The Rachuk Republic
Chasin City, Commenor
Office of the President
The President of the Republic sat dutifully across from his Chief of Staff, Jonn De Graveux, an assortment of papers strewn across his large desk as the two men worked to discuss policy and the Republic's next round of actions.
"You can't do it, Zhovan, I'm telling you now. It'll be a disaster." Graveux said, as he pushed the file on the Imperial Remnant towards President Andrak.
"What? You're afraid of a few politicians getting their rabble roused because we've accepted a visit from an Imperial delegation. What happened to your backbone?" The President looked at his friend, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh come off it, Zhovan, you and I both know this isn't about backbone, or high minded idealism. This is about reality. You're already taking flak because you've buddied the Jedi, and now you want to bring an Imperial entourage into the capital? What the hell is wrong with you? You know as well as I do that real politics are about picking and choosing your battles, you can't just take the position you want and expect it to work." Graveux sighed, leaning back in his chair, looking at the other.
"Jonn, you're a good friend, and you've been here with me since before the primaries, but this is important. Not simply for my idealism, but for the future of our nation. I don't like the Empire as much as the next guy, and I too, still remember how they helped to destroy the Republic only two years ago. But we're not dealing with the same Empire that caused all that trouble back then, this is a faction of the Remnant, and not only that but a presumably peaceful faction. I don't know what will come of their visit, but there's the chance to enter into a dialog. And that's the type of chance that we can't just pass up, especially because of the same sort of high minded idealism that you accuse me of - this thought that we're so much better than the Empire that we shouldn't associate with them." Andrak handled his friend with ease, almost pleading for his support. In his many years as a politician, and particularly as a candidate for the presidential office, he had come to rely on Graveux's support.
"Have you forgotten? The election is
only two years away, and we're starting to get to the point where an issue, especially an incredibly divisive one like this, could easily cost you a percentage of the vote. The public consciousness may not have a long memory, but the choices you make today will absolutely come up next year when the campaigning begins. Are you willing to risk your chances at another term in office for what's presumably a diplomatic mission with the Empire? What if nothing even comes of these talks, and this is some act of Imperial sabotage? You can almost guaranteed you'll be called incompetent and have zero chance at being elected again. And hell, knowing that worm Juntaal, I wouldn't be surprised if he launched accusations of treason against you."
President Zhovan Andrak shrugged, looking directly at his friend's eyes, "I'm not worried about politics, or Juntaal. And I think the people are smart enough to realize that this is not only a prudent move, it's a neccessary one. We have a great military, Jonn, but it's not infallible. And our entire society is hanging on a thread. You looked at the file on the Remnant, you're aware of the CORE alliance. We might be able to survive one to one odds with these Imperial factions, but five to one odds? Don't be ridiculous. We have to make moves that ensure our long term survival, not just pander to our notions of how the galaxy should be. Commenorians have always been rugged, adaptable, and independent people. And the shrewd response to this situation, Jonn, is not simply to snub our nose at this faction and tell them they're unworthy of our time. It's to reach out. Do we give up our principles? Absolutely not. But this isn't a matter of us giving up our principles, this is a matter of not allowing ridiculous pride and sensibilities cloud our better judgement. And I know, deep down inside, you must agree just a bit." The President finished, awaiting the other's reply.
"There will be protesters, thousands of them. Riots. This isn't going to be pretty, and that spaceport will suddenly become the hottest spot on all of Commenor if you give them a tour of the surface." Graveux replied, he - like the good Chief of Staff he was, decided to abandon the ideological issue which had been decided, and focus on the practical implementation.
"We have riot police for a reason, Jonn. And if necessary, the military can intervene with ground troops to protect the delegation. The safety is manageable, the people can have their voice, and we can try and build a better bridge with the Imperials then we've had in the past." President Andrak countered.
The Chief of Staff buried his hands in his face, shaking his head. "Oh dear, don't even mention involving the military in protecting these delegates. That's a media nightmare waiting to happen, and Juntaal will use that in any campaign against you, guaranteed." Graveux lowered his hands and pushed a file detailed "SECURITY PREPARATIONS" towards the President. "Let's make sure all of these are followed, and I want every damn thing those Imperials plan to bring surface side declared." Chief of Staff Graveux said.
"I agree, I'll forward these files to the Minister of State, and make sure an information packet is sent to their delegation. I'm sure they won't have an issues in complying. I'm also going to ask Master Gorunn to accompany me when they arrive." President Andrak replied.
"Involving the Jedi, eh? That's risky business." Chief of Staff Graveux said.
"Perhaps, but this entire move is risky, is it not?" President Andrak said.
"You're right about that." Graveux replied.
"I know." The President commented, and the two of them proceeded to iron out the details of the delegation, the security measures, and the other implications of this event.
Kuat Drive Yards Corona-class Frigate, "Honorable"
Training Room A
Master Ardek stood a meter away from his pupil, Padawan Orduss, his light brown tunic swaying lightly as the brilliant green blade of his lightsaber remained active and angled away from himself.
"When dueling, my apprentice, a Jedi controls the flow of battle, no matter his opponent. Use the Force to calm yourself, and consider all options. A Jedi does not act with aggression, only the patience and serenity provided by the Force." Master Ardek spoke calmly, keeping his blade active but still as he instructed his padawan.
His padawan nodded, twirling his yellow blade around himself as he prepared for another strike. Sloppily, he swung for his Master's mid-section, and his blow was easily deflected.
"Far too impatient, reset yourself and try again." Ardek remarked, the older human looking at his apprentice with displeasure.
Orduss shuffled his feet, the pale white skin of his face defined by various black lines, denoting his Bpfasshi origin. He struck again, and the cycle repeated for ten or so blows. Each time, his maneuver was carelessly deflected, not even affecting the footing of the older Jedi, as the padawan struggled to master technique. Disappointment, and frustration begun to take hold and Orduss, who prided himself on his ability to pick up new things rather easily, began to lose confidence.
"Pause and think, you strike only thinking of the kill, not of how to circumvent my defenses." Ardek lectured, and Orduss felt himself decomposing. He prepared to strike again, but did not focus on his Master's defense, but rather the frustration and agitation that formed inside him. Outwardly, he struck as fast as he could, landing a dozen blows far faster than he had before, and Master Ardek, taken by surprise, could only think to give ground, particularly against his frenzied padawan.
Padawan Orduss grunted, and hollered, striking as fast as he could muster and continuing to push his Master back. Soon, they dueled across the practice room and Ardek could sense that he was soon to hit a wall, so with a quick thrust of his free left hand, he sent the Padawan flying back into a far wall, using the Force to push him away. Droplets of sweat dripped from his brow, and he lowered his blade, to look at his Padawan - across the room, slumped across the wall, and starting to raise.
"What were you thinking, Padawan?" Master Ardek scolded, shouting at the younger being while looking at him with an accosting gaze.
But Orduss was furious, and he rose to his feet, spitting at the ground of his Master, "You cheated! You pushed me with the Force!" Orduss snarled, showing his teeth, and waving his blade back and forth.
"Have you forrgotten yourr place?" An unfamiliar voice boomed, as the powerful Togorian Jedi Master Zarr entered. The words echoed in the mind of Orduss, and he seemed to snap out of it, looking towards both Master Ardek and Zarr, stunned.
"But I.. I'm. I'm--" The Padawan mumbled, looking down at himself and at the two of them, but he was cut off by Master Zarr.
"Silence, padawan and rreturn to your quarters. Stay therre until you are met with." The senior Jedi Master said.
Orduss, shocked and confused, moved towards the exit of the training room. As he moved, he deactivated the lightsaber and felt it tugged away from him with the pull of Force, landing cleanly in Master Zarr's outstretched palm.
"You will not be needing that until we speak, Padawan." Master Zarr said.
Padawan Orduss exited the room, the entrance to the training room sealing shut, as Master Ardek, who had deactivated his lightsaber, stepped closer to his long time friend and ally.
"I told you he was trrouble, since the day you brrought him in, Tharun, he is trouble." Master Zarr said to the other.
"He's just a boy who needs guidance, he has a good heart, but gets lost in his ways." Master Ardek replied.
"He's a loose cannon, and he will get himself orr
otherrs killed in the field." Master Zarr said.
"I can teach him to do better." Master Ardek countered.
"His trraining should be ended, he has no place in the Order, and cerrtainly no place as a Jedi." Master Zarr said.
"You and I both know it's too late for that, he's already experienced part of the Force, and if we don't educate him properly, he'll seek out information on his own and perhaps encounter the Dark Side." Master Ardek said.
"You must learrn to control him." Master Zarr said.
"I will." Master Ardek replied.
"You had betterr." Master Zarr said.
Grand Isle Spaceport, Vladet
Senator Juntaal's ship, Office
Kols Ashlar sat across from Senator Juntaal, gently puffing on a cigarra. The Senator looked did not smile, nor show emotion towards the man, rather, he seemed to regard him as though an important specimen in his work. The Senator pushed a cylindrical object towards the man, coaxing it ever so slightly.
"You will use this to carry out the deed." Senator Juntaal said, point blank. "Your target has already been arranged, but for your reference, this datapad contains an image." Juntaal passed the man a datapad with the image of Representative Chullun. He studied the thug closely for a moment, "And for goodness sake, put out that disgusting cigarra while on my ship."
The mercenary narrowed his eyes, but put out the cigarra. He hefted the cylindrical hilt in his hands, looking at it curiously. "How do I work it?" Ashlar asked, twirling the cylindrical object around in his hand, avoiding the power button.
"Careful, you fool. Point the open edge away from you, and my furniture. Towards the center of the room, in the open." Juntaal said, gesturing with his hand towards the mercenary's right.
Ashlar pressed the button, and a brilliant blue blade of pure energy shot from the cylindrical hilt with a distinctive snap hiss. Ashlar was visibly stunned, and he gripped the blade extraordinarily tight.
"Now, I would suggest sedating our dear friend before using this, but the blade will cut through anything. Just be very careful, as you can probably tell from holding it, the weapon is not like a real sword. You cannot feel the weight of the blade, and careless handlers of something like this have often ended up with missing limbs. Be mindful of what you're doing." The Senator said, watching the ruffian carefully.
Ashlar nodded, deactivating the blade, and tucking it away, standing up. As he rose, the Senator spoke again, "I have already provided you with fifty thousand credits, the condition of your advance. I will provide another four hundred thousand once the job is complete. That weapon must be returned for you to receive payment."
Ashlar replied, "So be it."
And with that he departed.
Chasin City, Commenor
Presidential Residence, Master Bedroom
Dr. Lay'la Andrak sat next to her husband in bed, reading results from a study that had been conducted on Commenor's orbital research station. A senior researcher on the station, and a lecturer at the University of Commenor, she was a distinguished biochemist who had earned considerable accolade and respect among her peers. She was also a prominent female symbol in the Republic, the wife of its charismatic leader, Zhovan, and despite the fame her husband's position had brought her, she remained as level headed, and in an appreciable way, ordinary as ever. Zhovan loved her deeply, and he often felt comfortable talking about matters of office with her, tonight was no different.
"I'm concerned, Lay'la, both Jonn, and most of the party faithful think that meeting with the Remnant is a bad idea. I just think they're being short sighted, but if something goes wrong, I won't know what to think." Zhovan mused, he had several reports piled onto his lap. Tonight, both he and Lay'la only had reading to do, and so they were able to spend a bit more time together.
"I trust you, Zhovan, otherwise, I wouldn't of married you. And while I prefer reason to simple intuition, if you think this is a necessary risk, then I agree. Besides, you have a valid point, maintaining this senseless attitude of isolation regarding the Remnant
is short sighted. Only through mending relations might the Republic be able to establish itself on the galactic scale again." Her voice was soft, yet it had a firmness that paid tribute to her intellect and strength. Zhovan enjoyed listening to her talk.
"But what if it does backfire? What if they're right and this is some sort of ruse, or worse yet, the prelude to a war?" Zhovan asked, looking at her.
"Then you were tricked. What does it matter? I think it's more important to look at the alternative. We can either persist in this conservative mentality of maintaining a hardline stance against the Empire, or we can open our minds and consider the possibility of peace. And if this is a ruse to declare war, it begs the question of why they're wasting all the effort to come here in person. Frankly, Zhovan, I think you know these answers already." She turned to look at him, raising a slight eyebrow. "And no matter the outcome, you will always be a great leader in my eyes, look at your track record with the Republic." She leaned over and kissed him once, before returning returning back to her position and reading again.
Zhovan let the conversation hang there as he mused over his thoughts. Throughout most of his life, he had been a strong leader, a source of guidance and support for those around him. Indeed, it was those qualities that won him the affection of Lay'la in the first place. But he had always admired her intelligence, and beauty. And in ways he wasn't sure if she realized or not, Lay'la offered an integral sense of support that Zhovan never wanted to be without. She kept him going when he wasn't sure of himself, and Zhovan made it his duty, as her husband, to do the same.
Republic Engineering Corporation Majestic-class Heavy Cruiser - "Defender", Commenor system
Bridge of the Heavy Cruiser
Captain Armund Greven stood on the bridge of the Majestic-class Heavy Cruiser,
Defender, and watched as his task force consisting of another Majestic-class and two Corona-class frigates prepared to jump to lightspeed for the Chorax system with the convoy they were escorting. Two squadrons of T-65AC3 X-Wings had already been launched, leaving two squadrons each still left in the Corona-class frigates. The fighters had been arranged near the flanks of the convoy as a measure of rapid response against any enemy fighter craft. They were designated Red and Blue squadron.
Captain Greven looked to the communications officer, "Have our fighters check in and prepare for light speed."
"Yes, sir." The communications officer replied, relaying the request.
Red Leader received the message and spoke over the closed band communications line for Red Squadron, "Red Leader to squadron, all units check in."
All pilots checked in, and he radioed the confirmation to Captain Greven. Blue squadron did the same, and things seemed to be proceeding as normal.
The fleet departed for the Chorax system, and Captain Greven wondered silently if they would run into any resistance.
COMMUNIQUES
The Imperial Remnant
FROM: President Zhovan Andrak, The Rachuk Republic
TO: Lady Feena D'Asta
SUBJECT: Visitation of the Republic and Commenor
Lady Feena D'Asta,
Salutations, Lady D'asta. The Rachuk Republic opens its arms to you and your faction, and let this letter serve as approval for your visit to Commenor. I will personally provide you with a tour of the surface, and it is my hope that through this meeting, both factions can gain a better understanding of one another. My foreign minister will be in contact with your offices.
Regards,
President Zhovan Andrak
The Rachuk Republic
FROM: Minister of Foreign Relations, Rachuk Republic
TO: The Office of the Imperial Diplomatic Corps & Feena D'Asta
SUBJECT: Your visit to Rachuk Republic Space
Salutations,
Your request to visit the Rachuk Republic has been approved, however, as a matter of protocol, there is a brief form we will require before your visit can take place.
Please declare the exact composition of your party, any weapons that the party maintains, and your expected arrival date in Commenor space. We will also need to know the class and armament of any vessels being brought into our sovereignty, as well as size and designation. As a reminder, foreign warships are not permitted in Commenor space, although under special circumstances, they may be permitted with prior approval.
Secondly, as a courtesy to all foreign officials, we issue notices about the security of our space, and precautions that foreign parties may wish to take before coming into Republic territory. Here is a list of worlds and their security status:
Commenor: HIGH
Hensara III: HIGH
Vladet: HIGH
Damoria: HIGH
Darek: MEDIUM
Talasea: MEDIUM
Chorax: LOW
If you intend on visiting Vladet, you must be vaccinated against Rachuk Roseola, as it is a highly contagious virus that exists surface side.
Finally, for questions regarding security, your liaison is Fleet Admiral Korven Naestrum of the 1st Fleet. He will assist you with any special arrangements or precautions.
If you have any further questions, I will be happy to answer them. Enjoy your stay within the Republic's borders.
Regards,
Norak Khuvar
Minister of Foreign Relations
The Rachuk Republic
Post Overview:
* Several subplots started, including political consequences of the Remnant visit
* Introduction of the Jedi in the Republic
* Acceptance of the Remnant's offer to visit and reply communique
* Preparations for convoy protection in the Chorax system (foreshadowing for the NPC pirate conflict)
Edit Notes: Adjusted a few things.