Faction GA | A Blood Red Carpet (Senators)

[Marek Bancroft]

Questions and concerned filtered in from all sides, with some being amicable, whilst others calling for treason in a surprising twist that brought a chuckling grin to his lips.

"The consistent point I am hearing here is why haven't we mounted a counterattack. Why must we sacrifice some, to preserve the state, and the lives of the many. Why, why, why."

He turned to Senator Cressida. "There is no virtue in total warfare, Senator. That is the current state of the Galactic Alliance. We risk upwards to fifty-percent, if not more, of our constituent member states being effectively cut-off from the remaining Core worlds, and effectively tossed to the wolves, where they will choose for themselves what is in their best interests for their state.

What I am expressing to you all is the position that the Alliance, no matter what you think, is not in a position where we are capable of framing our desires around the virtues and moralities that the Core traditionally holds above the heads of our constituents further out towards the Rim."

He turned next to Sycorax Laveaux .

"You have said it yourself. We are being invaded on multiple fronts, from multiple axes of advance. The reality that we can all agree on as per the facts that have come out in the wake of the failed defense of Arkania--" He sat his glass down upon a nearby table. "The Core can barely defend itself, let alone hundreds of worlds so far-flung off into the galaxy that they themselves realize it is within their own interest to succeed, instead of paying their dues to a power that can't defend them.

There is no concerted counterattack because those assets are a phantom in the wind, Senator. The failures of being able to uphold our virtues, defending our remaining sphere of influence, and bringing the fight to the Imperials flooding out from the Deep Core, are prevalent and out in the open.

It is those same failures which led to the debacle on Hapes that you brought up. Blame our peers for that. "

His attention swayed between the two now. "I am not saying that we shouldn't seek help from allies, my good senators. I am saying... what good are we to our constituents-- the trillions who we took an oath to steward, if we can't come to grips with our own reality on the state of our great alliance? We can seek help from those who would offer it-- but at what cost? What will they ask for, knowing the weakened and pathetic state that we're in?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking between them, and back to Senator Tiber before addressing the whole of those gathered.

"All that I ask... is that we consider the bigger picture. It is foolish to hold onto swathes of territory that we simply can not defend, only to lose the worlds so close to home in the process, whether as concessions to other states in exchange for assistance, or to the tides of war, where these phantom and non-existent fleets and legions of GADF soldiers will apparently sway the already skewed war that has been brought to us."

Annasari Fal Gore Cressida Tolliver Alexandra Feanor Sycorax Laveaux Tiber Septimus

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

Alexandra listened carefully, letting Cressida Tolliver and Tiber Septimus take the lead on the more heavily debated topics. She considered carefully as well the words from Marek Bancroft as he wasn't entirely wrong. The choices of what worlds need to be defended is hard, and while the Alliance Military still controlled weapons that could be pushed into conflict, those same weapons have lacked utilization. There were the Three Star Hawks, the Mon Mothma, weapons that could provide and edge in this war but had been held back and not used for whatever reasons.

She thought long on the matter as she sat there, her thoughts going to Alderaan and Veradune, to the worlds she treasured as her home and the world where those she represented expected her to uphold their values and interests. She knew well that they would not stop until they fought to the last, that they would resist every inch and ensure that they did all they could.

Her thoughts turning towards what Lucas might say in this moment before speaking in response to Marek.

"The GADF has kept certain weapons in reserve, unnecessarily. Be it for worry that Fondor itself might be struck, or that the weapons are too valuable to lose, we none the less do have them. Yes, we are senators, not admirals, not generals, but it is our duty to do all we can to push those hands and to give the people of the Alliance the faith in us to do all we can from where we sit. Our voices reaching out to speak with the High Republic and help them see what future will come, reaching out to the Diarchy to bridge our people's differences. As I said already we had the Imperial Confederacy in our halls, sympathetic to our cause already, and there are those who can supplement where we cannot cover." She looked towards Marek, thinking on her words still before continuing.

"I do not believe that we will be able to turn the tide easily, nor do I believe it is ever that simple. But there are things we can do beyond simply the press of a button to cast a vote. Cressida herself aided on Thyferra when thousands returned injured and hurt from the battle or having escaped the Empire on Arkania." She would pause again, needing to cough before continuing.

"Showing our support through the ways discussed thus far is a start. Setting up those places on our planets for people to be safe from the war, and ensuring that funding is directed towards the GADF are our best ways to protect our people. Doing all we can where we can."


Annasari Sycorax Laveaux

 

[Arsenio Tagge]

Arsenio Tagge pushed open the doors to the chamber, his cloak brushing the polished floor as voices echoed from within. He caught Marek Bancroft 's words just as he stepped inside, and he scoffed audibly before anyone could greet him.

"That is such a simplistic view on the matter, Marek," Tagge said, his tone clipped but steady. "It's very easy to sit here and declare that we must bleed worlds in order to survive when your world isn't under the Imperial jackboot, now is it?"

His jaw tightened.

"We are an intergalactic superpower, core or no core. Regardless of the current state of the Alliance, we very much have the economic capacity to wage total war. We simply need the will, and the time. To your point, I will concede that evacuation and withdrawal from worlds of no strategic value is a rational measure. But let us not pretend we are all equally burdened here. The unconcerned should not throw stones in a glass house."

He turned to address Alexandra Feanor next, his brows arching at his misguided friend.

"You speak of diplomacy as though it were a weapon equal to a fleet at Fondor or a fortress world in the Core. I assure you, Senator, it is not. Tepasi was not lost because we lacked envoys or commissions. Tepasi was lost because the Empire had the will to take it, and we lacked the will to stop them." His voice dropped, harder now. "When it comes to the defense of my people, I am very much a general. The only thing the Empire respects is force. We should have detained, arraigned and executed those diplomats when we had the chance. I am quite disappointed the Chancellor chose not to."

He leaned back, letting the silence settle, eyes cutting across the chamber.

"Speaking of Chancellors," Tagge said, tone suddenly lighter but edged, "where is our beloved Chancellor Organa? He so rarely makes appearances these days, one might be forgiven for forgetting we even have one."

He folded his hands, turning to face Gore. "The next Supreme Chancellor must be focused. Focused on victory, not ceremony. Focused on survival, not appearances. I imagine you think that sounds like you, Fal."

Fal Gore | Marek Bancroft | Alexandra Feanor | Cressida Tolliver | Annasari | Sycorax Laveaux | Tiber Septimus​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"That is indeed your position, Senator Bancroft," Sycorax said, watching him sip his drink. "But it is not mine." And she did still consider the idea treasonous.

She turned to the others. Senator Septimus and Senator Tagge echoed many of her sentiments, though Tagge asked about the whereabouts of the Chancellor. "He's on the front lines, helping refugees." How typical of Alicio. As the others had already pointed out, election season was coming, and she wasn't sure if he would run for another term. The office of Chancellor might be up for grabs.

Should I?...

... nah.

"I suggest our next meeting involve our military leaders, to get a better idea of what can be done. We may not be soldiers, but we can wage war just as fiercely, in our own way."

Cressida Tolliver Arsenio Tagge Alexandra Feanor Marek Bancroft Annasari Tiber Septimus​

 

[Marek Bancroft]

Marek pinched the bridge of his nose as his fellow Senators spoke at him one after the other. He debated on addressing their individual statements one by one, though it was clear that those present were seemingly content in denying the reality of the situation in favor of maintaining their perceived moral superiority, or prideful beliefs in the alleged hegemony of their once great Galactic Alliance.

He clicked his teeth, taking the opportunity to take yet another sip of the dark liquor he'd poured himself a glass of.

"What we lack is the time, the will, and the logistical and military strength to sustain a war effort that far too many of us refuse to see as the war of the century, and an existential battle for our survival."

He would turn his gaze towards Arsenio this time.

"We have lost the Arkanian-Champalan corridor which served as our primary logistical line to the entire western half of the Alliance. Only the Shu-Torun-Iridonia corridor remains open, yet between the growing crisis of refugees, the consolidation of what forces were not destroyed, and the overextension of that sole line of transit and supply...it too is at major risk once our enemies decide to cut that last corridor off as well."

Marek stood proud, despite the small hints of irritation that lined his visage. "The greatest remedy that can be levied against your enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force." He spoke up, pausing just long enough to allow his words to carry across the room.

"Our enemies are past the gates-- they are marching on all sides into our vulnerable exterior, yet instead of addressing our grim reality, we instead toss accusations of ignorance." His gaze shifted towards Sycorax next. "Of Treason, where none exists." His eyes drifted across to Alexandra next. "Of paltry efforts, which may help some, but do not offer concrete solutions, but rather a band-aid draped across an open wound."

He shook his head, letting a slow exhale of a sigh leave his lips. "I will accept being called callous, or too blunt. But I speak the the truth without sugar-coating our predicament, nor overestimating our capabilities when we should be taking stock of what's at our disposal to truly defend what we can, and fight where our forces may still transit without fear of their rear-lines collapsing behind them."

Alexandra Feanor Arsenio Tagge Cressida Tolliver Annasari Tiber Septimus Sycorax Laveaux

 

[Cressida Tolliver]

Cressida greeted Tiber Septimus ' proposal with a grateful smile and nod. "Very happy to do so, Senator, thank you."

"It's really too bad you weren't present for the Empire's visit to the Senate," Cressida said to Marek Bancroft , her tone conversational. "I feel they were disappointed to not find a more receptive audience for their demand that we capitulate half our territory to them. Somehow the rest of us forgot that the western half of the Galactic Alliance's member worlds' taxes were worth less than the other half, and that the citizenry there are entitled to less effort in their defense and preservation of their rights under the charter. Perhaps you will be there for their next set of demands."

She steepled her fingers and studied the senators at the table. "You say that strategy demands we abandon these worlds before the Empire takes them from us. That may end up being the case, but it is not as obvious to the rest of the galaxy -- or the rest of this room -- as it is to you. You have as much right to argue your point as any of us, but the facts as yet do not bear out your position."

"And say that we draft a resolution. The Good Luck Western Alliance Worlds Act where we cut these worlds -- and these people -- off from the Galactic Alliance. Are you proposing to draft refunds of the tax revenue they've contributed to the Alliance treasury? Are we going to distribute the equivalent in military assets? Or are we going to keep their money, keep the men and women they've contributed to the defense of the Alliance in order to safeguard the worlds you've decided are strategically worthy of the act?"

"I agree with Senator Tagge and Senator Laveaux. Perhaps we could all benefit from the clarity to be gained by listening to military leadership. The Defense Committee will arrange it."

 

[Exum Jern]

The long-limbed Muun craned his gaze towards Arsenio Tagge and began his retort, "You would call us a superpower. I would begin to ask how, to what end? Superb in failing, perhaps, but no superpower. Our days shining in that sun had faded. The Jedi, whom we so desperately relied on, have abandoned us. Our military is clearly not up to the task either, with their continued losses. Which, I would wager, will only continue to mount with the Imperial war machine controlling the core."

He sighed, and at great length. Thin fingers pushed at his brow.

"Our access to the colonies is about to be cut off entirely. The Black Sun has made their move on Hapes, who is to say it will end there? Had been so wise to rebuff the Imperial's offer entirely? Surely that had only inspired their desire to see our utter annihilation, which I will remind you all that they seem content with doing and are amid the process of. When do we admit that concessions must be made for our continued survival?"

A nod was offered to senator Marek Bancroft in a shared understanding, "The senator of Ord Mantell has the right of it."

Alexandra Feanor - Cressida Tolliver - Annasari - Tiber Septimus - Sycorax Laveaux

 

[Tiber Septimus]

Tiber sighed, and stood up.

"Respecfully, Senator, If 'the right of it' entails appeasement to an adversary who has no inclination halt their march, I'm happy to be wrong. If 'the right of it' entails consigning trillions of sentient beings to life under the boot of a despot because this makes 'strategic sense', call me a fool. I was- we were- called to not only be constituent of our worlds, but public servants to the greater whole of this Alliance."

"There are countless beings that may not know the minutia of the Senate, that may not ever see an X-Wing fly over their sides, that believe the Jedi are myths and superstition, but benefit immeasurably under the stewardship of our democracy- flawed as it is- and would suffer terrible hardships under the reign of the Galactic Empire."

He regarded the room one more time.

"Senators, as we make choices- choices that will reverberate for generations- I do not urge you to not think of the strategic gains and losses by what we do. I urge you to think, for a moment, of the impact your decision- our decision- will make on the beings simply trying to make their way through this galaxy, one day at a time."

With a bow, Tiber swept out of the room, his mind still on the fight at hand.

-FIN-

Exum Jern | Alexandra Feanor | Cressida Tolliver | Annasari | Sycorax Laveaux | Fal Gore | Marek Bancroft | Tiber Saal | Arsenio Tagge

 

[Marek Bancroft]

Marek rolled his eyes momentarily when Tiber took the opportunity prior to his exit to press his point further, seemingly not interested in even compromising on either their national security interests or the increasingly grim reality of their collective situation. He shook his head as the Senator left, offering the raising of his glass in a farewell until the doors opened and shut closed once more.

"...I don't presume that we simply and outright abandon worlds for the sake it, Senator Tolliver." Marek returned to the conversation at hand, taking off where it left off before Tiber chose to leave. "What I am saying is we will need to come to terms with the reality that our member worlds may choose to make that decision for us. If we find ourselves completely cut off from logistical lines of supply and transit with either half of the galaxy-- what incentive will there be for member worlds to stick to a charter which we simply won't be able to enforce? Be it funding or the projection of power to ensure sector security from pirates and agitators, or our forces inability to deter the Galactic Empire's encroachment upon their borders."

He would look to each of them, his tone softened a bit from the more enthused level it had been at in previous exchanges so far. "Geopolitical states do not have friends, they have interests. We may find our member-worlds soon choosing to act within their interests, however they see fit. Our principles and beliefs will not save us from the potential political reality of this occurring, should we choose to not even consider this as a possibility."

Cressida Tolliver Exum Jern Arsenio Tagge Annasari Alexandra Feanor Tiber Saal