aliases:| Began | Ended |
|---|---|
| 13/10/1633 | 19/10/1633 |
| Governments | Organisations |
|---|---|
| Linc | Bleak Enterprise |
| Dottian | Supreme Function |
The Hitch Incident was the premeditated kidnapping and execution of Linc diplomat and envoy Zing Hitch, during his stay on Plavv, the Dottians' home planet. The succeeding kidnapping of the Dottians' own envoy situated in Mala, Feshmer Craset, is also commonly included in the Hitch Incident. Toward the end of the Cosmian Wars, it was discovered that the kidnappings and subsequent killings of the victims involved were part of an organised plan between Bleak Enterprise and the Supreme Function organisation. The incident is widely considered to have been the final catalyst to the beginning of the Cosmian Wars. There remains some speculation around specific details regarding the events of the Hitch Incident, including whether or not the Supreme Function had further intentions in addition to their deal with Richard Bleak and Bleak Enterprise.
Zing Hitch and his entourage had been sent to the system of Tazzut on the 8th of October, 1633 in order to negotiate around the terms of control of the planets in the Strive system. However, on the 13th of October, one day before the first meeting between the two parties was scheduled to take place, the diplomat and two of his assistants disappeared. It is believed that members of the Supreme Function broke into his guarded apartment and assaulted the three inside, before kidnapping them and taking them to an unknown location. The security team stationed outside the room and throughout the building remained unaware of the incident until the routine communications check around ten minutes later. Search parties were unable to locate Hitch or any bodies.
Six days later, a similar incident occurred with a Dottian diplomat posted on the Linc home planet Inloreen. Feshmer Craset was kidnapped and believed to have been executed by members of Supreme Function while alone in her apartment room on the 19th of October. Search parties sent by the Linc government were also unable to locate any signs of her.
Shortly after the disappearance of Zing Hitch an his assistants, the Linc government made a formal and public warning to the Dottian government about the incident, declaring that the fact that the kidnapping was allowed to happen was "sad" and "absurd". Included was also a demand for an apology. The Dottian government made a public response the day afterwards, claiming innocence in the matter, although without the apology requested.
After Feshmer Craset's death, hostilities between the governments spiked, with the Dottians immediately and openly blaming the Linc government's carelessness. The Linc returned similar complaints in their private response two days later. From the time of the end of the Hitch Incident, only a week passed before both sides declared war on one another, in what was soon to become known as the Cosmian Wars.
The occurrence of the Hitch Incident itself is commonly regarded as the final push toward the opening of the first attacks in the Cosmian Wars, alongside the growing political and territorial tension between the Linc and the Dottians. However, it also had further effects beyond what it is primarily known for. Awareness and questions about how civil governments care for visitors from other civilisations as well as about their handling of interracial issues were raised and ultimately led to various shifts in public opinion.