Igni Irae
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Unchained and Tephrike.
Image Credit: Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Cloning, Into Darkness, After Darkness, Tephrike, Elpsis, Phoebe, Mel, Rhea, Mara Technician, Inferno Platoon, Shazora Jai Vahal, Dominion of Light, Disciples of the Vader, Republican Guard, Communion, The Long Road, Order of Fire, Siobhan, Eldorai, Stardriven, Qadiri, Firemane Industries, House Kerrigan, Hydra Assault Force, Amidala Corps.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Organization Name: Fellowship of Generational Health and Resilience.
Classification: Medical and Educational Group.
Affiliation: Unchained, Tephrike, Phoebe.
Organization Symbol: A big circle, inside a spiderweb of lines intersecting. At each intersection a little circle. No central point. It symbolises how there is not one single leader, but that everyone in the Unchained are connected, united together.
Description: Cloning has a long history in the Galaxy. Genetics companies make a fortune providing not only cloned organs and limbs for those in need, but also cloned servitors for corporations and governments. Sadly, clones rights are often rarely acknowledged. Indeed, there is a strong tendency to regard clones as mere duplicates who can be denied basic rights and be forced to embark on a certain path, which often means being someone's servitor, particularly in the military. Clones who express a desire to exercise free will and choose their own path are often 'handled', which tends to be an euphemism for brainwashing or murder.
The Old Republic's use of clone slave-soldiers during the Clone Wars was problematic enough, though in all fairness it must be acknowledged that Jedi sought to improve conditions for them and that the Order had no input in the army's creation. It was dropped into their lap right at the start of the war, though things would have been better if they had not given teenagers command roles. Nonetheless, various ostensibly freedom-loving governments and Jedi Orders have used clone troopers in the same manner, despite not being in these dire circumstances. The mentality of treating clones as commodities rather than sentient beings with rights is widespread.
The Unchained explicitly reject this. They regard the way clones are often used in the galaxy as slavery. They also have a serious grudge against Jedi and Sith. The Unchained are a group of former political prisoners and refugees from the planet Tephrike. This world descended into chaos during the Four Hundred Year Darkness. Corrupted by their power, the Jedi created a totalitarian theocracy, the Dominion of Light.
The Disciples of the Vader and the Republican Guard arose to counter them. The Disciples are an extremist, human supremacist Sith cult that worships Vader as a Dark God and preaches the inferiority of non-humans. Meanwhile, the Guard is a revolutionary movement that sees itself as the vanguard of the common people and is dedicated to overthrowing the Force theocracies. Due to the many atrocities committed by Force-Users, they see the Force as a malignant curse.
The Unchained still practice cloning, but have adopted a more liberal clone culture that is supposed to treat each clone as an individual rather than a duplicate. This is where the Fellowship of Generational Health and Resilience comes in. This group is responsible for growing and raising clones, as well as vetting potential templates. They want to make sure their clones are strong and healthy after all. To this end, the Fellowship also studies cloning methods used by other groups. The Fellowship is supposed to do away with the forced aging and servitude normally associated with the practice. Templates are expected to treat a clone akin to a younger sibling. The Unchained promote diversity by mixing different clone batches together and encourage each clone to make themselves unique, whether it is hair, clothing or attitudes.
Templates are expected to be involved in the lives of their clones, but without forcing a certain way of life on them. A template who shows no interest in their clone is regarded as similar to a neglectful parent or elder sibling. Some researchers promote a system where DNA from several people is combined into a 'clone', so they are hybrids, rather than straight duplicates of a single person.
Moreover, the Fellowship is involved in negotiations with potential trade partners. The Unchained absolutely refuse to sell clones. Indeed, to do so is a capital crime because it is seen as selling someone into slavery, which is why it is punished with death. Calling clones 'fleshdroids' has been banned as hate speech. However, they make money selling cloned organs and limbs. This is a way to help people who have become disabled through war, accident or disease. People who have lost limbs, eyes, ears or vital organs can thus get replacements. An example for one such group are the Stardriven, a faction of former Qadiri slaves.
The Fellowship is a civilian organisation, employing individuals like geneticists, xenobiologists, medical doctors, teachers, psychologists along with support staff. They are dedicated to ensuring that the clones grow up strong and healthy and are able to lead self-determined lives. The Unchained are a multispecies group and this is reflected in the composition of the Fellowship. Most of the 'Fellows' are Non-Force-Users, but the group has a number of Force-Users, too. These are not chosen on the basis of raw power, but their ability to work in a team and use their preternatural abilities for the benefit of the group. Examples would be Force-Sensitive with healing or empathic abilities. One can also find a few alchemists in the group.
The upkeep of the clone laboratories obviously does not come cheap, but many Unchained consider it part of their culture. Moreover, selling cloned replacements helps them make money. The group lacks the means to produce clones in massive numbers and, in any event, on the whole does not consider this to be desirable they do not want to create mere drones whose life expectancy would probably be quite short. For the same reason, they reject the idea of growing clones in a span of mere weeks and thus giving them rushed flash training. Each clone also receives a name rather than just being given a number. The Fellowship does not operate in a vacuum, but is part of the Unchained's hierarchy. An independent watchdog committee has been set up to ensure that it does not abuse its resources. Moreover, the Fellowship answers to the Apella, the elected general assembly of the Unchained, and the two Advocates who act as the movement's co-leaders.
The Unchained have observed that many other galactic entities lack their respect for clone rights. The rebel group is not above undertaking raids to free fellow clones who are being held in bondage, though this must be balanced with the fact that the Unchained's resources are scarce. The Fellowship does not field military forces to undertake such actions, but it plays a role in integrating clones who might have been liberated by their more militant brethren and sistren. This is particularly pertinent if said clones suffer from health issues due to accelerated aging or genetic instability.
Firemane performs some light monitoring. Its motivation is to ensure that the Unchained do not grow a big clone army in secret and that the clone population does not grow out of control. The Unchained are not happy about this, but their main base is on Arkas and thus in Firemane's sphere of influence. They are also not the only group on the planet and the other communities are somewhat wary of them.
It goes without saying that certain groups find clones unnerving or regard them as lesser. For instance, it is entirely new to the elves who are widespread in Firemane's sphere. Naturally, there is also concern about a sudden population explosion, though realistically the Unchained lack the resources for that. For this reason, the Fellowship strives to combat stereotypes and promote the view that clones are people with rights just like natural-born ones. Elpsis, whose capture at the hands of the Dominion sparked Firemane's campaign on Tephrike, has built up connections with the group.
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Headquarters: A settlement on Arkas called Liberty. The New Horizon clone facility is located there.
Domain: The Fellowship does not lay claim to any specific territory. It is a medical and educational organisation, not a government or corporation. However, it serves the Unchained community and is a vital part of it. Within this 'sphere', the Fellowship is responsible for growing and raising new clones. However, it does not oversee their entire education or assign them jobs.
The Unchained grew up in a caste system where every clone was specifically grown for a certain purpose by the state, and are eager to avoid it. Obviously there is the problem that being grown in the image of another person will always be an influence on a clone. However, education beyond what is needed to get a clone on their feet and help them get acclimated to the world around them is handled by regular educational institutions.
Outside of the Unchained, the Fellowship has dealings with other communities on Arkas. The natives' view of cloning varies. The Eldorai exiles, for instance, are wary of it, especially those with Ashiran religious beliefs who may see clones as parodies of Ashira's creation. However, the Fellowship also has business dealings with outsiders who want to purchase cloned replacements for list limbs, eyes, ears or organs.
Notable Assets: The Fellowship runs the New Horizon Facility, the cloning facility in Liberty. Here new cloning methods are developed and new clones are grown. Moreover, it is involved in running the Dawnlight Growth Centre, a communal creche where young clones are raised.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Hierarchy: The Fellowship is broken up into teams and groups, each of whom are assigned a certain number of clones and tasks. They report to a central committee composed of experts. This leadership committee reports regularly to the Advocates, the two directly elected leaders of the Unchained. In addition, the Apella can summon the committee's members to report on their operations. Moreover, there is an advisory committee composed of citizens of the Unchained generally. Their job is to ensure that everything is going how the group wants. It is supposed to keep the Fellowship accountable to the people and the laws of the Unchained. Its members are chosen by the Apella, but are not required to be delegates themselves. Instead they are supposed to represent a cross-section of society.
The Fellowship has various departments that oversee a certain aspect of policy. The Circle of Beneficient Health is responsible for growing the clones and assuring their physical health and wellbeing. This is the group that ensures that the donor cells grow, divide and gestate in artificial wombs and actually runs the hatcheries. It stores the DNA samples and the embryos. The Circle of Wholesome Education is the one that, as the name implies, actually educates the clones about the world and makes sure they can safely mature. It also runs the creche. The Circle of Dialogue and Selection has the duties normally associated with a press or public relations office. It is the main point of contact for outsiders. Moreover, it maintains contact with potential templates among the Unchained. The Circle of Heritage maintains the files, including the genetic records of all clones and templates. All Tephriki have a deep and enduring love of flowery names.
Membership: The tasks of the Fellowship are quite varied, and as a result the membership is quite diverse. Obviously people with knowledge of medicine, genetics, cloning and so on are particularly valued. However, they also need teachers, cultural experts, psychologists, guards, clerks and people who do what amounts to marketing. At present the group is still quite small. Potential members must belong to the Unchained and have no criminal record with the group. Another Unchained in good standing must vouch for a recruit. Since the group is fairly young, the process of admission is less formalised and many people are recruited into the organisation through the personal contacts of established members.
There is a lot of on-the-job training where a more senior member shows a recruit the ropes. The group has a few Force-Using members, but neither Jedi nor Sith are accepted into their ranks, as the Unchained are very hostile to both religions. There are no gender barriers and the group strives to be inclusive when it comes to species. That said, there is a higher proportion of aliens than humans, but this is reflective of Tephriki demographics.
Climate: The climate in the group is quite tense. The members of the Fellowship are under a lot of pressure to create and expand new and productive members. They also have to choose good templates, retire old ones, and maintain equipment. Moreover, they are responsible for taking care of and raising young clones.
This requires a lot of balancing, as they have to educate them and teach them about their civic rights and responsibilities, but also avoid falling into the pitfalls of the old regimes the Unchained left behind. In many ways it is like raising a large group of children. This means that those Fellows who work directly with new clones need a lot of empathy, but also firmness and a strong sense of responsibility. While a template is essentially a parent to a clone, it is not uncommon for the latter to form strong bonds with their caretakers from the Fellowship and remain in contact with them even after being released into the larger world.
All this means is that the Fellows have to work long hours and are expected to be flexible with work days. They must write regular reports about their progress for their supervisors and, depending on rank, the senior leadership. Outsiders may find the Fellows a bit brusque and suspicious. For obvious reasons, they are not inclined to let people they do not know into their laboratories, though some are more eager than others to work with outside parties. However, the group also has diplomatic, media-savvy types as well as people who will be sympathetic to outsiders who have experienced oppression as they did. The Fellowship explicitly rejects the concept of eugenics and is at pains to ensure that people who subscribe to this illogical, absurd belief system are not employed. In short, it is not a group for mad scientists obsessed with engineering 'superior beings'.
In one way or another, the Fellows are all survivors of oppressive, totalitarian regimes. This has left deep scars on their psyche. Some were scientists who used to be involved in the Dominion's cloning programme - and in the way the Windian Jedi abused the technology. For a number of them the Fellowship is a chance to atone for their sins, as far as this is possible. However, at the same time the culture in the group is very professional. Overall, the Fellowship is a tight-knit group and it is not uncommon for members to socialise a lot with each other outside of work. Because their work is seen as important to the community, they have access to certain benefits, including guaranteed housing, healthcare and so on. Accommodations have been set up close to the cloning facility.
'Companion' is a common form of address between members of the Unchained and this applies to the Fellowship as well. They also use it for outsiders who are considered friendly towards the group. It is supposed to convey their egalitarian spirit and rejection of oppressive hierarchies, though of course the renegades cannot do without some form of hierarchial organisation. They may be big on freedom and choice, but they are not chaotic anarchists.
The Unchained prefer restorative justice for minor crimes such as theft. But being a member of the Fellowship is a position of trust. Someone who abuses this sacred trust by say selling clones into slavery or abusing their charges faces draconian punishment. The Fellowship is not a military organisation and most of its members are civilians. However, the Unchained have a militia system and so the group's members receive some basic self-defence training so that they can protect those under their care, even if only to buy time for professional fighters. Of course, they also have guards for their facilities to repel aggressors.
While the members of the Fellowship tend not to diverge radically in terms of ideology, the group is obviously not a monolith. For instance, there is a divide between Fellows who are particularly invested in the Unchained returning to Tephrike and freeing more of their fellow Tephriki, and those who are focused on building a new life in the stars. The former would stress training clones to go back and fight, while the latter would prefer builders. Of course, soldiers will be needed either way to protect their new settlements and likewise taking the fight to the oppressors still requires people who do things other than fighting. There are also Fellows who stress self-reliance and those who believe the Unchained cannot insulate themselves if they want to prosper.
Because several of the Unchained were prisoners held in a concentration camp for Force-Sensitive 'heretics', the group has a high proportion of Force-Users, though their level of training varies. Some of the Fellowship's charges are Force-Sensitive, but it is not responsible for teaching them the ways of the Force. That is left to other groups, though it will impart some basic knowledge of the Force and strongly discourage Forcer supremacist sentiment. The group has rehabilitated some Force-Users vilified by the Dominion and the Vaderites, such as the heroic Jedi Exile, who purged the corrupt Jedi and Sith, walked a grey, balanced path and respected the rights of Non-Force-Users. This version of events is probably better than what actually happened.
Reputation: Generally accepted and supported by the Unchained. Its mission is in line with the liberal clone culture the group seeks to promote. For obvious reasons, the Fellowship is popular among clones. However, not all Unchained support the programme. There is a divide those who were conceived through cloning, which is commonly practiced in the Dominion and those who came into the world through natural means.
Tephriki clones call themselves Pureborn and may disparagingly refer to those who were born the normal way as Randoms. For their part, non-clones have a tendency of referring to the so called Pureborn as Tankborn or Tankies. The latter may be sceptical of or outright dislike the Fellowship because they fear that continuing cloning will just perpetuate the social hierarchies they just escaped when they fled on Tephrike. This does not mean that every 'natural-grown' among the Unchained dislikes the Fellowship.
Outsiders regard the Fellowship with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. The idea of a free clone culture is rather new, and in certain cultures clones are still seen as lesser than people who have come into the world the normal way. Others presumably don't care one way or another. Certain groups such as the Stardriven have made deals with the group to provide their members with replacements for lost body parts, since many of them are freed slaves who suffered from maimings or disease. Firemane opposes clone slavery, but is wary of the Unchained undergoing a population explosion, so it exercises some light monitoring. Clone masters who view clones as commodities would presumably hate the Fellowship, especially since the Unchained support hanging slavers.
Curios: Members have a security code cylinder like the Galactic Empire used to. They also receive a ring with their official status on it. Clones created by the Fellowship receive a necklace with the group symbol on it to show their origins. The Fellows tend to wear easily maintained jumpsuits that can be produced in large batches and are resistant to wear and tear. Members receive a book that contains a set of practical and ethical guidelines about their work. It is called the 'Treatise on the Ethical Creation of Cloned Beings With Special Reference to the Importance of Medical Hygiene and Template Stability.' Tephriki like making everything so damn long, so it is usually shortened to 'Ethical Creation'.
Rules: Loyalty to the Unchained and their code is an important virtue. The beliefs of the Unchained empathise democracy, popular sovereignty, vigilance and military preparadness. They are big on freedom, but also militant in its defence. Moreover, their code stresses gender, racial equality and respect for citizens on all levels.
The members of the Fellowship occupy a position of trust and are thus expected to hold themselves to a high standard. Abusing the trust of a clone is a serious crime. A Fellow - especially one in the role of a caretaker or teacher - should be a model to the clones grown and raised by the group. While the schools are not controlled by the Fellowship, it runs the creches and will thus have an important influence on any newly-grown clones. Artificial creation of sentient life and genetic engineering can be abused - and often have been. The Fellows are not just expected to disobey unlawful and unethical orders from their superiors, but forced to. Simply looking away when a crime occurs is seen as enabling it.
They are also expected to only select suitable templates, but at the same time guide any potential template through the process so that they are aware of the responsibility. In keeping with the beliefs of the Unchained, the Fellowship is staunchly opposed to Sith and Jedi alike. Individual Jedi may be able to win the group's trust, but it will be a serious uphill struggle and they will not, under any circumstances, be allowed to take a Force-Sensitive clone as a student. The Unchained do not recognise Jedi as having any jurisdiction in their settlements. Rightly or wrongly, the Unchained identify the Light with the tyranny of the Dominion, and thus their Force-Users try to stay away from it as much as they dislike the extremes of the dark side. Clone masters and other slaves are punished with death.
Goals: Ensure that the clones created by the Unchained grow up strong, healthy and with the ability to lead self-determined lives. Integrate them into society and teach them about their rights and duties as free citizens. Advocate for clone rights.
MEMBERS
Mel - A Mirialan clone who grew up in the Dominion of Light. Her template Melania Reporter was a successful propandist for the Ministry of Enlightenment, and so Mel was destined to work there, too. By Dominion standards, her upbring was privileged. When she fell sick as a child, her template pulled strings to make sure she could see a Jedi healer. At first she was a loyal worker, writing stories and pamphlets that exalted the Dominion. However, she developed doubts when she was called in to write a smear piece on a general who had been framed for treason. She confided her debts to a colleague called Myra Technician. The two started a relationship. This made them heretics. Myra was sent to a camp, while Mel was banished from the capital to work in a collective farm and then join a military propaganda company.
She experienced a Force awakening during the Netherworld crisis and was accused of having concealed powers she did not know about. Assigned to a penal unit, she experienced the horror of war, the callousness of her Jedi masters and the cruelty of the Vaderites, and deserted. She made a living as a smuggler before being arrested and sent to the Serene Springs brainwashing gulag.
There she eventually joined a group of rebellious prisoners. They formed the nucleus of the Unchained. Today, Mel is a close confidante of Phoebe, one of the Unchained's two Advocate. She uses her understanding of logistics and smuggling networks to provide resources for the Unchained. Her role in the Fellowship is as a consultant and advisor. She provides a link to the central leadership and consults on how to clone ethically as well as on educational material. While cynical and with some rough edges, Mel is a supporter of the programme. She supports a clone culture ased on comradeship and family rather than enslavement. She sees it as part of the Tephriki's national identity.
Zassekk Jai Zassa (NPC) - Originally called Zass Soldier. All species are equal in the glorious Dominion of Light, but it expects all its citizens to be the same. Cultural differences are suspicious because they reek of bourgeous nationalism. Zassekk is a Trandoshan clone and former soldier. Her main job is to go ahead and interview/test potential template candidates. Her former job makes her used to analysing recruits. She used to serve the Dominion in a similar capacity. The Dominion maintains the so called Blessed Lineage Project. Select individuals such as particularly accomplished workers, soldiers, technicians and Jedi are selected for it to be cloned so that their skills are not lost.
However, one of the people she selected as a template was found to have 'unwelcome' ideas. Because the Grandmaster and the Windian Jedi could do no wrong it must have been a conspiracy. She had already antagonised a bigwig by rejecting a candidate whose accomplishments had been grossly exaggerated to score political points. Because the Dominion is benevolent, she was sent to a penal unit to atone for her misdeeds and reflect on her errors.
Most of her unit was wiped out during the battle at Fortress Purity. Given substandard equipment, they were sent on a forlorn hope charge and given bombs to throw themselves at the enemy. Zassekk was badly injured, but managed to rid herself off the explosives that had been strapped to her and throw it at Dominion soldiers instead of allowing herself to be turned into a sentient bomb. She was able to help Firemane by giving them information on the enemy.
The natural regenerative traits of a Trandoshan have helped her recover, but she still walks with a limp. Zassekk has adopted a more traditional Trandoshan name to signify her breaking with the stiffling ways of the Dominion. Zassekk is active in the Unchained's militia and provides training for recruits at drills, but her primary role is picking and vetting templates. She is known to antagonise bigwigs who want to be selected as templates to enhance their importance.
Talassam Jal Thalassam (NPC) - formerly Talassam Teacher. A clone from the small pocket of Kaminoan. He helps write the syllabus for the clone flash learning. He is employed by the Fellowship as a teacher and psychologist who monitors, educates and counsels the clones after they have been decanted. Thus he is heavily involved in the creches run by the Fellowship. The group is not responsible for a clone's entire education, but is supposed to get them acclimated to the world and give them the knowledge to function. He has a way with words and is good at getting people to open up and feel comfortable around him.
Kaminoans are very rarely seen outside of Kamino, but during the Galaxy's Golden Age prior to the outbreak of the Gulag Virus, Tephrike attracted the attention of several genetics companies due to its bountiful flora and fauna. One such company was owned by Kaminoans. Tephrike's corporate, environmental and animal rights laws were rather lax. But the Dark Age stranded them on the planet. They had to use cloning relatively early to stop a gene pool recursion. The Dominion 'welcomed' them into the fold, employing them for their reputation with clones. Talassam grew up in an environment where his path was set by genetics, caste and aptitude tests, but her circumstances were not bad. He was put to work as a pedagogue.
But as is typical for totalitarian regimes, suddenly the orthodoxy and correct path could be ruled as errant in a heartbeat. So this teacher helped devise a new program for history before the Netherworld calamity, but after that event and after all the problems with the Light Sith a correction was made to the history. Talassam was on the wrong side of history and despite having been told to create what he did was now treated as counter revolutionary. Taken off the committee and relegated to minor tasks, he was put to work teaching at the Liberation Education Centre. There he was rescued and joined the Unchained.
Grolo Jal Grolonal (NPC) - formerly known as Grolo Administrator. A Rodian and a somewhat ordinary admin worker. He was neither a zealot nor a rebel, just a normal man trying to live and keep his head down. However, he was placed in a department which reviewed publications for censorship. A dull task, but it did open Grolo to new ideas which he guiltily hid from his minders. However, he committed a grave sin whilst reviewing a Republican Guard text claiming to be a reprint of the ancient apostate Kreia (it wasn't...really...though it had some fragments from a discovered history work expanded out. Imagine taking a 1 page description of the Jedi Civil War and creating a 50 page book on it with no further information.)
He snuck out a copy out and reviewed it. Unfortunately during a 'routine' search of his dorm it was discovered and he was sent to the camp for re-education. It was there that he was rescued and joined the Unchained. Now Grolo is responsible for managing the administrative side of things. He specialises in personnel management and has a good mind for accounting.
Mara - A human clone, cryptologist and slicer from Tephrike. Her template was a famous codebreaker who had been highly decorated by the Dominion before being arrested under charges of 'heresy'. Mara was trained as a comms technician. When the Netherworld War brought the nation to the brink, she helped it achieve victory over its foes by deciphering Republican Guard codes. Thus the Grand Army was forewarned and able to mount a successful defence of Fortress Purity. Elpsis encountered and befriended her during the early stages of the expedition when Firemane stormed the Dominion's lunar base. Though raised to believe in and support the Dominion, Mara turned on it after they betrayed a Firemane diplomatic delegation. She was an important asset for locating and saving Elpsis.
Polite, timid and bit uptight, she is very kind and loyal to those she takes into her confidence. Mara is no fighter, but good tech support. Mara privately feels a lot of guilt about 'remaining blind to the truth' and still wants to free her fellow clones on Tephrike. Some Unchained are wary about her closeness to the 'space lords'. Like Mel, she does work for the Fellowship on a part-time basis, as she has other commitments. Moreover, she helped set up the group's database and is part of the advisory committee. Much to her chagrin, she has sometimes been roped into the group's media efforts.
Jughar (NPC) - formerly called Jughar Scientist. A Devaronian male, genetic engineer and the head scientist of the Fellowship. He plays a key role in engineering new roles. He oversees the biological aspects of the projects. He has no truck with mad scientists obsessed with unethical experiments of dubious efficacy. Jughar habours regrets of his own from his life on Tephrike. A former academic from the Dominion of Light whose research into improving genetics was deemed 'undesirable'. As a Dominion researcher, he was involved in a scientific project to create 'next generation clones' for the clone army. On paper, the project was successful. However, the clones' genome turned out to be less than stable. They did their duty well, but then poor health and genetic defects caught up with them. They were no longer useful to the state and treated poorly since the result was an embarrassment to the higher-ups in the division that had engineered them.
When the clones tried to protest against their unfair treatment, they vanished. The event scarred Jughar a lot. It reminded him of Sith eugenics policies, but he was told to keep his mouth shut. A testimony he gave during an inquiry was distorted to suit the regime. Feeling guilty, he got involved in the Hundred Flowers Movement. This movement derived its name from a expression attributed to the Grandmaster, which said that "the policy of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend is designated to promote the flourishing of the arts and the victory of Ashla." Citizens were being encouraged to openly express their opinion about the regime and criticise its leaders.
Jughhar led a group of intellectuals who created an Ashla Wall, which they covered in posters and letters criticising the Windian Jedi Order. Like many participants, Jughar did not demand the overthrow of the Dominion. Instead he attacked the lack of accountability, the cruelty of past mass campaigns, the privileges of the leaders and the stiffling of the sciences. He advocated reform, not revolution.
But his public criticism made him a target for his fellow scientists. He made the mistake of defending a fellow scientist against accusations of having succumbed to the darkside. When he and some others followed an invitation from alleged reformists, they were arrested. They were labelled 'poisonous weeds'. Jughar was sent to a closed city so that the government could still use his expertise, but later sent to Serene Springs. He was freed during Firemane's campaign.
Yané Adova (NPC) - A human female from Vaderite territory. The Vaderites have human supremacist beliefs, but she grew up in the lower middle class. She got annoyed about being told that all humans were equal in being superior to aliens, since the supposedly egalitarian People's Community actually had rigid class barriers. All humans were superior to aliens, but Force-Using humans were superior to Non-Force-Users. She was conscripted into the Amidala Corps, an all-women labour and auxiliary organisation. A supervisor derided her as being too soft with 'indentured xenos labourers'. Yané managed to join the army for the pay, but had to put up with sexism and Sith being their typical psychopathic self.
Her family used to own a brewery, but was bought out by an economic conglomerate that exploited its connection to force them out of business. Yané started producing moonshine to make money, leading a small smuggling ring. She was eventually busted for this. Then the Netherworld Crisis sent everything tupsy-turvy. Yané was not really political, but fell in with the Light Sith because they seemed less murderous and cruel.
When the reformed Vaderites ended up at war with the Dominion, the Light Sith officers in her legion were couped by conservatives. Yané fought at the Battle of Grimwater Swamp, one of the bloodiest battles of the conflict. Sick of the war and the Sith, she deserted and teamed up with Mel to organise a smuggling ring. Eventually the gang was arrested by the Dominion. She was part of the Serene Springs prison uprising.
Yané faces some distrust due to her past. She is not the type to feel guilty about them, arguging that she 'did what was needed, and things sucked' type. Now does marketing for the Fellowship. Silver-tongued and persuasive, she takes charge of public relations. for the group. In this capacity she often handles talks with clients who have approached the Fellowship to request limb replacements and the like, as well as couples who have turned to science to have a child.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Cloning has long been a staple in the galaxy. The prospect of being able to take the 'best and brightest' and the most 'valuable' and duplicate them by the thousands has been attractive to many regimes and corporations. Of course, it disregards the fact that organic beings will devleop in wildly divergent ways due to upbringing, environment and random chance. Chances are that the clone of a genocidal dictator will not end up a duplicate of his template. Indeed, clones may become the exact opposite of their template simply out of resentment of being seen as a duplicate instead of as a full-fledged sentient being.
Perhaps the most infamous use of cloning was the Clone Army the Jedi Generals led into battle during the Clone Wars, until Order 66 caused the clone troopers to turn on their commanders. On Tephrike, cloning experienced a revival when the galaxy fell into darkness. The Jedi assumed a protective stance, but when civilisation collapsed, they seized power to restore order. It was intended to be a temporary emergency dictatorship, but evolved into a totalitarian nightmare.
Faced with enemies on all sides, the new regime turned to cloning to replenish their numbers. The pandemic, starvation, natural disasters and strife had caused a staggering death toll. Cloning could provide the work force to rebuild the planet, and the soldiers to fight enemies of disorder. Some people were too valuable to lose.
Over time, cloning gained an ideological element, for it was seen as a way to raise a new, 'pure' generation untainted by the mistakes and heresies of the past. Indeed, it was preferrable to natural reproduction because passion led to the dark side. Thus the miracle of life could take place in a medically sanctioned way. It also led to the creation of a caste system. Certain clones, especially those of war heroes, Jedi, managers or inventors, were grown for specialised roles and acquired positions of influence, forming an upper class of sorts. By contrast, clones grown in massive batches to serve as labour drones or expendable grunts in the army often had a short life span and received less care.
The Fellowship has been created as a reaction to these practices. It supports cloning, but promotes a liberal clone culture. The Fellowship has its roots in the Unchained, a group of former political prisoners and resistance fighters who were imprisoned in Dominion concentration camps. When Firemane came across Tephrike, the Dominion at first negotiated with it. However, an extremist faction in the Dominion's government declared the space people to be Sith demons and ambushed the Firemane delegation.
One of the captives was Elpsis, the daughter of Firemane's leader. In response, Firemane went to war. Elpsis was incarcerated and brainwashed by the Inquisition, but eventually broke free and overthrew her captors with the help of a Firemane relief force and a group of rebellious prisoners. These prisoners became the Unchained. Firemane evacuated them so that they would not fall victim to the Dominion's wrath. The Dominion still stood, and the other regimes on Tephrike were quite unpleasant as well.
In varying ways, the Unchained had all suffered under the Dominion and its rivals, the human supremacist Disciples of the Vader and the revolutionary, anti-Force-User Republican Guard. They were committed to independence and self-reliance, and returning to Tephrike to free more of their people. For the time being, they set up an autonomous settlement within Firemane's sphere, though they remained wary of the space people. Their rescue had been a byproduct of Firemane's campaign, not its goal, and the outsiders would provide little aid for a return to Tephrike.
After much debate, the Unchained decided to continue with cloning because they regarded it as part of their way of life. However, the new way was supposed to lack the coercion and totalitarian controls of the methods used by the Dominion. The Fellowship of Generational Health and Resilience was founded to facilitate this. It was supposed to promote the idea that clones should be allowed to be their own persons and live their own lives rather than being treated as expendable duplicates of the original - or a genetic aristocracy. Advocate Phoebe was one of the sceptics, as clones in the Dominion had looked down on her for being a 'Random', and insisted on firm guidelines. She came around for pragmatic reasons.
A watchdog committee was set up by the general assembly to monitor its work. The Fellowship was given a mandate to oversee cloning among the Unchained, but made responsible to the central leadership. Having escaped a totalitarian hellhole, the Unchained were committed to a more accountable form of government. However, they also realised that leaders needed to be given a degree of freedom of action to make decisions and not get bogged down all the time.
One pressing concern was the acquisition of cloning technology. The group had a number of researchers who knew how cloning worked, but they could not recreate it from scratch. Moreover, the technology they were familiar with on Tephrike was behind galactic standard. It had often caused health issues the Unchained wanted to avoid. It was obviously too expensive to buy it. During their search, they came across a company called GeneTech. This was a private corporation that acted without any governmental oversight, allowing its directors to sell to any client they wanted. At first GeneTech seemed interested in offering them a deal. It promised to cure various ills they suffered from. In return, it could use new donors.
It soon became apparent that the cloners regarded clones as commodities that could be sold on the free market. To their disgust, the Unchained learned that a rogue Jedi sect was procuring clone servitors from the corporation. Their aim was to 'outshine' the dark. To the Unchained, this was clearly slavery. The Hydra Assault Force, a crack unit of Unchained soldiers was dispatched to deal with this problem. The Jedi sect was not a large, but the Hydras lacked the manpower to take on both the Jedi and the corporate security forces. And they were understandably reluctant to fight the clones. However, they decided on a different tactic by spreading subversion among the clones. Having spent all their time in the corporation's facilities, many of the company's creations only had the faintest understanding of what life in the greater Galaxy was like. They had been implanted with inhibitor chips to keep them docile.
The clones had been bred to be utterly obedient like the clone troopers of yore, so after gathering intelligence the Hydras decided to slice the systems and subtly manipulate the programming. To this end they smuggled in a mouse droid programmed as a slicer. This allowed them to spread pro-freedom messages and corrupt the loyalty programming. They also used slicing to disrupt 'educational' instruction videos. In their place, they spread footage of the 'training' and the discarding of 'defective units'. Needless to say the corporate security forces clamped down on such sabotage and they eventually lost access. But then the Hydras carried out a raid on the facility.
They were eventually cornered. But when the corporate officers and a few Jedi who happened to be there on an inspection tour tried to turn the clones on the intruders, they refused. Rallying the clones with the words that they had a choice and could live as free beings or slaves, the Hydras got them to turn on their masters. In the aftermath of the bloodletting, the Hydras looted the place and salvaged its tech. Several of the liberated clones joined them and were brought to Liberty, where the Fellowship helped them adjust and provided them with counselling. Those who did not were given transport off-world, credits and some supplies.
The Fellowship was able to use the tech acquired during the raid to set up a cloning facility called New Horizon. Later, a group of clones approached the group. They were under the mistaken impression that the Fellowship was a group of clone masters like them and offered to buy the facility so that they could expand their business. The slavers were hanged by the Unchained.
However, bloodletting was not the business of the Fellowship. It had to deal with suspicion from other communities on Arkas, who feared a clone population explosion. Thus the Fellowship tried to enact various measures to build trust. The Unchained approached a group of independent Qadiri led by Shazora Jai Vahal. Similar to the Tephriki, these Qadiri had once been the slaves of 'wise mistresses and masters', but they had rebelled and broken their chains.
While connected to Firemane, they wanted to build their own future. Many had lost limbs, eyes, ears or other body parts due to disease or war before the arrival of the 'sky people'. The Fellowship offered them cloned replacements and invited a delegation to inspect their facility. The 'desert elves' met with leading scientists and some of their charges, and got a view of the cloning methods utilised by the group. Such deals were sorely needed because maintaining the facility cost a lot. Moreover, the group offered its aid to outsiders who wanted children, but had been unable to conceive.
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