LBS News Bulletin, French VanCamp Reporting

[Jayce]

A dramatic gunfight unfolded in Manhattan orbit today, sending energy bolts and missiles rocketing across the skies. While onboard the Triple Hazard Pay carrier "Yep, It's Stolen," Agent Tracer of the Liberty Security Force encountered a pair of individuals wanted by the Republic. Nancy "Sangria" Sweetwater, and her accomplice, Maren von Westefeld, were reportedly attempting to escape Liberty onboard the THP vessel, having assumed false identities as passengers bound for Omicron Delta.

Sweetwater, an ex-Reaver Mercenary Company employee, was wanted on charges of domestic and inter-house terrorism, as well as the destruction of countless Liberty Navy, Police, and civilian vessels. She was accompanied by Maren von Westefeld, an estranged MND operative, wanted in multiple houses for hacking into supposedly-secure comms channels, as well as petty theft and intimidation of Liberty hospital staff.

Security Force reports reveal that as soon as the pair made contact with Senior Special Agent Tracer, a long-time veteran of the LSF, shots were immediately exchanged. Taking cover behind a pallet of unprocessed ore, the LSF operative traded fire with the two heavily-armed women for over three minutes. Focused, precise strikes from Tracer's sidearm eventually forced the pair of ne'er-do-wells onboard a small cargo transfer shuttle waiting in the hangar bay.

Thinking quickly, the Senior Agent radioed to the "Willow Grove", an Interdictor-class Battlecruiser positioned abreast of the Bustard. Agent Hornady, weapons officer, promptly fired a trio of Predator cruise missiles to the rear of the carrier just as the dastardly duo exited the bays in their stolen shuttle, completely incinerating the vessel and the individuals inside. The missiles impacted the Bustard's shields, protecting the Carrier from any extensive, lasting damage. SAR teams dispatched from the Willow Grove failed to locate any survivors from the shuttle, and found only trace debris. It can safely be assumed that Sweetwater and Westefeld were consumed in the fiery explosion, and as such, their names have been removed from the list of Liberty's "Most Wanted" list. The LSF declined further questions as to whether or not the THP captain, Hisa Sachiko, would be reimbursed for the cost of the cargo shuttle.

Further information will be relayed as we receive it from the LSF Public Relations team. This has been French VanCamp, for the Liberty Broadcasting Service. Up next: are beans really musical? Tales of an orchestral legume.

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