Autonomous Ryloth Descending into Crime and Corruption

Lessu, capital city of Ryloth

LESSU, RYLOTH - Having been granted autonomy from the Empire, Ryloth demonstrates weakening rule of law as thieves and smugglers fail at attempt to steal 'cash' from departing Imperial constabulary.

Yesterday, Imperial stormtroopers thwarted looters from stealing impounded cash, which had been confiscated from a spice trafficker, known as 'Tagg Ronin'. The attempted looting took place at an Imperial impound station, which was on the verge of being dismantled in the process of autonomizing Ryloth.

The attempted looting comes in the background of weakening governing institutions on Ryloth as the Empire hesitantly granted autonomy to Ryloth. Imperial withdrawal began after the Twi'lek people, the denizens of this alien world, voted for autonomy from the Empire, electing the Coruscant real-estate developer Donalo Fortuna planetary governor. Donalo Fortuna, whose brother Bib Fortuna is employed by the Outer Rim crime lord Jabba the Hutt, is considered to be heavily involved with corrupt governance practices.

Under the autonomous governance arrangement, the newly installed Twi'lek legislature voted to dismantle anti-corruption institutions set up by the Empire, signalling that Fortuna's new regime aims to make the most of local autonomy for himself and various cronies.

The Empire is said to be respecting the will of the Twi'lek electorate, but there are worries that criminal cartels, such as that of Jabba the Hutt, and insurrectionist militants led by Cham Syndulla may gain in influence in the Ryloth system and surrounding Gaulus sector. The Lessu looters attempting to steal the contraband were said to have followed Ronin from nearby Tatooine - home of the crime syndicate led by Jabba the Hutt - suggesting a tie to Bib Fortuna.

COMPNOR spokesman Agandist

Prop Agandist, spokesman for the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR) told HNN reporters that the TWi'lek referendum was regrettable, but the Outer Rim cannot be governed against local sentiment.

"Hopefully, when the Twi'lek people realize that they do not have the capacity for self-governance, they will realize the blessings of Imperial administration. In the meantime, loyal subjects of the Empire in the Core Worlds, such as Corustant, Corellia, and Hosnian Prime continue to enjoy the fruits of good Imperial governance, and impulses to separatism and rebellion are non-existant."

Empire Grants Ryloth Autonomy

Planet Ryloth

RYLOTH SYSTEM - Amid a descent into violence in the Gaulus sector, and removing insurgent and criminal threats from the Ryloth system, the Empire has granted Ryloth autonomy. Donalo Fortuna elected planetary governor.

Despite the many benefits and belevolence the Empire has showered on the planet of Ryloth and the Twi'lek people, the denizens of this alien world voted for autonomy from the Empire, electing the Coruscant real-estate developer Donalo Fortuna planetary governor.

The vote happened amid spiraling violence between insurgent rebel forces and criminal cartels elsewhere in the sector. Beyond this insurgent-on-criminal skirmishes, there was also much internecine conflict between Rebel and cartel factions, demonstrating the lack of coherence within different Rebel and cartel groups. In the midst of this tug-of-war between cartels, insurgents and different factions, Imperial Navy assets kept Ryloth free from hostile invasion.

Coruscant developer Donalo Fortuna, ReadJunk

As ingrate aliens, however, the Twi'leks of Ryloth voted for autonomy, which the Emperor has graciously granted them. Imperial forces will depart Ryloth, leaving the responsibility for maintaining law and order to local forces.

Reimposing law and order on the Gaulus sector will be a tough task for Governor-elect Fortuna, as Rebels have usurped control over the nearby Pelgrin system, while the Wrea, Dalchon, and Gaulus systems have become battlegrounds for factional infighting between and within Rebel gangs and criminal cartels.

Particularly the Wrea system at the very end of the Corellian Run hyperspace trade route has fallen under the sway of the Scum Lord Stason Joltz, operating far from his lair at Junkfort Station.

With developer Donalo Fortuna taking charge of governance on this Outer Rim world, analysts expect deals to be made with criminal cartels in order to keep Ryloth, and eventually the Gaulus sector, free from Rebel influence. According to critics, Fortuna is merely the puppet of a shadowy criminal cartel led by an unknown crime lord from even farther out of the Outer Rim.

Investors on Scipio have seen Ryll futures plummet. Ryll is a precious ore harvested from the mines of Ryloth. It has military and scientific applications, but can also be used as a narcotic.

Despite Successes, Core Citizens 'Want Out' of the Outer Rim

Sectors of the Outer Rim

CORUSCANT (IMPERIAL CENTER) - Despite the many successes of the Imperial Navy, public opinion on core worlds is starting to turn against further involvement in the Outer Rim.

"We've done enough for them," one citizens, who preferred to remain anonymous, but has since been referred to the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) for re-education, told HNN. "It's time we did some 'order-bringing' at home, especially when it comes to aliens in the Core."

Citizens who 'want out' of the Outer Rim declare that they are proud of what their stormtroopers have done in such outlandish places such as the Arkanis Sector, Calamari Sector, and more recently in the Tharin Sector. However, they say "Enough is enough! It's time those aliens learn to stand on their own two (or, however many) feet!"

Coruscant developer Donalo Fortuna, ReadJunk

An unlikely spokesalien for this point of view is the Coruscant developer Donalo Fortuna, a Twi'Lek who's grandfather immigrated from the far-flung Ryloth 130 standard rotations ago.

"Aliens love me," Fortuna said, "but we've got to stop sending our navy out there until the ISB figures out what's going on."

Fortuna referred to the insurrection movement called the 'Rebel Alliance', which has been based in several Outer Rim worlds such as Dantooine, Yavin IV, and Hoth. While some point out that many leaders among the Rebellion are former senators from Core worlds such as Chandrila, Corellia, and Alderaan, Fortuna pointed out the problem of Ugnauts - a porcine alien species from the Gentes system in the Anoat sector of the Outer Rim.

Representatives of the Ugnaut Weapons Engineering Union conspiring with fugitive former Senator Leia Organa (R-Alderaan)

"Ugnauts are taking weapons engineering jobs away from hard working Core-world humans," Fortuna said. "It's a real disgrace; a real disgrace."

After the pacification of the Hoth system and the Imperialization of Cloud City, security camera footage from the Tibanna gas mining facility on Bespin showed Ugnauts conspiring with fugitive former Senator Leia Organa (R-Alderaan).

"Thankfully, we're no longer employing Wookiees as gunners in the Imperial Navy," Fortuna said of the species from the Mid-Rim world in the Mytaranor sector, Kashyyyk.