Aurora Programme

The Aurora Programme was an alleged Kerlian sleeper agent training programme which operated from 1969 until 2020. Three separate leaks of documents from the Matriarchy of Kerlile pertaining to the Programme occurred between 2018-19, informing the world of its existence.

The first set of Aurora leaks led to the imprisonment of former Lauchenoirian Prime Minister Charissa Clarke after the allegations that she was in fact an "Aurora" (the colloquial term for an agent operating under this Programme) during the Truth & Reconciliation Commission set up by the Haven Accords.

In late 2019, a third leak provided more information on the Programme, leading some countries to attempt to 'hunt down' members of this Programme. One such "Aurora" was tried and found guilty in Eiria in February 2020 and sentenced to one year in prison.

Document leaks

First leak

The first set of Aurora leaks happened during the peace negotiations taking place in Haven, Sanctaria to conclude the Second Lauchenoirian Civil War. The leak consisted of a number of documents pertaining to the identity of Charissa Clarke revealing that she was not, in fact, Lauchenoirian.

These included a birth certificate for a woman named Amanda Cartwright born in Region 17 in Kerlile, alongside a Kerlian Citizen Identity Number (KCID) which later appeared in other documents, indicating that the child named Amanda Cartwright at birth was sent to an Aurora Programme training centre.

The KCID number also appears on several documents included in the leak, including emails in the style of spam sent to Charissa Clarke at her parliamentary email address and on an online messaging service where references to "Operation Unicorn" are made. It is widely believed that Councillor Carmen Robinson leaked these documents.

Second leak

The second leak occurred on the 30th October 2018, where documents were sent to Lauchenoirian news outlets. These documents pertained to the Pierre family's involvement in the Aurora Programme, leading many to believe that they were an attempt to have Pauline Pierre found guilty of war crimes. However, during Pierre's trial, in spite of this evidence being submitted, she was acquitted.

The documents included paperwork used to found the Aurora Programme and purchase premises for training with the signature of Pauline's grandmother Susanna Pierre, though it did not give the location of said premises. While this set of documents linked the Pierre family with the Programme, they were less focused on Pauline individually, though they did state that the Pierre family commanded the Programme to this day.

Further documents included in this leak detailed the organisational structure of the Programme, naming it as entirely separate to the Kerlian Intelligence Service. Included was a diagram of a command structure, but no individuals were named and the titles listed did not correspond to any known Kerlian rank system.

The source of this second leak is unknown, with some suspecting Carmen Robinson as in the first case. However, Robinson has openly denied responsibility for the second and third leaks, though she has not publicly answered questions on the first.

Third leak

A third set of leaks were released on the 23rd November 2019. This was the most comprehensive set of documents on the Programme leaked from the Matriarchy, with the bulk of the leak being numerical figures for how many "Auroras" were sent abroad, and to which countries they were sent. According to the documents, approximately 10 had been deployed yearly since 1980.

These documents also detailed the Programme's methodology: orphan girls would be tested at the age of two or three, with those testing highest on a mix of physical, mental and psychological tests being admitted into the Programme. They would then train until the age of 14, mixing espionage training with normal schooling, before being assigned a country to infiltrate and sent off with false documents.

As a result of this leak, a number of nations began a process of systematically "hunting" down Auroras and imprisoning them. One case in Eiria led to a Kerlian agent being convicted of espionage for being part of this Programme.

Response from Kerlile

The Matriarchy of Kerlile has repeatedly denied the existence of a covert sleeper agent training programme. In response to the first set of leaks, and repeated later in response to the others, the Council of Kerlile have released statements saying that the Aurora Programme was an educational initiative designed to improve the life opportunities of orphaned girls in Kerlile. This explanation of a social mobility initiative has been widely rejected.

In early 2020, a statement quietly released by the Kerlian government stated that the Aurora Programme had been shut down. It did not, however, state what the purpose of the Aurora Programme had been.

Response from elsewhere

It is widely believed in Lauchenoiria that the references to "Operation Unicorn" in the first set of leaks referred to a plan by Kerlile to push Lauchenoiria into a state of chaos and civil dispute, with the end goal of annexing the country. Those who believe this theory say that Suleman Chaher was goaded into launching a coup d'état against Laura Moore by Charissa Clarke on the orders of the Matriarchy. No conclusive proof of this theory has been found.

In 2021, a group of individuals claiming to be former members of the Aurora Programme took part in an assault on the Cauhloc, the headquarters of ASI in Xiomera in conjunction with personnel from Huenya. Huenya later apologised for the raid and the incident led to Yauhmi's abdication. It is believed, however, that a number of "ex-Auroras" presently reside in Huenya on invitation from Yauhmi.

In Eiria, multiple trials of suspected members of the Programme took place in early 2020, leading to convictions and prison terms for espionage.

Alleged members

Former Prime Minister of Lauchenoiria Charissa Clarke was the first known member of the Programme; her status as an "Aurora" being revealed during the peace negotiations which resulted in the Haven Accords.

A woman named Zichitla who was convicted of attempting to murder three members of the Council of Kerlile is also thought to be an "Aurora" who previously resided in Xiomera.

Four women in Eiria were convicted of being "Auroras" and imprisoned for varying lengths of time. They were identified as Sarah Elset-Duffy, Riley Nelson, Diana Reese and Marie Ducette.