speak.
'Citizens of the Planet Mars,' she said, looking easily into the camera as she'd done so many times before. 'By now you undoubtedly know that some rather strange events have been taking place on this planet, most prominently right here at the capital building. I will now explain in detail what has happened today, what steps I have taken, and what I hope will come next.
'I was elected Governor of this planet by a considerable margin. As I've mentioned in my speeches before, I ran under a false flag, proclaiming my allegiance to WestHem, and particularly certain WestHem corporations. This was done so that I could be put into a position where I could fulfill a life-long dream. My dream was not to rule Mars, but to free it from WestHem control and influence. My goal, as I've told you time and time again, was to bring this about peacefully. I offered many times to negotiate with the WestHem government in Denver and the various corporations that control this planet and its assets. I have done this publicly and in private, pleading with the so- called 'powers-that-be' for a transfer of assets over to Martian control that would allow these corporations to maintain a profit while still allowing us self-rule and self-determination.
'They refused to even consider this. Instead, they committed themselves to removing me from office in order to silence my voice. When their attempts at using legal means failed, they attempted to destroy my reputation with their propaganda arm — also known as the Big Three media corporations. When that failed — which it did only because of the intrinsic intelligence of you, the Martian people — they began resorting to other means, namely, the use of the WestHem federal government and it's law enforcement branch.
'Now I know that all of you are aware of this tactic affecting you, the citizens. They arrested hundreds for doing nothing more than exercising their freedom of speech. They shot down others like dogs. But while they were behaving like Nazis in our streets, stomping on our human rights, violating all we hold sacred, another group of them was working in secret, acting directly against me. They put together federal charges — charges that were completely and totally fabricated — against me as a means of removing me once and for all. As you all have undoubtedly heard during the course of this day, a federal indictment with six separate charges was issued against me yesterday in Denver. This indictment was followed up with an arrest warrant today — a warrant that calls for my extradition to Earth for trial. The charges listed in this indictment are as follows: Abuse of high office, solicitation of bribes, racketeering, gross incompetence of high office, and...' she offered a smile to her viewers, '... my personal favorites, incitement of terrorism and trafficking in explosives.'
Her face turned back to serious. 'These are six very serious federal charges against me. I refused to recognize the legality of this indictment when it was served and I'll explain why. For one, this indictment was handed down by a grand jury in Denver. Denver! On Earth. The members of this grand jury were not citizens of Mars. They were not my peers. I was never given the opportunity to answer to any of these so-called charges leveled against me. I was never questioned a single time about these charges by any federal officers. Does this sound like a fair and impartial investigation?
'Some might say that an indictment is merely a charge and that if I'm innocent it will be proven in court. I'm sorry but I just don't see it that way and I believe that most of my fellow citizens don't either. If I were to have gone to Denver and stood trial, I would have been found guilty on all counts by another jury of Denver citizens, after being defended by a
'I have committed no corrupt acts, I have not abused my office, I've accepted no bribes, and I don't believe I've been incompetent in my duties. I have certainly not incited any terrorism or trafficked in any explosives. So when federal agents showed up at the capital building this morning to take me into custody, I refused to go. And I will not go until you, my true peers, tell me that I must go, that the events that took place today must end. As it stands now, I'm guilty of much more than simple corruption. I will now explain what happened today so you can all fully understand what it happening.
'When the agents showed up to arrest me, my security detail was ordered by me to stop them. I will point out that I carefully explained to them that if they thought the indictment should be honored, if they truly thought that I was a corrupt, incompetent governor, then they should
'My detail attempted to take the FLEB agents into custody until such time as the matter of Martian autonomy was hashed out. Unfortunately the FLEB agents did not surrender peacefully but elected to shoot it out inside the lobby of the capital. My troops returned fire, killing and wounding many of them. Most of the outside detail, as you saw on Internet, were taken peacefully into custody.
'As for the other events at the capital this morning, the reinforcement of the feds, the pull-back of the New Pittsburgh Police Department, the peaceful surrender of the remaining feds, you all saw that on Internet live as it happened. I will not rehash those events right now but I would like to thank Chief Sandoza for pulling his men back at my request. This kept Martian police officers from becoming involved in a firefight with MPG troops and led to the surrender of the federal agents. That is how I was kept from being taken into custody for these fabricated crimes under the guise of this illegal and fabricated indictment.
'But as you know, some other things have taken place on this planet and above during the course of this day, things much more serious than my refusal to surrender to a warrant, things with far-reaching implications for the future of this planet.'
She paused for a second, taking a sip from a glass of water that was sitting next to her. She set it down and then looked into the cameras once more. 'I have known all along,' she said, 'that the WestHem powers-that-be would most likely not go along with my plans for a peaceful transition to autonomy. I have hoped for the best but at the same time I have prepared for the worst. I have moved forward under the assumption that most of my fellow Martians favor autonomy and are willing to take certain risks for it. As I've said, you will all have opportunity to judge my actions in this regard.
'Many years ago, long before I was elected your governor, in order to assure that when the time came the citizens of Mars would have the means to make ourselves free, I asked my good friend General Jackson of the Martian Planetary Guard to draw up plans for assuming control of this planet from WestHem authorities if it ever became necessary. That plan was code-named Operation Red Grab and today it was put into effect on my orders. Whether or not it was necessary will be up to the Martian citizens to decide and you will be given the power to shut down this operation if you so desire, but let me explain first what steps were taken and where we stand at this moment.
'When word of the coming indictment and arrest reached my office yesterday afternoon, I put the plan into action. The first thing that happened was a call-up of the entire special forces battalion planet wide. These soldiers were transported up to Triad last night and stationed there to wait for confirmation of the indictment and arrest attempt. At the same time, additional MPG combat troops were called up and activated down here in New Pittsburgh and in Eden. Some of these men helped secure the capital this morning but most of them were stationed outside of the Eden MPG deployment center, where they manned tanks, aircraft, artillery, and infantry positions. They too waited for conformation of the indictment and arrest attempt. When that confirmation came, the special forces battalion, who again, were given the free choice to back down from their task, invaded Triad Naval Base and secured it. As we speak right now, TNB and all of the WestHem naval ships docked there are firmly in our hands. At the same time, the infantry and tank troops outside of Eden moved in to secure the Eden Marine Barracks. That base too is now firmly in our hands, all of its occupants and weapons captured.'
She frowned sadly. 'Unfortunately these two bases did not meekly surrender to our troops. Thirty-three of our soldiers lost their lives in the fighting. Forty-seven were wounded. Casualty lists are being formed right now and the families of those soldiers killed and wounded will be notified shortly after my speech tonight.
'These deaths weigh heavy on my soul,' she said, seeming to stifle a tear. 'I know that is what a politician is supposed to say and I know that they rarely mean it but please believe that I am speaking these words with the utmost sincerity. Thirty-three young men died while following orders that initiated with me. Thirty-three people with families, children, lives. I will not try to justify their deaths with a lot of patriotic blathering. This was a tragedy and I want you all to know right now and understand that if we follow through with the course of action that I have set into motion today there will be more tragedies like this, some undoubtedly worse, and maybe too many for us to handle.'
She stopped, wiping a tear from her face and clearing her throat before continuing. 'Once the fighting began
