HoloNet News You Think You Have Broken Us...

Douglas Hudson

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Chief

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The Gatekeeper
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Across the holonet, there would be breaking news. Not long after the events surrounding the explosion at the Sector Rangers HQ, causing the death of many of those who were there. The Sector Rangers Chief Douglas Hudson who was there at the time, was strongly rumored to be dead, even with some other unsavoury media outlets claiming it was true. But the newscasters would shift on over and the viewers would be treated to a sight of the Chief himself in a medical bay. His head and arms were bandaged up, and his breathing was labored and hoarse. The entire left side of his face was still covered up, and one of his arms looked unusable. However, he looked directly at the camera, one of his aides standing beside him to hold a mic to project his voice.


With a stern look on his face, the Ranger Chief would begin speaking “You may look at me now and think that you have won,” He drew in a soft breath, “You may look at me now and think that you have broken me...that you have broken the Rangers,” Chief Hudson coughed a few times, wheezing to draw in a labored breath, “But you have only united us. You have ignited a fire where there were only sparks. You have forced leaps, when there were only steps,” Passion danced in his eyes as he gazed at the camera, “I will not dignify those that committed this crime with a name. I will not give them the glory and attention that they are so desperately craving.”


He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again after a moment, “I speak instead to you, Rangers. My brothers and my sisters. We will heal from this. We will prevail. We will come together and be stronger than ever. They are doing this because they fear us, because we have backed a wounded animal into a corner and because we simply will not back down. They can hurt us, they can kill us, they can scare us, but they will never divide us. We have stood as one before, and we will do so now. We will assemble a task force at once to take this problem head on.””


The Chief managed a weak smile then, “I am still here and so are the Rangers. We carry the spirits of the Rangers that gave their lives for the cause with us. And we will not be going anywhere.”


OOC: Open to reactions
 

Darmus Onn

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Eccles
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Darmus sat behind a desk in some makeshift ranger office close enough to the ruins that he could see them on his lunchbreak walk. Not that he did much that deserved a break, regardless of how much his nervous wreck of a brain needed one more often that he was allowed. His days were filled with refreshing his programs, hoping, perhaps in vain, on a sign that the one device his dataplague had latched on would lead them to the person responsible for the massacre of his friends. He had visited the wounded in the medbay a couple of times, but he hadn't dared to approach them for an uplifting chat.

"Kriff" the old ranger cursed under his breath as he planted his shaking hands against the desk in an attempt to not have anyone notice that he was past his due date. The image of dead rangers lying about, the mutilated bodies they recovered from the ruins with the help of the Jedi and the chief falling... Darmus didn't seem capable to drive them from his mind. Who saved the Chief? The Jedi. Without whom would Darmus be one of the dead in those ruins? A Jedi again. Had the rangers ever won a fight against these Sith without the help of the Jedi? Was Trys Aran the only one and wasn't she... no, one shouldn't believe the rumors that she was sleeping with the Sith and simply caught them off guard.

"Coruscant to Darmus!" a young Zeltron ranger snapped her fingers at him and for a moment after Darmus looked up he thought to recognize the burned face of the Jedi Kori. This new ranger was one of the new recruits.. those that joined after the attack as if they could make a difference with their delusions of idealism. "Don't you want to see the Chief's address to the Galaxy?" she looked at him with admiration and an energy Darmus hadn't felt since he was a child himself. She hadn't heard about his failures yet, or perhaps in today's light Outpost Blue didn't count as a failure anymore. So many dead. No one even remembered the two from Echo Squad. Darmus managed a faint smile, "Wouldn't miss it for the world." and pushed himself up from his seat. His hands seemed idle for now and he was glad for it. Would be a shame to discourage the young rangers with the obvious signs of post traumatic stress.

They made their way to the briefing area where a large screen displayed the Chief's speech and once again dread overtook him. The younglings nodded in agreement to the speech. Energized as they were by the call to unity and resolve, jumping for a chance to sign up for the task force. Once it was over the young Zeltron turned to him again, "No doubt you're signing up for the task force," she winked. What was she? His personal cheerleader now? Darmus smiled faintly again and shrugged, "What would they do with an old man like me?" he replied with a sigh and he was convinced he sold it. "You're kidding, right? Aren't you the one that latched a dataplague to track them?" Who the kriff told her that!? "Everyone's talking about it, so-" she seemed insecure for a moment and showed her age and inexperience looking like a teenager, "-you'll help me get in, right?"

Kriff, that girl had a death wish. No way Darmus would join that task force. He was fine sitting at his desk refreshing his programs and... oh for karking kriff's sake. FINE. "sure, I mean-" he quickly pocketed his right hand as it began shaking again, "-no promises." He was going to regret this.


 

Nobody

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Sith Order
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Champion

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@DarkSaber
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You sit and stare at the man, wanting to laugh, shake your head, and stab some do-gooders all at the same time. You doubt it'll matter if he gives a...name. The most of the galaxy has a pretty good idea of what happened, and they'll get the attention soon enough...What passion. If only this man knew how to use that anger, that desire, that hunger to chase after those who had wronged him...

No matter. The sector rangers were of little worry, at least to you anyways. You stayed in the shadows, stayed out of getting involved, stayed away form the blaster fights. It was for the best; you simply lay around, stockpiling your power through your meditation on your anger and pain...

This situation hadn't ended in the best scenario possible, but that didn't make any difference; the Dark Side channels your disappointment and rage into pure destruction. Live to kill another day...
 

Reiel Mal Crowholde

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Forsythe Crowholde
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Another day, another proof of termination to deliver directly to a client who wished the head of a local smuggling ring who had been terrorizing the locals with the help of his not-so bright henchmen. Contract signed, pact sealed, quarry's head delivered, and reward received, Reiel and her buir made haste for the spaceport where the latter's ship was docked. Off to another job, then.

Stars, her whole body ached. She shouldn't have encouraged her father's odd humor – sure, the young Mandalorian had been willing to serve as a distraction so he could take out the leader, but she didn't expect for her father to lift her up and bodily throw her amid a group consisting of five guards who were engaged in a boring game of sabacc. Her old man must have known of the guards' lack of common sense when it came to facing a Mandalorian who suddenly got literally dropped in their midst, and Reiel had been lucky enough to stab two before the rest could get their blasters. Even after they were armed and up close, the fight was still cut short by her knife skills, and her buir's own blaster rifle and amused chuckling.

...but not before she had to flounder her way through a pathetic melee against the three remaining guards who favored brawn for brains.

Kriffing di'kut. But her beloved di'kut nonetheless.

The two passed a group of two humans, a Bothan, and three Duros huddled in front of a small viewscreen. Reiel wouldn't have paid them any heed – for all she knew, they could be watching those weird romantic holovids – if it weren't for a single word in a broken sentence.

"–have broken the Rangers."

The young Mandalorian turned back, marching towards the group like a madwoman and pushing the Bothan out of the way. Information on the screen identified the injured speaker as Chief Ranger Douglas Hudson, who was addressing his brethren after the numerous attacks on certain planets across the galaxy.

More news. Just what father and daughter needed.


"Buir! Buir! Come here, quick!"

Eyes peeled on the screen, she did not notice the complaining Bothan and his companions shut their mouths respectively when the hulking figure of her father approached. The six settled for giving way to the Mandalorians, watching the news from the sidelines and sending the two wary looks. Reiel couldn't care less about them.

"Still alive, huh?" she heard her father comment, but Reiel was too focused on the Chief Ranger's speech about the attack on their headquarters.

“I will not dignify those that committed this crime with a name. I will not give them the glory and attention that they are so desperately craving.”

The Chief wasn't going to name the attackers... equal parts wise and foolish, if someone cared to ask her. He did give his reason, but won't the galaxy benefit from knowing the identity of the attackers? Why keep it quiet for the sake of pride and–

"...us, they can scare us, but they will never divide us. We have stood as one before, and we will do so now. We will assemble a task force at once–"


A large hand settling on her shoulder broke Reiel from her thoughts. Seemingly hearing what he wanted, she allowed her father to guide her back to the ship after tossing the Bothan and his mates a few credits to make up for their unwanted intrusion. The older Mandalorian, seeing how preoccupied his daughter was at the new information they have gathered, guided her to the small kitchen area he had made in the ship and grabbed a drink for her.

"What's in your mind, verd'ika?"


The question snapped Reiel out of her thoughts. She looked at the proferred drink and muttered a quiet 'thanks', removing her helmet and setting it on the table before accepting the glass. The young Mandalorian slumped down on a nearby chair, looking troubled.

"It's just that... these attacks. We've gathered enough info strongly suggesting that they're planned, organized. But..." Reiel hesitated, one hand carding through her messy, dark brown hair. "But what if your hunch is right, that– that those attacks were a prelude to something? Buir..."

"Then we fight for what is good," replied Wulfric, removing his helmet as well and going down on one knee in front of his child. Reiel closed her eyes and leaned into her father's touch when he cupped her cheeks with his hands and gently pressed his forehead against hers. She smiled, closing her eyes with content at the gesture. "For our clan, for the innocent... we will fight as long as we are yet to breathe our last."

Nodding in agreement, Reiel relished in the warmth and comfort her father never failed to provide for her. They stayed close for a few moments, until the younger Mandalorian's eyes snapped open, face suddenly painted with unbridled worry.

"Arah Tizun," she murmured, eyes widening in realization. The acquantaince she made on a job in Corellia... Oh, Manda. Was the Cathar at the Rangers' HQ when the explosion and subsequent attack happened?

Maker, she had to know if he was safe. He might not consider her a friend, but she respected him and he was as good as one to her!

"The Ranger you told me about? The one you met on Corellia?"

"Maker, I almost forgot about him!" she exclaimed in horror, wide eyes locking with her father's. She picked up her helmet and put it back on, her old man mirroring her action. "Dad, I gotta make a call!"

Quick to comply her buir followed her to the cockpit, set up the transceiver, and watched as she attempted to contact the Rangers' common frequency Arah had given her before they parted. She hoped someone would pick up – she had a Cathar whose safety she needed to be fecking assured about!
 

Nykoria Tallis

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Jedi Master

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Catbert
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The last few days had been nothing but work. Nykoria had been using the Force extensively, and her lightsaber even more so. It sure felt as if she had deflected more stun bolts in the last few days than during her entire Jedi training on Ajan Kloss. And still, she would come home limping, her limbs numb after the exercises. Despite Kori's exhaustion, she'd say that it was totally worth it. After all, her work involved teaching Coruscant Security Force cadets and Ranger volunteers to fight Force-wielders.

Coruscant had been attacked by the Sith before, so the explosion at the Sector Ranger HQ only solidified the Zeltron's plans and made it easier to pitch her idea to the Commandant at the CorSec Academy where Kori had trained a decade ago. She would even receive salary for doing that! Another silver lining was that Kori finally had an excuse for a prolonged stay on her home planet, with her parents and siblings.

Despite the joy of seeing her home and loved ones, Nykoria soon found out that things were different. Most of her older and younger brothers and sisters already had a life of their own, elsewhere. Some had even gone off world. The youngest sister was born while Nykoria was already on Ajan Kloss; she had only seen the girl as an infant. And now that was a rebellious adolescent who occupied Kori's old room and had redecorated it with the posters of bands that the older sister hadn't heard about. So, even though Nykoria could relive some of her older days just by being there, the place wasn't hers anymore.

"Kori, dinner's ready!" Some things hadn't changed though. Like the voice of her mother, calling the kids to gather in the kitchen. "Coming in a few!" Like a decade ago, the call caught Nykoria in the living room, where she was watching holovids. This time, however, it wasn't some all-the-rage show, but a public address from Sector Ranger Chief Hudson. The man she had helped to save. Yeah, Kori, you managed to do something good for a change. She couldn't miss seeing the outcome of her work.

"... I will not dignify those that committed this crime with a name. I will not give them the glory and attention that they are so desperately craving." Although it made sense not to mention the Sith directly, Nykoria disagreed with that approach. We shouldn't stop ourselves from saying outloud what we stand against. No matter how much of a PR that would be.

"We have stood as one before, and we will do so now. We will assemble a task force at once to take this problem head on." Now that was something Kori could get behind. She had come to Coruscant exactly for that reason; and it looked like the Force's plan aligned with her own and spurred the rangers to action... Even if it took another Sith attack to give the rangers more resolve. Just as long as you make sure to involve the Jedi. Even we have a hard time handling the Sith. As brutal as it sounds, an average ranger might not stand a chance.

"We carry the spirits of the Rangers that gave their lives for the cause with us. And we will not be going anywhere." The conclusion of the speech made Nykoria smile. Despite what he had been through, the Chief tried to keep the morale of his people high. He wasn't afraid to even show himself in the sorry state he was in. I wonder what I would've done in his shoes. Doesn't matter. Next time, it's the Sith who'll be on the receiving end.

"Kori, it's getting cold!" the voice the Zeltron held dear called out to her again. Nykoria smirked with a scoff, before turning off the broadcast and standing up. "Coming!" Hopefully, the Free Worlds Alliance and New Republic as a whole will take a more active stance in dealing with that menace. But there was still too much work to do, and stun bolts to deflect during numerous trainings. And after that... Coruscant might not be quite the home she remembered... But there were still people she'd gladly give her life for.
 

Zad Ruzed

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Processing

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Die Shize
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Excerpt from: The Big Dawn

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At a spaceport bar of Coruscant, Zad cocked a brow at fellow Ranger Corran Velt's command for the bartender to turn the viewscreen up. With that, a familiar voice rolled out from the viewscreen like a comet in slow-motion. Every word that Chief Douglas Hudson spoke, Ranger Zad Ruzed was captured by it, staring with his glass frozen beneath his lips.
“But you have only united us."

"We will prevail."

"We will come together and be stronger than ever."

“I am still here and so are the Rangers. We carry the spirits of the Rangers that gave their lives for the cause with us. And we will not be going anywhere.”
Zad bit his lip as if to draw blood. Danes. Simmons. Jethra. Dikol. Gar’gat. He might shake his head but there was no shaking away the names of those Rangers who had perished in the explosion and the fire. Rangers who gave their lives for that bloody badge… Yet death was not in vain. With every beating the Sector Rangers took, every demolition of every station, there was just no stopping the law. Those two letters of "SR" would not be swayed by threats, would not be moved by pleas, would not be deterred by resistance. They would seek and seize, imprison and punish, and persevere. We will prevail. The words of the Chief, wounded and bandaged but living and breathing, echoed in Zad’s head like a scream in a cave. We will come together.

Amber liquid flowed down his throat like a waterfall into a waiting ocean, timing his drink with an old man’s nearby who had tears on his cheeks. The Chief’s was a moving speech, his very image a symbol of survival, of unity and strength, but the heart that beat in a bruised chest sent a rush of blood to Zad’s brain as he recalled the names still living or dead. He took a deep breath and held his gaze with his drink, wondering where the droplets began and when the names would end. Douglas Hudson…

Zad stole a look at one Lieutenant Trys, who was as skilled and experienced in the galaxy as a drifter who roamed its fringes; then a look at Corran, solid but sore, clenching his glass as though it were an enemy’s neck or a gun’s grip. He wants unity. He wants strength. But he thinks it will take a sea of blood to swim us there. For Ranger Ruzed, a dusty outlaw with a badge, he didn’t know whether to feel invigorated or indignant. Time. Our worst enemy. With enough time, the Sector Rangers will scrape to the top. Out of time, and we might become the dust that we kick when our boots land and our ships take off...
 

Rand Mentel

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Processing

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Cpt Geary
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Rand just sat there before the holoprojector in the sleazy hotel he stayed at. He had been on Coruscant for training, he had trained with a Jedi to understand force users better, and he had been about to leave, but this. He shuddered.

When he had arrived at Coruscant, it had pissed him that the Rangers couldn't provide a bed for the few nights, but now that very well may have saved his live. But who knew him many had not much as luck as he. The cadets he had trained with, the rangers still unaccounted for, and the staff. He swallowed.

A task force as a reaction? He could hardly harrumph. This needed no task force. This needed an army. A built up military, aided by investigative services and packing some firepower. He liked the Rangers, and thought highly of them, but they were police not soldiers. He had been a soldier, he knew the difference.

He shook hs head, pacing through his little room. What would happen now. These Sith once again proved that they were able to pull of the most regretful of crimes with relative ease. The attack shook him personally the most. It had been terror attacks that had brought him to the Rangers, he had wanted to prevent them. Scowling, he went over to his Datapad. There had to be something that he could do to help, anything.
 

Nick Shaw

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Ranger Lieutenant

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Raydo
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The club music on the other side of the door pounded as Nick leaned back in his chair. He had, of course, heard about the explosion that had rocked the Sector Ranger HQ. Over the last days, he had thought about ditching the case he had been working on, but what was done was done. They may never get another chance at nabbing the leader of the gang he had been undercover with for the last months.

He sat, contemplating leaving once again when the holo report came up on his datapad. He held the screen up, face illumniated by the dim glow of the screen. "That old bastard." he mouthed, grin growing on his face. He knew the chief wouldn't have been killed so easily. It would take alot more than simple bombs to keep him down.

Nick clicked the screen off when the short address finished just as the doors opened and several of his "associates" entered the room.

It was time to get back to work.
 
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