HoloNet News Public Safety

[Douglas Hudson]

Ah, hells. The Hutt HAD to broadcast all that carnage just now, when the Rangers were in the midst of their investigation. Douglas Hudson, Chief of the Sector Rangers, was just stepping up to the podium in the press briefing room at the main office on Coruscant to try to calm down some of the panic that was sweeping the Free Worlds Alliance and beyond.

The scenes shown during Durr the Hutt's broadcast were gruesome and terrifying to the normal man, one of the reasons he hadn't just released the ones he had to the press. They were still investigating these cases, Douglas having a personal interest in the one that happened right under his nose on Coruscant, and now he had to do damage control for information released without a stronger reassurance the problem and criminals were on their way to being taken in for justice.

That was why he was now standing there in front of the source of his greatest headaches, the press, in his 'nice' suit. As much as he disliked these briefings, he still did his best to look confident and in control in front of the camera. The people needed reassurance, to know they would be looked after and kept safe. It was a job he took VERY seriously.

"Thank you for coming, ladies and gentleman. I'm Douglas Hudson, Chief of the Sector Rangers," he began, taking a moment for his vision to adjust to the blasted flashes of the holocameras. "You may have seen, a broadcast was made by a one Durr the Hutt, from Nal Hutta. He showed images and recordings that have since spread like wildfire on the Holonet, showing a group of unknown men using some kind of laser sword and strange powers to harm and kill. I would like to state that we are not unaware of these incidents and they are already under investigation. Some of our best and brightest are already tracking these criminals down to bring to justice. As this is an ongoing investigation, we had not released these recordings ourselves, though now that an outside source has done so we now wish to share as much as we can that will not destroy the integrity of our investigation." Douglas paused, letting a small murmur ripple through the room as he knew that many were taking pictures of him for their Holonet publications. He really tried to not roll his eyes at the predictable nature of the media.

"The Sector Rangers is as always dedicated to the safety and security of all people of the Free Worlds Alliance and beyond. This matter is our top priority, meaning even beyond our investigations we have as many hands on deck as we can field to find out what they can from every angle conceivable. Thank you all for coming out today, we will not be taking questions at this moment as this is still an ongoing case. As soon as we have more information that can be shared, we will release it to the diligent men and women of the press." With the cocky half-smile that he was known for, Douglas waved to the press before turning to leave the room.

He didn't have any more information to give, so questions from the press would only be a hindrance to their work. He cursed these Jedi or pretenders, whatever they turned out to be. He wouldn't brook anyone causing panic to the people he'd sworn to protect. It was time to light a fire under the rears of his Rangers, to really kick this investigation into overdrive.

OOC: Open to reactions only.

 

[Talak Rand]

Things were getting more complicated all the time. Talak's life had become much more complicated. He was hunted by Jedi, Sector Rangers, Five Syndicates, and probably other people he'd pissed off over the years. He rubbed his face as he watched the recording for the second time.

Well... at least they don't know who I am, yet, he mumbled before letting out a groan and shaking his head. That was the silver lining, he supposed. It was a shame there hadn't been any particular mention of going after the Jedi. Talak didn't hate the Jedi or anything, but he did foresee them being a problem when it came to the Sith Eternal's goal. And apparently now the Sector Rangers, too.

His mind turned to Trys. Her parting words had been that she hoped she never saw him again as if she knew this would be coming. He hadn't known that the Rangers were investigating the appearance of Force users before this, but he wondered if this was why she had such a visceral reaction to the revelation about him. Now what? What were the odds that she would be the one coming after him? And if she was, what was he going to do? She'd already had the chance to turn on him and hadn't. Then she kissed him and left.

What the kriff am I supposed to do with that? he asked himself. That familiar frustration that accompanied these thoughts grew and he kicked the back of the couch lightly. He shook his head and shut the feed off. The last thing he needed was for Artee to see that, put two and two together, and either nag Talak to near death or call Trys outright.

He shook his head and flipped the holoprojector back to the maps he'd been looking at. He had no interest in killing Sector Rangers. Both of the ones he had met had seemed like... kindred spirits almost.

I guess you're gonna have to be careful, he muttered to himself. Time would tell how this played out. Things would only get harder, so he'd have to be smarter.

 

[Kal Zyn Dross]

Kal as actually in the building the broadcast was being made from, sitting at his desk going over some paperwork from cases he had been working on recently. He'd already started to try to find out what he could about the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, though to be honest he had no love lost for anyone part of the Syndicates. The panic that had come fro the broadcast was just another thing they were now guilty for, though as he was just one man he could only work on one thing at a time. The Hutts and others would face their reckoning for their actions, the more immediate threat were these...No, something about these criminals didn't scream of Jedi.

The Tiss'Sharl had worked with a Jedi before on a case, some murders involving a group of human traffickers from the lower levels of Coruscant. At first he hadn't fully trusted the man, the mystical powers he wielded being too much of a wild card to be comfortable around. The man had been reasonable and empathetic, though, and as they worked he felt that the Jedi had acted with honor and integrity, as well as being incredibly averse to fighting or death in general. What the men on the recording did, though, was the complete opposite of that. He looked over at his communicator, still having the man's contact information in case anything else came up. He decided to give him a call after his paperwork was done, ask some questions. Anything would help with the investigation right now.

 

[Corran Velt]

The YT-1300, Crimson Venture, had come out of hyperspace and was making good time at sublight to its first rest-stop along a long voyage in the Rim. The ship was guided by beacons nearing the station and so its pilot had some time to relax at the controls. When his datapad lit up, Corran reached for it dutifully. Whenever he dropped out of hyperspace and had a minute, he always checked the news, messages, and reports that often fluttered in. Routine was the better part of Order. He leaned back in his pilot's seat but kept his feet firm on the metal floor. He rested his leg upon his other knee, allowing himself a minor casual position while no one was around to see it.

The news on the datapad was nothing short of terrible. Chief Hudson was soothing the public and the press about a string of gruesome murders, riots, and attacks across Hutt Space and even right in the belly of Coruscant itself. Corran watched the press conference all the way through. It was sort and said what needed to be said. Chief Hudson knew he what he was doing, that was for certain. Still, Corran needed to see this Hutt holomessage for himself. The Ranger's fingers tapped onto the datapad a few times. The message wasn't hard to find. It was practically everywhere on the Holonet. Durr the Hutt was more long-winded than Chief Hudson had been. "Hutts seem to always have a flair for the dramatic." Corran expressed to himself.

Truth be told, he didn't hold a lot of sympathy for Hutt criminals, slavers, and Syndicate goons. They worked outside the law and often worked outside sentient decency. Outside the rules, you had nothing but barbarism and brutality. Still....
Corran sat more upright, looking at nothing but the vacant air in the cockpit. These light-saber users seemed to be working outside such rules. Though something seemed off about them as well. He recalled meeting one - a Jedi named Ember Blaze - on Ryloth who only used her unique weapon but once and only in self-defense. More tellingly, she didn't even use it against creatures trying to eat her. No. Whoever these people were, they weren't like that Jedi. But others could be different, even in the Jedi Order. Laws had to be followed and orders were orders. Besides, it would be better if he found a light-saber wielder first before a Syndicate crony did.