Uncommon Truth

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had gone through a tour of the damage caused in the attack on her newly constructed Senate Hall. Although she wasn't able to step through parts of it, given the danger of collapse that it posed, she had seen images taken by some probe droids that were sent in to assess it all. Luckily for her, the construction crews came quickly, doing their best to support and stabalize one of the three towers that now teetered where it stood. One of the load bearing walls was heavily damaged during the attack, brought on by a few Sith and what looked like, a Mandalorian.

The attack had come from nowhere. Commenor had no enemies, but it seemed as though her Senate did. She didn't get to find out what the reasonings behind it were, or who had sent them. All that she saw was the face of the one that she shot at, [member="Vengeance"] as he tried to come after her.

And now Kay sat in her office on one of the sofas, her tea cradled in her hands. Today was not going to be a good day. She had meetings with some of the Senator's who's offices were heavily damaged or destroyed. The first that she needed to go through was one with Senator [member="Viktor Alexander"] of Yutan. More than likely it would be the worst of the three, and so she had thought it best to get it done sooner, rather than later.

She got to her feet as she was informed of his arrival, sipping the last of her tea and setting the cup aside. Kay kept her expression solemn. Things could get loud.

In her gut she knew that it wasn't going to be a good day.

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor got Kay's message and immediately knew something had to be up. There was literally no reason in the galaxy she would want to associate with him unless it was life or death. It didn't help that rumors of an incident at the Senate tower was dominating local chatter. Viktor shook his head and sent her a quick message letting her know he was on his way. First he went to the training grounds where his future personal guard was still training. He looked over the group and spoke with the instructors before the entire class was called together. Viktor wasted no time with pleasantries.

"Time for a field trip................."

He paused pointing at three of them.

"...........you, you, and you. Gear up and be ready to leave in fifteen. Your instructors have been provided with the gear you will need."

Viktor then promptly turned and left to make last minute preparations himself. Twenty minutes later Viktor arrived at the ship the co-pilot having already completed the pre-flight checklist.


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



A short time later he arrived at Kay's office knocking on the door. Behind him three armed guards posting in positions outside for the duration of the meeting.

"Chancellor.............you wanted to see me?"

He would wait to be given permission to enter before doing so still standing on protocol even in clearing troublesome times. The extra security and checkpoints he had to pass through had not escaped his notice.


[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay took in a deep breath, letting out slowly after a moment. It was showtime. She walked over to the door and opened it wide so that [member="Viktor Alexander"] could pass through, her eyes lingering on his guards for a moment. "Yes. Please come in."

After he stepped inside, she'd close the door, clearing her throat a bit as she tried to remember just how she was going to approach this. "I have some tea there if you'd like. Or something stronger if you'd prefer." Kay clasped her hands in front of her as she watched him, trying her best at kerping herself poised and calm. "I'm afraid that our Senate Hall was attacked. I'm sure that you noticed the damage...The assailants were stopped before they could do worse, but they escaped before we could aprehend them. Your office was one of the ones heavily damaged. It's unsafe for you to go in there right now. I'm sorry, Senator."

And now she waited for it, either to be yelled at or for him to keep a cool exterior and blame her for all of it. No doubt he had many questions, but there wasn't many answers to give at this time. "An investigation is underway, as well as efforts to stabalize the damaged sections so that reconstruction can begin."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor stepped inside giving Kay a slight bow of his head.......his guards staying outside. He completely ignored he comment about tea her next statement making it a moot point.

"So the rumors are true...........I have found there usually is some truth to them more often than not."

He paused for a moment before he began again.

"So what's your response plan?"

It was a simple question on the surface but far from simple if you knew the dozen or so questions that were left unasked but not so subtly implied. The dynamic had changed for the fledgling Alliance in more ways than one. The most important part was not assessing blame. No blame was immaterial. What mattered was making sure it never happened again. Steps needed to be taken but Viktor knew that Kay would never agree to anything that involved a response other than sticking their heads back in the sand and praying it never happened again.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Viktor Alexander"] was calm as she half expected. Yet she knew that he would be judging and criticising everything that she'd do or not do. As always with Viktor, it had seemed as though she never had the right answers.

"There is some security footage that survived, the identity of their ship is being looked at. Once we find out who they are, we can better pinpoint just who would attack us. But I'd like to have them hunted down and brought to justice here.

In the meantime, as I've said, we're working on reconstruction. This Hall won't be open to the public for quite a while, and everyone going in and out will be going through a strict security check. No uninvited guests."

This was the time when she needed her General, but he was ill, something that doesn't happen often. "I will probably be looking into some kind of shielding device to protect the Hall in case in case things escalate and we face an orbital attack."

 

[Kenrath]

"Working theory?"

Viktor paused for a moment before he continued.

"Number of attackers, direction of approach, reasoning behind choice of target?"

He paused again taking a breath.

"Why limit your immediate response to just the Senate tower and not planet wide.............or even Alliance wide?"

Viktor moved off to the side for a moment as if in thought.

"More importantly what is your plan for comforting your people? You seem to have covered a lot of bases for protecting a building but not covered a single action in regards to healing the wounds of the people you represent."

He turned back to look at Kay.

"What is the number of dead and wounded as a result? What is being done for them?"

Viktor paused.

"Have you met with the surviving victims or the families of the deceased?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

There it was, just as she expected. But instead of overreacting to [member="Viktor Alexander"] 's questioning, she just stood there and decided to answer them as best as she could. And he had a lot of questions.....As always...

"Working theory? None yet. One of them apparently shouted about destroying democracy just before the attack started. Although some of our allies don't approve of our government structure, that's not to say that they would attack us. My guess is that it's just people acting of their own accord.

There were four of them, as much as we could tell, and some of them were Force users. The vehicle that they came in had all the markings of civilian craft."

She closed her eyes for a moment, regulating her breath so that she could keep herself under control. "I don't want to throw everyone into a panic. Security is being tightened all around us and each world is being notified. Every world is sovereign. It is up to them how they deal with the situation. Not everyone is in agreement over a CSA force that would protect all of us as of yet. But perhaps that would change."

Kay wanted to sit down on one of the sofas, but refrained from doing so. Now wasn't the time to make herself comfortable. "There are thirteen dead so far, and another nine wounded. I have been to the hospital to see them. Each family will be compensated though I know that it'll never be enough."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor didn't say anything for a minute his hands slipping behind his back one hand clasped inside the other.

"Four attackers some of which were Force Users used a civilian craft to bypass any security measures in place in a declared attack against a democratic government........."

He paused his face briefly scrunching up in thought.

"Sounds like a working theory Chancellor and a viable one if the details are indeed confirmed to be accurate."

He sighed.

"You already have a panic Chancellor................you have had one since the first drop of blood hit the ground. At least here on Commenor...........the other worlds maybe less panic but no less concerned by the events that took place here. The people are going to want to know why it happened and what you are going to do to ensure it never happens again. They are going to look to you for those answers."

He paused for a few moments before beginning again.

"So Chancellor what are we going to do to get the people the answers they seek and due our due diligence to ensure it never happens again?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

There were many questions that needed answers, but she didn't have those answers to give. At least not yet. "The investigation is underway. We're not just sitting here doing nothing. But I don't think that this was sanctioned by any of our allies. It seemed more like it was done by just a small band if individuals. Yet we can't be certain."

Kay clenched her jaw briefly. She thought that she had already told [member="Viktor Alexander"] this and what was being done, but he had asked the questions again. Clearly her earlier answers weren't good enough. "As I have said, we are beefing up our security and right now a full on military protection force isn't authorized by the Senate. As you've made it clear in previous meetings, asserting ourselves over the other worlds is not what everyone wants. So we'll have to find some way to write up a bill for the creation of such a force that wouldn't infringe on their sovereignty."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor looked at Kay utterly dumbfounded. It took him more than a moment before he took in a breath.

"Why am I here Chancellor?"

He paused taking another breath.

"Chancellor the Alliance doesn't have a Military and even if it did from what you have told me an isolated incident on Commenor is not an Alliance matter under the purview of the Senate. It is a Commenor matter under the purview of the Commenori government.............which if I am not mistaken is you. The deployment of the Commenor military on Commenor would not require Senate approval but an executive order. After all was it not your wish the maintain the sovereignty of individual worlds. Should it turn out to be a task larger than Commenor could handle on it's own then a request to the Senate to authorize a multiple system response would be needed. In which case I suspect you would have rightfully called for an emergency session of the Senate convened to address the threat."

He sighed.

"Best case scenario if there was such a thing as a best case following an attack of this magnitude is that Commenor was the victim of a terrorist attack. Your idea of beefing up security after a terrorist attack is a few extra security guards and a rebuilding plan? This place should be crawling with troops and a legion of investigators combing through every inch of the Senate building for evidence."

Viktor closed his eyes for a moment clearly still unable to fathom what Kay was thinking or doing.

"So again why am I here?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay shook her head a little as [member="Viktor Alexander"] didn't seem to understand what she had meant in regards to...well everything. Even when they were on the same page, they weren't, at the same time. It was mind boggling how such a thing could happen. Perhaps they were both just too stubborn.

"It's not just added guards and closing the area off to the public that I've ordered. And there's more than just a few people investigating the matter. I am...hesitant to call it a terrorist attack until we know more. That term is used so often that it's lost it's meaning."

She closed her eyes for a moment and then looked up at Viktor, seeing him but not really focusing on him. "I called you here to let you be aware of what was going on; the same thing that I will be doing for others who's offices are affected by all the damage.

I don't believe that war is coming, but it seems like someone is trying to get attention, whether it is from us or someone else. But I'd rather prevent it from happening again and without resorting to martial law and oppressing everyone's freedons."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor was beyond dumbfounded at this point. He could feel the very temperature of his body skyrocket as he was sure he was beginning to turn red in the face. He took a minute before he responded.

"You have 13 dead and 9 wounded but it wasn't a terrorist attack nor was it a declaration of war...................."

He paused.

"So why are they dead? Poor craftsmanship? Are you incompetent or just plain stupid."

He shook his head.

"I can't speak for the others but I could give a kark less about boulders and beams. It's a building.........it can be rebuilt and if your Senate can't operate as a governing body just because a few offices got trashed then it doesn't operate at all nor does it deserve too."

He paused.

"PEOPLE......................LIVES...........the preservation of LIFE. That is what matters.............or at least it should. Looking at security footage? Even if you had anyone capable enough of isolating any footage from what cameras did survive you wouldn't even get the most important answers.

I would imagine if your personal military leaders are worth their weight then every ship that comes in and out of orbit is scanned and identified. Plus is required to log a destination. It would be a better use of your time to go through those records for the hours before and after the attack................sorry structure failure or unexplained origin and see what doesn't match up.

Then maybe calculate jump trajectory or trace the ships of questionable origin to see which ones are not a regular arrival and potentially where they came from."

He paused.

"You know all the things a competent leader would know to do in a situation like this or at least would be advised to do if they had a Military adviser around them instead of a bunch of equally incompetent yes men."

His posture no longer relaxed Viktor adjusted his suit well past the point of still wanting to be in this room with Kay. The Alliance was a lost cause before it even got started and he was well past the point of wanting any part of it. A big part of him knew of the possibility that Kay's refusal to respond would potentially embolden this unknown enemy to either attack again on Commenor or an even worse possibly attack one of the other planets. His worse fear being the choice of Yutan as their next target.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay wanted to yell at him. It was far easier to do that then to just stew in her anger. No matter what, [member="Viktor Alexander"] always found fault in whatever she said or did.

She walked over to the window, folding her arms across her chest as she mulled over what she had wanted to say to him. He had insulted her and insulted those that worked for her. By rights she should have him removed, but that wouldn't really resolve anything. Veiere would want her to still try.

Kay spoke quietly, her eyes overlooking Chasin City in the distance. "The goal of terrorism is to promote fear. I don't want that goal to be realized and have all of Commenor shuddering in their boots, looking over their shoulders and watching the skies for the next attack."

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly while she kept herself calm. "The investigation is underway and of course ships are being checked. We have driven out the Underground and kept illegal substances and weapons out. Whoever did this didn't exactly just walk in through the front door." They had to have taken certain measures to bypass the security in place, both in orbit and on the ground. "I put faith in some that I probably shouldn't, I know that. My hopes and ambitions for what I hope to accomplish doesn't always allow me to see what's in the shadows." Her brows furrowed a little. "Perhaps a Military Advisor is what I need, one of the many things that I'm sure that you believe that I lack. And I don't fill my cabinet with yes men, thank you. Despite how much you hate me and have done so from the start, I don't shut out your opinions and suggestions. They have merit and hold weight. That's not something that should be discouraged."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor snorted.

"It is easy and maybe even convenient to simply shrug off anyone who doesn't agree with you with an all to casually tossed out victim card such as hatred."

He paused taking a breath.

"I don't hate you Chancellor I just don't trust you. You are dangerous in the worst possible way..........naive and delusional. Your people are dying in what should be the safest place in all of the Alliance. You continue to stick your head in the sand, say it isn't so, and pray it goes away quietly."

He closed his eyes with a sigh before opening them again.

"It is clear avoiding five minutes of bad Public Relations means more to you than the safety of your own people. That makes you not only dangerous but unfit to lead.

Half measures is the same as doing nothing at all Chancellor.......rather than secure your borders and ensure this can never happen again you are rushing rebuilds and having private meetings with Senators."

He paused.

"When what should have happened was the moment the first shot was taken your world should have gone on full alert. This place swarming with Troops and the Fleet you not long ago claimed to have securing orbit challenging each and every ship coming in and out of this place until the threat is confirmed over. You know how I know that didn't happen?"

He let the question hang in the air for a second before he answered his own question.

"By the fact I made it all the way here to this very office facing nothing but a minor inconvenience."

Viktor made his ways towards the door before he turned to face Kay again deciding to in fact say something that had been on the tip of his tongue for more than a few minutes.

"Chancellor let me make one thing clear. I may not be able to tell you how to run things here on Commenor but this I promise you Chancellor. If a single drop of Yutani blood is spilled because of your inaction the Government of Yutan and I specifically will hold you personally responsible. That is not a threat Chancellor but a promise. One successful attack tends to breed more attacks not less."


[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay frowned, her shoulders slumping somewhat as [member="Viktor Alexander"] continued. The weight of his words made her feel as though the world was on her shoulders, a heavy burden that by rights was hers to bear. Alone. Nothing but criticism ever came through from him towards her. He layed out what he thought about her and what his problems were.

She clenched her jaw, willing her emotions to be kept in check as Victor continued to list out her flaws and declaring her unfit. And then at worst, he made a promise to hold her at account for the actions of others that she has no control over. That was unfair. It wasn't as though she was inviting danger, or even ordering it. She had managed to do so well for those under her care. One slip up, and Viktor was going for her throat. Next time, it'll be her head.

"No security plan is ever fool proof, Senator. If they were than the wars wouldn't be happening, or at least wouldn't be as bloody. Who you are is what gained you entry with only a minor inconvenience. If you'd rather it be made more difficult for you like everyone else, then fine. I will order that. And with so much war happening elsewhere, a threat of attack will never, ever end. Freedom of movements, even on world will be gone. There'd be no tranquility but martial law and checkpoints, troops everywhere. Everything that my abductor had wanted to happen; to have everyone living in fear and under military control, every action and every word investigated and assessed for various levels of threat. Is that the kind of life that you want everyone to have? Is that the kind of society that you favour? All freedoms lost to security protocals for the neverending chance of a threat? I have gone out of my way to secure our safety from the most powerful governments in the Galaxy, to keep us from being overtaken by them and losing lives in their wars. My efforts have been successful, more so than many others that have tried. And if maintaining peace between us and the other powers, by keeping war out of our borders makes me unfit to lead, then fine. We'll put it to the others and see what they think. If they feel that I'm as delusional and naive as you believe me to be, then you all can vote me out and put someone else in charge."

The last thing that she needed was a civil war if she tried to hold onto power when no one else had wanted her to.

 

[Kenrath]

"Who said anything about Martial Law?"

He shook his head giving out a forced laugh. One that was clearly not out of amusement but bewilderment.

"You really don't get it do you. Alert levels are not about declaring Martial law they are about levels of response. They are about readiness and deployment levels based on conditions. The highest level is not Martial Law. In a Democratic society that would be retarded. Instead when facing an active and on going attack on a single target troops are not deployed city or even planet wide. But to the primary attack zone. In this case that would have been the Senate Building. Secondary deployments to other strategic points. Namely the Palace, the Starport, and critical infrastructures such as power, water, and communications. Any bases outside of the attack zone go not to full alert but active readiness. The defensive Fleet in orbit above the planet goes from just existing to actively controlling access to the planet from the outside. And yes from planet side as well to attempt to catch any fleeing aggressors."

He stopped.

"All of which is temporary and 90% of the citizens of Commenor would not even be aware it is happening much less impacted. Once the threat is over then all of these forces go back to their previous forms of readiness. The biggest thing you failed to do was alert the other member worlds of a potential threat once the attack here started. You took a very selfish risk that what you experienced here was an isolated incident about you and you alone. You failed to give the other member worlds a fighting chance to protect themselves should they also be at risk to attack as part of a larger plan."

He sighed.

"Instead of immediately convening your advisers once the immediate threat was over you were more concerned about apologizing for some destroyed furniture.

You are a Diplomat Chancellor and in an Alliance based on Economy and trade that is a good skill set to have. However you know nothing about warfare and security..........much worse you don't want to know. That is your failure as a leader. Make no mistake Chancellor we live in an era of warfare and there is no avoiding it. While there is no shame in not wanting to seek it out there is an inexcusable amount of shame in having no desire to be ready for it."

He shook his head.

"It is a death sentence to ignore what is already here. The other Senators aren't going to help you Chancellor. Senator Brave wants your job and geographic control of the Alliance Military. If he can't use you to get it then he will stab you in the back to get it. Senator LaForte only cares about what will make her rich. Senator Duanna only cares about you liking her and would never oppose you even if it is the right thing to do for fear of disappointing you. Senator Fenni and the Senator from Belasco are unpredictable wildcards. One has already attempted to claim the Vice Chancellor position without making any contribution what so ever to the Alliance itself. The other will go whatever way the wind blows at that moment."

He paused.

"You only person who truly believes in this fantasy you have created is you. Keeping you in power will see it explode from outside forces you still want to swear don't exist. To step down would see the fantasy implode from the inside just like the failed Republic you are trying so hard to imitate. Either way Chancellor we all suffer."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay reached out and placed her hand on the window, if anything to keep her own temperature in check, to remind herself not to get angry. She had done some of which he had told her, but it didn't matter. Her efforts weren't good enough for him. Even if she went overboard on it, that still wasn't good enough. She laughed a little to herself, shaking her head in a bid to stop herself from crying, yet the tears brimmed her eyes and threatened to fall. As she had expected, this meeting was going to be the toughest.

"No matter what, no matter what I do or don't do, it will never be good enough for you. You've got that set in your mind and nothing will allow you to alter it even in the slightest. I shouldn't waste my time trying to gain your approval or favour. I had hoped that things between us could have progressed into something better, but I see that that was just me being naive and delusional as you so very readily like to point out."

She lowered her hand now that she had gotten more control of herself and turned to face him. "Yes, I know very little about warfare, but I hardly think that growing my fleet, building bases, increasing our troop size, armory, weapons and vehicles is hardly doing nothing to protect Commenor. We are surrounded by allies, most of which would be quick to come to our aid should we be attacked. I count ourselves to be very lucky to have only been attacked by a small few individuals instead of some massive army like the rest of the Galaxy has. Does that mean that I'm not concerned? No. But I can't very well put the blame on just anyone when the investigation hasn't revealled who is responsible yet.

And I'm not trying to imitate the Republic. They weren't neutral, they went to war and caused the deaths of many innocent people that had caused other governments to turn against them. I don't want to go down that road and I'm not trying to."

She sighed and rubbed her temples, [member="Viktor Alexander"] 's pessimism wasn't helping. Instead she was getting a headache. But that could be from from the arguing and trying to keep herself under control. If there was any time that she needed her husband, it was now. But he destested politics, didn't want to get involved and she clearly saw why.

"If people didn't believe in me or what I was doing, then they would all just...leave. Including all of our allies and business partners. I don't see anyone doing that. You never wanted this to work from the start as you look for every which way to be negative about it. You find fault in everything, even when people agree with you and do what you say. This should be about co-operation to see us through, not laying out insults and blame. You clearly don't want this job and spend every effort making others know that as well. If a better job comes up, then maybe it's best if you take it."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor shook his head.

"As much as you like to play it the victim card is not a good look for you. The victims are your own citizens you let die in the name of not trampling on personal Freedoms. The victims are the innocent civilians dead because the feelings of complete strangers on the other side of the Galaxy mean more to you than your own people."

He paused.

"If you will recall I was the one who publicly endorsed you when you declared yourself Chancellor with no input from anyone else. Do you really think you would be Chancellor if I hadn't done that? I was the one who shut down the other Senators that rallied for the position of Vice Chancellor limiting what power you would have. Do you really think those same people wouldn't have claimed the position for Chancellor if it had been left open for them to grab."

He snorted.

"What I want Chancellor........what would be good enough is for you to prove to be worthy of that endorsement. To actually be the leader you claim to be. Don't confuse public endorsement with blind loyalty Chancellor. Ideology is a fragile thing. All those friends...........all those believers you claim to have. They don't strive for the same ideas you do.............it is just convenient to use the access you have to fit their own needs. When you are no longer useful to them you will see exactly how friendly they will be and you are woefully unprepared for that day."

He looked at her despite the fact she faced away from him.

"Ask yourself something. What good is that Fleet, those Troops, that equipment if you are too scared to use them even to defend your own people?" Do not forget Chancellor I brought you one of those suppliers you use to build up that armory. I could have very easily just signed a contract with her on behalf of the Alliance like she asked..............no actually tried to bribe me to do. Instead I brought her to you and Minister Skirae to make that decision."

He paused.

"If I wanted your job Chancellor I would have tried to take it already. You are correct........I have no desire to be Chancellor...........I don't even have any desire to be a Senator.

I am a Navy Combat Officer Chancellor. My job is to either prevent or win wars and my place is in space.........my place is on the Bridge. It is why when the Yutani people voted to join your Alliance I insisted my posting as Senator be temporary."

He sighed.

"Truth be told I hate politics..........I have no stomach for it. Just as I have no stomach for excuses and inaction that leads to the needless loss of life. You want my resignation Chancellor? You want me gone so you don't have to hear me force you to hear the cold hard truth you would rather ignore? Is that what you want?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay clenched her hands into fists as her self control was slipping. [member="Viktor Alexander"] continued to get under her skin and blame her for everything. No doubt if someone was struck by a vehicle or fell off their landspeeder, he'd blame her for that too. "No security plan is ever foolproof, Viktor. You're delusional if you think that it's possible."

He was wrong. She didn't close off the role of Chancellor to anyone else and she had endorsed someone being the Vice-Chancellor, but Viktor's excuse and others for shutting it down was because they weren't big enough. It wasn't to save her from having her power limited. But what was the point of voicing it when he wouldn't listen anyways? All that he would do is argue.

Kay was looking at him and had been for a little while, but she was doing her best to not march over there and hit him. It wouldn't improve the situation in any way other than making her feel a little better for a short amount of time. Afterwards she'd only have guilt.

She was really going to need some tea after this. Or maybe even something stronger. "I want a lot of things, Viktor, but I'm certainly not going to share it with everyone. And I'm not going to just sit back while you blame me for everything that's gone wrong. As I have said before, an investigation is under way. I'm not going to attack everyone in the hopes that just maybe, one of them was at fault for the attack to justify the people that we kill with our own weapons. That would be stupid and would only turn everyone against us. We are far too small to be able to defend ourselves against the rest of the Galaxy attacking us at once.

And I'm sorry that your position as Senator gave you easier access to Commenor than you'd of liked. Right now we have no military branch to oversee the entire territory under our care. The suggestion of it was turned down, which I didn't support. If your desire is to be on the bridge of a vessel then so be it. Help to create and support a military force that can protect our territory and I'll see to it that you'll get to lead it."

 

[Kenrath]

Viktor rolled his eyes.

"You don't have a security plan at all which just proves you a fool. Sure you can't account for every possible scenario. Somebody will always find a new method or an old flaw in the system to exploit. The point is you employ tried and true methods to combat known tactics and you rely on the flexibility of those charged with your security to be able to adjust on the fly to ever evolving tactics. Should the plan or lack of a plan utterly fail like it did in this case you review the plan, find the holes in the plan, and plug them. Either by modifying the security plan or by replacing the people who failed the task."

Viktor shook his head.

"You are the Queen of Commenor are you not? That means the failure is ultimately your fault. In the military we call it the burden of Command. Had this happened on Yutan then the blame would rest solely on my shoulders. You don't like being blamed and held accountable.........................then resign."

Viktor snorted.

"I said nothing about attacking anyone. I am simply asking you why you either didn't have a security plan in place to defend your people or if you do have one why you didn't use it. Attacking would be a moot point because you don't know who is responsible. Feth you will never know who is responsible. Your supposed investigation into the attack on the Senate Tower much like you supposed investigation into the death of your Elders will go nowhere. You will tread water until people either forget it happened or get tired of asking questions that never get answered."

He laughed.

"What in the karking bantha poodoo does a nonexistent Alliance Military have to do with the defense of Commenor? Do you not have your own military forces to defend yourself. For the record the formation of an Alliance Military was not turned down. It was pushed lower on the priority list by me to maintain focus on your dream of creating an Economic and Trade Alliance ruled based on Democracy and fueled through Diplomatic means. Given a lower priority based one your claims of having no enemies to warrant the immediate need for an Alliance wide military force and the desire to see the Alliance actually formed instead of just being a idea tossed around at parties. Speaking of which last I knew we were waiting on you to finish writing up your Alliance concept and present it to to the member worlds."

He sighed.

"In hindsight that was a mistake made apparent by your inability to defend your people in the face of hostile forces. For that I will be glad to face the entire Senate and say I karked up. Are you willing to do the same not only in the privacy of the Senate Chambers but to your own people?

Shall I remain available for that emergency Senate session with my resignation in hand? If so perhaps I should report back to Yutan so I can inform them they will need to appoint a new Senator and draft my resignation letter. I can't promise they will be receptive of the idea but if that is what needs to happen then we will adjust as needed."

[member="Lady Kay"]