The Real Cost of War: A NOVAcom Rebroadcast

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Posted by Rawth Shacklefist on Year 14 Day 287

Onboard the Marauder-class Corvette Furious Tongue in system Utos (-60, 60).


The following is a rebroadcast of the Avance News Network from planet Jandur.

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The Real Cost of War


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At the appointed time, the holoviewer carried by the Abyssin trooper sprang to life with the tiny image of a reporter front and center.


This is your Avance News Network reporter Owen Benit-Chones with a live report from the surface of the planet Jandur. The contested location is still as miserably hot and toxic as it was when last we met with Praetor Belloq Tull a month ago. But in that time, the situation has changed. No longer are Avance and Wraith pilots roving the skies, driving away profit-seekers and convincing the curious to look elsewhere. For the past four weeks, the police action has become one of cat and mouse on the surface, pursuits and arrests among the hotels, taverns and office buildings. Belloq, can you share with us what the scene there is like?


The trooper shifted away from the four-man team so that the holoviewer could fully display the heavily-armored Gamorrean leading him, as he walked cautiously through trash-strewn streets, warily watching the dozens of pedestrians who seemed visibly hostile at the combat teams presence.


`Well, Mister Chones,` Belloq replied, his weapon held at the ready, `its unpleasant, I can tell you that. The lengthy quarantine of the system has thrown the planetary economy into a nosedive. Most of the locals whod normally be in a factory or office building are now wandering the streets, begging for food or stealing what they can. Crime is rampant; everywhere you look, theres a thug or a thief -- or a victim.`

What is your primary mission there, now that youre no longer policing the space lanes?

`Our current mission is to prevent illegal profit-taking by unauthorized sentients. Mostly, that means the Bothans, who are trying to build their own infrastructure to deny Mindabaal from securing the planet. Weve stopped them from building shield generators and power stations. But weve only been able to arrest their workers; so far the real criminals, the Bothan leaders, have managed to elude our grasp.`

Belloq punctuating his frustration by kicking aside a burning piece of debris.

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`The trouble has been with the local workforce. With so much of the normal industry shuttered, many of them have understandably followed the credits. And too often, thats coming from the pockets of the Bothans. Weve arrested hundreds of civilian workers, research scientists, even some politicians --`

I understand that youve arrested a local mayoral candidate, a fellow from the city of Sonoran?

Belloq grunted. `Yeah, some Corellian barve named Novastar, Judro Novastar. We found him in the streets trying to drum up support for his candidacy to lead a new pro-workers party. We tried to get him to clear the area, but when he put up resistance, we took him into protective custody.`

You say youve arrested hundreds of civilians. Is that an accurate number? And do you think that makes you an enemy to the local populace?

`First off, yes, thats an accurate number. Many hundreds. But does that make us their enemies?` Belloq glanced around at the desperate, hungry faces littering the streets. `Im not happy weve had to arrest so many. But I am proud that our troops have been able to restrain themselves. Weve had no fatalities among the locals, no on-the-spot executions. I believe our quick, efficient response in dealing with the unpurposed civilian population --`

The Abyssin carrying the holoviewer, walking a few feet away from the team, chuckled aloud at that description. Belloq shushed him with a serious look.

`As I was saying: I believe getting those civilians with no real purpose off the streets as quickly as possible, while using as little force as possible, has limited any hard feelings. Are the locals happy their planet is still under quarantine? Obviously not. But I hope they know its not entirely our fault: the Bothans unwillingness to make an honest effort at political reconciliation has a lot to do with it.`

Weve had reports that a Mindabaal League member, Drax Industries, now has political control over Jandur, and that its been due in part to their improvement of the local economy. Are you seeing the effects in the urban areas?


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Belloq scoffed loud enough to wake a pair of nearly comatose vagrants lying amid the debris. `Look around, Owen: you see any signs of economic improvement? Void, itll take years for Jandurs economy to right itself. And no matter what some politico spouts from their plush office, grunts like us will still be pounding the pavement long after theyve signed their datapads and toasted their good fortune with crates of Corellian ale.`

Can you take our audience through a normal day, Mr. Tull? What exactly do you and your team have to face each day?

`Just a moment, Owen.` Belloq made a cutting motion across his neck, and the Abyssin muted the holoviewer.

As the team cautiously approached a shuttered building, they arrayed themselves to breach the main entrance, while Belloq checked a multisensor to see if the facility was occupied. After a moment where they silently coordinated their moves, they burst through the door and into the darkened room beyond, quickly scanning the interior with their weapons. Once they were certain it was clear, the team exited back into the streets, then locked the door behind them and made a small mark in the upper right corner displaying the date the abandoned shack was checked.

Belloq made another motion to the Abyssin, and the holoviewer was live again.

`Whats a normal day for us?` Belloq repeated back. `I dont know if what we do could ever be considered `normal.` We check dozens of buildings each day, looking for illegal weapon caches, holed-up noncombatants, even the occasional raw material stash. We knock if we think there are civilians inside, but going in openly is just as dangerous for us as going in hot is dangerous for the locals.` He rolled his head left to right, and the muscles in his thick green neck cracked audibly. `We try to strike a balance between caution and safety. So far, its worked out OK.` He appraised his team with a knowing look. `So far.`

When do you expect an end to the current police action? Youve been operating in the Bamula sector going on two months now, isnt that right?

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Belloq sighed deeply as he stopped to check the documents of a passing construction worker. `Obviously, we are all a little homesick. Any extended action inevitably takes its toll on the troopers, on our gear and our vehicles, and surely on the locals.` Satisfied that the fellows paperwork was in order, the Gamorrean waved him along. `But we are here to do a job, and until that job is finished, we will continue doing what needs doing: rounding up every Bothan we can, and interrupting any unapproved construction jobs.`

Well, our viewers wish you the best, Praetor Tull. Stay safe, and we hope that your efforts and those of the rest of the Avance and Wraith teams end in glorious victory.

Belloq looked out across the smoky cityscape, the damaged storefronts, the burning droid-cans, the beaten populace. `Ill just be happy if we all come back in one piece.`

The holoviewer flickered on the image of the patrol pushing cautiously through the wary crowds, then flickered out.

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There you have it folks. Again, this post by the Avance News Network does not specifically represent the views and opinions of NOVAcom News Inc, or its employees.