HoloNet News Breaking News! Terrorist Attack On Raxus, Imperial Commander Targetted!

[The Storyteller]

Across the Galaxy, billions of HoloNet feeds were interrupted from regularly scheduled programming - and instead cut into a live broadcast from the studio of the Imperial News Network. The footage revealed the azure banner of the network playing behind a correspondence desk, with two news anchored seated and facing the cameras. A human and Twi’lek, both wore solemn expressions on their faces - hinting at the underlying situation.

“Good evening.” The Human news anchor began, both of his hands knitted atop the table. “We are coming to you live with breaking news from our Imperial capital of Raxulon. It is our regret to report that the penthouse residence of Imperial Commander Levik Karn - along with multiple civilians - have been the target of a ruthless act of terror.” The footage cut instead to a live scene in the capital of Raxulon. Plumes of black smoke billowed from the lavish estate - while first responders worked to put the blaze out completely.

Law enforcement had blocked off nearby thoroughfares and swarmed the airways, providing increased security and monitoring of the Imperial capital.

While the footage continued to play, the voice of the Twi’lek anchor continued to explain the situation on the ground. “In the early hours of the morning, the residence of Commander Karn was attacked by a group of unknown assailants - assaulting the complex with explosives and engaging in direct combat with security personnel at the scene. While it is believed that Commander Karn was not present during the attack, I.N.N has already confirmed six troopers killed during the incident, with multiple servicemen rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. Additionally, over a dozen civilians closest to the blast zone have sustained moderate to severe injuries, though with no confirms casualties at this time.”

“Law enforcement has warned that the assailants are Force Sensitive and thus extremely dangerous.”

“Though we have yet to determine a motive for these attacks, eyewitnesses have reported several artifacts and memorabilia being removed from the residence of Commander Karn by those responsible.”

“I.N.N has received confirmation that the Emperor intends to provide a statement regarding these vicious attacks.” The footage quickly cut back to the pair of news anchors, their faces fixed onto stoicism just as before. “While the perpetrators remain at large, the public is encouraged to remain within your homes and businesses, and any suspicious activity should be reported to immediately to Raxulon Emergency Services.”

“We will continue to provide live coverage and updates as the situation evolves.”

Spoiler: OOC

Okay’ed by @Eccles

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Guinevere sat comfortably in a reclining chair scrolling through her Ezphone when the holonet news appeared all of a sudden about some kind of attack on Raxus. That in of itself was horrifying considering it wasn't too far from her location, not the least even the discussion about the civilian casualties immediately brought her to the brink of tears. What did catch her attention, however, was the apparent wealth and articles that Commander Karn seemed to wield.

A penthouse on a commander's wages was unheard of, although they'd only met once so she couldn't say for sure what other business activities or background that he may have come from. Worse still was the report that artifacts of some kind of artifacts had been stolen which was alarming for many reasons. Firstly what in the heck were they even there in the first place, and secondly, what could they have been? So many questions were starting to formulate but as an agent, she was trained to be impartial and think logically.

Perhaps it was time to take a closer look, she thought.

 

[Davik Drast]

Within the Empire the news broadcasts about this incident were soon carefully amended and snuffed by the Imperial Security Bureau. It was hard to hide that there had been an explosion and the Empire confirmed that it concerned a terrorist attack by lightsaber-wielding terrorists. Open speculation was allowed on the involvement of the Sith Order and Darth Tempest, who had proclaimed herself the Dark Lord of the Sith. What was kept from the broadcasts was the identity of the suspected target of this attack.

Soon the Imperial Palace issued a statement of its own:

"This morning the Empire was the victim of a devastating attack on a residential building at our capital. Due to the many civilian victims that are currently being treated at the hospital with injuries ranging from -thankfully- minor to severe and potentially lethal, the death toll of this Act of Terrorism has yet to be ascertained and confirmed.

It is clear that the terrorists were Force-users and wielded 'red lightsabers' and while the Imperial Peacekeepers will investigate the attack to the fullest, involvement of Darth Tempest's Sith Order seems certain.

The Empire mourns the many innocent victims of this brutal attack and will do everything in its power to bring the Sith terrorists to justice."​

Within the palace, Emperor Emer-Drast was livid and immediately ordered his Imperial Council to find out what happened and who exactly had done it. He would not rest, his Empire would not rest, until they found the culprits that ruined the skyline of his capital.

 

[Levik Karn]

Raxus didn't have many spice dens with long-range communicators that weren't monitored by the Imperial Security Bureau. For one, it required slicers monitoring the subnet almost twenty-four seven to try and hide its presence from Designation Control and then the fact that smuggling spice onto Raxus was a job that only the most reckless smugglers dared to accept.

For someone in Levik's line of work it was a necessicity, however, to get an encrypted line offworld and take the edge off from all the stress of hiding his extracurricular activities. Not to mention the stress of being a commander in the Imperial Security Bureau to begin with.

Thus, at the time of the attack on his penthouse, Levik was in a sub-level spice den, smoking a waterpipe laced with a microdose of Glitterryll and connected to his Troig partner back on Taris. "Getting new kyber crystals will be hard,-" he shook his head slightly while inhaling another dose of spice from his pipe, "-so just focus on selling the Book of Shadows right now." the slightly blue-ish smoke was exhaled through his nose and he picked up his datapad, angling it slightly to be able to read the report on it. It was a coded numbers report of sales through the Taris Exchange. Levik had sold quite some artefacts through it lately, last item being copies of a Dathomiran Book of Shadows, and had a hard time hiding his new illicit-gained wealth from Imperial oversight.

What the Troig said next made him snort with laughter, "Get close to Julia? What for?" he asked, wondering and receiving an answer to why the Exchange saw benefit in him growing closer to the CEO of Imperial Czerka, something he vehemenently disagreed with. "Imperial oversight is no joke to me, Eccle'baal," he warned the Troig, who appeared to have been suggesting that Levik worked on some kind of partnership between the Exchange and Imperial Czerka. Funneling funds away from Imperial Czerka was impossible. He had never seen a corporation more intertwined with such a fierce and uncompromising security bureau. It was its strenght, sure, but Levik knew better than to challenge Designation Control. He wouldn't live four hours before a Cipher would put a blaster through his head or blew up his penthouse with him in it..

"Levik," an Imperial Peacekeeper lieutenant in plain Imperial-style civilian clothes approached him with a rather worried look, "They just raided your penthouse."

"Hah, good one-" Levik laughed, the glitterryll making it hard to discern the lieutenant's words from the line of thought that had coincidently been very similar. But then he looked at the man's face a little better and the gravity slowly dawned, "-you're serious?"