The Rebel Faction

The TTR symbol began flashing on the screen. It was being transmitted from an undisclosed location to the HDE planet of Commenor.

The symbol was replaced by the figure of a tall man in a flowing white suit. The man was Kamon Vondiranach, Prince of Tholatin and Head of State for the Republic.

"People of Commenor. I have set up a blockade of your system because of intelligence suggesting that possible terrorist attacks might originate from your planet.

"To stop this attack from happening, I have set up to blockade groups around your main entry vectors to the planet. You will be pulled out of hyperspace and checked before allowed through the blockade.

"We do not wish to fight HDE, we are just taking attempts to protect us and the Juutralian Empire. Please do not see this as an act of war because it is not. Thank you for your time."

The screen went back to its original programming.

Kamon's response was immediate.

"We are vilotaing no sovereign space. As Commenor is being run by a corporation similar to the Trade Federation, you do not legally have sovereign space.

"One intelligence says that the threat level of a terrorist attack is diminished, we will withdraw. Until then our fleet remains.

"Traders will be allwed through once their ships have been checked. They should expect minor delays in their shipping. That is all I have to say at this moment."

The spining IDTech insignia interupted the end of the prince's sentance as the hologrid was over ridden.

Raktus stood full in front of the camera, a waving flag filling the background behind him, the snake of IDTech laying across it.

"IDtech mourns today. We mourn the loss of crews. We mourn the loss of family members. We mourn the loss of our own.

"Today, at galactic hour 2300, four IDTech cargo transports were forced out of Hyperspace by TDY Interdictors. Due to the action of TDY of putting up their blockade before warning the galactic community we, back at the home base of IDTech, had no way of informing our dilligent crews of their coming danger. As a result, when our transports were forced from hyperspace, their engines were forcably overloaded, a glitch in each design we are looking into at this moment. This glitch ripped the aft hull of each transport from its main hull, destroying each transport as they re-emerged from hyperspace.

"While we mourn the deaths of these fine crews, we also seek retribution against TDY's hostile actions. I myself had already broadcast our support of LFX and its crusade, had already tranmitted the coordinates of our cargo ships and directories. TDY mercilessly killed these men and women, and if I may voice my own personal feelings for just a moment, wouldnt mind seeing them blown out of blockade for their actions.

"My heart goes out to the friends and families of those crews involved, a list of names will be transmitted just after this broadcast. Tommorow will be a day of mourning and prayer, may my power be upon you..."

The broadcast cut soon after

"Prince Kamon... I begin to see why the Holy Demosthesian Empire that you wish we were calls you a fool. IDTech's ships were in hyperspace when you set up your illegal blockade. Communication in hyperspace is impossible, I'm afraid. You have also failed to produce any proof of terrorist activities taking place on Commenor.

"You attempt to blame IDT for the destruction of their ships by your forces. Civilian craft on a commercial mission to Commenor, as hundreds of others do every day. IDTech, or anyone else, does not except to have to deal with illegal blockades when they enter LFX Industrial space.

"You are nothing short of a murderer, Prince. Withdraw your ships at once."

Kamon laughed at this.

"They should have checked over all ships during the R&D stages to find all bugs in the system. Do note that we did not destroy them was we did not fire a shot at them. The ships would have been destroyed on reentry anyways.

"The blockade aorund your planet will not be lifted until TTR and TJE troops are allowed to land and inspect your planet. You also have no reason to complain about us violating your space as we are not technically in it. We are just outside of it.

"You should not be using the deaths of these people as propaganda. You should be sending ships to rescue survivors on the hulks that are drifting towards you. Instead of saving lives, you are killing them by not acting. I implore you to save these people's lives. If you do not then you truly are a monster."