambino would steal the limelight, demanded that he and his son leave the party. When Gambino refused to comply, the sisters captured young Gino and threatened to harm him if Gambino did not leave the party. Gambino was allowed to reclaim his son only after promising to leave, and never return to Durem or attend another Gaia event.

Furious, Gambino set to work rebuilding his fortune. Gambino supporters offered him donations of large sums of gold, which he used to build a fabulous new Gambino Mansion on the Isle of Gambino. Not content with a mere mansion, Gambino kept building and building until he had constructed a massive tower, so tall that it cast an imposing shadow over the Von Helson residence in Durem.

Not to be outdone, the Von Helson sisters have begun a public campaign of protest against what they see as Johnny Gamino's insane hubris. Gaians are taking sides; some support Gambino's ambition to reclaim his throne as the most powerful man in Gaia, but others are sympathetic to the Von Helson sisters and their hatred of all that Gambino stands for.

The source of the tensions between the Gambino and Von Helson families is unclear, but a source close to the Gambino family hinted that there is more to the feud than mere business competition.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

BILLIONARE INDUSTRIALIST JOHNNY GAMBINO SHOT; FEARED DEAD
By Cindy Donovinh
Friday, April 01, 2005

At what might should been his greatest moment of triumph, prominent Gaian businessman Johnny K. Gambino was shot by an unknown sniper. As the shot rang out, Gambino plummeted from the majestic skyscraper that he had only recently completed.(+)

Gambino's son, Gino Gambino, was also atop the tower; witnesses claim that, moments before the fateful shot, Gino had regained his memory and addressed Johnny Gambino as "father" for the first time since his disappearance six months ago. As Johnny Gambino fell from the tower, Gino leapt after him, apparently sacrificing himself to join his father in death.

At the very moment when the Gambinos fell from atop the tower, the structural integrity of the massive edifice began to crumble; the tower toppled upon the neighboring town of Durem, destroying the Von Helson mansion and apparently killing Gambino's main rivals, the devious Von Helson sisters.

The bodies of Johnny and Gino Gambino have not been recovered from the wreckage, but they are presumed dead.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

GINO GAMBINO DISCOVERED ALIVE
By Cindy Donovinh
Sunday, May 15, 2005

Against all odds, Gino Gambino has been found alive. Gaian shopkeepers Ian and Sasha, who were enjoying a day trip to the sunny coast of the Isle de Gambino, discovered the injured youth amid the waterlogged wreckage of the ill-fated Tower of Gambino.(+) Gino Gambino was presumed dead after witnesses reported that he had leapt from the top of the tower as it fell, apparently distraught over his father's shooting at the hands of an unknown sniper.

Gino, who is still fragile from injuries sustained in the fall, has been take into Sasha's home to rest and recuperate.

Click here for a full account of the event.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

BITTERSWEET HOMECOMING FOR GINO GAMBINO
By Cindy Donovinh
Saturday, October 15, 2005

After a short period of recovery in the care of shopkeepers Ian and Sasha, Gino Gambino has announced plans to return to his father's mansion and continue the Gambino legacy.(+) Gino intends to reopen G-Corp, this time in full public view; LabTech 123, one of the few survivors of last year's Halloween fiasco at the old Gambino Mansion, has been named as the new head of G-Corp research.

Gino Gambino's commitment to carrying on his father's work comes as a great shock to many G-Corp investors, who have long murmured that Gino may be too timid to be a successful heir to the Gambino empire. However, with the once-struggling G-Corp rebuilt, refunded and operating at full capacity for the first time in a year, it has become apparent that Gino Gambino is truly his father's son.

Click here for a full account of the story.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

HALLOWEEN TERROR HAUNTS GAMBINO MANSION ...AGAIN
By Cindy Donovinh
Monday, October 31, 2005

The Gambino family has ended a year of bad luck with yet another disaster: the annual Halloween party at the Gambino Mansion has once again been ravaged by G-Corp's own highly unstable G-Virus project. (+)G-Corp security chief Bucho explains that a disgruntled former employee known as LabTech X broke into G-Corp's test facility and released hundreds of test animals, which poured into the Gambino Mansion and attempted to attack partygoers. To combat the threat of infection, Bucho enlisted the able-bodied attendees to catch and neutralize as many animals as possible.

The Gambino Halloween Party once again ended with a bang, as a mysterious fire broke out in the G-Corp lab and the Gambino Mansion, burning both buildings to cinders.

In yet another tragic parallel to last year's Gambino Halloween disaster, Gino Gambino is once again missing and feared dead; witnesses claim that Gino became trapped in the burning mansion after saving the life of Sasha, the young woman who discovered him unconscious on the beach after his near-fatal fall from the Gambino Tower.

Unconfirmed reports in Gaian gossip magazines indicate that Gino may have been romantically involved with Sasha, although these reports have been strenuously denied by Ian, a friend of Sasha's and the owner of the Barton Boutique.

A full account of the story can be found here (Part 1) and here (Part 2).

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

MASKED HERO SAVES XMAS
By Cindy Donovinh
Sunday, December 25, 2005

After a bitter altercation between former comrades Jack and Santa, a masked hero stepped in to put an end to the violence and save Xmas for all.(+)

The tensions between Jack and Santa stem from an incident on November 7th in which Santa, dressed in a massive robotic suit, appeared in Barton and began to taunt and insult Jack. Santa accused the pumpkin-headed mascot of ruining Halloween. Jack, furious with these accusations, unleashed his mighty wrath upon Santa, destroying his robotic suit and reportedly killing him.

An account of this event can be viewed here.

Santa's lifeless body was resurrected by a mysterious organization known as S-Corp, which was staffed entirely by Santa's elfin helpers. The resurrected Santa returned to Barton, where he found Jack gloating about his plans for next Halloween; a massive battle between the two holiday figureheads ensued, destroying several Barton buildings; the G-Team attempted to step in and put a stop to the destruction, but they were quickly dispatched by the two superhuman combatants.

As Jack and Santa geared up to deliver tremendous punches to each other, a mysterious masked hero descended from above on black wings and caught their fists, preventing them from causing untold destruction to each other and whatever unlucky bystanders happened to be in proximity.

"He was amazing," said Sasha, who was dangerously close to the raging battle. "I would have been smashed between them if he hadn't swooped down and saved me... he's like a dream!"

Eyewitness coverage of this event can be seen here.

In a televised press conference, the hero, known only as The Masque, announced his plans to hold a New Year's Ball at the Gambino Mansion. He also made it clear that he would expect Sasha to appear at the event-- Gaian gossip-mongers have been abuzz with speculation that Sasha and the Masque might be romantically involved, although these reports have been angrily and vigorously denied by Ian, Sasha's closest friend.

Footage of this press conference can be viewed here.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

SHOPKEEPER ARRESTED AT MASQUERADE
By Cindy Donovinh
Sunday, January 01, 2006

The Masque's gala New Year's Eve Masquerade went off without a hitch-- almost.(+)

The party started off well, as costumed partygoers flooded the Gambino Mansion, apparently undeterred by the building's long history of blowing up burning down, and falling over. Most attendees were dressed to the nines, especially Sasha, who showed up in a striking red dress. Rumors of a possible romantic link between Sasha and The Masque were on everyone's lips, but as the clock struck midnight, the only pairs of lips on anyone's mind were Sasha's and The Masque's. In a touching end to the evening, The Masque took off his famous facemask to reveal that he was indeed Gino Gambino, although almost everyone had figured that out already. He and Sasha shared a lingering kiss, but their romantic bliss was interrupted by the shrieks of an unwelcome guest.

Ian, owner of Barton Boutique and frequent denier of rumors surrounding Sasha and Gino's romantic link, was arrested after forcing his way past security and crashing the party. He was heard screaming "No!" as Sasha and Gino embraced, confirming suspicions held by many that he harbored a secret crush on Sasha.

Shortly after his unseemly outburst, Ian was collared by Gaian police, and arrested-- not for disturbing the party, but for the Halloween arson that destroyed the old Gambino Mansion!

An account of the event can be seen here.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

ACQUITTED SHOPKEEPER WOUNDED BY SNIPER
By Cindy Donovinh
Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Just moments after being acquitted on charges of arson, Barton Boutique owner Ian was shot outside the courtroom by an unseen gunman. (+)

Ian, who conspicuously declined to reveal his last name during the trial, was accused of starting the fire which burned down the G-Corp lab and the Gambino Mansion last Halloween. His trial was conducted by specially designed legal robots, who were able to exercise the law 2000% more efficiently than human attorneys. The prosecution attempted to launch a two-pronged attack against Ian, claiming that he held a grudge against the Gambino family due to prior business dealings and that he personally hated Gino Gambino for his romantic interest in Sasha.

These accusations failed to register with the Gaian public, who saw Ian as a sweet, shy man caught up in a situation beyond his control. After a three-day trial and brief jury deliberations, Ian was cleared of all charges. Ian had only begun to leave the courtroom when the crack of gunfire pierced the air, and his body slumped upon the court steps. Witnesses at the scene were unable to pinpoint the location of the shooter; many suspect that he was shot by the very same "sniper" who shot Johnny K. Gambino last year.

Ian is currently in under tight security at a nearby hospital; he listed in critical condition.

Click here for a detailed account of the story.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

BIZARRE DUEL PROVIDES UNEASY ANSWERS
By Cindy Donovinh
Saturday, April 01, 2006

What started as a quarrel over a romantic entanglement became something much more bizarre as the mysterious LabTech X returned to Gaia to sort out his unfinished business with the Gambino Family.(+)

A squabble between two men competing over the same woman prompted a meeting at the Barton Cliffs today, as Gino Gambino challenged Ian to a duel to the death. The object of the duel was to win Sasha's affections, but witnesses report that Sasha seemed distraught over the conflict. Ian, just released from the hospital after being gravely wounded by the infamous "Sniper" last month, was clearly in no condition to fight, but Gino Gambino appeared mad with determination to destroy Ian.

Just as a merciless Gino was about to push Ian over the cliff, LabTech X swooped down, seemingly out of nowhere, and stopped Gino dead in his tracks. LabTech X injected Gino with what appeared to be a huge syringe full of G-Virus. Gino and X engaged in a brief scuffle at the edge of the cliff before toppling over the edge and landing in the sea below with a massive, blinding flash of light.

When the dust settled, a miraculous and inexplicable outcome had emerged: LabTech X had been completely destroyed, and long-dead billionaire Johnny K. Gambino was seen emerging from the crater looking fitter than ever; stranger still, Gino Gambino was also present at the scene, looking noticeably younger than before.

A possible explanation for this baffling event comes from documents sent to Gaia 9 Action News by LabTech X; according to these documents, the G-Virus was originally devised as a method to combine Johnny K. Gambino's living tissue with that of his son, at once making Johnny years younger and instilling Gino with his father's half-insane drive to succeed. The combined Johnny/Gino being would be an immortal heir to the Gambino empire!

During their fall from the ill-fated Gambino Tower, Johnny and Gino merged into one being, completing the sinister purpose of the G-Virus. This may explain Gino's marked change in character over the last few months. While he was once a shy and retiring youngster, his recent actions were more in line with his father's personality: mad with power, driven to succeed at all costs, and willing to step over his friends to satisfy his desires.

We can only speculate that the energy blast released by the cataclysmic duel with LabTech X somehow separated Johnny and Gino into two distinct beings once more. The exact cause of this event remains shrouded in mystery, but one thing is clear: the Gambino Family has returned.

Full coverage of the story can be found here.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

INTERPLANETARY TENSIONS HIGHLIGHT GAMBINO EVENT
By Cindy Donovinh
Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Alien beings, known as the Zurg, have initiated contact with our world. Researchers indicate that their presence was first detected after the energy flash that separated Johnny and Gino Gambino. (+)Whether the Zurg are friendly or hostile is as yet unclear, but our race has now made peaceful contact with their leader, the enigmatic "Mother."

Our contact with the extra-terrestrial beings, now called an "invasion" by many, started slowly: UFO sightings in Gaia's Towns began to rise astronomically, ranchers reported that their cows had gone missing, and elaborate "crop circles" appeared in fields. Some Gaians claimed that the Zurg spoke to them, and even noted distinct personalities among different Zurg beings. Some seemed to be hostile, some seemed friendly, and one seemed slightly disabled.

The Zurg did not officially make their presence known until the annual Halloween party at the Gambino Mansion. "Mother" made a surprise appearance, crashing her massive ship into the mansion and announcing herself as the creator of the recently introduced Zurg energy drink.

An account of the party can be seen here.

Zurg "party crashers" stormed the event, drunkenly probing cows and humans with their strange alien devices. Whether the probing was a friendly greeting or an act of violence has not been determined; many Gaians took offense to the invasive prodding, and fought back with non-lethal ray guns, "zapping" many aliens into submission.

Gaian gossip-hounds also report that the event also contained some distinctly Gaian tensions as well. Popular Gaian socialite Liam was seen carousing with Sasha at the ball, much to the distress of Moira and Vanessa, who had previously been romantically linked with the Aekean heartthrob. Witnesses report that all three women left the ball looking furious; Liam, amazingly, managed to escape unharmed.

Since the Halloween party, the Zurg Energy Drink has been outselling Gambino's once-popular Red Bino drink by a wide margin. The Zurg market their drink as a healthful tonic that improves intelligence and boosts attractiveness, but the drink has a shocking side effect: it mutates the DNA of anyone who drinks it, turning them into a Zurg!

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

ZURG HERO SHOT DOWN BY COMRADES
By Cindy Donovinh
Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Reports of the crash-landing of a Zurg spacecraft shed new light on the mysterious disappearance of UFO pilot 09, considered by many in the Gaian resistance to be one of the few trustworthy aliens.(+) Eyewitness accounts indicate that 09's craft was seen engaged in an aerial dogfight with two other Zurg craft; 09 attempted evasive maneuvers, but was shot down in a hail of laser fire by a craft believed to belong to the notoriously ill-tempered UFO 11.

It is unknown whether 09 survived the spectacular crash; no remains were found at the crash site, and a sighting of the alien mothership hovering over the wreckage lead some Gains to speculate that 09's remains may have been recovered by the Zurg Mother.

Sources close to the situation speculate that 09's romance with a Gaian known as Yuzi K may have been the source of the tensions that caused such a shocking betrayal.

You can view the eyewitness reconstructions of the event here.

[[NPC] Cindy Donovinh]

GAMBINO DENOUNCES ALIEN MOTHER
By Cindy Donovinh
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

In a televised interview with Gaia 9 Action News, industrialist Johnny K Gambino has announced that he has severed all business ties with the flourishing Zurg energy drink conglomerate.(+) Gambino revealed that members of the Gaian Resistance, who oppose the Zurg's activities on Gaia, presented him with documents which proved that the Zurg Mother had nefarious plans for Gaia's future. Although details of this alleged plan are sketchy, Gambino believes that Mother may be planning to reform the Gaian government in order to "save the Gaians from their own ignorance."

While the exact nature of this government takeover is unclear, Gambino has made it clear that he does not intend to be a part of whatever plans Mother may be making. Additionally, Gambino has revealed that further Zurg documents expose a possible plot to kidnap Santa, the beloved mascot of Gaia's Xmas holiday.

The full interview can be read here.