Khrystalpol Incident: Difference between revisions
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In Khrystalpol itself, however, the sleeping sickness suddenly took a turn for the worse, as twelve simultaneous cases were reported that morning. This was likely a result of atmospheric conditions interacting with the gas leaks from the mines. The sudden spike in cases caused panic throughout the morning, though the situation remained unclear to the authorities as much of the local law enforcement had been redeployed around K-17. It was not until 11 am that a caravan of around a thousand people was witnessed leaving the town and heading towards the base. Many in the crowd would later report that they had been attempting to flee the town out of fear of the epidemic, only to be caught up in the wider mob that was now publicly calling for the storming of K-17.
Confrontations began almost immediately at the gates of K-17. Durakan security personnel had been caught off guard at the speed of the escalation, and the previous day's attendees had effectively lost all control over the situation. Multiple gunshots were heard, and Durakan officers later testified that they had been fired upon by the Vorosijm fighters from within the crowd, though it remains unknown as to which members of the group began the violence. Whatever the case, the exchange of fire killed one Durakan military policeman who had been standing guard at the gate, and sent the crowd into a panic. The mob surged forward.
Perimeter security at K-17 was later deemed deficient due to an overreliance on existing Vakari-built structures, which were poorly made and laid out. The weight of the frenzied crowd was such that multiple sections of the fence simply collapsed, and no further obstacles were present to prevent the mob from bursting into the outer sections of the base and potentially overwhelming the facility. Sporadic gunfire continued to target Durakan personnel and drove the crowd onwards. Two further Durakans who had been at the gates were trampled to death, and later assessments suggested that five of the rioters similarly perished in the stampede. Durakan security forces had thus far been limited to less-than-lethal means and issuing warnings to control the crowd, and suffered from inadequate numbers to defend the sprawling site. Though no public statements were made by K-17s commander, testimony from Rekelta employees working at the base indicated that Durakan officers had believed that they were witnessing a full scale armed uprising, which created a state of desperation.
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