Long before diplomatic signals reached the High Republic, unmarked vessels began passing through the system under commercial registries that changed often enough to avoid scrutiny. Cargo manifests listed relief supplies, industrial equipment, and contracted security personnel, all of which blended easily into the traffic of a frontier world accustomed to private operators. Moorja had always relied on hired forces to supplement its defenses, and no one questioned the presence of additional specialists as borders elsewhere began to weaken.
The Sith did not land as conquerors. They arrived as advisors, technicians, and discreet partners embedded within local authority. Their operatives occupied secured levels beneath transit hubs, established quiet access to orbital traffic control, and attached themselves to planetary defense offices under the pretense of consultation. By the time the High Republic delegation accepted Moorja’s invitation to talks, much of the planet’s security infrastructure already answered to a different chain of command.
The invitation itself had been carried through respectable channels.
Ulysses Renoux
, a minor noble with longstanding ties to both Moorjan leadership and High Republic diplomatic circles, served as the intermediary. He framed the talks as a cautious attempt at reassurance, a former Alliance world seeking clarity in a galaxy that no longer rewarded indecision. His reputation as a careful broker, more facilitator than power, lent credibility to Moorja’s overtures and softened concerns that might otherwise have delayed the meeting.The delegation arrived in a city that appeared unchanged. Councillors spoke carefully about neutrality and concern for their people, often deferring to Renoux when conversations drifted toward commitments or timelines. Jedi sensed tension, but nothing that suggested immediate hostility. The meeting complex overlooking the capital’s transit spires was selected for its openness and visibility, reinforcing the impression that Moorja remained undecided and that the talks were meant to be seen.
Behind that appearance, systems were already shifting.
Control over the planetary defense grid transferred in measured increments under the guise of routine maintenance. Docking permissions tightened without explanation. Transit corridors adjusted according to revised safety protocols approved by officials who no longer acted independently. By the time the delegation recognized the pattern, their exits no longer matched the routes by which they had arrived.
The signal to act originated on the surface rather than from orbit.
Sith forces emerged from positions they had occupied for days and struck control nodes with deliberate precision. Transit routes collapsed as access points were sealed, and the meeting site was isolated within minutes. The illusion of diplomacy failed under sudden violence as local security fractured and alarms activated too late to alter the outcome.
The High Republic delegation abandoned negotiation and focused on survival as they attempted to withdraw from a world that had never intended to release them without consequence. Sith pressure followed them through streets and launch facilities, turning retreat into a contested escape. Moorja became the moment when observation ended and direct engagement began, and the Sith Order revealed itself not as a distant influence along the border but as a presence already woven into the ground beneath it.
The trap had been set long before the first words of diplomacy were spoken.
We thought we would try an open sandbox on this one and see what people come up with!
THREAD LAUNCHES FEBRUARY 14!!!
