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If Alex was looking to see surprise or any other real emotion on the Anselmi woman's face, she would be disappointed. Instead Chieftess Cof Lojoz listened silently as Alex spoke of the plight of her people, spoke of what she suspected the Empire would promise the Nautolans to gain their support. Spoke of just what Cof had done to get to this stage in the first place as well - what she had done was not something most people could accept after all.
"I've bloodied my hands and I'll likely have to dirty them a lot more before my time is done." she agreed, "But I will bare this weight if it means people of my skin, of my race, can hold their heads up high under the light of our shared sun."
Closing her eyes, the Chieftess of the united peoples of the Anselmi was silent for a moment as she thought about what it was that the Jedi could do. She had outlined something of a weak point for the Nautolan people and she was happy to see that the Jedi's Grandmaster was willing to accept it as something to push.
"You must bring outside eyes to them, to their treatment of us. We know of the holonet news and its impact on the rest of the Galaxy - kingdoms have risen and fallen by its words. The ISCRA and other agencies... bring them to us when the Nautolans believe they have 'won'." she let out a shuddering breath, "They will act on the Diplomat's urging and it will be horrible... but we need to ensure that the Anselmi people can survive it. Expose them to the Galaxy and watch as their convictions wither."
One of her aides came closer at her urging and Cof took a datapad from them before scrolling through some of the data within.
She handed it to Alex.
"The Anselmi on these lists, their families and their possessions. I find myself in the unenviable task of planning for the best and the worst. I likely will not survive an 'accident' soon, Jedi, and I need to make sure that even if the worst comes to pass and you can't expose them... if you can't bring their crimes to the people and force them to save their beloved 'face'...? Then at least my people will live on." The Chieftess held out the datapad but when Alex would reach for it she would grab the Jedi's forearm in a tight grip, "Promise me this. Promise me that you will be able to provide even some measure of safety for my people until the Nautolans can be cowed."
Within her words and within the Force, Alex would be able to sense the truth of just who Cof was - a desperate woman forced into a position where she couldn't afford to look anything less than entirely composed at all times.
"I've bloodied my hands and I'll likely have to dirty them a lot more before my time is done." she agreed, "But I will bare this weight if it means people of my skin, of my race, can hold their heads up high under the light of our shared sun."
Closing her eyes, the Chieftess of the united peoples of the Anselmi was silent for a moment as she thought about what it was that the Jedi could do. She had outlined something of a weak point for the Nautolan people and she was happy to see that the Jedi's Grandmaster was willing to accept it as something to push.
"You must bring outside eyes to them, to their treatment of us. We know of the holonet news and its impact on the rest of the Galaxy - kingdoms have risen and fallen by its words. The ISCRA and other agencies... bring them to us when the Nautolans believe they have 'won'." she let out a shuddering breath, "They will act on the Diplomat's urging and it will be horrible... but we need to ensure that the Anselmi people can survive it. Expose them to the Galaxy and watch as their convictions wither."
One of her aides came closer at her urging and Cof took a datapad from them before scrolling through some of the data within.
She handed it to Alex.
"The Anselmi on these lists, their families and their possessions. I find myself in the unenviable task of planning for the best and the worst. I likely will not survive an 'accident' soon, Jedi, and I need to make sure that even if the worst comes to pass and you can't expose them... if you can't bring their crimes to the people and force them to save their beloved 'face'...? Then at least my people will live on." The Chieftess held out the datapad but when Alex would reach for it she would grab the Jedi's forearm in a tight grip, "Promise me this. Promise me that you will be able to provide even some measure of safety for my people until the Nautolans can be cowed."
Within her words and within the Force, Alex would be able to sense the truth of just who Cof was - a desperate woman forced into a position where she couldn't afford to look anything less than entirely composed at all times.
Diplomat Di might not have cared even if she had been able to see just how much her 'passion' seemed to effect the Sith. As a Nautolan Supremacist, she probably would have viewed it as the weakness of another land-locked species exposed. Of course that would be part of it. Another part of her would rage against the idea of being seen as less in the eyes of this man who represented such a power.
As being seen as not as 'upright' or 'virtuous' as he and his peoples in some way.
Thankfully for the human, and the Diplomat's own feelings, Di couldn't see through his helmet and she had none of his extra training of senses that would enable her to detect his mood or his dislike for her and her ways.
She did, however, understand the power of silence.
The silence between her demands and the response of the Sith was telling in many ways but in the end these thoughts were mostly put to rest when she spoke again. Her own eyes flashed and Wraith would be able to feel her satisfaction in the Force.
"The Nautolan people will join the Empire and together we shall finally bring about a utopia upon Glee Anselm. A planet of the Nautolan, for the Nautolan and ruled by only the Nautolan."
She reached out to shake hands with Wraith.
"I shall allow the Captain to speak first before I announce the will of my people. At which point I shall expect your immediate support."
As being seen as not as 'upright' or 'virtuous' as he and his peoples in some way.
Thankfully for the human, and the Diplomat's own feelings, Di couldn't see through his helmet and she had none of his extra training of senses that would enable her to detect his mood or his dislike for her and her ways.
She did, however, understand the power of silence.
The silence between her demands and the response of the Sith was telling in many ways but in the end these thoughts were mostly put to rest when she spoke again. Her own eyes flashed and Wraith would be able to feel her satisfaction in the Force.
"The Nautolan people will join the Empire and together we shall finally bring about a utopia upon Glee Anselm. A planet of the Nautolan, for the Nautolan and ruled by only the Nautolan."
She reached out to shake hands with Wraith.
"I shall allow the Captain to speak first before I announce the will of my people. At which point I shall expect your immediate support."
With the time for the recess running out, the aides of both the Nautolans and Anselmi were called to return their leaders to the main hall alongside the Jedi and the Sith. Captain Broean Chenord and his own supporters would already be waiting back in the centre of the main hall as the supporters of all three sides seemed to crowd into the room. Alongside them, members of the press from the FWA, the Sith, the New Republic and the ISC pressed right up against the side of the hall as they seemed to try and almost encroach on the proceedings.
Only several guards from Captain Broean's command were able to keep them in some kind of order.
The Captain himself sat back in his seat and seemed disgruntled at the idea that the press were even here but seemed to draw the line at actually attempting to bar them from viewing the historic moment. As something of a more emotionally neutral party, Captain Broean had become the unofficial official of these ceremony as it were by unspoken acceptance. He stood from his chair for a moment and addressed the group of diplomats, the assembled peoples and the press.
"In a few moments, myself and my fellow representatives will make decisions that will affect the lives of billions of sentients."
A few people, Anselmi and Nautolans alike, audibly hissed at the idea of being named as equals by the human captain.
"We speak of joining our fates to those of the Sith or the Jedi. Their allies. Their futures. I would ask the representatives of the Sith and Jedi one last moment, one last speech, to help solidify the decisions we may have come to." he eyed both Wraith and Alex rather sternly through his helmet, "No arguing. No sniping or scoring hits against each other. Speak it well, speak it plain and speak it brief; our decisions afterward will be final."
@Altaris @Valen Pelora