Faction Difficult and Dangerous Times | THR Senate

[Verity Stuyveris]

HIGH ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC SENATE
SENATE CHAMBER​

Verity Stuyveris reviewed the legislation, her stomach twisting anxiously as her eyes scanned each line. Her legislative director had reviewed it extensively, and of course Verity had kept up with it as they drafted the text of the bill over the last few weeks. It was her first major piece of legislation and the subject matter was likely to surprise onlookers. Not a giveaway to industry where the great and good of Druckenwell could wet their beaks with defense procurements. Not even a broad gesture at national security. This was something rather closer to her heart -- but not a niche interest. This was about using the levers of power to bring light to the darkest places in the galaxy, places where living itself killed you, places where children didn't know what it was to grow up healthy.

There would be plenty of time to return to the trough on behalf of the military industrial complex; with the Chancellor hailing from Denon, Verity was sure of that. Now was the time to try something else, in the early days of a new administration, where the Senate may be prepared to indulge in a little good will and do something that didn't just look good, but did good.

Verity signaled her intention to speak early, and when she was recognized, floated her pod into the well of the Senate.

"Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in favor of Senate Bill 5227, the Investment in Recovering Systems Act. But before I begin, I believe I speak for the whole of this august body when I share my shock and sadness at the events in the Tapani Sector that we saw broadcast overnight and this morning. The barbarity and brutality of Sith shocks the conscience but is no surprise to those paying attention." She paused as her pod orbited the chair's podium slowly, glacial blue eyes sweeping the pods lining the walls opposite. "I have every faith in the ability of the High Republic's ability to reckon with the pressures that will result from this humanitarian catastrophe. I wish to assure this body on the record that Druckenwell stands ready to offer whatever material support it can."

Another pause, long enough to allow for a slight tonal shift. "I would also be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to congratulate our newly-elected Chancellor Dominique Vexx . I'm sure I speak for most of my colleagues when I say that I send my warmest wishes for her success, and pledge my every effort to supporting her leadership as she leads the High Republic through what are sure to be difficult and dangerous times."

She turned her head away from the microphone to clear her throat briefly before leaning forward again. The bill had been electronically transmitted to the Senators ahead of time. "Madam Speaker, I place before this body the Investment in Recovering Systems Act. The purpose of this bill, in a word, is to establish a committee within the Senate that will be empowered to identify eligible reconstruction and stabilization needs on planets -- inside our borders and outside of them -- that have been devastated ecologically. There are settled worlds across this galaxy where, either because of war or natural disasters or industrial activity or other reasons, air and water and soil are poison. Often the people on these worlds are isolated. Often they have been exploited. Often they have been forgotten. In a galaxy with the advanced technologies and standards of living that we enjoy, it is almost criminal that such conditions exist."

Senator Stuyveris paused and glanced down at her notes. "I recognize the danger of bringing a layer of bureaucracy to bear on this problem," she said, her voice slightly sardonic and a little bit wry. "However, it is my belief that this body can take decisive action when good demands, and that an occasionally burdensome bureaucracy can be better than the neglect and, in some cases, malign influence that these worlds have been subjected to. And it is my belief that this body understands at its very core, in each one of us, that where we can do good, we ought to do good. We ought to use the influence of a galactic power to alleviate suffering where it's possible to do."

She clutched the edges of her podium. "The news from the Tapani Sector may suggest to some of my honorable colleagues that the time is not right to begin such an endeavor -- that surely there are more pressing matters. I do not agree; the only time better than today -- now -- to start putting a relief system in place, to start developing a framework for addressing cataclysms that we can all but guarantee will come, to start building a network of interested parties with the expertise and track records to make them confident partners -- is yesterday."

She straightened, barely perceptible, and allowed her grey-blue eyes sweep the auditorium once more. "Respectfully, Madam Chair, I will reserve my time in order to address what I am certain will be thoughtful feedback and questions from my colleagues."

@Senators​

 

[Monaray Dod]

Verity Stuyveris

Senator Dod has tuned into the broadcast from the Tapani Sector, feeling both fear and admiration. On one side, he is alarmed by the evident devastation of the Tapani Houses in one fell swoop, yet on the other, he admires the fact that some real estate within the Sith Order's borders has finally become available, untouched by the Dark Lords of the Sith or the Commonwealth.

"I can only imagine how many of my colleagues will respond with horror and indignation, as if the galaxy isn't already plagued by one massacre after another. I can hardly muster any surprise anymore," he muttered to himself while strolling through the corridors of the Senate Building. This very building had previously been ransacked by the Black Sun Syndicate, and the High Chancellor had been taken hostage, though it seemed the Republic had moved on, now with a new chancellor-elect, Dominique Vexx .

A spiteful woman, yet she might serve a purpose in diverting attention from his own schemes on the frontier worlds. He attempted to become her Vice-Chancellor in case he couldn't achieve victory, but for reasons only Vexx understood, he was seemingly overlooked. That night, bitterness coursed through him, and he would be dishonest if he claimed it hadn't impacted him mentally.

Turning away from such thoughts was the easy part as legislation from Senator Verity Stuyveris occupied the Senate now. He sat down in his pod with datapad in hand, as the Senator explained her vision. He had no issues with the bill as it was presented, but as the representative of Toshara and the Trade Federation of Planets, there was an expectation for him to oppose it, and he didn't want to let down his colleagues in the chamber.

"Madam Speaker… esteemed colleagues… the delegation of Toshara wishes first to commend the Senator from Druckenwell for her sincerity and her obvious compassion. The suffering of populations on environmentally compromised worlds is, of course, most… regrettable."

"However, the Senate must take great care that its generosity does not outpace its prudence. Senate Bill 5227 proposes the creation of a committee with authority that is, if I may say so, quite… expansive. The identification of 'eligible' systems, the determination of 'reconstruction needs,' and the allocation of resources across both member and non-member worlds introduces significant questions of jurisdiction."

"We must ask: by what standards shall a world be deemed 'ecologically devastated'? By whose assessment? And with what mechanism for appeal? Many worlds have endured hardship, Madam Speaker. Hardship alone cannot become the threshold for open-ended intervention."

Dod might be accused of attempting to filibuster, what is essentially a minor issue regarding standards and the identification of qualifying systems. However, this may serve as a sufficient distraction to keep the Senate from getting too involved in the rescue efforts for the Tapani Sector. After all, the refugees might be utilized in building new Trade Federation factories in the area.

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

As the chamber filled with the familiar the rhythmic drone of the senate, even after so long away from one she could still remember many of the murmurs, the sounds of pods, of bills and the smell... somehow all of the senates smelled of the same things. Choking amounts of perfume, desperation and in some cases metaphorical sticks. Ayumi stood in her pod as an upstart in this Republic. Her people knew her from when she was senator of Denon and Dominique had given her the chance to return. Her long dark hair was styled in a sleek, professional manner that fell neatly behind her shoulders, framing a face set in a mask of calm, calculating observation.

She had a midnight black power suit designed to her standards. The blazer was tailored with surgical precision, featuring a deep-V neckline and a single-button closure that emphasized a lean, commanding silhouette. The fabric was matte and unyielding materia, paired with matching slim-fit trousers that was more for valued efficiency and power in equal measure. Without the need for ornate jewelry or distracting colors, her presence in the pod was defined by the lack for the moment. Zahira and Cato were in their little alcoves as the bill was being shown. She listened and internally was supportive of the idea. It was what she had been wanting to do on Denon and was finally able to do with all of the rebuilding and reforms.

She adjusted the data pad in her hands, her expression one of thoughtful solidarity as she looked toward Senator Stuyveris. She had a desire to see the bill succeed. "Senator Stuyveris," Ayumi spoke, her tone carrying and kind. "I find the spirit of this Act not only commendable but necessary. However, because I want to see this succeed and survive the scrutiny of this body, I believe we have a few small things." She leaned forward, her gaze steady. "In that spirit, how do we intend to navigate the legal complexities of systems outside our borders? I would hate for this noble mission to be misconstrued as interventionism."

She looked at the senator but was mostly curious for other reasons. If she wanted to do some of the things like on Denon then she would have to answer these as well... Dominique often asked her similar and more. "Can we establish a framework that requires the formal consent of these independent worlds before we arrive? Furthermore, regarding the committee's power to identify 'malign influence' or 'industrial' causes who precisely will define those terms? If we are to intervene in local industry or governance, we must ensure our criteria are objective and not a tool for political overreach." SSHe waited a moment as she wanted to give the senator the time to prepare herself and answers.

Ayumi though looked and softening her voice but maintaining her precision. "Lastly, while the cost of recovery is high, how do we propose to structure the fiscal commitments so they remain sustainable? And what is the 'finish line'? I ask because these worlds deserve to know at what point they are considered 'recovered' and when their full autonomy will be restored, ensuring this committee does not become a permanent fixture in their lives, but a bridge to their future." She said it and realized she might have spoken over the other senator who had questions Monaray Dod as she moved back a little. Returning excitement and jitters but he haad a good point. "Apologies." She bowed her head towards th neimodian.

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity activated her microphone. "I appreciate the thoughtful contributions and feedback of my colleagues, the honorable members from Toshara and Denon and, if they will indulge me, I'd like to answer these questions in their turn. I myself struggled with the question of jurisdiction -- to say nothing of ungenerous categorizations of efforts to do good as colonial misadventure or interventionism. This bill began its life as an effort to establish not a Senate committee but rather an agency: fully funded, fully staffed, and with boots they would be able to put on the ground of worlds that need help." She paused a moment. "But that would be an overreach. That could lead to the appearance, at the very least, of some sort of lower-case-I imperialism. And so I rethought my approach. I may well have had some premonition as to the words of my honorable friend the Member for Toshara," Verity said, her voice wryly dry, to show that despite his questions, she had no hard feelings.

It was just politics.

She allowed her hands to settle at the edges of her podium and flexed her fingers a little. "To the question of who determines whether a world in question is 'devastated' -- the answer is, under the legislation as currently constituted, the Committee will, on the advice of experts who would know. The spirit of this body and its committees is vigorous debate, so I believe that these matters will be well-argued and a consensus built. But to be clear, I view the danger here as being under-identifying a suffering world rather than over-identifying one. To be clear, this legislation does not empower the Committee to appropriate funds. This is not an opportunity to start funneling Republic funds into a black box that could be going to a world that is undeserving." Turning her head, she cleared her throat gently.

"Participation as an Eligible World is not compulsory. There is no enforcement mechanism. Being an Eligible World does not, in itself, create any obligation -- from us to them, or from them to us. The idea here is not to take possession of a world or to install ourselves as some sort of benevolent overlords until the job is done -- whatever that means in this context -- but rather to use the visibility that comes with being the High Republic, with being a privileged member of its High Assembly as we are -- to shine a light on unnecessary suffering and invite those in a position to make a change to do so."

The Senator from Druckenwell made a subtle nodding gesture to her two colleagues. "Granted, I am neither so immodest nor so convinced of my own skill in drafting legislation that I would call this legislation perfect. It is, like any other bill that comes before this body, open to amendments. Certainly, I did not consider that it was likely that this Committee I am proposing would be used to do something to which an Eligible World had not consented. As I stated, this is an entirely voluntary process. Thus, the requirement for a need to appeal seems to be contrary to the stated objectives -- unless, of course, the aim is to give Senators themselves a veto -- or at the very least a second bite at the apple -- to stop recognition once the Committee has voted, which would be, I think we'd all agree, inconsistent with the spirit of representative democracy that we were sent here to uphold."

"To answer your question, Senator Pallopides, in regards to establishing a cause of environmental damage, I would suggest that to the extent that such a cause is important to establish, existing practices for determining cause would suit. The Committee's goal is not to lay blame or point fingers. It is to allow the people on impacted words clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and soil in which they can grow crops that will not poison them." A brief pause and Verity inclined her head, again regarding Senator Pallopides. "This Committee will not be empowered to interfere with local government or with industry. That is beyond its remit. Where there are ongoing problems with either government or industry, this Committee will have no mandate to act. This Committee is looking to remediate harms already done. To the extent that this legislation deals with causes or faults at all merely empowers the Committee to use funds won through litigation and/or settlement agreements to remediate pollution caused by parties who were found to be guilty -- or who agreed to settlements -- through the justice system, the powers, authority, and mechanics of which are not impacted at all by this legislation."

"The finish line -- an excellent question and a good point well raised. For some worlds, a problem is finite. You clean up that oil spill. You get pollutants down to a safe parts-per-million reading. Straightforward efforts that are outside of their reach due to poverty or other complicating factors. For other worlds the line may not be so clear, and solutions may need more extensive efforts. This would be a major point of concern for me if we were establishing an open-ended -- and open-walleted -- obligation to these worlds. As I hope I have said, our efforts here are to coordinate a response by using the bully pulpit of this body to shine a light, and to facilitate the building of networks of willing parties to do the work. And, I repeat for the avoidance of unclarity, these worlds will not give up their autonomy, so they will not be under the thumb of this Committee or the High Republic."

Monaray Dod | Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Feridade Parthi]

| Location | Senate Chamber, Theed
| Objective | Observe

The past few months had been a blur for him to say the least with the appointment of Quinn Varanin as Queen and Warden of Eshan and the Mandalorian's occupation of Echani space. The High Republic itself also seemed to be going through quite a blur of its own following the sudden motion to declare a new Chancellor, a bid for a grab at power that was sound in theory, but lacked the support to follow through from the Echani's perspective. Dominique Vexx had been appointed as the new Chancellor of the High Republic, yet another familiar face he recognized from the meeting the Alliance had with the Republic to transfer stewardship of Ukatis. ​

​

The Echani's golden eyes fell upon the assembly within the senate chamber. With the sudden collapse of the Galactic Alliance amidst its attempt to get a new Chancellor in place, Parthi had found himself displaced for a while. No longer a senator for a body that no longer existed, Parthi had been appointed to act as ambassador of Eshan amongst the High Republic's body. There were familiar faces amongst the assembly, senators he recognized and respected, and whose ears he would hope to have in order to garner sympathy and allies. ​

​

For now, he would take his time to observe the senators of this body, gauging their ideologies and stances on certain issues, and see whose goals he could align with and gain the confidence and support of.​

​

​

​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Well, it wasn't nearly as comfortably as her pod office, Dominique reflected as she attended the Senate, but at least the Republic -- and the Magistrate -- hadn't tried to trot out some ridiculous statute about what staff one could bring with them to the office. It was the little things that would help her with the work load. It wasn't a single Commission that Dominique had to lead any longer.

Dominique turned to regard Verity Stuyveris with a smile and a tip of her head at the woman's congratulations. It had been kind of her to say as much. Indeed, with such turbulent waters ahead the Republic could use all the able bodied and minded people it could muster. Not merely to prepare for war, but to manage the day-to-day that kept their world thriving.

She listened as the Senator of Druckenwell explained her vision of Senate Bill 5227. When she strayed to the danger of bureaucracy and Tapani, Dominique took the opportunity to review the text of the legislation once more. To compare it to the verbal recount provided. Sometimes you could glean intent from the way something was framed in conversation.

Dod was a familiar presence in the chamber, one that might still have a role if Ravion did not work with her. But Ayumi was... different. It was not pleasing to be outside of that role. The Chancellorship was not something she'd sought, Denon had always been more than enough for her. Yet, event had unfolded as they had and there the once-and-future Senator stood speaking on behalf of her home. It was something Dominique had to make sure unconsciously she didn't slip back into old 'habits' of favoring her world above all others.

It was good to see them participate in the discussion even while on the other side now.

"To summarize, for the benefit of our constituents," Dominique interjected, "this Bill proposes the creation of an emergency management commission that works at the behest of and conjunction with local and Republic government to ensure the health and well-being of the Citizens of the Republic? Would that be an accurate assessment of the intent behind this Committee's efforts?"

So much well-meaning detail had been discussed, it seemed only prudent for the Chancellor to ensure those citizens listening in hadn't lost the thread along the way.

Of course, as a Corpo Dominique completely understood why corporations wouldn't like such meddling. It might uncover spills or dump sites that saved credits or hid crimes. But Dominique had in her acceptance speech declared to be a Chancellor that would be for the people of the Republic. Maybe she couldn't favor Denon as she always had, but it might just give her an opportunity to provide a solid, efficient system in which Denon could thrive. Even if some of the corporations would not be terribly thrilled by some of the changes -- as she continued to warn Ayumi in her zeal to clean up Denon. Little changes over time to allow the system to adjust and not go into shock.

"As a reminder to the chamber, should you have any official amendments for Senate Bill number 5227, the Investment in Recovering Systems Act, be certain they are submitted prior to the closure of debate."

Verity Stuyveris | Monaray Dod | Ayumi Pallopides | Feridade Parthi | Open
Please put official amendments (changes to the Bill's language) in an Spoiler tag!​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

Sycorax arrived fashionably late, flanked by her bodyguards. Dark eyes scanned the Senate Chamber, taking in the unfamiliar layout of the room. There were far fewer worlds within the High Republic, and only so many people needed to represent them. Indeed, the ambassadors from outside their borders might soon outnumber them.

"Droid," she got the attention of a passing protocol unit. "Where is the ambassadors' sphere?"

The droid pointed her in the right direction; she went and took her seat not far from Feridade Parthi . A digital plaque announced her to the ruling body as the newly appointed Ambassador from Dahrtag—the officially recognized name of Necropolis. It was a far cry from the power she had wielded as a Senator in the GA, but until her homeworld was a member of the Republic, it would have to do.

She had tried to fast-track Necropolis' exit from the Alliance, even going so far as to initiate talks with Aurelian Veruna before the Sith hit Atrisia. But as fate would have it, the GA collapsed before the deal could be finalized, and Aurelian was no longer the Republic Chancellor. The planet now sat in the midst of unoccupied, unprotected space, albeit with only a couple of star systems sitting between it and the Republic's borders. Naturally, Necropolis' President Conrad Kane had been eager to appoint her as their ambassador to the faction they still hoped would become their ally.

The Senate was in session. A new bill had just been presented for debate, the Investment in Recovering Systems Act. Sycorax brought the proposal up on her datapad, viewing it with a critical eye. She may not have been a Senator, but she was very invested in the laws of the Republic, for obvious reasons. It was a good bit of legislation, and highly beneficial to many worlds, though not necessarily to Necropolis.

She looked at the Senators around her, and was surprised to find several more familiar faces. Some were obvious; Denon was now in Republic space, after all. Others were less obvious. What the hell was Monaray Dod doing representing Toshara? He'd been Senator of Cato Neimoidia in the GA...

Putting that aside, she briefly addressed the room. "Dahrtag offers its support of the Investment in Recovering Systems Act." Her words didn't mean much when it came to getting the thing passed, since she didn't have a vote, but it might earn her points with Druckenwell. Every world she cultivated a positive relationship with was another potential supporter in getting Dahrtag to join their ranks.

Verity Stuyveris Ayumi Pallopides Dominique Vexx​

 

[Monaray Dod]

Verity Stuyveris Dominique Vexx Ayumi Pallopides Sycorax Laveaux Feridade Parthi

Dod adjusted the heavy collar of his robes, eyes narrowing as he rescanned the digital readout of the bill on the provided terminal. Politics it seemed within this government were vastly different than it had been under the Galactic Alliance, though you wouldn't think that given the familiar faces such as Feridade Parthi and Sycorax Laveaux sitting in the wings as Ambassadors from the distant planet of Eshan and Necropolis.

Both of them were expert politicians in a sense and had ambitions of their own, though Parthi surprisingly was content to be a mere ambassador instead of a proper Senator of a Republic World. A demotion that Dod personally found both demeaning and predictable given that his world was currently under the yolk of the Mandalorian Empire and had a Sith Princess as its defined leader.

And then there was Sycorax. The woman from Necropolis who could be as sharp as a vibroblade and twice as cold, even more so when she wasn't occupied in trying to curry favor with the now deposed Chancellor Organa. He didn't like her, of course, but in this new, fragile High Republic, a woman who knew how to survive a collapse was a woman worth knowing.

Chancellor Dominique Vexx voice cut through the debate from her podium, clearly enjoying exercising her newfound powers to annoy the chamber more than usual. An emergency management commission she had called it. How charming and simple, and utterly deceptive. It was the classic populist maneuver to wrap a complex bureaucratic parasite in the soft silk of public well-being so the common citizenry wouldn't notice it feeding.

He leaned forward in his pod with a sigh, judging the distance to the ground before ultimately deciding not to jump. Senator Verity Stuyveris defense had been spirited but to an expert such as himself, it was riddled with very structural weaknesses that invited the corruption she claimed to despise.

"Madam Chancellor, I find myself moved by the Senator from Druckenwell's insistence that this process is entirely voluntary,'" Dod began, his voice carrying that distinct Neimoidian tone that suggested he was doing everyone a favor by speaking. "It is a comforting word, voluntary. It suggests a lack of coercion. Yet, I must point out the inherent contradiction in the Senator's own logic."

He tapped a rhythmic beat on his datapad.

"The Senator claims the Committee will use funds won through litigation and settlements to remediate these worlds. Litigation, by its very nature, is rarely voluntary. If the Republic intends to sue private industry to fill the coffers of this Committee, it creates a perverse incentive for the Committee to discover environmental crimes wherever it needs a budget increase. We are not creating a relief agency; we are creating a Bureau of Bounty Hunters with a mandate to find polluters until the balance sheet is satisfied."

He turned his pod slightly to face Stuyveris, offering a thin, sharp smile.

"Furthermore, she suggests that because there is no enforcement mechanism, there is no danger of overreach. I would argue the opposite. A body with the power to shine a light to use the Senator's own poetic phrasing without a clear legal finish line or an appeals process for the shined-upon is a body that governs through reputation-destruction. If a world or a corporation disagrees with the Committee's expert assessment, they have no recourse but to endure the visibility of the High Republic's disapproval. I propose the following amendment"

Spoiler: Amendment from Dod

AMENDMENT TO SB.5227 (INVESTMENT IN RECOVERING SYSTEMS ACT)
Proposed by Senator Monaray Dod, Toshara Delegation

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 3: FUNDING AUTHORITY (REVISION)

• Subsection (a) shall be amended to read: "The Committee may, through mediation and arbitration prior to the commencement of formal litigation, accept voluntary Restoration Credits or infrastructure grants from corporate entities. Such agreements shall preclude the Committee from further legal action regarding the specific environmental event in question, providing finality and stability for Republic trade partners."

ARTICLE V, SECTION 3: ANTI-EXPLOITATION PROVISIONS (REVISION)

• Subsection (a) shall be amended to include the following provison: "Not withstanding the prohibition on debt-for-resource swaps, the Committee shall authorize 'Developmental Leasing Agreements' (DLAs). These DLAs allow an Eligible World to grant temporary, time-bound management rights of non-critical resources to a donor or contractor as a mechanism for cost-recovery of aid. This ensures that the Republic's taxpayers are not burdened with the total cost of reconstruction when local assets can be leveraged for mutual benefit."

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 1: COMPOSITION (ADDITION)

• Subsection (d) shall be added: "The Committee shall include a non-voting Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB), comprised of three representatives from the Republic's recognized Trade Guilds and Industrial Unions. The SAB shall provide mandatory consultation on the 'economic viability' of any Assistance Compact and shall have the authority to trigger a Feasibility Review which may pause the designation of an Eligible World for no more than thirty (30) Naboo Standard Days to ensure market stability is maintained."

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4: AUDITS AND ETHICS REVIEW (ADDITION)

• Subsection (d) shall be added (The Right of Appeal): "Any entity, corporate or otherwise, whose reputation or operations are materially impacted by the 'shining of a light' or 'Sensitive-Location Protections' shall have the right to a closed-door appeal before the Committee. No public findings may be released until such an appeal has reached a final resolution, protecting the presumption of innocence in the eyes of the galactic market."

It didn't matter if the bill passed with the proposed amendment or not; what mattered was that the corporations and frontier worlds now saw Monaray Dod as the only man standing between them and a "benevolent" Republic inquisitor. As the debate continued, he caught Sycorax's eye across the chamber. He offered a nearly imperceptible nod a silent acknowledgement between two sharks in a new pond.

 

[Eharl Sarn]

​

Senate Hall
Theed City | Naboo
Items: x

The pod around Senator Eharl Sarn drifted in a slow, steady orbit as lines of text scrolled across its inner display. The tall Ithorian read in silence, twin throats rising and falling with a thoughtful rhythm.

It was good work.

He gave a small nod as he reviewed the language set forth by Senator Verity Stuyveris . He was pleased that the young Senator had taken his advice to heart. She had written this bill as if her seat mattered today, as if the people she served as well as others could not afford to wait for some safer moment. The bill reached toward lives lived in poisoned air and bitter water and toward worlds too often ignored once the credits stopped flowing.

A soft, pleased low, harmonic hum rolled through Sarn's chest.

Other signals flickered at the edges of his awareness of others within his Corpobloc voices, suggesting refinements, nudges toward efficiency, profitability, and nd leverage. He let them pass with a hum. There would always be time for corporate appetites. This bill carried something rarer, an intent unblemished by appetite.

If nurtured well, Verity would grow into something formidable.

Sarn finished his review and extended a gentle motion through the pod's controls. His approval chimed through the system with clear, unhesitating drive.

"The Senator of Enarc supports this bill," his deep thruming voice resonated warmly through the chamber's translators. "I will sign as an endorser."

This was good. The young Senator was learning how to make waves.

Here, here!

Monaray Dod Sycorax Laveaux Dominique Vexx Feridade Parthi Ayumi Pallopides

​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity inclined her head toward Dominique Vexx in acknowledgment. "Correct, Chancellor, with the caveat that aid coordinated by the Committee would not be limited only to member worlds and citizens of the Republic. The Committee would be empowered to work with local governments of non-affiliated worlds to address environmental and ecological crises. In addition to being simply good neighbors, this effort could be seen as a means of limiting the number of refugees that must relocate due to local crises, thus allowing the Republic's resources dedicated to refugees to be more efficiently targeted."

She turned her attention to Monaray Dod and offered him the same respectful gesture of acknowledgment. "I appreciate the Member for Toshara's candor and his vigorous advocacy for his constituency. I am certain there are more than a few industrialists watching this session in the boardrooms and clubhouses and offices on my homeworld of Druckenwell who will be dabbing a brow with a handkerchief in relief and thanking the stars that they have a friend -- someone to look out for them -- in this body." She smiled broadly and swiveled her hair to address the Chair directly.

"Madam Speaker, I move the Member for Toshara's proposed amendments be considered separately. Though each of them are united in their goal to make the bill as unpalatable as possible, each operates in a distinctive way and thus should be considered independently. However, I would seek clarification from the Member as to the language included in his second amendment offered -- that the Committee shall authorize Developmental Leasing Agreements to open and earmark an Eligible World's resources for exploitation in ways which may or may not have caused the environmental issues the Committee means to address. Does he mean that the Committee must authorize these 'DLAs'? If so, on what criteria? First come, first served? An auction basis? And furthermore, may I inquire as to where the Member Toshara finds the authority held by the proposed Committee to direct the usage of an Eligible World's resources in this legislation? I'm afraid I don't see it. As I have pointed out several times now, this Committee lacks the authority to compel action; it does not take possession, authority, or control of any Eligible World or their government or their resources."

She paused a moment. "There is also nothing in this legislation that prevents a planetary government from making such an arrangement independently. This legislation merely does not allow signing ruinous mortgages on their resources a condition of an Eligible World receiving assistance. Surely the Member for Toshara is not suggesting that the proposed Committee -- or the Republic itself -- ought to be coercing anyone into doing so against their will."

Verity nodded to Eharl Sarn and Sycorax Laveaux in turn "I am pleased to have your support, Senator. Ambassador."

​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

"Is there a Second in support of voting on each of the modifications proposed by the Senator of Toshara?" Dominique asked of the body present. For efficiency's sake, the Chamber had a history of en bloc amendments, but many amendments were often targeted toward a single section or topic of a Bill. She would only take up the motion if there was support in casting such votes. After all, some would happily avoid putting their name to particular amendments they passed or scuttled.

"Might I also suggest certain parties consider this Bill as an opportunity?" Dominique's golden eyes surveyed the interior of the Senate. "Not just as a potential threat." There could be harm done by this against corporate interests, but there could also be gain squeezed from it as well. Preventing the passage would maintain the status quo -- which had considerable inertia -- but that wouldn't necessary avoid financial impact. As Verity pointed out, the refugees existed and ultimately would be brought to the attention of the Senate. Perhaps, if there was an opportunity to 'deal with' them outside of the Republic it would forestall certain burdens and discussions later. Perhaps. Dominique just wanted her friends in the corpo-sphere not to become too fixated on what was familiar and comfortable only to miss out on a potential new means of undermining their rivals.

It was good to see everyone so lively in discussion. Not everything had to be about the fate of the galaxy. The day to day challenges could be quite economically and intellectually stimulating on their own. If you knew how to leverage them toward a sustainable future.

Verity Stuyveris | Monaray Dod | Ayumi Pallopides | Feridade Parthi | Sycorax Laveaux | Eharl Sarn​

 

[Talokra Vosk]

HIGH ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC SENATE
SENATE CHAMBER​

Dominique Vexx | Verity Stuyveris | Eharl Sarn | Monaray Dod | Ayumi Pallopides

Talokra Vosk, the newly appointed Senator for Rodia, was very much the aspect of his kin. Shrewd. Ambitious. A hunter by nature. A killer’s instinct wrapped in a robe he liked the cut of a little too keenly. He felt good in it. Strong. He had played the greatest game any Rodian could aspire to and won. Power and influence beyond Rodia itself. Projection beyond the archipelagos and the power shields of Equator City. Even his Senatorial Palace, newly granted and lavish by Rodian standards, felt small beside the vast civic grandeur of the Republic’s architecture.

He sat and listened. This was his maiden debate.

Tradition would have dictated formalities, a careful introduction, the ritual assurances owed by any new voice entering the chamber. But the response to the slaughter in the Tapani Sector pressed heavily upon the Senate, weighing on all those who still cared for the civility and survival of the Republic, young as it was. Many here had lived long enough to witness, in intimate and unforgiving clarity, the collapse of the Galactic Alliance, once thought eternal, once hallowed by its democratic pretensions. No one in this chamber laboured under the illusion that institutions survived on virtue alone.

Talokra did not flinch from the moment. He would commit to his cause regardless.

He had his aides assist with the careful redrafting of his maiden speech, shaping it so that it advanced Rodia’s interests while presenting him as something more than a parochial predator newly loosed among larger prey. He would further Rodia’s presence, certainly, but he would also present himself as a Senator who understood the wider fabric of obligation that bound this body together. Power, after all, was most durable when exercised as stewardship rather than appetite.

When his name was finally recognised and his pod eased forward, Talokra rose smoothly, posture relaxed, eyes alert. A hunter choosing his moment.

He would speak of aid, of restraint, of process. He would speak of light and the danger of exposure. He would speak of protection for worlds that lacked the strength to withstand being named by the powerful.

And in doing so, he would align himself precisely where he intended to stand. Between compassion and control. Between benevolence and leverage. A useful place to hunt. When his pod eased forward, Talokra rose smoothly, unhurried. Let them look. Let them wonder what kind of Rodian this one was.


“Madam Speaker,

"I thank the Chair for the courtesy of recognition. If a maiden address must be given, I am content that it be in response to legislation whose implications Rodia knows intimately."

This was not a moment for grandstanding. This was a moment to be useful. A few pods shifted when he spoke of designation and exposure. Good. That meant the point had landed. He allowed a heartbeat of silence before activating the microphone. Silence, properly used, unsettled people.

"Rodia is a world that has survived because we learned early to be cautious of attention. We have been catalogued, studied, assisted, and extracted by offworld powers who believed their concern entitled them to influence.
So when this chamber speaks of shining lights, I feel obliged to remind us that light does not only reveal. It marks. And in a galaxy like ours, being marked can invite forces far less benevolent than this body."

Rodia had learned the lesson in blood and contracts both. He did not need to explain which had cut deeper.

"I support the intent of Senate Bill 5227. Poisoned air and poisoned water are not abstractions to Rodians. They are lived memory. But intent alone cannot protect worlds once they are publicly designated, named, and discussed as ‘eligible.’
For that reason, I support the Member for Toshara’s call for mediation prior to litigation and for a structured right of appeal before public findings are released. These are not shields for wrongdoing. They are safeguards for smaller systems, cooperatives, and local industries that lack the political power to survive a reputational judgment issued without recourse.

Rodia has learned that once a world is named, others decide its value. Contracts arrive. ‘Solutions’ arrive. And autonomy quietly departs.
If this Committee is to be a bridge rather than a brand, then it must be precise, restrained, and accountable. Due process is not delay. It is the difference between assistance and coercion."

He swallowed, his voice feeling strangely hoarse after only a short time. The humidity was less than he would have wanted.

"One further point, Madam Speaker, and I will be brief.
I would welcome the inclusion of clearly defined, objective thresholds for eligibility within this framework. Quantifiable environmental criteria protect not only this Committee, but the worlds it seeks to assist. Precision guards against both neglect and overreach. It ensures that designation is a matter of evidence, not perception. I second the motions made by Monaray Dod , Senator of Toshara.”

Talokra lowered himself back into his seat with the same economy of movement he had used to rise. No flourish. No satisfaction on his face. He glanced towards the figure of Monaray Dod .

The hunt was on.

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Talokra Vosk Dominique Vexx Verity Stuyveris Eharl Sarn Monaray Dod Sycorax Laveaux Feridade Parthi

Verity answered her questions and Lod gave some good amendments. She wasn't going to oppose it or just hound for no reason as other senators were speaking now. With a small nod of her head. "Denon will support the bill and amendments of Senator Dod." She bowed her head while standing there and many of the things aligned with the reforms on Denon. This would be a way to sell their terraforming and environmental engineering technologies to a wider galaxy. She offered a smile though more serene as she was mentally going over the other senators and who might be potential allies here for a few other things. She would have to learn more about a few of them but forr now at least... the bill wasn't to radical and this was a nice way to ease oneself back into everything.

 

[Monaray Dod]

Verity Stuyveris Dominique Vexx Ayumi Pallopides Sycorax Laveaux Feridade Parthi Eharl Sarn

The Senator remained fixed on Senator Verity Stuyveris as she spoke, his expression adopting a mask of subtle annoyance. He listened to her categorize his amendments as unpalatable with the same calm one might afford a child who didn't understand why they couldn't eat dessert for every meal. When she finished her flurry of questions regarding the mechanics of his proposed Developmental Leasing Agreements, Dod adjusted his posture, the silk of his sleeves rustling with a soft sound.

"The Senator from Druckenwell asks where I find the authority for this Committee to direct resources. I find it, Madam Speaker, in the vacuum of her own bill. Article II clearly states the Committee is empowered to coordinate lawful assistance mechanisms and develop funding mechanisms. Yet, in Article V, she explicitly prohibits the only mechanism that has actually stabilized governments for centuries: the exchange of resource rights for infrastructure."

He leaned forward, gesturing with a long, thin finger toward the digital text of the bill displayed on his pod's console.

"The Senator claims this Committee lacks the authority to compel' or take possession, yet Article IV, Section 1, Paragraph (a) gives this body the power to subpoena records and compel testimony. Paragraph (f) allows it to establish 'program standards' and 'environmental safeguards' on worlds that may not even be members of our Republic. You call it a voluntary compact, but when the High Republic targets a world that refuses to meets its specific standards, they find its credit ratings slashed and its trade routes bypassed. I hardly call that assistance and more like rule by bureaucratic decree."

He turned his gaze toward the Chancellor, noting the way Dominique Vexx golden eyes moved across the chamber. She was playing the middle, as always, tempting the corporations with opportunity while letting Verity play the champion of the downtrodden. It was a well-coordinated dance that required him to adopt a more aggressive posture in order to emerge victorious in the current debate.

"As to who would manage these DLAs. I suggest she looks at her own Article IV, Section 1, Paragraph (i), which already authorizes public-private partnerships. My amendment simply ensures these partnerships are not one-way streets of Republic charity. If a planetary governor wishes to trade the rights to a dormant spice mine in exchange for immediate atmospheric scrubbers, who are we to deny them that agency? By prohibiting resource extraction rights in Article III's definition of an Assistance Compact, the Senator is essentially telling these devastated worlds that they are too incompetent to manage their own assets. That is the true coercion."

He leaned back, his reddish eyes flicking toward the Ambassador's sphere where Sycorax Laveaux currently sat. He knew she would appreciate the irony; the Republic was trying to save worlds by stripping them of their only remaining bargaining chips.

The arrival of the new Rodian Senator, Talokra Vosk was a welcome diversion. Dod watched with interest as the Rodian, a species usually more comfortable with a thermal detonator than a podium delivered a maiden speech of surprising sophistication. When Vosk seconded the motion, Dod offered a shallow, dignified nod of his head.

"I thank the honorable Member from Rodia for his insight. He understands, as I do, that a world named by the Republic becomes a world claimed by the Republic's bureaucracy. And I find the Senator of Denon's support most... illuminating. It is heartening to see that even those closest to the Chancellor recognize that environmental engineering is a business, not a hobby."

Spoiler: Amendment from Dod

AMENDMENT TO SB.5227 (INVESTMENT IN RECOVERING SYSTEMS ACT)
Proposed by Senator Monaray Dod, Toshara Delegation

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 3: FUNDING AUTHORITY (REVISION)

• Subsection (a) shall be amended to read: "The Committee may, through mediation and arbitration prior to the commencement of formal litigation, accept voluntary Restoration Credits or infrastructure grants from corporate entities. Such agreements shall preclude the Committee from further legal action regarding the specific environmental event in question, providing finality and stability for Republic trade partners."

ARTICLE V, SECTION 3: ANTI-EXPLOITATION PROVISIONS (REVISION)

• Subsection (a) shall be amended to include the following provison: "Not withstanding the prohibition on debt-for-resource swaps, the Committee shall authorize 'Developmental Leasing Agreements' (DLAs). These DLAs allow an Eligible World to grant temporary, time-bound management rights of non-critical resources to a donor or contractor as a mechanism for cost-recovery of aid. This ensures that the Republic's taxpayers are not burdened with the total cost of reconstruction when local assets can be leveraged for mutual benefit."

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 1: COMPOSITION (ADDITION)

• Subsection (d) shall be added: "The Committee shall include a non-voting Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB), comprised of three representatives from the Republic's recognized Trade Guilds and Industrial Unions. The SAB shall provide mandatory consultation on the 'economic viability' of any Assistance Compact and shall have the authority to trigger a Feasibility Review which may pause the designation of an Eligible World for no more than thirty (30) Naboo Standard Days to ensure market stability is maintained."

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4: AUDITS AND ETHICS REVIEW (ADDITION)

• Subsection (d) shall be added (The Right of Appeal): "Any entity, corporate or otherwise, whose reputation or operations are materially impacted by the 'shining of a light' or 'Sensitive-Location Protections' shall have the right to a closed-door appeal before the Committee. No public findings may be released until such an appeal has reached a final resolution, protecting the presumption of innocence in the eyes of the galactic market."

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

"Madam Speaker, I regret to observe that, not for the first time in this debate does my honorable colleague from Toshara have the wrong end of the stick. One could be forgiven for beginning to wonder whether his misunderstanding is intentional. It is possible -- just -- that in his rush to clamber over the backs of disadvantaged populations in order to protect those who are experiencing true suffering -- billion-credit corporations, naturally -- he has simply not taken the time to understand. In any case, in the interest of helping him and those watching from across the Republic understand, I would clarify. His reference to the Assistance Compact mentioned in Article III does not prohibit any planet from making any arrangement with any resource that it has in its possession. At all. If the honorable member from Toshara and his allies in this chamber take nothing else away from that, they ought to make every effort to understand that. The definition in Article III prevents the Republic from demanding that a planet sign aways its resources as a condition of receiving aid. It is almost hard to believe that such a prohibition would be required in this day and age, but my honorable colleague from Toshara has quite appositely demonstrated why, for which I must take a moment to thank him."

Verity understood the shape of things now. As usual, corporate interests would be looking to exploit for profit everything they could. The irony of them attempting to hijack a bill to clean up pollution -- often, but not always, caused by that self-same corporate exploitation -- was the height of arrogance. Or perhaps not arrogance so much as simply reading the room, for if the Senate was inclined to allow such a thing to happen, it would say much of the moral health of the nation.

There would be other ways to skin this particular Nexu, even if Dod managed to derail this bill.

"I would further remind the Senator from Toshara that compelling testimony via subpoena is a standard tool of most legislative bodies. Surely he must understand this, given his participation in them -- for longer, indeed, than I have been a member of this august body. To conflate these powers with the kind of authority that would be required of the Committee to compel Republic member worlds or non-member worlds to sign over their resources to exploitation suggests profound ignorance or profound dishonesty. I will leave it to others to decide which is at play here. And, Madam Speaker, I would request that the honorable member for Toshara answer my question regarding the mechanism he is seeking to create. Failing that clarification I would move to strike the amendment as non-germane."

She was surprised by the contradictory nature of Rodia's contribution. Verity understood the challenges faced historically by Rodia, which made its Senator's acquiescence to Dod's amendments all the more perplexing. Perhaps it was simply a matter of profit motivation being stronger than institutional memory now. She leaned back into the microphone. "May I be among the first to welcome our new colleague, the honorable member for Rodia, to this body. I thank him for taking part in this discussion as his maiden address. Based on what he has said, we share common interests in alleviating environmental suffering, and I hope we can work together on that shared interest today and in the future."

Monaray Dod | Dominique Vexx | Talokra Vosk | Ayumi Pallopides | Eharl Sarn | Sycorax Laveaux | Feridade Parthi​