May The Force Have Mercy

[Vincent Deryck]

NO PVP & SHENANIGANS ALLOWED
OPEN TO REACTIONS ONLY
​

Vincent Deryck stood in the middle of the Galactic Senate, addressing not only the representatives of the Senate, not only their constituents at home and not only the men and women of the GAR.

He stood here to address almost the entire Galaxy.

Sith.

Jedi.

Hutts.

It didn't matter who they were - only that they heard what had to be said. What had to be declared to ensure the survival of the Republic. Deryck had fought tooth and nail to keep his men alive when he was in active service and he had done things that were seen as questionable to do this. He had disobeyed direct orders, he had 'misinterpreted' perfectly valid orders for being foolish and he had even, one time, stolen food from the officer's mess to keep his men's spirits up.

He had done things he hadn't thought were right for the greater good of his men before, the people he had a duty to care for. And now?

He would do it again for the entire Republic.

Standing tall in his senatorial pod, Deryck kept his focus off of the hovering camera drones in front of him, the ones streaming this announcement live across the Galaxy.

"Members of the Galactic Senate, enlisted men and women of the Grand Army of the Republic..." he stared pointedly at the camera drones, "And people throughout the Galaxy."

He returned his attention to the senate.

"Our glorious Republic is currently at war with the vile Hutt Cartel - this is known throughout the Galaxy and this shall not change until the war is won!" he roared into the void between himself and the senators, "But our war has been infiltrated. There are those who would use our war for their own agenda - their own ends! They have hijacked our righteous struggle for reasons they do not see fit to share with us! Now I ask you to think for a moment - to search your hearts and your souls for a moment - and ask yourselves this... who would have the audacity to do this? Who would be so monumentally arrogant as to assume that they have the right?"

His hand slammed down on the edge of his senatorial pod.

"Who else but the Jedi Order?!" he shook his head, "We have put up with this for far too long - but no longer!"

This time he stared into the camera.

"Effective immediately, all members of the Jedi Order are to be considered Outlaws throughout Republic Space!" he didn't let up, leaning into it, "The days where these warrior monks could dictate to the general public of the Republic are gone! Any Jedi seeking to 'aid' the Republic war effort shall be captured and executed as an enemy spy. Any Jedi operating within Republic space will be seen to be in violation of Republic law and captured and executed as an enemy agent."

He knew this might not be popular but even still there was thunderous applause from the lower seats and from members of the press allowed into the event. Staring into the camera in front of him, Deryck addressed the Galaxy once more.

But in reality?

He addressed one woman above all others.

"The Galactic Republic stands openly and unashamedly against the Jedi Order and it's manipulations. May the Force have mercy; for we shall not!"

 

[Primula Peyvand]

Primula couldn't believe what she had just heard. The fact that she had come to respect and admire a certain Jedi probably having a little something to do with it. Then a slight nudging feeling hit her as the chancellor she had helped to elect faced the camera, seemingly no longer speaking to the senate, his mind elsewhere perhaps, thinking of a certain person he wanted to address. But who could that be afterall? If not the senate, certainly not the hutts, and obviously not the Jedi. Only left one option in her mind in the end.

Chancellor, I do hope that this comes from your office with the clearest and most sincere of intentions. If this is somehow your way of buying favors with perhaps enemies of the Jedi, I do indeed hope there will be mercy to be had. For your sake. You speak of audacity. Who would audacious enough to attempt to persuade you to this line of thinking.

There is suspicion on interference if I'm not wrong, why should we assume it was the Jedi? I'm not going to take you at your word sir. Quite contraire, I demand an investigation to be launched. This is not the navy and you cannot enact executive orders like this without going through the proper channels. Is this how democracy is run now? By the words of non republicans and the orders of a dictator?

 

[Alek Varsan]

Alek a Jedi knight just returning from a mission for the order, just coming back to the nearest temple was told to look to the news. He was confused as it seemed less Jedi were around, as well as those remaining seemed on edge. Going to a data pad he then sees the broadcast of what the senate was issuing. Stunned, shocked, and at a loss for words he sat on the temple steps watching, then moments later he finally broke his silence “I can’t believe this, I don’t understand it either. But now I know the order isn’t safe anymore especially at temples like this, If this is real they will likely search these within republic space including this one.” Still hearing the hateful rant of the senate, he turned off the data pad now standing a thought rushed to his head “Arador the young apprentice I’ve taken as my own! He has to be found and taken somewhere safe, I have see where the young boy is and fast before running into republic troops mistaking me for an enemy.” Alek then saw as he talked to other Jedi in the order ask the same question when he would ask if they had seen his apprentice. Everyone seemed to be in a mad dash to find the ones they knew and cared for, so as to leave before conflict started. Like a family mentors where worried like parents as the students that had been sent on small tasks could have been picked up by republic troops. Alek gathering the few belongings he had throughout his life as a Jedi started to then leave the temple as others did to, all most likely into hiding but who knows for sure. He was not going to wait, he would find his apprentice then get out of republic space until it was safe to return. Once getting a head start he looked back as other Jedi left and the temple now what seemed to be empty, the sun began to set in the grass plain world, all the while a cool breeze washed over the 22 year old knight. He left knowing that he must find a new place to call home until the senate changed this action, but still he worried, worried for all the other Jedi affected by this, and wondered what the future would hold. He would stay to the peaceful manner as is expected of a Jedi, but Alek was still a warrior at heart. He would not hesitate to defend himself or his apprentice while leaving republic space. All he could do for now is find his student and leave for the sake of himself and him. Putting on his grey hood and reajusted his pack walked off to find transport off world for now.

 

[Ilnyysh Qorli]

Ilnyysh Qorli, a Gand Jedi, was in his quarters in the Jedi temple on Tython when he heard the news. The Republic had put a ban on Jedi! He couldn't even believe it. He quickly walked outside to the gathering of the Jedi in the common area, all of them stunned about the announcement. The Gand's emotions quickly turned from disbelief to anger. How dare the Republic turn their backs on the Jedi! After having done so much for them! He thought back on what the Grand Chancellor had said, and his chitinous exoskeleton rattled in outrage. "Arrogant"? "Manipulated"? "Hijacked their struggle"!? This is an outrage! The Jedi have done so much to help the Republic, and this is how we're repayed? "Outlaws"? "Spies"? "Executed"? If anyone tries to execute Ilnyysh, they might find themselves a few limbs short!

Ilnyysh felt the Force rolling in dark currents around him and remembered that anger was the path to the dark side. He took a few deep breaths through his rebreather and recited part of the Jedi Code mentally. There is no emotion, there is peace. And with that peace came a crystal clear certainty: The Republic were letting themselves be manipulated by the Sith. And both the Sith and Republic were going to pay.

 

[Mira Arlo]

Mira stood in her repulsorpod, her arms folded and foot tapping againest the solid metal of it as she listened to the opening of Supreme Chancellor's speech, the call to the Senate chamber was rather urgent, usually they were given a couple days heads up before a meeting like this but they had mere hours of notice, whatever it was it was important enough to have rushed meeting.

Her foot stopped after he announced the Jedi order were their enemies, her face furrowed and fists clenched at hearing the name, the republic had been extending an olive branch to the Jedi, now only to smack them in the face with it. no one changes their position on something that fast, something was up with chancellor to make such an announcement so quickly without even some discussion or even hint he was going to do something like this, it warranted in investigating but for now, she wasn't going to leave this chamber without giving the chancellor a piece of her mind.

"I see the chancellor has elected himself judge, jury and executioner. this republic was founded a few pillars, one of those was justice and this is not justice, what happened to due process, chancellor? you are not judge, jury and executioner. You have overstepped your bounds chancellor, so I concur with senator Peyvand that this decree should be reviewed by a committee to deem its lawfulness and that it holds to the beliefs and standards of this republic," and with that, she had spoken her peace or at least the more civilised side, she was still frustrated by his announcement but she had all she can do while standing in this chamber, she could do more when she got out of it.

 

[YT-66]

YT-66 remained motionless and silent behind his mistress Senator Peyvand as she rose to make her objections known to the Chancellor.

YT-66 remained motionless when the chorus of jeers, supportive or otherwise, rose to meet her objections.

YT-66 simpley observed the comings aand goings of the Senate, and of its members, his beady red photoreceptor fixed onto the Chancellor like death stare.

"Boop." the assassin droid remarked to himself.

Boop.

 

[Connor Hanner]

Deryck had lost his damn mind
To think that one day the Republic he worked for would turn against one of their most supportive allies just like this angered and saddened the old trooper Connor

The Jedi had got the Republic's backs since the Hundred years of Darkness, without them the exiles would have destroyed them...without them Connor would have been forced to kill more of his soldiers in arms...

And now, they were helping once again, they were doing what they could to help the Republic defeat the Hutts, defending their homes from yet another threat

And in exchange? They were now marked as outlaws, criminals that were going to get shot down like if they were some lowly type of scum that didn't deserve anything better, like if they were an actual threat

Connor had done a lot of unspeakable things along his life, many he regretted, and many he did because of the Republic, but if the Admiral thought he was going to shoot at the men and women that saved his ass? Well...he could sit and wait, because that is not happening

 

[Numenius Pax]

Numenius Pax stared blankly at the Chancellor for a moment before clicking his fingers for his aide to come to his side, which he did so almost immediately. Without taking his eyes off of the Chancellor and the media circus that was rising due to what had been said, Numenius spoke.

"Contact the people at the Home Office on Corulag." he told the aide firmly, "Make sure they've watched the news and make sure that they are aware that this was done without the knowledge of any senators."

The aide paused in the composition of the message.

"You didn't know about this sir?"

His hands gripped the edge of his senatorial pod tighter than before with a scowl.

"No."

The aide didn't say anything else and quickly made to finish drafting the proposal while Numenius just glared heatedly at the Chancellor before stepping away from the edge of his senatorial pod to speak to his other aide.

"Get Senator Cormond on the line." he snapped at the aide while calling up someone else on his own comlink, "Senator Kaizer... we need to talk."

Things would change because of this and they would change rapidly if he had anything to say about it. To be clear... Numenius didn't care for the Jedi at all. With the odd exception he found them to be scum. But his anger wasn't about the Jedi being declared outlaws. His anger was about how the Chancellor had declared a new direction for the Republic without calling a vote or even considering the opinions of the senators and the people they represented.

Ignoring democracy would have it's reckoning.