Blast at Kressly Plant Kills Hundreds, White Hand Claims Responsibility
12/06/3133
INN - Interstellar News Network
MADISON, EPSILON ERIDANI – Over 230 people were killed, and another 140
wounded today when a powerful blast tore through Kressly Technologies’ newest
IndustrialMech production line outside the port city of Dori on Epsilon Eridani. The
terrorist group known as the White Hand, previously thought to be local only to
Towne and its surrounding worlds, claimed responsibility for the explosions, and
threatened further attacks in the near future.
Government and police officials say the attack took place at 1050 hours, less than two
hours after the first shift workers arrived at the recently constructed AgroMech
assembly facility. Security cameras and witness who survived the attack confirmed
that a plain white cargo truck, apparently laden with parts crates, pulled into the
facility shortly before then. Plant security evidently cleared the vehicle for entry,
though it was not listed on any expected arrival schedules, allowing the driver to enter
the receiving area. It is believed that the blast originated with this truck, which
officials suggest was loaded with pentaglycerine explosives. The driver of the
unidentified vehicle was killed in the initial explosion.
Police officials stopped short of suggesting that the apparent lapse in factory security
indicated an inside job, however.
“This particular [Kressly Industries] facility produced civilian ’Mechs, not military-
grade machinery or the like, and so was not subject to the same high security
standards as a BattleMech manufacturing center,” said Captain Jesse Cook, of the
Dori Police Department. “Given the irregular schedules of parts deliveries since the
loss of the HPG network, apparently off-schedule deliveries had become a routine
occurrence here, and the terrorists took advantage of that.”
Despite that explanation, however, Cook told INN that the Dori Police and planetary
law enforcement agencies would be pursuing “all avenues of investigation”.
Furthermore, a message had been sent to Terra, requesting the presence of a Knight
to assist in the investigation.
“It was unbelievable,” said Jennifer Laske, one of the plant’s assembly workers, who
survived the attack and remained at the scene to help survivors. “I had left the station
for just a few minutes. My supervisor, Jack, had just paged me back when explosions
hit. People were running everywhere, and there was all this smoke and fire, and I kept
wondering where Jack was. I just can’t leave now till I know….”
At this hour, recovery still continues at the factory site, where many more of this
morning’s survivors, like Laske, continue to assist in the search for coworkers still
missing after the blast.
Towne Log
+ Cripes! White Hand again? I thought they were just our problem? :- RepMan
+ Copy cat, maybe? Or the problem’s way more widespread than INN would have us
believe. I mean, the Gherstwood Mall blast happened at almost the same time, and
used pentaglycerine as well. Seems like the same basic MO… :- PhazeOne
+ Yeah. Looks like these Hand guys are a lot more clever than we all thought… :-
Synnik
+ What about Bannson? His boys recently took that planet, didn’t they? What if it was
his way of letting the local industrialists know who was in charge? :- GreasL
+ You know, that one even I might believe, except it does nothing to reinforce his
credibility as a protector of the people when his own “security troops” can’t prevent a
thing like that from happening. Heck, right about now, I gotta wonder if the local
authorities aren’t begging for Republic troops to come and boot Bannson off-world… :
- RepMan
12/06/3133
INN - Interstellar News Network
MADISON, EPSILON ERIDANI – Over 230 people were killed, and another 140
wounded today when a powerful blast tore through Kressly Technologies’ newest
IndustrialMech production line outside the port city of Dori on Epsilon Eridani. The
terrorist group known as the White Hand, previously thought to be local only to
Towne and its surrounding worlds, claimed responsibility for the explosions, and
threatened further attacks in the near future.
Government and police officials say the attack took place at 1050 hours, less than two
hours after the first shift workers arrived at the recently constructed AgroMech
assembly facility. Security cameras and witness who survived the attack confirmed
that a plain white cargo truck, apparently laden with parts crates, pulled into the
facility shortly before then. Plant security evidently cleared the vehicle for entry,
though it was not listed on any expected arrival schedules, allowing the driver to enter
the receiving area. It is believed that the blast originated with this truck, which
officials suggest was loaded with pentaglycerine explosives. The driver of the
unidentified vehicle was killed in the initial explosion.
Police officials stopped short of suggesting that the apparent lapse in factory security
indicated an inside job, however.
“This particular [Kressly Industries] facility produced civilian ’Mechs, not military-
grade machinery or the like, and so was not subject to the same high security
standards as a BattleMech manufacturing center,” said Captain Jesse Cook, of the
Dori Police Department. “Given the irregular schedules of parts deliveries since the
loss of the HPG network, apparently off-schedule deliveries had become a routine
occurrence here, and the terrorists took advantage of that.”
Despite that explanation, however, Cook told INN that the Dori Police and planetary
law enforcement agencies would be pursuing “all avenues of investigation”.
Furthermore, a message had been sent to Terra, requesting the presence of a Knight
to assist in the investigation.
“It was unbelievable,” said Jennifer Laske, one of the plant’s assembly workers, who
survived the attack and remained at the scene to help survivors. “I had left the station
for just a few minutes. My supervisor, Jack, had just paged me back when explosions
hit. People were running everywhere, and there was all this smoke and fire, and I kept
wondering where Jack was. I just can’t leave now till I know….”
At this hour, recovery still continues at the factory site, where many more of this
morning’s survivors, like Laske, continue to assist in the search for coworkers still
missing after the blast.
Towne Log
+ Cripes! White Hand again? I thought they were just our problem? :- RepMan
+ Copy cat, maybe? Or the problem’s way more widespread than INN would have us
believe. I mean, the Gherstwood Mall blast happened at almost the same time, and
used pentaglycerine as well. Seems like the same basic MO… :- PhazeOne
+ Yeah. Looks like these Hand guys are a lot more clever than we all thought… :-
Synnik
+ What about Bannson? His boys recently took that planet, didn’t they? What if it was
his way of letting the local industrialists know who was in charge? :- GreasL
+ You know, that one even I might believe, except it does nothing to reinforce his
credibility as a protector of the people when his own “security troops” can’t prevent a
thing like that from happening. Heck, right about now, I gotta wonder if the local
authorities aren’t begging for Republic troops to come and boot Bannson off-world… :
- RepMan
| December 6, 3133 |
