Senate Vote: Delegation & Message to the Jedi Knights

[TAC]

The Bandomeerian stood next, making his way to the podium again. He had indulged in his oratory, and rely this time around on keeping what he said simple and to the point.

"With the all due respect, Chancellor, this IS a Border Alliance issue. It is in our back homes that the Sith presence is the greatest, and it is our families' blood that would be spilled due to their careless crusades."

"Bandomeer votes Aye."

 

[Raydo]

"Andara votes yea. There is still time for negotiation to rule the day if we are only brave enough to seek it out. Keeping both The Republic and the Jedi away from war is what is best for our people."

 

[Ender]

And so the voting began. Ah, democracy. What a treacherous game. Kryze made a quick motion with her hand, one which Tionas did indeed understand. He nodded in acknowledgement, and then stood next. "The Republic needs to set a precedence with the Jedi Order, they need to know when to heed orders. If the Jedi Order shall act as an army, then the Clans of Concord Dawn vote Aye for the delegation." This was meant as to no disrespect to Kryze or Mandalore, as Mandalore had its own political problems Kryze had to think of her people before all else and the galaxy knew this. Concord Dawn, on the other hand, was made up of hardy, classic Mandalorian stock and his people would support his decision. While Concord Dawn would almost always follow Mandalore's decision, the entire Mandalorian people abstaining from a vote would look weak. And Tionas could not allow that, and neither would Kryze. Or so he hoped.​

 

[Tan Prestor]

The speeches had been impassioned on both sides of the debate so far, but Tan Prestor - his bombastic and objectionable personality aside - was clearly aware that passion did not serve the best interests of all those involved, and often caused a great deal more issues that it solved. He was loath to go the the Jedi, knowing that they would seek to sink their claws into the Republic, but at the same time he was not willing to see their fanatical Crusade spill over into the fringe world of the Border Alliance.

Kuat and Correllia, ever stalwart in their defense of the Core - had made good arguments - and whilst Tan could align himself to many of their view points, this was something that he would need to disagree with. Watching as the other votes came in, the Senator took to his feet, prepared to make his vote.

''The Republic is the greatest institution in this Galaxy, and never will it bend the knee to the so-called 'Sith' nor will it allow the Jedi to run roughshod over our members, dragging the less fortunate into a war that they did not cause.'' he said loudly. ''Senators, this delegation only goes to show how weak we have become under the incumbent Government. It is time for a change, we need an army, one that can work with those of our member states, the Fleets of Kuat, Correllia and Hapes.''

Already he could see some Senators rolling their eyes, as Tan Prestor went off on his usual tirades ''The Republic must not 'entreat' with other nations, it must not 'ask' them to stop - for it must make them ladies and gentlemen, through force if needed!'' he paused briefly before continuing ''The Border Alliance must be protected from the barbarians outside our lands, those from Anaxes and the other 'hokey pokey' force using maniac planets!''

His mantra continued yet further, as Tan Prestor pushed his agenda through. He had longed for a central army, one that the militaristic Core could call their own - under their influence - and so he would use this in his own favor. ''So I say this. We need a guy who can make deals, we have got to make this deal with the Jedi. We tell those force using freaks to cut it out, and then the Core drops a fleet on their Border - we protect our people in the Border Alliance, from the so-called Sith, from the Jedi if needed. Hell, I will personally carpet bomb every damn planet the Jedi call home if they so much as lay a finger on the Alliance!'' he finished, ready to cast his vote.

''As such, the Senator for Hapes, says that we must send this Delegation, and tell these energy sword holding lunatics to stop threatening our nations. I vote aye for this motion.'' he sat down, his work done. By sending the delegation, Prestor felt that the Republic could warn off the Jedi, and in the long term he could buld a case for the need of a Central Army, and protect the Core Worlds should the war spin out of control, and start damaging the Planets that mattered - The Core.

 

[Jira]

Tycho had listened to the closing statements, carefully making notes of who he could reluctantly side with, and who to avoid. These were difficult waters to navigate. The Jedi could prove to be a vital asset to the defense of the Republic, or they could become tyrants who wielded the Republic's martial power with impunity. Each proposition was two sides of the same coin. As Tycho stood to give his closing statements, the camera droids locked onto him with their blinding spotlights.

"Senators," Tycho paused and wiped his sweaty palms on his legs, "Nothing is more important than protecting every member world of this Republic. While we are relatively safe here at the core, if we forget our constituents in the periphery of space, we would become damned in the eyes of our posterity. The Jedi have the potential to be a valuable asset in the defense of our Republic. "

His mouth became insufferably dry, and it became difficult to speak as if the words 'Aye' and 'Nay' became unutterable. For a moment he wondered if the Senator from Dathomiri was sitting at her podium, quietly chanting some incantation for a curse. He shook off his conspiratory thoughts and subdued his visible anxieties.

"The Republic must defend itself from the Sith, yet we cannot take measures to compromise the Republic's position as the most powerful institution in the galaxy." Tycho stared up at the Senator from Alderaan, pointing his index finger in an accusatory gesture, "Senator Antilles, I trust that you will go to the Jedi bearing what I've said in mind. The people of Taris vote aye, under the condition that the Jedi are into the fold of Republic law."

 

[Axia Elizabeth Vanbar]

Axia listened carefully to the Chancellor’s intervention, a rare but rising anger beginning to stir behind her eyes. The Zeltron was a respectable woman from good stock, but Axia could not disagree with her more.

“With respect Senators, Madame Chancellor, it is not in my view ‘off topic’ to consider this motion in the context in which it arises. The question is whether to entreat with the Jedi. The answer depends on a whole range of factors; our immediate priorities, our time and resources and who else we might look to for help and support. The Border Alliance is entirely relevant in this respect.”

She surveyed the chamber, careful to shield her remarks under a cloak of respect.

“I have made my position clear. The Jedi should not be our priority at this time; we have much larger concerns and I am pleased to see my colleagues from Kuat, Corellia and Raithal also see the futility in this delegation. It is time to free ourselves of the notion that peace can only be won and kept by the strength of a Jedi’s saber. It is time to trust ourselves with the fate of our own Republic.”

“Humbarine votes Nay”.

 

[Malmourral [old]]

Standing slowly, Malmourral took to her podium once more, as the Senator of Humbarine took her seat. Voting in the Senate had always been frought with obstacles, and politics in general had become more sensationalist of late, but the current quality of discussion taking place in the chambers was something else entirely.

"Ignoring for a moment the outright bizarre behaviour of the Senators from Taris and Hapes, and the poor discussion regarding this motion preceding this bill, I cannot decide if many of you are either completely unaware of the processes that govern this Senate, or are deliberately being disruptive to the processes in place here. For the benefit of the Senate in general, might I remind the honorable Senators of this place that a vote goes towards the motion put towards us - a vote cannot be made with express stipulations. We are all free to voice our opinions on a vote, but we are not allowed to place a conditional vote. For that reason, I would request that the Chancellor ask the Senator of Taris to re-register a more unconditional vote, as the current vote cannot be allowed to stand."

((@Beta12))

"The motion put to us today is that a delegation be sent to the Jedi Order to ask them to remain out of the so-called conflict with the Sith, a group of whose return is highly debatable. Even if we are to believe the...colorful ramblings of the Senator of Bandomeer, who are we to say what this group's motivations are? Are we to so easily jump at shadows? And by what right do we have the authority to ask the Jedi not to make their own investigations or draw their own conclusions?"

"This motion is entirely too heavy-handed, and risks deep and long-standing damage to any chances of a beneficial diplomatic arrangement with the Jedi Order. If the motion was worded in such a way that the delegation could potentially be tasked simply to establish diplomatic connections with the Jedi Order and to determine their intentions, then Dathomir could vote for such a motion. But that is not the motion put to us today. Dathomir registers a vote in opposition of this motion. We vote nay."

 

[Officiant]

'Now where did a barbarian witch think she learned parliamentary procedure?' Viechelin thought to herself, looking down on Dathomir's imperious Senator. The woman had practically strode into the Senate and thought she owned the place. She had the potential to be extremely no, eminently dangerous. While Viechelin would reserve judgement on her extremely bad form in the Senate here today, there was no doubt that Senator Malmourral had made the top of several Senator's hit lists. The most dangerous among these Senators was certain Tan Prestor, who hardly took criticism well. Viechelin never liked him but she never insulted him in public or in the middle of the Senate no less. While she found it hard to agree with her logic for votting the way she did, the manner in which she pontificated and slighted in the middle of the Senate was nothing short of derogatory.

"She might not last the night." Viechelin muttered to no one in particular.

Standing up and flanked by her aides, Viechelin strode down the gallery to the Rotunda, holding her hands together in front of her as she approached the podium, like she was a priestess approaching an altar. However much she wanted to deliver a less abbrasive and conciliatory reasoning for her vote, injecting shot of Thyferran civility into the Senate's proceedings, all Viechelin would allow herself to say was, "The Duopoly of Thyferra" she looked up and over at Senator from Alderaan, "votes 'Nay'". She could and would justify voting a half a dozen different ways over the coming days, preserving her relationships with others on Chandrila and at home.

Turning with a graceful but somewhat dramatic flip of her cloak, Viechelin walked back off the platforum to return to her seat.

 

[Jira]

Tycho raised his right hand in a dismissive gesture at the Senator from Dathomir. She isn't going to put a hex on me under her breath, he thought to himself, She's going to neuter me in front of the Senate. He made a note of the insult, and began thinking about how he could return the favor. For now, a prompt response would suffice.

Tycho made no attempt to veil the anger in his tone, "Senator Malmourral, both the Chancellor and the good Senator from Alderaan know that my condition was merely a suggestion. Taris still votes in favor of the delegation. If you would like a lesson in political subtlety, please feel free to stop by my office in between sessions. I'm sure I'll find the time to squeeze you in."

Boos and laughter filled the senate hall, and Tycho smirked in smug satisfaction.

 

[Mauve Codi]

Mauve cringed from his seat as the Dathomirian Senator spoke up again, hating now that he'd sided with her at all. That certainly wouldn't do much for his fledgling reputation among his colleagues, for sure. She was arrogant and pompous, acting as if she had the run of the entire place. He'd found her quieting orders comforting at first, when other Senators had gone off on wild tangents and... well, when they'd proceeded to bash the Jedi left and right for perceived ills. But now? Now he had no wish to associate with her. She was too uppity, he'd best distance himself before anyone got the wrong idea.

Honestly, he'd sided with her purely for personal reasons. He'd felt extremely cornered after hearing Senator after Senator bombard the Jedi with criticism, and his heart had hurt just at the thought of all this hate directed toward his beloved. Edan's padawan, too, didn't deserve such awful opinions. They were good people, as were the rest of the Jedi. Mauve felt himself sinking mentally, away from the commotion of the chamber, away from his aids, back to the time he'd spent on Coruscant with Ede. Fluttering touches that carefully avoided Mauve's problem areas, the warmth of the sun on his back, being brought warm sweet caf in the morning as he watched the sun rise and gleam on the thousands of passing speeders and shuttles, wrapping himself in his lover's draping black cloak and smelling the pines of Tython on it until Edan had pushed him back and crawled on top of him...

"Senator," his aid snapped, yanking him painfully out of his happy place with nails digging through the silken fabric of his sleeve. Mauve cringed, blinking back tears from the sharp pain until the aid let go and he stood on shaking legs. Time to go. Time to vote. Time to be an adult. Time to focus. Time to do his duty.

Making his way forward again, he tried to clear his head and ignore the floating cameras that made the most awful warbling noise as they floated around. "Empress Teta," he started, swallowing as he realized the consequences of his vote, the angry belittlement and reminder of his stupidity over a holocall from his mother conjuring up fearfully in his head. "Empress Teta votes in favor of this motion. Aye."

 

[Temen Antilles]

Temen remained stone-faced as he began to speak. "The honorable senator from Taris should refrain from speaking on behalf of his colleagues. Otherwise he'll find himself in awkward positions such as this, where I must in fact concur with the senator from Dathomir. What you proposed was not the motion that was put forward and was, in fact, a waste of all our times. But do feel free to continue wearing that smug grin if it makes you feel better."

Entering his official vote into the record, Temen spoke once more. "As the sponsor of this motion, Alderaan votes Aye."

He had to admit. He was surprised by how close the vote was. In the past, the Senate had shown a reluctance towards the Jedi Knights. The government of Alderaan, himself included, did not anticipate such changed feelings, especially in light of yet another invasion from the Dark Lords who once called themselves Jedi. But it was no matter. If the vote failed then at least in public, he would hold to the principles of democracy. The wheels of the Senate would keep turning. But that didn't mean Alderaan had to turn with it.

 

[Beta12]

Charon watched the vote with as neutral a face she could manage. A motion such as this had very serious implications for the Republic and its foreign policies. Did they truly want to placate one of the few organizations capable of assuring continued Sith submission? Would such a motion carry consequences into the future. If the BA representatives spoke truly, Sith activity has been noted in the far northern regions of the galaxy. The Chancellor was wrenched from her thoughts, however, with the social squabble between the Senators of Dathomir and Taris. "There will be order in this chamber. Cease your absurd corrections of one anthers political form. Every senator here understands the cultural differences in the politics of varying worlds." Her words barked across her pod and into the chamber speakers.

"Voting has ceased. The result..." Charon glanced down toward the holo-tablet in her lap. "7 Yes, 6 No, 1 Abstention. The motion passes." A smile crept onto her lips, but she kept her voice monotone. A fanatical religious organization, especially one that was materialized, could be very dangerous. However, no one could remember a time where the Jedi treated the Republic with violence. The Sith seemed to be a negligible at best, and if the Jedi wished to continue their crusade they would have to do it around the Republic.

"The afternoon session is adjourned, may you all have a safe journey home." Charon cut her microphone and began to put away her things. The large pod in the central rotunda began to descend, and the overhead lights in the complex dimmed. The Senatorial chambers would close soon, and all were expected to leave.