WAR! Alien Menace Sacks Battipaglia
The Castellum; Perugia, Umbria
17.09.31148 08:05 UMT
In a shocking mid-day press conference, the Triumvirate shared that the Frontier world of Battipaglia has been attacked by a hostile alien race. No word has been received from the budding colony for a month and a half, and initial attempts to reestablish communications have been unsuccessful.
The public response to the announcement has been swift and confused. People gathered outside Capitol Hall, but the overall mood of those assembled was less one of protest and more a desire for additional information and to be present for this historic occasion.
Other planets have seen similar spontaneous assemblies, but as of this time, there have been no reports of violence or disorder.
As for the government's next step, Magistrate Opiter Genucius, head of the Frontier Reaction Force, released a statement saying:
"This heinous and unprovoked assault on the innocent will not go unanswered. As we speak, the full might of the RF's Rapid Response teams are being deployed to secure the world and rescue any survivors. Whoever these creatures are, they will quickly learn the depth of the Umbrian Republic's resolve."
The Senate has applauded the Magistrate's swift response, but contacts from several Senators' staffs indicate that they were just as whiplashed by the news as the general public.
In his prepared remarks, Triumvir Ulpius said: "We have shared these developments with the general public as soon as we could verify them. While this announcement will undoubtedly create uncertainty and consternation, the Triumvirate believes that transparency is a far better balm than secrecy."
Despite the Triumvir's reassurances however, rumors have already begun to swirl on the extranet. Many revolve around when exactly the government was aware of the alien presence, and more than a few commentators have wondered why it took over six weeks to report the news of the colony's destruction.
One well-placed source with extensive contacts inside the government, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared his own concerns with this reporter, saying "It sounds like the planet had a pretty sizeable RF garrison, and they'd organized a civilian militia. That seems a little out of the ordinary for a new colony with few settlers and little of value to protect."
Triumvir Eppia, for her part, has urged the public to remain calm, stating that while the news is certainly disconcerting, there are few facts and much speculation at this time.
"We always believed we weren't alone in the galaxy," she further elaborated. "While we will resist this violent attack and see to the security of our people, we should not rule out dialogue and communication as tools to bring this conflict to a quick conclusion. Should that fail, the Republic's military stands ready to protect our people from any threat."
As both the public and their elected leaders wrap their heads around these events, one thing is certain, the future of the Umbrian people has been indelibly altered by contact with this aggressive alien race.