Faction Kingdom of Naboo: They've Sent Hope

[Briana Sal-Soren]

The galaxy stands on the precipice. ​

As the shadow of the Dark Empire stretches its hand over the Galactic Alliance, ripples of fear and disquiet echo through the Core and beyond, reaching the planet of Naboo that sits just beyond the Alliances boarders.

With troubling reports of an impending attack, Queen Kalantha , the wise and benevolent ruler of Naboo, has summoned the diverse and vibrant voices of her people to the grand halls of her palace — from the Gungan Warriors that hail out of the depths of Naboo's many lakes and swamps, to the distinguished heirs of the Royal Houses whose lineage pulls back to the founding of the planet itself, and finally to the esteemed merchants and corporate titans, whose endeavors fuel the prosperity of their world — all have been called to join the assembly in hopes to discuss and enact a bold refugee initiative; a plan that would offer a safe haven for those seeking to flee the chaos ahead of whatever machinations the Dark Empire might have in store for the Galactic Alliance and her Core worlds.

However, not all are open to extending a welcoming hand.

Several dissenting voices rise amongst those gathered, challenging the Queen's vision with cool pragmatism.

Having long sought a defense pact with the Alliance, only to be met with hesitation and bureaucracy, a small faction questions why they should offer sanctuary when their own calls for security have gone unanswered, demanding resources be allocated to their own safety and future survival.

As the stars wheel overhead, the questions stands: Will the Naboo heed their Queen's call for action, becoming a lighthouse of hope in the encroaching night, or will the specter of fear seal the fate of those who might come seeking solace at their door?

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Wearing: Outfit - Still missing her left arm.
Tags: Briana Sal-Soren Kalantha

Unable to allow herself to be missing from the meeting, Lossa had found herself firmly digging her heels in when faced with the isolationist point of view another was presenting.

"Remaining ignorant of the ongoing conflict and closing the borders to prepare will not aid you when the threat of the Dark Empire comes this way." Arm resting on the chair she'd been graciously given. And definitely not prompted to sit in by the large droid Briana had told to stick beside her like a rancor tick.

She doubted her opinion would matter entirely given her naming ceremony had yet to occur. The recognition of her status or opinion wasn't what mattered in the moment though so much as those with clout seeing sense behind their decision.

The safety of those lives involved in the pending conflict had her attentions and had spurned her to act. If her cousin was anything to go by, the people of Naboo were as proud of their ways as they were stubbornly set in them.

"The policies and conflicts of the Alliance have long extended beyond their own borders. The Alliance and it's people will survive this with or without our help." The noble spoke as if the topic had a decided outcome already. Waving a hand dismissively about with a grin on their face in expectation of her conceding the point. "We should worry about the safety and well being of our own before we even begin to ponder harboring others."

Propping her arm up and resting her cheek against the palm, she frowned before speaking. The thought of isolating their interests was something each major power likely had given thought to. Lossa also wondered how many times it had been their downfall, or the idea had quickly reversed itself when faced with the ramifications of such an action.

"Naboo, and its people, have received help in the past from both larger systems and private organizations. This is another milestone in the galaxy of showing once more who is compassionate, and who should be remembered when they go looking to their neighbors for aid." Her brow rose as a question began to form in her mind. "Would you remember those that denied the people of Naboo refuge or aid in their time of need, when they came to ask the same?"

The noble frowned and weighed their rebuttal, paired with the measuring up and down sent her way told her plenty enough about the noble she was speaking against.

"This can pit us against a growing threat we are ill prepared to defend our home and people against. Never you mind the astronomical cost of housing, feeding, and maintaining those refugees for an undetermined amount of time." A there-and-gone sneer as the words left their mouth to the Zeltron that sat among them.

"War and everything involved in it wait for no one. Surrounding yourself with allies and goodwill however, can make a potential conflict much shorter than remaining aloof. As for the cost and maintenance," She countered, tilting her head enough to ease the growing tension in her neck. Eyes firmly set on the noble before her that seemed ever more weary of her presence with each noise that escaped her. "Will wealth buy you a ticket out of the conflict should the Dark Empire arrive on the threshold tomorrow? What good will the wealth of the Noble Houses be worth, when Naboo begins to crumble?"

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Lossa Aureus , Kalantha , Alora Ee'everwest ​

Briana stayed silent, listening and observing during the heated back and forth between her cousin and Thesan. Lossa was holding her own against him considerably well, considering this was her first time stepping into this particular arena. Then again, it wasn't really her first time coming up against this sort of pushback, either. The transference of leadership for the Jakku Enclave, from the hands of Romi Jade to Lossa, hadn't exactly been the smoothest of sailing, at least not from what Lossa described to her.

Idly, Briana mused on whether or not this growth came from those experiences, or if part of this new found feistiness was a combination of the skilled academics teaching her, and the natural result of impending motherhood. Maybe it was all of the above.

Regardless, she was proud of her cousin and the strides she'd made.

Though, that moment was short lived.

Thesan — slender faced and brown-haired, wrapped in the finest of green silk — pointed a bony finger at Lossa, his voice cutting through her thoughts in his apparently unwillingness to concede.

"Spoken like someone who knows nothing of our world and what we've already suffered," he scoffed, his gaze sweeping over Lossa with a disdain that made her see red. "Or do I have to remind this assembly that our health expenditures sky-rocketed after the Cataclysm, credit reserves were depleted and destroyed, our labor market ground to a halt, and we've seen inflation like never before. Three years on, and Naboo's economy is only just beginning to recover. And let's not forget the additional burdens we accrued from the attack of the New Way and their virus just six months ago."

His calculating gaze then shifted to Briana, heavy on the implications, a preemptive strike aimed to undercut her position before she even spoke. "What do you suppose will happen to our citizens should we shoulder the burden of a massive influx of refugees?"

"You pose an interesting question," Briana cut in, her tone one of cool control as she reclined back in her chair, sharp blue-eyes tracing the invisible lines between those in support of the initiative on one side, those who opposed on the opposite, and the few who'd yet to make a decision still lingering in the middle. The ones who needed to be swayed in order to make this work.

"Let's talk about the average citizen—those same individuals whose wages you slashed after the Cataclysm, whose livelihoods you deemed expendable. The same citizens who now toil on your lands for even less, while you hoard the wealth that could've helped Naboo recover more swiftly. We all remember who suffered the least during that period. You worry about your coffers, Thesan, not the people. Stop trying to dress it up as anything else. It's embarrassing."

A ripple of discomfort passed through the wealthier ranks of the assembly at the common truth laid bare, Thesan's posture melting slightly in his wing backed seat.

Good.

"Yes, taking in refugees is a risk. There will be costs, and it won't be easy. But since when has Naboo shied away from doing what's right because it's hard?"

Briana reached into her satchel, pulling out a data pad. "I also come with a prepared proposal."

With a flick she activated the device, and a holographic display sprang to life, showing figures and charts. "By reallocating just a fraction of the wealth that's been hoarded by the noble houses, including my own, we can very easily fund the integration of refugees. Now...this is just a rough draft, but as you can see, it includes job creation, resource management, and financial models that will not only support the incoming populations but stimulate our economy by injecting new skills, labor, and cultural diversity."

She glanced at those gathered, before turning off the datapad and tucking it away again. "Houses Ee'everwest, Aureus, Zirkonn, and Veruna have already agreed to contribute. If we use this, I do believe we can turn the Queen's Refugee Relief Initiative into an opportunity for growth, not a burden. With careful planning and shared sacrifice, Naboo could potentially rise stronger from this."

​