Terrorists Striking at Civilian Trade

Date: 200409
Planet: Tatooine/Naboo System/Ord Mantell
Region: Farpoint Valley/Nova Orion Station

Story: (Written by the Galactic News Agency, Ramona doesn't write IC).

A week ago the Intergalactic Mining Company's cargo trip from Tatooine to Ord Mantell encountered more difficulties - of a seldom heard nature. Pirates were expected, but was happened was not.

The YT-2400 class ship "TTC-Errant Star", chartered from TTC, was escorted by Racacowlur in a restored ARC-170, imperial pilot Toomian in an Oppressor and a Y-Wing and Y-Wing fighter. In the Naboo system the convoy was attacked by a raider in a YT-1300 - possibly the infamous Thunder Squadron - but the raider was quickly shot down. The relief felt by the freighter crew was shortlived though.



As it turned out, the A-Wing and Y-Wing LP pilots were traitors. They shot down the remaining escorts, then pursued the freighter which tried to flee, destroying it without any attempt at capturing the cargo - an act very much unlike any done by pirates in the past.

CorSec is still investigating, but the Imperial Sector Command announced that such acts of wanton destruction were the hallmark of the rebel alliance trying to scare the civilian population by spreading terror. IMC announced that the corporation was apolitical, and the cargo destination the civilian shipyard in the Nova Orion Station. Manager Kimisei Bythmi was quoted stating that he abhorred such senseless violence, and hoped the perpetrators would be brought to justice. He also announced a more stringent screening system for escorting ships.

IMC shares fell 5 % at the Coronet Stock Exchange following the news.