Sankt Yora
The Lady Vicar
[member="Ordon Trozky"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Cecily de Demici"] [member="Faith Balor-Organa"] [member="Valen Cerezo"] [member="Persephone Callas"] [member="Lady Kay"]
For a time, Yora sat quietly, observing the debate from her box. The freshman senator understood it would be best to let the more experienced voices of the body carry the debate, and for a while there was no need for her to speak. Still, most of the arguments were disappointing, weak and emotional, and centered around the Senate's waste of time with a non-binding resolution of this type. The Senator from Onderon seemed caught off guard, unexpectant of the level of debate over such a simple issue.
Then again, it wasn't, was it?
The Senator from Alderaan, around whom rumors still circled after the sudden re-appearance and just as sudden disappearance of her cousin from political affairs, finally offered a question worth merit. Allowing herself a small smile, the Falleen woman renewed her focus on the debate. She could almost feel the Onderon Senator squirm, Alderaan's query backing her into a proverbial corner. Yora had to give the bill's author some credit, her acerbic comments seemed to win her some points among fellow senators, and she spied bobbing heads about the chamber.
It was Alderaan's retort, however, that really sparked Yora's interest. She needed no clairvoyance nor signs from beyond to see the eventual path this bill —no, it was a resolution— would take. The Galactic Republic would look weak before its enemies, the new laughingstock of the galaxy. And this was the Senate charged with running the last bastion of freedom in the galaxy? A troupe of Veermok creatures could run a government better than this.
Calling attention to her box, the Falleen Senator waited her turn, finally granted the floor after a little patience. She gave a courtesy nod to the Prime Minister administering the congress from the middle, glancing around at the convocation chamber to her fellow senators. She nearly scoffed at the term, and in private company she might have divulged just what she thought of those who desperately considered her an equal. Before the Senate, she was still and said nothing of the kind, waiting as her circular repulsorpod to drift into the inner ring of the chamber. Once it was there, drifting lazily about the center stand, Yora began to speak.
"My dear, honorable senators, on the matter before us I must make it clear. Slavery, in any form, is among the most heinous crimes a being can perpetrate against another. A life spent in bondage is no life at all, and of course we should take the chance to reaffirm our commitment to the preservation of freedom for all the denizens of our galaxy."
She was silent for a moment, letting the echo of her words die out before beginning again. "So why is it that the Republic must meet such oppressors of life with open arms? Shall we simply invite a cadre of pirates, criminals and Hutts to a dinner party? Surely this senate is not so naive."
"No," she cried, letting the word reverberate loudly throughout the chamber. "We cannot treat with slavers as though they were kings. We must insist on a basic standard of rights, or make it happen ourselves by whatever means. By force, by subterfuge, by economic sanctions, but one thing must be clear. The Galactic Republic will not permit the bondage of sapient beings anywhere in the galaxy."
"That is why Cyrillia cannot vote in favor of this resolution. Thank you, Madam Prime Minister, I yield the floor."
For a time, Yora sat quietly, observing the debate from her box. The freshman senator understood it would be best to let the more experienced voices of the body carry the debate, and for a while there was no need for her to speak. Still, most of the arguments were disappointing, weak and emotional, and centered around the Senate's waste of time with a non-binding resolution of this type. The Senator from Onderon seemed caught off guard, unexpectant of the level of debate over such a simple issue.
Then again, it wasn't, was it?
The Senator from Alderaan, around whom rumors still circled after the sudden re-appearance and just as sudden disappearance of her cousin from political affairs, finally offered a question worth merit. Allowing herself a small smile, the Falleen woman renewed her focus on the debate. She could almost feel the Onderon Senator squirm, Alderaan's query backing her into a proverbial corner. Yora had to give the bill's author some credit, her acerbic comments seemed to win her some points among fellow senators, and she spied bobbing heads about the chamber.
It was Alderaan's retort, however, that really sparked Yora's interest. She needed no clairvoyance nor signs from beyond to see the eventual path this bill —no, it was a resolution— would take. The Galactic Republic would look weak before its enemies, the new laughingstock of the galaxy. And this was the Senate charged with running the last bastion of freedom in the galaxy? A troupe of Veermok creatures could run a government better than this.
Calling attention to her box, the Falleen Senator waited her turn, finally granted the floor after a little patience. She gave a courtesy nod to the Prime Minister administering the congress from the middle, glancing around at the convocation chamber to her fellow senators. She nearly scoffed at the term, and in private company she might have divulged just what she thought of those who desperately considered her an equal. Before the Senate, she was still and said nothing of the kind, waiting as her circular repulsorpod to drift into the inner ring of the chamber. Once it was there, drifting lazily about the center stand, Yora began to speak.
"My dear, honorable senators, on the matter before us I must make it clear. Slavery, in any form, is among the most heinous crimes a being can perpetrate against another. A life spent in bondage is no life at all, and of course we should take the chance to reaffirm our commitment to the preservation of freedom for all the denizens of our galaxy."
She was silent for a moment, letting the echo of her words die out before beginning again. "So why is it that the Republic must meet such oppressors of life with open arms? Shall we simply invite a cadre of pirates, criminals and Hutts to a dinner party? Surely this senate is not so naive."
"No," she cried, letting the word reverberate loudly throughout the chamber. "We cannot treat with slavers as though they were kings. We must insist on a basic standard of rights, or make it happen ourselves by whatever means. By force, by subterfuge, by economic sanctions, but one thing must be clear. The Galactic Republic will not permit the bondage of sapient beings anywhere in the galaxy."
"That is why Cyrillia cannot vote in favor of this resolution. Thank you, Madam Prime Minister, I yield the floor."
