The End of the Vreni Island crisis.
The crisis on Vreni Island begun with a Sith attack on the Jedi Temple that seemed to have been lead by Darth Knox. While the Sith may have been focused on their Jedi rivals another entity would exploit the chaos. Nec’ron Sk’ar would lead the Scourge to attack the island at that moment and managed to seize it with over a thousand hostages under their control which included many VIP’s in Government and Business. To this day it is unknown whether the Sith & The Scourge were coordinated in their effort.
The One Sith had their temple raided by CorSec with the Jedi and would withdraw from the public eye on Corellia. Over the next several months a tense stand off would develop. The CDF would blockade the island and several in Government such as Councilor’s Turq and Zwee as well as Prime Minister Victoria made diplomatic efforts. The efforts had mixed result, Zwee would trade herself for the former Republic Chancellor Bok Suthra as well as several other prisoners. Zwee made several efforts to help the hostages from the inside, and has provided us with some journal excerpts which further detail the occupation that we will publish at the end of this summary.
Eventually a raid was held on the Scourge stronghold in Coronet in which Bones and the Vandangante OutlawTech gang were taken down by CorSec. During this raid an Imperial Agent was rescued. They were about to be executed by the Scourge as they had managed to retrieve the codes to disarm the bombs that had been placed on Vreni Island as a method for mass execution of the hostages. With these codes an assault was quickly launched.
The CDF focused on dealing with the Scourge gunships as CorSec, Jedi, Mandalorians and an unidentified force moved in. The unidentified force managed to slip in and blow up the power station, killing one of the notable Scourge in Val’kar the Dashade in the process. The Mandalorians would provide a distraction for the CorSec and Jedi forces to reach the hostages. It is estimated that the Mandos took on the bulk of Scourge forces and though several were wounded they managed to clear several hundreds of Scourge, capturing copkiller Noj Peesejamo and putting an end to Bofa Treat Gang Leader Nenthus Rordul.
Jedi and CorSec forces managed to secure most of the hostages though nearly a hundred of the 1200 or so that remained lost their lives during the battle. They also captured CorSec traitor Vakira Crane.
Those still in condition to fight from all the teams then converged on Nec’ron Sk’ar and his Battle Skiff. Sk’ar would soon see how outnumbered he was and make an effort to withdraw but he did not get far and was captured. Once Nec’ron was captured the remaining Scourge forces were scattered fully. Only a few minor officers escaped such as Nsspar the Bothan, a pair of Zabrak twins, and Meru of the White Worms.
It is believed that most of the gangs that had been part of the Scourge coalition have been fragmented beyond being any type of threat anytime in the near future with the exception of the White Worms. The Worms for their part seem to be laying low after the whole affair.
Over the course of the entire Scourge Saga around 150 hostages were killed, 350 escaping or freed prior to the liberation and another 1100 freed after, and around 250 flipped to join the Scourge, most infamously CorSec high up Vakira Crane.
The Island will need rebuilding in sections and the courts will be busy over the next few weeks. So far Bones is the only one sentenced having received life and moved to a maximum security prison on Drall. Noj, Crane, and Sk’ar await their trials, the prosecution seeking the death penalty on Sk’ar following Councilor Turq and Prime Minister Victoria asking for that. Some believe Sk’ar and the Scourge were the device of someone else’s agenda but who and why..?
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The Prime Minister made a press release following the conclusion of the saga;
“Good Day Citizens of the five planets. This is Prime Minster Victoria to tell you about the Vreni Island hostage. I’m glad to tell you all the Vreni Island takeover have officially ended and thanks to the brave members of CorSec and allies to the CorFed. These people deserve recognition and will get that in due time. We have managed to rescue the remaining hostages and capture some of Scourge members including their leader Nec'ron. I would like to thanks the hostages for surviving as long as they did as we work out the best possible plan to save them. I know we have loss innocent lives, but rest assure that justice will be serve for them. We are currently providing support to the survivors which also include Councilor Zwee as she is in critical condition. We will keep you update if anything else related to this incident."
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Behind Enemy Lines the Journal of Zwee on Vreni Island during the occupation.
I've settled in here on the island, finally. For the moment, the Scourge are keeping me away from the other hostages, setting me up in a smaller house all on my own by order of Nec'ron. He IS intelligent, I'll give him that, moreso than the media likes to portray him. Far from keeping me in my own hovel for my comfort, I'm certain the move was a calculated one so as to foster resentment for me in the rest of the hostages, both to undermine my attempts while lowering their overall morale. A common theme in his diatribes was railing against our government, to show us as rich and uncaring and aloof...this was a move to bring some factuality to his opinions, and likely will work in the short term. However, it also shows a flaw: this means he cares what the hostages think of him and his goals. Whatever Nec'ron is REALLY after, he'll need the support of 'The People'. I can use this.
The past few days I've been about my work when I was allowed outside of my new home. PM Victoria and I hatched the plan to place me here so that I could covertly spy upon the Scourge- reveal their strength, weaknesses, attain surveillance photographs satellite images may not be strong enough to get. I went to the Prime Minister and volunteered because I believed that I was the only one capable of such. My cybernetic implants enable me to photograph easily and silently..although a few Scourge agents have given me jeers and made jokes at my expense for seemingly walking around and staring at things. Hopefully this will continue, the last thing I want is to be viewed as a threat.
Luckily for me, the house I am set up in had a holonet uplink (all furniture and the holonet device itself had been trashed, of course), and with a little rigging I was able to connect the uplink to my headjack. This way, I'll be able to transmit my recon data directly and securely to the PMs datapad without having to resort to so-called 'dead drops' and the like. Unluckily for me, the Scourge have taken away the medications I need to keep myself healthy with all this tech implanted in my head. In hindsight, I could have hidden the stash better, but this spywork is pretty new to me. Oh well.
Also, turns out I was right about Nec'ron wanting to foster resentment for me with the other hostages. Earlier today I was allowed to mingle with them and, though the family members of the children, elderly, and wounded were grateful with my successful negotiation of their release (was quite worried about Suthra), the rest were pretty ticked off I couldn't rescue them all. A good many joined the Scourge today, some even killed, but I don't think all hope is lost. I can still reach them, prove Nec'ron wrong and show them their government, we, care about them.
I'm allowed more and more access with the hostages, by now i think Nec'ron doesn't think much of me at all, much less a threat. Though some hostages are kept in pens, we've negotiated that all the hostages are allowed some time to walk around, occupy houses, for lack of a better phrase 'live a normal life' so long as they stay out of the Scourge's way. As a result, far fewer have been flipped to their cause or killed the past few days. I'm doing what I can to keep them calm and organized, to counteract the resentment Nec'ron is hoping to grow within them. I've taken to assigning chores for the ones willing to do them- just tidying up, some paltry decorating and the like to keep their minds occupied. I've heard Councilor Turq was able to persuade the Scourge away from treating us TOO poorly as well, which has definitely helped with keeping everyone calm. In the evenings, more hostages have been coming to our story-circle...we sit around a small fire and trade happy stories and the like. It may sound ridiculous, but these activities have done wonders for their morale. In a way I'm g-g-glad I could b-b-be here.
Sorry for that. I'm trying very hard not to show weakness in front of the other hostages- wouldn't be good for morale. I was able to 'hotwire' a handful of the Scourge's droids today, and that and my lack of medication are starting to take their toll. Should be f-f-fine.
Damn it.
Discovered what Nec'ron is really after. Although the CorSec commissioner has flipped to the Scourge's side, Vakira Crane was given some access to Nec'rons little private circle and is a woman that has loose lips. I was able to overhear quite a lot while she was bragging to those few CorSec officers she was able to turn with her. Combined with what I sliced from Nec'rons datapad, the PM will be getting quite a juicy transmission this week!
Reached equilibrium today with persuasion attempts, most hostages content to stay where they are, onl-on-only a couple joined Scourge, one killed. Garthus Vin, his name was. Painter.
Equilibrium could not have come at a better time. Stuttering more, harder to speak. Our natural charisma, taken...our?
Likely, cranial implants starting to malfunction. We...I? I. I've continued with reprogramming what Scourge droids I can find. It seems Nec'ron and the rest pay little attention with droid upkeep. Beneficial for our wor-wo-work.
Hostage assesment: complacency high. Turned to Scourge or killed: very few, similar to last week. Equilibrium: maintained. Whispering now, allowing cranial implants control of our speech. Pain: lessened this way. More efficient. Re: efficiency- we were able to reprogram last of Scourge droids today. All thirty under our control. Plan is to use them to disrupt signal that will activate thermal cluster bombs, protect hostages. We estimate in five days: reprogram fully so as they can act autonomously. Many parameters, much reprogramming needs adjustment.
Informed Prime Minister negotiated release of more hostages. We will be among them. Tried to persuade to stay: failed. Assessment: Nec'ron becoming suspicious of our activities. Result: no time re: droid fine tuning. Optimal course of action: slave thirty droids to our implant control remotely. Most efficient course of action. Cranial/neurological implants: not designed for this solution. Eighty-seven percent chance: severe neurological damage. Suggest another...
ERROR.
Risk assessment: acceptable. We will proceed.
Droid slaving: success.
Consequence: lost usage of lower appendages. Sudden. Cranial implants: slight malfunction audible/visable. Combined:.possible Scourge discover droid slaving.Solution: hide consequence via Scourge provocation leading to physical abuse.
Solution: successful