Star Wars Insider newsfeeds: 74/75/76

[Coyote]

Hey, President Sharky... looks like your lucky day. I posted these for everyone because, who knows, others may be interested.

news #74

Republic holonet:
TIPOCA CITY-KAMINO: CLONE COMMENDER GRADUATES READY FOR ACTION
The first graduates of an advanced officer-training program for the Grand Army of the Republic are ready for action.

Not all clones are created equal. Although they share the same genetic template, a classified percentage of the Republic's clone troopers are designated commanders at the embryonic stage. The undergo a specially tailored flash education program and subtle genetic manipulation to emerge with the necessary command expertise on their very first missions.

Supplementing these virtual educational packages are grueling training programs administered by members of the elite Advanced Recon Commandoes, the ARC troopers-- even more specialized clones that are developed in smaller numbers. From the first class of clone commanders have emerged 100 graduates ready for distribution to the scattered battlefields of th Clone Wars.

"The canned edu-packs can teach a soldier only so much," sad Alpha-17, lead instructor at the Tipoca City training facility. "These commanders need the guidance only seasoned combat veterans can provide."

"There's a galaxy of difference," said Commander Thire 4477, one of the graduates. "Sure, we understand that the neural pumps give us what we feel like are authentic combat memories, but having the ARC drill sergeants making it real and ovrseeing the simulations gives us the edge over the previous units."

One notable distintction of the ARC commanders is their use of given names in addition to serial numbers. Upon graduation, these clone commanders are officially recognized by this designation.

"In the past, the desire for individuality led to the spontaneous creation of nicknames in the field," explains Kaminoan Prime Minister Lama Su. "A name was once considered a flaw, but we have ound that allowing names produces the desired effects of initiative and goal-setting. In command units, thee unofficial nicknames are formally recognized as a mark of distinction and excellence among our most capable products."

Many of these command graduates will be stationed on worlds of the Corellian Tade Spine to counter recnt Seperatist advances along that hyperspace corrdor.


NEW TAGGE BARON LEDS TECH INITIATIVE: UNLOS TAGGE, TEPASI
With a mandate to bridge the technological gap in the Clone Wars, prodigy Baron Orman Tagge has been named chair of a specialized tech steering committee, part of the Analysis Bureau of Republic Intelligence.

"Too long has the enemy benefited from the research and innovtion of the Techno Union," said Armand Isard, director of teh Senate Bureau of Intelligence, via holocomm. "We have assembled the brightest minds loyal to the Republic cause and will counter anything the Seperatists have to offer."

The appointment marks the second advancement for Orman Tagge, a technical mastermind just 17 standard years of age who was granted the title of baron last month.

"The bold ideas of the House of Tagge have kept us leaders for generations," said Tagge. "I vow to put aside any past competitive differences we may have had with other firms that are still loyal to the Republic, and I extend an invitation to the best engineers and scientists from Sienar, Kuat, Rendili, and Corellian Engineering to counter the growing threat."





CIS Shadowfeed:
BREAKING NEWS: CONFEDERACY STORMS DURO
JYVUS SPACE CITY, DURO:
At 0221 local time, operation Durge's Lance broke through the outer system defenses of Duro, destroying four Golan Arms deep-space battle platforms and devastating three Acclamator-class assault ships-- Anvil, Coronet, and Bolide-- and to Dreadnought heavy cruisers-- Prominence and Atrisian Iron.

One of Duro's largest spaceborne cities, Jyvus, has already surrendered to Confederacy forces. Battle-Droid infantry and Neimoidian irregulars have secured the structure and transformed it into a field command station for the Office of the General. Duro Chief Representative Officer Hoolidan Keggle, a native of Jyvus, is currently missing.

Intelligence reports speculate that Keggle has fled the orbital archipelago for the surface of the planet.

Though victory is far from secure with at keast four more Acclamators, a Victory-class Destroyer and another Dreadnought still in the system, the assault on Duro marks yet another major world alng the Corellian Trade Spine targeted by Operation Durge's Lance.

Consisting of the First and Third Fleets of the Confederacy Navy, the task force originally launched from Yag'Dhul and has been provisioned by supply lines from Sullust and Thyferra.

A team of Givin and droid astrogators have calculated modified hyperspace routes that circumvented Republic attempts to mine the Corellian Trade Spine. Seismic EMP countermines deployed by Techno Union picket ships cleared a corrior into Duro, precipitating the attack.

The Duro planetary-defense forces supplemented by at least one squadron of Jedi starfighters and two wings of V-19 starfighters, have been dispatched against the Confederacy forces, but preliminary reports indicate that the tri-droid fighters and vulture starfighters have broken through the Republic's snubfighter screens.

Though it is still early in the engagement, it is believed that Confedercy forces are currently positioning to cut off any Republic reinforcements from Kuat or Nubia. With such an overwhelming assault, CIS Shadowfeed analysts predict the fall of Duro by the end of this standard week.

If Operation Durge's Lance continues to push Coreward, Corellia will be the next world targeted. Fighting along the Corellian Trade Spine has intensified to rival the long engagements of the Rimma Trade Route and the Seswenna front.

CIS Shadowfeed will continue round-the-chrono coverage of this developing story.

[Coyote]

News #75


Republic Holonet

DURO FALLS TO GRIEVOUS
--Duro Capitulates after week-long fighting
--Coruscant System Borders Bolstered
--Onaconda Farr Steps Down From Action Committee

BORIBUS, CORUSCANT
With stunned silence, Republic viewers in the Duros Cultural Center in the Boribos Prefecture of Coruscant watched holographic footage broadcast from the besieged world fo Duro confirming their worst fears-- one of the founding worlds of the Republic has fallen to the Seperatist Supreme Commander, General Grievous.

Dramatic images live from Duro's surface showed the Republic seal in flames, and new flags bearing the hexagonal Confederacy emblem decorating the entrance to the Valley of Royalty.

"So, the Republic would have the galax believe that its heart is secure," said Grievous in a Confederacy HoloNet transmission released by the Senate Bureau of Intelligence earlier tday. "Today's events, however, show tha there is nothing that can stop our forces from total victory."

SBI holography analysts confirmed that the imager and transmissions were genuine and unaltered. Other transmissions released today corroborated earlier reports detailing the fall of Duro.

Following the destruction of the Acclamator-class warships Founder, Annealer and Doughty, the last of teh Republic capital ships withdrew to the outer system. Having taken over Jyvus Space City, one of the largest orbital centers over Duro, the Confederacy was able to drop the planetary shields protecting the world. From staging points on Jyvus, Seperatist drop-fighters began orbital bombardment of the planetside industrial factories surrounding the valley.

The hermetic environments were ruptured and exposed o the toxic chemicals unleashed by the bombardment, allowing the droid forces of the Confederacy to easily claim the world's surface capitals. Holographic imagery shows General Grievous forcing a haggared-looking Duro Chief Representative Officer Hoolidan Keggle to sign his capitulation to the Seperatists.

"The taking of the ground was just a final insult from the General," said SBI Director-General Armand Isard. "The Seperatists had Duro the second they claimed Jyvus."

Isard fielded questions from reporters today at a media conference outside the Senate Rotunda. "While I can assure citizens of Coruscant that we are safe, we want to continue stressing vigilance and preparedness. Winning this war will require discomforts and sacrifice, but together we will persevere," he said.

Isard refused specific comment on the conduct of the Republic naval forces, particularly the lack of resupply from nearby Nubia. The sluggish response of Republic reinforcements is currently under investigation, and Senator Onaconda Farr (Rodia), who had been in charge of the Senate Action Subcommittee for Corellian Trade Spine Defense, has resigned his position (see article 194.11).

Rotunda insiders speculate that this action could prompt Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to do away with the various specialized "action subcommittees" in the Senate in favor of a stronger, centralized war office.

The Office of the Chancellor has given Admiral Terrinald Screed complete authority in the deployment of Coruscant Planetary Defense resources. Isard assured the media that such actions are not based on any intelligence reports indicating a strike oagainst Coruscant, but rather were "prudent precautionary measures".

The Office of the Supreme Chancellor was not available for comment.



CORELLIANS FEAR IMPENDING ATTACK
cORELLIAN NODE
With Duro a short distance down the Corellian Trade Spine, many Corellians are now bracing themselves for an impending attack from the Confederacy CorSec forces have been at maximum alert throughout the sector, particularly in the protection of the Corellian Engineering Corporation shipyards.

Since before the outbreak of hostilities in the Clone Wars, Corellia has taken a limited role in fighting the Seperatist forces, producing warships to quota and helping in the distribution of aid and medical supplies. Analysts predict that since the fighting has come perilously close to Corellian borders, the traditionally isolationist sector will take a more active role in the war.

Despite political unpopularity, Corellia has proven to have many vocal allies in the Senate. "This is not about politics," said Senator Fang Zar (Sern Prime), a trading partner with the Corellian sector and a long-time political ally to Senator Garm Bel Iblis. "This is about helping people who may be endangered."

Other Senators have not been so supportive. "Where were Senator Bel Iblis and his forces when we needed them at Duro? He will soon come to realize that there comes a price to sticking your head in the sand," said Senator Orn Free Taa (Ryloth).



SENATE ADMITS BUNGLING OF TRADE SPINE DEFENSE
SENATE ROTUNDA, CORUSCANT
A visibly emotional Senator Onaconda Farr (Rodia) tendered his resignation from the Senate Action Subcommittee for Corellian Trade Spine Defense following the disasterous loss of Duro to Confederacy forces.

"It is with great regret that we were unable to head off the advancement of the blasted Sepertists nd that Duro had to pay the price. I ask for an opportunity of vengeance, but I will heed the advice of my colleagues and step down. Let me add, though, that I do question the judgement of the SBI and the usefullness of whipping the public into a panic by broadcasting those images [of Duro]."

"Now is not the time for such partisan finger-pointing," vice chair of teh Senate Mas Amedda told reprters. "That there was a failure in procedure is without question. We're not looking to expend energies on punishmntbut rather on determinng what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again. There will come time for retribution when the war is over."

[Coyote]

News #76


Republic Holonet

SENATORS FARR AND COOR CENSURED
--SBI REPORT BLAMES SENATORS FOR DURO MISMANAGEMENT
--CRIMINAL CHARGES EXPECTED SOON

SENATE ROTUNDA, CORUSCANT
Amid cries of criticism and shouts of "traitor!" Senator Ronet Coor (Iseno) tendered his resignation following repots of criminal mismanagement that resulted in the capture of Duro by Seperatist forces.

Early this morning, the Senate Bureau of Inelligence released its 25-datapage report, authored by Agent Inglemenn Barezz. "We were able to get past the gravwelling of those involved and cut through the bureaucracy. We discovered the unfortunate truth that insular politicking led to the fal of Duro," he told reporters at a press conference.

The report analyzed why Duro was so poorly defended against the Seperatist attack, finding that the system's orbital defense platforms had been supplemented only by meager capital-ship support, most of it in the form of carriers and transports of limited effectiveness.

The system had been allocated three of the newly-commissioned Vanator-class Star Destroyers, all of which were absent during the attack. Fraudulnt requisition datamemos placed the three vessels as undergoing "shakedown refurbishment" at a classified location, but the SBI report rvealed that they had instead been redistributed to the Rodia-Ando battlefront in the Mid Rim.

The report names Senator Onaconda Farr (Rodia)-- the chair of the Senate Action Subcomittee for Corellian Trade Spine Defense-- responsible for the asset relocation. Aid to Duro from the attack should ave come from Iseno, but those warships (whose cmpliment remains classified) were also redistributed to Rodia.

"What was initially categorized as bureaucratic misfiling has proven to be a direct and intentional act of unauthorized reallocation," states the report. "An analysis of financial transactions and communiques prove Iseno's willing collusion in the act, in exchange for millions of credits and promised rebuilding contracts on Ando."

"How could this have happened?" asked Jorrigar SoBilles, a prominent Duro businessbeing. "This proves that the Senate can not be trusted to wage this war. For the sake of other worlds that fall in the crosshairs of General Grievous, I hope that a more authoritative body helms the defense."

SBI officials denied allegations that all prominent Rodian politicians were being investigated for similar deceptions, though they did confirm that Administrator Dar Wac had been questioned and cleared of any suspicions. "Please, do not turn this into an issue of race," said Barezz. "We are simply trying to find the avenues through which such deceptions could be carried."

Though the Office of the Supreme Chancellor refrained form comment, Rotunda insiders expect a full review of the structures and policies of the Senate Action Subcommittees, with their dissolution possible in the near future.

Senators Lexi Dio (Uyter) and Padme Amidala, vocal proponents of sector rights of autonomy, have expressed concern over any such changes. "This poor example should not dictate sweeping policy changes," said Senator Dio. "Do not let the actions of two corrupt Senators paint the entire body as corrupt."

"While we join our colleagues in shock and disapproval of these Senators' acts, we do not wang to hear the Senate's voice silenced in these trying time," said Senator Amidala. "Already there are cries for the Chancellor to directly steer the war; today I heard esteemed Duros leader demand that a human be placed in charge of battlefronts that overlap rival homeworlds; I cannot believe that these short-sighted reactionary cries could become policy."



CIS SHADOWFEED
CORELLIAN TRADE SPINE SECURED
MID-RIM NODE
With the splitting of a victorious task force of capital warships for patrol duties alonf the entire Corellian Trade Spine, General Grievous officially declared Operation Durge's Lance a success.

"We have taken the battle to the Republic's heart and have shown those cowards how far we are willing ot go to protect what is ours," the General said in a brief statement distributed to CIS Sahdowfeed nodes galaxywide.

"With Duro firmly under Confederacy control, our forces now control the flow of traffic up and down the Trade Spine and can prevent Republic attempts to steal back our worlds," the General continued.

Squadrons of Givin combat engineers have towed asteroid bodies into strategic placements along theSpine to hinder hyperspace travel. Safe passage can only be obtained through astrogation calculations in 12th-degree hyperometry and Helrossi-principle octratic equations-- methodologies devised by advanced Givin theorists.

Geonosian Dreadnoughts and Givin Wavecrest-class frigates are currently patrolling the Spine. HoloNet nodes along the Spine have been dismantled, with the bulk of intra-sector communications being handled instead by Banking Clan communications ships.

Though the General made no comment on future campaigns, analysts forsee Yag'Dhul as a likely launchng point for major offensives along the Rimma Trade Route, to supplement forces in the Seswanna and Sluissi sectors.

Aleen and Atzerri, worlds that have so far remained neutral, are also lkely candidates for liberation missions, while the Republic world of Malastare seems likely to become a major battlefront.

The latest infopacket dispatched by the ever-mobile Seperatist Union to CIS Shadowfeed contains an unattributed message to Republic media channels.

"We have scanned the propaganda from the Republic, which paints us as predators waiting to snatch up neutral worlds like Corellia," it says. "The right to secede and determine our own fates dictates our missions. These are not raids of cold conquest. Palpatine knows the terms. Let the Confederacy be, and this war will end."


ORGANIC FORCES ARRIVE
AVISIO, MOORJA
Moorja, a smal Mid-Rim world down the Corellian Trade Spine from Yag'Dhul, will be protected by organic infantry from any Republic reprisals, Commerce Guild President Shu Mai said today.

Proetcting the vulnerable "back door" to the recent conquest of the Spine was a key item in her speech to Commerce Guild shareholders today, and holographic imagery from the plains of Moorja showed ranks of the so-called "flesh and blood corps" landing on the planet.

"The ionstorms of Moorja have preveted the landing of our standard battle-droid forces, but Neimoidian Gunnery Battalions, Gossam Commandos and Koorivar Fusiliers have consolidated to provide Moorja with cost-effective protective forces," said Mai.

"If you peruse the attatched profit-and-loss schema in your folders, you'll see that in this case, the distribution of organic personnel in this combat market has proven t be more affordable than refitting existing capital goods with ionic-damping technologies," Mai continued. "The availability of agrarian yields to feed our forces shows that this approach makes the most business sense."

[President Sharky]

Thank you so much O' Great Coyote! I've been scrounging around trying to find these for a while, but now you have rode in to save the day! I'll be sure to tell my future kids the story of your heroism, in ballad format. PRAISE!

[Petrosjko]

Thanks Coyote. That was a fun read.

[Coyote]

Aw, shucks, y'all... just glad I could be of help. Sharky, are you going to post that story here in the fanfics forums when it's done? I'd like to see it-- stories that flash into news events from time to time are usually pretty interesting reads.

[President Sharky]

I most likely will post it, but the story is still in the first draft stage, so it may be some time before I can actually make some posts (busy with RL and all).

[Tychu]

::wakes up::
::sees what channel is still one 47 or 48::
::gets an idea! to look at the newsfeeds of star wars::
::thinks where the hell can i Phil get this info::
ah ha i think
::looks at the old Insiders from the Paizo publishing commity before the new suites took over and took out everything that was great and reduced our favorite magazine back to 6 issues a year::

[Mange]

Great Coyote! This was great for us that can't get hold of the Insider. It would be interesting to know what is written up to this point.

[Coyote]

Well, from what I have been given to understand, the Insider Newsfeeds are supposed to detail actual canon events in the SW universe, along with the Cartoon Network's mini-series done by the "Samuari Jack" animator.

So all the Asajj Ventris, and Durge, stuff going on in the cartoons and in the Newsfeeds are canon, (MINOR SPOILER ALERT) and so when "Revenge of the Sith" comes out the opening scene is supposed to be a big battle between Confederacy forces above Coruscant-- the final stage of "Operation Durge's Lance" as it has been portrayed here.

So since the Battle of Geonosis, CIS forces have conquered their way up the Corellian Trade Spine towards Coruscant in a steady stream of victories-- thus setting the stage for "Revenge's" release this Spring.

When I get home-- in a month, now-- I have to go and find the comics, and hopefully the Cartoon Network series ion DVD, so I can catch up.