Bill 69743.2 Revision One - Execution of Sith Operatives [PASSED]

[Writer]

Alyesa stood before the grand audience within the Senate Chambers, her hands holding a few flimsiplast sheets that had unknown information on them. She cleared her throat, causing a loud reverberation through the Chambers, drawing the attention of each and every member of the Senate floor to her very being. The small holocam floated around her small frame as she began to speak, her voice booming through a mic as she did so.

“It has come to the attention of the Security Council that there are some among us in the Senate that wish to aid the cause of the One Sith.”


There were gasps and even sounds of boos and growls from various beings. The hands of the younger Senator would rise to calm the crowd as she continued.


“The Galactic Republic is no stranger to subterfuge of this nature, and we have had methods of dealing with traitors before, but apparently what we have done in the past has not worked.” She took a deep breath as she looked at the intelligence before her. “Therefore, I am proposing Bill Number 69743.2 Revision One for the Senate to consider.”


She turned briefly to look at the large holoscreen that appeared beside her. She gestured with her right hand, left holding the flimsy’s down to ensure secrecy remained on what intelligence had been gathered.


“This bill will allow the execution of any Sith spy, collaborator or operative within the Galactic Republic or her territories. This means intelligence gathered against, caught in the act, or any such behavior that would link the individual to One Sith or any off-shoot of Sith conclaves.”


She turned back to the flimsies as it switched to another view. “They will be allowed a trial as we are a Republic, not an Empire. However, I must warn that any attempt to undermine the trial process by outside sources can lead to further charges against the accused.”


She took a step back and gestured with open hands, leaving the flimsies on the platform infront of her.


“I call for a vote.” Alyesa would be the first to cast her vote, hitting "Yes" on the console before continuing.

(One vote per PC Senator. Individuals with multiple alts cannot cast multiple votes, Please note which Vote you locked in. Integrity people.)

 

[Vulps]

Zarro's eyes narrowed as he listened to the new bill. Quite extreme and more empire than the person proposing it might think. Sure there was a trial, but nowhere in this bill did he see an alternative to death. He tapped into the controls of his senate pod and for once, Zarro was among the first to speak.

"Senator Praxon, it has come to my attention that with your talk of execution, you have led us to no other alternative. I don't believe that you realize that such a thing might lead to a far more brutal, Empire like republic than we might want. The one sith proves a fearsome foe not because of their power, though that is certainly a factor. But because they are taking the best parts of us. Our humanity. They beat us because they have support, their honeyed words win them the people as they speak of peace and unity. Now in case I've lost you, Ill some it up in three words. We are merciful. If we lose that mercy then we lose even more support, support I do not believe we can lose."

Now with that done, it was time for him to make his second point. He had stated the problem and his beliefs albeit in a somewhat round about way. But now it was time to provide an alternative. A way for senators to agree with him and a way to keep this woman from flat out hating him. "I do believe however, that such things are a serious crime. Espionage, sabotage, and Treason are all certainly worthy of death in their own respects, such facts I cannot deny. But, there is also the possibility that might do far more good than killing them. Converting them. Rehabilitation. With this death penalty, I wish to have an equally likely rehabilitation sentence. Convince these people that they can help us and we can finally strike at the heart of the sith. Though, if they obviously cannot be rehabilitated or flat out deny it, then yes, perhaps death is our best solution. With this, I close in saying that death is a last resort and should be treated as such. Oh, and my vote in case you haven't figured it out, is no."

[member="Alyesa Praxon"]

 

[Writer]

As soon as he was finished, Alyesa flipped it back to her own pod and motioned to a new screen that appeared, showing a list of names of individuals who were either suspected of committing crimes within the Republic on such a scale or had done so. “Senator, I respect your decision, and welcome your voice and opinion.."

She paused before addressing the general assembly."The Republic is merciful, but with our mercy we have seen countless lives go without justice because we allow the corrupt to reside within our very ranks. We allow the One Sith to sleep within our chambers. We allow our mercy to become a weakness that our enemies exploit.”


She would sigh heavily and motion to [member="Zarro Verres"]. “It isn’t that we are the Galactic Empire reborn. We are a Republic, a united front that is being taken advantage of. Our kindness has been mistaken for a weakness. How many more innocent lives must be lost to allow the enemy to stand amongst us without sending a message that the Republic will not tolerate such mockery of her system or of her people!”


"The former Jedi Master [member="Matsu Ike"] is a great example to this testament of how she exploited our weakness of mercy. She committed crimes on grand scales that the Republic turned a blind eye to."

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Ayumi looked on from her pod, she had met Zarro and knew him to be honorable for a.... Amaran at least. One thing she had found with business centric species was usually they were willing to do anything for credits. Something that could be useful when trying to get covert jobs done or move people out of the deep core. She had been using the mining vessels she bought for Mayferria to bring out who she could from the liberation front with Zarro and a former jedi.

Now she was listening to the bill and looking it over for anything to speak about while talks of abusing mercy came. She inwardly chuckled to herself, enjoying the back and forth before looking up and.... Well Zarro had said what she fretted about. The question of who would be leading the investigations could come up but she doubted heavily in some skills and would prefer not handing out sentences lightly. Only fair as she knew full well the dangers of agenda's and having worked with the GIA knew fabricating evidence for gain wasn't beyond question.

 

[Popo]

The Supreme Chancellor chose this moment to speak up from his pulpit in the Senate's center. The Hutt cleared his throat to focus the attention on his podium for a moment.

"We are a nation at war," Popo began. "Normally, we are a nation of peace. Of prosperity. We do everything we can to prevent war and military conflict in any and all ways possible. However, since the surprise attack on Coruscant, resulting in the fall of our capital, we must understand that when at war, we must be harsher in some respects than we have been in the past. If this means the execution of spies, collaborators, or operatives to make sure our citizens, our people, our families, can sleep soundly at night without fear or terror of death and destruction coming for them in the middle of the night... I think I can harbor a few, sleepless nights of my own. So long as the trial is fairly done and carried out in a legal and thorough manner, I see no issues with this bill as is."

Popo paused for a moment before continuing.

"That is, with one caveat added to the bill. That once the war is done and the Sith are vanquished from our space, from the galaxy, and from any possibility of harming us further... that the Bill be revoked. This is a Wartime Bill. We are a nation of Peace. When Peace has returned, we will have no need of it. I cannot vote due to my position, but so long as this is added to the Bill, I will approve the legislature if the Senate votes to put the law in place."

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

"And who Chancellor will be handling the investigations? I have worked with the GIA a handful of times. I have seen evidence misplaced to serve a goal. It can just as easily be created as well." She spoke looking at the hutt which... she had met once and their meeting never really came to a conclusion. "A bill to find traitors, to get rid of them in wartime is fine and I can get behind it but the investigations should be handled by ones whos character is beyond reproach."

 

[Writer]

[SIZE=11pt]"Thank you for your support Supreme Chancellor” [/SIZE]Alyesa would nod from her own pod.[SIZE=11pt] “Yes Senators, please be mindful that this bill will expire when we’re no longer at war with the Sith. When they have been vanquished from the sovereign territories of the Republic, there will be no need for this bill to exist.” [/SIZE]

Alyesa would stop to look at the Senator from Mayferria as she spoke, she shook her head subtly and made a mental note. With the quick to temper and anger she displayed in the holovid that Alyesa saw of the Internal Affairs Conference, Alyesa would be hesitant to vote for her to lead the investigation…very hesitant. Alyesa took the moment to speak up. [SIZE=11pt]"The Security Council has composed a list of competent investigators should this bill pass the Senate.” [/SIZE]

[member="Ayumi Pallopides"], [member="Popo"]

 

[Vulps]

Zarro let out a small growl in the base of his throat, the equivalent of a human sigh. "My issue is not so much with the execution itself, but the speed in which we enact it. Senators, I urge you to keep in mind the benefits of holding them and rehabilitating. Execution is a last resort not only for moral purposes, but strategic as well. Any spy is likely to know a great deal about their home faction. I suggest we use this to our advantage and amend the bill. Instead of execute, something to the effect of, 'execute if rehabilitation is not a viable action.'" Now it seemed as though the grand chancellor were voting against him, as as his right but that meant Zarro was fighting somewhat against the tide. Seems he would have to use every bit of logic he could to prove his points. "And as for your great example, Master Ike was not an enemy operative nor was she without trial. At the time, my contact within the jedi was able to tell me about when such events occurred. In short, Master Ike's only relation to your bill was war crimes which were of a far different type than those you suggest."

[member="Alyesa Praxon"]

 

[Writer]

"I believe you mistake the Republic for the Jedi Order." She would chuckle softly. "My great example? My great example is a simple example of how the kindness of the Republic has been exploited by our own within. Matsu Ike may have been a Jedi Master who once adhered to the rule of law, but when she decided to decimate Manaan, a place I once represented, then she went beyond it and became rogue." She motioned to the side. "She no longer valued the same system we all work to defend. It's no different than a Sith Operative who would get a trial and ultimately their crimes would be punishable by death."

She turned to the sides, away from [member="Zarro Verres"]. "It isn't about executing people my fellow Senators, it's about delivering a blow to the very Sith who operate within our ranks. Giving justice to those who die every day from attacks upon our soil by traitors who pass on information to the One Sith and in turn it leads to a mission that costs lives." She threw her hands out. "Republic lives, soldiers, citizens, children and women!" She cried out.

"It isn't saying we won't maintain the standard of allowing them a trial." She motioned to Zarro. "Some Senators have suggested we do nothing, or suggest we allow them to continue to live amongst us! And even then they offer no alternative except live with us!" She grew louder with passion and fire in her voice. "Have we not learned that this cannot be tolerated!? Have we not learned that the saying of -Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!?- "

She took a deep breath and looked down at the sheets of flimsy infront of her. "We are not suggesting they live with us. We are suggesting they stand trial and be punished by death if found guilty. Period. They will not be turned, as we are not Jedi trained to turn Sith into such a thing. They will not live with us, as our children should not live in fear that they will be betrayed again."

 

[Vulps]

The old fox's tail flicked behind him as he listened to the words. She had truth, he was not a blind nor a deaf fox, simply a moral one. Of course, there was also the Amaran bit of him which believed in deals and compromises. Both of those were working together to make his opinions. "Enemy or not, if we simply kill them that is very bad for an image don't you think? A tad heartless perhaps? People win wars and time and time again, I hear reports of the sith turning said people against us. Tell me how killing people will instill the idea that we are the good guys? The sith are reversing the roles. Making us the villains and it is my fear that a bill like this can be used against us. You say that we are not the jedi, but can you deny that they are our greatest allies and that they are the ones who win our battles? We have military of non-jedi adn I am very proud of that. But what happens when we lose our greatest military asset because our beliefs have strayed far to much from theirs? I agree that punishment is needed, but need it always be at the end of a gun?"

[member="Alyesa Praxon"]

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

"This is the very reason why we took the Unreal city and the Pit. So we have a place to send problem cases and present that we aren't ruthless." Ayumi looked at Zarro, she shrugged and had been one of the people there helping secure deals on Metalorn. "In defense however senator regardless of what we do it is going to be used against us."

 

[Writer]

"When did this become about Jedi? Please Senator, I ask you keep this on track of the current subject. I do not doubt the track record of our beloved Jedi and their sacrifices." She said bluntly before turning her attention back to the flimsies before her.

[member="Zarro Verres"]

 

[Nikolas Faselli]

Maria, a new young senator to represent the planet of Umbara, was feeling a bit bad because of the current senate session's topic, she even shuddered when she thought about giving her vote on it or anything. Not because she didn't support the Republic, but more because she was afraid a wrong choice, especially one coming from a former Sith, may destroy the faction and bring more darkness into the galaxy.

After listening to the discussion of some fellow senators and the Supreme Chancellor, Maria wanted to raise her voice, using the diplomatic voice she had used when ruling over Arx Mortis,

"The Republic has served as a merciful, powerful, loving faction, during the times when there was no war. During peacetime, there are no worries, no needs to bring bills like this into existence, but times are different now. Today, every spent day not doing something about our security may be fatal. Please remember how Coruscant was invaded. Please be reminded how suddenly the One Sith came into existence, being the most fearful faction by so far.

Our security, our people's security, should be our greatest concern in times of war. And by that I mean all people associated with the Sith factions shall not be welcomed in our faction. Sith have always brought chaos, darkness, and destruction, killing thousands of innocent souls. Sith can't be anything different. They must kill. And if we don't act, they will continue killing.

But what if a Sith gets to represent a system in the Senate? According to our noble goal, basically everybody could just come and start representing a planet, of course if the planet's government sends them here, and voilà, corruption starts to grow.

As a former Sith, I know coming to the Light Side of the Force is near-impossible, considering how one must change their life completely. Not many people are able to do that because it needs a lot of willpower. And staying on the Light Side is even harder. And even if one is able to stay on the right path, they will never be completely pure.

Turning our enemy to the right side during wartime, however, basically tells everybody we are weak, that we can't stand against the Sith. Do you know how many Sith are there? Do you know how much time does it take to put these people on the right path? With that amount of people we have to change, we are destroying our faction. The more Sith associates we bring into rehabiliation, the more Sith we have inside our faction.

We don't want that.

We, people of the Republic, want to be safe. That is why there is the Republic. That's why the Republic must protect all systems, all little planets, every single soul, inside it.

During war, security is our greatest concern. War is never humane. War should not be at all, but when it is, we can't deny the fact. When peace is restored, we may become free again, free of this law.

But when it's war, we must act. We must be strong.

Allowing Sith to be "rehabiliated" is weak."

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Ayumi looked at the younger senator and listened. She had some good thoughts but she was also forgetting things that had happened. They had already given the sith seats in the senate they had already given a sith a chance to run for chancellor thanks to their own infighting and inability to do anything. "Senator we have already done that, we have had the sith running for the chancellor's office, had them walking freely throughout the halls of the senate building. We have done many things and had many things to clean up as it were, but we sought solutions to change that. The pit as a place to throw people who are a problem or Gratos, let them try and survive with what remains of the graug, we can leave then with some of the cannibals on Lehon, there are plenty of options or forced labor. Break them down and convert them to our cause as needed, take the information on bases and possible operatives. Execution is a quick option when we have more at our disposal to make the future of this war be in our favor."

 

[Aurelia Saelari]

Senator Aurelia Saelari rose to her feet. She was supremely self-confident, and in this case she was determined to get her message out.
"Chancellor, Senators, people of the Republic. We are here today to discuss and vote on an important piece of legislation. There are those amongst you, myself included, who are concerned with the scope and power of this bill. We are eager for it not to involve into a purge, a witch-hunt which puts innocent people down for the benefits of those above. So therefore it is of paramount importance that all care be taken to judiciously and lawfully try those involved and justly punish them for their actions. Some with death, some with imprisonment, others perhaps with banishment."

"However, that being said, no one can debate the necessity of this bill. We should all be congratulating Senator [member="Alyesa Praxon"] for having the courage to come forward in this dark time. She has seen what has been apparent to me for some time, that we have many internal enemies within the Republic. These enemies have only been emboldened by the rise of the One Sith. Do not underestimate the power of these Sith, even though they follow the commands of a great and powerful Sith Lord no one had heard from before now. Even though hitherto their fleet has been one of museum pieces and cobbled remnants, they still inflicted on us a most terrible defeat. The mere presence of the Senate here rather than its rightful place on Coruscant is indicative of the power of these Sith. We have suffered a reverse, and we will recover, and this war will be won."

"But why is this so? Surely a few ancient warships and a handful of Sith duellists should not be enough to conquer the Heart of the Republic. The answer is, as Senator Praxon has alluded to, traitors. Traitors, spies and foul maggots who lurk within our midst. The galaxy is filled with despicable and treasonous sorts who aid the Sith in all places. We have seen many of the 'great and noble' Jedi turn traitor again to the Sith, but they are not the only ones. Who knows where the Sith might strike next? Who knows who might come out of the woodwork to aid them?"

"Therefore we, as the Republic, must find these traitors, these worms, and expose them to the light. If they are guilty they must be dealt with justly and with the full weight of the law. You see, that is worse to the Sith than the arbitrary imprisonment and execution they are used to. The Sith hate us and our liberty, and there can be no peace with the Sith. Never, ever, ever can there be peace. Whilst former leaders in the Republic, even a former Chancellor, entered into shameful treaties with the Sith, we must not accommodate them in any way."

"In final summary, this bill must be enacted - with appropriate safeguards - and to not do so would be a disaster. To those who vote against this bill, I must ask you to reconsider. Though you might have the best of motives, work with us to find a just enactment of this bill. Opposing it will only help the enemies you claim to oppose."

 

[Vaudin Miir]

[member="Alyesa Praxon"] [member="Zarro Verres"] [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] [member="Popo"] [member="Maria Natalja"]

Vaudin adjusted his gaudy senatorial robes that the Iktotchi people expected their senator to wear and stood to speak.

"Alright kids." He began, "this bill as it stands gives us the power to execute a person who has committed espionage, treason, and as a result may contribute to mass murder. First, if you think death wouldn't fit the crimes tell that to the worlds in our boundaries who have the death sentence. Second, this gives us the ability to issue the death sentence it doesn't require us to do so. If Jimmy Sithpants gets caught sending refresher flimsi to the Sith it would be a lot different than disarming a planetary shield."

"Now we can bicker all we want but do you think our enemy would wait for a trial? Do you think they would investigate the facts? How about this. Would they even ask for an explanation from an agent? If you haven't guessed yet the answer is no they would lop an agents head off and send it back in a pretty box. The fact that this wasn't a law already is the only thing I find wrong with this situation. If you don't want to protect your people then you need a new job"

Vaudin sat down and entered yes on his voting panel and began talking with his fellow iktotchi representatives.

 

[Jorga the Hutt]

"Eshan votes yes."

 

[Nikolas Faselli]

Maria listened a bit more of the discussion until she spoke again.

"My and Umbara's opinion remain unchanged. On behalf of the people of Umbara, I vote for this proposal in order to make the Galactic Republic more secure for living."

She voted yes on her voting panel.

 

[Serah Oricion]

Yusan tapped his fingers as he listened to the constant debates around him, letting information be fed to him through his aide and through his own contacts as he listened closely to the earpiece and finally spoke himself as [member="Maria Natalja"] finished. A million thoughts flooding his mind until he spoke with a voice that had changed highly. His face scarred, left hand still damaged from [member="Darth Tsolan"] 's dagger on Ord Mantell, and his leg still weaker from the fighting on Coruscant that had left the senate building destroyed by two sith. His appearance was not that of a pampered politician, but one who had been through far too much.

Even only a few months ago he had been considered a traitor, the very thing that they were voting on now would have effected him yet now he had a voice once more if only a small one. And so his voice came out strong and pained all at the same time, his hands closing around his cane he used as a support, and his hood came down as the dark robes and cloak he wore remained.

"If you all would allow me to speak on the subject and to listen to my voice and vote. The Sith are a vile people, they are a culture of warriors, murderers, kidnappers, and genocidal rulers... And their followers are sometimes no different than them themselves, we should remember what it is that has happened on Coruscant, what might have happened on Togoria and think on that in reference to the Sith..." He paused and thought to himself before speaking again, his voice clearer now.

"They and their spies cause death and pain in all ways, and as such they should be wiped from the face of this galaxy without a second thought. Their relics sealed away, their temples destroyed and every, last, one of them killed and flayed like they would do to us... But we are not them, we are a beacon of acceptance and peace, a place where one does not have to worry about if they are strong or not, a place where genocide should be impossible and a place where we protect eachother no matter what species we are..."

"And while i have every reason to vote yes on this bill, while i have every reason to want to be the one to kill and interrogate the enemies of the republic and find those that had been taken by the Sith... i have to vote no on this bill. Yes they are traitors and deserve a traitors death, but if we start killing our enemies, or even just the spies of our enemies, in such a way after they are defenseless and already captured i must vote no on this bill."

Yusan touched the fold of fabric in his hand that was tied around the cane, the sith had something all to important to him and he wanted them all to die for it, but he would not let his revenge corrupt the republic and create something it was never meant to be.

[member="Bard of the Hyperlanes"] [member="Vaudin Miir"] [member="Aurelia Saelari"] [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] [member="Zarro Verres"] [member="Alyesa Praxon"]

 

[Vaudin Miir]

[member="Alyesa Praxon-Organa"] [member="Zarro Verres"] [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] [member="Popo"] [member="Maria Natalja"] [member="Aurelia Saelari"] [member="Bard of the Hyperlanes"] [member="Yusan Fenn"]

"For everyone that votes no you do realize that this would mean we can issue a death sentence to Murderers, rapist, serial killers and the like but not Sith spies who have been found guilty after a fair trial?" Vaudin was dumbfounded. "When are elections again, because your peoples should hear about this when thier world is next on the Sith list."

Vaudin stood and spoke again.

"The bill gives us the power to issue a death sentence. It does not require us to do so. That is a basic right of criminal courts on nearly every planet in the galaxy for treason."

Vaudin shook his head and walked out.