Faction Some by Virtue Fall [Galactic Senate]

[Adhira Chandra]

Adhira had arrived to the Senate proceedings quite early after the Special Session Summons had been sent out to her and her colleagues. In truth, the leading Federalist voice had just come from a short dinner meeting with some of the leading diplomats of the Alliance when the message reached her secure comms so she was still dressed in elegant finery. An aquamarine-colored velvet fabric paneled with golden triangles draped around her body and was accented with a brightly colored necklace in the varying colors of stained glass. As she swept into her pod with aides and attaches in tow, she quickly found her seat behind the podium at the head of her repulsor pod and proceeded to observe the proceedings as they unfolded.

Her dark brown eyes moved from speaker to speaker as they spoke about the assassination of the Duro Senator. She leaned forward and deftly poured an amber liquid from a crystal samovar into a glass near the front of the pod. Carefully and deliberately she sipped the drink. The new Duro senator struck her as opportunistic and corrupt, which would help them fit right in with the corporatist and populist factions who seemed to be overrun with corruption these days. Still, she remained seated and silent, fully aware of the weight her opinion held. When she finally spoke she wanted to be certain it had maximum effect.

As another of her Federalist colleagues, Jasol Dorsian concluded his comment, she finally stood and stepped up to her podium, jamming the button that caused her repulsorpod to soar out into the middle of the massive legislative arena. It took a moment, but eventually, the attention of the bots hovering overhead and the chamber, in general, turned to the older woman. "The delegation of Balmorra seeks recognition," her raspy voice boomed across the convocation hall like thunder.

Adhira allowed a brief pause while the echo of her voice dissipated.

"The loss of Senator Zhas has shaken us all, to be certain. Indeed, the safety of Senators should concern every member of this body... even I was recently the victim of a vicious terrorist plot on Denon that sought to end my life. I was fortunate to survive. However, we cannot let fear govern this noble, ancient body."

"The mark of any great democracy is the strength of its systems of justice... well-established, time-honored processes that respect the common rights of sentients and ensure fairness, objectivity in deliberation. Some of my colleagues, perhaps misguided by their anxieties, have advocated for the legitimization of the so-called Bounty Hunter's Guild. To that, I say they are gravely mistaken in their thinking. Criminals ought not be rewarded for their criminal misdeeds. If anything we should be discussing how best to curb the activity of the guild within our sovereign borders." Adhira's admonition was clear, especially for those of her own party who'd dared agree with that radical notion.

"Further, I caution my honorable colleagues from questioning the loyalty of our allies who have tirelessly worked to uncover the likely culprit and fully disavowed the same."

"We should instead be focusing on strengthening our judicial forces... allocating additional funding to the Senate Guard and sanctioning the Jedi - who have supported our Alliance since its inception - to dispense justice where there exists none. These are the answers we so desperately search for in this prolonged debate and yet some among us have decided to selectively ignore the obvious. Balmorra will not support the legitimization of the Bounty Hunters Guild, nor will we allow the slander of the Jedi Order. I call on my fellow Senators to set aside their personal feelings in favor of sense."

"We have the tools at our disposal... we need only use them," she concluded before resuming her seat.

Zahara Myneto Jasol Dorsian Julius Loghain Maou Carolina Tevinter Sssar Taszzn Auteme Greeble the Hutt Faith Organa Skawn Kru Hinter Staakten Seth Saaliche Emmen Tagge

 

[Maou]

Zahara Myneto Jasol Dorsian Julius Loghain Carolina Tevinter Sssar Taszzn Auteme Greeble the Hutt Faith Organa Skawn Kru Hinter Staakten Seth Saaliche

Political maneuvering for the regulation of Bounty Hunters, Jedi apologists, idealists who think people should do the right thing for the sake of goodness and democracy. If anything the emergency session had proven interesting thus far. He had been sitting pleasantly smiling behind his mask as the conversation ebbed and flowed...That is until Adhira spoke up. Her voice soured his mood with every syllable. She was the worst Jedi apologist. Probably because she had once been one. Lady "The Jedi Can Do No Wrong"...It took all of his will to quash his murderous intent in the Force and in his body language. But she did offer an opportunity.

Kaito did not speak when asking for recognition as his condition, according to the Senate's records, was far too volatile for the more superfluous traditions of the Senate floor. Instead, one of his droid aids depressed a button that sent an indicator to the other Senators' repulsor pods indicating he wished to be recognized. When the confirmation came through his pod floated to Corellia's speaking position and he stood, shakily, to speak into the floating annunciator. With his hood drawn up with a myriad of tubes running from various parts of his body into a nearby machine and his droid attendants gently holding him up for support, Kaito had become the face of the Senate Guard and SIA's failures. The very failures that they had been brought here to discuss. He wet his lips, the sound carrying over along with the sound of his labored, mechanical breathing.

"The attempt on my life," he wheezed, "has left me scarred and deformed," the once youthful and snarky senator labored, "Perpetrated by what some media and the Jedi themselves have claimed to be rogue elements of their order..." He turned his ominously masked face in the direction of the Balmorran senator, "Yet here we are, a second attack by rogue elements of the Jedi. Perhaps not our own 'heroes' but connected all the same. Some of us," he continued his icy glare, "claim to say we should put stock in our own systems to find those who conduct such acts of terror and evil to justice...Yet it is our system that continues to protect the very same people who stand in the way of our processes. The investigation on the assassination attempt on my life by Jedi Knight Lanik Dawnstar has been put on a near indefinite hold due to our 'system' and its lack of a hold on Jedi interference and now friends of the Silver Jedi wish to slow this process again but this time a senator was not merely irreversibly maimed but killed!"

"Perhaps it is indeed time that we question the loyalty of our allies because despite our best efforts to stay the course of the righteous we are blocked by those very same allies. Corellia stands behind the honorable senator of Sanjin and the Lord Regent of Kuat. A task force should be created immediately in order to find this Tulan Kor and subsequently should be further tasked with bringing in other 'Rogue Jedi' as it is clear that despite our best efforts the Special Committee on Force Affairs is incapable of providing justice in the wake of these...Dark Jedi animals."

 

[Ruus]

Tags: Maou Zahara Myneto Jasol Dorsian Julius Loghain Carolina Tevinter Sssar Taszzn Auteme Greeble the Hutt Faith Organa Hinter Staakten Seth Saaliche

---

The sergeant stood near a few other law enforcement officials, including the Senate Guard, as they mingled the former Mandalorian Guard captain listened in on the Senate's discussion. There was merit to both sides of the conversation. One side brought forth the very real fact that those who proclaimed to be adherents to the Jedi religion were making attempts on the planetary leadership of Alliance planets. The other maintained that not all Jedi were to distrusted.

"If they wanted to catch these guys they would put more funding to the Marshals." grumbled a Marshal in plain clothes, a blaster slung over her hip "Ever since that whole riot in the under world and the breach at the summit, Judicial Forces have gotten crumbs!" a Senate Guard in ceremonial dress offered a slow shrug "What is there to be done about it?" Ruus looked between them just as another Marshal piped up "Its because of the Jedi and Intel. They can do anything we can do but with more. Jedi have the Force, Intel has the access and tech, and what do we got? Second hand blasters and a badge." silence fell over the group "Then quit." Ruus said shortly to the group "If the battle is already lost, then why fight? Why waste away your life?" the two Alliance Marshals folded there arms or put them on their hips though did not respond "No matter how relegated to the past we become there will always be a job to do. Jedi cannot patrol the streets and neither can Intel, despite what you may hear about their surveillance programs." one of the Marshals retorted with "But we're not planetary security, we're Marshals and you're Intersec. When was the last time Intersec did anything big? When was the last time any of us actually prevented a crisis, saved a bigwig, took down someone worth remembering? We aren't making anything safer. Marshals barely get action, and I doubt you get any." Ruus looked towards the Senate then towards the group "You're right. The Marshals have been less than effective and Intersec is without a purpose now. I have faith that perhaps one day there will be a time that I am needed. Until that point I will wait." then the Senate Guard looked Ruus over "You would wait without purpose until given purpose? That is the definition of a wasted career." Ruus nodded "Perhaps it is. And perhaps one day I will quit. Though today is not that day and I would expect that the three of you have a more pressing duty to securing this building." one Marshal waved Ruus off while the other followed and curtly said "Yeah, from reporters." the Senate Guard shrugged yet again as Ruus walked off to observe the proceedings. This, normally, would have been the job of INTERSEC, though as he had acknowledged before the program was essentially pointless. There had been no support for it from either the SIlver Jedi nor the Alliance in any meaningful way. Most likely Intelligence, NJO, or Defense Forces would see to the investigation while INTERSEC officers took action on interfactional smuggling warrants.

 

[Reyes Sutherland]

Location: Senate Building, Coruscant
Tags: Julius Loghain Zahara Myneto Hinter Staakten Auteme Mina Praji Sssar Taszzn Skawn Kru Maou Faith Organa Seth Saaliche Jasol Dorsian Adhira Chandra Ruus

Reyes arrived to the Senate session late, stepping out of the small personal speeder he had rented and drove himself to the meeting. The form fitting suit he hastily put on had earned him little attention from members of the media as he edged his way through the crowd. He was hastily buttoning the last few buttons of his suit shirt, hastily covering up the scar running across much of his chest when he got to the front of the pack. A Senate Commando stopped him at the top of the stairs, and Reyes had a moment of panic rush through him as he was almost shoved backwards into the crowd. Steadying himself, Reyes tried to apologize to the reporter he had been shoved into, when a blur of motion out of the corner of his eye drew his attention. As two Senate Commandos were dealing with a large cluster of reporters, two younger media members slipped around them, and quickly rushed up the steps of the Senate building. A Commando broke away from the line a moment later to go after them, but this weakened the line even further. Grimacing, Reyes stepped back towards the Commando before him.

"Wait! Wait, I'm a Senator, I got my identification right here..." His words trailed off as he started patting his pockets down, not finding the still unfamiliar weight and shape of the identification badge. As he shifted his weight from one foot to another, about to search the pockets of his pants, a discomfort in his foot halted him. A mad smile flew across the young man's face as he reached down into the long black socks he wore, and pulled out the rectangular device. Rising back to his full height, Reyes handed the Commando the badge, almost shoving it into the man's face when a reporter behind him shoved Reyes forward.

After a moment inspecting the badge, the Commando nodded and stepped aside, allowing Reyes to rush up the last steps leading into the Senate building itself. Moving swiftly down the echoing hallways of the Senate, not quite running as he thumbed open the turbolift. Stepping into the brightly lit capsule, Reyes reached up to smooth back his hair as the door sealed shut with a near inaudible hiss, and shot upwards. When the lift door opened on the floor where his Senatorial Booth or whatever they called it was, he was adjusting the cuff links of his suit. Stepping from the hallways of the Senate building and onto the small piece of durasteel he had only recently come to represent, he reached up to flip the collar of his shirt down, a smile crossing his face as the rush of voices filled his ears.

Taking a seat in the platform assigned to Dremulae, he folded his left leg across his right, propping his right elbow on the side of the platform as he glanced around the room at the other Senators, taking deep breaths to steady his beating heart as talks began to get underway. He was eager, though greatly terrified at the same time, to join such a body. That eagerness began to fade as he listened to the different parties in the room, and the smile so recently gracing his face began to falter, before vanishing altogether. Reaching into the pocket of his suit jacket, Reyes began to take notes, drawing a few lines between the faces of Senators as their opinions and positions began to become clear, and in short order Reyes had painted a picture in his head and on the pad of where most people stood.

He wanted for a break in the debate before he rose to his feet, reaching up to briefly toy with one of the buttons of his suit shirt. "The Senator of Dremulae seeks recognition to speak before the Senate." Reyes paused then, both to wait for approval to proceed, and to clear his throat, doing his best to ignore the pounding in his ears as he looked around the room. When he finally began to speak, his voice was firm, and projected well across the room, though the effort alone required all of Reyes's attention and focus to keep.

"Fellow Senators, Representatives...this is a tragedy that has brought us together. Of that, there is no doubt in any of our minds, I think I can say. Senator Staakten, as many others have already said, our hearts go out to you and all of your people. While this event is tragic, and action must be taken, I urge caution as we consider the possibilities, and the ramifications of our actions should we step too quickly, or in the wrong direction. Some of you have called for forming better ties with the Bounty Hunters Guild, paying them even to help us as they do the Sith Empire. But, as Senator Staakten himself has said, this Guild is taking action against Alliance citizens. Politicians, Jedi, and others are being targeted by these bounty hunters, be it as rogue agents or extensions of this guild. But, instead of calls to crack down on them, they seek to reward them. For attacking a servant of the people, we should employ and pay the guild, and those they represent. I agree with the honorable Senator Chandra of Balmorra, this does not sound like justice to me, or truly fixing the problem." Pausing, Reyes relaxed his hands where they had been hanging rigidly at his side, stuffing them into the pockets of his pants, and in the same motion, pushing his jacket up and back away from him slightly.

“On another note, a few of you have called for a higher degree of regulation and control of the New Jedi Order. Some even questioning...should we trust them at all? A good point was made. This galaxy is hardly a place of Utopian principles and perfect societies. Perhaps the New Jedi Order has indeed been tainted by this galaxy. But where is the actual proof of that? Yes, individual Jedi have committed crimes, attacking a member of this very Senate, and aiding in the death of another. But these are rogue agents, not true representatives of the Order. The Jedi have proven their loyalty to the Alliance in spades, and the number of those they have lost should be all the proof we need of their commitment. Further regulation of the Jedi will bring nothing but harm, and hinder their abilities further to prevent events like this from happening. The present regulation already set forth is more than adequate, and the Order has thus far followed and upheld their obligations to the Alliance. I see no reason to add further redundancy to an already voted upon and agreed decision.” Reyes punctuated the last statement with a brief nod to the Jedi Auteme, before continuing. “No organization is perfect, and even this Senate, formed on the ideal of representing and protecting the people of the Galactic Alliance, has those who put personal desires and goals above the welfare of the citizens.” This last statement was directed towards Senators Skaakten and Kru, though Reyes’ eyes did not linger on them for long.

“Finally, I ask for understanding for our allies within the Silver Jedi Concord. While we remain safe in the Core of the galaxy, they face war on multiple fronts. Despite these rather minor distractions that some of you think they are, they are still working with us to bring justice to those who have killed the late Senator of Duros. We should not throw doubt on one of the few governments in this galaxy that holds to beliefs so similar to our own. We should not seek to alienate them during these times, simply for the sake of expediency on our own part.” Coughing slightly, Reyes dipped his head in resignation of the floor before lowering himself back to his seat. With a grimace, he reached into the small fridge set into the side of his platform, withdrawing a bottle of water and taking a quick sip of the cold liquid before beginning to let himself relax.

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Coutaeu
Location: Senate Chambers, Coruscant
Action: Listening before Speaking

The chambers felt nearly suffocating, not of the pressure or duties of being a Senator, but more so the sheer amount of people occupying the Senate Chambers. Seto, mostly uninterested, gave only a cursory amount of attention to the situation being brought before the Senate Chambers. While assassinations of major political people was without a doubt important, Seto had lived through quite a bit and found it all rather quant. If not a bit boring. The young Du Couteau heir stifled a yawn as he reexamined his data-pad for the fifth time that hour. If he had a choice he would almost certainly have chosen to remain back at his new home in Empress Teta.

But a part of me did miss Coruscant. Seto leaned back some on his chair as he took in the following proceedings as other Senators took turns voicing either their condolences or concerns for their own well-being. It was rather uninteresting to Seto until the mention of Jedi and the inclinations of other Senators suggesting the Jedi partly responsible. Ah! Fear Mongering, how I missed’yee ole’friend. Seto leaned forward as he listened carefully to the rest of the speeches and responses.

Words of urgency to watch over the Jedi Order, more words of retaliation towards the idea of seeing Jedi targeted once again. It all almost felt nostalgic to Seto, if anything the boredom he had felt only minutes ago had been swept by the back and forth of the Duro Senator Staakten and the Jedi Representative Auteme and her ally Senator Organa. While their little debate provided Seto with some amusement it was until the Senator of Kuat reintroduced the reason for their gathering. Perhaps you could have waited another few minutes dear Senator. He always enjoyed viewing disputes, his time among the Imperials had often robbed him of any arguments to enjoy.

But the next Senator to speak forth was certainly an orator, and increasingly called into question the loyalty of both the Jedi Order and the Alliance’s allies. It was all a bit amusing, but at the same time slightly trite to Seto. He had heard these arguments before and this day did not seem exceedingly dissimilar to others when it came to how Jedi were supposed to act within this Alliance.

Seto turned his attention to the latest speaker with a tad more interest, but grew less so as the Senator began to explain the importance of both the Jedi Order and their Allies with the Silver Jedi Order. Yes, yes, Powerful Allies are good to have with war close by our borders. With that Seto eyed his data-pad once again, he had already dealt with one Government body intended to subdue and control Force Users. Such efforts nearly brought along wrinkles across his forehead, and Seto intended to avoid such stresses ever again. And yet here I am, being pulled back into it.

"The Senator of Empress Teta seeks recognition to speak before the Senate."

With a low bow before the rest of the Senate, Seto straightened himself before speaking, "Senators, perhaps what is needed is not another committee to provide oversight for the Jedi, nor is in-action against the great sin committed against one of our own a possible choice today." Seto stepped "-I purpose that just how each Planet produces a Senator for the Alliance, so shall each Planet produce their own Force Order. Be it protectors of their planet or something else, and when the need arises, these Force Users shall convene together under the Alliance Flag, just as we Senators do before the Galactic Alliance itself."

"Our Citizens vote for us, and should the need arise, expel us. So shall they have their own Force Order to protect them and should the need arise, disband them for another if ever required. Let us not give more power to either Jedi or some Special Committee, but back to the very people we serve."

Julius Loghain | Mina Praji | Auteme | Faith Organa | Sssar Taszzn | Seth Saaliche | Jasol Dorsian | Hinter Staakten | Maou | Skawn Kru | Zahara Myneto | Adhira Chandra | Ruus | Reyes Sutherland |