BREAKING NEWS! RHEINLAND ATTACK ON WILLARD RESEACH STATION, 'IMPORTANT' DATA LOST, 21 DEAD, 6 INJURED, OFFICIALS CONCERNED THAT BRETONIA MIGHT BE INVOLVED
California, 05.10.817 A.S.
Confirmed reports have just came in that Willard Research Station, a base conducting top secret and highly important research for Libertonian officials, indicating that it was raided by an unidentified Rheinland corvette and its marine crew at 7:34, yesterday evening. The LNS Kearsarge and the arriving two LSF escort wings were too late to catch the intruders, who managed to take 'important data' with themselves.
"The floating wrecks of Guardians is what got through to us first. A whole wing of our men, turned into wreckage, they never stood a chance. We all knew immediately that it was the work of Rheinlanders." -Captain David Ferguson, commander of the LNS Kearsarge.
The LNS Kearsarge, assigned to guard the research station after the attack.
The Rheinlanders managed to complete their job in under 10 minutes, which was the confiscation of the 'important data', as Supervisory Agent Kyle Lopez from the LSF keeps referring to, however the Agent refuses to tell what exactly is gone.
"Yes, the Rheinlanders did take some important data, I'm not allowed to tell what exactly, as it is highly classified. However, there is no reason for public unrest, our enemies cannot use the information against us and the Liberty Security Force will do its best to track down and neutralize the ship, as well as to prevent any further cases the Rheinlanders might attempt." -Supervisory Agent Kyle Lopez, Liberty Security Force.
The corvette used the cover of the nebula to avoid the security perimeter, which gives shelter to Willard Research Station aswell. According to witnesses, the ship got remarkably close before it was fired upon, it was most probably equipped with a unique sensor jamming device. The Rheinlanders managed to catch the security patrol off guard and destroy them without suffering remarkable damage. It quickly drifted to the station's airlock and wielded the hangar door open.
"I definitely recall looking at the radar screen. There was not even a trace of the corvette before it got into weapons range. I dropped my coffee when Smith shouted 'Sir! Incoming Rheinlander ship! Distance..... Four clicks!' I signed the Major that we have contact, but we were too late to man the turrets. The ship was already at the airlock." -Staff Sergeant Michael Thompson, Willard security.
The station's security was scrambled immediately, some of staff even got down to the hangar to greet the enemy Marines with gunfire. They didn't stand a chance. The Rheinlanders managed to kill five and heavily injure one security staffer without a single loss. They proceeded deep into the station with killing several more Willard armed personell, who were disorganised due to the unexpected attack on their base.
The only camera recording LSF published, three of the intruding soldiers can be seen, preparing to breach a laboratory door.
"These guys... take my left leg if I'm wrong, they were MND. We had the advantage, we were in cover when they entered the hangar, with all our guns pointed at their direction. The moved like, I dunno.. tigers. As soon as they entered, they dodged to the nearest cover and gave out the most precise shots I've ever seen. Those bastards massacred my whole squad, but I don't know if anyone could make them pay for it. 'Lucky I survived." -Corporal Jake Garner, Willard security, survivor of the hangar incursion.
Corridor D-4, where two security guards (Pvt. Townsman and Sgt. Hammers) were gunned to death. The picture was taken before the incident.
As soon as the Rheinlanders took the 'important data', they ran back to their ship double time, which left off at once. The station's turrets were still not all manned and the corvette managed to escape relatively unharmed.
LSF officials are now trying to track down the unknown corvette, so far unsucessfully. The Californian borders were placed under Naval lockdown, every ship going in and out of the system will be searched. Noone seems to know anything about the attack and the ship at all.
Navy Corporal Heather Miller performing a check on an ALG convoy.
Another thing currently under investigation is the mistery how exactly the Rheinlander cruiser managed get through to the almost farthest Libetronian system away from its 'Vaterland'. Since it's literally impossible to sneak through Bering (Houston), Texas and New York in a gunboat without being detected by either the Rogues or the Liberty Authorities, most officials suspect that the intruding corvette used aid from the Bretonian authorities.
"We never have and will never, I repeat never aid any of the sides participating in the Rheinland-Liberty war. Bretonia has its own fight to worry about and we've always been doing our best to preserve the House's neutrality concerning the other conflict. Liberty has no right to accuse us with aiding Rheinlander efforts at all." -Spokesman Richard McCurrey, Bretonian Ministry of Defence.
McCurrey on a meeting with Gibson, a Libertonian diplomatic representative.
Although Bretonia denies and Liberty doesn't want to openly accuse a neutral House, it is only rumoured that the LSF carries out an investigation concerning the topic.
One thing is certain. The Rheinland government is responsible for the attack, as the corvette was one strictly used by Military forces only. Officials from Rheinland wish not to comment the subject for this article, although they never denied that the attack was ordered by them.
Will the people responsible for the death of 21 people, the destruction of official property and the violation of Liberty space ever turn up? Will there be another attack? All that is to be covered in the next issue, follow up.