JEDI HoloNet

GRANDMASTER OF THE JEDI IN INTENSIVE CARE

Galactic Holonews has just received word from an inside source that Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Don’roq, has been admitted to intensive care under the Circle of Healers of Ossus. Though we are not in possession of all of the facts as of yet, we can confirm that he has fallen unconscious and is being transported into an intensive care facility within the temple as we speak. The overwhelming speculation is that this condition has followed cycles of failing to heal from wounds he sustained during the strike team operation he led into the heart of the Spectral Force.

The 150-year-old Whiphid has had a long history of serving the galaxy; from his time as a member of the Galactic Alliance’s division of Jedi healers during The Attrition Wars, to being elected to the position of Grandmaster of the Jedi Order in 361 ABY. His almost fourty year tenure has overseen the growth of the Jedi Order back into its former glory as the guardians of justice and peace from the disastrous ashes of the Imperium Wars. The Jedi, the Republic and the whole Galaxy has been shaped by his guidance.

All the staff at Holonews will pray for a speedy recovery of the Grandmaster, and we are sure that the entire galaxy is with us in that prayer.

And now, a message from the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Don’roq.

For those unaware, our Order has gone through a most tumultuous time. We, as have the galaxy, been engaged with a threat the likes of which has not been seen before. Nevertheless, we Jedi have prevailed and brought this galaxy to a much safer place.

Our Jedi researchers, led by our strongest divisions that for security reasons will remain anonymous, uncovered the nature of an alien element, only recently discovered to exist in the galaxy. We have thus described it as the ‘Spectral Force’. This element, otherwise more commonly referred to as ‘the Void’, is a substance that feeds off the life energies of the Force – that which gives a Jedi their power – and disturbs its very essence to a point unrecognizable.

This element metastasized and, eventually, took hold of a force-sensitive individual. It is at this point that the threat I speak of began, as the notorious ‘Lost Star Children’, who were led astray by this unknown and unregistered force user. This individual, financed through personal connections, sought to use the Lost Star children to create his own dangerous cult. However, before this could reach fruition, myself and a strike team of Jedi took out this individual before he could be a greater harm to the galaxy. The only two Lost Star children to not be returned to their families are Esta Bowing and Koyso Chewai’in, who have tragically lost their lives in the fight against this evil.

As far as we are aware, those areas affected by this malignant taint will slowly heal back to life, but we have no way of telling how long this will take – or if they will ever truly be as they once were.

Let it be known that this could not have been completed if not for the valiant efforts by other factions of the Force. The Imperial Knights, Zeison Sha, Iron Knights, Matukai, Baran Do and others were instrumental in their support, many of which lost their lives – just as we have, during this painful process. Through it all, we have forged a new path of unity and strength – but let us not forget all that we have lost. Myself and the Order would ask the brave members of the galaxy to a one minute silence for those the galaxy has lost tomorrow morning at 11:00 Galactic Time, so that we may reflect and meditate on all that we hold sacred.

The Empire has once again stunned top galactic officials and military personnel with the official unveiling of the new standardized stormtrooper phase X armour. A user feedback program led by the Imperial Infantry Trials and Development Unit (IITDU) has driven a new initiative to upgrade from the phase XI armour. Moff Gyi, acting as the high general of the Imperial Army has overseen the development of the new Phase X stormtrooper armour. Phase X has already started rolling out at the start of the year and is set to gradually replace the Phase XI armour.

So far around 14,000 units of Phase X body armour, helmets and load-carrying systems have been issued to a number of units – including members of 1st Legion, 291st Legion & 501st Legion.

The new design of Phase X mainly combats the design flaws in XI’s complete set of eighteen components that encased the body. The Imperial Department of Military Research described the problems of the XI was that issues with manufacturing eighteen different components for a variety of humanoid and non-humanoid species put stress on manufacturers. In order to simplify things, designers place more emphasis on limiting the number of individual components that made up the armour, reducing the number from eighteen down to eleven.

Helmets of the Phase X program have also received an upgrade. Now equipped with a smoke filtration system and an external tank hook-up although the helmets can still not filter toxins. Aside from providing standard protection for the wearer’s head, the Phase X helmet will possess both communication and targeting systems for the foot soldiers, although quadnoculars will still be required for any enhanced imaging. In addition, will have contained polarized lenses and night vision, but lacked advanced imaging gear in order to keep the helmet’s weight down.

Moff Gyi commented saying:

“The entire process from receiving feedback, informing the developer ,trialling prototypes, manufacture and then fielding has taken 23 cycles, demonstrating a step change in support to front-line soldiers.”

Additionally Moff Gyi stated:

“Going forward the Stormtrooper Corps will be three times more effective than what it was, giving our soon to be True Emperor an excellent force able to quell any threats to Northern Space.”

More news to follow.

“It has been over four decades since the Imperium War ended and yet its echoes affect the Republic, Fel Empire and the rest of the galaxy still. At the heart of the conflict, the Jedi. What else is new?”

This is the beginning of the now bestselling book, “The Jedi – Friend or Foe?”, written by Dr. Del Mund, former candidate for the office of senator on the planet of Corellia. The book was published last cycle and already it has received popularity in the mid and outer rim. However, it has not reached much critical or political acclaim due to its anti-Jedi sentiments. Many senators and politicians are speaking out against the book, and here to speak about that is the man himself, Dr. Mund.

“Hello, Dr. Mund!”

“Hi, Ray. Thanks for having me.”

“Thanks for agreeing to this interview. Now, Dr. Mund, your novel has achieved the Republic’s bestseller list quicker than most novels in the last several decades. Why do you think that is?”

“I think it’s because it’s a conversation worth having. If you look at history, the Jedi are at the core of it. Who are their wars against? Other Jedi. And the rest of us are along for the ride. People forget that the Sith came from the Jedi. Why should we have to deal with the Jedi Order’s failures? Failures, if I might add, which have cost countless lives over the centuries.“

“Anti-Jedi sentiment is nothing new, but what makes your book or movement different?”
“Come now, Ray, I’d hardly label it as a movement. And I resent it being called anti-Jedi. More so… anti-war.”

“How can you call this novel not anti-Jedi when you suggested or implied in many of its chapters that it would be better if the Jedi didn’t exist at all?”

“Listen, I respect the Jedi immensely. The story of the Republic and Jedi is an old one. An abusive story at that but a story nonetheless. And they have saved the galaxy more than enough times. The question I’m proposing in my novel is, why was it necessary in the first place? Are or were we better off without them? In my novel you will find historical evidence that gives weight to both sides of the argument. And I’ll leave it to the reader to decide.”

“Many politicians including the Chief of State have spoken out against your novel and have advised Republic citizens not to purchase it. Do you have anything to say about that?”

“Of course they have. They need the Jedi. Why would they say anything different? If I were in their position, I would be saying the same thing. While we’re speaking about the Republic government, why would the leadership allow the Jedi to police our systems when they are no longer sworn to us? Why do they have that authority, and where does that authority end? Where are the checks and balances? These are questions that need answers.”

“You certainly have a lot of ideas, Dr. Mund. But my question to you is, what’s in it for you?”

“Nothing but the debate. Popularity has its setbacks. I have received many death threats since the book’s publication and I am not backing down. Every citizen of the Republic needs to have this conversation to prevent another Jedi war.”

“I am extremely sorry to hear that. Thank you for your time, Dr. Mund.”

“Thank you, Ray.”

Good day my fellow truth seekers. I told you I’d keep you up to date on this whole crystal conundrum, and true to my word I have just gathered even more of a scoop while simultaneously doing the job of the Jedi and the ASF!

Some of you super fans might have seen my latest episode of “Ultra Undercover Utilitress”, in which I made my foray into the local Jedi Temple here on Alzoc III and gave you all a candid look at how the temple operates behind closed doors.

You can remember with fondness and dismay at my detention at the hands of these Jedi when they aptly discovered I was under cover and how they failed to even check basic credentials for validity before locking up innocent civilians doing their civic duty! One of the Masters there even ordered one of the young Jedi to destroy my camera! It made it perfectly clear that these are not people we want protecting us. If you remember the rumors surrounding their leaving of this facility some decades past, you’ll know that I long have believed the people at the capital rose up and together ousted the lot of them with our cries of anger! Speak to them with the money, I say! Not allowing them to renew their lease was, in my opinion, the greatest act of service the ASF had done to date, or since.

But, Orleana Gorgin isn’t all talk, sentiment, auspicious beauty and intelligence, she’s also built to work, and she works for YOU, the deserving citizens of Alzoc III who deserve to know they are safe!

When last we left off on this story we had discovered little to nothing other than that lightsaber crystals of some kind were circulating the black market. Since then, the ever competent Jedi have been taking over the case. Particularly, two young Jedi that you may recognize – I snapped this photo just moments before they began threatening innocent Ugnaughts on the street.

That’s right – it’s the same duo who we encountered on “Ultimate Undercover Utilitress”! You can tell the Jedi sent its very best to investigate this, right?

Not even five minutes after this point the duo came after me, but I wasn’t afraid, because of that beauty, charm and wit I told you about earlier. I actually managed to pry some information out of them, cobbled together with what I had previously learned through my own investigation.

As you may or may not be aware, there was a sizable explosion just the other day on the east side of the capital where…the less than savory congregate. Allegedly, a small explosion set off other explosives from this weapons dealer, causing the damage to the building.

This has put the Rising Sun and Dewback groups on extremely tense terms, as people start pointing fingers. Other smaller gangs are smelling the blood in the water too, such as the Fletchers. Alzoc III’s capital is set for an all out gang war with us innocent, beautiful and incredibly intelligent citizens caught in the crossfire!

This reporter has located a few items from the police report that the ASF DOES NOT WANT you to see. Allegedly there were plasma emissions detected at the scene, as well as bizarre shrapnel embedded into the walls with the plasma emissions. After questioning the Jedi, I think that maybe one of the gangs has set up ELABORATE TRAPS to cause EXPLOSIONS to happen when testing out these crystals. Are they actually crystals? Are they just BOMBS?!

One thing is for certain. This reporter is on the case and will find out more for you soon. Until next time, this has been Orleana Gorgin.