Campaign Caucus

[Aerarii Tithe]

SENATE BRIEFING ROOM // CORUSCANT

Sssar Taszzn | Seto Du Couteau | Jak Ross | Shoma Ike | Faith Organa | Nayeïr Orega | Eboi Seth | Dracken Pryce | Mirana Praji | Mazik Stazi | Donavon Arturo | "Tiresh Kobitana" Kalie Alverez | Brama Tagge | Elizie Athacorr | Grand Moff Vel'alari | Ishani Dinn | Dominique Vexx | Annasari | Auteme | Veles Oshu

Golden rays of light from the Coruscant sunrise splashed against the Senate building, the crown jewel of the Galactic Alliance. Tithe watched from the head of the table as the Senators filed into the briefing room in response to his summons. The early morning session was not to everyone's liking, and a number of his elected colleagues nursed steaming cups of caf, wary faces, or obvious hangovers. The days business had not been scheduled to start for another three hours, but events unfolding overnight had necessitated an early start. Tithe himself had been forced to cancel what would have been a very, very lucrative morning holocall.

The New Jedi Order had met. In the aftermath of the Senate inquest in the Jedi and their confinement to the temple, now revealed to be the work of Darth Solipsis , the NJO had decreed that its members must step back from official Alliance business. In effect, they would have to choose between being Jedi or maintaining their roles in the military, government and intelligence agencies.

The ramifications for the Alliance were immense. The Jedi had long been ingrained into the fabric of the government, and to untangle them would leave many important roles vacant. The Alliance would be vulnerable at the time it needed to be strong. Coruscant still smoulders around them.

The Paragons, who formed the leadership cadre of the NJO, had provided Tithe’s office with an advanced copy of the notice so the government could be ready and respond appropriately when the news broke, in the hopes that the Alliance could make a smooth and seamless transition.

“By now I trust that you’ve read the communiqué,” Tithe said as the last senator took their seat. A copy of the NJO’s edict had been circulated via the secure Senate network and was displayed in the holoprojector in the middle of the table. “As you can all appreciate, our citizenry will find this news to be, ahh, disruption. The New Jedi Order has long stood as a bastion of hope within the Core. Any hint that they are parting ways, my, it would be disastrous. Yes, we must present a united front.”

 

[Elizie Athacorr]

Senate Briefing Room
Coruscant

Aerarii Tithe @other Senators (I'll tag people as they join)
​

It wasn't totally unexpected of the Jedi, she mused as she read over the dossier in front of her as Chancellor Tithe spoke. The Jedi had, over the many iterations of the Order even in the modern era, had fluxed between heavy government involvement to near separation due to their fears of being too political. That the current Jedi of the Alliance had decided to pull back their official involvement in government and military roles was unsurprising after the whole fiasco with the Senate and the attack on Coruscant.

That they would need to fill roles within the Alliance the Jedi were leaving would take time, and vetting by the government and the SIA no doubt, could be an issue... and a way to quietly exploit the situation. There were many competent officials that could be moved into roles to strengthen the GA...

"We need to make clear that the Jedi are not abandoning the Alliance, that they will continue to fight alongside us against the Brotherhood of the Maw and whatever Fossk calls himself," she said. "A joint statement between the Council and the government would certainly help, and I would suggest such a message focus on even recent events with the victory at Jedha and Jakku and the continue cooperation with the troops, the fleet, and the Jedi Order. That we are rebuilding the trust between all parties."

Trust had been broken by the hidden Sith Lord and his machinations, although the Senate had had good reason to investigate as well. Trust would need to be rebuilt.

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Coming off an argument with her master and friend, Arlo Renard, in which the old Mystic had accused her of putting her political duties ahead of her training, Ishani was nursing the beginnings of a headache when she had found out that the NJO had apparently decided to leave the GA.

Or at least, that’s what it sounded like, but the announcement itself was written in vague language. Ishani had heard conflicting reports. The Jedi were undoubtedly divided on the issue, with some wanting a complete break with the Alliance, others wanting a partial separation, and others adamant about staying and fighting.

“Can someone explain what exactly this announcement means?” she asked the other senators in the briefing room, massaging her temples with her hands. “Are the Jedi removing themselves from a position of power within the Alliance? That is what some people were calling for, was it not? Kirie made the argument that Jedi were disproportionately represented in the Senate and the military.

"Or are they trying to make their own faction? Whatever they're doing, how will they enforce this decision among Jedi who don’t agree with it?”

She suspected that the entire affair didn’t really matter as much as they were making it seem, but she wanted to be sure before she said anything else about it.

Aerarii Tithe Elizie Athacorr + Whoever else shows up​

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau, Senator of Empress Teta
Location: Coruscant, Senate Hall, Meeting Room
Action: Listening and Speaking
Attire

Data slate after data slate, the ongoings of the galaxy never ceased to end, even with the destruction of several galactic powers the work never lessened. If anything it has grown tremendously. Seto wearily mused, his hours of sleep had been reduced since the last few weeks and with the growing war effort against the Maw he feared an even further reduction in the coming days. But for today’s matter, we once again discuss the Jedi.

Or the Protectors of the Alliance, as true Jedi, Seto’s eyes reread his data slate with the Jedi’s announcement. A particularly logical person might assume the Jedi’s attempt to distance itself from the bureaucracy of the Alliance was due to the treatment they had received in the past months from said bureaucracy. It made sense after all that one would remove themselves from rather dangerous situations, being put on what was essentially house arrest was clearly the breaking point for the Jedi. That and the attack on Coruscant I’d imagine.

Silently Seto pressed his hands to his lips, there was little for him to really discuss, for the most part he found the announcement of the Jedi rather straightforward. But of course, simplicity brings along complexity in the most unexpected of areas. The Alliance probably won’t see major problems until they appear right beneath their nose, and Seto wondered how major these future problems would cause. And how many sleepless nights it would bring.

“I worry more about whiplash for our citizens of the Alliance, after all; many Senators have spoken to their constituents with, let us say, mixed messaging when it came to the Jedi and their stock within the Alliance.” Seto spoke, gesturing with his free hand, twirling around his fingers to represent the jumbled responses that no doubt had plagued the Alliance citizenry.

The young Du Couteau heir narrowed his eyes slightly, “-If it pleases the Chancellor, I agree that with Senator Athacorr we should pursue a heavy media push but slightly different messaging. The Alliance is filled with planets of diverse opinions of the Jedi, and at this moment the Jedi have given us a great boon. Perfect messaging to say the least.”

“For any Senator that wishes to showcase to a worried population that the Jedi have grown too powerful, this message can be their victory to show that the Jedi have been forced out of the Alliance Government. While for others we can demonstrate a new type of partnership with the Jedi, one with a blank slate, like new pristine winter snow covering the grounds filled with fallen dried branches and dead leaves.” Seto continued, painting a scene he had witnessed from his home planet.

“There is no choice in this fork in the road, if anything, both roads lead to the same place. A more peaceful union with the Jedi.”

Seto turned his head to face the rather new arrival to the Senate, Senator Sibwarra of Chaldea. Her question was no doubt one held by many others. “It appears that they will cede back their positions of power, no longer wishing to be forced to hold titles and responsibilities simply because the Alliance deems it so. It is rather unclear on how the current military contracts and other more complex organizational restructuring will be needed for our other branches of the Alliance, but from the example set forth at Jedha, the work on the ground level will remain mostly the same.” The vagueness of the message was its strength in much of Seto's opinion.
​

|| Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Ishani Dinn ||

 

[Nayeïr Orega]

​

CAMPAIGN of CAUCUS
DISCUSSING | POST-CORUSCANT NJO's DECREE
PINGS | Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Ishani Dinn | Seto Du Couteau ​

BEING A SENATOR: REMNANTS FROM TRIPLE ZERO — PROLOGUE
— 870 ABY, Briefing Room, Senate Hall, Coruscant.

Nayeïr Orega — Senator of Anaxes — was sitting on his chair, in front of the reunion table of the briefing room. He listened to his counterparts’ tirades, waiting for the moment to take action. As the Chancellor was delivering his speech, he read for the second time the NJO’s declaration concerning its place into the Alliance. Orega was a Corporatist — a ‘Corpo’ as they said —, but he wasn’t mad: the Jedi were an important ally for the Senate and the GA.

He focused on Ishani Sibwarra as she started to speak up. ‘She's right,’ he thought, ‘we don’t know what they could do, or what they want to do for the moment.’ He waited his turn, preparing the questions he would ask.

Senator Du Couteau took the lead of the discussion with a large diatribe. He nodded a couple of times, approving what he was saying about the Jedi and their relation with the Alliance and especially its places of power.

‘I think it’s better for us to discuss with them and to establish a list of claims and demands. For now, we don’t know what their plans are. We shall keep them near us until the end of the war against the Brotherhood. We can not split up from them in the middle of a conflict, it’s too dangerous for us. Proceeding this way will allow us to reorganize the army and the different political components where there are Jedi,’ he said in an answer to Du Couteau while he was nodding for the last time.​

​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Senate Briefing Room, Coruscant​

Dominique Vexx, Senator of Denon, strode into the chamber and made her way to her seat. She smiled, waved, and even greeted a friendly face or two along the way, of course. After all, this was a social club -- albeit one with high stakes. The constant shifting of allegiances and bartering of secrets or favors was more than your average group, but what gathering of sentients didn't come with an endless well of drama?

The Chancellor opened up with the topic of the day being the recent decision by the Grand Council of the Magnificent Jedi to... alter the deal. In truth, it wasn't that the deal was even being altered so much as the method and optics of such a thing. Dominique's golden gaze shifted from one Senator or Representative to the next as they spoke up about their take on recent events.

Elizie believed they needed to reassure people the Jedi weren't abandoning the Alliance.

Ishani, being new, questioned what it all meant; she felt this had been everything they had wanted in the first place. Good point about rogue Jedi because Nether knew Jedi did whatever Jedi wanted.

Seto echoed how the layperson would take the news, but proposed a slightly different media campaign as an alternative.

Nayeir felt a clear cut responsibility, accountability, consulting, and informed list should be assembled so both parties understood this new... relationship.

Leave it to Jedi to completely miss the ramifications of their actions. No doubt all they'd taken into consideration were the risks and impact to their Order, and not the Alliance as a whole. Short-sighted as usual, and why it was better they weren't involved in Senatorial duties; their focus was too much on 'matters of Galactic Peace and Justice' and not enough on how the real-world operated. Now the Senate had to figure out how to mitigate the damage before it was too late.

"The Jedi Order is not about to become an organization of unlawful vigilantes," Dominique put forth at last, expecting someone would correct her if that memo hadn't been properly forwarded. "Therefore, to maintain their legitimacy and to coordinate effectively on the 'battlefield' they will still answer to this Senate by one means or another. That they can focus on matters their members as best suited for is of no detriment to the Alliance; in fact, one should always play to their strengths. So, to those that fear this change all that needs communicated to them is the Jedi have become another department within the government with the authority of peace officers or military personnel, which falls into established chains of command. As far as the public should be concerned, this is all just a bureaucratic boondoggle and nothing has essentially changed." Whether there was more to it or not didn't matter. The average voter didn't actually care about the nuance of the situation, or the history behind it. Long as their quality of life was maintained or improved, and the media didn't make a circus out of this change there'd be some minor grumbling forgotten in short order.

Frankly, Dominique was thrilled by the news. The Jedi were still there to combat the Sith threat, and they had less direct say in Senate or government affairs. It might take time, but a rule change here or there should help avoid any unexpected 'investigations into corruption' by Jedi that would be otherwise bothersome. Everyone won.

Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Ishani Dinn | Seto Du Couteau | Nayeïr Orega​

 

[Dracken Pryce]

Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Seto Du Couteau | Ishani Dinn | Nayeïr Orega | Faith Organa | Brama Tagge | Grand Moff Vel'alari | Annasari | Auteme | Veles Oshu | Donavon Arturo | Mirana Praji | Sssar Taszzn | Eboi Seth | Mazik Stazi | Kalie Alverez | Jak Ross ​

Pryce had always looked up to the Jedi. They saved his life, many times over, and even before that were the heroes of the Republic in his youth. Even from the Omega Protectorate, he heard of their deeds. That all being said he had seen first hand what the confusion of the Jedi had done to the Alliance Military. Sure there were great officers like Zark San Tekka and Maynard Treicolt before he was discharged but at the same time there were wild cards like Bernard of Arca and Creuat who were only two names that came across his desk when he was High Admiral overseeing the war effort against the Sith.

Outside of them the Jedi had been involved in the Senate, part of assassinations, and he was sure a myriad of other things that he never knew about with the Jedi even being tied to GA Intelligence. The outcry, as much as he disagreed with it, was warranted, just as it was warranted that the Jedi saw their own flaws and were now attempting to fix it. It seemed though, some of his colleagues didn't understand that a disassociated Order meant exactly that. But it wasn't as complex as many of them seemed to think. Restructuring? New systems? He turned to fix Dominique Vexx with his gaze but as he began to speak tried to look at the senators whom had expressed worry.

"Senator Vexx, that is exactly what their split means. As of right now, we don't have any laws allowing for Jedi action in our borders because in our earliest days their cooperation with any of our institutions required them to take the same paths as our other citizens. As the laws are written now, if they aren't in compliance with the Alliance Peace-Keeping Act and certified individually, part of our Judicial Forces, or part of our military they would be vigilantes."

He turned to Auteme, the Rancor in the Room that nobody seemed to want to talk about and said. "It's clear though, that not all Jedi chose the order and some still decided to remain. I think on top of us speaking with our respective systems and sectors about the Jedi pulling out of our military and government that we make it clear that this decision was up to the individual and that they aren't leaving us to dry, but we also need to make sure we protect them." He took a deep breath. This was it.

"And I think my proposal for the Common Soldier Corps would help to but the Jedi well within their rights to act within the Alliance while leaving them the flexibility that they seek. I've sent you all copies seeking support for this motion to reach the senate and I implore you to read it over."

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique looked over at Dracken as he pointed out the risk of the Jedi becoming nothing more than vigilantes as she'd dismissed the concern. "With all due to respect to the Jedi Order, they will abide by FAR-SCOFA-1-A0. If the Council foolishly believes it can simply ignore established law then they are becoming the very thing they seek to stop by the Sith -- the undermining of this government, and the destabilization of our way of life. So, with these two options in hand I ask... can they afford to renegade on the simplest of oversight by the Senate no matter what they claim in public?"

Her attention soon turned back to Dracken as the man continued regarding the individual Jedi and his own proposal. "While I am not against your proposal, this Senate must be clear to the Jedi Order that they do not set the rules. We should not attempt to pass that proposal just to accommodate the whimsy of the Jedi. The proposal stands on its own merits regardless of the Jedi's unilateral proclamation."

Vexx wasn't the least bit concerned if the Jedi were thrown out entirely, but it went without saying having a means of control over them would be better than a rabid dog disregarding every law on the book in a holy crusade. They could always ramp up production of military hardware and special projects to compensate for a reliable Jedi Force internal to the Alliance. The Silver Jedi weren't so far from their own borders either.

Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Ishani Dinn | Seto Du Couteau | Nayeïr Orega | Dracken Pryce​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani listened to most of the responses from the table—though she did admittedly get distracted staring at Seto’s odd belt. Were those supposed to be suspenders dangling on the sides of his pants?...

Senator Orega agreed that they needed a better understanding of what the Jedi’s intentions were. Senator Vexx insisted that the separation was good for them. Then Senator Pryce pointed out the obvious concerns that Jedi would begin to act unlawfully, as vigilantes… and used the situation to advertise a bill he had authored. Vexx countered that the Jedi could not be catered to, as it would make the Alliance look weak and complacent where the Jedi were concerned.

With a sigh, Ishani continued to rub her forehead. “Is this meeting really about ‘presenting a unified front’ to the public in the face of some not-clearly-defined separation between Jedi and state, or are we actually concerned about Jedi vigilantism as a result of their decision?” she asked. “Because if it’s the latter, wasn’t that already an issue?”

Most Jedi who went rogue either disappeared into obscurity, or turned into Sith. Hell, you could make the argument that all Sith were just Jedi vigilantes. It was supposedly how their philosophy began. Within only the past couple of years, the Silver Jedi had produced the terrorist Laertia Io, and the New Jedi Order had produced the assassin Zaavik Perl. That wasn’t even getting into war crimes, shifting loyalties, conspiracies, cults and secret societies, or any of the other nightmarish aspects of Force Users in this cursed galaxy.

She was beginning to understand why her homeworld had traditionally dealt with conflicts between Jedi and Sith by getting rid of them both.

Aerarii Tithe Elizie Athacorr Seto Du Couteau Nayeïr Orega Dominique Vexx Dracken Pryce​

 

[Kalie Alverez]

CLASSIFICATION: UNDERCOVER
ACTIVE AGENT: KALIE ALVEREZ
TAGS: Aerarii Tithe Elizie Athacorr Seto Du Couteau Nayeïr Orega Dominique Vexx Dracken Pryce Ishani Dinn

CURRENT PERSONA: TIRESH KOBITANA

​

Tiresh listened as the senators exchanged opinions and posed questions. She did her best to be open minded and receptive to the adverse thoughts of her new colleagues, however it was difficult for her to not reveal visible frustration. In her mind, the Jedi pulling away was a tragedy that left the senate and the Galactic Alliance at greater risk of corruption. Without the high morals and values of the Jedi, what would fill in their void?

She cleared her throat cautiously as she suddenly found a pause in the air for her to share what was truly on her heart,

"I respect the perspectives shared today, and I know that I am new to this chamber... and many of you are not acquainted with me... a shame, we should remedy that soon." She shifted in her seat and looked up at her fellow Senators with rising clarity in her voice,

"I fear that this is the beginnings of our divorce with the Jedi, and that if we are not careful, a greater and deeper void will begin to emerge between the Alliance and the Jedi. If we allow for the Jedi to pull away from us now without fighting for real reconciliation and reformation, We will leave ourselves increasingly vulnerable to the Sith, and to the other powerful enemies we are facing. We will create a greater blindness to the corruption which led to the failure of Coruscant, and allow for more corruption to occur. The Jedi are not perfect by any means, but their values and beliefs make us stronger, make us more aware... they are a true level of accountability to the Alliance."

She cleared her throat nervously as she continued,

"I propose that we call all the Jedi together to the Senate, and we publicly humble ourselves and repent of the mistakes that led to the devastation of Coruscant. Yes... they made mistakes as well... but someone needs to take the first step. We need to be the ones who take this step, and we need to take it now, or else... We will not be able to undo the true damage that is inevitable."

"Even the Jedi are being torn apart and forced to choose between their roles in the Alliance or their allegiance as Jedi... How is this a good thing? I fear the worst if we choose to fail in taking immediate action towards reconciliation."

She slouched back in her chair slightly as she finished speaking, grateful to have finally shared her fears with the others. She honestly doubted that any such actions would take place, or that she would receive any support for her proposal. And it is very possible that she was way too optimistic, being a new, young, and idealistic senator. But this is why she was elected... to stand for what she and the people of Lujo believed in. And to stand for what was best for the Alliance.

 

[Dracken Pryce]

Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Seto Du Couteau | Ishani Dinn | Nayeïr Orega | Faith Organa | Brama Tagge | Grand Moff Vel'alari | Annasari | Auteme | Veles Oshu | Donavon Arturo | Mirana Praji | Sssar Taszzn | Eboi Seth | Mazik Stazi | Kalie Alverez | Jak Ross

FAR-SCOFA-1-A0.

He'd never liked that bill. While he had been serving in the Navy he'd actually watched in horror as the senate slowly deteriorated their relationship with the Jedi, but she was right, and the Jedi had agreed to it.

"Surely FAR-SCOFA can be overlooked or-" The freshman senator had commanded many battles and many campaigns. He could see troop movements and fleet deployments and understand them and follow them better than the criss-cross of lines across the palm of his own hands. The Senate was a different beast.

He looked for anyone on that special committee and found Auteme again, his eyes asking for help here. Luckily someone swooped in and a look of relief washed over his face. He nodded to Tiresh with gratitude.

"Its a bit of both honestly. This is unknown territory for everyone right now Senator Sibwarra. Speaking from personal experience, the Jedi problem was less about what to do about their actions, we had systems in place for that. Now they are attempting to buck those systems. We snagged them with our tractor beams but with a new enemy to our flanks they've used the chance to pull a shroud and retreat with the entire squadron."

 

[Aerarii Tithe]

SENATE BRIEFING ROOM // CORUSCANT

Elizie Athacorr | Ishani Dinn | Seto Du Couteau | Nayeïr Orega | Dominique Vexx | Dracken Pryce | "Tiresh Kobitana" Kalie Alverez

The debate, as always was robust. The only thing more diverse than the worlds they represented were their viewpoints. Seto believed the status quo in the war against the Brotherhood would continue. Elizie proposed a joint statement, Nayeïr suggested meeting with the New Jedi Order, and Tiresh wanted the Senate to beg. It was a sign of a healthy democracy, but also, a pain for the Chancellor to wrangle. He had to pick his battles.

Dominique and Dracken debated the legislative framework. “Yes, but by a mere stroke of the pen...” Tithe explained. An army of lawyers was at the command of the Senate drafting office, able to write anything into law so long as the legislators were willing to vote for it. “This learned body created a legal framework for bounty hunters - why not the Defenders of the Core?” The Peace Keeper Certificates granted licenced immunity from prosecution should bounty hunters follow a mandated code. Similar arrangements could be applied to the Jedi.

Ishani sought oversight of the Jedi against vigilantism. While the inquest into the Jedi had been revealed to be driven by the dark desires of the Brotherhood of the Maw, the crimes they had uncovered could not be denied. The Committee on Foreign Affairs had been revealed as an ineffective regulator.

“The people, yes, the people, will expect a new system of oversight,” he agreed. Setting a new watchdog over the Jedi would play well with those who still held reservations about the partnership between the Alliance and the NJO. It would be a hard sell for those loyal to the Jedi, but given the incarceration of the Jedi by the Senate, nothing Tithe and his colleagues could say would rebuild that trust.

“I need something we can bring to the floor for a vote, and something the Jedi will find, ah, palitable.”

 

[Eboi Seth]

Even though another was going on, Eboi wanted to make sure that the Jedi will be held in check this time. Despite claims branding Eboi as Anti-Jedi, Eboi held deep respect for the organization over the years. However, the Jedi have been overstepping their boundaries as of late worming their way into the political sphere. Eboi was also wary of their leadership, to have the guardians of the Alliance be lead by essentially children was worrying. It meant that they lacked the experience and maturity to make rational and sometimes tough decisions. It likely contributed to the long list of war crimes that was presented to them. As the Chancellor spoke in the small meeting room, Eboi crossed his legs leaning back on his chair. Tithe is a man more interested in number crunching then actual policy but Eboi had to admit he's doing a good job in dousing the fires.

"Honorable Senators," Eboi sat straighter in his chair. "We have won a great victory at Jakku and Jedha. However, victory in war always comes at a cost. I am once again asking all of you to please donate any medical ships to help the civilians and to open your boarders for any refugees who wishes to leave their respective planet."

Eboi sighed. "That being said," he continued. "While the tragedy that unfolded at Coruscant was not doubt in part of Brotherhood interference, they took advantage of our mistrust for the New Jedi Order. While it is true that we must appear strong for the Galactic Alliance, there is a reason why there is mistrust. The New Jedi Order must be focused on serving us, they shouldn't be active in political affairs unless they are given their personal input. They are abusing our trust and they must be reigned in. The Jedi serves the people not themselves."

Aerarii Tithe , Elizie Athacorr , Ishani Dinn , Seto Du Couteau , Nayeïr Orega , Dominique Vexx , Dracken Pryce , Kalie Alverez

 

[Auteme]

Aerarii Tithe Elizie Athacorr Ishani Dinn Seto Du Couteau Nayeïr Orega Dominique Vexx Dracken Pryce Kalie Alverez Eboi Seth ​

"Thank you, Senator Seth," she said, seeming almost to glide as she leaned forward in her seat to make herself more present. "For your contribution to the discussion." She gave an empty smile, knowing the other Senators were smart enough to see through the paper-thin jabs of the Chandrilan. There was no substance there, only noise.

She'd been, thus far, silent -- waiting like a tiger in the long grass, listening, preparing for her moment. At least, that was what she hoped it looked like. Internally she was screaming. She felt unsure about her presence among such esteemed Senators, especially in the aftermath of Coruscant. Her crowd had changed. No longer the young, headstrong Jedi; instead she was surrounded by a mix of facades, curated images, and blustering partisan interests.

There were a few similarities; namely, some people insisted on having their turn to speak, only to say nothing.

Despite her inner worries she refused to be caught off guard. Until she'd spoken, she'd been leaning back in her chair, shadowed against the far wall of the meeting room. She was projecting an air of confidence, much like the rare occasions when Adhira Chandra held back and didn't get the first word in. Yet, now that she was in motion, she had no intention to stop.

"However, I must point out that the Jedi, much like the people, are not a monolith. The New Jedi Order's structure makes it easy for individuals to voice their opinions, and act on them -- as we well know. In this case, there will be some who choose to stay, to work with the Alliance more closely than some others would like to.

"An apology is certainly warranted, but I do not believe there is need for much fanfare about it. The New Jedi Order knows what went wrong, and they've already decided what they want to do about it; spending more time on that is unnecessary. The messaging, however," she said, nodding to Seto -- her face cracked a slight smile, as though acknowledging she saw his most fashionable of attire, "must change.

"Rhetoric like Senator Seth's should be... quieted, no matter what legislative choices are made after today. Instead we should celebrate heroes of the Alliance, protectors of the Core, as you say; the New Jedi Order will ignore most things but Sith, and that will be useful against the Maw, but it should be the Jedi who keep to the Alliance who are most celebrated.

"On that note," she said, reclining royally, "I would be happy to be of service. After all, what better way to turn a failure into a success? Not the betrayal and deception of Darth Solipsis, but rather, the heroics of the Jedi who stood against an evil Sith Senator, now a symbol to both bodies?" She smiled, her gaze fixing on the Chancellor.

Calling her friends basically inert, putting down another Senator, and weaponizing her own trauma.

It all depended on the narrative. There she was, planning a new one.

 

[Donavon Arturo]

// OUTRIDER // Senator for Euforns Major
// LOCATION // Chancellors Office, Courscant
// OBJECTIVE // SILENT AVENGER
// THEME // Warriors
​

"Surely, Representive Autume isn't suggesting the millions of Alliance solders who payed the ultimate sacrfice are any less heroic than the Jedi?"

For the most part, Arturo had been quiet. He listened as all the gathered members spoke. If any rhetoric needed to be quieted, it was Autume's. What Senator Seth spoke of, was popular in the Alliance. Reigning in the political interests of the Jedi held considerable sway among the population of Eufornis Major, especially in light of the reveal of Kaigann Fossk.

Donovan Arturo may have been a lot of things, but one to not advocate for his people's position? To hold himself over the trillions he represented? Never. "What Senator Seth is saying may sound tyrannical to you, but didn't the Jedi choose to be the protectors of the Alliance? And didn't the Alliance send millions of soilders to fight against the Dark Side alongside them?"

"Surely, we can come to a sensible solution but..." He paused, stretching his hands out for emphasis "Hero's should be celebrated. But the Senate must not ignore the numerus loopholes the Jedi can utilize to do things that are..evil in nature"

The point he was making might have been lost in communication. "The Jedi are not gods, and shouldn't be treated like it"

Dracken Pryce | Eboi Seth | Aerarii Tithe | Dominique Vexx | Nayeïr Orega | Kalie Alverez | Elizie Athacorr | Ishani Dinn | Seto Du Couteau ​

 

[Auteme]

Donavon Arturo Aerarii Tithe Elizie Athacorr Ishani Dinn Seto Du Couteau Nayeïr Orega Dominique Vexx Dracken Pryce Kalie Alverez Eboi Seth ​

It really was just like those old Jedi meetings.

"I see you have no intention of hearing a single word I say," she said, smiling to the Senator of Eufornis Major. "So I will try to speak to you clearly, for the benefit of our esteemed colleagues. Unfortunately, Donavon, I said nothing of the heroism of the soldiers of the Alliance, which of course has been immense, and such sacrifices should never be downplayed. Nor did I claim that the honorable Senator Seth's words were tyranny, nor did I say Jedi should be treated as gods -- please, I implore you to listen to my words before you attempt to twist them, and that you keep to the subject at hand during this discussion.

"If I must indeed clarify, however, I will. I am saying there is an easy path to be taken to assure the public that the Jedi are in no way abandoning the Alliance, and that the failures of this Senate can be turned to better use. The public campaign in the following weeks -- which, as Senator Du Couteau said, can have some flexibility -- is incredibly important. We have a chance to take hold of the public narrative here, both on what happened to Coruscant, and the Jedi's reaction."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Senator Pryce answered Ishani’s question. This was “new territory” and nobody had a clue how to handle it. Really? Had the various Republics and Alliances of the past had no system for dealing with the Jedi? There had to be a historical comparison somewhere, at the very least…

I should employ a galactic historian, she thought. She’d done her best to research the most recent events in Alliance history, but it clearly wasn’t enough. After all, knowledge is power.

Pryce finished up with an elaborate analogy to space warfare. Ishani blinked at him, though the corners of her mouth turned up in a slight smile. Senator Kobitana then gave a speech that displayed her idealistic views of the Jedi, but didn’t contribute much. Ishani wrinkled her nose as the woman sat down.

Chancellor Tithe actually seemed to be thinking about something other than credits, how to procure credits, and how to keep as many credits as possible. He stressed the need to take action, hopefully reaching a solution that all parties would find palatable.

Senator Seth brought up the whole mess with the Jedi investigation that had led to their house arrest—and was almost immediately shot down by Auteme Denko-Durren, a member of the Committee of Force Affairs. Ishani turned to stare at her, green eyes narrowing.

Senator Arturo beat her to the punch, striking back. Auteme returned fire, using his own words as ammunition. The whole thing was turning into a verbal dogfight. After Auteme stopped speaking, Ishani set her jaw.

“I fail to see what rhetoric Senator Seth has expressed that deserves to be ‘quieted’,” she said, directly quoting Auteme’s words in an icy tone. “The Galactic Alliance is not a dictatorship—but if the power to ‘quiet’ people with views you disagree with is what you seek, I’m sure the Imperials would welcome you.”

Auteme’s words had clearly struck a nerve in the Chaldean senator, not because of the flagrantly pro-Jedi stance she espoused, but because she had dared to suggest someone else should be silenced. Ishani might later come to regret such an obvious display of contempt—of weakness, really—but in the moment all she saw was an overzealous girl reclining like royalty in her chair, acting like she ruled the roost.

Without giving Auteme a chance to attack her as she had Senator Arturo, Ishani plowed on ahead.

“Given the circumstances surrounding their decision—the investigation, the house arrest, and the invasion which targeted their Temple—the NJO is justified in their response. What they have decided to do is not smart in the long run, but their motives are understandable. However, anything we do to try and rein them in at this point will be met with suspicion at the very least, but as Senator Pryce and others have pointed out, they can’t simply buck the system. The time for placating or vilifying them is past.

“I suggest we bring Senator Pryce’s proposal to the floor for debate, perhaps modifying it to better suit this situation. Or we could expand the bounty hunter system to include the Jedi.” Both would almost certainly be temporary fixes at best, but they needed to act quickly. A better replacement could be worked out at a later date.

Aerarii Tithe Elizie Athacorr Seto Du Couteau Nayeïr Orega Dominique Vexx Dracken Pryce Kalie Alverez Eboi Seth Auteme​

 

[Elizie Athacorr]

Senate Briefing Room

Aerarii Tithe Auteme Donavon Arturo Ishani Dinn Seto Du Couteau Nayeïr Orega Dominique Vexx Dracken Pryce Kalie Alverez Eboi Seth
​

After she had spoken about needing to present a united media front, she had settled back to listen to the debate and the opinions of the other gathered Senators. She continued to find it fascinating to watch the debates that could erupt and varying opinions and stances of her erstwhile colleagues. Several of the Senators weren't hiding their thoughts on the Jedi, the delegates from Chandrila and Denon perhaps more forceful than others. They would need to be observed more, especially the one from Denon considering the recent criminal network that was created on that world.

"I concur that we should bring Senator Pryce's proposal to the floor, and amend it to include the Jedi, at least for the duration of the current conflict," she said, finally speaking again. "However, this would seem to be a temporary fix at best, given the expediency needed for the current war. A more permanent solution, besides somehow allowing the Jedi into the functions of government at a level that they obviously do not desire, perhaps would be to propose a treaty with them that would not be dissimilar to any other treaty of alliance with another foreign power."

The Jedi were galaxy spanning with their various enclaves and temples, and a treaty could cover a lot more ground than just individual laws and amendments could with their activities in Alliance space.

 

[Eboi Seth]

Eboi shook his head the moment that Auteme told him to be silenced. He knew what she meant, it was possible that this meeting could be leaked to the public. However the issue with the Jedi accused of war crimes shouldn't go unaddressed, and it was something that Auteme is seemingly trying to downplay. "Miss Auteme," Eboi said simply. "You're not doing yourself any favors demanding a Senator who is expressing legitimate concerns about the New Jedi Order to be quiet. In fact it comes across as childish and it makes me even more concerned about the New Jedi Order's affairs."

The Senator leaned against his chair. "When the Galactic Alliance allied themselves with the Jedi, you made a promise to become our sword. However you went beyond that during the Stygian campaign. We have won, yes but it came at great cost! With that war we have too many dead heroes and a weakened Alliance. All because the Jedi charged head first against a Sith organization who was already crumbling with infighting and civil war!"

Eboi wasn't the type to get angry, partially because of a heart condition, but it was also because it was better to channel one's anger and passion towards issues that matter. "Why is it that when the Jedi and the Sith go to war, the people suffer?" Eboi said. "A simple sorry cannot suffice Miss Auteme, I am tired of war, the people of the Galactic are tired of war. Do you not see that public opinion of the New Jedi Order is low right now?"

He sighed. "I do agree with Senator Ishani Dinn ," he said. "I am not despite what my opponents say Anti Jedi, but as of right now, something needs to be done so we can make sure that New Jedi Order doesn't overstep their boundaries. We're in another war and we need to make sure that the enemy will not take advantage of our dysfunction again. I concur that we should take Senator Pryce's proposal to the floor and have a temporary fix until the war is over."

He glared at Auteme. "But afterwards," Eboi said. "We're going to have to deal with the Bantha in the room sooner or later."

Aerarii Tithe , Auteme , Donavon Arturo , Seto Du Couteau , Nayeïr Orega , Dominique Vexx , Dracken Pryce , Kalie Alverez

 

[Dracken Pryce]

Aerarii Tithe | Elizie Athacorr | Seto Du Couteau | Ishani Dinn | Nayeïr Orega | Faith Organa | Brama Tagge | Grand Moff Vel'alari | Annasari | Auteme | Veles Oshu | Donavon Arturo | Mirana Praji | Sssar Taszzn | Eboi Seth | Mazik Stazi | Kalie Alverez | Jak Ross

​

It was getting hotter than a micro-jump too close a sun in here. This wasn't even a senate session, just a briefing, yet everyone seemed to be firing on all salvos. Auteme, from the few times he'd seen her with the Jedi, seemed to have a much more firey spirit than the scholar she appeared to be would warrant. He was about to open his mouth to stop the Chaldean senator but she plowed on. Somehow though, her words began to lose their edge towards the end and he gave her a quick smile and nod at promoting his suggestion.

Soon others began to imitate the sentiment and he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Maybe this would just work.