The Road to Power and a Voice (Open to Reactions)

[Serah Oricion]

Yusan was done with the talking, done with the ineffectivity of the Senate, a group that didn't stand on the front lines. He would change that and he would be the one that fought for and with the people against the Sith... and what better way than to show his face once more in the political scene once more, the third time, a third planet. First it had been Eshan, that he had held until betrayed by the Republic and falsely accused a traitor. Then it was for Katarr, the situation all too similar, only this time the branding coming after her had RESIGNED.

Already the anger surged through him, but today he stood and as a show that he would not use the force to spread his words, to influence the citizens he stood before them with a smile and a Ysalimiri strapped to his chest, making use of the force utterly impossible. "People of Anaxes, around us closes the noose of the one Sith's forces, slowly tightening and growing ever close to cutting the Republic off from all of those we fight to protect. Who protects you now though? The Jedi fall man after man, some turning to join the enemy, some dying without so much as a fatal wound to their enemy. We cannot trust them either them with our lives anymore and nor can we trust the Senate to make decisions that help the people fighting for your freedom."

He paused, hands curling over the side of the podium, he knew that people were scared, he knew they wanted to trust in someone, in something. His eyes burned red hot, not in color but in intensity as he stared at those before him. He swallowed and spoke once more, his face half burnt speaking to the scared populace and speaking with both confidence and surety. "And the Senators that lead you now, most of them have never held a blaster in their life, flown into combat, commanded their people from the front. COWARDS. That i what they are, leaders are strong and do not cower behind people they turn into numbers so that they don't have to face the guilt that they caused all their suffering, all their deaths. The Senate does not know the face of the dead, YOUR senator even now sits by and drinks wines and enjoys himself, thinking no one would challenge him for his position when he is up for reelection... that is what i do now. I ask of you people of Anaxes, i have been falsely branded a traitor twice, lost my hand defending the republic, fought in every major engagement since coming to our home, my home and yours both."

Tears stained his eyes as he continued, already the faces passing his face, already one face in particular that he knew waited for him to save her. "The Sith are the enemy, not the Jedi or The Senate, do not think that i want either removed. But we need someone who has seen the horrors that are shown in combat, someone that understand what it is like to be left with nothing and to fight for the thing that they call home. I ask you people of Anaxes, what is it you look for. Someone who cowers behind a number, someone who drinks wines, goes to balls, and sees to his own wealth. Or a senator that will be there with the memories of the fallen, for i am their vessel, and the voice of those that have lost theres. I ask you Anaxes, will you stand by and let cowards lead you or will you take forth your right and put someone who is like you, who is like those that defend you, in a place where they can make a difference." He smiled as he let go of the podium and heard the applause, the speech having been broadcast not only through Republic space, but also outside of it, making sure the sith and any other threat to the Republic knew he was returning, and out for blood if they thought to threaten his home ever again.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

The Planet Artisia
The House of Clan Togashi

Where were you? Yokuni sat in the comfort of his own chair watching th holo vid. It was that phrase that tore into his deep thoughts as spoke. Where were you? Where were you, was a common phrase sung by men to remind themselves to never forget a moment in history? For nine hundred and eighty-two years Yokuni had seen history come and go. There were days he was pleased to remember and then there were days you wished you could forget. Where were you Yokuni? War kept sweeping through the galaxy, one war to the next. After a time a warrior grows tired and losses the will to keep fighting one battle after another.

Yokuni continued to listen to the man speak. Taking in his words while his own thoughts haunted him. Where were you when the Emperor Kahoshi was killed? Yokuni new he could have not been every where nor was it his duty to guard the Emperor. His strength could have been enough to save the Emperor life.

The man kept on speaking. It was not just the Republic that was being torn apart by war. It was the very fabric of society, the laws that governed us, that kept us from chaos. It always felt like this, history flowed back and forth. Some years seemed more peaceful but others felt as everything was going to unravel apart. Where were you Yokuni?

“It is our actions that define us”, Yokuni having a flash back to a time he spoke to Arianna Organa. “People tend to use religion as an excuse to define who is evil and who is good, but it is our actions that define us Arianna. I am who I am. Why do I have to be labeled as a Sith or as a Jedi. I’m capable of evil or good just like them. Why do I have to define myself by their rules? Why do we? Where were you Yokuni? Where are you!”, after speaking in the privacy of his own home, he placed his face into his hands and he cried.

He had fought all of his life, were the wars of the young still his own? Was it not right to let your children learn on their own? Was it wrong or too much for him to stand by and do nothing? It was a bit much, was it time that Togashi Yokuni Elder of Clan Tohashi go to war once more?

 

[Aurelia Saelari]

[member="Memorial"]
Aurelia Saelari, self-proclaimed champion of common sense, could not hear any more of these ramblings. The fact that people were apparently cheering this witless diatribe made her wonder why she bothered being in politics at all.

She rose. “Ah, Mr Fenn, or should I say, Former-Vice-Chancellor? Let me see if I have untangled the complexities of your ramblings sufficiently….”
“I would have thought that someone who had held public office would realise that not everyone is equipped, nay able, to ‘grab a blaster’ and charge witless into the fray. Are we to hold generals and admirals to such a standard too because they are not leading the first attack personally? We are a Republic, a Republic of elected officials. For a start, if the electorate feels we are doing a poor job then surely they would show their disfavour at the ballot. Leaving that aside, what would you expect the Senators to do? Would you expect all the leaders of the Republic to be at the front lines? Who would govern the Republic, pay the soldiers, administer law and order if we were all death charging the enemy?”
“And yet, the irony is that you want to become a Senator. Interesting. Anaxes already has Senators, and since you are not one at the moment you would have to wait until the next election and get yourself democratically voted to the position. We do not simply hand out Senatorial ranks to people because they want them.”
“But assume you got this position? What then? Would you be leading the charge yourself? Or would you be a ‘coward’ like us and actually govern your planet and the Republic? Wake up, boy, if you want to be a soldier then do so, if you want to be a Senator, get elected and learn what government does before you start throwing your opinion around.”

 

[Serah Oricion]

[member="Aurelia Saelari"]

He smiled, his burnt face twisting as he listened to her words, eyes focusing on her and a bit of reason getting through to him as she stood there. "When i was Vice Chancellor i did the same thing i am doing now, i fought for those that could not. No i do not expect every man to take up a weapon, that is what the military is for, and nor do i expect the nobility and the corrupt in the Senate to give up their comfy lives to fight. And never had my fighting for the people gotten in my way of my duties in the Senate. ONLY when your predecessors branded me a traitor, did i no longer hold my right to defend my people and my home..." He halted his speech, about to curse the names of every senator that he knew called him a traitor, realizing now with the tinge of clearity that this would not be right in a public venue.

"Elections come soon miss Saelari, and i am campaigning, not by kissing babies though. I am speaking the truth. The Republic put too much faith in the Jedi and the Senate only sees the dead as a number. I need to change that, not want to, i NEED to... You cannot understand what ive lost in staying loyal to the Republic, in staying behind it even after falsely accused and ran out of the Republic back then... And while i would wish to continue this conversation in public, my point is made and my words clear. I have spoken the ugly truth that the Jedi cannot Save us, and the Senate does not understand... the only defense against the Sith is the realization that you must be ready to do anything to protect those you love, and your nation." He turned and motioned for her to follow him or not, tearing the Ysalimiri from his chest and tossing the creature to the ground, letting it die while he moved without a second glance at it. If she wanted to try and talk sense into him, she could, but Yusan was half insane, he had seen thousands die, he had knowledge the one person he loves and has left in this Galaxy is being tortured and held by the Sith. He had to free her, and gaining power was the only way, he had to once more be ready to fight for the Republic as more than a common soldier... he had to.

 

[Aurelia Saelari]

[member="Memorial"]
Aurelia did not follow the lunatic. Why bother? The man was crazed by pain or loss or something else. Aurelia didn’t care.
Instead she turned to the assembled people and gestured at the departing man and his dying Ysalimiri.
“Is this our new Senator?” she asked scathingly. “A ‘visionary’ who seems unable to hold so much as a simple discussion without descending into ranting? A prophet who thinks all the existing Senators are out of touch, careless of the lives of others? It does not bode well for a man seeking to join them and rule a coherent government. Everyone in the Republic has lost someone close to them to this terrible war, and to exult your own losses above everyone else’s seems an insult to all those who have lost friends, family, loved ones.”

“People of the Republic, make no mistake. Electing a man of such varying visions of reality would be a grave error. Mr Fenn had his chance, and though I do not doubt his martial prowess, I doubt his suitability to table a motion, propose law or debate sensibly a compromise. That is what a Senator does, not death charge enemy armies.”

 

[Serah Oricion]

[member="Aurelia Saelari"]

Those there would be talking still and started to disperse, the holovids catching her words and the conversation before hand, showing it clear as day and how far Yusan Fenn's mind had broken. Even now, away from anyone he sat alone in the dark, his mind imagining up the worst tortures he could the most painful ways to make Sith suffer, anyone that came near the room would be overcome with Sadness, Grief, Heartache. A man that had finally lost everything and was on his last leg, his only reason to live being the small, tiny sliver of a chance that he could see her again, that he could protect his home form the outside threats to the Republic... and if he couldn't, then all else was forfeit to him, and he would try to kill as many Sith as he could before they took him and tortured him like any other prisoner... or killed him on the spot.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

The Planet Artisia
The House of Clan Togashi

Yokuni was not so lost in his own sorrow to not hear the words spoken on the holo vid. Yokuni heard the new voice of a lady speak with elegance and grace. It was a well-thought rebuttal to the man’s vision of why the Republic was failing to drive the Sith back. It was a challenge to debate the issue. If you wish to convince people of your views be prepared that not everyone would agree with your vision. You can’t expect everyone would agree with you. Sometimes it just took a little debate to convince people of your views.

She made her point and this seemed more like a campaign of a Senatorial seat. Were these two from a different political party? There were some careful and not so careful words that could be considered mud slinging. Like every politician it was left up to the beholder or voter to decide who vote for or who was the better candidate. That was not for Yokuni to decide. He was not a member of the Republic.

They did both touch upon a subject that had given Yokuni pause to think about. An issue both politicians agreed upon. The effect the One Sith had upon the galaxy.

Yokuni though upon Alderaan and had heard what the Sith were doing to the planet and its people. He knew two people there, well he knew more then just two who lived there. He knew two personally and it had only been in recent years he discovered those two people were related by birth. Both who he intimately knew. Both who knew who Yokuni past. Both never expect him to be anyone other then who he was.

It gave him pause to wonder if they were still alive or if they were safe. If they were captured or tortured. It was a hard thing to think about. Were they asking where are you Yokuni?

 

[Arianna Organa]

Location: Balmorra
Residence of Arianna Organa Darklighter, Exiled Queen of Alderaan

[SIZE=12pt]The broadcast even reached the exiled Queen of Alderaan. Her own memories of another time of being younger, more naïve, and most unsure of herself. Her home world in the hands of Sith and each day that passed every report that came from Alderaan from the Rebels tore at her heart more. What they were doing to her home world, to the people. It would never be the same, and if they ever got it back it would take years to transform it back.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Loss. Such loss she contemplated going back but knew the moment she stepped upon the welcoming soil they would take her prisoner and they would turn her into whatever it was they needed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Arianna sighed heavily. She would work to build alliances and get back her home world. She wondered now where was he, where was Garith, or would he now be [member="Togashi Yokuni"]. She did not know. Arianna looked at the holo near her chair. The crowning glory of her life her children. Oh her children dedicated, sure of themselves. Theo the quiet pensive one, Faith the outgoing straight forward one. Both of them like their father.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Arianna had tried many nights to forget him but so much had happened with them, that it was hard to forget. She had sent him word of their birth but had heard nothing from him, she could only imagine that when he read it that it had displeased him in such a way that he wanted nothing of her, or the children. Arianna couldn’t believe that, in all his years he had never had children a continuation of his line. Young ones to share his history with, to remember his parents.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She had hoped for so much but then she was young then and she had come very far since she was 18. So much had happened she looked again for a message to send him only this time she would send it herself she would not rely upon the household staff to do it for her. She had memorized the numbers to the frequency, and once more she reached out.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]Garith We need to talk, please contact me Arianna[/SIZE]

 

[Garith Darkhold]

Beep

He heard it he sat there unsure.

Beep

He looked down a the personal comm unit on his wrist. Who could it be?

Beep

He looked down at the name in disbelieve, “Arianna?”

Despite being glad to see her name com up on his comm unit, it was a mixture of feelings he was unsure about. This met she was alive and possibly in a safe location. It had been so long though and so much has happened. He had a lot to deal with on Artisia, anything more could inhibit his duties. “Arianna”, he answered the commlink. He was unsure what to say just yet so he just called her name through the unit.

[member="Arianna Darklighter"]

 

[Arianna Organa]

[member="Togashi Yokuni"]


She heard his voice she had not heard it like this in forever. He was unchanged, but then again he was a lot older than anyone thought. "Garith" She whispered hoping he heard, "Can you come to see me on Balmorra?" Had he heard what had happened, and why hadn't he ever asked her about the children. Was he so mad that he couldn't, but then again if he was mad he wouldn't have answered, he wouldn't have that sound in his voice.

"Can you?" A silent plea, and a suggested visit.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arianna Darklighter"] Yokuni was a bit confused. He had always thought she did not wish to see him. He never knew about Faith or Theo so that was not even on his mind right now. “I can, I will be there as soon as I can. Also Arianna, I’m sorry about Alderaan. I will be there soon.”

There was nothing more that should be said on the comm. He was going to see her soon, so what ever they had to say to each other could be said in person.