Campaign Beneath the Surface: A Hapes Struggle Story || The Foundation (Open to all Jedi and other Lightsiders)

[The Hand of Freedom]

THE GALLINORE ACCORD

In the wake of events on Hapes that escalated into a full-blown conflict, the same issues started spilling onto neighbouring worlds, plunging the Consortium into a crisis.

Gallinore was no exception. Home of rich rainbow gem mines and technological advancement. But what happens when the mines cease running and male technicians refuse to continue working for little to nothing? To continue under the yoke of a monarchy that only saw them as only as sires to continue matriarchal tyranny? No more!

The most impact, by far, came from the rainbow gem miners revolting. Though some companies, like Aina Holdings, look to equality for their workers, a majority of others do not. It greatly affected what little trade could get out of the Cluster. In order to be heard, the miners had taken to toppling statues and bricking state building windows. All the while, their voices chanted through the streets of Dimitor - demanding change.

The Foundation, in a bid to not have another humanitarian crisis like on Hapes, has issued a Galaxy-wide call for aid in the endeavour to de-escalate and mediate on the situation. Would they be successful?

To prevent others getting caught in the proverbial crossfire between Law Enforcement and striking miners, some Jedi working alongside The Foundation enter the protests to at least prevent things from escalating further while a diplomatic solution is sought by other Foundation elements elsewhere.

Try and keep the protest as peaceful as possible, distribute medical and humanitarian aid where needed, talk with protest leaders and Law Enforcement
or work to get bystanders out of the way on the off-chance the protest escalates to violence. May the Force be with you.

While other Foundation elements work to manage the protest, key Foundation and Jedi negotiators meet with mine foremen and leaders as well as Planetary Overseers that act on behalf of the Crown, in order to mediate between the two parties to find a beneficial solution for both.

It is paramount that a solution is reached for both parties in order to prevent another planetary-wide violent conflict. But be vigilant as well! There may be threats hiding in the shadows, looking to thwart peace. ​

Spoiler: OOC Note

Faction Staff reserve the right to expel troublemakers. Please keep things nice and clean, malice free and story driven.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

GUARDIAN OF PEACE
GALLINORE
OBJECTIVE I

Truth be told, Caltin was not here for this protest. In truth, he was not aware of the violence at all, with everything that had been going on with Kashyykk he had refugees and outreach of his own to take care of. That did not stop him from reacting to the outbreak of violence. If there was a silver lining, there was no escalated threat to what is going on, there was understandable angst and desperation.

I’ll have to wait to get Chrysa her birthday gift.

Chrysothemis Atreides Vanagor, his wife and mother to Connel LOVES her son’s Gallinorese Mountain Aak-Dog “Buster” and so Caltin thought, what better gift than another for her, and a buddy for “Buster” (@Ryana mina’s Racyon “Pip” notwithstanding). This was a story and a conversation for after what is going on right now. He did not see anyone he knew around at the moment (though he was looking), but Caltin had to put his wishes aside and help ensure that this protest was peaceful.

He had to.

I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror.

In truth, the big man had no issue with the populace standing up and wanting to be heard. It was their civil right as citizens of the galaxy. He just hoped that none of them would ruin their message with anything violent or excessive. So the big man walked among the protestors, not hiding that he was a Jedi, but looking for anyone willing to talk to him about this.

There were many yelling about his presence, feeling oppressed already, but he made little acknowledgement so as not to antagonize.

TAGS • TAGS
[Text in Brackets is spoken on Comm-link] ~Like this is through the Force~​

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Tags: OPEN

Lorn navigated the roiling crowd, the air thick with the mingled scents of sweat, frustration, and the exotic spices wafting from nearby food stalls. The chants of the Gallinore miners were a steady drumbeat, a rhythm of discontent echoing off the polished facades of Dimitor's state buildings. He wasn't here as the Sword of Shiraya or the Commander of the Vanguard for the Royal Naboo Republic. He was here as Lorn, a concerned citizen of the galaxy, lending a hand to the Foundation. He'd seen firsthand their quiet heroism on Naboo and the chaotic aftermath of Hapes. Unlike the detached pronouncements of some galactic institutions, the Foundation actually did something. So in his downtime of his duties, he often sought to help where he could.

He wasn't naive. He knew the Force could be used for grand, sweeping gestures, but sometimes, its most profound purpose was in the small acts of kindness, the quiet nudges towards peace.

His gaze scanned the throng, his senses heightened. The Force rippled around him, a faint hum of emotions - anger, fear, hope, and a deep, underlying weariness.

That's when he felt it, a tremor of pure, unfiltered panic. He tracked the feeling, cutting through the dense mass of protestors. It was coming from low to the ground. Pushing through a wall of bodies clad in dusty mining gear, he saw her.

A small girl, no older than five, with wide, frightened eyes the color of amethyst. She was lost, buffeted by the press of bodies, her tiny frame dwarfed by the towering adults around her. He could feel her fear, a tangible wave crashing over him.

Ignoring the annoyed grunts and muttered apologies, Lorn burrowed through the bodies, his hand outstretched to her. "Hey there," he said, his voice calm amidst the cacophony. "Are you alright?"

He scooped her up gently, her small arms wrapping around his neck in a desperate clutch. He held her secure, her small body trembling against him. "It's alright," he murmured, rocking her slightly. "You're safe now."

Now to find her parents. He scanned the crowd, his Force sense reaching out, searching for a corresponding wave of worry and desperation. "Can you see your mom or dad, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice gentle. "Where did you last see them?" He could only hope they were nearby and frantic with worry.

 

[Aela Keersu]

STARDUST
DIMITOR | GALLINORE
TAG: Caltin Vanagor | Lorn Reingard | Open

SEPARATE WAYS​

Things kept escalating.

If it wasn't Hapes, it was Artesia. If it wasn't a riot there, it was here on Gallinore. It seemed a spark was lit on Hapes that started spreading a fire throughout the Galaxy.

The people were rising up.

Though it was a good thing, there was going to be violent kickback. It was up to her and others to at least help the people give voice but also to keep them alive. The fires and rubble on Hapes was still ingrained hard in Aela's mind.

She stood to the side of the crowd in the square, watching. Those diplomats had to find a quick solution before this devolved. Her moss-clad eyes found a child dragging on her father's hand, but he wouldn't stop. His voice had to blend with the others. Her eyes then darted around, trying to see what law enforcement would do. One serious move from the miner's and it will all blow up like it did on Artesia.

She then spied the big frame of Caltin Vanagor further on in the crowd. She wasn't well versed in all the Jedi within The Foundation yet, but she had seen his face on Hapes. At least she'll have one more capable hand to help smooth things over if it needed. She acknowledged the Jedi with a nod of the chin.

The Corellian worked her way into the crowd, towards the man and his daughter.
"Excuse me, Sir!" she called to him. The Gallinorean looked down at her from where he had been yelling. "I can help look after her if you need it? We'll be over there outside the bookstore." she suggested, motioning to his daughter.
He looked at his girl for a moment before looking back at Aela. "How can I trust you?" he asked gruffly.
"I figure you have little choice. You can protest all you want, but you know as well as I this ain't a place for a kid." she said. "All I can give is my word."
He looked hard at her for a moment, the wheels turning in his head.
"Fine." he said before looking at his daughter again. "Meili, go with this lady here. She'll look after you while I finish up here." he told her.
Aela got down on her haunches and held out her hand with a smile. "Let's go find a colouring book at the store there. I hear they have some nice pictures in them." she said. Reluctantly, the girl took her hand.
Aela got to her feet again, holding tight to her hand. "I'll keep her safe, I promise." With that, she and the girl made their way to get out of the crowd.

They had only made a couple of steps when she caught sight of Lorn Reingard with another child in his arms, looking around. She made a detour towards him, instinct and years of working alongside Jedi driving her.
"That'll be like finding a needle in a haystack." she told the unfamiliar man. "Meili and I are heading for that bookstore. It'll help to just be central. Then one of us can look for her folks."

She wondered what went through parents' thoughts to bring their kids to something as volatile as this.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

GUARDIAN OF PEACE
GALLINORE
OBJECTIVE I

Caltin could sense others in the area, a few he did not recognize, but one was not far away. He could not go looking for them at the moment as there was a problem about twenty feet from him, a huge problem. Slowly, but definitely making his way there, trying not to push anyone aside or cause any further issues (let’s face it, he has a reputation after all, fair or not) the big man moved to gain a better view of what was happening.

Emanating an aura of calm, he made every attempt to quell the level of anger around him.

Protestors were getting very close to Law Enforcement and some of them looked like they were ready to explode. Nothing happened yet, and yes, he could step forward, but this needed to play out unfortunately. The protestors in this area were some of the angriest and most aggressive out of all of those gathered in the city of Dimitor. However that does not mean that they were violent. They were not even spitting. The protestors were yelling, and chanting, and making rude gestures, but they were not crossing any lines yet.

Would they? VERY possibly.

That was a problem for Law Enforcement as they were on edge. They knew about what happened on Hapes as well (even cops watch the news) and, under orders or not, have feelings too. They know what is at stake here, and while they were all professional, and will do their job, this is a powderkeg and was at risk of exploding.

Then it happened.

One of the most aggressive, a miner who had been in the face of each of them, using every verbal attack he knew was getting ready to make another verbal attack run(so to speak) and tripped. He tripped and stumbled into two of the officers. The combined angst brought their reaction, attempting to arrest him. This of course brought out the rage in the protestors. They knew “Xam” and knew he would not attack someone on purpose. So there was the beginnings of a ground war.

This was where Caltin stepped in… ran in.

Using the Force Light he had learned but not used in a long time, he knew that this was not what it was for, but the concentrated flash would momentarily blind everyone around him so he could stand in the middle of all of them.

Why are you arresting this man?

The Sergeant of the squad barked out “We have him on ‘assault’ and ‘resisting’! Master Jedi, he’s guilty of this!”

The crowd was yelling. “Liar!” “Release him”. This was not the entire crowd of protestors, but if Caltin did not act, things would get worse, and worse fast.

The man tripped. I watched the whole thing. That is the only reason he fell into your men.

“We have a job to do, Master Jedi! We can’t allow personal attacks!”

You’re absolutely right, and your men are acting admirably! He was not yelling, but trying to speak over the crowd that was beginning to question and turn on him after what seemed to be him taking the cops’ side. ... and they have no right to assault anyone, let alone any of you… HOWEVER… no matter how aggressive they have been to this point… has it not been peaceful?

Some of the squad seemed to scoff at his question, but he was not speaking to them, but the woman whose call it was to make. “Yes, they have been… they shouldn’t be this aggressive though.”

They’re still peaceful. They still have a right to be heard. Your squad is full of strong, honorable, heroic officers. They deserve respect, and it would go a LONG way if they are willing to let this mistake slide for what it is. Just a mistake.

With the crowd seemingly no longer turning, but slowly calming down (to a bellow, if not a yell), several members of the local police squad were still annoyed at the thought, but the two who were the ones to catch “Xam”, they seemed to see the Jedi’s point and were nodding their heads.

The Sergeant too.

“This is NOT a ‘free pass’... this is a one time thing…” Xam was helped to his feet, and released before the stun-cuffs were locked. He clearly did not appreciate being put in cuffs, but he did know that this was a good day. As he walked back into the crowd, looking for his daughter, the Sergeant made one last comment to Caltin.

“We have a job to do. They can protest, but there are better ways to do it.”

Turning to face the crowd, he asked What say you? He wasn’t asking.

Lorn Reingard • Aela Keersu
[Text in Brackets is spoken on Comm-link] ~Like this is through the Force~​

 

[Kalen]

Princess Nimaa'ri Daaray watched the faces of her advisors, shrewdly searching for any sign of trouble. Ever since she had been sequestered in a fortress on Gallinore, news from the outside world had been scarce. The Queen Mother had ordered that all possible measures be taken to preserve her safety. Unfortunately, that also meant that she wasn't being kept up to date on what was happening out there.

Regardless, rumors had reached her that her sister had been... deposed. By the Chancellor of the Alliance, no less. It was impossible to confirm, but if it was true, that meant Nimaa'ri was now queen. And she had no intention of being a mere figurehead.

"Well?" she finally prompted. "Is there any word from the Ereneda? Am I to remain here forever?"

A dull rumble sounded from outside. The meeting room began to shake. Nimaa'ri went down at once, crawling under the table amid the startled shouts and cries of her advisors, covering her head with her hands. Whatever was going on out there, it seemed her location had been found after all...

---

Kalen leaped down from the loading ramp of the dropship, the jet pack strapped to his back slowing his fall. Crimson Veil operatives hand-picked by him for this final mission descended alongside him, landing amid the rubble of the hangar bay.

They were immediately accosted by a contingent of guards. Though not in their customary uniforms, their distinct fighting style gave them away as members of the Chume'doro, the Hapan Royal Guard. It was confirmation that this was indeed where they had stashed the last of the Daarays. Kalen barked orders to his men as they exchanged fire, determined to force their way into the fortress.

This was it. After today, they would finally taste victory. The last of the royal family would die, slain by his hand, and the Consortium would be crushed once and for all.

Briana Sal-Soren Caltin Vanagor Aela Keersu Lorn Reingard Mother Askani + OPEN​

 

[Makai Dashiell]

GALLINORE ACCORD

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : OPEN

A cold, metallic hand shook him awake.

Makai had just gotten back to sleep. That seemed less than thirty-seconds ago. Now he was being woken by Thirty-Seven, causing him to nearly jump. Listening carefully, he didn’t hear any cries of his infant daughter. Nothing rustling downstairs indicating a teenager was sneaking out a window. Brow furrowed in curiosity but he didn’t say a word, not wanting to break the quiet of the house.

Fumbling around for his glasses, he all but stumbled out of bed, following Thirty-Seven into the hallway. Kuro, the family loth-cat, zoomed down the hallway in a typical witching hour fit, disrupting the runner rugs as he did so. Glasses on his face, nothing looked out of place. No sound could be heard as his ears strained and his brain struggled to wake up.

[[ Sir, you have urgent business with Aina. Shar’tala is waiting on a holocall. ]]

Rubbing his face, Makai tried to process what Thirty-Seven is getting at.

“Thirty-Seven, I am positive Shar’tala and Dad are more than capable of handling the situation. Whatever that situation may be.”

[[ To be blunt Sir, I wouldn’t trust your father to negotiate a mining strike. ]]

---

“...in solidarity the miners from the rainbow gem mines have joined the strike. We’ve shuttered the mines for now and ceased operations. There’s talk of forming a mining union on Gallinore and within the Hapes Cluster.”

Down in his office now, Makai turned to HoloNet News and Entertainment, closed captioning quickly scrolling across the bottom of the holovision screen that was mounted to the wall. Miners were in the streets still in uniform but it appeared things were getting tense with officials moving in. An unwise move, in his opinion. Off in one corner in a box was the intrepid Pinda Solthar , giving her commentary analysis on the situation.

“Let them strike with the others, its fine. Find what internal security forces we have locally and bring them in to help secure the mine. Let’s play this long term - I’m looking to expand and finding experienced miners….I don’t need to fill in the blanks. I’ll draft a statement and release it, position ourselves on the side of the strikers.”

 

[Fulo Ritiki]

Tags: Caltin Vanagor Lorn Reingard Aela Keersu

He was off the record with this one. In face he was on vacation when everything was going down. With credits from his own account, a lightsabers, a utility belt, and his best outfit, he was told that Hapes was great to visit this time of year and it if either with a twisted sense of irony or lady luck just wanting to have a laugh, it seemed like Hapes was anything but great to visit. But Fulo was not one to turn down a scene of civil unrest and political fallouts. He intended to get to the bottom of what was going and maybe help a few souls along the way. He was still a jedi after all. Fulo had seen a few protests in his day and this was no different. In this experience things rarely ever went as bad as firing into the crowd but there was always someone trigger happy on either side of the fence looking to make things worse for everyone. He only hoped it wouldn't come to that. There were children here.

Speaking of children, Fulo could sense running feet to his left, a bunch of excited teenagers looking to be on HNN or spit on some riot shields. He wouldn't have thought to much about it if he hadn't heard a boy scream out in pain as he landed with a SPLAT. The boy screamed in pain and Fulo rushed over. The boy had placed himself on the floor, massaging his left knee when Fulo approached him. "How bad?" He asked as he knelt down. He could sense his pain, but he didn't want to rush into the rescue without reassuring the kid that Fulo meant no harm. The boy said nothing as Fulo was stranger. Fair enough but it didn't seem like anyone was coming for him. "Were those your friends running off?" Fulo asked before the boy nodded. Guess they weren't friends anymore after this. "Alright let me take a look at that knee."

The boy hung back as Fulo inspected the damage. A little swollen but hopefully not the end of the world. "I'm gonna touch it and you let me know if it hurts alright?" Fulo reassured the boy who simply nodded. No immediate reaction when we applied pressure, nothing was fractured at least. However he heard the boy wince, most definitely a sprain. Nothing Fulo couldn't fix. "Hold still." He said calmly for using the force to heal the boy's wound. Little effort on Fulo's part.

"You're not gonna tell my parents are you?" The boy finally said. Fulo smiled, at least the kid had folks to get back to.

"Do you have a way to call them?"

The boy was fishing around his pockets and felt his heart sank while his face was wrought with panic. "I lost my comlink!" He said as he buried his face, definitely not proud of losing something his parents bought but hopefully they'd be interested in their son being safe. Fulo simply offered his. "Call them."

"Look man, they don't know I'm here and I don't wanna get in trouble."

"They're worried about you, just call."

The boy didn't wanna argue with the man who helped him so the boy did as requested. Fulo could sense the worry from the boy for he was about to get scolded. "Hello? Yeah mom it's me... I'm uh..." He was about to lie before he caught Fulo's face. "At the protest... Mom! ... It was Elko who... No mom... I'm with a jedi right now." The boy then gave the comlink back to him.

"Jedi Knight Fulo speaking."

"Thank the stars! Is my son hurt?!" The mother distraught that her son was in a dangerous area. Her worry reassured Fulo that she cared about her son. "He had a sprained but's fine now."

"Thank you... Could you give me your data pad ID so I can send you our address?"

"E5M-O7S"

"...I just sent the address. Please get my son home."

"He'll be back safe." The conversation ended, now Fulo needed a way to get the kid back. Fulo decided to check the address on his datapad and the map showed that the quickest way was... Past law enforcement. The kid must've been out a long time if he was able to come in from the other side. Thankfully, he wasn't the only jedi as he sensed the presence of others.

A jedi, a woman it looked like had two children with her walking to the bookstore that Fulo was in front of. Stars above, this whole thing was a mess."You here on business?" Fulo said to Aela Keersu hoping to find someone who had a semblance of what was going on here​

 

[Mother Askani]

GALLINORE FORTRESS | OBJ. 2
Rik Perris | Tyrus Vastor | Veythun | Kalen | FOUNDATION
​

The situation in the cluster had begun to spiral. The Alliance having been barred from the cluster exacerbated this crisis to greater scales. The walls of the inner ward had grown smaller and smaller, pushed to its brink by protestors -- this group having gradually made it further pass the barriers than those who had been protesting earlier. This meant the crowd had been gaining ground, and security had been losing it; This was only a small part of the protest, this group slinked all the way and meshed with the crowds outside, where it seemed to be much more active -- miner foremen picketing in an semi-organized strike.

Dignitaries made up the other half, small in number, these were the ones left who had the courage to outwardly support the Monarchy, if only because their investments or social standing depended on it. But what else have they known? The Consortium had been ruled by a Queen Mother for centuries, this was a large part of their culture and way of living that had changed in what seemed like overnight. They like her, and like the miners, knew what it'd come down to...

She stood at the center of an echo chamber; it was pure outrage.

There were no more factions left to mediate, and with the Queen Mother seemingly disposed, they had to find a solution and deescalate fast.

She knew that meant securing their only chance at a ceasefire, and that meant securing the line of succession. So she leaked the information of the princesses whereabout, having their agents stoke the flames and get ahead of the whispers of a strike, to get the unions here. On their turf.

Which of course would draw the press.

They were able to intercept intel from the Veil, small leaks of information that they had to go out on a hunch to decipher; they were intending on destroying the entire bloodline. However, Kalen was smart about his methods, he had essentially outwitted the Galactic Alliance and the Consortium, them playing into his hands and propping up his movement.

Optics were at play here.

She looked internally, and her personal orders were for Rik and Tyrus to prepare for the Veil's attempt on Nimaa'ri Daaray's life here at the fortress, but to do so unassumingly, as the Chume'doro mustn't know they have Jedi ties.

Her eyes darted around the inner ward, before she retreated towards the inner halls. She also had had her feel of the young Queen, albeit from a distance, but she didn't see Kha'la. She was younger, could be more open-minded, more appreciative, and considerate -- she had seen the failings of those before her, laying the foundation for being more empathetic. There were deep rooted issues here...killing Kalen would make him a martyr, without addressing the issues that brought us here; we'd just end up with another.

We could get her to see it differently. If she could stand to do it differently.

She came entered the room, but approached slowly. She could feel the tension, the anxiety...especially coming from one that had the most pressure. She stopped short of her personal guard, "Your Majesty..."

-----

"What have I sacrificed? Everything..."
​

 

[Yuri Maji]

GALLINORE | DIMITOR
ALLIES: FOUNDATION | Caltin Vanagor | Lorn Reingard | Aela Keersu
ENEMIES: N/A
ENGAGING: N/A
GEAR: In bio

SHORT CHANGE HERO​

The Mutt stood to the side of the massive gathering of ornery and dissatisfied folks protesting for equality, double checking that the electromagnetic locks on his weapons were engaged. The last thing he needed was someone drawing one of his weapons and starting a war.

This was as far from his usual gig as it could get. Protests and humanitarian aid wasn’t really the usual kind of work for a scoundrel like him, and it showed in his overall demeanour. The usually hyperactive and boisterous Shistavanen stood quiet and reserved, arms crossed as he watched the crowd around him. But he had to be there. Something told him that this was good work. A means to atone for the mistakes and bad decisions he had made, especially in the last few years.

His only gripe with it all was the amount of Jedi he had to work with.

The desire to torch them all was dropped, but his dislike for them and their pretentious hypocrisy still stuck. His only consolation was that they were in the thick of it with him, but even that didn’t mean much.

The Jedi Order was nothing if not a master of cultivating brand image.

Yuri pushed off the wall he leaned against and began to walk along the sidewalk of the street. Compared to the crowd, he stuck out like a sore thumb with his glistening armour and arsenal of weapons. A bright flash drew his attention for a moment. A tall Jedi seemed to be deescalating an incident at the front line. Yuri watched for a few moments, making sure nothing sparked in the mess. He knew of the tall man, he knew he could handle himself.

Down the line, he saw two other people escorting children into a bookstore. Not a bad idea. His heart twisted at the sight of the children, though. A mess like this was no place for children. He walked over to a nearby stall and grabbed a case of water bottles to distribute to the crowd.

Plenty of folks who looked worse for wear. The hoarse tones of their thanks was an indication of their fatigue. They were going to feel it the following morning. Slowly he made his way over to the bookstore, making sure to keep a few bottles for the little group. Upon reaching them, he handed them all a bottle of water and spared a glance at each of them from behind his T-visor.

”In my experience, situations like these tended to have a few more guns and firebombs.” He remarked dryly as he turned to look back at the protest.

 

[Veythun]

A curious thing, the affairs of Hapans. Their entire existence was predicated on events that happened eons ago to people no longer alive, but those events were beaten into the brains of their citizens from the moment of birth to the point that they could not grasp the concept of anything else. Those that could did so to their own peril, or openly showed disdain towards any other concept for the simple reason that they enjoyed the pleasures of a lifestyle centered around control based purely upon whether one was male or female. The society was entirely misandrist. Nonsensible.

The repulsor lifted tank carrying a gas lethal to most species moved through the hall of the fortress, getting largely a wide berth from anyone that came near. Most didn't understand him and he was fine with that. He didn't ask to be understood when it came to his species. In fact, sometimes the fact that he freaked some people out was enjoyable to him from an amusement standpoint. Their reactions to the danger of being near him never ceased to amaze.

The whole situation involving his presence, and that of the Foundation as a whole, was troublesome, though, and he didn't have time to feel amused at the wide berth he received. People were at each others throats, or quite literally stabbing each other in the back. He didn't have a throat, or a back, but that didn't stop him from understanding the implications of either. The whole place was a powder keg that had nearly exploded already. They'd thrown off the Alliance, rejected the New Jedi Order, which he couldn't blame them for, and now they were sweating it out as the last princess was hunted down like a rabid dog.

The feeling of pain washed over him and the fortress shook as outside something was happening. An attack? Or the march of the protestors? He didn't know. They were supposed to be coming to have a talk. He welcomed the opportunity to speak with them about the ordeal their people were facing. There was certainly an opportunity to resolve it without bloodshed, though it would require both sides sacrificing some of what they wanted. They couldn't rely on the old ways if they wished to go forward as a pople.

His repulsorlift glided towards the entrance to the fortress that Kalen and his people were fighting towards. He didn't open the doors for them. No, that would be foolish. If they were going to gain entry, and he had no doubt that they would, he wanted to be in a position to intercept them. While others might have similar intentions, and he could hear them fighting against the royal guards, Veythun wanted very much to speak with them about this whole situation.

/I know you come seeking blood,/ he projected outward, directly to those attacking the fortress, /but this can be resolved without it. The girl is young. Let us work to shape a better future for Hapan society rather than continue a history a bloodshed./

He didn't know if they would want to talk. The invasion of their minds with his voice might unsettle them and make them unwilling to converse with him, in which case he would be forced to resort to utilizing the Force to control them, but he didn't want it to come to that. Veythun was a reasonable being. Resolving issues was entirely the point of what Jedi were meant to do, and he preferred to do so peaceably. Though, if need be, it wouldn't kill his psyche to squash them into little fleshy balls.

---

TAGS: Kalen | Mother Askani | Tyrus Vastor | Rik Perris ​

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Tags: Caltin Vanagor | Aela Keersu | Yuri Maji

​

Lorn scanned the roiling sea of faces one last time, the amethyst-eyed girl still clinging to him. Miners, all weathered and hardened, none with that frantic look of a parent who'd lost their child. He'd searched with the Force, too, reaching out for that specific thread of worry and despair, but found nothing. It was like searching for a single grain of sand on a windswept beach.

He was starting to get annoyed. How could someone be so careless? This protest was brewing, the air thick with potential for violence. It was no place for a child.

Then, a woman with a sharp, knowing gaze caught his attention. She was leading another small girl by the hand and waved him over.

Lorn gave a silent nod of acknowledgment, grateful for the offer. He fell into step behind her, his large frame a shield against the jostling crowd. He pushed his way through the bodies, keeping a watchful eye on the little girl in his arms, making sure she wasn't bumped or hurt.

Finally, they reached the relative calm outside the bookstore. Lorn gently set the girl down, crouching to meet her gaze. "What's your name, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice soft.

She shifted nervously, clutching the hem of his tunic. "Elara." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Elara," he repeated, testing the sound of it. "Do you know where your mom and dad might be, Elara?"

She shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "No. Lost."

Lorn looked up at the woman, a silent understanding passing between them. This was getting more complicated. Someone had lost their child in a potentially dangerous situation, and they were nowhere to be found.

He stood up, extending a hand to the woman. "I'm Lorn," he said. His gaze drifted back to the crowd, now visibly agitated. He recognized the Jedi at the center of it all – a large, imposing figure he'd seen before. The tension was building to a breaking point.

"We need to get inside," Lorn stated, turning to the bookstore. He tried the handle, but the door was locked, bolted shut against the unrest. He frowned. They couldn't just stand here.

Without a word, he placed his hand on the lock, channeling a small amount of Force. There was a soft click, and the locking mechanism disengaged. He pulled the door open, revealing the dim interior of the bookstore.

"Inside," he said, his voice firm. Lorn scooped Elara back into his arms and stepped into the bookstore. He placed Elara down by the large front window, the girl in awe as she gazed upon the books that were lined up on the shelves.

He glanced out the window, his brow furrowed in concern. "Elara," he asked gently, "can you see your mom or dad out there? Point them out to me if you can."

 

[Tyrus Vastor]

GALLINORE FORTRESS | OBJ. 2

Tags: Rik Perris Mother Askani Veythun Kalen
​

The protesting outside the fortress gates grew strident, but as Tyrus and his tactical and street urban attire strode through the dim fortification corridors it began to squirm and buckle into something new altogether before his eyes—blaster fire. His breath hitched for half a heartbeat. The world dissolved around him as a high pitched ring filled his ears. And his imagination began to weave from the gentle touch of Pelekotan, an waking dream for the Korun. The stone beneath his foot cooled to slick permacrete. A sheen of royal sconces dissolved into firelight dancing upon smoke-blackened walls, and he was on Hapes again.

The smell of burning repulsor craft, the taste of blood, and the feel of fear-thick air-it had all smelled, tasted, and felt thus before. For the gilded spires of the Hapan nobility had known battles more than once; for all the ornamentation upon them, sometimes serving little else besides camouflage for the gunmen buried inside. Pride in ruins. He remembered it, all right—the shrieks of civs caught in crossfire, the snap-hiss of blasters firing down narrow alleys, the hammering of boot soles on wet stone in a frantic dash toward yet another fight.

He'd moved through the chaos like a ghost, every step instinct and survival. Above, the sky had choked on thick clouds backlit by fire from a downed transport, casting everything in an unreal gold. Then, the moment had come-the one that still clung to him like smoke in his lungs. The little girl, no bigger than twelve, was terrified and cornered. Behind her, a masked gunman raised his blaster.

No hesitation.

Tyrus had been faster. Too fast. His hand moved before his mind could think—before restraint, before Jedi discipline. One shot. Not his. The girl's eyes had gone wide. She fell before she could even scream. The sniper's shot had barely echoed before Tyrus had his hand clamped around the man's throat and was shoving him into shattered stone. His pulse had thundered out a wild beat beneath his fingertips.

And Tyrus had wanted to crush it.

The teachings of the Jedi told him to let go. The Sith training in his bones urged him to make the man suffer. But he was Korun, raised by the whispers of Pelekotan. The moment was instinctual. The girl was dead. The man who killed her was a threat. Threats must be eliminated. It was not about anger. Not about vengeance. It was about what must be done.

There would be no hesitation. The gunman would die, swiftly and brutally, because he had proved himself an enemy to the tribe to family. Not in cruelty. Not in passion. But because the jungle did not suffer those that brought death upon the innocent. To allow the man to live was to invite more death, more suffering.

But unlike the Sith, Tyrus did not revel in the kill. There was no pleasure, no indulgence-only the necessity of it. The reality of it. The Korunnai do not kill for the sake of power. They kill because the jungle demands it. Because it just is.

That was the law of Pelekotan. The law of the jungle.
And yet, in that moment, Tyrus had faltered.

He had let the man go.
Perhaps that had been a mistake.

Tyrus's eyes blinked, and the fortress halls swam back into view. His jaw was tight. His fingers twitched at his sides. The ghost of blaster fire still rang faintly in his ears. Now here. Not now. Not the place or time.

He exhaled sharply, pushing it down—deep down—where it couldn't reach him. He wasn't on Hapes anymore and yet the stakes here felt the same. The pressure amounting on all sides of his senses and the web like fractures in the force kept relying a perspective that was hard to ignore. That was the nature of the days and times he lived in now.

He glanced sideways at Mother Askani now standing beside him, her face rather inscrutable. The woman was older, no doubt wise and aligned with the greater good. To help the innocents in ways that the Jedi did not, could not or for whatever reason else...would not engage in. She and the Foundation was an answer that the Korun could put in words and action. Before them, royalty waited and following after Mother Askani lead ,Tyrus also gave a bow and then straightened back up to wipe specks of dust off his shoulder. His gaze from behind his glareshades swept over the various individuals in the room as he chose to remain silent and try his best to not intimidate those around him too much.

Try being the key word...

 

[Celendis Astraia]

​

​

​

| Location | Dimitore, Gallinore​

| Objective | Keep the peace​

| Tags | Open​

​

The air was charged with anger and resentment, looming over the gathering crowd like a large storm cloud stirring them up like a rising tide, ready to bring down everything. Yet there was calm and serenity scattered amongst the people, ebbing the hatred that threatened to break the peace. The Force had whispered to her, calling her away from the solitude she had kept in parts of the Galaxy long forgotten. And here she answered it, following its guidance to where she was needed. Her meditations and isolation from the Order had given her time to contemplate her place and what it meant to be a Jedi, in a Galaxy filled with so much pain and strife.​

​

Among the crowd was Celendis, a hood over her head to make her stand out less against the local populace. She was not among the others that had come to the Hapan Cluster to settle the conflict, but she arrived nonetheless, a common goal, and hopefully a shared approach in handling it. There were far too many senseless deaths that she had borne witness to during her time with the Jedi, an eagerness for conflict rather than peace that betrayed what their order was meant to stand for. ​

​

The shadows cast over her face concealed her closed eyes, her movements fluid and graceful despite being blind, weaving through the crowd like flowing water. Tensions were high, and the slightest provocations were sure to whip the protestors into a greater frenzy. Angered shouts rose as she flitted through the gaps between protestors, seeming to move with purpose. She saw where the worst among them stood, picking out the darkest auras that housed the most wicked and malicious of intent, that sought to let loose the worst in people's baser instincts by instigating violence, those who could not be reconciled and saved - but there were those among the crowd who teetered a fine line that could be swayed.​

​

A blaster was being raised to instigate violence, a young man ready to provoke the people into a frenzy. Who knew how many lives could be lost in the ensuing confusion and chaos? The blaster was more than just a weapon, it was a symbol, a call to arms, one that she could not afford to be raised or rallied to. Celendis rested her hand on the man's forearm, keeping it from being raised any higher. The man looked to her, confusion and anxiousness swirling her mind, clouding rationality and reason, drowning her in desperation - Celendis' voice called out, soft and gentle, reaching out to him in a firm but assuring tone, ​

​

" Don't. "​

​

" Why should I? " His voice was tinged with hesitance and strained, teetering on the edge.​

​

" Think of your family and what would become of them without you. Think of all those around you who may not be able to go home because of what you might start. "​

​

" We are suffering! Those tyrants do nothing but exploit us and work us for scraps! Anything is better than how it is now! " His words were filled with anger, threatening to throw away all reason and rationality out.​

​

" Even if it costs you your life? Of those who have yet to live theirs? "​

​

" Wel- I-...I don't know. What else can we do? " Reason started to touch at his mind and bring some clarity.​

​

" Go home... Trust that we are here to help ease your pain and suffering, not prolong it. "​

​

He looked down at the blaster in his hand, his grip shaking as he finally realized what he could have started. The blaster fell from his hand and clattered against the ground as he looked to Celendis. She simply nodded in silence, a small yet reassuring smile given as the man turned to leave the crowd, disappearing amongst the sea of people.​

​

 

[Kalen]

Someone was in their heads. If it hadn't also been affecting their enemies, they would've been sitting ducks.

/I know you come seeking blood, but this can be resolved without it. The girl is young. Let us work to shape a better future for Hapan society rather than continue a history of bloodshed./

Kalen winced, implants working to help him resist the telepathic intrusion. "You... cannot stop us," he ground out between grit teeth. "We... will... be free!"

Raising his weapon, he unleashed a salvo of disruptor fire on the Chume'doro. Their bodies were vaporized, armor and flesh and bone disintegrated at the molecular level. His men charged forward, joining in the slaughter, making their way through the hangar bay into the fortress proper...

"Your Majesty..."

"What is it?" Nimaa'ri asked, only to pause. Your Majesty was an address reserved for the Queen Mother. If this stranger was calling her that, it must mean that her sister was well and truly gone, if not overthrown then dead. Something in her gut told her it was the latter. Kha'la Daaray would never be removed from the throne without a fight.

No sooner had the words left her lips, there was a commotion from the passageway just outside the meeting room. Her guards had locked and barred the doors, but they could only hold them for so long. "Can't you see we are under attack?" Nimaa'ri hissed. "We must evacuate at once. There is a hidden passage in this room leading through the mountains—"

The door suddenly exploded inward, a great surge of energy blasting apart the reinforced metal. Out of the smoke which billowed into the room, there emerged a figure clad in armor, wielding a disruptor rifle. It was General Kalen, leader of the Crimson Veil.

Mother Askani Tyrus Vastor Veythun Rik Perris​

 

[Makai Dashiell]

GALLINORE ACCORD

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : OPEN

Watching the drama unfold from his office on Joiol, Makai raised an eyebrow as a blaster was raised to incite violence. The situation was already a powderkeg and tensions were boiling over. Not only the mining situation but Makai knew politically there was also more at play than the exploitation of Gallinore's resources.

After several bouts of back-and-forth with his female project manager on the ground, releasing a statement was decided the wisest route. A delicate balance they were playing and after years of watching his mother-in-law navigate such situations, now it was his turn.

"Thirty-Seven, do me a favor and alert anyone who can get this message through - the government, news media, labor unions..."

HOLO.ENCRYPT//113M-ejj--; data=ghosted; data-uplink=secure; masking-status=active; function=security; permissions=limited;


From : Makai Dashiell < mdashiell@ainaholdings.holo >
Subject : Miner's Strike on Gallinore

As the situation on Gallinore unfolds, rest assured Aina Holdings stands with those who are striking for better conditions and pay. For too long rights of those who work in this dangerous profession have been ignored. The Hapes Consortium stands at a cross roads and there is no better time to advocate for better.

Aina Holdings would welcome a meeting with anyone involved in the mining business in the Hapes Consortium, whether you are employed by our company or not. Safety and dignity are a concern that is beyond one company or guild. This is why we want to extend a chance for dialogue for all workers - on your terms, on your time.

Until that meeting, my holonet inbox is always open. I look forward to hearing about your concerns and ideas to make the future better.

 

[Aela Keersu]

STARDUST
DIMITOR | GALLINORE
TAG: Caltin Vanagor | Lorn Reingard | Yuri Maji | Celendis Astraia

SEPARATE WAYS​

Thank goodness she didn't have to do explaining.

Things were highly charged, folk getting louder in the front. So as the four made their way to the bookstore, Aela's eyes kept darting, watching for danger.

A bright flash from the corner of her eye caught her attention. It seemed Caltin Vanagor stepped in to try and calm the tension. She just hoped it worked or these kids won't have parents.

Finally reaching the store, they were met with a locked door. The Corellian did her best to bite back frustration to not scare the two girls. She just held tight to Meili's hand, keeping her close. But it seemed this Jedi had no qualms against breaking and entering as he sprung the lock with the Force.
"Handy." she mumbled as they rushed inside. Then realised what she said. She looked down at Meili. "It's never okay to break into a building. But sometimes it can get you out of a dangerous situation. Got that?" she asked her softly, crouching in front of her.
Meili nodded, still looking a little worried. "Yes."
Aela gave her a squeeze on the shoulder. "You're safe, sweetheart, don't worry." she said before getting to her feet again and turning to the Jedi who had just finished speaking with the other girl - Elara.

"I'm Lorn,"

Aela shook his hand. "Aela - Special Operations." she introduced herself.
Just then a Mandalorian made his appearance in the door with...waterbottles? The hand that had gripped her still holstered blaster eased when she caught sight of them. Then he started handing them out along with a quip coming through the vocabulator.

"In my experience, situations like these tended to have a few more guns and firebombs."

The Corellian couldn't help but snort at that.
"Enjoy the peace, Mando. Be glad you weren't on Hapes." she quipped back with a smile. "Aela, guy over at the window's Lorn, girl with him is Elara and this is Meili." she quickly introduced, accepting the water. "You're armour can come in handy if things turn ugly."

She then turned back to Meili. "Sweetie, go grab yourself and Elara a colouring book and some of the crayons. Uncle Lorn is going to try and find her parents. And uncle Yuri here will make sure your daddy doesn't get hurt, kay?" she said.
Meili nodded, a small smile now gracing her features, before she rand deeper into the store to grab the stuff.
Aela turned back to the two men, looking at Lorn first. "Could Elara see any of her parents?" she asked, but just then some commotion within the protest drew her attention once again.

Looking out the window, she saw that Caltin Vanagor was now speaking to the crowd as a protester was released back into the crowd by Law Enforcement. It seemed as if the released protestor was looking for someone. Soldier's instinct prodded her to ask.
"Could that be her dad?" came the question.

Her mind raced for a solution. They needed to divide and conquer.
"Mando, that HUD of yours can be handy. Can you lock onto that man over there with the yellow jumpsuit at two o' clock? Keep an eye on him - I want to know if he moves or if he gets into trouble." she then asked Yuri before turning to Lorn. "Can you get to that released protestor? See if he's missing a daughter?" she asked him. "I'll stay here, keeping the girls safe. If any of the Jedi outside can't get them all to calm down enough to not get shot, get back here. The kids and their safety are priority."

She hated loaded situations.

 

[Altan]

|| THE GALLINORE ACCORDS ||
The Ashen Sun - Chapter 1

OUTFIT: x
TAG: Kalen | Mother Askani | Rik Perris | Tyrus Vastor | Veythun

Spoiler: THEME

GALLINORE, HAPES CLUSTER
Spreading zeal of the Burning Truth. Good.
Heightening tension in the Hapes Cluster? Bad.
Both sides being unreasonable. Disappointed but not surprised.
Moral of the story? Corruption shall be purged. Justice shall prevail.

Altan can’t remember the last time he could sleep before going on an assignment. It was the demise of the Hapan Queen and the further calamity it brought to the Cluster this time. He was in no shape and form a fan of the late matriarch. But to hear how the NJO and the Alliance’s Senate had conspired to depose a legitimate ruler of its member state? Sinister. Corruption must be purged and justice must prevail, the Queen and her willing servants were an oppresive force in the Hapes Cluster. But who are they to be the judge, jury, and executioner in a matter of such magnitude? A revolution should always be fought by the people whose very life and survival depends on, not some galactic superpower who will return to their ivory tower and not live with the consequences, not as a political manoeuvre to strengthen their chokehold on the galaxy. A guiding hand of those with wisdom and knowledge should help, but never be the one who pulls the trigger. Especially it’s a conflict between men, with no alarming presence of Bogan.

The whole thing reinforces his decision to follow his heart and embrace The Burning Truth, that he stands in this dark day with Mother Askani and The Foundation. The new Queen is holed up in a fortress, besieged by angry mobs, their grievances can be justified, but their methods dubious. The new Queen is young, and Mother Askani has deemed her different from her late sister. It is imperative to keep her safe if we want to have any chance of healing the rift.

However, before the Coalition’s party managed to make any progress towards evacuation, an energy explosion blasted the door open and emerged the leader of the Crimson Veil, Kalen . Altan’s eyes shifted quickly from Kalen to Mother Askani, waiting for her signal. If they have to secure the Queen and incapacitate the assailant without making any indication of Jedi involvement, you can’t get any better than the Wayseeker from Hoylin.​

​

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

GUARDIAN OF PEACE
GALLINORE
OBJECTIVE I

[/CENTER]

Still emanating an aura of calm, he continued to try to calm the situation, and while there was a positive effect, there was still anger in the crowd. The message could be the focus again as the miners wanted more safety in place, and more of a say in how to live their everyday lives. While many of them were emotional, but justifiably so, there were those who were here to see the world burn and sew chaos. One of them lit up a bottle of alcohol and lobbed it at a transport.

The bottle never made it to its crescendo.The bottle caught the attention of everyone as a swift response from the security forces intercepted it mid-air. The crowd's anger momentarily dissipated, replaced by a tense silence. The miners, though still determined, realized the gravity of their actions and the potential consequences. Most of them anyway.

The few who were into the anarchy were not deterred. One of them armed with a very distinctive blaster leveled it on the Squad Sergeant that Caltin had spoken to. She, nor any of her team saw this as the individual was hidden in the crowd.

A split second later. The would-be assassin could not pull the trigger, nor could he move at all. He was in stasis by way of the Force, held in place with his weapon trained outward. Frozen by the massive Jedi Master for all to see. Then pulling the weapon to his own hand as he levitated the criminal over to the constables. This man seemed to be unfamiliar to many, if not all of the miners. They seemed to look at him with more of an unknown feeling. Some ask “Who the frell are you?” Others yelling out “He is not with us!”

Now Caltin was mad… his reputation was getting close to being justified.

With glowing red eyes the big man surveyed the crowd.

You want your message to be heard? This is not the way!
Again, more and more protested his accusation, claiming not to want that sort of action themselves.

“That was one man!”

Yeah, until the next one… and the next! What about the guy who threw the lit bottle of alcohol(molotov)? I’m standing with you… I’m not the only one… but when you start crap like this… I’m ready to walk.

He was one person. Yes. However his point was getting through to some of them. They needed to start policing themselves, or at the very least pointing out those who had more nefarious plans.

Lorn Reingard • Aela Keersu • Fulo Ritiki • Yuri Maji
[Text in Brackets is spoken on Comm-link] ~Like this is through the Force~​

 

[Makai Dashiell]

“...extend a chance for dialogue for all workers - on your terms, on your time….”

Orron was reading the message to the assembled crowd, standing elevated so his voice would carry. Yet the miners had fallen silent, listening to the message. Finished with the statement of the inbox being open, Orron placed his datapad face down. Faces greeted him, starting back, expecting a statement. Orron had been critical in organizing the strike, of stirring the workers. He was not Hapan, not bound to many of their ideas, it had been easy for him to stir the pot and begin to have their demands made.

“We stand at a crossroads. Long have we been ignored. Cast aside. Used only for profits. Used until our bodies break…”

Orron paused here, letting the crowd murmur. A scattered mix of ‘that’s right’ or ‘hell yeah’ echoed throughout those assembled.

“But no longer will this be the case. Companies are already running scared, they know we are the key to profit. How many millions are they losing by the day? If they do not understand our voices, then perhaps a lack of credit will make them understand.”

More shouts and scattered clapping.

“That is why I am asking all of you to join me in forming the Hapan Miners Guild. Collectively we will meet with these companies. Meet with the government officials. Make our voices heard above the din, to make our demands be not only known, but met.” Orron paused slightly. “So I have to ask, are you ready for change?”

The roar of the crowd, various shouts of affirmation came back to him, the crowd buzzing with energy, ready to continue their strike but now with a purpose. With more of an end in sight. With hope for a resolution.

Not everyone was bought in, Orron Zapal could only command so many to attention. Others still raged in various parts of the capital and in city streets. Yet it was a fledgling start to a true miners guild that would unite workers under one banner.