Miriani

High Guard Assault

High Guard Command, July 5 - In a bizarre twist of events today, the Praelor launched an invasion fleet into the heart of the alliances' defenses in sector 24, Alliance High Guard Command. Long-range sensors managed to detect the fleet before it could surprise the High Guard but the loss of starships was immense, even with the advance notice. While the initial Praelor fleet was met by several High Guard starships, the bulk of the High Guard fleet had not yet arrived, which tipped the odds in the favor of the Praelor. Unfortunately, partly due to the fact that the alliance members had difficulty getting organized, the High Guard fleet was destroyed, but not before it made a dent in the Praelor forces.

After much indecisiveness among the Alliance pilots, the pilots finally managed to come together and launch two gunships: Persecution and Beginning of the End. By the time the alliance forced joined the fight, most of the High Guard fleet had been eliminated and would remain absent for the rest of the battle, save for a handful of vessels that arrived from other assignments.

Fleet admiral Fillaia Nochaski informed the Galactic News, "We called every available vessel in to defend sector 24. They did a fine job, but without the immediate requested support from the alliances, our fleet didn't stand a chance."

Many High Guard officials are beginning to rethink their policy of sharing combat technology with the alliances. This could be a serious blow to the Interstellar Shipbuilding Corporation, which has shared a long partnership with the Alliance High Guard, as combat vessels account for around 60% of the ISC's total starship sales.

After being joined by several other starships, the alliance pilots managed to defeat the invasion force, but not without a price. General Peter Hammond, the commander of the High Guard fleet, was killed sometime during the battle. It is believed that his death was caused by a technical malfunction in the prototype starship that he was commanding, making his death one that many believe was unnecessary and completely preventable.

High Guard Command itself was also severely damaged in the Praelor attacks. It is reported that several levels of the space station have become inaccessible due to fallen girders and life support failures. The docking bay also sustained substantial damage and seems to have been the
primary point of attack for the Praelor vessels. High Guard officials estimate that repairs to the station could take weeks and that their top priority at the moment is repairs on the mission jumpgate.

In light of recent attacks, the High Guard has mobilized the remains of it's fleet in local space to act as patrol ships for key sectors. Unfortunately, the High Guard fleet is severely diminished at the moment due to missions out of local space, so the patrols are extremely light. However, it is hoped that they will provide sufficient notice and, if necessary, first line of defense, in the event of any future Praelor attacks.

After examining the attack points, it is believed the Praelor were simply attacking in order to prevent incursions into their space. However, High Guard Command reminds everybody that not even one day before this attack, the Praelor attacked the Interstellar Shipbuilding Corporations's primary shipyards.

"We shouldn't take these attacks lightly," General George Peterson told the Galactic News. "The Praelor are a serious threat that must be dealt with as swiftly and decisively as possible. We cannot and will not allow them to destroy anymore of our space."

Dated: 07/05/2353