Minmatar invasion leaves trail of destruction

New Eden News | YC110-06-10

Safizon - As Imperial Naval Command continues to analyze incoming data and co-ordinate the Navy's response strategy, information leaked from various sources is painting a picture of the trail of destruction left by the invading Minmatar fleet. Invading along multiple fronts, the fleet has reportedly faced little in the way of credible resistance to its seemingly unstoppable advance.

It has emerged in the last half hour that the first incursions into Imperial space were directed at The Bleak Lands, but the victories scored there were so decisive that it has taken some time for solid information to filter up the chain of command. From what information is available it seems that a taskforce including ships belonging to the Republic, the Thukker Tribe and the rebel Defiants crossed the border in overwhelming force. The region is currently under the protection of the recently-disgraced 7th Fleet, who were in the process of assembling fleet assets to depart the region for their new posting when the first clashes occurred. It is believed that were attempting to make a stand in the Sahtogas system, but no further information has been made available on their situation or status.

The first reports reaching Naval HQ Safizon came in from system defence sentries in Kenobanala, the entryway into the heavily fortified Joas constellation in Derelik. Details are sketchy but it appears that Minmatar forces were able to overwhelm the defences; eyewitness reports suggest that one or more "extremely large" vessels were present in the system. With the Joas defences breached this fleet was then able to penetrate virtually unopposed into Derelik. As indicated previously, they are known to have made planetary assaults on at least one world - Halturzhan in the Jarizza system - where constellation defence forces mounted an unsuccessful blockade to prevent landings.

Meanwhile, in the last few minutes information has become available from an unspecified location in Kador, reporting heavy Minmatar traffic in an otherwise-quiet system in low security space. The reported activity would appear to be consistent with a fleet moving via some form of jump technology, although the exact method used is unclear. What is known is that a fleet of similar composition appeared shortly afterwards in the Kor-Azor home systems.

After neutralizing local defences and assaulting several key stations (including the Kor-Azor Family Bureau around Eclipticum and the regional military HQ in Andrub), a massive evacuation programme was started. Minmatar dropships lifted millions of slaves from countless facilities around the region's core systems and transferred them to orbiting transports. Eyewitness reports from the ground on Eclipticum suggest that some kind of directed chemical bombardment was delivered from low orbit, provoking rioting and mass uprisings among the slave population.

Posted 13:51 GMT