Private The Meeting After

[Dracken Pryce]

Madelyn Lowe | Xasha Callisto | Faith Organa | Sssar Taszzn | Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix | Auteme

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Dracken gave a weak thank you smile to Faith. Always the mother, always a voice of calm and reason. What was Auteme doing? He hoped she wasn't taking what he said at Fondor to this level of extreme.

"I never liked the idea of putting Kobitana out in the open like this anyways. I'd much rather drop a squad of Halcyon Commandos on whatever Sithspit creatin sent those half-baked assassins." He didn't want to think it was anyone in the senate right now hiring killers to silence opposition. With both the New Imperial Order and the Brotherhood of the Maw they had plenty of they had plenty of enemies outside of the Alliance. Xasha and Madlyne were talking about in-fighting within the Coalition, but in-fighting within the Alliance? Now that terrified him, especially right now. But the question needed to be asked.

"Do we know who sent them?"

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[Auteme]

Dracken Pryce Madelyn Lowe Faith Organa Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix Xasha Callisto Sssar Taszzn ​

Auteme let out a snorting, almost primal laugh, but managed to control herself long enough to sit down and not be outright shaking.

"My apologies, I just had to," she said. With a wave of her hand the doors closed again, with another she pulled out a seat for Pryce.

Her gaze went to Kotibana for a moment, whose outburst had been... telling. Auteme looked partly amused. She tilted her head, a small smile on her lips. But you think he's the right choice, don't you?

Next she looked to Lowe, and again smiled sweetly. The imperial had likely gotten what she'd wanted, but Auteme wouldn't complain much. Whatever blows she'd dealt could be smoothed over once she was officially nominated. Or, if too much damage had been dealt, she'd probably never have to deal with Lowe again.

At least, not as an equal.

"I would suspect someone among the corporatists," she said, leaning forward to rest her chin on her hand. "But there are more than enough shadow games and secret Sith and whatnot, so there is always the chance it's just someone trying to stir the pot. We're in a deadly profession, even if the Alliance has provided safety for most of us."

Her gaze went back to Kotibana. "You were the target. What are your thoughts?"

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Tiresh turned her gaze to look at Xasha Callisto with a look of utter confusion. "My... Outbursts?" She questioned softly. She had no words to say beyond that… no desire to defend or offer a rebuttal. It was clear that her attempts to steer the coalition in a productive direction were being sourly misinterpreted as some form of personal insecurity and a selfish desire to be nominated instead of Auteme. She just stared blankly at the Senator of Constancia for a moment in disbelief that somehow she had been so misunderstood.

As Faith Organa spoke, it confirmed that her leadership style was being poorly received. She was being accused of bickering and in-fighting… and she was truly blown away. She stared blankly at Faith, no words to offer. And then it appeared that Auteme had just been trying to provoke her, at least that is what she gathered from her sneering response. Did she simply thrive off of chaos? Honestly, Tiresh didn't care anymore. If she was not going to be supported by the coalition regarding this matter, and everyone was ok with Auteme seemingly derailing the meeting and doing whatever she pleased at their expense, then so be it. She was sick and tired of it. All of it.

Tiresh took advantage of the break by standing up and immediately walking away from the group, facing away from everyone as she stood by a table of assorted beverages. She picked up a glass of wine and took a good sip from it, her insides fuming from both the blatant and brash display of Auteme as well as the complete disregard and misinterpretation of her attempts to mitigate the situation.

Perhaps she wouldn't make a good Chancellor after all. Maybe she was not strong enough. Maybe no-one respected her enough. The flood if insecurity, mixed with the trauma of the assassination attempt on her life, swirled like a violent storm inside of her. She wanted to leave this meeting, more than anything… but she knew she had to stay.

Tiresh came back to the table, wine in hand, and sat down stoically. She listened to Madelyn Lowe 's comments, the proposal of a directive to "Hold them accountable" was an excellent idea. She jotted down some notes silently. The idea of accelerating the nomination process for FAC's candidate made a lot of sense, however she desperately hoped that it would be pushed off until at least their next meeting. There had been quite enough drama for one day already.

As Dracken Pryce spoke, she shook her head and furrowed her brow, "I don't believe any of us anticipated how intensely the corporatists would react. I'm sure if we had known from the outset, we would have… I would have… suggested a different strategy. It was never my intent to get myself killed." She sighed, taking another sip of her wine. "I would be more than happy for you to take out whoever did this, Senator Pryce… But we are stuck. I'm sure we all have our suspicions as to who is behind it, but the SIA investigation is proving tedious. Whoever did this knows how to cover their tracks."

She listened to Auteme speak, suggesting it was the corporatists, and then asking Kobitana her perspective on the matter, "I would agree. I personally believe that it is a member or group of members from the corporatist bloc. The timing of this strike occurring immediately after Auteme 's legislation got pushed through is no coincidence. They know that we have the votes now, and that is what pushed them over the edge. Now it could also be a Mega-Corporation who is lining the pockets of elected senators and is fearful of our anti-corruption campaign. But I believe that whoever did this is closely involved, or invested, in Senate proceedings."

She sighed, looking around at the other Senators, "Listen, I'm open to another suggestion besides the "Kobitana Lighting Rod" proposal. I don't want to be a martyr for our cause. But for me, it is a simple matter of survival probabilities. What strategy gives us the most control and highest probability of surviving another attack? And while I hate to say it… I do believe that it is much more manageable to attempt to focus our enemies attention on to a single senator as opposed to spreading the risk to all of us. If we know who they will most likely attack, then we can focus our attention on protecting that individual… in this case… me."

 

[Auteme]

Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix Dracken Pryce Xasha Callisto Faith Organa Madelyn Lowe Sssar Taszzn ​

"You're right." Auteme nodded. Everything Kotibana made sense, but...

"Just... I can't in good conscience ask you to put yourself further in harm's way." She shrugged. "If anyone is to be the target, it should be me.

"If we're talking, ah, probabilities -- I'm inclined to believe I am the best equipped to handle, ah, danger. Attacks, so on. You know, Jedi things." She waved a hand. "I'm also confident that, were I to be captured, some powerful people would be inclined to rescue me. Friendships with Jedi tend to last."

Her expression became a touch more somber. "And, if I were to be assassinated, we wouldn't be left without a chair.

"I've faced death many times. I know we might have our disagreements, but this seems clear enough to me. I insist."

 

[Sssar Taszzn]

Sssar considered what had been said, particularly about focusing the attention on a single senator. For years now his scorched-earth policy of strict adherence to the law had garnered him many street level slumlords as enemies. Though to them he was mostly untouchable, what between his personal cadre of constables and the fortified mansion. Assuming he was not off world (of Coruscant) and instead in his quarters at Eclipse Station. Sssar had enemies, they had motive, and soon they'd have more capable allies to test the Filithar - Corporatists and the fearsome power they could.

"Resssst easssy Madelyn, Auteme, for I have an ansssswer. One that will ssssingle out not the coalition but me alone. Conssssider the isssssue no longer." his heavy head moved with fluidity to stare at Tiresh with unblinking eyes "I sssshall be the target. My people have been ssscouring the undercity with sssingle minded focussss for a good many monthssss. Sssshould any of usssss have many enemiessss it issss I. The attempt on your life isssss regrettable and no doubt a ssssign of powerful foessss. However... your threat isssss theoretical assss the Chairwoman of thissss coalition. My actionssss, my threat, issss tangible. I could pussssh further, ssstrike more boldly, and force the hand of our enemiessss. Eventually they will be confronted with a ssssingle sssset of optionssss."

He turned his head then to look at the others assembled "Their firssst option issss for the Consssstablesss to go unimpeded, and revealing to the Alliance-at-large the depthssss of their degeneracy. The corruption that hassss fessstered in the shadowsss of the lower levelssss not by sssswoop gangsss and ssspice dealerssss - no - but by the prisssstine presssed ssssuitsss that sssso fasssshionably dissssplay their facessss at every oppritunity acrosssss the holonet. The ssssssecond option isssss to check my advancesssss. They rissssk a war in the sssstreetssss from which I will not back down. Thisss will force the Alliance Marsssshalsss into the matter to ressssstore order... more a mind like me than our rivalssss.... at which point no matter the cosssst of livesss they mussst deal with me persssssonally through their hired gunsssss. For every Constable that fallsssss in defense of the valuesss we proclaim another will ssssurely take their place." he was offering a very stark reality. There had been, under his direction, ruthless criminal purges in the undercity of Coruscant. The Abiding Precept Constabulary had been hunting criminals both big and small in a ravenous search to purge the influences of the BOTM cults and Final Dawn agents of Marlon Sularen . In the process he had become a belligerent in a shadow war with the gangs of Coruscant, one that he could bring to the fore - or at least the threat of - to try and force bolder and drastic actions against himself from the FAC's enemies. "In tandem with the anti-corruption campaign legisssslation, which issss imminent, thisssss will be an unavoidable assssssssault on their way of businesssssssss. I alsssso ssssuggessst that we should publicly announce my asssssssencion to the chairmanssssship of the Judiciary committee. Ssssolidify my intentionssss to ssssee thesssse purgessss through to the end, make it known that my continued exisssstence is great cosssst to their mythossss on the sssstreetssss. If we want leverage there issss no greater a pry than thissss. Sssay the word and the sssshadowsssss will burn."

Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix Auteme Dracken Pryce Xasha Callisto Faith Organa Madelyn Lowe

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith had retreated to another part of the room to be alone to gather her thoughts. She pictured in her mind her family, her husband Draco Vereen , her mother Arianna, her Tia Rianna, her children Bud, Laira, Theo and Ma'ree, and her extended family Alicio Organa , Claire and Torie. Every move made was to protect them, protect their futures. Everything the Corporatists did drew everyone else closer to a government that dictated more than allowed a democractic freedom.

She knew in her heart that Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix and Auteme meant well they would both make great Chancellors. Would one be better than the other she couldn't say really they each presented strengths that would work well within the arena of the Senate. Both were her friends and that added to making this choice so difficult. She would never want to hurt the others feelings because of her choice and have it construed as a favoritism.

Course now Dracken Pryce or Sssar Taszzn had strengths as well.

Who was best for the future?

She could hear that the others were talking and had sat down, taking a sip of the water she had raced to get she knew she had to return to the table. No decision lay before her and she would have to decide. She headed back and slipped into a chair.

They want to focus attention on one candidate and then have all the FAC protect them. In this she would have to admit that Auteme made a point about her skills as a Jedi if she were caught. But now Sssar made the same points...and he wanted to run.

She needed to listen just a bit more.

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

She was somewhat surprised by the sudden shift in Auteme as she appeared to put the coalition first in her suggestion to take the focus onto herself. Whether or not it was still for political gain was another matter, but Tiresh nodded somberly as she listened to her proposal to make herself the target. Sssar Taszzn also offered himself as a target, another noble proposition. What he said made a lot of sense.

She took another sip of wine before beginning to speak after Sssar had finished, "I think it is very noble and honorable for you two to offer yourselves as public targets. However, I do not think it is a simple matter of a bait and switch. I am already an established target as the Chair of this Coalition, and that perception is unlikely to change in the blink of an eye. So I feel that it is too late to remove me from danger at this point. However, if we felt like it would be advantageous for the three of us to step more into the public eye together in our own ways and share the burden, then perhaps that is a beneficial proposition. I can see benefit to what both of you have said."

She turned to Sssar Taszzn , "I love your proposal to go public with an announcement of your position within the Judiciary committee. You have been the strongest and most consistent voice for law and order reform, and I think your reputation will garner much credence regarding our stance and commitment." She nodded to herself as she mused further upon her own thoughts, "With your position on that committee, and my position as Chair within the Committee on Internal Discipline and Rules, we are already in a powerful position to root out internal corruption within the Senate and external corruption throughout the Alliance. However we must be careful to not move too strongly against Aerarii Tithe ... he has the ability to remove us from those positions if we push too hard. Once we take the Chancellorship, we can move much more freely... but for now, we should tread with caution."

 

[Dracken Pryce]

Madelyn Lowe | Xasha Callisto | Faith Organa | Sssar Taszzn | Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix | Auteme

Pryce felt uneasy. This talk of assassins sent by other members of the senate body turned his stomach and stank of Civil War. This was a conflict they could not afford at this juncture. Was all of this really worth it? No, he didn't think it was, but he'd thrown his lot in with the Coalition long ago and so he sat, brooding and thinking as the others spoke.