Chapter Two: Worlds Colliding

[Akirapryde]

Victory in the Galactic Senate
Coruscant News Network
Broadcast from Coruscant
Date: 2919 AOK


Bail: “Good evening. I am Bail Organa; We interrupt your normally scheduled show to bring you exciting news from the Galactic Senate. We have just learned that Chancellor Praeta Syrdash has, despite the efforts of her critics, won her bid to retain the Office of Supreme Chancellor.”

Sinya: “I am Sinya Lefe, in a move that would go down in Republic History as a masterful stroke if brinkmanship, the Chancellor’s allies forced the vote during a scheduled Walk Out Protest which was being conducted by many senators from the Outer Rim. The protest was directed at the Jedi Grand Council over the events taking place on the Outer Rim world of Olivan. While the protest was a largely organized by Senators from the Outer Rim, all Republic Senators were called upon to gather at the steps of the Jedi Temple to show unity over the current crisis.”

Bail: (laughing) “With well over ninety Outer Rim Senators off pretending to be protesters instead of Republic Senators, Ra Cuth found himself lacking support ahead of the Chancellor’s vote. While critics claim the walk out was scheduled and that no votes were supposed to be taken during this time, I only say that this vote was also scheduled. And if I might add, long overdue.”

Sinya: “Yes, you’re right this vote was overdue. The Vice Chair, Ra Cuth, had scheduled the vote four times. And four times, allies and operatives from the Chancellor’s office forced the vote to be postponed. Once the protest was in full swing, the Chancellor and her allies made their move in the Senate. The Vice Chair attempted to stop the vote that was slowly gaining speed. However, a rowdy senate led by senator eDin from Kuat and Senator Pathaway from the Corellian Industrial Sector demanded that the vote continue. Within minutes the entire Senate was engulfed in a screaming match over if the vote should be allowed to continue ahead of schedule or not.”

Bail: “The Vice Chair had been demanding a vote in the full Senate for months. Now he finally got it and he got gun shy. Luckily for the Republic, Chancellor Syrdash does not have such flaws. She took to the senate flanked senators eDin and Pathaway. Upon her arrival, the Senate erupted in thunderous cheers and applauds. She was able to bring this out of control senate to order so that the Vice Chair, who clearly couldn’t handle his job, was able to speak. Do we have footage of that scene?”

(videos of a Grand Convocation Chamber of the Galactic Senate in thunderous applauds and cheers as Chancellor Syrdash takes her place at the Chancellor's Podium. A shocked and defeated Ra Cuth stepped aside for her to take her place at the podium)

Bail: “The level of presence and leadership that Chancellor Syrdash demonstrates is sometimes inspiring.”

Sinya: “Seriously Bail, we need to report the facts. (sighs heavily) Realizing he had lost the Senate, the Vice Chair had little choice other than to allow the vote to continue. He immediately dispatched runners across the Senate building to rally his allies. Despite many his supporters being absent for the vote, the Vice Chair was able to slow down the vote through a series of procedural maneuvers. The Vice Chair did everything in his power to buy time for his caucus to return to the Senate building. Most of the Vice Chair’s caucus failed to learn of the vote until it was far too late to do anything about it.”

Bail: “While the Vice Chair cried foul, the simple truth was that the Chancellor was able to mobilize her caucus while the Vice Chair was not. This answered the simple question of, who is the better leader of the Republic. Clearly the Chancellor proved her worth today. With the vote completed and OUR Chancellor made good on her promise. She demanded the Vice Chair's resignation. When he refused, the Chancellor called for a vote of no confidence in the Vice Chair. In a landslide defeat…”

Sinya: “It wasn’t a landslide.”

Bail: “Regardless, the no confidence vote ended the reign of Ra Cuth as Vice Chair came to an end. Might I add, one of the most corrupt Vice Chair’s I have ever seen in the Galactic Senate. Chancellor Syrdash has named General Sanders as acting Vice Chair unt……

Sinya: “What are you talking about? Ra Cuth is one of the most charitable persons I have ever met. He has done so much for struggling Outer Rim Worlds. He is a honorable and noble man. You know this Bail!”

Bail: “Outside of the Senate that may be true. But you can’t deny how corrupt he had become since he won the Vice Chair three years ago.”

Sinya: (Sighs again) “Per a source within the maintenance division, who wished to remain anonymous, the channel that is normally reserved for official Senate communications along with several other communication channels all went off line during this morning's votes. There are many who suspect that this unknown outage is the reason why so many senators didn't get word of the votes until they had been carried out.”

Bail: “I am sure that the Chancellor’s critics will claim that she had personally ventured down in to the bowels of the Senate Complex and sabotaged the communication system for the entire complex.

Sinya: “You can’t ignore the timing of this outage and the critical votes that were taking place.”

Bail: “I wasn’t there, I can’t say for certain what happened to those systems. And guess what, there is no report of foul play. Well unless you listen to former Vice Chair, Ra Cuth, who has been screaming up a storm since his ousting this morning.”

Bail: “And as I said just a few moments ago, those senators had a place to be. Instead they wanted to carry on with this senseless protest over what is taking place on the other side of the Galaxy! They should have been where they were supposed to be. They did the same thing last week, and the week before.”

Sinya: “Bail, what is taking place on Olivan is very important to everyone across the Republic. For the first time, we are being forced to have a conversation about the rights of a member world. And at the same time a Jedi Strike Division is about to arrive and the locals are gearing up for a war. Thousands of innocent lives are hanging in the balance.”

Bail: “Innocent! Ha! What about the dozens of Jedi Padawan, Cadets and Younglings that these rouge Jedi have imprisoned? I would figure a bleeding-heart liberal like you would at least be thinking of these children ahead of a handful of misguided and selfish adults who have filled themselves with delusions of grandeur. Anyways it's not even a Republic matter. While the Chancellor has shown support for the Jedi, she has made it clear that this matter is solely within the scope of the Jedi.”

Sinya: “Bail, I am thinking of the children. The children of Olivan and worlds like it. Master Dooku is wrong in sending forces in before negotiations could be under taken. This is a perfect opportunity for the Chancellor to show that she can be a leader without the use of force.”

Bail: “But she has! She has sent her own son, Lord Sembla, to Olivan to observe the situation and if need be, protect Republic lives should hostility break out between the two factions.”

Sinya: “The situation is far more complicated than you give it credit. And that pains me…”

Bail: “It's not complicated at all. A handful of misfits overpowered the Jedi Guards on Olivan and seized the Temple. They placed the clear majority of the Temple’s occupants in a make shift prison. Reports indicate that this rescue mission shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

Sinya: “The situation is far graver than you leave our viewers to understand. Those same reports indicate that a few thousand Outer Rim mercenaries have answered the call to arms.”

Bail: “Mercs and misfits against one of the Jedi’s most prestigious divisions. Led by a member of the Jedi Grand Council. I wouldn’t be surprised if the mission isn’t already over. But unfortunately, it’s not. We have unconfirmed reports of wide scale abuse against the Cadets and Younglings who have attempted to hold out hope for rescue.”

Sinya: “You can't say that. That report came from a merchant who has a reputation for inaccurate witness statements. Remember that he reported that there were hordes of Sith on Frey.”

Sinya: “A report that caused the Republic Navy to deploy the Five Hundred and First Army to Frey. After a bloody battle for the world, the planetary leadership was in ruins and hundreds of thousands were wounded or killed. Across the Outer Rim, the Republic came out looking like invaders.”

Sinya: “And where were the hordes of Sith? An after-action report discovered that there were only a handful of darksiders on Frey. All that bloodshed and for what?”

Bail: “First off, there were Sith on Frey. You can’t deny that they weren't there simply because we didn't find the bodies. That is how the Sith remain in hiding, they are very good at covering their tracks. Secondly, we did discover that Orchid and her gang were on Frey. Master Chun and his Padawan, at the time, Demaya captured Vixen. On of Orchids most trusted lieutenants. This proves the seriousness of the situation on Frey.”

Bail: “You ask, for what? I will tell you for what. Baku’s vital fuel. That is for what. Because the Republic maintains control of Frey, and the city of Baku, we have a vital resupply and refueling base in the Outer Rim. The same base that is now supporting the mission on Olivan.”

Bail: “Now I have a question for you. Do you know beyond doubt if this report of abuse on Olivan is false?”

Sinya: “That's not....”

Bail: “Yes or no....”

Sinya: “Bail, let me explain.....”

Bail: “Sinya, yes or no. Do you know for sure that the report is false?”

Sinya: “No, I don't.”

Bail: “And there you have it.”

(paused)

Bail: “This is the reason why we must remain behind Master Dooku and his Jedi. For each of our viewers out there, we ask that you give a moment of silence for those brave men and woman of the twenty seventh as they are faced with a difficult battle. Their mission to rescue those innocent children caught in the middle of this nightmare. Those innocent children who have been left at the hands of vile monsters who would abuse them.”

Bail: “Give a moment of silence for those innocent children who need our help and support more than anyone else. And once that moment of silence has ended, let out a deep sigh of relief and let your gratitude be heard. For this is the reason why we have a strong leader like Chancellor Syrdash leading the Republic during these difficult times.”