Naboo Miners Clog Ports in Protest
KWILAAN, NABOO – In protest to losing access to Naboo’s most well-stocked starports, a group of spice miners are refusing to vacate their landing slip, forcing a refugee-filled starliner to redirect to Theed.
The mining transport, the Pickaxe, and its captain Calquad Dominé have ignored official commands to move the ship from slip 45-J. The starliner Sluissi Wanderlust, carrying 323 refugees, was destined for that slip. After circling in a four-hour holding pattern, it has been cleared for Theed port.
Since the opening of Naboo’s ports to refugee vessels, the Naboo Moon Mining Union has been relegated to use the limited service ports scattered throughout the countryside.
“It’s intolerable,” said Union Chairperson Kalzutan Opreka. “Having to haul our cargo down to the coasts and inland not only cuts into our revenue, but those ports simply don’t have the service, security and freight handling facilities that we need. We’re hauling precious commodities here, but are being sent to the boonies to count it.”
The Union, consisting of 40 captains and their crew, have transformed one of Naboo’s smaller moons into a very lucrative kassoti-spice mining operation. Since kassoti needs to be cured in an energetic plasma bath, the miners have taken to using processing facilities at Naboo’s major ports. Those ports are now giving refugee crafts top priority.
“While I can sympathize with the increased difficulties experienced by the miners, everyone on Naboo has been making sacrifices for the betterment of the less fortunate,” said Queen Jamillia, Naboo’s leader, in a public address directed at the miners. “We ask you to be flexible. While we are grateful for your efforts in harvesting precious cargoes, please understand that these incoming vessels carry with them cargoes far more valuable – holds brimming with life and hope.”
Calquad Dominé is not stirred by the Queen’s entreaties. “This stuff is time-sensitive, and if we waste too much time navigating through a limited port, we lose money. That means Naboo loses money too. I’ve invested way too much into this to see it all dry up. We’re not done fighting the Queen,” he said in a com-broadcast from his ship.