INS EXCLUSIVE:
<font size=4>Sovereignty commits horrific war crimes on massive scale
Vicious attacks on Bespin and Taloraan labeled ‘brutal’</font>
Earlier today, the Outer-Rim Sovereignty, a government aligned with the so-called Coalition, launched an underhanded pair of attacks on the worlds of Bespin and Taloraan. Spurred on by recent threats of war, the residents of both planets had proudly done their duty, joining with their fellow Imperial citizens and taking up arms against the alien invaders.
But in the wake of those two attacks, two cities have been utterly obliterated, and two planets robbed of their precious natural resource – and the Sovereignty is to blame.
Imperial News Service holoreceptors were there, planted all over Cloud City and Taloraan City, to bring you this exclusive story live, from the front lines of the war between the Galactic Empire and the rebel sympathizers…
A collage of pictures flash forth, of a city lit by the orange glow of a tinted sun, citizens on the streets holding rifles and marching in lines. A calm, but stern voice speaks as they do so. “The planets and cities of Bespin and Taloraan could almost be called twins; both are nearly identical in appearance and purpose. And so, both worlds received similar commands from the Grand Marshall; band together, defend your empire, hold your ground, and never surrender. Almost overnight, the Bespin Civilian Defense Force, and Taloraan Civilian Resistance Militia were formed. Both, like the cities they defended, served similar purposes.”
Moving images are shown of proud, strong men and women standing in line, Imperial crests on the makeshift armor they wear, weapons clutched firmly in hand. “They had no idea that their resolve would be tested so soon. Only hours ago, the alarms rung out, as foreign vessels arrived in-system, their designs denoting them as belonging to the Outer-Rim Sovereignty. Their agenda quickly became clear; brutal conquest, at all costs. The defenders of Bespin heard the words,” ‘You have one hour to tuck your tail between your legs and go running back to Bastion. You have eight seconds to respond with your unconditional surrender.’ The image changes to one of several ships moving inbounds. The pictures are fuzzy, as if shot by an orbital satellite still in motion. “Similar threats were uttered at Taloraan, but to no avail. Imperial Citizens, as the enemy seemingly did not understand, are not intimidated by bullying and terror delivered by boorish barbarians too uneducated to know what protectorate the worlds they are attacking belong to. But even they did not know the lengths to which the Sovereignty would go to gain ‘victory’.”
The image shifts abruptly to one with sound, as two vessels descend from the sky onto landing platforms. Autocannons blaze away at them, scoring hits on one of them, bringing crashing to the platform below. The other lands safely, but as armored troops rush out of it, they are struck by enormous volumes of laser fire, most of them dying. “Sovereignty forces faced enormous opposition and a tactical handicap their inept commanders had no logical way to overcome.” A squad of Sovereignty soldiers rush towards an entrance to a building on either Bespin or Taloraan. Laser blasts flood in from nearby viewports and autocannons, cutting them down. The view shifts to a pair of civilian warriors under the command of a Stormtrooper, looking down the barrels of their blasters, firing. More soldiers are killed.
“Imperial civilians fought valiantly, defending their city with courage and honor. Even against overwhelming force, they held most of the city, killing thousands.” A pair of Sovereignty soldiers are shown rushing through a doorway, immediately being ambushed with laser fire. One is immediately cut down, the other wounded. A citizen approaches from the left, striking him with the butt of his weapon.
“But the Outer-Rim Sovereignty, brutal as it is, was willing to go to any extreme to gain victory. They began starfighter bombardment, dropping these massive arms on civilians fighting for their homeland, with reckless abandon. Some canisters were filled with toxic chemical agents, others with explosives.” Sovereignty fighters are shown blistering overhead, bombs falling from their hatches. The angle shifts to a view above the ground, where a number of explosions rage inside buildings. One building topples. Then, a view within a building, where noxious gas permeates the air, and several civilians run through it. One gasps, and chokes, falling to the ground. “It was only by pure luck that some citizens subjected to this abominable tactic survived; Cloud City and Taloraan City possess far lower degrees of air pressure than normal worlds, and a good deal of the gas dispersed enough to only act as an anesthetic. However, as shown here, some citizens felt the full brunt of this dangerous nerve agent.”
“Their terror would not stop here. Imperial citizens, gassed, bombed or otherwise, will not give in; they know no surrender, no disloyalty, and no treason. If there is one thing that rebels, who have always operated through dread and terror, cannot countenance, it is bravery.” Once again, a grand view of the city is shown, where explosions rage. “What began as a bombing campaign emphasized by a lack of caring for the safety of the inhabitants of Cloud City and Taloraan City began a malicious, vile assault with one goal in mind; the destruction of those two floating cities.”
Suddenly, a view of the underbelly of Cloud City or Taloraan City is shown, from a holoreceptor clearly mounted on it. Several missiles streak in, striking the hull and causing a massive explosion, ripping it open. Two more missiles rush inside, and seconds later, smoke and fire pour out of the hull breach. They envelop the holoreceptor, and the view dissolves. “Whether the final, killing blow was struck by the fighter assault on the underbellies of Cloud City and Talorran City, or by the explosives planted by Sovereignty forces – rushing through holes opened by brutal use of chemical agents – but one thing is certain.” In a view within a building, citizens run in terror as the city rumbles beneath them, as a message echoes: “Attention, attention. This is the Administrator of this facility. The occupying forces have critically damaged Taloraan City’s reactor. All personnel are ordered to evacuate immediately. Repeat, evacuate immediately.”
Finally, on a view that slowly moves away, Cloud City is shown shuddering, dropping slightly, and then descending fully from view, falling deep within the clouds. “The two stations fell and fell, until atmospheric pressure became great enough to buckle them. It seems that the greed and lust for power of the Outer-Rim Sovereignty does not even impede them from the destruction of the precious resources of Bespin and Taloraan. The explosion of the two cities, one on each world, totaled that of multiple hydrogen bombs. The blast spread light and heat through the atmosphere, igniting pockets of tibanna. From here, it was a chain reaction, destroying most, if not nearly all, of the tibanna on the worlds.”
A short orbital view is shown, where small spots of red are now visible on the orange-grey of Bespin.
“Clearly, these were not accidents, or the vicious actions of one over-zealous commander. Given that two worlds were both independently violated in such a grotesque manner, we can only assume that this terrible protocol of destruction was handed down from the higher rungs of the Outer-Rim Sovereignty government. What sort of galactic power performs such terrible actions? Many fled the failing stations before their fateful, but many did not. Now, two worlds, while mostly unchanged in appearance, lie barren, and two cities are gone from the face of the galaxy forever.”
Admiral Drayson and Commodore Gevel, while unavailable for personal comment, have, apparently, already been informed of this savagery, and are deeply saddened by these atrocities, and are vowing retribution. Gevel has given us this statement through an aide. “Besides just being appalled and saddened, I’m frightened. Not because I’m intimidated by this sort of terrorism, but because I wonder what sort of government – what sort of human beings are capable of this. What does it bode for the galaxy when such evil beings are permitted to become leaders of men?”
Other military leaders have called these attacks “brutal”, and “as terrible as any military actions in history”. But the office of Grand Marshall Simon Kaine has released this statement:
“The Outer-Rim Sovereignty may believe they have won the day, but rest assured, this outrage will not go unnoticed. The thugs and brutes responsible for these warcrimes will see justice.”
INS
<font size=4>Sovereignty commits horrific war crimes on massive scale
Vicious attacks on Bespin and Taloraan labeled ‘brutal’</font>
Earlier today, the Outer-Rim Sovereignty, a government aligned with the so-called Coalition, launched an underhanded pair of attacks on the worlds of Bespin and Taloraan. Spurred on by recent threats of war, the residents of both planets had proudly done their duty, joining with their fellow Imperial citizens and taking up arms against the alien invaders.
But in the wake of those two attacks, two cities have been utterly obliterated, and two planets robbed of their precious natural resource – and the Sovereignty is to blame.
Imperial News Service holoreceptors were there, planted all over Cloud City and Taloraan City, to bring you this exclusive story live, from the front lines of the war between the Galactic Empire and the rebel sympathizers…
* * * * *
A collage of pictures flash forth, of a city lit by the orange glow of a tinted sun, citizens on the streets holding rifles and marching in lines. A calm, but stern voice speaks as they do so. “The planets and cities of Bespin and Taloraan could almost be called twins; both are nearly identical in appearance and purpose. And so, both worlds received similar commands from the Grand Marshall; band together, defend your empire, hold your ground, and never surrender. Almost overnight, the Bespin Civilian Defense Force, and Taloraan Civilian Resistance Militia were formed. Both, like the cities they defended, served similar purposes.”
Moving images are shown of proud, strong men and women standing in line, Imperial crests on the makeshift armor they wear, weapons clutched firmly in hand. “They had no idea that their resolve would be tested so soon. Only hours ago, the alarms rung out, as foreign vessels arrived in-system, their designs denoting them as belonging to the Outer-Rim Sovereignty. Their agenda quickly became clear; brutal conquest, at all costs. The defenders of Bespin heard the words,” ‘You have one hour to tuck your tail between your legs and go running back to Bastion. You have eight seconds to respond with your unconditional surrender.’ The image changes to one of several ships moving inbounds. The pictures are fuzzy, as if shot by an orbital satellite still in motion. “Similar threats were uttered at Taloraan, but to no avail. Imperial Citizens, as the enemy seemingly did not understand, are not intimidated by bullying and terror delivered by boorish barbarians too uneducated to know what protectorate the worlds they are attacking belong to. But even they did not know the lengths to which the Sovereignty would go to gain ‘victory’.”
The image shifts abruptly to one with sound, as two vessels descend from the sky onto landing platforms. Autocannons blaze away at them, scoring hits on one of them, bringing crashing to the platform below. The other lands safely, but as armored troops rush out of it, they are struck by enormous volumes of laser fire, most of them dying. “Sovereignty forces faced enormous opposition and a tactical handicap their inept commanders had no logical way to overcome.” A squad of Sovereignty soldiers rush towards an entrance to a building on either Bespin or Taloraan. Laser blasts flood in from nearby viewports and autocannons, cutting them down. The view shifts to a pair of civilian warriors under the command of a Stormtrooper, looking down the barrels of their blasters, firing. More soldiers are killed.
“Imperial civilians fought valiantly, defending their city with courage and honor. Even against overwhelming force, they held most of the city, killing thousands.” A pair of Sovereignty soldiers are shown rushing through a doorway, immediately being ambushed with laser fire. One is immediately cut down, the other wounded. A citizen approaches from the left, striking him with the butt of his weapon.
“But the Outer-Rim Sovereignty, brutal as it is, was willing to go to any extreme to gain victory. They began starfighter bombardment, dropping these massive arms on civilians fighting for their homeland, with reckless abandon. Some canisters were filled with toxic chemical agents, others with explosives.” Sovereignty fighters are shown blistering overhead, bombs falling from their hatches. The angle shifts to a view above the ground, where a number of explosions rage inside buildings. One building topples. Then, a view within a building, where noxious gas permeates the air, and several civilians run through it. One gasps, and chokes, falling to the ground. “It was only by pure luck that some citizens subjected to this abominable tactic survived; Cloud City and Taloraan City possess far lower degrees of air pressure than normal worlds, and a good deal of the gas dispersed enough to only act as an anesthetic. However, as shown here, some citizens felt the full brunt of this dangerous nerve agent.”
“Their terror would not stop here. Imperial citizens, gassed, bombed or otherwise, will not give in; they know no surrender, no disloyalty, and no treason. If there is one thing that rebels, who have always operated through dread and terror, cannot countenance, it is bravery.” Once again, a grand view of the city is shown, where explosions rage. “What began as a bombing campaign emphasized by a lack of caring for the safety of the inhabitants of Cloud City and Taloraan City began a malicious, vile assault with one goal in mind; the destruction of those two floating cities.”
Suddenly, a view of the underbelly of Cloud City or Taloraan City is shown, from a holoreceptor clearly mounted on it. Several missiles streak in, striking the hull and causing a massive explosion, ripping it open. Two more missiles rush inside, and seconds later, smoke and fire pour out of the hull breach. They envelop the holoreceptor, and the view dissolves. “Whether the final, killing blow was struck by the fighter assault on the underbellies of Cloud City and Talorran City, or by the explosives planted by Sovereignty forces – rushing through holes opened by brutal use of chemical agents – but one thing is certain.” In a view within a building, citizens run in terror as the city rumbles beneath them, as a message echoes: “Attention, attention. This is the Administrator of this facility. The occupying forces have critically damaged Taloraan City’s reactor. All personnel are ordered to evacuate immediately. Repeat, evacuate immediately.”
Finally, on a view that slowly moves away, Cloud City is shown shuddering, dropping slightly, and then descending fully from view, falling deep within the clouds. “The two stations fell and fell, until atmospheric pressure became great enough to buckle them. It seems that the greed and lust for power of the Outer-Rim Sovereignty does not even impede them from the destruction of the precious resources of Bespin and Taloraan. The explosion of the two cities, one on each world, totaled that of multiple hydrogen bombs. The blast spread light and heat through the atmosphere, igniting pockets of tibanna. From here, it was a chain reaction, destroying most, if not nearly all, of the tibanna on the worlds.”
A short orbital view is shown, where small spots of red are now visible on the orange-grey of Bespin.
“Clearly, these were not accidents, or the vicious actions of one over-zealous commander. Given that two worlds were both independently violated in such a grotesque manner, we can only assume that this terrible protocol of destruction was handed down from the higher rungs of the Outer-Rim Sovereignty government. What sort of galactic power performs such terrible actions? Many fled the failing stations before their fateful, but many did not. Now, two worlds, while mostly unchanged in appearance, lie barren, and two cities are gone from the face of the galaxy forever.”
* * * * *
Admiral Drayson and Commodore Gevel, while unavailable for personal comment, have, apparently, already been informed of this savagery, and are deeply saddened by these atrocities, and are vowing retribution. Gevel has given us this statement through an aide. “Besides just being appalled and saddened, I’m frightened. Not because I’m intimidated by this sort of terrorism, but because I wonder what sort of government – what sort of human beings are capable of this. What does it bode for the galaxy when such evil beings are permitted to become leaders of men?”
Other military leaders have called these attacks “brutal”, and “as terrible as any military actions in history”. But the office of Grand Marshall Simon Kaine has released this statement:
“The Outer-Rim Sovereignty may believe they have won the day, but rest assured, this outrage will not go unnoticed. The thugs and brutes responsible for these warcrimes will see justice.”
INS
