The Day The Music Died [OP Reaction to Rhommamool/Osarian]

[HK-36]

The first reports soon began to flood in into the Holo-net.
Interviews with spacers, hear-say and rumors, panicked statements and remarks.

After all, two planets just blew up, and the ripples that caused traveled through all beings, Force sensitives or not, in form of the Force or information.

Throughout the Protectorate citizens and officials alike huddled to holoscreens, in private and public places, watching the news as newscasters covered the story about the tragedy in Osarian system and the two planets it has devoured with it.
People turned to dieties and theologies, as they often did in times of tragedies and disasters, seeking comfort and support, cherishing the memory of relatives and friends they have lost in the Osarian system.

MEANWHILE, ON FONDOR
@[member="Ayden Cater"] @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]
The Leadership of the Protectorate has gathered in the Towers of Fondor, an emergency session in relation to the sudden cataclysm in Osarian system.
Surely, there was plenty the Exarchs had to discuss and convey, especially due to the secretive information of Velok's involvement in the tragedy the Protectorate has captured.
So, there they were, in a well-lit office, holding a larger oval table with collection of chairs and a holo-projector in the middle of the table.

AND WHILE THAT WAS HAPPENING, EVERYWHERE ELSE IN OMEGA TERRITORY
@Members of the Protectorate Not Attending the Meeting
Numbers of souls would be able to learn of the news from their neighbors, and trusty information networks of the Holo-Net, each one of them reacting in their own wondrously diverse way.
Only the Force knew in what ways each could portray the storm of emotions that came from learning of such macabre events. Again, considering basically the same thing happened on Donyanyd.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

(Attack of the Meta References!)

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"], @[member="Ayden Cater"]

Omega Pyre Tower - Conference Room

Moira's expression was especially grim as she stood in the conferece room behind the large oval table, holding a datapad in her hand. As head of Military Intelligence of the Omega Protectorate she had been called in to give the briefing. An emergency session, two worlds destroyed, it remnded her strongly of Donanyd. Back then she had joined the team that walked the surface of the devastated, irradiated world.

Outwardly there was little visible emotion on her face, she seemed focused on her task. A cup of starcaf, half finished and probably lukewarm by now, stood upon the table before her.

"Exarchs, MICO has analysed the incident. An unmarked bulk freighter entered the system, then the star exploded. We have reasonable cause to believe that the incident was deliberately engineered by a third party. Probe droids were dispatched and we have recovered particles, which according to experts show residue of darkside energy. One obvious conclusion would be that this was a terrorist act perpetrated by the Sith Empire to incite war between the Protectorate and Republic, exploiting recent tensions. However, in such scenario it would not be logical to destroy worlds from both nations and thus potentially give them a common cause. Preliminary conclusion is that this was the work of a rogue, clandestine, darkside network unnconnected with any government," she let that hang for a moment as she passed a datapad over.

The following was written upon it: 'The undying Fanged God bellowed and stars perished in the storm. Many are called but few chosen for ascension. We are legion for we are many in the shadows. The False Empire's treasure trove is burst open. The twice crippled one duelled in vain. The great culling has begun, the cleansing fire of Chaos. Torkan triumphs. Carida is surpassed and forgotten.'


"MICO intercepted and decrypted this message, tracing it back to the holonet site of a Chaos cult. We presume it was deliberately planted, judging by the ease of the decryption. It was sent almost simultaneous with the incident and apparently represents a claim of responsibility. Our sources indicate that a few days prior to the attack the Sith Master Velok fled the Empire, last sighted at Rudrig, location of the Sith archives. Imperial forces appear to have given pursuit. It is rumoured he absconded with a powerful artefact," at that she pressed a button on the projector and a holographic image of the Whiphid sprang to life so that everyone could lay eyes upon the Galaxy's favourite talking Warthog.

"Sorcerer, teacher of half the Empire's Sith, long-time power broker under successive Sith regimes, now branded an Enemy of the Empire. Recently engaged Omegan forces on Dagobah when they fought the zombie onslaught. His connection to the outbreak is still being investigated. Also fought Colonel Kerrigan on Metalorn." This would obviously be the part Alcori was quite familiar with, given the Colonel's condition after the duel.

"Believed to have a history with the Bando Gora zealots, possibly stretching back half a century. Possibly tied with die-hard Sith radicals inside the Empire eager to topple the peace treaty and return to the 'old ways'. Rumours of contact with the schismatics in the abortive 'Galactic Imperium' are still being investigated. 'Torkan' is one of his aliases. It is our theory that he and his affiliates were responsible for this, utilising darkside magicks. It represents a hardened cabal of darkside zealots, potentially transgalactic in range, given the extensive contacts Velok built up over the decades that transcend national boundaries, a Sidious-style underground. In the light of the message...this attack could be a call to intifada, exploiting tensions between the great powers and rallying darkside cultists since the Empire lacks the necessary radicalism. Hence we cannot rule out further terrorist attacks, perhaps by other radical Sith splinter groups that see this act as a mandate. These might be geared towards breaking the Treaty or inciting a Republic-Protectorate conflict."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea sat and stared at nothing. @[member="Moira Skaldi"]’s endless monotone went on and on, detailing plots and details of a Sith Lord’s intigues. She knew she had to deal with them, but she just wished the woman would shut up for once.
It was something…something she could never quite manage, to be so impassive and impartial. Rhommamool was not important per se. A mining planet with few people, orbiting the larger Republic world of Osarian, but it was the fact that someone had set out to annihilate it.

When Moira finished speaking, Tegaea sat forward.
“Thank you, Agent Skaldi. Your people have done good work. However, I question the reason for this attack. If this was aimed at breaking the treaty, then they’d have chosen one world, not two belonging to different sides. This way we are drawn together with the Republic, not pushed apart. Secondly, this would not break the treaty between Republic and Sith unless the Republic knew it was the Sith who had done it…and they have not even tried to pretend it.”

“Regardless. This Velok, I know of him. He has been a malignant shadow in the background for a long time now. This crime will not go unpunished. Agent Skaldi, I want you to put all your efforts into finding him and then we will deal with him. I will also put a bounty on his head large enough to at least make him stay out of big cities. I want him found and destroyed…whatever his reasons.”

Tegaea leaned back again. “Is there anything more, Agent? @[member="Ayden Cater"]?”

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"], @[member="Ayden Cater"]

"Indeed. The choice of targets is...perplexing. A follow-up attack might be geared towards that end if more actors are encouraged. The Bounty Hunters Guild will be eager to start the hunt. I shall also...get in touch with my Atrisian colleagues. They are...predisposed to hating exactly this sort of rogue force-user," Moira responded. Again Moira obviously did not know about the Inquisition, but she understood the views of the people over there and had some contacts.