Sabotage on Gorse

[Sivaprasad]

Andre Flux stretched and rolled his shoulders, trying to get some of the tension out of them after another long day sat in a chair, going through correspondence and drafting a Bill he had been working on for some time now.
At least he didn't have to be constantly pestered by his team of personal assistants when he was in his office on Chandrila. He could just take off the tie, loosen the collar, even kick his bolo-ball against the wall sometimes..just to relieve the stress.
If some of the uptight clerks down the hallway complained about the noise, a stern look from his Nikto bodyguard (who was employed to hang around outside Andre's office) usually was enough to silence anyone.
As he poured himself a stim-caf, the only thing that allowed him to keep working 'til late at night every day, Andre flicked on the Holonet.

A news report was showing some burning building or something.
Andre yawned.
Wait a minute, that isn't just some building, it's a large industrial plant... Or it was one, anyway.
Andre swore loudly and repeatedly when he recognised exactly where it was.
As he turned up the volume, the news reporter confirmed what he had seen but not yet believed.

[Holonet news report]
"I am standing here outside the remains of what used to be the primary Thorilide Refinery in Gorse City.
As you can see from the following images, it has been destroyed beyond repair, by what local police are saying were multiple targeted explosions.
Experts have stated that although the exact type of explosive used is uncertain at this point, there is clear evidence that explosives were definitely used, and that this was certainly a deliberate attack.
There has been a string of incidents recently involving the Thorilide industry, with mines being rendered useless by cave-ins, and factories have been closing down as the already limited number of mining opportunities has gradually dwindled.
The previous incidents had mostly been written off as caused by accidents or even a former employee who decided to get back at the mining companies.

Coming back to today's incident...
Thousands of people have been killed, including those both inside and around the factory area.
The death toll is still rising, some of the survivors are in critical condition.
Without wanting to go into graphic detail, even at this late hour when most children are hopefully in bed, the state of some of the bodies show that an energy blade of some kind was used to...dismember them.
This evidence, combined with eyewitness reports of a man with a red lightsaber seen leaving the building directly before the explosions occurred, paints a worrying picture indeed.
Was this man a user of what some call 'The Dark Side' of the Force'? Was he even responsible for the explosion?
The Sith attack on Coruscant left many people with the feeling that nowhere is safe in this galaxy, as long as the Sith menace remains.

This refinery was vital to the industry, its product invaluable to the installation of Turbolasers for the Republic military. Is it possible that the attacker was motivated to strike here in order to weaken the Republic's defensive capabilities?

As you may already know, Gorse is a tidal-locked planet, with one half of the planet uninhabitable due to perpetual sunlight and extreme heat.
The dark side of the planet is habitable, this is where all of Gorse's citizens and workers live and refine Thorilide at various factories.
Gorse is currently the only known source of this material.
The capital city of Gorse is the largest exporter of Thorilide in the galaxy, the vast majority of the refining of this key resource was conducted at the refinery in Gorse City.

The cost to the Republic from this situation cannot be underestimated...
The thousands of people killed today, and those who may die in the future if these kinds of events continue.
It almost goes without saying that Turbolasers and shielding from turbolasers, which both require Thorilide, are vital to the defense of Republic worlds.
Now that the industry is close to shutting down completely, construction of new starships will slow considerably.
If the attacks continue, some say that starship construction may have to be stopped entirely.

Was this an isolated terrorist attack by a dangerous individual, or part of a larger plot to cripple the Republic military?
If there was indeed a Sith involved in the bombing, what does this mean for the rest of the galaxy?
Can Republic citizens feel safe to go about their work, knowing that the Grand Army may not be able to protect them?
Will there be any further sabotage of Republic resources?

Investigations are ongoing.
As soon as we have any reaction from Republic representatives or anyone else, we will bring it to you.
Stay tuned for further updates."

This news report was probably just sensationalist drivel, made to scare and influence the opinion of the masses, or in order to increase viewing figures.
He would have likely seen right through it if he had been in a normal state of mind.
But he couldn't process most of the words that were being said.
It was all a blur, after those initial images and reports of death and destruction.

Andre was shaking all over.
All of those people... Senselessly murdered.
Some hacked apart by a lightsaber, possibly as they fled the factory or as they tried to stop this sick lunatic from planting the bombs.
They were just ordinary people, like his mother and father that worked in the Gorse refining industry, struggling to get by from day to day as they raised Andre on the planet of his birth.
The cup of stim-caf lay somewhere on the floor behind Andre, as he staggered to the nearest bin, slumped to his knees and violently threw up into it.

He always had been deeply affected by tragedy.
The recent attack on Coruscant, with its staggering death toll, came flooding back to him on a destructive wave of pain and anger.
Uncontrollable fury towards the Sith, towards anyone who can do such horrific and brutal things to other living beings, surged through him.
With newfound strength, Andre stood, and went to his desk.
Must get down there, must do something to help, was all that reverberated inside his mind.
A tidy little speech for the holocameras and retiring for the night, just wouldn't be enough.
But he would need to ask for a leave of absence from his duties as a Senator.

After straightening himself up and activating the Holonet communication service, Andre placed a call.
He needed to be there, with the people of Gorse. His planet, his people.
He would either be granted leave and flown to Gorse immediately, or he would damn well steal the nearest ship and force the pilot to take him.
Andre wasn't thinking straight, he was too overcome with emotion.
But one way or another, he was going to Gorse.

Spoiler: Post order,Planet info,Coruscant attack

@Darasuum, @Thadd , @Fyremage,

Posting order: Fyremage (if he wants to), Thadd, Darasuum. Just a rough idea for the first posts, that's all.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gorse ,

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Thorilide,

http://www.thestarwarsrp.com/forum/index.php?threads/czerka-news-network.64895/page-3#post-1330796

 

[Fyremage]

The Chancellor had not fully recovered from the injuries he suffered on Coruscant, but he was not the type of man to remain abed, as his doctors sorely wished of him. No, true to form, he could be found within his office in the Senate Rotunda accompanied by his bodyguards.(@Shalken @Vosrik)

His thoughts veered to the events that occurred on Coruscant, as was often the case as of late. All the more so as one of his aides rushed into his office, a panicked expression on her face. She turned on the holo terminal at his desk, which showed the visage of carnage as was being broadcast on Gorse. Flashbacks of he sheer damage on Coruscant flashed in his mind on the fateful day he suffered his wounds. As if in remembrance of it, a pang struck him which forced his hand to instinctively reach for his side. His eyes winced shut as he waited for the moment to pass. When the moment did indeed pass, he addressed his aide urgently. "Get me the Senator of Gorse on the line, immediately."

 

[Thadd]

Zoar had been on Onderon when the Jedi Army sent a coded message: ‘Head to Gorse immediately, suspected Sith attack, neutralise the threat, and report back immediately if prelude to an invasion.’ The fall of Coruscant had put everyone on edge, no world seemed safe anymore, and the Jedi were spread far and wide responding to threats – real and imagined. Constant vigilance was the price for peace, but not for the first time Zoar wondered if they were neglecting an internal vigil… was it not so much the enemy’s strength as their own weakness that handed victory to the enemy? Something to ponder on the journey to Gorse at least, Zoar thought with a wry smile as he collected his few belongings and headed for the spaceport.

A transport had been made available for him and he boarded it without delay, the journey to Gorse would not take overly long, but Zoar made every moment count. Familiarising himself with details about the planet, its importance, and of course studying the news reports of the attack. It was a violent act, but something which didn’t seem to Zoar to suggest that the planet was due for an invasion. Factories, such as the one destroyed, were the reason for taking Gorse to destroy them was to render the planet worthless for conquest. No this was sabotage, an effort to undermine the Republic’s war-machine and economy not a prelude to seizing the planet. Still Zoar would not know for certain until he was there, and so he reserved his certainty on the matter for now.

Several hours later Zoar’s transport arrived at Gorse City, cleared for immediate landing, it quickly made its way down to the spaceport. Zoar took a deep breath and finished his meditation, the final movements of his hands and body flowing like water (Zoar eschewed the more traditional meditations and preferred to meditate in a more kinetic manner), before collecting his things and leaving the transport. The site of the attack was to be Zoar’s first port of call, and hiring a speeder was soon quickly heading there – unaware that a certain Senator was no doubt already either here or similarly speeding his way there too.

 

[Darasuum]

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Ambient Music​

The flames continued to burn, embers spreading and cinder reaching towards the heavens. all was reflected in the skull-faced helm of the custom black Arbitrator P.A.K.. It was struck right from the script of a music video or dramatic moment in a holo-drama but perhaps that was just Geir's own mind at work fantasizing of a simpler world where everything got began and got resolved in an hour period.

Turning his back to the flames he strode across the roof top of a building into the shadows as the glowing light of the damage he had wrecked upon the city lingered before he was lost in the darkness. Emergency responders had already been at the scene moments after he had caused the devastation though there wasn't much they could do at this point except mitigate loses.

The Dark Knights of S.I.N had returned more to their mysterious and terror ensuing covert ways recently. The ranks of the elite group were minimized while the ranks of the Sith Intelligence network increased. this hit had been of his own devising which seemed to be a regular occurrence due to the freedom he allowed himself to have. The supreme leader, or emperor, hadn't done much to tell him otherwise. This was just another day in his book.

Getting on his custom Equinox speeder bike he mounted it momentarily from it's shaded and covered location. Adjusting his weapons, the two TS-15 sidearms, his two lightsabers and several other weapons plus more secured to his vehicle he sped off in the opposite direction of the damage he had caused. He debated whether he should stay on the planet and enjoy himself a little then thought better of it. There were other targets not too far away on different worlds and friends he needed to see. Having contacts in the Hutts had its perks. Technically he had contacts in just about every single faction possible.

@Andre Flux @Gregory Rhone @Thadd​

 

[Andre Flux]

Just as Andre was about to make the call, he glanced at the screen where the Holonet reporter was talking, in Gorse City. This time she had a man standing next to her who was dressed in a way that suggested he was a part of Gorse's mining community.

(Holonet news)

"...Once again, we apologise for the misstatement in our original report. The death toll was in fact just over a thousand, and that was including the deaths caused by each of the alleged 'accidents' and cave-ins that have been happening across the whole dark side of the planet, which is home to the tens of thousands of people who make their living here on Gorse through the Thorilide industry. People who do this vital and dangerous work. People who just want to go to work and go back to their families at the end of the day.

One of those people is standing here beside me tonight. He is the head of the Gorse Workers Union, commonly referred to here as GWU. He is just getting ready to go back to work, but he wished to make a statement first. He is currently demanding the opportunity to speak with the Senator representing Gorse, to find out how the Republic will act on this matter... In recent months he has already highlighted some of the reasons he blames the Republic for the current spate of attacks on those working in the Thorilide industry on Gorse; the underfunded and ill-equipped police force due to a Government that lacks any Republic funding, lack of Republic Military defenses around the planet, and only one terribly overworked and understaffed hospital in Gorse City, which is right at this moment trying to save many critically wounded people.
So, I'll hand over to him now.

How do you feel about the current situation on Gorse, including what we have seen here today, and what do you want the Republic to do about it?"

Spoiler: note to Fyremage

Fyremage - I have ignored your characters call just while Andre watches this broadcast. Please read what Oncaro says, as Gregory Rhone may need to hear it. Thanks ;)

Andre barely noticed the incoming call alert flash repeatedly and then eventually turn off on his screen, he was completely intent on listening to what this man had to say first. Hopefully whoever was calling him would understand, maybe they had ended the call to watch the same broadcast.
Either way, Andre felt deeply empathetic for this poor man and what he must be going through tonight.
So he couldn't take his eyes from the screen as the GWU representative began to speak.

@Oncaro

 

[Oncaro]

The roughly-dressed, somewhat-dirty head of the GWU, a man named Mikal Sturnz, took a deep, steadying breath.

"First of all, I... I'd like to say thank you for-- for allowing me on here," he began, working to keep his voice level. "We at the GWU... We're just people. We just want our families to be secure, and safe, and-- to be able to sleep at night without needing even more worry about with us doing this work we do. This crap is dangerous enough, you know?"

A pause, and he continued, his voice raising.

"And what do we get out of this? Huh? Crap pay for back-breaking work, and for all this talk about how important and vital our work on mining and refining thorilide is for the Republic, they can't even be fracked to provide even a modicum of security to us! Hundreds of men and women-- good people, some of whom I knew personally, some of whom were family-- are dead!"

Sturnz paused, getting choked up and blinking away tears, before continuing as calmly as he could.

"We do this work because we know it's important. A lot of us, we believe in the Republic. We care. So why, why in the name of the Galaxy, does the Republic not care about or believe in us?! I ask that to all the senators living the high life on Chandrila. Where are you and the military when we need you, now more than ever? And if you can't be bothered to defend us, and bring the sorry sons of banthas who did this to us to swift and merciless justice... Why should we bother to help defend you?"

Another pause, and Sturnz gave a disgusted, resigned shake of his head before moving out of the view of the camera. He had no idea if his words had had any sort of impact, and at this point he didn't care. He had a family to get home to.

@Andre Flux

 

[Andre Flux]

Andre sat and stared at the screen for long minutes after the newscast had ended, minutes that felt like hours.
The words kept repeating in his mind:
" A lot of us, we believe in the Republic. We care. So why, why in the name of the Galaxy, does the Republic not care about or believe in us?!
It was clear now what he had to do. Going to Gorse would not be enough. It was up to Andre to gather information, a full report on the situation of those workers; a detailed report on their responsibilities and the dangers they face daily, was his only hope of motivating the Senate to act.
For now, Andre waited for whoever had called to call again. He would answer it immediately this time, then he was leaving for Gorse no matter what.
@Fyremage