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Tholatin claims discredited;
'Republic' government blamed for catastrophe, thousands killed</font>
THOLATIN: Thousands are dead and many more wounded, today, following a series of rash actions on the part of the Tholatin Republic. A convoy under the command of one Jon Trojan was assaulted within Tholatin's defensive perimiter in what is becoming widely known as the 'Trojan Massacre'. According to reports, as many as twenty CR90 Corellian Corvettes, also known as 'Rebel Blockade Runners' for their role in the Galactic Civil War, were destroyed after apparently being fired upon by Tholatin forces.
The government of Tholatin has, of course, denied all claims that they were to blame for the attacks. Radon Mont, Chief Counsul to Prince Kamon Vondiranch, said that "the missiles that started the skirmish did not originate from a TTR vessel". And while data from sensor units has not yet been made available to the general public, a lingering question remains: If the Tholatin fleet did not fire the first shots, who did?
Perhaps the 'mysterious forces' that certain members of the Republic had alluded to? These forces, that managed to penetrate Tholatin defences and stage an attack on civilian vessels?
Whether the Tholatin forces are covering up for their treachery, or the attack was staged by unknown forces, one thing is clear: the Tholatin government failed to protect its citizens.
"This sort of thing would never have happened in the Empire," said Captain Patton of the Bastion Conclave.
Following the destruction of Mr. Trojan's convoy, a series of attacks have taken place on the surface of Tholatin, as well. Most well known are the explosions in the Cor'la Mountain just North of the capital, where a sizable blast is said to have killed several Tholatin soldiers, and a freighter crash that levelled the ArcTek building in the capital city itself.
But unlike the Trojan Massacre, the treachery and deciet of the Tholatin government is instantly apparent in these cases. While thousands mourn the loss of loved ones in the attack that destroyed more than two sqaure kilometres of buildup, Tholatin officials and INN Reporter Jerik Somir seem more concerned with the material loss. Tholatin news releases have repeatedly claimed that the building was empty - information that was proven false by the thousands of reports recieved by INS following the announcement.
And, of course, the claim that this is a massive terrorist conspiracy directed at attacking ArcTek. As Somir himself said, "they did use two fighters to take down a freighter" [edited for spelling]; Tholatin forces shot down a civilian craft, and the pilots are directly responsible for an estimated seven thousand civilian casualties as a result.
INS inquired into the punishment for the pilots, but recieved no comment.
While pleased to see that INN admitted openly to being biased, the INS also feels the need to rebuke the rediculous claims made by that network. It is not a matter of people 'believing' the Empire (though the only comment made by the New Order thus far has been Captain Patton's, above), but of being presented with the truth. In fact, the Empire did not even enter the situation until Somir's statement.
One wonders about his preoccupation with the New Order!
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the Tholatin Republic shot down a civilian freighter. That makes them directly responsible for the death and destruction raised by the attack.
There is, of course, no proof in the single comment attained by the INN citing the Empire as liars. It could very well have been (poorly) staged on Tholatin itself. Judging by the words themselves, it is nothing more than political propaganda put out by a decietful and biased news source: INN.
The simple fact of the matter is that the Tholatin Republic
is responsible for the devestation. There is no way around the truth.
And the INS would wonder why the INN must resort to insulting its readers and viewers. Perhaps they're the stupid ones?
-INS Exclusive