Private The Division

[Jacen Voidstalker]

"People are suffering in that city. In a few days you'll make a big push and the civilian casualties will be high. It'll be a lesson for those who dared resist you, but also raise a great big flag on your human rights.

"I've not got a side here, I'm done with fighting. But if I can, I was to arrange a ceasefire so the civilians can take a convoy on the main road out of here."

"But you haven't negotiated this with the rebels still fighting?" Jacen was asked.

The naive nature of his plan, and the fact that Kana had gone along with it, was starting to hit home. It wasn't a surprise, he had known that this was going to be difficult. Jacen hadn't expected to have several imperial walkers looming over him as he reached this moment.

"Not yet, no," Jacen replied, looking to Kana for any ideas. "But you'd be amenable if I did?" he asked.

 

[Kana Truden]

There were few in this galaxy that liked being faced with facts and warnings of repercussions. The eyebrows on the officer’s forehead sunk in disappointment as she asked her questions, not quite satisfied with the answer Jacen provided her with. From her end two people had come into her camp asking to be part of a cease fire, throwing accusations of casualties and human rights. The first one she could agree on, the second one was a subjective interpretation at best. Imperial citizens had purpose, and meaning, but these people were not yet shaped into such people.

Her head shook. “And you expect me to just take your word for this? Two Jedi that just happened to stumble into my camp?”

“Actually, we were taken here by one of your troops.” Kana quickly added. The officer turned to look at her and then the soldier behind her. “If you think about it, the less casualties there is the greater the chance is that those that escaped can sell a foreign power like, say, the Confederacy to bring a hammer down on you.”

And at that, the Officer grew visibly frustrated.

“We can hold them off.” She hissed at the two.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

It was hard to imagine a world where he was more worried about a bigger bully than the chance of killing thousands in a crossfire. There was a particular mindset with the imperial offices, shaped both by fear and dogma in equal parts.

"What I can offer, is to go back into the city and negotiate with what stands for resistance leadership about a ceasefire," Jacen said, changing his wording.

"Ma'am, he might be using a Jedi mind trick."

"I know my own mind," she snapped back.

Jacen offered Kana the slightest glance, grateful for her interjection.