Faction The Free Flow of Credits | THR

[Dominique Vexx]

Related Documents
Senate Bill No. 4514-RA

The full form and function of the document put before the Senate was lengthy and full of legal nuances. It had to be when it came to forming a Republic-wide Reserve System. People would have questions. Complications would arise. It was no small thing put forth in this proposal, but it was a necessary thing. The question was whether the rest of the Senate could be convinced to see it that way.

Director and Senator Dominique Vexx sat in the pod for Denon representatives with a handful of attendants and analysts as the session was called to order. They were all terribly busy people, and prone to socializing in order to get buy-in from others, so it took a moment for the clamor of voices in the Assembly to settle down. With today's Bill one she put forth, the Denonite didn't have time to admire the radiant glow of the Republic crest projected high above, or concern herself with how fashionable members of the Senate presented themselves. For herself, she wore her sharply cut, form-fitting white attire; today's business was of the utmost importance, and she wanted to reflect that seriousness in her attire.

"Delegates, Members, Honored Representatives, please direct your attention to the Bill Summary detailing the proposed High Republic Reserve System to counteract ongoing economic threats against the Republic's economies, markets, and financial institutions."

Displays and holographic projections lit up to give Senators view of what was put before discussion and vote:

• Authorize creation of the Republic Reserve System
• Formation of the High Republic Reserve Board of Governors
• Affirmation of Republic Credit
• Reserve Bank Designation
• Required membership by all Planetary-chartered Banks
• Member Bank Benefits
• Funding for the Board of Governors

Dominique rose from her seat as the summary appeared for all to consume. Denon's pod began to glide forth as her voice filled the chamber, "Ladies and gentlemen, representatives of all worlds, I thank you in advance for your attendance today. Today is a momentous day. One where the Republic establishes a system not of any one world, but of all worlds. Where our economy -- the bedrock of every purchase, every home, every ship that sails through the stars -- is granted the same security that we all seek for ourselves and loved ones."

The glareshades were particularly transparent today to enable those in attendance to see her bright gaze slowly sweep across each in attendance in turn. She stretched out her hand as she spoke in offering or inviting them. Her lightly painted lips curled upward, her voice carried warm, and without hesitation.

"Of late, this Republic has been faced with unprecedented events. It has endured challenges and crises, and will do so again. Our success is the envy of many. This is not a failure on our part, but a grand success! And yet, because of our accomplishments, there are those that will seek to destroy what we have achieved. To undermine it. Taking it for their very own. Our hard work will be wasted... unless we bolster our financial institutes to do what they do best. Provide for our many peoples."

What threats? What enemies? There were many. Some of which had even been brought before this chamber to support Aurelian's Bill No. 4417-WR. Dominique wouldn't waste their time repeating the very same he'd used, of course. Nor would she tout one, but neglect another. Each of them knew of the challenges they faced. Some even boldly put them forth in their arguments for or against other legislation. They didn't need Dominique to tell them of what she spoke. They already knew.

"Toward this end I propose the establishment of the Republic Reserve System. Twelve Banks designated by the Reserve's Board of Governors, elected from among the Reserve Bank leaders, shall act as regional stabilizing market forces. All members of the Reserve System will benefit from loans issued at reduced interest rates, receive dividends from their participation, and can rely upon their Reserve Bank as a lender of last resort. This Reserve System will resist any efforts by outsiders at increasing inflation, stymie issuance of loans, denying the distribution of credits from our Mints, and manipulating our stock markets. None of our planets will ever need to stand alone again against such insidious and invisible threats to our ways of life."

Both hands stretched out toward the chamber, Dominique closed with, "And together, our worlds will grow to new heights."

With that, Dominique lowered her hands and had the pod drift back from the center of the chamber. With a confident smile, chin high, Dominique awaited the discussion that would follow.

 

[Sentapoth Findos]

​

The Neimoidian had been absent from the Assembly due to rapidly changing events at home on Neimoidia as the Imperial Occupation tightened its grip with the assistance of the Trade Federation conglomerate. He had hardly any time to gather his belongings and relocate to Affa before the borders were sealed to outsiders, as the conflict with the Galactic Alliance obstructed several key hyperspace lanes.

While this did not significantly impact the High Republic's economy overall, there remained an opportunity to explore new hyperspace routes in the interim. Speaking of the High Republic's economy, Senator Dominique Vexx presented her legislation to the assembly, known as Bill No. 4417-WR. This bill was compact yet contained numerous paragraphs that were deliberately vague and deceptive, aimed at confusing the more narrow-minded members of the legislature.

Sentapoth picked up on these outliers as soon as the bill had crossed the terminal, knowing when and where to strike at in order to increase the Trade Federation's interest in the region at the expense of Denon and Priddy General Manufacturing. His boney finger tapped the console to move his pod forward to the center of the room to make his counterargument.

"Senators and Junior Representatives, while I applaud Senator Vexx's vigilance in elevating the Republic's economic system through the High Republic Reserve System but there are many concerns that need to be addressed, as this legislation introduces new and unintended risks to sovereignty, autonomy, and the financial stability of our member-worlds." Sentapoth started to explain with a firm tone of voice, acknowledging Denon's concerns but informing the assembly that there are certain complications within the bill that would put undue pressure on member-worlds.

"The first concern that must be focused on is the contradiction between anti-monopoly rhetoric and a pro-monopoly bill. Senator Vexx says that this will protect against monopolization but in practice it forces every planetary bank into a unified structure. This does not sound like protection but the creation of a super banking monopoly on the entire credit system of the Republic." He said with a sweeping gesture, aiming to highlight that the legislation would inherently establish a monopoly, thereby consolidating the entire economic framework within a single entity.

"Additionally, in your speech to this chamber. Senator Vexx you make it sound like the governors are chosen from among the banks themselves. But the legislation clearly says in Article V. Governors are appointed by the Chancellor of the High Republic and confirmed by the Senate for staggered 14-year terms. It begs to question weather you have read your own bill before bringing it to this chamber?" The Neimoidian immediately recognized this opportunity and sought to take advantage of it. Presenting your adversary as unprepared is an effective strategy to persuade the remainder of the assembly that their arguments lack substance.

 

[Graham Deras]

(Delete)

 

[Decarii Tithe]

High Assembly Convocation Hall
Theed, Naboo

Dominique Vexx | Sentapoth Findos

It was basically Life Day for Decarii Tithe.

She was Aargauun by birth and a lawyer by profession. While she was most at home in the courtroom, credits almost literally ran in her veins. Her family name may have been associated with the world of galaxy high finance, but her law firm, Blackwell, Pa’get and Tithe, was ascendant, and her work advising the senators of the High Assembly was gaining prominence.

To work on both at the same time was a dream come true.

Decarii arrived early to the High Assembly chamber and took her customary seat in the legal advisers pod, ready to answer technical questions from Senators and provide expert opinion to their staffers. She watched as the session was called to order and the indomitable Senator Vexx took to the floor to table her reserve banking legislation. While the pair had survived Black Sun thugs and Sith assassins on Wielu, a day in the High Assembly always promised to hold even greater bloodshed.

While strongly in favour of the free market - and having her own pecuniary interest as a member of the Trade Federation - Decarii conceded that the bill was elegant in its simplicity. A stable High Republic economy was an overall boon for business. The legislation also opened the door for the Trade Federation to assert its influence and seize lucrative regional banking contracts. There was even the potential for the new banking board to endorse the Trade Federation Credit if sufficient bribes or blackmail could be procured.

Senator Findos rose to attack the proposal. Decarii would expect nothing less from the firebrand Neimoidian.

“We own bank on Affa right?” she messaged to Findos, favoured her personal AvCorp encrypted comlink over the communicator issued by the Judicial Committee. The conversation was best had off the record and away from the conflicts of interest registry. “Need to stack new board. BIG creds to be made. Float TF currency?”

A lot of money was about to be made in High Republic space. Decarii would be a traitor to her name if she let the opportunity pass her by.

 

[Tristan Evore]

DELIRIUM​

The chamber stirred with restlessness. The debate over Bill No. 4417-WR had dragged, and patience was thinning. It was then that the pod of Senator Tristan Evore of Cybros glided into the center. He stood at its prow like a conductor before an orchestra, his tall frame draped in dark robes, his hands folded loosely as if he had all the time in the galaxy.​

​

"These are questions she cannot answer because the bill is flawed," he thundered, his voice filling the chamber. The echo carried not like an argument, but like judgment. A murmur rippled through the assembly. Even those who did not know him straightened in their pods.​

​

Evore raised a hand, palm outward. "I do not oppose unity. I oppose false unity. The Reserve System, as written, is not a safeguard. Iit is a chokehold! It would strip worlds of sovereignty under the guise of protection. It is no bulwark against monopoly; it is the monopoly." His tone sharpened on the last word, the syllables cutting like glass.​

​

Too harsh, whispered a voice -- soft, indulgent, coaxing. They will recoil if you wound them this early.​

​

"Protection," Evore continued, adjusting mid-sentence as if in response to some invisible cue, "must be mutual, voluntary, and transparent. The Republic cannot endure on coercion dressed as stability. We must trust our citizens enough to let them breathe."​

​

Good, came a firmer reply within, measured and grave. Balance the lash with balm. They must want to follow you, not fear you.​

​

The chamber hushed as Evore paced within his pod, his robe trailing behind him. He gestured toward Senator Vexx. "She tells us governors will be chosen among the banks. Yet Article V says otherwise. They are chosen by the Chancellor, confirmed by this body, bound to fourteen years. Fourteen! I ask you, Senators: is this democracy, or is this entrenchment?"​

​

Shuffling. Some of the bill's supporters shifted uncomfortably.​

​

Yes, press them. Tighten the screws, one voice whispered, sharp and eager.​

No, not yet, another countered, calm and sly. Leave them room to retreat. Victory is sweeter when they choose to yield.​

A third roared with venom: Crush them all. Burn the bill to ash.​

And then, softer still, a fourth urged: Patience. Always patience. Let them sweat.​

​

Evore raised his hand again and, almost theatrically, lowered his thumb in a broad, deliberate motion. The gesture was intended to strike the chamber like a gavel. The message was unmistakable: Cybros would see this bill condemned.
​

He did not await a reaction from the Senate. Instead, as his pod glided back toward the periphery, he froze where he stood, shoulders square, chin lifted, a smile fixed upon his lips as though carved there. His eyes did not search the chamber for approval; they were distant, unfocused, listening.​

​

The applause swelled. Thunderous, unanimous, and rapturous -- but not from his fellow Senators. It rose from within, from the parliament convened in the hollows of his mind. They cheered him, exalted him, lauded his victory. We are just beginning, my friends.​

Dominique Vexx | Sentapoth Findos | Decarii Tithe​

 

[Joa Sodi]

THE FREE FLOW OF CREDITS
Theed, Naboo

The risk of monopolies was always there. Even before Senator Vexx’s proposal—when the Republic was still Royal Naboo and not yet High—notoriously monopolistic engines of capitalism such as the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Trade Federation were prominent in the early years. The former of those even folded into the Republic itself to form the backbone of the Corporatist Party. Now, the capitalist bloc is affirmed by the absorption and continuation of the Corporate Sector Authority’s… well, authority. It was never too late for change, at least in Joa’s mind, but change had been conveniently postponed if now was the time to start resisting.

Ironically, though, Senator Sodi of Quarzite had very few qualms with the bill as-written.

“The people of Quarzite utilize an obscure currency that few outside our system will accept—a barrier that many worlds in the Mid and Outer Rim must overcome to participate fully in galactic commerce.” Joa nodded matter-of-factly, looking upon the room with pale-pink eyes that held a spark of light in them.

Her senatorial pod drifted lazily into the open chamber, an intimidating space to be but exhilarating all the same. “I do not believe it is a monopoly to provide Republic worlds with the framework to exchange their local currencies for a standard credit. Quarzite enjoyed an economic stimulus when the Rimward Trade League accepted our dataries for League talons while allowing us to freely circulate local currency in our system as we always have.”

A hand gestured toward Sentapoth Findos as Joa continued. “But I do agree with Senator Findos regarding the appointments. Perhaps the Chancellor can nominate these individuals and the Senate can vote for or against the nominees? If their qualifications or credentials are questionable, I should like to voice my concerns. The Reserve would be a federal institution, after all.” A pause, then her second qualm.

“Fourteen years is longer than most senators care to serve. Even our beloved High Chancellor is not afforded such a lengthy term of service. I presume the staggered terms is a safeguard against a new chancellor stacking the Reserve with appointees, but this can be prevented with my previous assessment that seats in the Reserve should be filled with nominees from the chancellor who are voted in by the Senate. Their terms should be lower. I propose a four-year staggered term.”

She eyed the terminal before her carefully. “Furthermore, I see no verbiage that forces all banks to capitulate; correct me if I’m misunderstanding, Senator Vexx, but the bill states that planetary-chartered banks—that is, banks authorized by planetary governments—are required to participate. Whereas regional or district institutions which are non-federal have the option to participate. Is that correct?”

Tags: Decarii Tithe | Dominique Vexx | Sentapoth Findos | Tristan Evore | SENATE​