The Harbinger of Absolution hung in one of the spaces between systems and stars, drifting slowly through Wild Space as its crew milled about and conducted their usual maintenance tasks. Deep within its bowels sat a lone room, occupied only by a large table of dark stone as well as the chairs that surrounded it and the holodisplay at the center of it. Darth Strosius sat with his hands clasped together as though in prayer, silently watching as the empty chairs filled with projections of His higher ranking followers.
Several were transmitting from their company's headquarters on Wrea, others from the enclaves and forces roaming about Wild Space and the Outer Rim such as the Vergence Fleet, and of course a handful of those present joined the call from within Sith space such as the Council of Bogan. The leadership of the Order of Wonosa were soon enough gathered in full, sitting in crimson projections as they looked to their silent Prophet and then to where His masked gaze was fixed. Projected up from the center of the table was a map of the galaxy, displaying the borders of the great powers that be.
Of particular note was the very core of the map, the Core Worlds themselves, which featured blurred borders and lines that seemed to subtly shift with each passing moment. A reflection of both the Core's current circumstances and of the Wonosan's own lacking information on it. But Darth Strosius cared little for who ruled the Core, what mattered was that it was tumultuous. The beating heart of the galaxy, that which all major hyperlanes eventually led to, was in ruins and in conflict. A more beautiful sight He had never seen.
"One of the Great Chains has finally shown its rust." The Prophet finally spoke, leaning forward and resting His masked chin on His folded hands. "The weakness of the Core is plain for all to see, its innards splayed out and the truth of its influence laid bare. The rot has grown too prevalent for the galaxy at large to ignore any longer. The Alliance has finally faltered." Despite being a fairly new development, it was no news to those assembled. By now word of the Core's disruption and the evidence to prove it had stretched to every corner of the galaxy.
Entire trade routes had been bent to try and account for the chaos in the Core, redirections which had isolated several worlds and bankrupted even more. Many vital lines of commerce and travel were essentially snapped for the time being. Refugees were fleeing from the Core in the hundreds of thousands, entire cities being emptied out or consumed by their own desperate inhabitants and even more desperate neighbors. The shining focus of the galaxy had finally been snuffed out, at least for the moment. A moment that He intended to seize for all that it was worth.
"As the Chain of the Core falters, the aftershocks of its decay riddle all around it." He gestured towards the Mid Rim, still firmly underneath the heel of the Alliance but with a new contender for stability there in the form of the High Republic. "They will struggle to reignite the lost glory of the Core, buried beneath their own reliance upon it and saddled with responsibility for its fall and replacement in equal measure. They will drown as they should." The Alliance would throw all that they could muster into reclaiming the Core Worlds, but the Republic could do the same in an attempt to steal the seat of power for themselves. He didn't care who won so long as the chaos continued.
His hand then gestured towards Wild Space, the only region that they had any sway in themselves. "The High Republic will be reeling from the Core War even if they do not intervene themselves, as it stands now though they engage against the vile Black Sun." The name was spoken with disgust, earning some glares towards the projection of the criminal borders from some of the assembled members. "The Sith Order's Blackwall has been extended and thus they will mostly be occupied with securing their new gains, Empyrean is far too hesitant to reach beyond it and the Kainites as well as Raaf will be occupied with keeping Imperials from the Holy Worlds." A goal that He would aid them with, albeit only so far.
"And then there is the Mandalorians, resurgent and with a pocket of territory centered around Rishi." He wasn't sure why they had ventured through the Hypergate there but they were simply another obstacle regardless and they would be treated as such. "The Outer Rim will wilt with the Core in turmoil, as the exploiters and parasites flee to secure their homes and leave their pilfered profits for the locals to fight over. Stranded between the criminals, the Republic, and the Mandalorian presence, they will be desperate for guidance. Desperate for salvation."
Darth Strosius rose from His seat and gestured towards the projection with a flourish as a new border joined those of the great powers, a crimson web branching out from Wrea and other systems which held some Wonosan influence. Branching into neighboring systems and worlds, spreading across Wild Space and even the furthest reaches of the Slice. "The time is now to play our hand and reveal ourselves to our neighbors, to assure them that we will safeguard them against the chaos that ripples from the Core, against the sickness of the Black Sun, against the false promises of the Republic, and from the clutches of the Mandalorians."
With the room bathed in crimson netting, He raised His hands as though to cup the projection and cradle the galaxy itself. "Let every ear ring, let every mind know, let every voice carry the good word, let all see that Wonosa marches out to bring order and security to the wayward peoples of the Rim. Liberation comes, and Salvation follows in its wake. Such is the Will of the Force! Such is our creed and holy mission! Kots tave Itsu! "
