Black Sun Crisis

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Black Sun Crisis
Hapan Pride Campaign
Date	Year 3 Day 53 - Year 3, Day 266
Location	Lorell, Hapes Cluster
Result	Black Sun presence on Lorell purged
Belligerents
Hapes Consortium Joint Security Force of Lorell	Black Sun Black Sun affiliates
Commanders and Leaders
King Jessy James Regent Leto Tini`duran Prime Minister Choibacco Antaria Contra Admiral Gane Lant Commodore Alex Tylger Colonel Lanxek Delsarr	Prince Qel Dar Lord Kosh Naranek CEO Plojo Rosom
Strength
Lucrehulk 3210 Battleship Modified Tabder Heavy Hauler Nova Battle Cruisers Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers Carrack Light Cruisers Miy'Til Interceptors Y-Wings	Unknown
Casualties and Losses
Minor	25 city districts destroyed Unknown number of Black Sun operatives and civilians killed

The Black Sun Crisis, or the Hapan Pride Campaign, is a term used to describe the events that unfolded on the planet Lorell in the Hapes Cluster during the first half of Year 3. Black Sun, under the leadership of Prince Qel Dar attempted to subvert control of the planet from the Hapes Consortium by establishing a prominent presence there through front companies. Following a breakdown in diplomatic negotiations, a propaganda war ensued on the GNS with slander and accusations of dishonesty. The Consortium and its allies began a massive military build up in the system before initiating a large scale military campaign that involved orbital bombardment of Black Sun holdings.

Over several months, the Consortium continued their bombardment of the illegal city districts, while also waiting for an attack by Black Sun that would never come. Suspecting the Falleen Federation of funding the crime syndicate's operation, the Hapans strongly considered the possibility of retaliating against Falleen Prime, in addition to a proposed assault on Kiffex. The event is often cited by historians as having thrust the Hapes Consortium on to the galactic political stage, while also fueling an already prominent suspicion of outsiders among the Hapan populace. It brought about an era of heightened nationalism and intense militarism in the Hapes Consortium, with the development of the Battle Dragon and Hetrinar Assault Bomber beginning shortly after the conclusion of the operation.

Conflict Origins

Diplomatic Relations

During the reign of King Andrew, the Hapes Consortium and Black Sun conglomerate had good diplomatic relations. The King had authorised the importation of much needed medical supplies, foodstuffs, military equipment and raw materials to the Hapes Cluster which was effectively sealed off from the rest of the Galaxy. The Hapan Civil War had put a great strain on the Hapan treasury and the Hapes Consortium was struggling to make ends meet.

Following the assassination of King Andrew in Year 1, relations between the Consortium and Black Sun dwindled due to an apparent lack of interest from Princess Storm to aide the new Hapan regime under King James. Storm was later replaced by Prince Keevan who in turn later named Qel Dar as his successor.

At the same time the death of King Andrew put an end to the planned Tri-Star Alliance involving the Hapes Consortium, Falleen Federation and New Anzat Order which would have created a shift in the mid-outer rim balance of power and provided the latter two governments with Hapan military protection. The Consortium moved away from the planned unilateralism and also dropped all plans of aiding the Rebel Alliance in their conflict with the Galactic Empire.

Under Prince Dar of the Falleen Huruk-Rah clan, Black Sun become more closely tied with the Falleen Federation which was under the leadership of another Huruk-Rah clan member: Prince Tholin. Kosh Naranek, former Governor of Lorell, owner of Aurora Technologies, and prominent businessman was named second in command of Black Sun under Prince Dar.

Prelude & Construction Projects

"The acrimony and humour in which Black Sun is held is due to nothing else except its Prince, Qel Dar could not lead rivers to the sea, if Black Sun wants to accomplish anything other than making enemies it needs to address the issue of management, or risk becoming more of a joke and less of a force."

— Venom Kazvar, "Is Black Sun led or bled by Qel Dar?" broadcast Year 3, Day 99

Over a year after the death of King Andrew it became apparent to the new Hapan regime that foreign products and were still needed to fuel the Hapan economy and improve the Consortium's infrastructure. Plans began to make the Consortium's embassy world Lorell, conveniently located in one of the few gaps of the Transitory Mists, an interstellar trade hub from which the government could draw income from taxes and traded goods.

The Consortium broadcast advertisement for property and land deals on Lorell from late Year 2 to early in Year 3. On Year 3, Day 68 Governor Choibacco announced the completion of Lorell's fiftieth major city district on the planet's surface. Many foreign corporations and some governments established large city districts and embassies on the southern continent of Lorell. Black Sun, through affiliated companies, approached the Hapan government and obtained the necessary permits to build production facilities, service establishments and luxury housing along the north-eastern coast of the main continent. With swift precision, thousands upon thousands of square miles along the coast were developed and construction began.

It soon became obvious to Governor Choibacco that Black Sun did not have Hapan interests in mind with the development of Lorell. Much unauthorised building took place, ships carrying illegal passengers were seen making drop-offs in the middle of the night, and Black Sun expanded building outside the designated areas.

Qel Dar's ascendance to the throne of Black Sun in Year 2 was followed by numerous underworld-style murders accompanied by public announcements stressing the organisation's legitimacy. Shortly before Black Sun's machinations on Lorell became public, Dar's leadership of the organisation was heavily criticized over the GNS by the leader of the Ubrikkian Corporation, Venom Kazvar, who would later go on to become a warlord in the outer rim territories.

Propaganda War & Diplomacy

"The galaxy's eyes are now watching fleet movements as a large number of ships have begun to arrive near Lorell and other Hapan planets. Black Sun Trading tanks have now been put on full alert in the cities of Lorell."

— Black Sun news broadcast, dated Year 3, Day 111

Historical Perspective

"My Master's concern over the proximity of Lorell, a Hapan world to Falleen had grown. He undertook with Qel to claim the planet, simply through force of numbers without a drop of blood. Slowly they started to flood the world with Falleen migrants. Over a period of many years, my master developed a close friendship with Lord Alex Tylger who he eventually granted the title of Baron within the Federation, in order to bring closer the Consortium and the Federation. Eventually the plot to capture Lorell was uncovered by Lord Tylger. He then proceeded with the destruction of all Falleen residences on the planet and all illegally constructed facilities. Prince Qel and the Black Sun took the public fall for the operation. A day of mourning was declared on Falleen for the lives lost."

Kareen Hols’thar, chronicling Falleen Federation history.

On Year 3, Day 107 the Hapes Consortium announced the presence of illegal Black Sun settlements on Lorell's surface over the Galactic News Service and urged the initiation of emergency diplomatic talks while also threatening with military action. Black Sun promptly responded the following day, rebuffing Hapan claims of illegality, but confirming the existence of the city complexes while encouraging a diplomatic solution.

In the two months that followed, the situation on Lorell was the focus of much media attention, dominating the Galactic News Service with daily broadcasts from both sides. Accusations, slander, and thinly veiled threats became more and more frequent as the Consortium initiated a blockade of the planet and placing its military on yellow alert.

Third parties not directly involved in the conflict heightened the tension, with much public speculation of who had funded Black Sun's construction on the planet. Reports revealed that Black Sun's efforts on Lorell had cost in excess of 350,000,000 million credits, and Dar demanded over 600,000,000 credits from the Hapan government for the properties. The Dark Empire threw its support behind the Hapes Consortium, insinuating that Emperor Charon's Galactic Empire had provided financial backing of Black Sun with the help of the Hutt Council, both an Imperial and Black Sun ally. It was also claimed that Prince Dar had stolen the funds from Kuraine, a contender for the leadership of the Falleen Federation. In the eyes of the Consortium, the link between the Falleen ruler, Prince Tholin, and the Black Sun leadership was undeniable. The media attention would also come to focus on Kuraine's claim to the Falleen throne, and his denouncement of Dar's clan, which also included the Rebel Alliance Admiral Davvyk Lysander.

Fearing that other parties potential stakes in the Lorell situation could escalate in to a wide scale war involving numerous governments across the Galaxy, the Consortium gave up hopes of a diplomatic solution. Black Sun continued to absolve itself of hostile intent, claiming it had Lorell's status as a neutral trade hub in mind, while also auctioning off their holdings on the planet to private investors and corporations. Tired of the stalemate, the Consortium and its allies initiated a military campaign to conquer Black Sun's holdings on the planet.

Hoping to turn the tables as a military confrontation became a reality, Prince Dar secretly contacted Alex Tylger, the Consortium's Minister of Law who had served as Hapan Regent during the transition from King Andrew to King James, and who had recently returned to Hapan space after self-imposed exile. Owing to Tylger's criticism of James' style of leadership in the early days of the new regime, Dar and Angobba Desilijic Lucar proposed that Tylger use the confusion at Lorell to initiate a coup on Hapes. They offered Black Sun funding as well as military support if Tylger were to take over the Consortium and lead it in a more Black Sun-friendly direction. Eager to prove his loyalty to the Crown, Tylger rejected the proposal and reported the conversations to Lorell Hall, where the Hapan leadership felt that Dar's proposal underlined Black Sun's apparent growing desperation.