Ore convoy mauled - Death Watch involved?

Date: 020310
Planet: Tatooine/Naboo System/Ord Mantell
Region: Farpoint Valley/Nova Orion Station

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

Last night the Intergalactic Mining Corporation's weekly ore convoy was particularly large - two YT-1300 light freighters, Captain Sive'a's "Light Ray" and Captain Li'tani's "Heatstorm", and an AEG-77 "Vigo"-class medium freighter, Captain Kyr'ex' "Kote II", were escorted by Tomeateeje Sunb in an X-Wing and Ad'hemar Voltin in a Dunelizard.

A first attack by pirates happened near the Hyperspace point "Miner's Yard" in the Tatooine system, causing the loss of an escorting fighter. But the worst attack was still to come - in the Naboo system, the three freighters split up under attack, and both the "Heatstorm" and the "Kote II" were seriously damaged and disabled, with the last escort being shot down. Only the "Light Ray" managed to escape and reach the Nova Orion Station in Ord Mantell safely.

The pirates - two ARC-170 and one Z-95 modified fighter - then approached the disabled Kote II, demanding the cargo. The Kote's skipper stalled them, then managed to convince one of them to dock to transfer the cargo - at which point the crew of the Kote II launched their escape pods and blew their own ship up. The pirates were reported to be caught and destroyed in the explosion, but pending further investigation this is still unconfirmed. One ARC-170 was definetly destroyed though - the following footage was recovered from its gun cameras:



The pirates identified themselves as members of the "Death Watch", which caused further speculation about their origin.

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