JEDI HoloNet

The planned easing of Chiss military control on occupied worlds has been dealt a serious blow in a fresh wave of rebellion against the Ascendancy’s military leadership. The protests, which began as a series of peaceful demonstrations last week, quickly grew in size thanks to the Ascendancy’s previously relaxed approach to social networking and other HoloNet services over the past year. It is believed that more militant groups have used the protests as cover to coordinate a series of attacks on Ascendancy military emplacements, which have resulted in the death of an undisclosed number of Chiss soldiers and Commonwealth militants.

Major cities on key political centres such as Naboo, Eriadu and Katan Ahk have borne witness to some of the largest armed operations since the Commonwealth’s surrender three years ago. The military response to the uprisings has been swift and merciless, the sound of weapons fire echoing in the streets for hours. In a statement to the press, an Ascendancy official announced a state of martial law would be enforced immediately in order to “ensure the continued safety and security of Ascendancy citizens”.

In past cycles, Ascendancy security patrols have become less frequent as more and more power has been returned to local authorities. This latest development has meant a radical shake up of Chiss policy regarding the occupied territories, with local infrastructure – more or less unchanged since the occupation began – now dissolved and replaced entirely by a military-led government. Personal freedoms have been seriously curtailed; a strict curfew is now in effect and personal transport is banned, with checkpoints and barricades restricting the flow of pedestrians and public transport. Access to social networks such as FriendDirectory and Squawker has been blocked, while the military has reserved a majority of the available HoloNet bandwidth for its own use.

A statement from the Chief of State’s office is expected in the coming hours.

Ular Tenn // GHN