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Trina Kalist

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She knew this was risky. She knew this was bold. She knew there was going to be a slew of ethical concerns. But the bottom line was that droids were simply not good enough. The Jedi needed a military force that could learn to empathize, which a droid could never do. Trina had called forth any diplomats that were Jedi allies. To say that she was nervous was an understatement. She hadn’t even conferred with the Chancellor on this, knowing he would be the first to shoot it down.

Trina had invited the others to a diplomatic building on Kuat and she awaited them in a large conference hall. There were drinks and snacks, everything sealed and tamper free. She was tired of being a sideline ally to the Jedi. It was embarrassing that even the very neutral ISC President gifted them with valuable assets while the Alliance and Republic leeched off the Jedi without offering anything in return.

For now, she would wait for them to trickle in. She was adorned in an elegant, blue gown. Trina had to remind herself that she had the backing of several other worlds. She just needed to get some of these other Senators on board.

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Aharon Staergin

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Aharon brought his brightest grin to this gathering. He knew he was going to say yes before he even stepped into the room, yet he still came to show support. Not because he cared about the Jedi. He didn't care wether they lived or died. He knew his career would flourish if this went into action. His goals were beginning to show how easy they would be to reach, the paths of his plans falling into place ahead of him. He used that energy and projected it through the facade, showing it less as self desire becoming reality and turning it into being excited to do the right thing.

The CZ Communication Droid at his right stayed by his arm, relaying any communication or noise coming from that side. The tentacle was covered by her shadow, yet still was on display for the galaxy to see. He strolled up in a reddish-purple suit with a black tie and black loafers. His footsteps were light on the ground, his form gliding across the ground as elegantly as he could make it. He turned to see her a few meters away. The woman he came here to meet. Aharon motioned to the droid where he was going as the two moved that direction, the droid's wirring joints drowning out his footsteps.

"Greetings Mrs. Kalist, I am Aharon Staergin of Champala." The smile on his face shifted slightly, the muscles under his smooth flesh moving from a 'I am glad I am here' grin to a 'it is wonderful to meet you' smile. He would also nod to her in greeting as he approached. "It is a wonderful gathering you have made for us, and I am honored to being one of the ones invited." His face shifted for a moment as he was unsure how to phrase what he was about to say, he had to walk on eggshells to make sure this delicate balance would be kept. Making it to blunt would shatter the entire illusion he was building, but making it to subtle would make him seem weak. So he had to go a through middle ground.

"It was a smart move, doing it like this. The Chancellor would have blown this out of the water if he even got a wiff of anything to do with assisting the Jedi, let alone any militaristic help. I had an idea brewing that I slowly was building support up in the admiralty for, if our ideas align and you would feel fine with it could see if they mesh well. I believe would you'd be impressed as much as the admiral I spoke with was, maybe even more." He spoke softly and calmly, giving off a relaxed yet still invested tone of voice. Aharon made sure the way it flowed, the pauses he made, the speed he spoke, all perfectly reassured the senator that she made the right decision on bringing this whole group together.

He turned to the droid by his side and motioned them off for a drink, hopefully a nice champagne could be found around this place. As he waited for her to return, he ever so slightly turned his head to the right. He would still be looking at Trina, of course, but now without his droid he was making sure he could hear her the best he could. He did not know if anyone knew he was half deaf or not, nor did he care. That would not damage his status or his pride. What would be is if this woman ahead of him had tunnel vision and focused on her project she was about to announce instead of incorporating others' ideas. Then years of progress would dry up, billions of credits would go up in smoke, and Aharon would have to start again. And he knew he would not let disaster that happen.

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Victoria

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Victoria received the invitation with some trepidation. While she would have leaped at the chance to assist the Jedi without a second thought some time ago, recent events on Gannaria had rattled the senator somewhat. Though if anything had been proven it was that she had been willing to stick her neck out for them, and in return, they had done the same.

It was this mutually beneficial relationship that the galaxy sorely needed, rather than the one-sided dominance that often plagued the galaxy's mindset, she thought.

The senator arrived prudently dressed in a green velvet dress nodding quietly to the others gathering in the room. She wasn't about to try and steal the spotlight from the Champalan senator who seemed quite impressed with himself already. Victoria giggled under her breath while trying to maintain her composure.

The day was certainly likely to be an interesting one, and Victoria hoped that she would be able to fully contribute to it in whatever way she could. Unlike the larger senate chambers, they wouldn't have to worry so much about the self-interested parties seeking to torpedo any agreement that they could strike. Perhaps, at last, some real progress could be made.



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Annelyn Lerytel

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Annelyn watched the building through the window of her speeder, feeling relieved that finally other politicians decided to do something to help the Jedi Order. This is why the invitation that she received was a surprise, the Gatalentan thought that her colleagues were happy ignoring the Imperial expansion and she was one of the few that saw the threat of leaving the Sith’s power increase unchecked.

When the speeder stopped in front of the building, Annelyn walked inside. She was followed closely by her protocol droid, Florian, who had become too protective for her taste. The Senator blamed it on her grandchildren. They had messed in the programming of her droid to turn it into a nanny for her, she was sure of it!

Stop it! I’m old, not invalid!” she said the tenth time, while Florian once again tried to grab her hand to help her walk. “Why you not stay outside? I’ll say if I need help with something.” Annelyn hoped that it would convince the droid to go away and leave her alone. The last thing that she wanted was to have him make her look like a baby in front of other politicians.

I can’t, ma’am. Masters Joscelyn and Maryenne said that I should take care of you. They don’t want a repeat of the time that you went in secret to watch the pod race in Tatooine.” Annelyn rolled her eyes. Her youngest grandchildren seemed to have forgotten the fact that she was still very much alive and well. She could occasionally indulge in her love for radical sports by watching it and maybe even convince someone to allow her to participate.

They shouldn’t give you orders! You had been working with me even before that two even were born!” Annelyn took a deep breath, before continuing to speak. “Why don’t you go buy some of my medicine for arthritis? I forgot it at home. There is a drugstore down the street and I’ll stay safe here.” Florian looked at her, thinking about the situation. Then, he nodded and walked away, much for her relief.

She wasn't going to tell him that she had brough everything and that the closest drugstore was several killometers away from this building.

Without the protocol droid, Annelyn walked inside the room. The Senator blinked when she saw that some of the politicians were dressed as if they were going to participate in a gala, rather than a political meeting. She was wearing the typical clothes that Gatalentan with her position would wear when visiting another planet. If the others wanted to not attract attention for their presence in Kuat, they failed miserably. Her future allies would really need to learn a thing or two about discretion.

Then, she turned to their host. “Senator Kalist, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you! I’m Senator Annelyn Lerytel of Gatalenta. You invitation for this meeting was a pleasurable surprise. It needs much courage to go against the ideas of the Chancellor, even if he is only a drooling baboon.” she smiled at the young woman, before offering a hand to her.

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Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl

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Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl was only too happy to accept Trina's invitation to a meeting- if she hadn't beaten him to the punch, he'd have tried to arrange one himself after her impressive showing in the recent Senate meeting. The sight of other Senators, including a fair number representing New Republic worlds- gave the meeting even more weight. Clearly, not all of the New Republic were content to sit by while the Sith expanded their empire; Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl, long believing himself to be the only major voice openly backing the Order, realized that he had miscalculated the amount of support that the Jedi still had. Combine that with the backing that Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl still had from several FWA planets, and there was real opportunity for these talks to be productive.

"Senator Kalist, thank you for your invitation" Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl rumbled, translation done by his miniature protocol droid. There was much more he could've thanked her for, but this was not a social- it was, in all likelihood, a council of war. Still, old habits died hard, and Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl had some very old habits. As much as he admired the assembled New Republic senators for their courage in holding these talks- most certainly without the blessing or knowledge of the Supreme Chancellor- the Wookiee was curious to see just how much skin they were willing to put in the game.

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Trina Kalist

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Trina nodded and smiled at them all individually, but she would spare the personal conversation for later. She was not a woman that wasted time on pleasantries when there was work to get done. These Senators had traveled far and took out time from their packed schedules to come here, and she would honor that.

“Thank you all for coming here today,” She said as she looked at them all, “As you look around at one another and wonder what brings us here, I think you will all find something in common - that we all tend to look beyond the orbits of our planets. We all wish for peace in the galaxy, but the reality is that the path to peace is a long one. In that time, I fear that those that fight for the humane side may become isolated and destroyed.”

She looked at each of them, “We are all here because we believe in the Jedi. Because we all understand that they are the last defense against a galactic wide Sith occupation. The Sith and the ISC have all done a remarkable job of casting public doubt on the Jedi. While the Sith can survive it, the suspicion works against everything the Jedi stand for. The Jedi aren’t given many opportunities to show how necessary they are. Whether Killik or Sith, the Jedi have always stood by us. Now we must all come together to do everything possible to prevent the Order’s total extinction.”

Trina drew in a deep breath before exhaling, “What I’m about to propose is radical and I know there will be concerns, but I hope to have a respectful discussion about it here before it goes any further,” She paused to see if there were any questions then. If not, she would continue, “The ISC has droids as the bulk of its military force. I had considered this, but the reality is that we need a military force that can learn to empathize, that can tactically adapt, that can reason and decide when to prioritize saving a life. These are all things only sentients can do,” She eyed them, “I am proposing that we consolidate funds to begin the creation of a clone army. This is mainly because of the empathy points I made earlier, but also because none of us can spare our own military resources. We are already stretched thin and engaged whether in the Killik conflict, the Sith or both,” Her gaze flicked over towards the Wookiee senator who survived an Imperial attack and also was there on Ruusan, “And the Resistance has proven to be unruly so far, and many cells don’t even have actual combatants. A new force must be commissioned. I have done my history lessons, I know Order 66 still haunts memory. However, the difference would be that the Grandmaster and the Council would be involved every step of the way to minimize any tampering from third parties.”

She paused for a long moment there, “Please give me your thoughts or criticism on this proposal. If we can come to an agreement here, then the next step would be to pitch the idea to the Jedi.”

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Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl

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Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl felt his heart skip a beat- never a good thing for someone his age- as Trina Kalist outlined a plan to create a clone army to support the Jedi Order. He'd seen this play out once before, and he liked the idea a lot less the second time around.

The Wookiee swayed slightly on his feet as fears rose to the forefront of his mind. Ethics aside, Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl was very afraid of the past simply repeating itself again. "Who..." he started, pausing to collect his thoughts so that he could even ask a simple question. "Who would have authority over this clone army?" Perhaps Trina had put thought into that, too, so that one individual couldn't betray them all and do with the army as they wished.

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Aharon Staergin

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The young Chagrian nodded along with the words Kalist spoke, his hand grabbing the champagne flute from his droids hand as she returned to his side. He swirled the drink in its glass ever so softly before he reached his nose down to smell it. On the outside he showed pleasure, as if he enjoyed it. But inside he was wreching. He knew this year well, oh how did he. It was an awful year for investment in this brand. This showed either they were purchased for cheap or it just was a bad move at the time and they just kinda hung around. He hoped this was just a gift from someone who didn't know better and they just never had this opened before now. Either way he took a sip of the drink and internally grimaced.

Right after she finished he moved to sit at a table near him as he moved several devices from his jacket pockets. My the time they were all set up there easily were a dozen hologram projectors strewn about the table.

"Let me offer a sort of... carrot in a stick to this proposal. The Grand Army of the Republic was not just successful due to its sheer physical army." He slowly stood up and moved away from the table. He then turned back to face the table, before turning his head to everyone in his room. "They were brought to war by massive warships, some of the best of their era. Mandators, Victories, Imperators, Acclamators, Arquitens, Venators, Carracks, they all were required to make the warmachine keep moving." The hologram projectors quietly flickered to life as images of these old Clone War era craft were shown. They were not just still images, they were combat shots of the ship preforming its ideal role.

"Ground troops are indeed important, when they can reach the target and not be absolutely evaporated by defences. What this plan needs to make it the complete package is four fold fold: armor, weapons, vehicles, and ships. I can offer you today ships, and not just these pre existing designs that will be obvious weak points. I mean brand new designs that will compliment this idea well. I present to you: Project Armory." The projections switched from the ancient ships of the Clone Wars to renderings of brand new ship designs. Many of them were rather traditionally shaped for a New Republic design atleast on the macro, but if one were to look beyond the overall shape they would notice just how different they were.

There were three that were entirley different, yet still managed to fit in. One was long and curved, with a large vertical sail fitting between the engines with a second smaller fin running horizontal along its front. The video showed the craft plowing through other's with its front, as if it was a larger Hammerhead Corvette. The next would look itself like a giant pannel, standing verticle in space. It's wedged form was armed to the teeth with turrets and armor, which was shown off as the render showed it moving between fleet formations to deliver broadsides. The third if these craft designs was most likely the most difficult to describe and also the smallest of the bunch, being a bulbous main body with five triangles pointing out of its rear. It was obviously some sort of recon corvette, as the rendering showed it stalking enemy formations and movements. He then took a moment to look around as he smiled softly, before motioning to the crowd.

"So, does anyone else have the other parts we need they just so happened to be working on?"

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Trina Kalist

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Trina wasn’t surprised to see the visible reaction from Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl. He had been around for a very long time, and she knew he had seen the Clone Wars. This was exactly why she had sought to have him here to begin with - he could offer perspectives no one else could. It didn’t matter what the history books wrote, it was entirely different to have someone that had seen it through their own eyes to weigh in.

“I would like the clone army to strictly be governed by the Jedi Council. Not a single individual and not any of us,” Trina said as she looked at the Kashyyyk Senator, “We will do our part in funding it, but the soldiers will be at the Jedi’s disposal. However, that does mean we put all of our faith in the Jedi to do the right thing with these forces. Despite the…rogue instances of Jedi here and there, I do trust in the Council and the Order as a whole. Does everyone else here do the same? I seek your counsel on this especially, Senator Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl, as you have known them the longest.”

She said nothing about Staergin’s addition to the pitch just yet, offering him a polite nod. Trina needed to tackle the fears and concerns head on.

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Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl

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Wishing that he had his Wroshyr staff to lean on, Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl appraised Trina Kalist. She was new to the Galactic Senate scene, but had made quite the splash in her first meeting; her words and stance had been widely panned in the days and weeks following the senate. Now, she was asking him if he trusted the Jedi Order.

"I..." he began, but once again his voice faltered. "Excuse me, please" he said, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. If he'd had glasses, he would've pretended to clean them while he thought, but instead he stared at the corner of the desk; mind racing. Reluctantly, he cast his mind back to the Clone Wars, remembering the defection of the CIS, the appearance of a Clone army from Kamino, Order 66, and the rise of Palpatine, who had orchestrated it all in secret underneath the Jedi's noses.

This time was different, he told himself; this time, the Sith were out in the open. The Jedi would have oversight of the cloning program, and there could even be a facility set up on Kashyyyk; one that he could personally observe that could also provide a strong defensive force for his planet and people. So, why was he hesitating? He trusted the Jedi... but did he trust this Jedi Order?

The Grandmaster had been caught in the Galactic Senate using the Force, leading to the Order's expulsion from that body. The late Councilor Fynn Tarrell had broken his word to Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl and had resumed the war between the Jedi and the Sith; a war that the Jedi were still losing, if the latest reports from Yavin IV were to be believed. Clove Vanhoop- whose actions during the bombardment of Kashyyyk were perhaps the only reason public sentiment on the planet hadn't completely turned against the Jedi after the debacle with vines- was no longer with the Order; not exactly a ringing endorsement.

In the end, there was only one answer he could give. Time after time, he had vouched for the Order in the Senate, publicly supporting them and drawing the ire of the Sith in the process, who had left his planet burning. He'd stuck by the Jedi through public mishap after public mishap, and the Wookiee swallowed hard as he came to realize that it was far too late for him to turn back. He'd said too much, given too much, lost too much...

"I can't think of a better alternative than giving the Jedi full command of the army" he admitted, finally. It wasn't the ringing endorsement that Trina had probably been looking for, but it was all he could bring himself to say. Trina's proposal was the best of the worrisome options he could think of off the top of his head. At least he trusted the Jedi not to use the army against them; Grandmaster Voran and the Order had at least been consistent in their defense of the galaxy against the Sith.

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Caliban Drast

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Before he was a Senator, or a litigator, Caliban had started his career in public service as a soldier. He had fought for Corsucant's defense forces, and as a result was more familiar with war than probably anyone else present. He knew the costs, he knew the risks, and above all else he knew who stood to profit the most. There were always those who sought to profit from war, and greed was often the true driving factor. So he was here as much because of his, and his constituents, feelings about the Jedi, as he was to ascertain the motivations behind this meeting.

Senator Kalist had been vocal in her support of the Jedi during the last Senate session, and everything else that he had been able to learn about her indicated that she had been sincere in her actions that day. He could say the same for Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl. In the years that Caliban had known him, the Wookiee Senator had been steadfast in his support of the Jedi. He had walked that path even when almost everyone else had turned away, so Caliban could ascertain his motivations as well. But then the vultures had stepped forward, and Caliban almost let a smile pull at his lips as the Senator from Champala spoke up with his proposal. He didn't really say anything, but instead waited for Trina and Aezz to speak. It was only when the Senator from Kuat had answered Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl's question to his satisfaction did he speak up.

"I agree," he chimed in, "not only are the Jedi best positioned to lead the effort against the Sith, they do not have the best track record when they have to answer to an entity with political motivations. No matter how this discussion ends, offering any aid to the Jedi has to be contingent on it being without any strings attached. The personnel, the equipment, the supply chain logistics, these are things we can provide. But how any Jedi army operates, where it goes, who it fights. We have to trust in them to make the right decisions. Which also puts the onus on us to take the right decisions. Whether it be the creation of a clone army or a more conventional army, or how to arm said army." He gave the Chagrian senator a glance before continuing. "You mention the Mandator, the Victory-class, the Venator, and rightly so. They were a big part of what made the Grand Army of the Republic as potent as it was. So we too must provide the Jedi with the best ships ships, the best equipment that we know is available to us. Senator Kalist," he turned to Trina, "is it too presumptuous of me to assume that Kuat Shipyards would be willing to a sale of ships if we were to buy a fleet for this proposal?" It was her plan, so he was sure that Kuat's shipyards were already on the table, but he had made a point to repeat those three ships specifically because they had been made by Kuat. He had seen the likes of this Chagrian before. Career politicians, only in it for the money. Push for conflict, start a bidding war, and profit off of shoddy designs. And then soldiers paid the price. He knew that game well, and he would have no part of it. If they were going to do this, they were going to do it right.

Afterwards he added a few comments of his own on the matte of a clone army. "Setting aside the moral standing of a clone army, and whether or not the Jedi would accept one, if we look at it from a purely tactical point of view then it is a sound proposal. We don't have the time to train a conventional army, not to a degree where they could stand against the Sith and the Imperial Army. The resistance is proof of that, they aren't an army, they're fanatics driven by revenge who are willing to go to any lengths to satiate their desires. Wars cannot be won with such a Force." He paused, thinking further on the matter for a moment before continuing. He was in his element now, speaking not as a politician but as the soldier he had once been. "A droid army could be a cheaper option, but that cost advantage is balanced by a lower operational efficiency. They would not stand against the best that the Empire has to offer. And if you were to push a clone army to be as good as the Imperial army then the costs would sky-rocket from either improving the potency of each unit, or simply producing them in such numbers that they win by numerical advantage. But, I don't think we have the financial strength to build such a force, not anymore."

He fell silent, slipping into his own thoughts, letting others chime in.
 
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Reyna Vernize

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Kuat. Prestigious and affluent. This was the first time Reyna had ever visited the core world. The New Republic and the Free Worlds Alliance had never been on good terms. At least, not in her lifetime. Open discourse by invitation, outside of the obligatory galactic senate sessions, was a significant step toward amenable relations between the two governments.

The topic of their discourse was even more significant.

The half-Sephi sat beside the Senator of Gatalenta, her shoulders high and pushed back into the backrest of the chair she'd been offered. Her hands rested in her lap, against the white sheath dress she wore. While she had not spoken up and her face was still and collected, veiled to any emotional discernment, it was evident by her alert gaze, which fell on whoever spoke, that she listened and processed every word.

Senator Aezzairfhowrrhdurrl, the only person in the room the princess had ever met before, spoke of accountability—who this clone army would answer to, who they would take their orders from. The Senator of Champala, clearly an ambitious man, spoke of the army's potential spacecrafts and armory. The Senator of Coruscant spoke, by and large, about finances. Trina Kalist had an answer for every one of them.

Reyna's biggest concern, however, had less to do with the logistics and more to do with the ethics of the proposition the Senator of Kuat put before them. "I believe we're all of the same mind," she began, her words articulate and her voice strong, "That the Jedi cannot fight alone." They, like the Free Worlds, would gradually be crushed by the growing Sith war machine. Reyna feared it was only a matter of time. "But to create a clone army, a race of people born and bred to fight and die for us on the battlefield—is that right?"

 

Victoria

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A complex array of issues popped into the senator's mind as the topic of a clone army was broached. The cost alone would be staggering, even for New Republican planets - the Jedi weren't likely to be able to pitch in either.

Then there were the ethical concerns, how would they select the template, and would they really be able to give informed consent for what was about to plaster their face across the galaxy? Yes, they had a just cause, but was it morally right to do so? There were even challenges as to who and where would host this operation and how it would be defended against interference, especially if the majority of governments did not formally accede to it.

Victoria listened as the various venerable senators proffered before making her own thoughts known, speaking softly with a hint of pride behind her voice. "I have seen firsthand the power for good a single Jedi can achieve in spreading hope among the galaxy, and for that, they will continue to enjoy my support."

The infamous but followed, with a slight shift in tone. "But I represent those who do not share my same passion, it would be one thing to agree here, another to bring the Jedi on board but entirely a separate beast when dealing with the public perception. In light of the historical context, Senator Kalist, how can we ensure that our citizens will not only be safe but see the benefit from this proposal?"

It wasn't to say that all clone programs were doomed to fall, but the public seldom saw beyond the lowest common denominator. Unless they were planning to keep the whole thing secret, and somehow avoid it ever becoming outed even among imperial intelligence operatives roaming the galaxy. It seemed like there was a mountain of challenges to overcome before they could even begin to discuss its implementation.

Though the one thing going for the project was that in this room also sat some of the most dedicated and forthright individuals who stood ready to take on any challenge and persevere. That was worth something to Victoria.



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Annelyn Lerytel

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The meeting started when all those that were invited had arrived. Among them was Caliban Drast, someone that Annelyn never expected that she was going to see in a pro-Jedi meeting. After all, he was the one that banned them from Coruscant. Perhaps he still have a brain, even if it had the size of a pea.

Annelyn paid close attention to what was being said by those around her, but decided to focus her attention on Kalist’s idea. Staergin’s plan for ships could wait until they had a proper army. The Chagrian seemed to be in such a hurry that he even forgot that they would need people to pilot and use his weapons and vehicles.

After she digested everything that was said, Annelyn decided that it was the time for her to give her opinion “While a clone army will bring some bad memories.” she looked at Aezz out of the corner of her eye. The Wookie seemed to be lost in his own mind. With how ancient he was, the poor thing probably was there during the Clone Wars. “It’s indeed a very useful way to fight against the Empire.

I met Grandmaster Voran recently and she is very competent and trustworthy.” since that time in Osarian, Annelyn was impressed with the Jedi. She didn’t deserve half of the terrible things that were said about her. “I believe that she would make good use of this army.

But it brings us to another point. Who will be the genetic template for the clones? Do you already have someone in mind, Senator Kalist?” Annelyn said, looking directly at the Kuati. She wasn’t an expert in cloning, but she knew It needed to be an individual that was physically fit for the military. Hopefully, they would find someone that wasn’t a mercenary.

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Trina Kalist

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Trina knew many years of memories were going through the Kashyyyk Senator’s mind. She knew there wouldn’t be enthusiastic endorsement for this idea from anyone, but she hoped to at least to get to begrudging approvals. She smiled when he finally spoke, giving him a nod before the other questions came her way.

She first looked at Caliban, “Yes. Within reason, Kuat would be ready to sell ships necessary and I don’t personally see the reason for designing entirely new concepts,” Trina said, casting a brief glance at Aharon before she fielded other questions.

The Onderon Princess gave voice to what they were all thinking - the heart of the concerns with clones, “The ethical dilemma will always be there where clones are considered,” She nodded, “The important thing is that under the right guidance, I hope that the individuals will find a sense of purpose in fighting alongside their Jedi brethren. Before everything went to chaos, no one can deny the effectiveness of clones. One can’t help but wonder how different things would have been if Palpatine hadn’t been involved at all,” Her gaze remained on the Princess, “However, do you have an alternative proposal? A way to supply the Jedi with a vast, trained military force? I cannot supply my own soldiers but I will be happy to hear other ideas.”

Trina next looked to Victoria, “Public opinion will always change with the wind and there’s little we can do about it. However, one way to curb things may be to make the entire concept transparent. Perhaps we allow educational tours through the facilities where they are created and that knowledge will showcase the benefits over the concerns. After all, fear often stems from a lack of knowledge."

She lastly looked at Senator Lerytel, “I do not have someone in mind, but I recommend a Mandalorian. Nothing will be done without the consent of the donor,” Trina explained.

She looked across at all of them, “Senators, I don’t want this to be a meeting where I present a proposal and simply answer questions. I want you all to offer your perspectives on it, how you’d do it differently, if you would add anything or take anything away. If clones are not the answer, please tell me what is.”

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Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl

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The influx of other Senators' opinions and questions gave Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl a chance to collect his thoughts. The idea appeared to have some support from the room, but as always, there were ideas, opinions, and logistics to pore over. There was no denying that original Clone army had been incredibly effective in the Clone Wars, and Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl found himself wondering, as Trina described, how the course of galactic history might be different if they hadn't been the tool of a Sith the entire time.

Despite his reservations about the idea, Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl couldn't think of a better one. The kiliks had been quieter in the past months, but the threat was far from diminished and if anything, their inactivity was cause for concern. The FWA was weary of war and was unlikely to support a full-scale resumption of the conflict with the Sith, while the Resistance was rudderless and unpredictable. The Jedi needed a military force that those assembled here simply could not provide... without turning to clones.

This time, he told himself, it could be different. This time the process could be monitored to ensure that there was no foul play involved. This time, the Jedi would have full command over the army they led. This time, the concept could be implemented in such a way that did not threaten the galaxy at a later date.

"One of the weaknesses of the previous program was that it was limited to Kamino" Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl said when Trina had finished speaking. "Creating labs on multiple planets will both lessen the chance of sabotage or large-scale tampering, as well as reduce the impact on the army's availability if one of those planets is conquered." The Sith had been methodically striking at important planets across the FWA; any planet hosting a lab would have a target painted on its back.

"As for the source of the genetic code, I'm afraid I do not have a Mandalorian in mind." He'd worked with a few Mandalorians, but hadn't seen them in battle. "Can anyone here recommend a genetic template?" Now that he'd put his support behind the idea, he was committed to seeing it through.


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Aharon Staergin

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The young Chagrian mostly listened after his proposal, turning to look at each speaker as they went on. Inside he wished he could just wrap fingers around Caliban's and the old corners necks. He wished he could just squeeze the life from them for belaying his plans, for forcing him to recalculate his trajectory. But he then decided to swallow his pride and calm himself, they would break this disguise he has worked so long to build up. Instead he smiled softly and listened, absorbing what everyone said.

"So where is the discussion of morality when it comes to droids? An army of sentient beings itself is a moral issue, wether they are biological or mechanical in their construction be damned."
He paused a moment to let the sentiment hang in the air, knowing his opinion would be a controversial one at best. Time to pay out the path to show what he meant. "The issue is to most of the galaxy they are all considered artificial life, being pumped out of factories. Clones are viewed with the same level of rights or individuality as droids. Yes they may the face of another person, but they will not be seen by many citizens as anything but clones.

That is quite sad to admit, in my humble opinion, but that is the problem with this issue. We all in here understand that these are living beings. The galaxy does too, the issue is not that. It is that simply put, it's just another army to them. Faceless soldiers sent to die to protect those who do not care about them. I say we ignore those who would want to just have them be soldiers and let the individual choose wether they wish to leave if they have the feeling. From what I've understood about the Clone Wars, and someone among us could correct me if I am wrong, is the clones fought for brotherhood and they fought because it was right. Now, at the climax of the war most were turned into automatons by their chips, but before then they were fighting for a cause. And if these new clones have members who do not wish to fight for a cause, then we simply can let them go. After all, they are individuals
."

He then took another drink of the champagne in his hands, his throat somewhat dry. He let his point stand in the air for a second, his frame turning to the rest of the crowd and gauging their reactions. That was then he began to speak again.

"I agree with Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl, we should scatter the production throughout the galaxy. Several planets, preferably with different enviorments for training this hypothetical army on. I can offer a place on Champala, as the oceans alone can protect the production plants. This can be where groups of soldiers are trained to deal with amphibious assignments. Maybe we can use Kashyyyk for planets with dense forests, or Coruscant for urban enviorments. Using planets fit for them would atleast be a good way to train specialized units." He gave a soft shrug as he mentioned training troops on specialized planets rather than just training pods as he took another sip, his eyes turning back over the crowd as he awaited their response.

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Annelyn Lerytel

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I agree. The cloning couldn’t be limited to only one planet.” Annelyn said, while looking at Aezz. They would be stupid if they did it, the facilities would be left their vulnerable for attacks by the Sith. “Adding to what our colleague said, I suggest that the laboratories should be spread across different worlds, with their location being a secret. The only individuals that should know its location must be us and the Jedi Council.

I’m not sure if we should have a Mandalorian as the donor. Recently they had been hostile to the Jedi.” Annely couldn’t deny that they would be a perfect source of genetic material. Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure if they would accept helping with their free will. “While we could search for a Mandalorian, I suggest that we try to find other possible candidates.

While Staergin said his opinion, Annelyn saw some sense in his words. Except in the part that he mentioned his humble opinion. The Gatalentan even wanted to laugh when she heard it. If the Chagrian was humble, she was the Sith Empress. He constantly drinking champagne during this meeting made him look even more snobbish.

However, his concerns regarding the creation of a clone army were correct. Even if cloning was something common these days, there were still groups that saw it with controversy. To make them and immediately throw in an army, it would be very controversial. It would be even worse after what happened when the last one was made.

You are right, Senator Staergin. One of the many sins of the Old Republic was the way that they handled the clones. I suggest that the ones that are produced should have the same rights that any common soldier. Of course, it should be discussed with the Jedi.” being from the anti-slavery planet of Gatalenta, Annelyn hated the idea of them submitting the clones to a nearly slavery like how happened during the Clone Wars.

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Trina Kalist

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Trina considered all the points brought up - all sound concerns. There were logistical concerns they all faced as well. And Senator Lerytel brought up the excellent point of the Mandalorians having fought against Jedi. However, that was lower priority on the list of things to figure out. The first was the financial logistics.

“I agree with the idea of having multiple facilities on principle,” She said, “However, we have to be wary of the cost implications. There was a reason that the original clones were produced in one area, and even then, the costs were exorbitant. Unless we want the army to take over a decade or more to come to fruition, we will have to make some serious financial decisions,” She looked across at all of them, “This is precisely why I voiced my concerns in funding relief efforts like ISCRA or Star Guardians and the GHO during the Senate session. Currently, we are expected to fund at least the GHO and Star Guardians, our own expenses, and now multiple cloning facilities which will be several times the cost of my initial proposal.”

There was no emotion in her voice or face, these were cold hard facts and every person in the room had to make some decisions, “As I said in the Senate, Kuat is stretched thin. I will not be contributing to Star Guardians or the GHO, but in turn all my funds will be going to keep my defenses up and also towards this clone army. Not a single one of you here will be able to do all three,” Her gaze lingered on Aezz - his planet had taken a massive hit, and he was more financially constrained than anyone else in the room, “You can choose to fund the clones and your own planet, or you can choose to fund your own planet and humanitarian organizations, but no one in here can do all three without taking a significant hit in one of those buckets. The only way for us all to individually contribute to all would be to have the clone facility in a single location. Make your choices. We can try to convince other Senators to our cause, but based on what they've said in the last session, I believe those that are willing to even entertain association with Jedi are in this room already."

While she agreed with Star Guardians on principle, she also fully believed that the Sith and ISC were in significantly better positions to fund them. The Core worlds took a massive economical hit, the Alliance worlds were mired in warfare and the ISC sat around and grew fat through it all. The entire push from the ISC Vice President had been to expertly offset the donations they had to make knowing full well other worlds were significantly worse off economically. And now it was up to these Senators in the room to grapple with some hard truths and learn that running your mouth on idealism alone wouldn’t work.

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Aharon Staergin

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The Senator pursed his lips as he nodded to the Senator of Kuat's words, his mind racing to try and piece things together. He had to uphold his promise in the senate, but the entire point was merely to gain positive rep. He had to figure out a plan with supporting this potential army, and luckily for him he had already thought out something that would atleast offer some help.

"Champala may not be able to afford to support both financially, so I may not be able to pay into this program. But we do have several active mining operations I can... potentially have some shipments thst would be useful for this operation. It may not be very much but it's at least going to cut down on the start-up costs in any way." He took the final sip of his drink and handed it back to the droid before sending her away again, thank goodness Chagrians can't taste or he probably would have had a very sour face. His emotionless voice continued on, his expression flat and unmoving. He played what he was feeling close to his vest, but he honestly felt as neutral on this as he expressed. If it didnt work oh well, but if it did it could be a great way to gain a better reputation and move up in the galaxy.

"But at this point the material may not be as important as secrecy. The Hydian Way is a very popular hyperroute within the galaxy. I want to offer not material or currency but secrecy. Champala is covered in starports well above the water line. If my planet is not chosen for the production site of this army, I will offer my services where I can. I can fix records: destinations, crew, cargo manifests. This way we atleast can keep the secret up for a while. Unless you want the Sith knocking on your door with heavy cruisers and Interdictors.

I will have to maintain my promises for a while, but after a year or so I shall drop my pledge after half a year or so. I do not intend to allow the leeches of the ISC to keep sucking money out of all the rest of the galaxy when they are growing infinitely more rich. They can foot the bill for this, and then I can divert my planet's funds from that towards the army we are trying to launch. After all, it would be a great way to keep the true purpose of those funds secret.
" It was obvious that Aharon felt this would be best as a secret. The Sith were already a power house, and the NR navy would probably be able to bend under their relentless tidal wave.

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