HoloNet News Breaking News: Sith Invasion Repelled!

[The Gatekeeper]

[OPEN TO REACTIONS ONLY]
[SEE THREAD HERE]​

Holoscreens across the galaxy lit up with the distinctive announcement jingle of breaking news from the most well-watched and popular station within the Republic and Free Worlds Alliance. Rather than the usual pair of reporters, however, the image that replaced the flashing symbols was that of a speaking podium behind which stood the striking figure of Prime Minister Naeva Rue. Near her stood Chancellor Eder Owusaan and Sector Chief Douglas Hudson, the former of which had a distinct look of pride over his features.

This image was moved to the right corner, revealing a pair of reporters at their desks in-studio.


"Hello and good evening, citizens of the galaxy." Abi Gora began, the camera shifting over to the new Iktotchi socio-political expert.

"...And I'm Colo Kardos..."

The camera switched back to Abi.

"Breaking news from Byblos has come in! A rapid Sith invasion fleet converged on the brave individuals of the Byblos Defense Force under the command of Darth Stolas." Recordings had been pieced together, modified, and coloured in to form an image on the bottom half of the screen, showing the Sith forces moving in on BDF fleet and exchanging initial shots. "Arriving to subjugate yet another world, they seemed to have bit off more than they could chew."

The projection shifted then to shots of the Jedi corvette Little Wing arriving with its escort of E-wings, Y-wing, and modified Cloakshape. Another of a Blackfin backed up by BDF Starwings rushing in to challenge Sith fighter groups, the brave charge of the Corvette toward the Sith flagship, cannons firing and E-wings outrunning missiles and dodging laser fire.

"Sector Ranger and Jedi both made their appearance and determination known in orbit of Byblos. Even a Sith boarding party was repelled by their combined efforts."

Next to be shown was footage of a Sith shuttle screaming its way into the BDF Flagship's hangar, offloading armoured soldiers and a warrior with a black blade. From the other side came in another shuttle that two Jedi leapt from with blades ready, their craft skidding across to slam into the first. Snippets of the short duel were shown, all visible faces blurred for confidentiality purposes.

One Jedi stood still, very still, with his hand out toward the man with the red and black blades. The other was a rapid rush of motion, running in as a blue-bladed blur without hesitation. The only distinctive feature of the Jedi was the long, black ponytail. Suddenly he spun off to the side, the only discernable detail his weapon as it flew, leaving the Sith on the ground spraying crimson energy from his hands before he went still on the floor.

It switched to the bridge, where both Jedi and Rangers filed in to take over the defense. Then a clever ambush in a top-level hallway, showing doors being shut around two flight-suited Sith and a droid. Seconds later a door opened and a Sith flew through with stun shots visible, then closed again. Point of view changed to outside the door where four Jedi and a Ranger stunned the Sith down and took them into custody.

"Sector Rangers and Jedi Knights joined forces and risked their lives to repel Sith forces, and repel them they did."

The droid and remaining Sith on the higher levels are shown retreating back to their boarding craft. A Y-wing chased by an Arrowhead is disabled and the chasing craft struck by the pursuing Blackfin and driven off by more fire from above as the Arquitens frigate turns to leave. In the BDF flagship's hangar the lightning-struck Jedi is helped to his feet in a show of true comradery and determination.

Little Wing charges boldly in to deliver bombers, E-wings whipping missile into the Arquitens' bridge while Y-ties deliver torpedoes, the Jedi corvette taking heavy fire. Its rescue by the Gladiator's arrival comes next, the larger ship covering the corvette with its massive frame and many guns overwhelming the Sith corvette that had gone after it.

Finally it shows the Sith retreat in full, the Arquitens trailing smoke from points across its hull as it transitions to lightspeed with the rest of the fleet.

"With their actions," piped up Colo Kardos, "both in defending Denon and Byblos, these brave souls have shown without a doubt they will work with, and fight for, the free peoples of the galaxy. Now we bring you to the Joint News Conference, live from Chandrilla in the Core Worlds."

The video of Naeva Rue, Edu Owusaan, and Douglas Hudson expanded from the corner to fill the screen. Sharp amber eyes looked out at the massed citizens massed before the trio, her expression confident and stern.

"The Sith have made bold proclamations to the galaxy. Threatened death, demanded subservience and surrender, and promised a price to pay. They have attacked our homes and our places of work, waged a war of terror against us, and tried at every turn to break us. A free people wears no chains, and we will not be broken!"

Chancellor Owusaan takes the stand next, still looking quite smug. Byblos is an important planet in Republic space and it proving difficult to conquer was a matter of pride.

"The citizens and leaders of the Republic, and the Free Worlds, will never bow before an oppressive regime. Our way is democracy, and as Byblos has shown our people will fight to maintain their rights! The Galactic Empires of old fell before the will and weight of free peoples. We will make them remember!"

Next to speak was Sector Chief Douglas Hudson, as grim and determined looking as always.

"I am very proud today to represent the Sector Rangers. With courage in their hearts, every officer who fought on Byblos went above and beyond the call of duty to defend law, order, and good in the galaxy. Working together with members of the Jedi Order has proven here to be an effective tactic for dealing with the ongoing menace of the Red Blade terrorists, and my office intends to look into this as official policy. Our deepest gratitude out to all those who fought for the life and liberty of their home and others. I ask now for a moment of silence in honor of those who died for what they believed in."

Sixty seconds passed, all three leaders spending it with their heads solemnly down in respect. Even the anthem playing in the background fell quiet during that time and the news bulletins near the bottom of the screen ceased to play.

Afterwards the Prime Minister stepped up to the podium once more, glaring directly toward the camera, fixed now with that same look she gave fellow politicians when she was about to tear them to pieces.

"Darth Stolas, the free citizens of the galaxy have answered you. We will not bow and scrape before your attempts at intimidation, we will not give up, and we will never stand down. When you come we will face you with everything we have. We have answered you on Byblos, the same answer you will receive at each and every planet. But, not to worry, "Lord" Stolas."

A smirk curled her lips up at the edges.

"You are welcome to surrender."

 

[Arah Tizun]

Arah Tizun had just walked into his residence on Coruscant after a long boring uneventful day - well, minus the few fights he was involved in - at Sector Ranger Headquarters. Beaten, bruised and showing minor scratches from the events. Tizun didn't care, he was home and he was starting to find himself getting on edge, that was so apparent today given the tension that rose throughout the office. I'm not meant for this tauntaun crap. He was starting to really reconsider everything, but what could he do? He felt he may have been stuck for now - make the best of it he told himself.

Tizun ordered the holoscreen to activate, good timing considering as soon as the screen came to life the familiar jingle filled his residence. He stopped in the middle of his removal of his jacket and just froze in the living room, his pale eyes glued to the screen as it announced the events and victory that came with it. He was shocked, speechless, and excited. "THAT'S IT!" he exclaimed out loud, "THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT TO DO!"

He had an array of mixed emotions with the news, he was angry and upset with himself because he had missed the opportunity to be involved in the mission as he had been grounded, but he was happy for the success. He knew at this moment in time, he needed to seize things for himself and despite what they would tell him to do, he needed to get back out there. The galaxy wasn't a peaceful galaxy, they needed more boots on the ground. This would be the start of something big and he refused to sit ideally by - he knew he had been ordered for this task, but he was going to explain the reality of the situation to his superiors when he got back, he couldn't stay "acting" anymore and he needed to be involved.

This news would serve as a form of inspiration and he knew he needed to meet more people, especially those outside of the Rangers. Up until today he'd been fairly isolated and it was starting to strike a nerve as he was no stranger to isolation; he needed to broaden his horizons and needed to meet more of the Jedi and his fellow Rangers - he needs to cease with any type of "lone wolf" actions - he would try at the very least.

Good work my brothers and sisters. I hope to meet you all soon enough!

 

[Ryo Tan]

Nervous looks spread quickly at the Eriadu spaceport and Ryo Tan couldn't rightly blame them. Next to him stood a squad of specialist that were enroute back to Sullust after squashing a small resistance cell on Eiattu IV. They looked tired and their usual conviction wavered slightly as they watched these politicians proclaim a win that hadn't been possible without the Jedi Order's help. They were a nuisance, still.

Months ago the Sith Order had considered the Jedi to be done for. Temples had been destroyed, grandmasters and councillors killed in devastating attacks by the Lords of the Sith and yet.. they endured? They seemingly rose up from defeat even stronger, like a Deucalian who doesn't know when to stop. Who were these Jedi that defeated Darth Asminys?

One thing was sure, though, for even after all their losses these politicians were still somehow.. "Cocky" The word escaped Ryo before he fully realized it and the specialists looked his way. They had recognized the Sith by his lack of armor and the lightsaber on his person, but so far he hadn't interacted with them or spoken a word. No doubt they were all thinking the same thing: How could the Sector Rangers be so delusional? The last time they actively encouraged cooperation with the Jedi Order the Sith retaliated by massacring hundreds of rangers. Did they really think it would be different now? What, because they managed to win a single battle? "Their overconfidence is a mistake," Ryo spoke and fully intended to make it a mistake that they would soon regret. Then, without paying attention to the specialist squad staring at him he turned away and walked over to his shuttle. It was time for him to get involved.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Arrogance was not the way of the Jedi. Still, Vayla struggled to contain some semblance of it as she guarded the cell of one Sith. The young woman of red hair and blue eyes was bound behind a barrier that could hold her, at least for now, and Vayla watched her from the other side while listening to the HoloNet broadcast.

It was quite an assembly, with not just some news anchors hosting this spiel but also a Prime Minister, a Chancellor and a Sector Rangers Chief. "A rapid Sith invasion fleet converged on the brave individuals of the Byblos Defense Force," Abi announced. Yes, and then they rapidly dispersed. Vayla watched the recordings, searching for tampering, but all in all it was a rather accurate depiction of events ensued. Sith went in for the head. Came out with their tail tucked between their legs.

Watching the ships engage in space, the Pantoran took a breath in thanks, glad to see firsthand the efforts of her allies pay off. At the time, she had been too busy focusing on a corridor, its doors and a floor that one Sith had been sitting on; she was grateful to witness the projections of those ships that made the former come to pass through efforts of unwavering bravery.

The longer Vayla's eyes trained on the holo the longer her ears leisured on the sounds escaping it.

“A free people wears no chains, and we will not be broken!”

“We will make them remember!”

“Working together with members of the Jedi Order has proven here to be an effective tactic for dealing with the ongoing menace of the Red Blade terrorists.”

“We will not bow and scrape before your attempts at intimidation, we will not give up, and we will never stand down.”

Vayla sighed into the calm air, sipping on a cup of tea while sitting beside the cell. Almost forgetting its occupant, she turned her head to the Sith within it. The prisoner had proven herself to be a deadly adversary. For all Vayla knew she could have plotted a hundred ways to break free and would execute one or all of them any moment from now. She might just succeed. Still, there she was; a prize of the Jedi.

“Thirsty?” The Jedi held up a hand, nodding toward the Sith’s own. “Drink from your own cup, my dear. Defeat swims within it.”

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Spoiler: Music OOC

It’s about time… Zad Ruzed might have centered himself on the Sector Rangers who had squared up against the Sith menace. Instead, he focused on the Jedi who had aided said Sector Rangers in repelling said Sith. It was a long time coming. Zad was a Ranger so often out of the loop; a drifter of the wild space, tapping holster and flashing badge between one backwater planet and the next, putting down the chumps who had it coming. An aging soul with no rank under his belt, he was a bit of out of the loop on current affairs, but he knew progress when he saw it; recognized a sign when it stared him in the face; saw a friend when said friend extended a hand for a handshake.

Zad held up a cigarette, the smoke curling toward a rather sophisticated air scrubber that had not come cheap in the cockpit of his Iron Justice. The holo projected every image and every voice; every creed and every code between the unspoken cooperation between Jedi and Ranger. They had hurdles, these guys and gals; barriers to jump over rather than to break apart against. Had the Battle of Byblos proven it?

The drifter thought back to the speeches as he heard them; short and sweet, this one from that chancellor and that one from this chief. Douglas Hudson. Zad gave a humph in amusement. There was one Ranger who just never quit. He spoke of his pride to represent his folk, of the courage in their hearts, the good in the galaxy, and most importantly of their working together with the Jedi Order to combat the ongoing menace of the Red Blade terrorists. And a moment of silence to honor the fallen…

Zad partook in his own, taking a leisurely drag from his cigarette. It warmed him up in a cool cockpit; sitting in seat in a tanktop and leather pants, affording himself a personal contrast between hot and cold. That was the galaxy in a nutshell, no? A frozen pit waiting to burn over; an inferno waiting to freeze over. Between the Sector Rangers and the Jedi Order, well, maybe the galaxy could find and in-between. “Maybe…” Zad whispered to his lonesome self as smoke escaped between his lips. “Maybe not…” He snuffed the cig out, waved a hand through the cloud, trusted his air scrubbers as much as he trusted the pistol holstered at his thigh and the pistols and sabers of the Rangers and the Jedi who fought beside him. “Whatever happens...happens…”

 

[Kamelle Skyler]

Spoiler: Music IC

“Wh-Where am I..?”

The man called from his little corner of the room.

“You’re in a shadow.”

A woman’s voice came back. It wasn’t incorrect. The man was stuck in a shadow where the light did not touch, stranded in a deep, dark room where no one else could hear him but the woman standing before him.

“Wh-Who are you!?”

He tried to make some sense of it all, but he would soon see that there is no sense at all.

“Your best friend.”

With that, the woman waved her wrist and flashed steel into the dark. The man screamed. A hole wept blood where a nipple had once been.

“Your worst enemy.”

Another scream. Another nipple.

“Y-YOU! I R-REMEMBER YOU! WH-WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?”

“W-WAIT! WAIT! SHUT UP! HOLONEWS!”

The woman turned the volume up just then. There was a bit of this and that, a bunch of that and this, and throughout the mumbo-jumbo she caught that the Sith invasion of Byblos had been repelled and the Jedi had won, along with their Sector Ranger allies and of course the Byblos Defense Force. “Hmm, how about that, eh?” The woman clapped her hands. “That’s a win-win for Team Jedi!”

The man, panting, gasped into the dark. “I...I...I d-don’t understand!” He screeched in that way you do when you’re gritting your teeth because I guess the pain is just that much or something. “A-Aren’t...you...a S-Sith!?”

The woman paused, turned from screen to man. “...So?”

“S-So...d-d-don’t you w-want to l-leave here and g-go help your...your...people?”

The woman blinked. “People?” She laughed. “Sith?” She pressed her blade to the man’s belly button. “You seriously think I signed up for some kinda fraternity?” Slipped her blade up an inch. The gesture was met with a whimper. “That I actually care about what happens to my club?” Another inch, another wail. “All I care about right now is how much blood and gore doesn’t get on my robes by the time my blade reaches your neck.”

The woman shifted her blade up and up, the man howled and sobbed, and blood gushed from his naked wounds like a thousand screams from the ships whose sailors lost their souls on both sides in the Battle of Byblos.

 

[Crix Aran]

It had been awhile since there had been good news on the Holonet, it seemed, for either side of himself. The part that was his mother's son despaired at the attacks and losses the Rangers were, seemingly, constantly inflicted. The other half of him was a Jedi, however, and focused on the losses his own Order had taken. Denon was still fresh in the mind of the Order and the Galaxy as a whole.

The Jedi had stood alone on Denon and had been defeated.

Over Bybls, however, Jedi and Rangers worked together and they had managed to succeed against a powerful enemy.

Jedi being heralded as people who worked alongside the Rangers was something he had been waiting for. Crix leaned back from where he was working on Scooter, the little droid beeping at him as he focused on the holonet news instead of his work for a moment.

"It's about freaking time..."

Seriously.

The Jedi were the best counter to the Sith that the Galaxy had and the FWA had been sleeping on any attempts to work with them. Sure, there was some general anti-Force User sentiment around the Galaxy but he had hoped that institutions wouldn't put stock in such blatant bigotry. He had been proven wrong in the past but this seemed like a step in the right direction.

He wasn't saying he expected people to wave at him in the street if they thought he was a Jedi, like, but steps were being taken in the right direction anyway. Snorting in amusement at the ending, Scooter also beeped in agreement and Crix laughed.

"You're right buddy, I think she might have been itching to use that line for awhile."

Sighing a little bit, he looked at the pictures of the fight over Bybls again and let out a breath. Space battles... they were never going to be for him. Crix knew well enough that his piloting skills were beyond terrible but still, he would be there at some point in the near future. At an invasion attempt just like that.

He'd be there.

And he'd be there as a Jedi Knight - just as soon as he earned it.

 

[Vera Coulter]

Vera tried to find some measure of pride in watching the Holonet display, but all that yawned ahead was bitter disappointment. She had failed to capture the Sith Lord, failed to take him down herself, and though she watched the footage of her pursuit, she could feel no pride in what she did.

The badge hung heavy for all those that died in its' service. She came in, fully expecting death, and though some approached her, slapping her on the back, and speaking praise of her 'good deeds', the guilt hung heavy. Where was she when they lost Captain Rook, or the assault on Denon? Darth Stolas may have lost this battle, but that didn't mean he wouldn't assault again.

Kark, she almost wished they hadn't made that broadcast.

Slamming back a shot, she grimaced at the burning, bitter taste, leaving a credit chip on the counter, and shrugging on her jacket. She'd have to be better prepared the next time there was an invasion; the Jedi had changed, the Rangers needed to change as well. There were many things she'd have to look into, and with those delving deep into Hutt space to look for Sith, she would have to begin looking elsewhere.

"Guess I'll need better armor," she grunted to herself, pulling on her hat and walking out of the bar. She limped, scowling into the busy street. She had a feeling she would meet that Darth again. And when she did, she wasn't going to let him go so easily. That was her Ranger vow.

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

Perhaps, all things considered, optimism wasn’t entirely out of place in his psyche.

The holo played out a feed that the boy couldn’t help but smile at. How many times had he watched these networks to find news of another planet that the Sith had dominated? A world or system or entire section of the galaxy put under their thumb?

The conflict between the Sith, the Jedi, and their free allies was something Laeonas wasn't completely informed on. Still, the general narrative from the holos and the displays of territorial maps of the galaxy seemed to always paint the Sith as the ones gaining ground. It had only been weeks prior that a world he'd never even heard of on the other side of the Galaxy had fallen to them, and it had prompted panic of all sorts. Speculation about the Sith's next attack usually revolved around yet another planet he forgot the name of; and that had been followed up by a highly predicted invasion.

He'd expected that the Sith's advance would be followed up by a report about the fall of Byblos, and that their grip on the galaxy's hyperspace routes would get tighter.

But instead, Laeonas was watching as all sorts of important folks found their way onto the screens. Scenes of battle between the Sith and the Jedi were followed up by speeches and interviews from a multitude of officials, ending with a mocking challenge to one of the self proclaimed lords of the Sith. He recognized the name from the introduction he'd heard in the holonet broadcast that had come days before his arrival on Ossus.

At that, the boy audibly laughed. The mess hall of the freighter he was boarding on was relatively empty, and the few who were inside payed him little attention. Some celebrated in their own ways, and others showed indifference; and the few who had something to complain about mentioned their disdain for the republic, or general attacks on government officials, or complaints about Jedi.

None of them actually supported the Sith.

At any rate, it didn’t help that the Sith had a tendency to be absolute pricks, with a regard for life and self determination being amongst their lowest list of priorities for anyone who wasn’t them.

You didn’t even need to like the Jedi to know that they weren’t the ones doing the most wrong in this dynamic.

How could people who (figuratively) drowned in their own excesses and negative feelings ever grasp how the force actually worked? How could you hope to rule a galaxy if you were only concerned with your own self interest?

To the boy, at least, it seemed absurd; he who’d understood the force mostly through reaching outwards. Laeonas wasn’t a Jedi by any means, and even he thought the way the Sith taught-- from the brief interactions he’d had with them-- was absurd.

Their current attempts at subverting the galactic order with their own, establishing themselves as rulers of a galaxy that had hated them for centuries, were finally being seriously challenged. Nobody wanted men and women whose singular goals were their own self advancement as rulers; none but those who'd been brainwashed and inducted against their own will.

The galaxy was a mess of peoples, and it was often dominated by those who, to an extent, thought similarly to how the Sith seemed to. It wouldn't be fixed by toppling the established order and replacing it with those who embodied the worst in it's current rulers.

Though, increasingly, Laeonas found himself increasingly enamored with breaking that status quo.
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