http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
The Galactic Empire releases video of incident with rebel snub fighters.
Coruscant - Small rebel snub fighters swarmed around massive Imperial warships in the deeprange Star Gulf, and a man speaking heavily accented Imperial threatened, "I am coming to you. ... You will explode," according to a video released Tuesday by the Star Fleet.
The small ships appeared to ignore repeated warnings from the local Imperial blockade fleet, including turbolaser blasts and subspace radio transmissions, as the ships moved through the Strait of Deppnaz into the Gulf.
In a four-minute, 20-second video, shot from the bridge of the Star Destroyer Hopper, the small ships — including a bright blue one — can be seen racing near the engine wake of the Imperial ships and crossing close to each other.
From the Hopper’s bridge, after spotting the approaching Rebel ships, a crew member says over the comm: "This is an Imperial Starship. I am engaged in transit passage in accordance with Galactic Law. I intend no harm. Over."
Often uneven and shaky, the video condenses what Fleet officials have said was a 20-minute or so clash between three Fleet Warships and five Rebel vessels. It ends with a blank screen, as only the audio of the Fleet's final warning can be heard, just after the Rebel voice warns that they are coming.
"Inbound Rebel craft: You are approaching an Imperial Warship operating in free space. Your identity is not known; your intentions are unclear," the unidentified Fleet crew member says. He then cautions the Rebels that if they do not steer clear they will be "subject to defensive measures."
"Request that you alter course immediately to remain clear," the crew member says.
After a pause, a voice with an Imperial Outmarches accent (Alderaanian?) issues a final threat: "You will explode after (indecipherable) time periods."
A Fleet crew member then repeated the threat as he heard it: "He says, ‘You will explode after a few minutes." At that point the recording ends.
Fleet Admiral Ozzel said the Rebel fleet of high-speed snub fighters charged at and threatened to blow up the Imperial convoy. The Rebel fleet "maneuvered aggressively" and then fled as the Imperial Ship Captains were preparing to open fire, Admiral Ozzel said. No shots were fired.
The Emperor denounced the incident as a "provocative act."
"It is a dangerous situation," The Emperor said during a news conference. "They should not have done it. ... I do not know what their thinking was, but I’m telling you what my thinking was. I think it was a provocative act."
Imperial Sources later confirmed that the accent of the unknown voice on the recording was likely that of a resident of Alderaan. "The citizens of Alderaan have been becoming increasingly radicalized of late", we were told. "Despite their claim that Alderaan has no standing armies, there is evidence to indicate that the Rebels are working with the Government of Alderaan to destabilize that entire area of space. We warn the people of Alderaan not to provoke a fight which they would certainly pay a high price for."
Meawhile, in other news, The Emperor called on citizens of Tatooine and Sandpeople (Tusken Raiders) to make "painful" concessions to reach a peace agreement, including dismantling "terrorist infrastructure" and ending occupation of Sandperson territories.
"There should be an end to the occupation of Tusken Raider territories" The Emperor told reporters. "The agreement must establish a homeland for the Sandpeople, just as Greater Tatooine is a homeland for the Imperial Citizens of that planet."
Lord Darth Vader, known as, "The Scourge of the Sandpeople", for his yearly Tusken Raider hunts on Tatooine, had no comment.
--------------
George Lucas couldn't make up what the Shrub Administration is doing, could he?
The Old Republic was the Republic of legend, greater than distance or time. Before a cruel and ruthless Empire supplanted it, the Old Republic was the democratic union that governed a galaxy for thousands of years. Those who lived in it knew it as the Galactic Republic, or more simply, the Republic.
Ruling the Republic was the Galactic Senate, a governing body comprising elected or appointed representatives from across the galaxy. From within that Senate, a Supreme Chancellor was elected. Justice and peace in the Republic was protected by the Jedi Knights, a noble order of Force-sensitives.
As the Republic grew more and more powerful, many of the bureaucrats and Senators that ran the government grew increasingly corrupt or complacent. The bureaucracy that had grown and festered over millennia choked any attempt at proactive government. Furthermore, partisan politics and personal agendas also hampered effective governing...
http://www.starwars.com/...