Private Nothing Certain Left to Know

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Senator Stuyveris' Chief of Staff had called ahead to Senator Yittreas' office seeking a brief drop-in. Not an appointment, necessarily. Nothing that would have to appear on the books. Nothing that would link the two Senators. For good measure she brought a small ceramic pot with a small plant thriving inside -- a gesture that Senator Eharl Sarn had done to welcome Verity to the Senate, which Verity could now pay forward.

For some reason, Verity doubted whether Senator Yittreas was a green thumb. They had that in common. Still, this plant was hearty, and if he did anything other than hurl it into the garbage, it would probably survive. Still, it was all very innocuous, very above-board.

She entered the outer office with a casual air. "Good afternoon," Verity greeted Yittreas' receptionist. "Senator Stuyveris for Senator Yittreas, please."

Eadu Yittreas​

 

[Eadu Yittreas]

Eadu had consistently voiced his opposition to the current Chancellor of the High Republic, Dominique Vexx , not out of personal animosity towards her, but because he believed that the collapse of one administration could pave the way for his own rise to power. In these challenging times, a strong leader is essential, but not one who sanctioned reckless missions into the Imperial Confederation to rescue an ambassador.

Obaith continued to plague his thoughts even days later, a figure who had represented the Corellian People with dignity following the collapse of the Galactic Empire. Yet, he had opted to step into the lair of Marlon Sularen, fully aware of the hypocrisy that the Imperial was known for. His musings were abruptly cut off by the sound of the terminal built into his desk, with his Rodian Receptionist on the line.

"Senator, a Miss Stu-yverios is here to see you," they announced, displaying a small holofeed of Senator Verity Stuyveris waiting outside, holding what seemed to be a potted plant... an idea that likely originated from the mind of the senile Eharl Sarn rather than a senator he had come to admire.

"Fine. Allow them in." Eadu felt no urgency to rectify the Rodian's mispronunciation of the Senator's name. He rose from his desk, wearing his customary pressed tunic, which featured a small golden chain indicating his status as a Republic Senator. He gestured toward an open seat as the blast doors opened, with a refreshing drink dispensing from the machine along the wall's far side.

"Senator Stuyveris. If this is an assassination, I would suggest using a blaster instead of a potted plant" He said with a soft smile adorning his features. A morbid suggestion yet he was justified in his wariness considering the demise of Senator Monaray Dod on Toshara due to a mysterious package.

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

The Senator from Druckenwell certainly clocked the Rodian's mispronunciation of her name, but she didn't correct it either. It was not material to the matter at hand. "Thank you," she told the Rodian as the doors slid open. She turned and entered Yittreas' office, offering him firm nod of greeting as he made his quip.

Verity smiled tightly in return.

"Never anything so gauche," she answered. "This is just... tradition, you could call it." She set the plant down on Yittreas' desk carefully. "If I had meant to assassinate you, there are more effective ways. This is the same plant I have in my office, for the avoidance of any doubt."

Hands free, she folded them in front of her. "Apologies for stopping in without a formal appointment. I was hoping to speak to you on a matter of some delicacy. During this -- kerfuffle -- over Corellia, you seemed to expressed a certain frustration that I found myself experiencing. I am speaking of the Magistrate, of course. Or am I misreading the situation?"

Eadu Yittreas​

 

[Eadu Yittreas]

Eadu stayed quiet as she talked, his eyes tracking the potted plant that was placed on his desk.

It added a splash of color to his otherwise stark office, which was only equipped with the minimal necessities to prevent the hassle of relocating everything if the Capital of Naboo faced an attack. He refrained from touching it right away, instead using a silver-plated tong to lift the pot from the desk carefully, even though she assured him that she wouldn't use such a commonplace item to assassinate him.

He crossed the room and placed the greenery on a small black marble altar situated near the beverage dispenser. With him pressing a button on the machine as it filled two translucent cups with a pale amber liquid, watered down naturally to avoid any alcohol connotations.

"Do not fret about an appointment. My office is always open for a chat, even if my personality suggest otherwise during my performance in the senate chamber." Eadu said as he returned to the desk, placing the cups down with a sharp clatter. He tended to be somewhat confrontational during the senate meetings, especially since the populace of Alyssa Major opposed war, considering they were not warriors but rather relied on a tourism-based economy.

He refrained from making any additional remarks until the name of the Magistrate was mentioned. This man epitomized tyranny in every sense of the term, concealing himself behind the Chancellor's shield even though he had disregarded the senate's authority time and again. Ample evidence existed to justify impeachment, yet the Senate was presently devoid of courage.

"You are not misunderstanding the situation in any way, Senator Stuyveris. The Magistrate has become increasingly tyrannical since Chancellor Vexx took power. He has been issuing official decrees without the Senate's complete approval and using fabricated laws to rationalize his power seizures. I'm certain you've witnessed this happening on the Senate floor." He elaborated with a gravelly sigh, reclining in the plain wooden chair.

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity watched the man curiously, her eyebrow shifting up in an almost imperceptible arch, clear blue eyes tracking him this way and that. She regarded the liquid he placed down before him briefly before her eyes went back to him. She straightened a little, fingers lacing together. "I'm -- I'm not certain what I've witnessed. But I tend to believe you're correct. I have been unable to locate some of the regulations the Magistrate has referenced in justifying some of his more... broad pronouncements."

She allowed her eyes to settle on his -- or rather, where she thought they were. The darkness around his gaze made that difficult to ascertain for sure. Her gaze was cautious but intent.

"I am concerned that the Magistrate is overstepping himself," she allowed herself carefully. "And I am concerned that the levers of authority meant to provide a check to an official overstepping may be in his sway. The Senate Parliamentarian, for instance, has not been forthcoming in providing the citations he has referenced."

She unlaced her fingers, then rested her hands behind her back, straightening her shoulders, and dropped her gaze, as if searching for the right words. "Most of all I worry that the important decisions -- the Chancellor election, for instance, and this business with Corellia -- are being taken out of the hands of the people's representatives. Or that they are being somehow influenced before they reach us, so that what happens on the Senate floor is something of a fait accompli." Her cold blue eyes looked up again, fixing on Yittreas through her dark eyelashes. "It is not what we were sent here to do; would you agree?"

Eadu Yittreas​

 

[Eadu Yittreas]

Eadu took a slow, sip of the amber liquid watching Senator Verity Stuyveris through the rim of the glass as she explained her views on the Magistrate's current conduct within the Senate. Her words about fait accompli and the Parliamentarian's silence underscored his own findings when looking through the Charter of Unity that the Planet of Alyssa Major had signed to become a member of the High Republic.

The Senate legislature was compromised, it was the only explanation for why a ghost law like the Strategic Transitional Systems Authority hadn't been flagged immediately. Corvalis was slowly pushing the Senate out of the room and the Chancellor was helping him. Corruption ran deep it seems and perhaps it was time to use the Vote of No Confidence.

"You speak of the Chancellor election" Eadu said after the cup was lowered from his mouth. "A democratic process that relies entirely on the transparency of the very levers the Magistrate is currently dismantling before our very own eyes. If the representatives of the people are handed a script instead of a ballot to choose from, then we are no longer a republic but a mere rubber stamp factory." He leaned back, his deep-set eyes fixing on hers. However, executive instability could serve as a useful platform for his own Chancellorship campaign. Yet, that was still some time away... not unless Vexx became incapable of ruling.

But there was a twist. If Corvalis managed to seize power, there would be no campaign. There would be no election. Only the Magistrate's Provisional Accession would be enforced across every system in the galaxy, including Alassa Major.

"We were sent here to represent the sovereignty of our worlds, Senator Stuyveris," Eadu continued, his tone unwavering. "Not to be the background noise for a Magistrate's military fantasies. If the Parliamentarian will not provide citations, it is because those citations are written in the Magistrate's private journals, not the Charter." He leaned forward again, the golden chain on his tunic catching the dim light of the chamber they currently occupied.

"The business with Corellia is a test. If he can annex a major shipyard world by fabricating a law, he can do it to Druckenwell. He can do it to Alassa Major. He is testing the limits of our cowardice. And so far, I fear he finds the Senate very accommodating."

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity took a breath and inclined her head in response to Yittreas' analysis.

"I tend to agree," she said quietly. "The question is what can be done about it?"

Verity took a half step closer to the desk and leaned forward a little. "There are two of us now. Two of us and five credits will get us a cup of coffee and a pastry in the Senate cafeteria. I don't know who else has had these same thoughts, but there are a few colleagues I have in mind to consult. If you'll forgive my saying so, I believe you and I may have separate circles in terms of colleagues. Perhaps it would be advisable to -- divide and conquer, for lack of a better turn of phrase."

Her mind went to Eharl Sarn first. The Ithorian had expressed misgivings about the Magistrate during the restrictive election process, and Verity could not imagine that the business about Corellia would sit much better. Even if he agreed -- as Verity did -- that Corellia was better off within the Republic than outside it, the procedural necessities had to be observed. She wondered about Ayumi Pallopides too, but there was something discomfiting there about the optics. The Magistrate had recently taken a hatchet to Denon -- he had done it in the most polite way possible, but it was a hatchet nonetheless -- which could make any action supported by the Denon delegation appear retributive.

The question then became whether optics mattered when compared against the necessity to protect the High Republic's democratic process.

"Meanwhile, if we are to force any action, we need to know what tools we have -- tools that he can't try to wrestle out of our grasp the moment we make a motion."

Eadu Yittreas
​

 

[Eadu Yittreas]

Eadu placed his cup on the desk with a sharp clack of ceramic, taking in Senator Verity Stuyveris response to his evaluation of the situation. Her divide and conquer approach seemed somewhat simplistic for galactic politics, but given the current atmosphere of manufactured consensus, it was the only strategy available to them to rally allies without attracting the attention of the Magistrate and his associates.

Ravion would never believe that he would form an alliance with Stuyveris given their stark difference in approach and therein was the surprise element they needed. "Separate circles, indeed, Senator," Eadu murmured, a thin, mirthless smile touching his lips.

"If you don't mind me saying you tend to converse with the idealistic and the wary, whereas I have associates in the pragmatic camp. Each camp will be needed to contend with the unchecked authority of the Magistrate and be united for that purpose." He remembered the Galactic Alliance creating an opposition bloc against the whims of Chancellor Tithe of the Galactic Alliance, although it quickly disbanded after his departure from office because of conflicts among its members.

"The tool is instability. The Chancellor prizes unity above all else; it is the cornerstone of her High Republic branding. If that unity is threatened not by a foreign warlord, but by the very systems she claims to protect, her hand will be forced." He allowed the statement to hang in the air for perhaps a moment too long, but she had to grasp that what he was proposing was extremely perilous. Compelling the High Chancellor to act in any way was a hazardous bet, especially with the Republic army and the Jedi Order probably backing them.

"If we threaten to bring a Vote of No Confidence against the Chancellor and the Magistrate. She will bring us to the table to negotiate a settlement or else risk fracturing the High Republic. Negotiation is her strong suit, and so we can gently remind her that we are the people's representative not the executive. Naturally such a negotiation will be overseen by the Jedi Order to prevent Vexx from exerting her authority in a dictatorial way"