- Vestige Herald - "Wrath" Part 2: Vestige in Chaos - November 21st 3304
21 Nov 2018Eardley
| Vestige in Chaos |
| November 18th - 3304 |
| Manktas, San Yulpa, Svantiochna |
Read "Wrath" Part 1, Terraforming Station Devastated; Vestige under Threat
Mass riots have broken out in the Vestige. In a surprising turn of events, evidence received from the destroyed assault fighters appears to pin Spearhead Charter as being responsible for the attack against the terraforming facility Duront's Legacy, managed by the politically neutral research organisation Manktas Independents. Further lives are assumed lost in the recovery efforts.
After several days of attempting to reach one of the sunk assault vessels, a Type-10 Defender, the ocean storms subsided. An initial recce was carried out using limpets in order to establish safety for human divers to board. Analysis declared the warship safe, and recovery crews were sent in. Initially suspicions were raised once the ship's identifiers were located; the T-10 was designated "SCV Vengeance".
Contact was established with Spearhead Charter Intelligence, who confirmed the ship as commissioned in Alioth a few weeks after the signing of The Spearhead Charter. It had vanished mysteriously from records during Spearhead's early conflicts against the Defence Force of Manktas, a military organisation sworn to the defence of Manktas at all costs, against whoever may attempt to take the system from it's contemporary rulers.
The pilot's body was not found in the cockpit. On further investigation, it was found that seconds before the craft struck the water a message had been sent to Svantiochna. Audio logs from the rescue crews revealed the message they heard:
"Mission Accomplished Commodore"
- Unidentified Terrorist
The following events were unclear. Below is a transcript of the conversation, transmitted on an open frequency in the moments before the crew's assumed deaths.
"Commodore... the High Lord?"
"What the... no, it can't be."
"You heard intelligence, they confirmed the IFF tag. It was genuine."
"Stolen then?"
"It's about time you stop "
<Incomprehensible static>
The message was received by citizens across Manktas, and soon found their way to San Yulpa. Before long, the systems were in utter disarray; fights broke out between furious denizens and Spearhead Charter police, politicians and supporters. As yet no clear sides have developed, likely due to the lack of clean information.
Jakken Eardley, High Lord of the Vestige and Commodore of the Spearhead Charter Royal Guard, has not given comment; in fact, neither he nor his daughter Lyria can be found, and not for lack of trying by the public; guards to the royal apartments in Jiushao Depot, the last known location of both, were overwhelmed in a skirmish, before the apartments were found empty. However, the heir to the throne issued the following statement before her disappearance, joint orders to Spearhead Charter's military and a public denial of the evidence against her father:
"This turn of events has taken us all by surprise. None could have predicted it. On the behalf of my father, I categorically deny these lies. Assume for a moment these are actions taken by Spearhead Charter. Why would we use ships tagged as belonging to Spearhead Charter, and address our leader by a title that would be known to the public to mean nobody else. This is a clear setup. We have only one lead; Svantiochna. The SCRG should continue to support the movement of logistics - Xelabara Republic Party have welcomed us to investigate this lead. Spearhead Charter security services will continue to protect all citizens of Manktas and San Yulpa, as we will always do.
I assure you, we will find the truth of this."
Lyria Eardley, Blood-Heir to the Vestige and SCRG Specialist.
The statement did little to quell unrest. Besides her lacklustre words, connections in the past have been made between Lyria and a shadowy figure known as "Vanguard", causing some to distrust her. However, admirably security forces have upheld the call, and have been working hard to peacefully break up conflicts. Some members of the Royal Guard have been sighted in Svantiochna, however several pilots have not been seen since the disappearance of the High Lord and his daughter.
An officer of the SCRG who continued publically operating within Manktas said
"Trying times make for the superior test of all aspects of security - from political to territorial. This is an example in which the unfortunate disappearance of the Commodore will not corrupt the integrity of Spearhead Charter, and will only drive the strong to contend with pathetic destabilisation".
Wretched Wolf, First Officer of the SCRG.
This provided encouragement for the faithful who continue to follow the faction in spite of the apparent evidence against Spearhead Charter. Many consider it to be insufficient to draw true conclusions from, and hold strong to their beliefs in the humanitarian faction. Others remind that Jakken Eardley returned to the Vestige from exile once before, after barely escaping with his life (in fact being saved seconds from death with a severed throat) from a turn of events which changed the course of history of the Vestige.
In these troubled times, the Vestige Herald can be counted on to report as events unfold.
Read "Wrath" Part 3, High Lord Murdered; Conspirators Revealed now!