The Galactic Coalition had called a massive press conference. Members of the press from every corner of the galaxy had been invited, every major faction had its’ media representatives amongst the crowd. They stood in silence around a large, solid oak podium, which bore the symbol of the coalition. After what seemed an age, three figures came out from a back room.

One of them was a human, evidently an ambassador by the clothes he wore. The other two were massive humanoids, near twice the size of a man, wearing full suits of armour plating that hid their features. The ambassador took the stand, straightened several papers and began to speak.

“This has been passed down to me from the High Command Council of the Coalition And Its’ Allies.

“ ‘To the Honourable members of the press, leaders of the peoples of the galaxy, and the great citizens of their worlds. As you hear this, the people of the Coalition prepare for war. It is not the first time we have banded together for the greater good, and sadly, it will not be the last.

“ ‘As you hear this, great warships are being gathered, forces amassed, for a great campaign which we are about to embark upon. The Coalition has always been at war, even when we were fragments of smaller nations we were always at war, and until either our opponent or us is slain, we will almost certainly always be at war. You know of whom we speak. It is the Empire.

“ ‘And despite their claims of justice and order, they make war with us too. During the earliest days of the Coalition they attacked us. Further back in history, they have attacked the New Republic, and all the way back to the collapse of the Old Republic and the birth of their Empire, they have always attacked whoever stood for justice and right.

“ ‘Well now is the time for striking back. Ever since the Mon Calamari Republic, the Azguardian Galactic Military, and the New Rebellion solidified their bonds into the Coalition, they knew that the Empire would come for them. But we have decided that no longer will we stand idly by and weather your wars, we shall strike you, and then perhaps you shall learn to respect the galaxy and the rights of its’ people.

“ ‘And despite what your endless masses of propaganda may say, you have made a lot of enemies in this world, and they are all closing in on you. If you could only leave us in peace, if you could only respect the galaxy and agree to coexist then perhaps this would not have happened.

“ ‘But you won’t. Like all Empires you greedily expand, destroying at will any and all in your way. So we must take up arms and defend ourselves once more. We are the peoples of this galaxy, united and prepared to fight for our rights to exist.

“So beware, Empire, for we are coming.

“Coalition Council, Mon Calamari."


“That is all. Good day”

And with that, under a flurry of flashing cameras and reporters’ questions, the three figures departed.


From Admiral Arden's Office -

A Galactic Coalition representative, flanked by Azguard warriors announced a formal declaration of war on the Galactic Empire today, claiming that it was "Time to strike back". And "Like all Empire's you greedily expand". This message was not intended for the entire galactic populace, but it was issued directly to Imperial citizens and authorities. The Coalition has already launched assaults on Imperial holdings.

Admiral Arden's office has issued an addendum to the announced declaration today. It is as follows:

"This attack is not unprovoked. It has been precipitated by many months of conflicts. This attack is in direct response to the Empire's past campaigns into Mon Calamari territory.

"Do not think the Galactic Coalition soldiers are monsters, we are merely defending ourselves from future Imperial wars, before they come.

"The Empire continues to expand, unchecked. This must stop NOW. Until now, there is no balance of power. I want to let the Empire know that they have bullied us around for far to long. This ends now.

"Do not take us for weak fools. We will not let you go unchecked. The time of the Empire is drawing to a close. We are coming for you, and we will never stop. You have my word."

Other than that, Admiral Arden refused to comment on any news of the coming war or of GC readiness for it.

His precursory search of the holonet proved fruitless as to any relevant news. He was pleased to see ads for his own company airing from time to time, but that seemed to be all there was for him. That was until an overriding signal took hold over the station he was watching to cover a confrence that must have held some importance.

He listened intently, not often did an overide signal reach him at such a distance to interupt his feeds. It was near the end of the conference when he intercepted a signal broadcasted directly towards imperial space and quickly deciphered its contents.

...And "Like all Empire's you greedily expand"...

The Galactic Coalition had earned his Ire this day

<font size=4>Rebel sympathizers declare war
Imperial Fleet prepares for Coalition assault</font>

Yesterday the Galactic Coalition, an organization known for its links with terrorist groups such as the Mon Calamari Republic and the Tholatin Empire released a statement in which they declared war on the Galactic Empire.

Moff Bhindi Drayson, of the Imperial Ubiqtorare, said that the statement was not unexpected by "revealed the extent of the Coalition's idiocy" by giving away their hand to early. "Any commander knows the advantage of a surprise attack," she said, "and to give away one such as this is a stupid, stupid move."

A member of the Imperial High Command, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said that the Empire has been in a state of peso war with the Galactic Coalition since before their official formation into one party. "But," he said, "the Empire does not recognize the authority of the Coalition as a legal government. And how can we declare war on something that doesn't even legally exist?"

All governments in the galaxy, of course, are granted permissions to retrain their legality only by the Galactic Empire, and can be revoked at any time.

The Coalition also accused the Empire of "greedily expand[ing]" and said that it is "time to strike back". They also revealed that the extent of their willingness to defy the New Order, saying that "We must take up arms." Hostile action against the Empire is considered treason and punishable by death.

The Imperial High Command has assured us that anyone caught proceeding in treasonous actions will be given a fair trial, and, if found guilty, will be put to death.

Imperial forces are on full alert and ready to stave off any attacks on their sovereignty, according to top IHC officials. One officer said that the Empire is "ready, and waiting only for the Coalition to show its ugly head so that we can cut it off."

Details of the Imperial defence plans and counter assaults are confidential.

-INS Exclusive


The office of Bhindi Drayson also released the following Press Statement in direct regard to the statement by the Coalition:

" For many years the Empire has been at war. We fight to preserve law and justice and stability in our galaxy, and bring the light of these attributes to distant worlds. Already in the short time since the terrible epidemic unleashed by Brell and his New Empire the Empire has saved dozens of worlds.

" Coruscant, decaying former home of the New Republic, Corellia, once the capital of a dead organization, Yaga Minor where we rebuilt an entire world destroyed by the Jutraalian Empire, Csilla, home ward of the Chiss, tragically obliterated by the Wrath Virus, Empress Teta, a system reunited, Talus and Tralus, Mechis, Esselles, and many more.

" The Empire brought light to the oppressed peoples of Kamino, a race that was subjugated and enslaved by the Mon Calamari Republic, who threatened to blow up the cities of that world when the Empire arrived to save the Kaminoians. They did away with the Religious Monster Seti Ashar, and the mass-murderer Chadd Fearsons.

" The Empire has long stood firm against the onslaught of fire that have assaulted her. The Old Republic crumbled and fell, and the Empire rose in her place, and reunited the galaxy under one banner.

" We weathered the tragedies at Yavin 4, where a Rebel assault caused the deaths of millions of loyal Imperials, and Endor, where another attack by the Rebellion cost us the lives of millions more loyalists, and our Emperor Palpatine, and Lord Darth Vader.

" We have stood firm through the rise and fall of the Jutraalian Empire, the New Republic, the Demosthesian Empire, and we will stand firm through the onslaught by the Galactic Coalition.

" The Coalition can say what it likes about the Empire, but in the hearts and the minds of the Imperial people and the people of this galaxy, it is a lie. Even in the hearts and minds of those who serve the Coalition it is a lie.

" The Coalition has long sought more territory. They mass produce warships, taking money from their own people. They channel funds from schools, hospitals, and infastructure to fuel their machines of war.

" Today, as the Empire prepares to stave off another assault and weather another storm, I make this promise to the people of the subjugated worlds: We are coming for you! The Empire will carry the beacon of hope to your worlds and liberate you from the masters that ignore you.

" To long have you stood in the shadows. It is time that the Coalition paid attention to you, and learned that its most important asset is you, the people!

" Thank you all, and Good Night.

Direct from Jan Dondana's office.

"The Galactic Coalition feels that we have the right to oppose the New Order. The Empire that we are attacking built Death Stars, which, despite Imperial lies, were designed to destroy worlds in a single attack. The Empire destroyed Alderaan, a world that had chosen to disarm. The Empire also forced young men to leave their families, and become stromtroopers, despite the fact that those young men did not want to. The Galactic Coalition does not force ANY citizens to join it's army. We are a democracy. If any planet that belongs to the Galactic Coalition wished to leave, we would let them. The Empire went in and attacked Talus and Tralus, killing the military and any civilians that did not wish to join the New Order. The Empire did kill mass murder Emperor Fearsons, but the Mon Calamari had long been at war with them, and though we ended up being their ally in the end, that was only after Emperor Fearsons had reformed, and stopped his mass murdering. We also kept a close watch on his actions, and were prepared to step in in case he started any more mass murders, or any crime that is punishable by the Galactic Coalition. And I would like to point out to one Bhindi Drayson that soemtimes a war can be won by an enemy becoming scared of their opponent, and opening diplomatic ties with them. The Galactic Coalition will always be ready to have a negotiation with you."

<font size=4>Coalition offers rebute
Baseless accusations discredited by Imperial Command</font>

Following an INS article released yesterday, and a statement to the press by Moff Bhindi Drayson of the Imperial Ubiqtorate, the Galactic Coalition has released a counter statement.

Jan Dondana, a known member of the former Rebel Alliance, gave a short press release in which he stated that the Coalition feels that it "has the right to the oppose the New Order." He also accused the Empire of building 'Death Stars'. Death Star, of course, is a term used by the Rebellion to label the Imperial Planetary Waste Removal Stations, two of which the Rebels destroyed in sneak attacks, costing the lives of millions of Imperial civilians.

Dondana also accued the Empire of destroying the world of Alderaan, a tragic accident perpetrated by the late Grand Moff Tarkin. He also (wrongly) makes the assumption that this action was approved and even supported by the Imperial High Command. Were it not for the Moff's death at Yavin 4, a planet scheduled for removal, he would most certainly have been demoted following his gross abuse of power.

Through Dondana, the Coalition also accused the Empire of forceful conscription into the Stormtrooper Corps. It is a widely known fact that the Stormtrooper Corps are made up entierly of cloned soldiers; only the officer corps and drawn from the civilian population, and then only volenteers are accepted.

The Coalition also offered a series of misleading statements, saying that the Empire "went in and attacked Talus and Tralus, killing the military and any civilians that did not wish to join the New Order." Commodore Trachta of the New Order, who spearheaded the liberation of the Double Worlds, was unavailable for comment, but one member of the Mechis Cluster did say this: "Commodore Trachta is a loyal member of the New Order, and would do nothing that is against our own laws. How the Coalition can accuse such an honourable man of crimes such as these, while they are the ones who slaughtered countless civilians to take Kamino and who now move to murder and kill Imperial citizens for their own greedy ends is beyond me."

Dondana did admit that the Mon Calamari Republic had become an ally of the mass murdered Chadd Fearsons, a man who created a 'Death Star' battle station not with the intent of peaceful waste removal, but as a superweapon of unprecendented power, but claimed that they kept a "close watch" on his actions.

As the public is largely aware, the Republic became an ally of the Jutraalian Empire only after they surrendered much of their fleet and all but their capital world to the tyrant Fearsons. Dondana also said that the Empire killed Fearsons, a completely untrue statement. Chaddwick Fearsons currently serves as Govenor of Jutraal, under close watch by the Offices of the Regent and the Grand Marshall.

Moff Bhindi Drayson, to whom a statement was directed by the Coalition, said that the Empire will gladly open negotiations for the surrender of the Coalition at any time.

Imperial warships in the Coruscant, Corellian, and Yaga Minor systems are still on high alert following warnings of an imminent Coalition assault.

-INS Exclusive

OOC:Just pretend this is my Jan Dondana character.

IC:
Direct from Jan Dondana's office

"The Galactic Coalition would like to point out that Bhindi Drayson just contradicted herself. She said, and I quote, 'They did away with the Religious Monster Seti Ashar, and the mass-murderer Chadd Fearsons.' The they she was refering to was the Empire. Then she said, and I quote 'Dondana also said that the Empire killed Fearsons, a completely untrue statement.' To me 'they did away with' sounds like they killed the person that they are speaking about. As for Commodore Trachta being a loyal citizen of the Empire, I do not doubt that. However, I do know that Imperial troops DID go in and murder numerous civilians and military personel on Talus and Tralus. That fact has been told to us by some citizens that have fled after the New Order came in.

As for the claims that the Mon Calamari Republic murdered numerous people on Kamino, those are all completely true. However, we are looking into the matter, and the officer in charge of that operation has been taken of active duty for the time being. The Galactic Coalition will hold a trial if we find any proof that the commander under question has done any wrong doing."

<font size=4>Editorial</font>

Following INS' latest piece about the continued verbal attacks against the New Order, the Galactic Coalition has released another statement. INS would, at this time, like to correct Mr. Dondana's assertation that the Imperial News Service and Moff Bhindi Drayson are one in the same.

Moff Drayson did not contradict herself, because it was the INS, and not the Moff, that said, "Dondana also said that the Empire killed Fearsons, a completely untrue statement." The Imperial News Service is not responsible for any misinterpetations of our announcements on the part of the Coalition.


<font size=4>Coalition continues verbal assault
Latest claims confirm Imperial statements</font>

The Galactic Coalition's latest claims include a reiteration of their accusation that Commodore Trachta murdered innocent civilians in the Liberation of the Double Worlds.

The claims have been dismissed as false by the Imperial High Command. They also offered a claim that citizens of the Double Worlds fled their homeworlds after the New Order took control of the planets.

Citizens of the Empire are, under our laws, free to come and go from our worlds as they please. There are no restrictions upon emmigrating from a recently liberated planet, and we accept that there are some, as there always are, who are not in favour of Imperial rule.

The numbers of citizens who emmigrated from Talus and Tralus after the liberation, however, rose only 2.2% since the previous year. That means that fewer than 10 000 people left the worlds after the Empire took control.

The Coalition also admitted that there were mass civilian deaths during the invasion of Kamino, and stated that the perpetrator has been "taken of active duty for the time being". They also said that they are looking into the matter.

The invasion of Kamino happened nearly a year ago, and the Coalition has not yet found time to punish the persons responsible or even resolve the matter.

<font size=1>(See related story: Former MCR officials arrested; Charged with treason</font>

Imperial Command had no comment on the Coalition's latest propaganda attack.

<blockquote style="padding-left:0.5em; margin-left:0; margin-right:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; border-left:solid 2">that was only after Emperor Fearsons had reformed, and stopped his mass murdering. We also kept a close watch on his actions, and were prepared to step in in case he started any more mass murders, or any crime that is punishable by the Galactic Coalition. </blockquote>


. . .and yet you offer no such redemption to the New Order? And yet, you are prepared to step in now, when the New Order have done nothing of provocation toward the Galactic Coalition or it's citizens.

I find your more than blatent double standards, extremely disturbing.


What I find far more disturbing, is that after numerous brushed off attempts at Peace by the New Order, and while the Coalition makes no attempts of its own for peace through non-violent means, the coalition finds it suitable to advocate this attack that will no doubt end in serious bloodshed.

What right have you to take that ground?

What higher being handed you the right to kill?

Let it be known that the coalition are as much peace loving democrats as hutts are not dry and not fat.

These dastardly criminals are just that, warmongering and bullying the powers of this galaxy into submission with thier starships.

As you paint yourselves with the Righteous brush my friends, know this . . .history, paints you with the biggest brush of all . . .


History, is our greatest judge.

And when our children's children look back on it, they will know you for the bloodthirsty tyrants that you are.

Shame on you all.

<font size=4>Galactic debate continues as worlds brace for war
Governor issues statement</font>

At this hour, the debate regarding the newly formed "Galactic Coalition" (which, despite the implication of the name, consists of a union of a few, moderately influential worlds) declaration of open hostilities with the Galactic Empire. Official advisory warnings provided by the Empire for play on holonet news networks present very compelling evidence that the 'Coalition' is, in fact, a group of rebels and rebel sympathizers reunited under a new banner.

A number of Imperial and non-affiliated news agents have issued statements noting the essential flaw in the recent rebel holonet announcement; that while they claim to represent 'the people' of the galaxy (used very generally throughout), the Empire is, in fact, the rightful heir to the legacy of the Old Republic they claim to represent and currently acts as the defacto galactic government.

Those coming out in favour of the Empire despite the defamation-riddled announcements include Admiral Drayson of the Empire, Glen Turnak of Universal News, and even Governor Fearsons, benevolently granted continued dominion over Jutraal in the recent Imperial liberation of that world.

Governor and Commodore Theren Gevel, of the Bastion Conclave, long known for his wordy rebuttals, came forward with merely this brief statement to the press, in reference to the comment, "The time of the Empire is drawing to a close. We are coming for you, and we will never stop. You have my word," by 'Admiral' Arden.

"As many men before me have said, the reports have our death have been greatly exaggerated. The 'Galactic Coalition' has made a hell of a mistake."

-INS