Naval Meeting [PM for Invite]

[Jack Navarro]

Jack shook his head quietly at the top brass. Traps like these only failed when one didn't risk enough to get the return. One didn't bank on stupidity or your opponent not seeing the trap; you made the trap too attractive to pass up, and you placed traps within traps within traps, by figuring out your opponent's choices.

It was obvious these people had no idea how to bait a trap thoroughly; sure, doing so would mean actually having all of these important people in one place, but that was precisely it. If they weren't willing to place a risk on putting a fair amount of trumps on the table, then this war would simply drag on and on. Military History showed that wars of attrition ended when one side's will to fight it dissipated, over the course of years. Bold strokes, and creating and using flashpoints for one's benefit was the only way to regain the initiative in a war, and bring it to a relative close.

He watched as Captain [member="Ruuku Hollis"] left, obviously frustrated with the lack of willpower in the room. Jack felt somewhat the same. There was no impetus in this room. Even finding someone to learn from had been a hard task, and he'd barely graduated from the Academy. The fire was gone from this establishment, with the Jedi and their power base having obvious precedence.

Without a word, Jack separated himself from the people he'd been standing with and left the room.

"Captain, sir," Jack called out as the man turned to walk down the hallway. "Could I have a word, if you please?"

 

[Ruuku Hollis]

"Captain, sir," [member="Jack Navarro"] called out as Hollis turned to walk down the hallway. "Could I have a word, if you please?" Hollis turned on his heels, boots clapping against the marble tiles. He appraised the pilot, "Speak your mind." His voice was powerful but showed respect. He turned the datapad around in his hands and held it out for Jack to take. Offering him the same opportunity he had received. "If you came to ask why I'm resigning, I'm not retiring. I'm defecting." Hollis explained with clear devotion to his own opinion, "The Jedi and Sith wars have lasted as long as their history, and nothing we do will change that. It's a constant. Ying and Yang. Out there," Hollis motioned in emphasis of the Protectorate, "It isn't about the Jedi or Sith, about a religious belief. It's about the people. It's about saving and protecting lives. Making a real difference." Hollis took a quick breath, strong in his convictions. Whether this was an impulsive decision or an audacious political move, he couldn't quite say for himself. Hollis informed Jack, "The next transport for Naboo is in sixteen hours. There's a military ball being hosted. I'll be in attendance. If you wish to come, I'll welcome your presence."

 

[Jack Navarro]

Jack stopped and stood facing [member="Ruuku Hollis"].

"Speak your mind", the older figure said.
"I was just wondering about..."
"If you came to ask why I'm resigning, I'm not retiring, I'm defecting." Well, talk about cards on the table, old chap, Jack thought to himself. If I was a spy I'd be damn interested in that. Thankfully I'm not. Quietly, he had a read over the datapad. He couldn't help a small whistle escaping from his mouth, before reminding himself that he stood in the presence of one of his direct superiors.
"The Jedi and Sith wars have lasted as long as their history, and nothing we do will change that. It's a constant. Ying and Yang. Out there, It isn't about the Jedi or Sith, about a religious belief. It's about the people. It's about saving and protecting lives. Making a real difference." Preaching to the choir, old man, Jack thought. Still, he wondered whether the old fella would want a rash young pilot like him along. That was all cleared up by the next words the older officer uttered.
"The next transport for Naboo is in sixteen hours. There's a military ball being hosted. I'll be in attendance. If you wish to come, I'll welcome your presence."

"Sir," Jack said. "I can't disagree with a word you said. Yet this datapad talks about legacy, and while you might be able to resign your commission and leave, I can't. I just joined up, and if I take my personal effects, leave my starter chip and my wings on the dresser, that's desertion. I'd be branded a traitor, perhaps never allowed back into the Republic." A rather large choice for someone who'd just recently entered the Republic's roster. He paused.

"Then again, I didn't join up to sit on my ass, twiddling my thumbs, excusing my language, sir." Jack continued, rashly. " I joined to make a difference, and it's obvious from that meeting that the place to do so isn't here." He looked at the man, then saluted. "Sir, given you're my superior, it'd be handy if you could issue some orders seconding me or something. Give me enough of a smokescreen so I can gather my meagre effects and meet you at the starport without anything seeming... amiss." His superiors would see through the ploy soon enough, but by then he'd hopefully be gone.

 

[Atticus Savar]

Atticus watched as the Captain walked out telling the Supreme Chancellor he would be submitting his resignation. Admittedly Atticus was dumbfounded for a moment not sure what to think or what to say.

Looking around for a moment at who remained in the room Atticus stood but remained in place addressing no particular individual in the room.

"So what now?" "The Admiral has left, one of our Captains has apparently decided to resign." "Unless I missed something that leaves us between a rock and a hard place."

Atticus turns to the sole remaining Captain in the room.

"Captain [member="Sophia Walsh"] was it?" "I believe the floor and what is left of this meeting is now yours." "So I guess my question is best directed at you." "Do we continue to plan invasions without a Fleet or do we instead get to the part where we prepare and train for tough times ahead." "I may be the only one but this is not the Navy my father told me stories about as a child that made enough of an impression on me to be standing here today."


[member="Valara Tiall "][member="Ayumi Pallopides"] [member="Popo"] [member="Kelly Perris"] [member="Gar'Hal Velasura"]

 

[Ruuku Hollis]

"Sir," [member="Jack Navarro"] said. "I can't disagree with a word you said. Yet this datapad talks about legacy, and while you might be able to resign your commission and leave, I can't. I just joined up, and if I take my personal effects, leave my starter chip and my wings on the dresser, that's desertion. I'd be branded a traitor, perhaps never allowed back into the Republic." A rather large choice for someone who'd just recently entered the Republic's roster. Jack paused. "Then again, I didn't join up to sit on my ass, twiddling my thumbs, excusing my language, sir." Jack continued, rashly. "I joined to make a difference, and it's obvious from that meeting that the place to do so isn't here." He looked at the man, then saluted. "Sir, given you're my superior, it'd be handy if you could issue some orders seconding me or something. Give me enough of a smokescreen so I can gather my meagre effects and meet you at the starport without anything seeming... amiss." Jacks superiors would see through the ploy soon enough, but by then he'd hopefully be gone.

"Too late, son," Hollis answered, clasping a firm hand on his shoulder. "I've already told them I'm resigned. What ever orders I give you are made redundant. Though there's no stopping me from doing as I want. I'm seventy-one, and full-blooded human. I'm over the legal age limit for sign-up. If I say I'm unfit for duty, I'm unfit. They can cry and whine all they want, heck they could come arrest me at the spaceport, but it's all for jack on their part." Hollis pushed past the front doors of the academy. He began to take the steps one-at-a-time. He glanced over his shoulder to Jack, "Grab your things and depart. If your things aren't that important, well, I'm sure you can find better things out there." Hollis motioned to space above. The elderly man continued, "Even if they brand you as a traitor for defecting. You have the choice, to become an unknown casualty in a war that has lasted countless millennium, or you can have your chance to prove your worth, regardless of your previous choices. 'Civvies' only care about the heroic stories, they don't care about the wrongs the hero did. No matter how trivial or extensive." Hollis spoke from experience. He began to enter the moving crowds on the pavements, moving towards a nearby residential skyscraper.

 

[Jack Navarro]

"Roger that, sir" Jack said to Captain [member="Ruuku Hollis"]. "I'll see you on Naboo, one way or another." Ironically enough, for a kid who lived on the streets, Jack was more than a little attached to his own meagre possessions, mainly because of the particularly superstitious meaning they had for him, or because of how long they'd taken for him to get. Small things, like a knife that had almost killed him, a necktie that had been a mark of a gang leader on his home planet, a chipped diamond tooth of one of his now-dead rivals. Trinkets to many, but of special relevance.

Well, Jack thought, if I really am going to do this... The exercise which had kept the rest of the starfighters away from that meeting would keep anyone from noticing what he was about to do. That and the meeting he'd just left.

Calmly he returned to his quarters, packing up his meagre possessions. The barracks he and the rest of his wing were bedded in was deserted, with even the ground crew and staff at the spaceport.

He changed into some civilian clothes, and calmly pulled out the small stash of credit chips he'd secreted away, just in case. That, along with his trinkets and some salvaged gear, went into a satchel. He folded up his uniform, then left it and his issued gear on his bunk, with only a small amount of hesitation. Shaking his head wistfully, he called up a groundcar to take him to the spaceport, ostensibly to join in the exercises.

 

[Sophia Walsh]

[member="Atticus Savar"]

She had no idea what had just occurred. It was crazy to see people get up resigned. It was clear that the Navy was hurting and she hated very much to see it this way. When she used to be a part of it, it was a wonderful thing. It had been something to be proud of and now it was falling apart in front of her.

“I suggest training for the tough times ahead of us. We can’t plan when nobody is here as that makes no sense. The way things are it almost makes sense for me to actually come back and pull this Navy back together.”
Sophia was being honest in all of this and she expected that those left would be the same way here. If they were going to keep this Navy together they would need to pull their stuff together now.