The Imps respond to the explosion with a massive show of support, like sending the troops and the celebrities to help with the rescue operation, with space troopers doing heavy lifting and debris clearing, opening the medical bays on the garrisons and orbiting ships to the victims, our Dark Sider trying to revive people and moving speeder-sized pieces of permacrete, etc. One shot that you MUST have is one of the Guardsmen (or whatever), with his robes tattered at the hem, his armor heavily scuffed and scratched, his helmet cracked open by falling debris (witch happens to expose his face), carrying the body of a young child, with tears streaming down his face. Maybe even add a minor head wound (like a gashed forehead) and making him fairly attractive looking.
Your PCs are on planet to coordinate with sympathizers (organizing cells, getting supplies, whatever fits). How do they deal with this major PC crisis? Was it an extreme branch of the Rebellion, the Imps, criminals or just a gas leak? Will it jeopardize the negotiations? Will one of the sympathizers turn away from "a mob or baby killers," and try to lead the Imps to the characters? Alternatively, will he try to give classified data to the Imps (a cargo route, personnel files, etc.)?
This should give you plenty of area to play with, but it should need a minimum level of shooting and looting.