Thunder Pirates cripple IMC Convoy

Date: 131009
Planet: Tatooine/Naboo System/Ord Mantell
Region: Farpoint Valley/Nova Orion Station

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

The Thunder Pirates, a vicious pirate gang that has plagued the spacelanes in the sector, has been quiet for a few weeks, but they are back in the spotlight, so to speak, after last night.

The weekly IMC Convoy, this time consisting of Captain Ad'hemar Voltin's YT-2400 "Peregrine" and Captain Corym Ifen's Y-8 class "Miner Pleasure", escorted by Inaera Kell in her advanced X-Wing "Void Stalker", had made good time from Farpoint Valley, Tatooine, to the Naboo system when they were ambushed at the Sea of Veruna hyperspace point by a Vaksai heavy fighter and an ARC-170.



In the following fight "Peregrine" managed to evade at first while Inaera Kell engaged the raiders, but was disabled after a lenghy dogfight, shortly followed by "Miner Pleasure". At that point "Peregrine" returned, strafing the raiders several times but ultimately getting her engines damaged and ending up immobilized herself.

By that time both "Void Stalker" and "Miner Pleasures" had managed to emergency reapir their propulsion systems. "Miner Pleasures" was caught trying to limp away and shot up again, causing critical system failures that forced the crew to use the emergency pods but "Void Stalker" managed to gain enough distance and time to effect more complete repairs and return, blowing up the ARC-170 raider in a surprise attack.

The Thunder Pirate Vaksai fought the X-Wing again, and managed to get the better of her after another long fight, disabling "Void Stalker". Afterwards the pirates let the "Peregrine" go, stating that the fate of the rest of the convoy should serve as a warning to future victims and that the Thunder Pirates were back to be feared.

The "Peregrine" reached the Nova Orion Station in Ord Mantell with minimal engine power, delivering their cargo, but the ore on board the "Miner Pleasures" was lost.

IMC shares fell 2 % at the Coronet Stock Exchange following the news.