Veritas News Inc. -- Vectinia, Hewett Sector

TE SHUK'LA TSAD - TE ME'SUUM SOLUS

"The group broken, but the planet united," so says the title of our broadcast in roughly uttered Mando'a. Is there truth to this? Having noticed conflicting reports of the recent events in the Hewett Sector's Vectinia system, a well-know region north of the core boasting over 420 million inhabitants, Veritas Press has sent a team of experienced investigative journalists to the allegedly war-torn system in attempt to further report the veracity of the most recent events.

First, a little background on the system's only planet, Vectinia. A fairly large planet, nearly half of its crust is covered in volcanoes and lava, much of the rest covered by ice. Almost all of the planet's habitable regions had been developed for a long period of time by Ailon Nova Guard, once a government that later became a megacorporation. In recent years, the planet was in the news with reports of a workers' uprising in the city of Attigrad, which was quickly quelled by troops led by Grand Admiral Lorenzas Atticus' elite Guardian special forces. The day lives on in questionable memory as Liberation Day in the sector.

However, it seems that political unrest and the threat of civil war had not been eliminated. While opposition groups operated with varying degrees of visibility, the Grand Admiral changed the direction of the company from that of a ship and arms producer to a mercenary force. The loss of revenue caused by this change further agitated the population, and even led to rumblings within the high command's inner circle, resulting in the resignation of the group's original founder and wealthiest member. Further complicating things, the Guard's media director was executed without a trial, for treason.

Always opportunistic, the widely regarded criminal organization Zann Consortium saw a chance to increase its wealth and influence by infiltrating Vectinia with spies and political operatives. The goal was to further build the resolve of insurgent groups while possibly making connections within Ailon's high command. The ideal agent for this was Kohl Straffer, who had known Atticus and Zann leader Ximaro Jix for a long time and who was being groomed as leader of the Guard while Atticus pursued his mercenary desires. Straffer's security clearances within the company were such that he was able to take ownership of almost all of Ailon's assets. Distraught with such a loss, Atticus took off to the far reaches of space, leaving a trusted friend in control of the company.

Whether former Grand Admiral Atticus' presence on the planet would have made a difference in the subsequent events remains a matter of conjecture, but his disappearance was certainly not an example of strong leadership. By the time his comrades reached him on comm, the whole planet was at war. However, Atticus was not without a chance to recover the planet, and hurried back toward Vectinia as he contacted several allied groups for assistance - The Kerdos Company, Knights of the Fountain, the Trade Federation, the Wraiths, Corsec and other groups, some of which he had considered selling a stake in the company to. Their foes? The now-powerful Nova Blades, backed by the Zann Consortium.

Straffer's Nova Blades moved first and thus had the advantage, setting up shields over most of the planet. According to a senior Wraiths official, "We never got to do much other than scouting and playing hard to get on the surface. However, we were observers of the socio-political developments that caused the eventual dissolution of the CorSec/TF/Kurdos [sic] side. Simply put: poor communication got the best of several top people. Amazing work was done by those on the ground, truly amazing, and it was working, albeit slowly. Clear expectations and leadership should have been decided before, not forced and changed during. And trust, that was strained as well."

Diabolus ut' Persolvo, owner of the Kerdos Company, had no comment for us, but was publicly overheard saying that "I was definitely on the wrong side of what was clearly a long needed revolution and NOT a 'looting.'"

Emperor Seele had but a brief comment: "The [Galactic] Empire has no role or part in the conflict in the Vectinia system, and no public comment to make. However, we wish the best to those involved in fending off the toxic forces of Zann from their world."

The rebuilding process, if not smooth, is proceeding rapidly. Countless millions of inhabitants have been displaced from their homes and moved to makeshift shelters, and famine has spread like wildfire among the lowest social strata, but it appears that life on Vectinia will go on. But at what cost? That is the question that lingers like an ominous spectre in the air.

As we surveyd a local settlement situated at the interface between freezing glacier and consuming lava, we tangibly felt the eerie silence that permeated the scenery. Deeper down the stream that traversed through the village, we found a weeping mother who let her baby go into the river toward the volcano. She knew broken Basic.

"Why must they do this. We have built this civilization for millions of years. But all the wars of the invading off-worlders, and the pathetic rulers before them care nothing for us. It is always war, war destroy! Why can't they live in peace?"

The reporter cried in pain with her as the woman's baby slowly floated away into the volcanic region, every fibre of her being wishing this was not so. No wishful desire can undo tragedy. And as reality eventually sank in she could do nothing but dazedly thank her for the experience. She, Ms. Silva, welcomed the mother to join us off-world but she would not come. "I will have one soon who I can feed, I know it." The steel in her voice was unmistakable, but words had become the lament of the dying. It was time to get off this awful planet. Even farther down the river, toward the horridly steaming swamp that lay a short distance away from the lava lakes, some men were swimming, along with children without legs, some blinded or otherwise maimed or mauled. None truly left unscathed.

"I am Magdalena, the mother of the village. I will swim down the river last." Toria wondered what stories the woman had left to tell, and would there be other generations to hear it, as the sight of Vectinia slowly faded away.

- V.S.

TO THE PUBLIC

For archived GNS broadcasts on the War on Vectinia tune in to the following:

Greed and clarity - The fall of Vectinia
Posted by: Neria Derycke - CorSec
Date: Year 19 Day 151

Loss of Epic Proportions
Hacked by: Nat N`ightshade - Zann Consortium
Date: Year 19 Day 142

For additional information on groups and persons mentioned in this transmission: