The House Convenes

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For all intents and purposes, Coruscant was more or less secure. It was time for proper law to return to the galactic core.

The first session of the House of Lords was called a week in advance. Cedric was keen on making sure the handful of nobles within his fledgling Imperium were prepared before they began. There was much to be discussed, and more than a few important decisions to be made. For his part, the Jedi Master had kept himself in solitude for the past three days as he worked out each bit of the constitution he intended to ratify.

Its laws were just, its contract firm. If the other lords agreed (and quite likely even if they did not) Cedric would see it become the basis for Imperium law. There were a number of changes to the planet's structure that he expected the more conservative nobles to take umbrage with, but it was just something they were going to have to deal with. The oppression of the Core Imperial Confederation was over, and he would give no ground in retaining its tyrannical policies.

Cedric sat at the head of the table. Several chairs were set aside for those of rank, and the rest of the minor nobility that chose to attend would have to stand. The grand chamber of the old senate hall would go unused for now - there were far too few lords to fill its seats.

"Good morning," Cedric clasped his hands on the table as his gaze shifted from one attendee to the next. "Welcome to the first official meeting of the House of Lords. Please announce yourselves so that you might all get acquainted with one another."

 

[Sra-jotun Konu]

Despite his recent appointment as Minister of Truth Sra-jotun was still a minor noble of Empress Teta so he had to stand behind the higher-ranked Lords. This felt a little insulting to him, he'd been a supporter of the Imperium since near the beginning and worked hard for the administration every day. Despite that, he guessed it was just the nature of nobility, especially for an alien. If anything went Sra-jotun's way in the future he'd be sitting at that table no questions asked, no suspicions raised.

As Sra-jotun stood calmly behind the chairs of the higher-ranked Lords the Lord-Imperator, present at the head of the table, greeted them all to the meeting and requested that they all announce themselves to get to know each other. It seemed a bit strange to Sra-jotun but it was a reasonable request nonetheless.

After the Lord-Imperator requested they introduce themselves there was a long minute or so of awkward silence. Despite being in a room filled with charismatic pretty boys who lived of their dead parent's money and assertive older members of the noble caste no one took up the Lord-Imperator's request. Surprised none of the higher Lords had responded yet Sra-jotun took it upon himself to start the series of introductions, not really caring what kind of backlash he'd get from some of the other Lords.

"Good morning everyone. I am Baron Sra-Jotun Heik Meria Konu of the Konu estate on Empress Teta. I am also the recently appointed Minister of Truth," he said with a toothy smile, "it's nice to meet you all."

 

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Sra-Jotun was a recent appointment to the House of Lords. Cedric choice to place the alien in such an important position of power was two-fold. Sra had proven himself capable, and his position within the nobility would help to garner the loyalty of the houses. The second was his race - Sra was a minority within the Imperium, and his presence as the Minister of Truth was as much an expression of solidarity between the humans and the aliens of the Imperium as it was one earned by skill.

There also the matter of Byss. It would be a key world in the Imperium, and it would need a loyal king. The monarchy there was unstable at best - Sra was foreign born, raised among the masses. His loyalty to the Imperium would prove exceedingly useful.

Cedric was unsure as to whether or not he liked the Abyysian, but he didn't dislike him. That was a start.

The many minor lords nodded and spoke their greetings. For his part, Cedric gave Sra a mock salute. "Good to see you again, Minister of Truth. Your input will be quite needed in these proceedings."

[member="Sra-jotun Konu"]

 

[Han Vane]

Oh, how the tables have turned. Nyeon was his. Xa Fel was his. Baritone was his. And most importantly, Selvaris was his. From there, he could launch his campaigns against the rouge elements of the Imperial Bloc known as the Frozen Hand. A party who shared radical ideas and had been a rather pitiful pain in the Jedi Masters side. A pitiful one indeed.

And so, instead of finding normal comfort in his estate on Xa Fel, he found himself seated nearest the Lord-Impeator of the Grayson Imperium, the latest empire to find root on his beautiful adopted homeworld.

But, this time, he found power. Something he didn't rather enjoy but it seemed at times he needed to intervene. Because if he didn't, the entire galaxy would fall under Dark Rule and he wouldn't allow that.

"Esteemed Collogues, as you may know I am Duke Savri Sal II of the Corporate Sector of the Grayson Imperium. It is with this authority that I state and proclaim alligence to the House of Grayson for as long as it shall reign " he stated upon realizing the other were ready to begin.

It was a rather bland statement as he, had learned that sucking up to the boss, espically considering if you were the bosses main economic provider, didn't hurt at all. And it was with this thought, that he began to drum his hands against the wooden table, in boredom. He was ready, but were they.

[member="Sra-jotun Konu"], [member="Cedric Grayson"], @Shran, etc.

 

[Kadius Eran]

[member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Sra-jotun Konu"] | [member="Savri Sal II"]​

Though not one of the Lords himself, the Minister of Security & Intelligence was a vital role within the Imperium and one that afforded certain exceptions to would-be traditions. Kadius had been tasked with bringing order and stability to the fluctuating capital amidst the change in administration, and this included the monitoring of both internal and external factors.

[SIZE=10pt]On top of this responsibility, Kadius had volunteered to fill the roll as acting Minister of Infrastructure in the absence of a formally elected or appointed official. Rebuilding key locations across the planet to their former glory would be essential if the Essonian ruler hoped to gain the support of Coruscant’s jaded population. While Galactic City remained a haven for the rich and successful, many of the lesser planetary sectors had remained neglected and un-kept since their numerous devastations over the centuries.

“Gentlemen,” the formally dressed minister speaks up as he lifts himself from his seat, giving each of the others at the table a glance of solemn acknowledgement. He then turns his body to Cedric and provides a more direct, formal bow of his head “Lord-Imperator.”

“I am Kadius Eran of Espirion. I have been appointed Minister of the Imperium’s Security & Intelligence, as well as the acting Minister of Infrastructure. I bring my decades of experience as a Sector Ranger for the Alderaan sector, including many years as their Director for the Espirion sub-sector, as well as my full term as the elected Governor of my own city, Kaldoa.” He straightens his shoulder, his pride in his past accomplishments clearly resonating with him as a source of strength in this moment. "Through the skills learned in those endeavors and the resources now available to me through this great Imperium, I assure you we will have peace and prosperity in the streets of Galactic City, our neighboring districts and, in time, all of our expansions."

Concluding his introduction, Kadius sits back down and looks to the others.

 

[Alyson Halle]

Politics, among Alyson's least favorite responsibilities. Half the people in this room were so sure of their self importance that it made her want to vomit. It assaulted her senses, she could see their inflated egos eminating from their very bodies like a foul odor. It made the room repulsive to be in. This is what politicians were. They did not earn their percieved self improtance, they did not serve, they thought it was their right to hold power. Alyson very much knew power and respect were a privilege afforded to those who had earned it.

She took her seat, sitting rather tall for a woman, using the force to project her voice ever so much.

"I am Alyson Halle, Empress of Merides, Baronness of the Grayson Imperium, Marshall of the Armies of Merides, Master Jedi, Grand Master of the Order of the Silver Blade, Former Leader of the Rebel Alliance, Dominion Remnant Fleet, and Former General of the New Republic. It is a pleasure to be at your service once again Imperator."

The whole list of titles made her want to puke, the only joy she gained from saying it was the last bit. She remembered her times with Cedric and his forces fondly, they gave her rather disjointed life purpose. It gave her something to focus her energies on. His presence was the only thing keeping her from leaving this room to vomit.

She waited patiently for one of these leeches to try and speak down to her, to try and flex their perceived political might on her, just so she could put them in their place. She wouldn't tolerate disrespect towards her or her liege, especially not from these leeches. She was happy that Cedric brought in lower nobles and commoners in to fill ministry positions, they did not let off the same disgusting aura as the rest of them.

[member="Kadius Eran"] [member="Savri Sal II"] [member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Sra-jotun Konu"]

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Maracel had just returned from the Corellian Sector where the Corellian Confederation had attempted to break into his own Space Station causing major rifts between the Directorate and the Corellian Confederation. After the debacle in the Kholne Asteroid belt , Maracel received a request from the Lord Imperator to meet him for the first session of the House of Lords.

Arriving at Coruscant , Maracel was informed of the DIA’s recent Confrontation with the Forces of a Sith Lord over Hoth and a Mission on Zoph that was seeming to escalate into a full blown battle. Instead of meeting with Natian Sanorge , Maracel had the size of the Directorate Expeditionary Task Force increased in order to fight back against these threats.

As Maracel entered the room he spotted many familiar figures , Svari Sal II in which Maracel had an earlier dispute over the Xa Fel Shipyards in which Maracel had abandoned his claims on in favor of seizing the Rendili Shipyards through a proxy. Another familiar face would be that of Alyson Halle in which Maracel mostly after the meeting he had with Alyson and Cedric Grayson. In addition there would be 2 other people Sra-jotun Konu who had been nominated as a Imperium-backed Monarch for Byss and was the Minister of Truth of the Imperium as well as Kadius Eran who had been recently appointed as the Minister of Security and Intelligence.

And then there was the Lord Imperator himself Cedric Grayson. As he sat down on a chair Maracel greeted the Lord Imperator and the other Lords present. “Hello everyone I am Maracel Yorkell II , Duke of the Grayson Imperium , CEO of Yorkell Industries and the Director of the Directorate “ Maracel said.

Maracel knew how important this meeting was , as this meeting would finally see the House of Lords discuss the laws that would be implemented throughout the Imperium. Something he had to make notice of , given the DIA had begun increasing it’s presence outside the Core Worlds in the wake of more threats to the Directorate and the possibility that the Jedis of the Imperium would try to limit , the Directorate’s ability to operate beyond the Core Worlds. In addition to that Maracel needed to identify his rivals through the first meetings of the Lords of the Imperium in order to know what he was up against and to make sure that he would be able to counter whatever threats he would face.

Tags : [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Alyson Halle"] | [member="Savri Sal II"] |[member="Kadius Eran"] |[member="Sra-jotun Konu"]

 

[Sra-jotun Konu]

"Thank you, Imperator, I appreciate that you feel I'm a necessity here."

After the Imperator had greeted Sra-jotun the others began speaking up. Savri Sal II, Kadius Eran, Alyson Halle, and Maracel Yorkell II we're the most stand out to him. Savri and Alyson seemed a bit too pretentious for Sra-jotun's taste. Savri's self-importance and Alyson's string of titles made them seem too high and mighty for the rest of them, and Sra-Jotun didn't appreciate that. Any person who thought a fellow person of power was beneath them couldn't have any good opinion of the common people. Kadius gave off the same kind of vibe, His presentation of all his titles and accomplishments wasn't necessary and couldn't be little more than filler for this very important event. Finally, there was Yorkell. He entered late and he entered loud. He entered like an idiot. Had it been up to Sra-jotun the man wouldn't be apart of this meeting. From what he knew Yorkell had little concern about Imperium politics and only cared for his personal corporate endeavors. This was not somebody you wanted sitting on such an important assembly.

After all the Lords had presented themselves the room fell upon a short, awkward silence once again. Wanting to avoid any lulls in such an important gathering Sra-jotun spoke up. "Lord-Imperator, would be so gracious as to inform us of the first order of business of this assembly?" As Sra-jotun said this he took a slow stroll over to the space behind Yorkell's chair and lightly placed his hands on the top of it as though he were supporting himself for comfort.

[member="Maracel Yorkell II"]
[member="Alyson Halle"]
[member="Kadius Eran"]
[member="Savri Sal II"]
[member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

[Placeholder 0128]

The gathering was a motley one, but that was as Cedric desired them to be. The less cohesion between those on the council, the less they would be able to bring into their internal spheres of influence. So long as he could keep some of them opposed to one another, the Jedi Master's position as Lord-Imperator was a sound one.

He cracked a pleased smile as each of the men and women announced themselves. Titles were the gilded stars of ego, and he'd been keen on handing them out like they were going out of style. It kept them loyal, and it kept them all competing with one another.

He'd have it no other way.

"Indeed Minister," Cedric rose from his chair to emphasize his words. "The Imperium has gained control of Coruscant, and several other worlds within her sphere of influence. It is time we shifted our form of governance from one of illegitimacy to legitimacy, and to do so, we must forge the social contract between ourselves and our people."

His gaze shifted between the gathering of nobles. "This Imperium stands to serve the people, let that be known first and foremost. The day we seek to serve ourselves is the day we stop being a government, and become a dictatorship. I'll not have it be so. With that in mind, we must forge a constitution to serve as the principal contract upon which our nation is founded. It will safeguard the rights of the people from tyranny, and assure that all that live within the core have the liberty all life deserves."

He paused, gaze shifting about as he sought to gauge the reactions of the individuals. "It will be drafted today, and we will not leave this room until such has been finished." He settled down into his seat. "Are we in agreement?"

[member="Sra-jotun Konu"], [member="Maracel Yorkell II"], [member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Kadius Eran"], [member="Savri Sal II"]

 

[Cataline Holt]

Cataline stared at the door to the House of Lords chambers - a meeting that would determine the future of Coruscant and her surrounding worlds for who knew how long. Stability wasn't exactly something that Coruscant had, and she had seen what that meant to her people. A never ending tragedy of cyclical poverty, harm, and destruction.

More surprising, though, was her invitation to join such esteemed people. And even more surprising than that was the vote from the homeless organizations to represent them and countless others that are geared towards helping the poor. Perhaps it was the 'natural' charm she apparently had. Or maybe it was just luck. Or really, all the hard work she had put into it all.

And that's the quick and dirty on how Cat found herself staring at a door in the best dress she could put together. She had to make a case to the Imperator and to the other Lords to not forget those who lived less than ideal lives and how much worth it would be to the Imperium to help lift them out.

With a deep breath and as she tried to shake off her nerves, she entered the room. Clearly, she was a little late to the group. But it seemed she had at least entered at just the right time - moving swiftly to her seat among the table.

She could feel her heart beating in her chest with nerves. "I am Cataline Holt, of the lower levels of Coruscant," she paused after a second, "I'm thankful to be invited to such an esteemed group of individuals. I am honored to be here to represent a plenitude of organizations that strive to give a helping hand to those in situations most dire, such as homelessness, poverty, and the like. With the Lord-Imperator, and the Imperium's help, we have a chance to truly change lives for the better." Cataline's eyes glanced to each of the individuals as she sat down on her. That had to be the hardest part, right?

Cataline's eyes moved towards Cedric with a small, quick nod. Indeed, she was ready. Or at least, the best she could be.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Sra-jotun Konu"] | [member="Maracel Yorkell II"] | [member="Alyson Halle"] | [member="Kadius Eran"] | [member="Savri Sal II"] |

 

[Kadius Eran]

[member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Sra-jotun Konu"] | [member="Maracel Yorkell II"]
[member="Alyson Halle"] | [member="Savri Sal II"]​

“Yes, I agree. The people of Coruscant are in desperate need of guidance and security. For too long this once shining gem has been left to decay,” Kadius responds, building off the Lord-Imperator’s and young woman’s comments regarding the Imperium’s focus on the people.

“There are still many sectors that act as scrapyards ever since their destruction. Centuries ago, in some cases. Their reconstruction efforts were likely lost in the cracks of bureaucracy or forgotten during transitions of power.” He raises his hand and points across the table, out the window to the stunning cityscape of the Senate District outside.

“The moment you step outside of Galactic City, Corellia City, Vadigult or any other privileged area of this planet you quickly realize how deprived these people are.” He turns his attention briefly to Cateline, “and below the surface in the lower levels, they are plagued by criminal activities, poverty and sickness just as Ms. Holt described.”

He lowers his arm, looking to Cedric and placing a finger sternly to the table in front of him “There must be change if there is to be success here. I wholly believe that you can be the bringer of this much needed change, Lord-Imperator. With our guidance, of course. That is why I came here. But you must be willing to show force and strength when necessary. There will come the need for sacrifices, I assure you of that. There will be times where things are not black and white.”

Kadius folds his hands on the table infront of him one more, settling back to conclude his point “We must always strive to keep the masses as our greater interest. But we will not bring a revolution with silk gloves.”

 

[Sra-jotun Konu]

"This Imperium stands to serve the people, let that be known first and foremost..."

Perfect, this is exactly what Sra-jotun wanted to hear, especially since he was happy to know that he was running his ministry in line with the mentality of the state. He was glad to hear the Cedric had no intent to exploit the Core Worlds and their people for the gain of himself and his inner circle, but rather to serve them and make them better with that servitude. He hoped everyone in the room also agreed, though he had a sneaking suspicion that a few of them wouldn't. That, however, didn't matter. If this constitution was built properly anyone from aspiring dictators to exploitative corporations to warmongering private agencies won't have a change to exploit the resources, production, or freedom of the people of the Imperium. They had to do it right though. Any gap left was sure to be exploited, they had to cover every angle, and Sra-jotun was willing to keep everyone in this room a figurative hostage until this document was airtight.

Sra-jotun, his hands still resting on the back of Yorkells chair, raised his right hand. "I am in full agreement with the terms you have presented Lord-Imperator. I, and I'm sure most in this room, are at your full service till this document is complete."

[member="Cedric Grayson"]
[member="Savri Sal II"]
[member="Kadius Eran"]
[member="Alyson Halle"]
[member="Maracel Yorkell II"]
[member="Cataline Holt"]

 

[Shran]

Shran had remained silent in his seat thus far, watching and listening to the others. 'Democracy', 'freedom'. Had the occasion not called for such high manners, the High Lord might have just puked. The thing that was great about the Empire, what made it truly great was the lack of bureaucratic nonsense that was about encompass the Imperium. Finally deciding it was time to break his silence, he sat forward in his chair,

"As I'm sure you all know by now, my name is Shran. I'm a High Lord, representing the old Imperial Bloc. I'm glad to be working with all of you and do certainly agree that it is time to bring stability and security to the Imperium."

That statement had been mostly true. He was happy to be holding the title he currently held, considering the alternative would have been to brand him a war criminal and either put him to death or at least cast him out to be relegated to the far reaches of the galaxy

 

[Placeholder 0128]

The girl had been something of a popularity pick, or so his advisers had said. It did not matter to Cedric how she'd arrived. If one could climb to the top, then they had every right to do so, so long as they could fulfill their obligations accordingly. Nonetheless, Cedric felt more than a bit of anxiety in the girl. It reminded him of himself when he'd begun his career in politics at around the same edge, and he allowed himself a hint of hidden sympathy.

The Lord-Imperator met her gaze evenly as [member="Cataline Holt"]. "An honor, Miss Holt. The organizations you represent will bring the experience that we need to the table. The quicker we can get Coruscant disabled, the better." He said approvingly, before turning his attentions to [member="Kadius Eran"].

This one had an air of an orator. It was a good little speech, one that Cedric could see himself making should it have suited the situation. The Jedi Master lofted a brow. The new Minister of Intelligence had been selected off of recommendation and records, and his skill in his new position remained to be seen. If nothing else, Minister Eran would be a useful propogandist politician - another man loyal to the cause. That suited Cedric quite well enough. True believers were the greatest of allies.

"You speak wisely Minister. You need not worry, I understand that the core can only be tamed with a firm hand. To bring prosperity, it must all be brought back into the fold. We will show them the true path, in time." The Jedi Master rose from his chair, pacing around the table as he met [member="Sra-jotun Konu"]'s words. "I appreciate your faith, Minister Konu. I assure you it is not misplaced."

Finally came @Shran. The imperial lord was a bit of a rogue element here, but his perspective was a vital one. Cedric was curious to see how he would mesh with the rest of them. "Good to see you again, High Lord," Cedric dipped his head slightly, before strolling back over to his chair.
"The first thing we need to cover is a bill of rights. The Imperium is already a diverse realm. It is both the moral and tactical decision to allow full autonomy of all peoples. I will not permit slavery within my Imperium, nor segregation of race, species, belief or creed - lest they follow the Bogan, then they must be dealt with."

 

[Cataline Holt]

Cataline was still in shock that she was even the one chosen to come to meet with the most powerful people on Coruscant and the neighboring planets and sectors. But, she knew she needed to be on her game to be able to make even more impact in the poorer areas of Coruscant. Once she got settled, she'd get into her mojo.

Cataline nodded appreciatively to [member="Kadius Eran"]. Every point he made was correct - many levels, areas, and the like remain in ruin resulting in rampant poverty and disease. The effects could be seen through other parts of Coruscant society, except in those parts that have been lucky. And really, lucky was all she could really think of for now.

"Indeed - and think of the potential that these areas bring if we can lift these persons out of poverty? It would strengthen the Imperium in untold ways." She paused, "Change must happen, and I refuse to leave this room until it is represented here."

Her attention turned back to [member="Cedric Grayson"], in which she gave a firm nod but with a warm smile. It was a relief to have the backing of the Lord-Imperator and others in the room.

A Bill of Rights. An important document, and considering it being the first priority, made her feel even more comfortable that the Imperium would bring some much needed good to the people. "I'm glad to hear that you support abolishing slavery and a respect for all, without these I imagine our work would be much harder - especially convincing the amazing diversity we have in Coruscant and beyond." With how many different species, beliefs, and who knew what else... They would never earn the respect of the people otherwise.

[member="Shran "]| [member="Sra-jotun Konu"]

 

[Sra-jotun Konu]

Full autonomy, no slavery, no segregation. Exactly what he expected. Nothing to be changed in his eyes. The only problem was getting around the bogan problem. They had to write in some excuse, some bypass for prosecuting bogan in a timely manner. If they gave full rights to everyone some powerful bogan could use that to their advantage to elude capture, but if they wrote in a clause into the bill that was too general in it's reaching it would upset the people.

"Amendment 1: All members of the Imperium have every right to speak their opinions, gather in protest, and practice what they believe unless it should bring dark forces unto the Imperium." He scanned the rest of the room after stating this, waiting for approval. He realized there had been an ongoing conversation but he thought it of greater importance they go straight to clauses.

"Amendment 2: Under no circumstances should any person in the Imperium be owned by another person, and under no circumstances should there be an exchange of enslaved individuals in the Imperium." His amendments were rough, just off the top of his head, but that's what the whole room of politicians was for, right?

"Amendment 3: Under no circumstance should a member of the Imperium be discriminated against because of their species, ethnic background, or birthplace." Also a little rough, hopefully, the others in the room will be helpful enough to fix the flaws.

Once again he leaned on Yorkell's chair, his arms crossed, as he waited for someone some inevitably argue with him.

 

[Marlon Sularen]

The first thing we need to cover is a bill of rights. The Imperium is already a diverse realm. It is both the moral and tactical decision to allow full autonomy of all peoples. I will not permit slavery within my Imperium, nor segregation of race, species, belief or creed - lest they follow the Bogan, then they must be dealt with.

A Bill of Rights , Maracel thought just as expected. Already in previous meetings the Lord Imperator had statedd that the Grayson Imperium stood to serve it's people and the Bill of Rights was of no surprise to Maracel yet the last Words in Cedric's Statement caught his attention. "Least they Follow the Bogan". Already from doing simple research , Bogan was one of the 2 moons of Tython the other being Ashla , Bogan was associated with the Dark Side of the Force and Ashla with the Light Side. From what he knew the Essionians had been kicked off their homeworld and Maracel understood possibly why Cedric Grayson had such a grudge against the Sith and any Darksiders.

In addition to Cedric Grayson there was Cataline Holt , a Representative of the Common People of Courscant who wished to bring change and improve the living conditions of the people of Courscant. A Very Ambitious Plan , Maracel thought yet mostly nearly impossible with the 5000+ levels situated under the top level of Coruscant it would be hard to put an end to Poverty and Famine in Courscant altogether given that the Planet was home to over 1 Trillion Sentients. For Maracel Yorkell the cost would be high and it would take alot of time to complete such efforts , yet Maracel had a much more better idea one that would be more cheaper and better and would benefit everyone.

And soon there was Sra-Jotun Konu , already his loyalty to the Lord Imperator had been noted and already he was already engaged to this meeting for a Minister of Propaganda. Though Maracel was a Humanocentric it wasn't the fact that Sra-Jotun Konu was an Non-Human but the fact that Cedric trusted alot of Non-Humans to serve within the Higher echelons of the Grayson Imperium. Something Maracel grew concerned with given that he was the leader of a Humano-Centric Orginization within the Imperium. As he gave his proposition to the First Amendments of the Constitution , Maracel gave no reply simply nodding and giving his approval of Sra-Jotun's Ideas , he had no desire to Enslave nor to Segregate other Non-Humans and believed that he would gain more support if he followed the Imperium's Ideology then resist it.

Tags : Sra-jotun Konu Cataline Holt P Placeholder 0128 Shran Tobias Dracks Kadius Eran Han Vane Alyson Halle

 

[Kadius Eran]

P Placeholder 0128 Sra-jotun Konu Cataline Holt Marlon Sularen
Alyson Halle Han Vane Shran Tobias Dracks ​

Kadius listens intently to the Abyssin’s suggestions. The Minister of Truth was no doubt an egalitarian through-and-through; a quality the Espirion had great respect for. But still, the old veteran knew caution was necessary when affording freedoms to a populace – there must still be room for control, when required, lest the Imperium fall into endless bureaucracy when faced with urgent matters.

Freedom of speech and assembly must be protected and the right to petition the Government was essential for them to gain the respect of the people, he agreed. Additionally, as further noted by Sra-jotun, the citizens would need to be free of unjust discrimination in order to uphold the fundamental ideology that the Lord-Imperator sought to embody, and that Kadius felt strongly about personally.

The belief that slavery should be banished from their territory however, while a shared one, came with additional thoughts as Kadius considered it further. “I am in agreement with the concepts presented by the Minister Konu. Though, on the subject of slave ownership, I think it would be wise for the Imperium to recognize one’s own right to submit themselves to contractual indentured service. Despite its nature, it can allow those with little material wealth to remove themselves from debt and pay for services through their own, willing sacrifice of labour.”

He looks back to the Abyssin, attempting to gauge a reaction should he not speak up directly. It was a slippery slope, but one he thought to be worth it.

“I do have additional subjects to address," Minister Eran adds, scanning the table with his sharp, yellow eyes.

"Firstly, I suggest an immediate restriction of armaments for the general population. Those who are part of specialized services should be granted the opportunity to apply for permits to carry registered weaponry, and perhaps visitors could be granted the right to apply for temporary permits and given the ability to register their arms with local authorities. The right to bare arms is an unnecessary risk to our authority and ability to secure control, especially with Coruscant so rampant with crime. This would also provide our local law enforcement agencies just cause for the pursuit and apprehension of many current street-level criminals.”

He pauses for a moment, allowing for his first idea to be digested by the others at the table.

“Secondly, I believe it is imperative that we establish a strict due process for criminal prosecution and punishment. Citizens must maintain the right to a fair trial if accused of a crime, but our authorities should hold the right to initiate unwarranted searches based on probable cause. Such cases can be reviewed in hindsight, perhaps by a public committee to avoid corruption, but we mustn’t allow mounds of paperwork to impede our ability to secure and protect the streets.” He stops again, this time focusing his attention solely on Cedric himself “and as for punishment, Lord-Imperator, I urge the Imperium to recognize capital punishment for high crimes.”

His final point was one that, unfortunately, was difficult for him to fully understand. Matters of the Force were well beyond easy comprehension for those not gifted in its ways. Still, Minister Eran knew of the light and the dark – the Ashla and the Bogan, as the Imperium appeared to acknowledge them.

“Lastly,” he begins “we must establish a means to discretely locate, track and eliminate agents of the ‘Bogan’. If such arts are truly the threat you perceive them to be, my Imperator, they must be dealt with outside of the normal scope of the law. I suggest a clause to the Imperium’s Code of Law to void a citizens rights if they are determined beyond reasonable doubt to be a practitioner or herald of such. This is a dangerous precedent, I know, and so these matters will need to be handled carefully.” Again, he turns his head to the Lord-Imperator with a stern expression “As your appointed Minister of Intelligence & Security, I would gladly speak with you privately to discuss what could be done between my staff and your Jedi Order to establish definitive means of surveillance against acolytes of the dark side.”

 

[Shran]

Again, Shran sat patiently in his seat, listening to each of the gathered delegates discussing. It wasn't until Kadius Eran spoke that Shran's interests were really piqued. It was in Eran that he seemed to have found an unlikely ally. Indentured servitude might not be the same class system that had once been employed by his own government but it was a close second and probably the best he would get with the Imperium. Disarming the populous would be a huge win for the Imperial bloc. And advocating for a strong authority with a wide mandate to operate under would be even more of a win for Shran and his forces. These were exactly the loopholes that he needed to be able to rule his territory the way he had planned to and the best part was he wasn't even the one suggesting these changes.

At this point, he had a choice to make. He could try to distance himself from proposals by pretending to voice concerns about them and hope that his aversion to the changes would be enough to get others to consider voting for them. This, of course, ran the risk of him making too good of a case and convincing others to take his side. On the other hand, he could embrace these changes and throw his full support behind them and do his best to see them past the finish line. This option, however, opened the door for critics of the Imperial bloc to push back hard against these amendments. Either way, he was risking a great deal.

"I agree with Mr. Eran. I think he makes a lot of great points. Throughout history, a well armed populous has done nothing but cause problems for the government in whom is entrusted to keep them safe. Of course, to balance this out, we would undoubtedly need a strong authority that has the ability to carry out necessary searches in order to ensure a safer society. And as far as the Bogan, swift action is needed to ensure that they do not pose any threat. Suspending rights of any offenders will go a long way in keeping such criminals at bay. I would even go so far as to say that we should establish a secret police who's priority is any such agent of this so called Bogan. As Eran said, these do sound a little harsh on paper but I urge the rest of the delegates to consider these amendments seriously if you do truly wish to keep the Imperium safe."

 

[Placeholder 0128]

The first to speak was Cataline Holt.

The Jedi Master raised a brow as the girl spoke. She surprisingly young for her position, which suggested she had the air of a prodigy about her. Cedric had been keen on working alongside the humanitarian organizations that dotted Coruscant one way or another, but a youth was someone he could mold. Cataline could be forged into a staunch loyalist, and with his tutelage, perhaps an even greater politician. He noted such for later.

"Your words are appreciated Miss Holt." He offered her a reassuring smile, before falling silent once more. The Lord-Imperator was more than keen to let his council make the suggestions. It was far easier to a speak of an issue once you knew the intent of those around you, and by maintaining the position of a reaction rather than proactive, he could formulate his responses.

Sra-jotun Konu gave his suggestions. Cedric agreed with all of them - he'd selected Sra particularly because the Abyysian gad similar beliefs to himself - and thus remained silent.

Then came Kadius Eran's words. A brow was lofted as he spoke of indentured servitude. "A slippery slope," he replied, his brow furrowing as he leaned forward, fingers steeping in front of him. "There must be some level of regulation. Those in indentured service can serve no longer than three years at a time, with breaks of two years in between should they seek to enter such service again. I'll not allow these contracts to be abused and slavery to continue under my house's banner." It wasn't a decision Cedric enjoyed, but it would do well to appease much of the nobility.

Then came the matter of weapons. It was a tricky one. The Essonians had a love of liberty, and just about every one of them had one or more rifles in their household. To accept such a law would mean disarming his people, one Cedric was not keen on. "There will be a level of control as to whom may own weapons. I propose an alternative. Active and former military may own private weapons, along with their immediate family members. I also suggest we mandate a test of loyalty. Families that meet our criteria will be permitted one weapon in the home. Those that fail the test will remain unarmed. This will placate the more independent portions of the nation, and it may drive some of them to be more loyal to the regime. I'd rather the people we trust be able to fight if they need to."

The final matter. The Bogan.

"I was going to suggest something similar," he gave Kadius Eran and Shran a nod. "Those that follow the Bogan have no rights in our Imperium. They must tracked down and imprisoned before they spread their poison to the people. Those that do not surrender will need to be dealt with. I fully authorize the formation of a bureau toward this particular purpose within the Ministry of Intelligence, to work alongside my Jedi Shadows." And capital punishment. "Some cannot be redeemed, and some are so damned that they don't deserve it. Better we give them the mercy of death than leave them in a cell, wasting their lives and our credits on something useless and trivial."

Cataline Holt, Alyson Halle