The planet of Stensen’s Colony is a veritable oasis of beauty and life, with cycles of shining seas under golden dawns. It’s an especially powerful vista viewed from the plasteel girders of the new stadium being constructed in the center of the capital city.

Preoccupied pit droids bustle along the framing, their mag boots allowing them to simply walk vertically when needed. A handful of sentients are overseeing the more sensitive joint enmeshments that were not fully diagrammed before construction.

Commissioner Tholme So smiles easily with a knowing look, “Oh I know what you’re thinking, but don’t you worry... this stadium is going to be the pinnacle of Galactic Sports,” he gestures his arm proudly around the shell of the stadium as the sounds of buzzing, welding, and materials being shuttled to dropoff points echoes in the background.

The camera droid tracks smoothly with Tholme as he walks carefully down a sloped beam and hops into a mag lift. His clothing is sharply cut to fit his form, luxury linens in muted colors. As the open-walled lift descends, the camera rotates around his face, grizzled and aged but freshly shaven and distinguished.

He turns his wrist and takes a holo call. A blue-toned miniature figure of a human in corporate business attire materializes. “Good day, Commissioner, AMC leadership has agreed to provide full medical services for the league. I’ve run the contract by our legal counsel and it’s all above board.”

Tholme nods curtly, “Excellent, focus on the marketing campaign next, please,” and he switches off the call. Turning to the camera, he shows a toothy grin, “Alpha Medical Corporation has been the perfect partner for what we’re trying to do here. They’ve provided this amazing space. An entire city for the headquarters of Shockball.”

Behind him, the cityscape is full of other facilities being constructed: the familiar block frames of an administration complex, taverns and restaurants line the outer perimeter of the stadium while the immediate plots of land are an assortment of statues, green park areas, and fountains.

“I remember Colonial Shockball when it was in its prime. It was a fantastic sport - addicting and irresistible. A very long time ago, now. Well...” Tholme drops the final yard’s distance to the ground floor and strides out toward the center arena of the stadium, “We have been working hard to bring it back.”

The camera droid follows behind Tholme’s shoulder as he emerges from a high walled gangway into the open arena, and it pans around. The metallic floor glistens underfoot. Arena court walls are about human waist height, pulsing with electric current, and atop the walls transparisteel panels rise and curl around high overhead until they meet in a teardrop at the arena’s apex.

Beyond the court enclosure, the stadium is filled with seating that climbs upward and out with the far seats barely visible from the droid’s camera. Holo projections glow in neon colors and stream across the stands, pausing and drifting as if to rhythm.

From the bottom of the camera droid’s display several hulking humanoid figures tromp past. The droid rotates and follows them. The sentients, armor-clad in uniform color, deftly shuttle a hand-sized ball between each other. It’s streaked with pulsing lines of neon blue that almost crackle with energy. Their booted feet thunder loudly along the court floor.

As they approach the far goal pit defended by a single Guard the ball suddenly pops high into the air. The Center is a meter off the ground, with the shockball clutched in his hands. He rockets it into the back of the pit. A deep boom echoes around the stadium as goal sirens alight from behind the goal pit and wash the stands and court in cascading holographic signs of celebration.

The camera droid turns back to Tholme who is pumping his fist into the air and hooting wildly. “Did you see that shot?! Not a chance against an arm like that! That’s Callisto, one of AMC’s new contracts for the next season.” He winks at the camera, “Going to be a solid team I think.”

Tholme squares up to the camera and easily slides into a cool and professional demeanor. “This is an opportunity for every sentient to join a league of Shockball players, where all are equally equipped and may become as valuable as they desire with daily training in the skills of their choosing. Want to be a Center? Train your skills for it. Over time, your skills grow and you will rise in market value. Before you know it teams are offering you contracts, vying for what unique assortment of skills you can bring to their team. Train according to your team manager’s recommendation and help your team to glory or decide to focus on yourself instead. View your match statistics to figure out what you’re good at.”

“Want to manage a team? Apply to the League, manage a team budget, offer contracts to players to build your team, set your starting lineup, and determine your substitution rules. Recommend team wide training and shape your team into what you want it to be.”

“And don’t forget that we’ll be having a championships for the best of the best, where rivalries are formed and prizes and trophies are won, with history etched into every season.”

Tholme straightens the emblem on his lapel - a Shockball with a jagged blue lightning bolt through it. A holographic ripple of electricity flashes across it. “Coming to a system near you soon! See you in the game.”

Republic News Network (RNN) Headquarters, REPUBLICA -- After a looting of goods from the weapons manufacturer, Merr-Sonn Technologies, the New Republic is issuing an advisory to the galactic trading community to exercise extreme caution in conducting business with stolen assets and or equipment. Furthermore New Republic Intelligence (NRI) has issued a warrant for Bobby Boudreaux's arrest and other government officials have advised that any goods that are in the custody of the New Republic would remain inaccessible.

Earlier this week, officials within the New Republic and Merr-sonn Technologies began receiving reports of suspicious activities being conducted by Bobby Boudreaux. Immediately it was determined that Boudreaux was able to successfully steal a considerable amount of products, raw materials, and deeds to cities within the system of Oetrago in the Mayagil Sector. Boudreaux was quick to list these deeds on markets including the Centrepoint Marketplace. Despite intelligence reports from NRI suggesting that Boudreaux acted on his own with no assistance connected with any criminal organization, it is unclear to what extent his efforts have been to traffic the stolen goods. New Republic policy restricts access to stolen goods in any case. This was repeated in a statement to RNN, Director of New Republic Intelligence Adam Hughes warns: "...anyone dealing with Bobby Boudreaux to buy goods that are on New Republican worlds will not be able to access the goods, under any circumstances."

Speaking at a press conference this morning, the High Ambassador from the Republic Diplomacy Command, Gand Xitwa, confirmed that all access requests related to stolen goods would be denied and that under the Criminal Code possessing or trafficking items through the black market can be punishable by anything from a heavy fine to a custodial sentence. All restricted New Republic technology, most notably military equipment and ships, found in traders lounges or marketplaces across the galaxy are understood to be stolen property and will also incur severe penalties.

Xitwa would go on to appeal to the galaxy at large to do their part to ensure that criminals like Boudreaux are not rewarded for their nefarious deeds and advised extreme caution to anyone dealing with him. "Mr. Boudreaux is wanted for a crime that he committed against the New Republic; however, his transgressions affect more than our government. He recklessly places many good and reputable trading communities in jeopardy with the trafficking of stolen goods. He has tarnished his own good reputation that all governments in this galaxy universally accept: honor, loyalty, reputation, and trustworthiness. It is a shame that Mr. Boudreaux decided to pursue this criminal act after what cumulated to be personal feelings he felt that were levied against him or a lack thereof. It would have been much better for him to work through his problems with officials and come to a much happier and peaceful ending. Please good people of the Galaxy, take this Gand's warning and be cautious of your dealings, both trade and business, with Mr. Boudreaux, his recent actions have violated the universal ideals that many of us hold dear, regardless of our political views."

Despite the robbery, Minister of Trade and Industry, Tengri Lethas, notes that only public sale of equipment from the nationalized corporation have been temporarily suspended, and sources throughout the government report that operations continue unimpeded by this most recent betrayal.

High Council Ends Infestation

ARGAI, CRONESE MANDATE, TION CLUSTER

Golan II - Port Argolis Security Checkpoint

Marked for immediate release.

Year 18 Day 80 - Today saw the successful end of a five day operation by senior members of the Tion Hegemony High Council, according to a spokessentient from the Office of the Lady Hegemon.

Upon notification that Kray Voh, infamous bounty hunter and proprietor of Ever Light Transportation, was scheduled to arrive in Argai to gather an order for an Athakam MedTech customer, the High Council formulated a plan to capture the Yam`rii.

An arrest warrant was approved by a quorum of the sitting High Councillors on Day 75, as agents swarmed the Argai system, home of Athakam MedTech, to secure the system and wait-out the arrival of the acknowledged criminal.

Once the Yam'rii was in custody deliberation over trial and execution occurred, with immediate execution of Kray Voh being voted as the course of justice. Summary of charges include: attempting to kidnap a Tionese citizen, attempted bounty, operating illegally within Tionese space, offering bounties of top Tion officials, and criminal threatening of the Lady Hegemon.

The affected customer of Athakam MedTech was contacted post-operation by the Rector Superior of Athakam, who authorized a swift refund and arranged transportation for the delivery of the customer’s goods, including the care of a sand panther cub that Mr. Voh had in his possession.

The Tion High Council would like to offer support to any victims of Kray Voh’s schemes. If anyone having hired Ever Light Transportation believes they will have been affected by this apprehension, please contact Fleet Admiral Crislyn Anessa Waryn.

-- END HIGH COUNCIL RELEASE --