Private Hearing - The Use of Privateers

[Eugen Aker]

Chancellor Sparrow had begun floating around the idea of indirectly striking out at the Republic's enemies with privateers. There was support for his proposal, but it did not come without controversy. The Republic was dealing with a serious image problem that was shaking the faith of many member systems in the central government, and it was the fear that use of privateering would only add fuel to the fire. It only took one incident to it all backfire.

Personally, she agreed with the general concept of using proxy agents, but her issue with his proposal was that the Republic was in a position of weakness, simply unable to deal with the inevitable blowback. The Sith war machine appeared unstoppable, while the Republic struggled to maintain order within its borders. Fresh off their victory at Roche, she was even seeing reports of Mandalorian warships roaming freely through the Republic space. The government needed to get its act together before she would even consider prodding at the Sith right now.


She had called for a private hearing between the Chancellor, the Jedi attaché, and relevant committee members of the Senate. She would start out the discussion against Sparrow's proposal, but she was willing to hear him out, and see where everyone else stood on the matter. Explore some alternatives. She had even gone as far as to insist that representatives from Eshan make an appearance. She figured that if she could get them more involved, then they would start to calm down.

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((Appearance:

((Hi, I just tagged people based off the Senate roster, so if I'm missing anyone, then please tag them in. I'm a nub. Relevant ministers and soldiers under Chancellor Sparrow are also free to attend this hearing.))

Spoiler

[member="Megàn Alestria"]

[member="Jack Sparrow"]
[member="Darion Blackstaff"]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

[member="Tonald Drump"]

[member="Ordon Trozky"]

[member="Miria Lasedri"]

[member="Khyros Sunblade"]

[member="Auru Taff"]

[member="Salete Kel"]

[member="Janira Fenni"]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

[member="Nick Sept"]

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

 

[Faith Organa]

The Minister of Intelligence entered the room and found a seat at the table. She still took her duties seriously, she knew no other way. Even though she knew that many looked at her differently right now, and in truth she wondered did they all think the same as Kay.

Perhaps that was the reason for the decision, Faith shook her head, Don't think on that, focus on this, focus on privateers and the use of them.

Faith began to read the data pad as she waited for the others.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Thalia entered the room she noted that only the Minister of Intelligence had arrived. She knew everyone would be shaken up off of the loss but she thought that this would be the best course of action and planned to offer her ship to be used to clear out Mandalorians in the area until the Republic could find a way to get back on its feet

Thalia then took a seat beside Faith

 

[Minna Balin]

Auru walked in slowly, taking his time as he walked. He had all the time in the world, now that Caamas had settled down. Auru's negotiations had helped to smooth his populace. He was given a brief overview of the subject they would be debating, and was talking with a hushed voice to his mentor, advisor, and godfather, Alic. The two Caamasi agreed on the issue at hand somewhat, and Senator Taff planned to voice his concern for using pirates to do their dirty work.

Walking into the room, Taff saw the others in the room, and quickly bowed to them. Averting his eyes, the Caamasi quickly sat opposite his fellow senators, and waited for the political battle to begin.

 

[Jack Sparrow]

One of Jack's aides, a tall Falleen with deep green scales and a finely tailored suit, opened the door for him. Jack nodded his thanks and added "You're a credit to your pay scale, Nommid." The Falleen bowed and closed the door behind the Supreme Chancellor.

"Excellent. Are we all gathered? Snacks delivered? Waiting on anyone else?"

 

[Khyros Sunblade]

Uncharacteristically late by a single minute, Senator Sunblade swept into the room and took his seat.

"My apologies, one and all." Was all he said as he pulled out a pad and glanced over the agenda one last time before turning to the Chancellor and nodding.

 

[Eugen Aker]

((Thanks to everyone that decided to participate so far. I'm going to wait a little longer to see if anyone will jump in, then I will proceed.))

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Ding ding.

A warning chime would sound about then as a hologram appeared of Janira. Of course she wasn't going to show up at a Republic senate meeting in person since Eshan had seceded. Though she had strangely received a summons to it. When she saw Suravi she understood why, though kept that to herself. She also remained muted for the time being, waiting to hear what this was all about.

 

[Khyros Sunblade]

The Senator of Arkania turned to where the hologram of the former Senator of Eshan had appeared and his ginger eyebrows mated to his hairline for a moment. His nose flared as a spike of anger roared through him, though no other outward sign of such would be apparent. None other was needed, he knew the Echani would notice it.

He then turned to the rest of those assembled.

"Point of order, this woman is no longer a valid member of the Senate." He spared another look at Fenni. He had thought well of her until the most recent actions, which he viewed as against the interests of both her people and the Republic in general. Personally, he thought far less kindly of it. "I do not believe that we should discuss any potentially vital information with her here, via hologram or not."

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith looked up, "I believe that since Eshan is still under the cloud of influence of the Republic they are still entitled to a seat in the Senate...is this not correct [member="Jack Sparrow"] ?"

This living on the edge thing was definitely not going to go well for the new few weeks. hope. It was then that Ana slipped in and set Faith's tea down.

Some comforts she just had to have.

[member="Khyros Sunblade"] [member="Janira Fenni"] [member="Suravi"] [member="Auru Taff"] [member="Thalia Kaia"]

 

[Eugen Aker]

"I share Minister Organa's sentiments. The Echani delegation may have vacated their seats in protest, but we still share strong economic and military ties with the Compact. Centuries worth of good relations shouldn't be so quickly forgotten. Sooner or later, they would have been brought into the discussion anyway, so I believe it's better to involve them in the process from the beginning."

She still held out the hope that she could work on the Echanimore, and bring them back into the Senate. The Compact and Republic were stronger together. Given the extraordinary circumstances that had led to the Echani vacating the Senate, she felt that they should be shown leniency. The same went for Alderaan and their special guests at the moment.

Spoiler

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]
[member="Thalia Kaia"]
[member="Khyros Sunblade"]
[member="Auru Taff"]
[member="Jack Sparrow"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Your sphere of influence entirely surrounds us, Senator. Thus we have a vested interest in the matter. Besides, we left you out of formal protest for your failure to be an actual Republic, not because we are aiming to join your enemies."

She nodded her agreement with the Senators from Kiribi and Alderaan.

"I see you have no issue with the Senator from Alderaan, which has followed in our footsteps. Now, if you would like to take personal issue with me, perhaps you could save it for after this session which I was, in fact, invited to attend?"

[member="Khyros Sunblade"] | [member="Faith Balor-Organa"] | [member="Suravi"]

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"Senator Balor-Organa has the right of it," nodded Jack. "Regardless of her internal positions, so long as Eshan remains a functioning part of our Republic it continues to have a seat in our Senate. Your protest, though, Senator Sunblade, is noted."

Jack tapped the table.

"If I may launch headlong into my tirade? Thank you. There seems to be some confusion as to what exactly a privateer is, and how it is used by a government. I should like to begin by reiterating what I feel their role is, and my proposal to utilize them. Privateers have been used since the Republic was naught but a rebellion. Privateers are single ships, not fleets. Privateers are not meant to be used in open warfare or active, protracted combat. We do not mass privateers, we do not organize them into naval battalions. They are agents, nothing more.

"I have heard the argument that using privateers will anger our enemies." Jack looked around the room, incredulous. "This a problem why, exactly? Do you honestly think that the One Sith, or Sith Empire, or Walt Angry's Land of Sith, the Sithiest Place in the Galaxy, featuring Sithy Mouse and Donald Dark is going to be more likely to want to do us harm than they are now?" The Supreme Chancellor shook his head. "Are we so afraid? Do we hold ourselves so cheap? Testicular fortitude. That's what's needed in these turbulent times. Or the female equivalent thereof. I wouldn't presume to assume.

"This, then, is what I propose, and I ask you to carefully consider all of the words, not just the first three and last two, yes? Attention to detail is the order of the day, friends. Privateers will be commissioned with raiding enemy cargo ships, supply bases and factories as well as similar targets owned by corporations associated with said enemies. Privateers will surrender 50% of the supplies and profits to the Republic and can do what they please with the remaining 50%. If they choose to sell, the Republic will purchase the remaining 50% as well. Captured slaves will be set free, while captured personnel are to be surrendered to the Republic for questioning and disposed of as circumstances warrant. Personally, I like the idea of ransom. I've always been a romantic. A reward will be given to privateers in the form of credits for captured personnel.

"Privateers are expected to seize cargoes with minimal bloodshed and are not allowed to attack Republic or neutral ships or to take civilian hostages. Any such violation of the letter of marque will render the privateer fair game for the Republic to hunt. We will exercise the right to post observers aboard privateers' ships as desired.

"In return for service, privateers will be allowed to use Republic safe ports, repair facilities, supplies, and given access intelligence as deemed necessary, subject to Faith's recommendation as Minister of Intelligence. They will also be offered amnesty and pardons if they were former criminals, if promising not to commit crimes again.

"That is my proposal." He held up a hand before relinquishing the floor. "And before anyone asks, no, we have no way of knowing if a privateer will betray us. Just like we don't know if a Jedi will betray us. Or a senator. Or a janitor. I haven't the gift of far sight, nor would I want it if it were offered." He spread his hand and smiled. "Now, please. Argue at your leisure."

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"] | [member="Janira Fenni"] | [member="Suravi"] | [member="Khyros Sunblade"] | [member="Auru Taff"]

 

[Khyros Sunblade]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"] | [member="Janira Fenni"] | [member="Suravi"] | [member="jack sparrow"] | [member="Auru Taff"]


Khyros knew when reason was defeated, and he gave no outward signs of his feelings on the matter. He distinctly disagreed with allowing not just the Senator from a world that had not only rescinded trade agreements with the Republic, thrown all diplomatic and military forces from said planet, and done just about everything possible to make it clear they didn't want to be in the Republic, but the very person who had been the face for those decisions. The Minister of Intelligence was another matter in his opinion, she had yet to openly speak about her planets attempt at secession. He felt he knew at least part of her mind on it, but for the moment she had retained her post rather than leave it.

He turned his gaze to the new Chancellor and pondered. The man had been dealt a very raw deal, what with Alderaan attempting to secede because their senator had lost the election and the Echani doing likewise over the Hadrix affair. He figured that his opinion on that affair were similar to Fenni's own, though he definitely differed on how to handle it. Through this thought process, Khyros listened to Jack speak. He agreed with what the Chancellor was saying, and enjoyed that more detail was provided than was in the agenda for this meeting.

"I like the way you've outlined it. It provides benefits to the privateers, as well as provides relief for our own forces to strengthen our borders and supply lines. I'd be open to discuss whether the letters of marque should be form letters, or tailored to each specific privateer. For example, should a privateer we find more trustworthy get a better deal, discounts on services and more access to intelligence than one who has acted in a less trustworthy manner towards us?" He turned and looked at each individual as he spoke, the only outward interest he showed was in the matter at hand. "We should also discuss what happens to the credits that we get from the privateers seized goods. Should we use it to further enable resistance movements behind enemy lines, provide humanitarian aid along the border regions, invest it back into materiel for our regular armed forces?"

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith's homeworld did NOT leave because of her losing an election and anyone who thought that needed to speak with Alyesa Organa the crown Princess as to why she decided to remove Alderaan.

Faith looked around the table, she felt like the 900 lb gorilla in the room but she was still doing her job.

"If we we go through with using privateers, and offer better deals to others that meet the needs of the Republc, there is the risk that the others could get wind of it, cause, they do talk. And then they'd go from helping us, to...raiding us. Or worse providing intelligence on planets, and our military to someone who pays more. So it's a double edged sword. But we must look at it from both sides."

She smiled, and kept taking notes.

[member="Khyros Sunblade"] [member="Jack Sparrow"] [member="Janira Fenni"] [member="Suravi"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"I agree with the [member="Jack Sparrow"], and would also like to say I can very quickly put together a strike team of privateers to patrol Republic airspace if wanted" Thalia says towards the rest of the senators but especially Chancellor Sparrow

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]
[member="Khyros Sunblade"]
[member="Janira Fenni"]

 

[Eugen Aker]

"Chancellor, in our last act of machoism and bravado, we earned ourselves a declaration of war from the Mandalorians, and public relations nightmare. Somehow, we had the likes of a Sith Lord coming out of Roche looking like a hero."

"I believe a similar result occurs by proceeding with your proposal. Cutting through the archaic terminology, you desire freelance mercenaries and criminals as agents for conducting operations against the Sith. The Sith will assuredly interpret this action as a violation of our cease-fire agreement, and resume incursions, throwing us back into a hot war. Do you all recall why the cease-fire was established in the first place?"

In her hand, she tilted her stylus forward, and a hologram would spring from the tip of the pocket computer. The hologram displayed a political map of the Republic at as it was just prior to the invasion of Coruscant.

"At our greatest extent a few years back, our influence was felt all the way to the Outer Rim in multiple quadrants. Today, we are less that than a third of our original size since our war with the One Sith, basically trapped in a small pocket between the Inner and Mid rim. We're almost completely enveloped by them and the Mandalorians. In the years of our fighting with the Sith, we have known nothing but loss. The cease-fire was called to stop that."

"To invite that upon the Republic again with such a short-sighted plan would spell our ruin, as things stand now. We need to take advantage of the cease-fire to begin our recovery and finally develop countermeasures to roll back their advance, not snipe at them from the shadows through proxies. I'm not so naive as to think that the Sith will honor the cease-fire forever, but we don't need to give them an excuse to break it now. As much as some of us don't like to entertain the thought, the reality is that we are currently in a position of weakness, and must act accordingly. I'd feel much more comfortable directly backing dedicated resistance groups, or even employing our special operations forces for direct action if we're going to take the risk."

"Chancellor, I find it disheartening that you put your comrades in the Republic on the same level as the murderous brigands you wish to employ."

She killed the hologram and sat back awaiting a response.

Spoiler

[member="Jack Sparrow"]
[member="Janira Fenni"]
[member="Thalia Kaia"]
[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]
[member="Khyros Sunblade"]
[member="Auru Taff"]

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"[member="Suravi"], with respect, everything you said is rather misguided, not to mention a drastic overreaction. We're speaking of single ships in a galaxy of billions. The only way anyone would know a single ship was operating under a letter of marque would be if it were captured and the letter discovered. And even if it were, do you think any enemy of the Republic would see it as a reason to overreact in the way you're describing?

"Also, I would guess this bears mentioning, I've named the One Sith as the enemy simply because they've been such a one for so long. If we are not at war with them, there's no reason to employ anyone to harass them. The same holds true for the Mandalorians, Galactic Alliance, Techno Union, Hutt Cartel, or whatever other group decides to thrust their groins into the galaxy at large.

I'm not looking to unleash a plague of unruly, uncontrollable heathens upon unsuspecting innocents, Senator. Regardless of how you'd like to paint them, I've had squarer dealings with pirates, privateers, smugglers and rogues than with several so-called civilized politicians that I could name."

To [member="Thalia Kaia"], he added, "Thank you, Miss Kaia, but the goal of this bill is not one of patrols or strike teams. The Republic employees professional peacekeepers for those roles, and I'd prefer not to mix. The role of the privateer would be to plunder their guts out on the flesh of the enemy, once said enemy were decided upon, and enjoy the spoils thereof."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Yes, Jack. They would be willing to use the act of one ship as reason for war. This is the Sith we are talking about. They've attacked world's for no reason at all in the past. Don't be so daft as to think they wouldn't use that as a justification for attacking you."

Janira had largely remained quiet and would continue to do so, but she did feel the need to point out the logical lunacy of what Jack had just said.

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"[member="Janira Fenni"], then what's the problem? If they're going to go to war with the Republic for no reason at all, we might as well be prepared to bring them grief however we can, no? I'm not talking about instigating. I'm talking about using obtainable resources in a mutually beneficial relationship. Friends with benefits and ships, you might say."