HoloNet News Beacon of Light

Oren Zapan

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Jedi Order
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TWD26
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The Holo-Transmission feed across the galaxy would light up, with news of a Jedi Response to the many recent allegations raised against the Order. The image of the figure was a robed Jedi with his hood positioned over his head, as he sat floating in the air -- those within the Order would know that it was Oren of the Jedi Council who was somewhere in the galaxy.

The response would not be aimed to any specific person, but to the galaxy itself. "The galaxy is ripe with uncertainty as acts of violence have risen across the galaxy in the past few years. Planets across the galaxy have witnessed mindless destruction at the hands of beings they do not quite understand. From the destruction of the Corellian Sector Ranger's Base, to multiple attacks on Coruscant's prisons and rangers base, the Free World Alliance's institutions that have governed their people have been undermined by an insidious force that will not stop until they have complete control of the galaxy."

Oren would pause, letting his blue image flicker for a moment, "The Sith play on the misconceptions that the galaxy has on those who wield the force. They once had attempted to mimic our ways and to frame themselves as Jedi, to sow doubts into the minds of you all. They claim to be of peaceful force, and that we the Jedi are a threat to the galaxy, but this a lie. My words alone are not enough to be trusted, but I do have someone that will prove to you that the propaganda you witnessed days ago are merely lies."

The image of the hooded Oren would flicker and Crix would come into display. It was a traumatic experience, and Oren wished he did not have to bring him onto the galaxy's stage for all to see, but they needed to see the truth, see the damage that the Sith and the dark side bring to the galaxy. "Since the Jedi rescue attempt against the Sith prison was based on... on information I had and some I discovered with the help of a Jedi Knight, I was asked to record something."

He swallowed thickly and pressed on, mindful enough to keep his right arm mostly out of shot to avoid the shaking being visible. "My name is Crix Aran and Trys Aran was... is... my mother. As a named target of the Sith and their allies, my mom wanted me out of the spotlight. We lived in an apartment on Coruscant that was basically like living under witness protection." he shook his head, "The Sith bombed our apartment anyway so I took off - I ran to keep from being pinned down but it d-didn't matter. A Sith found me on Corellia and she... she..."

His face screwed up and he had to almost physically force himself to keep going. "She went into my mind and grabbed all of my memories... scrambled them up... made it Hurt just because she could and she... she found out who my mom was. Or who I was, I guess makes more sense..." he looked off to the side.

"Finding my mom's com unit, me and a Jedi family friend found out she got a message from Sullust. They told her... I'm honestly not sure what exactly but they told her they had me."

Crix closed his eyes.

"I was there on Sullust and I... crawled through some vents until I got in and I found their prison. I found... found my..." He rubbed at his eyes with his left hand, "M-my mom. Tortured, alone and... and I... I got her out but I... I was why she was there, not the Jedi. I let her down and they got her and..."

He pushed his chair away from the table and shook his head, storming off. "I'm sorry I... I... I can't say anymore, please."

The image would flicker away, and Oren would return to the image, his voice reflecting the pain that Crix had poured to the camera. "And while the Jedi attempted to rescue his mother, the Sith invaded our homeworld, and destroyed our temple. Killing children and the innocent while they attempted to study; butchering them as if they were mere cattle."

Oren would take a heavy breath, "The Sith will not stop until they control the galaxy. The Eternal made that clear in his own transmission long ago, they want your governments and your way of life. We Jedi are not perfect, we have fallen and stumbled at times, but we live for peace and will give our lives to protect you and your families -- just as we had in the Coruscant prison. I know that you will have questions, and we will provide you answers -- wherever and whenever you need them."

Oren would pause, "We will make ourselves available to you all, to answer your questions and to be a beacon of hope to those who need it most. May the force be with you." The hologram would flicker away.
 

Drastus Drahr

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Jedi Order
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Jedi Padawan

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Rhogar
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Drastus found himself seated on a couch in his room watching his third favorite holo: Die Hard 43, the seventh reboot of the beloved Life Day movie. "Yippie kai yay motherfu-"

He would let out a curse of his own finishing the phrase as the channel cut to yet -another- broadcast. "Ohh joyyy.. another Jedi blame session." He spoke over the words before he squinted to look at semi familiar looking Jedi.

"Oh yeah.. what was his name again.. Orange? Ord? Stupid, he's not a fruit or a planet, Orion!" The teen grinned widely as he remembered the name, or so he thought.

He would then go to eat a spoonful of his Gunslinger Road, a favorite ice cream of his modeled after Preef, a personal hero of his. And thats when Crix appeared and he dropped the spoon onto the floor jumping back into the couch and pointing at the holo "Crix! I know him!" Any joy was immediately snuffed out as the material caught up to him.

As Crix stormed out of view, Drast glanced at that tub of ice cream. "Well buddy, looks like you're working overtime today." He'd collect the tub and head for the door, intent on cheering up his newfound friend.
 

Emryc Thorne

Faction Leader
Consortium
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ISC President

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Sreeya
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Emryc quite enjoyed the publicity ever since his address had set off a chain of events. He had more planetary diplomats than ever reaching out to him to learn more about his plans for an alliance. He was hopping from planet to planet these days, currently on a Mid Rim world to speak with a Governor. It wasn’t too long before he saw the latest Holonet address directly from the Jedi and the Aran boy.

Within hours, he just so happened to be in front of a key diplomatic building that was teeming with reporters. Several of them recognized his face from the Holo and scrambled towards him. He pretended to brush it off as he walked up the steps, pausing to turn only when he was very visible and standing near a public podium. Emryc sighed, looking down as a reporter shoved a mic into his face.

“Mr. Thorne! Can you tell us your thoughts on this latest message from the Jedi? How does this sit with the platform you represent?”

Emryc slowly turned to look at the camera, the footage being streamed live and broadcasted throughout the same channels that played the Jedi broadcast, “Quite frankly, I am disgusted,” He said, his face contorting to show as much, “I am disgusted by both the Sith and the Jedi forcing the galaxy to be dragged into their wars. I am disgusted by people like you and I, people that simply want to get on with our regular lives, having to be forced to listen to the volley between these two groups. We are blameless and yet we suffer the most of all. We care for our families, our daily lives, our loved ones, and yet all of these are impacted because the Jedi and Sith would both infringe upon them.”

Emryc paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing, “As for what I think of this latest message specifically? I am once again disgusted,” He spat, “I’m disgusted that instead of getting a child the help he needs, the Jedi would drag him out, parade him around and have him be their spokesperson to justify their presence and involvement in everything they shouldn’t be involved in.”

“I am disgusted that instead of having his identity hidden, the whole galaxy now knows the identity of Trys Aran’s son,”
He slammed his hand on the podium, “Tell me, if Trys Aran had a say, would she have allowed her son to go on Holo to break down and crumble on it? To show his face? To reveal who he was so it endangers him for life? To uproot and defile everything she had done to protect him?” His voice rose with each question he asked, “But who did that without a single thought? Oh right, the very group that barges in and encroaches on every single problem that is not theirs to handle.”

Emryc shook his head, “Jedi, Sith, they are two sides of the same coin. This is precisely why I will usher in a government that will reject them both. I will take measures to ensure that our citizens are first and that we are well equipped to stand without leaning into either of these fanatical and clearly manipulative organizations.”

He exhaled before he continued, “Do you know who should have done this broadcast? It should have been the Prime Minister or the Ranger Chief reassuring the galaxy that they would be investigating and looking into the claims made by Sullust. It should have been them doing their jobs and ensuring that an impartial approach was taken to analyze exactly what happened on Sullust and with Lieutenant Aran. If the Jedi were clean, they would have calmly cooperated to give us nothing but hard facts, evidence and data. Instead, the FWA have let themselves be puppetted by the Jedi and dragged a child’s name and face before the entire galaxy. They did exactly what I would have expected the Sith to do if they truly did yank information from this boy's mind."

Somewhere, very far away, many FWA diplomats had switched off the Jedi broadcast. They instead turned to the impassioned comments given by Emryc Thorne when asked his opinion on the Jedi Holo news. Whether the Prime Minister knew it or not, gears were turning just as surely as citizens began to whisper and talk.

It took all his willpower to keep from grinning at the fact that he had been the one to help destroy Trys Aran’s home.
 

Maxims Tionson

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Max wasn't in front of any reporters when he watched both the holonet broadcast from Oren and the response to the press from the up and coming Emryc Thorne. And, well, one of those things was not like the other...

Running a hand through his hair in his ship as it sped through space toward Naboo, he grimaced a little bit before deciding that, actually, yes he did want a smoke. He resisted the urge to smoke for health reasons and because he, honestly, had never grown to actually enjoy the taste of them. But sometimes, just sometimes, he felt the need for them.

He had felt the need for a cigarette after his first padawan died.

He had lit one up when he had lost most of his arm and considered giving up.

And he took one from his cigara box now that the war had shifted in a way he wasn't sure he was ready for. Sitting back down heavily in his seat, Max watched both broadcasts on two different screens at the same time. Lighting his cigara, he ignored the protests of his astromech droid because he was in the middle of something far more serious.

He was in the middle of watching as the war turned away from blasters and bombs and saber at dawn to carefully constructed arguments. Clever wordplay, leading questions and the use of Truths to mask lies and lies to obscure inconvenient Truths. This was a new type of war and he wasn't sure if the Jedi Order was ready for it, honestly. Politics had been the hiding place of the Sith in the past for a reason; because they were good at it.

People without the Force, such at the charismatic Emryc Thorne young man, didn't need to worry about their actions actually marring them as people if they dipped too far into using reprehensible means. Not that he believed that Emryc was - far from it, the young man once again had a point that was eloquently stated and damned inconvenient for him. Would that the young man he would soon be required to match wits with in this new battleground were less astute and less capable.

But it was not to be; his new 'enemy' in this type of warfare was skilled and experienced in ways that Max simply was not. He was a cop turned Jedi - not a politician or diplomat by trade and yet the battle had changed so he had to change along with it. His heart went out to the Aran boy - a boy he had never actually met and likely never would - but he knew well enough that Emryc Thorne was more likely to come off the better for this.

Crix Aran's heartfelt and genuinely believable story of the harrowing events he had gone through would touch many a heart, making people feel things. Emryc Thorne's words made people feel, think and question - and all in a tune and direction of his choosing.

"Beginning to think my upcoming meeting is going to be less stressful than Sullust itself."
he admitted to his astromech droid, who beeped back, "Yeah I know buddy - poor kid. Set a reminder when we're out of hyperspace to send a message to Hannibal about getting the kid some therapy. He's been through the wringer and this probably hasn't helped even slightly."

He took a drag from his cigara and watched the two broadcasts on loop again.

"One of these things is not like the other..."

 

Talak Rand

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He was furious again. That seemed to be the common theme whenever he watched the news these days. Most people might have been able to turn it off and say "it has no effect on me" or "what can I do about it" but Talak was directly involved in this. In all of it. These were people he loved and cared about... people he would have fought, killed, and died for.

Although he'd never actually said it to Crix - the poor kid had been through enough - Trys's condition was a direct result of the fact that he had been captured. Now, the Jedi in all of their "wisdom" had plastered his name and face onto the holonet for everyone to see. He hadn't left Crix with the Jedi for this. Having a single Senator verify Crix's story or visit Trys in the hospital was one thing and precisely something Talak had considered, but this. Now every Sith in the galaxy knew who Crix was. He had one target on his back before, now he had hundreds.

Talak couldn't believe he was actually agreeing with the politician that got on the air. Same guy from the other day... Emryc. Unfortunately, he was making sense. He may have wanted to trash both Jedi and Sith, but at least he was sticking up for the young man, even if it was all for his own agenda.

He drummed his fingers on the table, narrowly holding back from simply flipping the table over and smashing it to bits. Both Crix and Oren (@TWD26 @Nefieslab) were going to be receiving a very angry comm call. Talak couldn't have given two karks about rank.
 

Vrashinal Karzinkaal

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Vrash just shook his head in disgust as the holo of Oren and Crix played. Was it because the Jedi had now endangered the boy? No. Was it because he thought they were lying? No, the boy was believable enough. Mainly, it was the fact they were Jedi. And the Jedi and the Sith and all their little pajama wearing force friends were the cause of much torment in the galaxy.

He was still camped at the base of the building when lo and behold, Emryc came marching up the steps with a near righteous fury. "Kriff, kids moving quick." he'd begin to move with his staff before the mob began to swarm the charismatic Senator. The aged reptillian would force his way through the crowd, using the staff to sort of shove people back until he reached just beside the reporters. He listened as Emryc spoke the truth and brought up more facts that the old man even considered. The kid had spunk. Spunk was dangerous because it could get you killed. He watched, he waited, and he believed wholeheartedly the words that he was hearing. A system that didn't allow Force Users? Sounded like a utopia. One almost far too good to be true. If it was possible, that might be something worth fighting for.

@Sreeya
 
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Darth Tiamat

Raze Loyalist
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The holonet was just buzzing in recent weeks from analyses from reporters about all the breaking stories that came from Sith, Senators and now it looked like the Jedi were on this bandwagon. The clip replayed from earlier and Lyra sat glued to her holopad screen, eating triple chocolate ice cream directly from the pint as she listened to the Jedi defend his actions and justify him and others for their operation on Sullust. Though she was probably bias, she did not find his argument convincing. She wasn't sure how anyone took the Jedi seriously, with her limited interactions with them, it was a wonder as to they keep coming back.

However, then it took a twist as a young Zabrak came on to share his story. She was ready to donate money to the cause of taking care of this kid and other kids like Crix, coming to the belief she must have missed something and this was just a sympathy ad for poor children. When she realized this was far from it, the acolyte couldn't help but to mutter under her breath in disbelief, "Wow..."

Lyra sat up straight and shoveled another scoop of ice cream in her mouth, the reporters returned and were firing their observations, replaying clips, and announcing the histories of the names mentioned by the Jedi and the kid named Crix. She was ready to turn off the device when one of the reporters announced they had commentary from Emryc Throne, cutting to his press interview from earlier. She instantly felt her heart drop as she watched him speak on the holoscreen; he was present less and away for longer periods of time, trusting her to engage in her training in other ways. Though it was not an issue for the acolyte who was crafty and inquisitive in her ways in gaining knowledge she needed, having him present made the experience...genuine.

She lifted another bite of ice cream, resting the spoon in her mouth while her thoughts pulled her to the reminders of his presence: his gaze, his serene demeanor, and unforgettably, his cologne. She worried if he were safe and when he would return so she could show him her progress. And the most dreaded thought of all, if he still remembered he had an apprentice when he jumped from system to system. He respected her and yet she couldn't accept it, and though she tried pushing him away, even with how mean and nasty she had been when they went to Dantooine, he didn't treat her any less. She tried not to let it get the best of her, but the feelings that stirred, were stronger than any rage or joy she had felt in her life.

And she hated it so much.

Suddenly, she lost her appetite and the holonet reporters went back to analyzing Emryc Thorne, to which the acolyte promptly shut off the device. Lyra had enough of the holonet for one evening.

 

Darth Malicia

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"Rick...?" the small Darth said without thinking, eyes transfixed on the commentary that followed the Jedi broadcast.

She'd watched and listen to the Jedi and child, but nothing they'd offered had solid proof behind it. At least, none that she was aware of. There was always that possibility, and if things went south she'd weather it the best she could.

But, she doubted they could prove, to a regular man or senator, that she'd ripped information out of the boys mind or the other number of things he'd droned on about. She was not the type to leave a trail that so pointedly exposed her.

And because of the jedi's lack of creditably, the only thing that truly raced in her mind was the face on her screen. "It is you," she breathed again, leaning back in her chair to try to regain her composure. It was hard to pay attention to his words though, despite her attempt. He was clearly a politician. She'd heard about Emryc Thorne. The transcript from his first holonet laid on the desk before her, written by one of her cultists. She just hadn't been watching when it played on the holonet.

She hadn't realized it was Rick.

Malicia pushed aside some datapads, finding Rick... or Emryc's card and number. There were times she'd been tempted to call him, though each event she'd been able to assert enough self control to stop. If he was truly anti-Sith it made sense to not indulge that weak part of her, yet she listened till the end. The Sith were already painted as they were: terrorists, but Rick... Emryc cast doubt on the Jedi's credibility even more than the Sullustan broadcast, as far as her opinion went. Maybe they could meet again.

Why was this her main thought?

Malicia waited for the news to finish before switching it off. These were thoughts she could have later when things weren't so heated.

 

JJ Johnson

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Following the heartwrenching words of young Crix and the spitfire response from Senator Thorne, the holonews would buzz with the most recent addition as the Galactic Bugle theme began to play. After a few moments, the scene would focus on the visage of Holonet News titan Jayce Jonas Johnson.

"JJ Johnson here, and you already know what has got me fired up! The Jedi, the Sith, they are menaces! I've been saying it for decades on Coruscant and now here on Naboo! You cannot live with people who can use their mind to throw you! Freaks, witches, the whole lot of them! Ya ask me, we should just bag em all up and shoot them into the nearest star! Now just you watch this folks, this disgrace!"

The clip of Crix would play from the start of his speech to the end before cutting out as he left. "This little A-a-ron boy has been used by these.." air quotes "Jedi. These Peacekeepers. Bah! Ya ask me, how do we even know the woman taken was his mother? We don't! Just more lies and deceptions from the camp of the robe wearing menaces known as the Jedi! They are no better than a cult that sacrifices womp rats! Senator Thorne took the words right out of my mouth! Disgrace on the Jedi! On the Sith! On the Rangers! And the Republic! Hell, even the FWA too! If you're a friend to the Forcies, prepare to be used! If you're tired of being under the thumb of such menaces, give me, JJ a call. You got the scoop, we'll give em the boot! And remember, if they have magic spirit fingers, they're menaces!"

@Nefieslab @Sreeya
 
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Darmus Onn

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It had been some days ago after the first broadcast by Emryc Thorne sparked a HoloNet propaganda war between the Jedi and Sith and Darmus was by now enroute to Nar Shaddaa to continue his hunt for the guilty party behind the devastating attack on Ranger Command. His transport was refueling at a space station along their main hyperlane when Darmus had naturally drifted off to get a drink in the station's own cantina. In all fairness, the cantina was a good example of the prosperity that the Republic and the Free World's Alliance brought to its members, for it was trendy, its floor so clean it was shining and the shelves behind the bar were filled with expensive bottles that didn't get shot or thrown down in daily barfights. Still, its clients were spacers. Blackwell and Czerka pilots that used the stations to refuel their bulk freighters formed its main clientel, but Darmus was positive that he also spotted some fancy businessmen and a rich Zeltron family who owned that luxury yacht docked at bay four.

The old ranger almost regretted giving up all these Coreworld comforts just so he could go squatting on the lower mostly abandoned levels of Nar Shaddaa, in spitting distance of a zombie outbreak and without any of the comforts he had become used to. Almost, his grudge with the Eclipse was consuming his every waking moment. "Chandrilan brown rum," his tired eyes smiled at the young female bartender as he dropped a credit chip on the bar. She didn't return the kind gesture and seemed to be fuming, "What's wrong?" he asked, naively, for its not like he could carry much more burden than he was already dragging around. The bartender nodded towards the screen to his left just as the news intro-tune started playing, "These broadcasts are killing me. Yesterday they said Jedi killed a pregnant woman on Sullust to rescue a ranger that wasn't even in need of being rescued. Few hours ago the Jedi made their own," She was shaking her head as she said it and only realized Darmus was wearing a badge when she put the glass of rum before him, "Trys Aran, ring a bell?"

Well, ofcourse it kriffing rang a bell! Darmus and Trys had worked together to bag two arrests after she brought in that Jedi Master responsible for those killings. "What'd they say?" he asked to know what all this was about. He heard about Trys' return and her... less than enthusiastic state of being after the Eternal supposedly tortured her. It was one of the reasons he was going to Nar Shaddaa, after all, because he believed he could use the Eclipse to find out the identity of the man behind the mask. The bartender didn't answer him, though, because they were both distracted by the sudden appearance of Jedi Master Oren Zapan on the big screen. She had already seen it live, but for him this rerun was the first time he'd be seeing it.

What followed left Darmus lost for words. First of all, that kid's apartment should've been hidden away in so many layers of bureaucracy that no one should've been able to discern it to be Trys Aran's home. That's just basic witness protocol, and he should know, he recently relocated the family of another Jedi Master who didn't deserve to get mixed up into all of this. That the kid then managed to lose ranger oversight and leave the planet was... well, unthinkable. Darmus didn't even want to get into the ordeal that awaited him on Corellia.. did the Sith do that with all children? How would they have even known to target him? Did the entire Ranger Command just go to shit once Chief Hudson was... kriff, Darmus closed his eyes and slowed his breathing in an attempt to calm himself down. The kid managed to slip away because Ranger Command was decimated along with the entire ranger force on Coruscant. Instantly exhausted, Darmus turned to the bartender again, "Sullust, they're saying the Jedi attacked without cause and killed civilians?" he asked, but she merely shrugged, "That's what they say on Sullust, but I don't know who to believe anymore. Jedi or Sith, they're-" the old ranger understood her perfectly, "-both crap."

A breaking news segment followed where that new arrival to the galactic stage, Emryc Thorne, was interviewed for his reaction to the Jedi's claims and Darmus found himself agreeing to the silver-eyed man. "They did answer perceived violence with violence," he nodded and finally grabbed his shot of Chandrilan rum to take a sip. "He makes a good point there, ranger-" the bartender refocused her attention to his badge, "Why didn't you investigate? Trys Aran was one of your own, why didn't the rangers go to Sullust?" Her tone was getting more accusing with every question and to Darmus it was clear that the sentiment was definitely turning against the Force users, but by association also against the Sector Rangers. Deciding it was better he didn't stick around, Darmus knocked back the shot and grimaced as the brown liquid burned the back of his throat. "Understaffed," he sighed and slid off his stool. Kark him if he didn't agree with the points made. Why did the Jedi jump the gun to rescue a ranger? We now know she was obviously tortured, but we didn't then, right? Why hadn't the acting chief... who was even in charge while Chief Hudson was in the hospital? Captain Rook? Why was the only communication with the Jedi Order some half-assed invitation to assaults on Sullust and Kessel, both way out of ranger jurisdiction, and not a more proper dialogue? Kriff... karking Force cults.

 
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