Sizing Up The Competition [GR & GA Meeting]

[Cecily Demici]

It had only been a few days since word of this new Galactic Alliance had reached the ears of the Ministry of State. However, Cecily wasted no time making contact with their leadership and it was not long before an entire regiment of the Galactic Republic's diplomatic fleet entered orbit above Sullust. Leading this contingent of ships was Plenipotentiary a large diplomatic freighter and one of the Minister of State's official transports.

While this visit by the Republic had been made under the guise of opening diplomatic relations, Cecily's true purpose here was to size up this "Galactic Alliance." At present, little more than a small band of rogue fringe members of society and yet their movement had gained enough momentum to raise even her stiff brow. To Cecily, this rag tag band had no legitimate authority other than that it had usurped from others.

She fully expected to be welcomed by a crew of pirates masquerading as liberators. She would bring them in tow.

"Senator Cecily Demici, Minister of State, requesting clearance to land," she said clearly to whatever form of mission control awaited below.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] l [member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Starchaser wasn’t technically in charge, and that was a good thing. Coren Starcahser didn’t really like… people. Most he saw as useless, most he saw as willing to bend for the Sith when they came calling and requesting. No fight in most of the galaxy. But then again, he wasn’t here to talk, he was here to observe, and to serve as a voice for the military. He and his apprentice, [member="Chevu Visz"] were escorting young Sullustan ambassador Wal Konda Whilsied. The Sullustan was representing the chief of state’s office as she was working with some more of her officials to help set up some trade routes between worlds that would be helping Sullust.

On top of that, the new kids on the block were also working hard and fast to at least do some good for the galaxy. Battle plans were being drawn and the enemy was found the dark side. The One Sith, the Final Order. And for Coren, his additional foes were mediocrity and uselessness. Everyone had it in them to combat the dark side, they just needed to learn there were ways to do it, and get out there and do.

Maybe Yoda was right.

He had the Tyrene and her TIE and X-Wing flights in orbit to greet and monitor the Republic. Showing up with a fleet to Sullust? He didn’t trust them to not fire on the planet and he needed to make sure that the VIPs were safe, and that was why his apprentice was with them. Was he going to do much talking? No. He was going to let the ambassadors do their thing, their oral magic. And he had heard that Wal Whilsied was something of a cunning linguist, so there was that.

He could be do so many other things.

Mission control, Sullustan as well, and former Omega Protectorate personnel contacted the representative’s ship in return. “We see you, Representative. Please await while we scan your vessel and transfer your ship manifest so we may clear you for landing at docking bay seven oh four.” The Galactic Alliance may be small, but they had people who were intelligent, hard working and prepared to change the galaxy around, thanks.

Meanwhile, Coren had lead Wal to the meeting room. An underground city, not attached to the military training center, but still with the honor guard that could be given for this situation. When the time came, the Alliance would put its best foot forward, but typically its soldiers were busy doing work. Making sure ships were running, making sure the Final Order was chased back, and y'know, helping their people that needed it. "You sure about this meeting, Ambassador?" The Starchaser wasn't one for trusting people.

[member="Cecily de Demici"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Chevu Visz, Jedi Marshall of the New Jedi Order, was no diplomat or senator. Ironically enough, she had been a handmaiden to a Republic senator in her former life, but all of that changed when she was kidnapped, sold to the Hutts, then freed by a Jedi Master who trained her to be a Jedi Knight on Sullust. Consquently, Chevu was found by [member="Coren Starchaser"] for the Galactic Alliance. Or did she find him? It wasn't important. What mattered most was that she finished her training with someone once Master Oomomo fell ill. Coren was Oomomo's choice, which knowing both men, made perfect sense to her now. Although a warrior first and foremost, Chevu was not only well-spoken and well-educated, but the soft-spoken Mirialan had a soothing way about her, or so she was told. She was a nice yin to Starchaser's yang. Chevu would let Coren and Wal do most of the talking during today's meeting with [member="Cecily de Demici"], but would represent the New Jedi Order if the topic arose.

Coren Starchaser was a galactic wild card. He was a man of action over talk, and he had salty opinions about politicians. In fact, when the subject of senators came up, he usually muttered words like "useless" and well, other words that couldn't be spoken in public. Let's just say he wasn't a fan.

Dressed in the traditional robes of the Jedi, Chevu walked with Coren and Wal to the meeting room. The Sullustan diplomat radiated confidence, which in turn rubbed off on Chevu. Mostly. Her former Master Oomomo had always been the constellation that guided her way. Without him, Chevu sometimes felt rudderless. And she was still figuring Coren out, too. He was a straight talker. Blunt. Didn't sugar-coat. Chevu happened to like it, but sometimes it rubbed people the wrong way.

Showing up with an intimidating diplomatic fleet wasn't the politest gesture in the galaxy, but still, it was just a meeting right?

 

[Cecily Demici]

It took a few moments before the ship was sufficiently scanned. Aside from the military ships that were escorting them, none of the vessels in the Ministry of State's diplomatic fleet were capable of engaging in battle. Cecily's own ship was entirely unarmed. A notion that was a little unsettling when you considered that she had recently become the de facto deputy of the Galactic Republic as the most senior Minister in the government. This did not concern her. She had stared down death before and won, she could do it again.

When the single diplomatic freighter had touched down and lowered its ramp, the esteemed diplomat of the Republic descended gracefully onto the landing pad. She was accompanied by the Ministerial Guard, seven beautiful young women of a strikingly similar appearance, each hooded in white. They had not left her side since the attempted assassination and though they were unarmed now, they were more than capable of defending their charge.

Cecily herself was dressed far more intricately than her personal guard, befitting her high station. Draped in light creams and white, her entire gown and cloak were embroidered with luxurious golden thread. Upon her head was a formal head dress that almost seemed like the crown of a mighty queen and yet it gave her the appearance of an unassuming diplomat. In seemingly every design of gold, the emblem of the Galactic Republic could clearly be seen. Today, she was the voice of the Republic and she looked the part.

"Ambassador," her voice was like warm honey, yet she spoke with confidence and command, "I thank you for receiving us and bring good tidings from the Galactic Republic."

The diminutive woman lowered herself into a respectful bow, but never once took her eyes off of the Alliance's representative. Until they gave her reason to do otherwise, she would regard them as legitimate in authority, despite her personal opinion of their establishment.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] l [member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

A bit more of a haircut, but still a scruffy spacer, or partly, Commander Coren Starchaser was awaiting word from flight control about the shuttle. No uniform, but combat armor, that was decided when the representative of the Republic decided to break a damned fleet into his sky. Was it really that necessary to show up to someone who was fighting on your side, just a bit more aggressively and without needing meetings of Jedi or state officials to get things done, to bring your fleet? That was why Tyrene was in orbit and greeting the fleet. She’d at least be able to keep an eye out with her advanced senors and alert Coren should anything change, or that they would need to call Pyre ships in to turn them into slag.

But then he’d have a representative of the Republic to deal with, she’d probably try to call a meeting while she got arrested and then there wouldn’t be anything to get done. Yeah, [member="Chevu Visz"] had to deal with Coren’s incessant complaining about state officials. Had it been up to him, or the writer behind the curtain, the Alliance would be a martial law, anti-Sith and Dark Side faction where the only way to be in charge was to earn it through exemplary service.

Kept a lot of the riffraff at bay, but no. The writer wasn’t in charge, good writing was, and running a faction like this required giving people absolutely freedom and not bogging things down. Cutting out the fat, that was what the Chief of State had said, and that was something that Wal Konda Whilsied was all in agreement. The transgender Sullustan smiled, not giving Coren the time of day for his opinions as he watched the honor guard.

“Representative Demici, it’s a pleasure to have you on Sullust. If you’ll join us, we have a conference room readied for you. What brings you all the way from…. Is it still Onderon?” Or had the Sith taken that already? “I thought word was that the Republic was moving their seat of power.” Yes, she, with the manly voice, read the news reports. One of those things would be really big news. She offered her hand out to allow Demici to follow Starchaser, who was already on the move to the meeting room. Wal Whilsied was going to enjoy watching the Commander squirm during the proceedings.

[member="Cecily de Demici"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

The Republic senator, Ms Cecily de Demici, dressed in lush white furs and delicate gold tracery, descended the landing ramp with the air of royalty and a near forest of white clad ladies-in-waiting. Flashes of a long-forgotten memory came; Chevu plaiting the hair of Lady Adasca under a diamond encrusted crown as she readied herself to depart for the Galactic Senate meetings. It seemed like an eternity ago. It might as well have been. Everything had changed for the Mirialan Jedi Knight. Force knew, she hardly recognized the girl in the mirror anymore.

Chevu gave a cordial bow to Ms de Demici, then smoothed her rough-hewn, brown Jedi robes. Her gaze panned to Coren who was already making a beeline to the meeting room. Wal simply buzzed around the senator like a bee as she ushering their guest and her entourage into the meeting room. Chevu liked him...er, her. Wal fought hard to get where she was, just like most of the folks in the Galactic Alliance.

Once they were inside, Chevu took a seat next to her Master and gave him a knowing look.

"How's it going, Commander?" she whispered, her tone empathetic. Watching paint dry would have thrilled him more.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Cecily de Demici"]

 

[Cecily Demici]

Cecily's polite smile tightened when the small ambassador mentioned Onderon. Clearly the Minister of State had underestimated the intelligence capabilities of this small and very haphazard conglomerate of independent systems. Cecily had intelligence of her own though, but a true diplomat knew not to show her hand too early.

"Yes, the Cabinet decided it would be prudent to move our temporary capital to a more defensible position until the time is ripe to retake Coruscant." she said cryptically, though it was true that there were deeply rooted plans to retake Coruscant, the Republic was likely far from executing them, "the Sith have been subdued for now, though I fear they may have set their sights on a new target recently... at least, as far as our intelligence reveals. That is why I'm here ambassador." Cecily's tone changed. She was not bluffing. Their intelligence revealed that the One Sith had recently identified the Galactic Alliance as a suitable target, whether or not this had been bait given to the Republic to throw them off, Cecily would deliver the message even as she sized them up as competition.

"The Galactic Republic Intelligence Ministry recently received word that the Galactic Alliance has peaked the interest of the One Sith, and we thought it prudent to share that information with you..."


[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

True, Coren didn’t really care what happened. So long as people lined up, that were Sith, in his crosshairs? All he ever needed was just the right time to take a shot or swing at Sith. He disliked the Republic, sure, but well, if they were planning to re-take Coruscant, that should happen sometime in the next thousand years, right? Maybe the Sith would go extinct first. Still… he wasn’t thinking, hell, he wasn’t changing his expression. “Well, root canals are more fun.” He muttered to Chevu, not really looking up at the two politicans.

“The One Sith have been looking at us?” asked Wal Whilsied, as she looked up to… not equal no. Wal would never consider herself equal to the Republic. They all met and spoke, she ran her own little world without trying to affect every world under the umbrella of the Alliance. It was better this way. “And how should we be able to trust you?” Especially if their definition of ‘subdued’ was ‘to allow to run rampant around the galaxy while watching from the sidelines.’

But Wal wasn’t a military master mind. Maybe this was some tactic?

[member="Cecily de Demici"]
[member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Cecily Demici]

"I suppose you will have to figure that out for yourself Ambassador," Cecily smirked at the diminutive diplomat as she took her seat at the conference room table, "but what motivation would we have to mislead you?" The beautiful young woman had a point. The Galactic Alliance, in terms of size, was no competition to the Republic, no matter how much steam they gathered and how much smoke they blew in whatever which direction. At least for now the Republic the dominant power of good in the galaxy.

"No, I am merely here to relay information and offer our assistance... in whatever way we can," she added.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Looking up from his apprentice, the armored soldier watched the blonde Republic representative. He was trying to behave, but any group that lead by politicians as opposed to citizens and soldiers, for Coren were all but useless. How could the Republic assist anyone while they were continually getting reamed by the One Sith? Yeah, there was a reason the Alliance was a new take, they were going to do things their way, and try to put a spin on this war against the intergalactic boogeymen known as the Sith. Did he ever even receive any sort of support during his one-man war against the One Sith from the Republic? No.

He’d continue to view them in that light. For all he knew, blondie here was in bed with snake arms.

Wal didn’t have the same view as the soldier, but Wal had a people to protect, to watch over and to defend with her words. She wanted to make sure that she was making the best choices for all the people under her care, and that meant candidly questioning those who came to offer support. Sure, the Republic may have the numbers, but did they have the heart to keep fighting?

Did it really matter what the Republic did against the One Sith? Were their tactics even useful? Wal wans’t a soldier, not a strategist. She was a politician, so what she was going to do was speak.

“We can appreciate the assistance. But I do have to ask, and I am not one for speaking in circles, Representative de Demici. To what end will the Republic benefit from assisting the Alliance? Are you looking to us for alliances? As of yet, the war from the One Sith has not found our doorstep.” Unless she brought it with her.

[member="Cecily de Demici"]

 

[Cecily Demici]

"An alliance?" Cecily tried to hide her incredulity, though her thin dark eyebrows raised in surprise, "the Republic sees the value of the Galactic Alliance in the fight against the Sith. They are a threat to us all, Ambassador. However, we do not think an alliance would be prudent at this stage in your organization's development. It would be improper of us to expect your government to defend us in times of distress. No."

"We merely mean to say that should you need us, we will come to your aid," Cecily passed a data pad across the table to the GA Representative containing the full file on One Sith operations to act against the Alliance, "and to provide you with what information we have."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]