He was dressed modestly, in dark colours of mourning. Sadly, this would be a rather darb rendition, thematically directed at the troubles that have distressed the galaxy recently. It was also a reaction to a proclamation by his opponent, and it needed to be done right by him.
"The lighting seems alright, Mr Hedarial. The camera team has given their greenlight!" Miss Vayna, one of his most reliable staff ever since his return to Coruscant and chief of his staff, was probably the only person that took tonight more seriously than him. Time was of the essence, the election was inbound, and now he needed to speak. Hopefully, he could get some attention before Xerxes truly got the power to sell out the Jedi and the Republic's dignity.
Clearing his throat, he waited as the cameramen counted down from three, and for the small indication light of the camera to show that he had gone live. Looking into the camera with a sad smile, he began his small monologue.
"Dear Listeners, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Republic and Galactic Community." He kept his voice at a level tone, speaking calmly and collected, his hands unfolded on the table. "These are troubling times for all of us, but especially those caught first hand in the turmoil of the front lines. In times like these, we yearn for salvation and search for answers. We look upon the horror and find ourselves appalled, unwitting how anyone could commit such monstrous acts, and we want to end them."
Gesturing out of the picture, he continued his small address as he had started, yet with slightly more emotion in his words. "And now, within these troubled times, there are those who offer us easy solutions. Fixes to the problems that seem like small sacrifices to stop the bleeding, and end the carnage." His smile faded, as he continued, his hands gripping the table harder. "My esteemed peer, Senator Xerxes, and my opposing candidate for the upcoming election is one of those men. And most recently, he has once again repeated his pitch for the surrender of thousands of beings to our enemies, in an address regarding the latest tragedy on Kashyyk."
Hedarial paused, his eyes downcast. After a moment of silence, he slowly raised his glance back towards the camera. "My deep condolences are with any family, friends and acquaintances that succumbed due to the inexcusable actions of the rogue Jedi. Yet, we cannot allow ourselves to let this tragedy overshadow the massive loss of life that occurred on Kashyyk, that lead to the Jedi's deployment in the first place." His face was hard now, and his voice was harsh.
"Whilst nothing can bring back the Wookies that died on this Jedi's ship, she was acting out of line and I have it on good authority, that she is already summoned before the council to take responsibility for her actions. But we cannot let her misdeeds blind us to the actions of numerous other Jedi, that were in situ fulfilling their sacred mission of protecting innocents, and saving lives."
One of his hands clenched into a fist, he spoke on. "Meanwhile, those with whom my esteemed colleague intends to share a table and negotiate a ceasefire, have given us ample opportunity to judge their morality. Only hours before the callousness of one Jedi killed a dozen Wookies, their deliberate orbital bombardment murdered millions of Kashyyk's inhabitants and scorched the planet's crust into a state of decay that will be palpable for thousands of years to come! The sheer virulence of this one attack borders our imaginations capacity to envision how damaging and vile it actually was!"
Hedarial couldn't hold himself back from shaking his head. His fist eased on the table. "And whilst the galaxy is still in shock from the Empire's actions at Kashyyyk, even newer proof of the Sith's degeneracy has arrived from Dantooine. Upon liberating the planet, mutilated corpses, crippled civilians and traumatized children are found everywhere, in the wake of the short terror regime. And Dantooine is but one of hundreds of worlds where the Sith are free to enact their sadist and oppressive policies. The death count of this new Sith Empire, and its sheer brutality, make the actions of the First Galactic Empire pale in comparison."
Leaning forward, he glared into the camera. "I am no warmonger, I am no conqueror. I do not wish for any woman or man to have witnessed the battle and the hardships that come with it. Yet I am no coward. I refuse to bow to a tyrant, who uses fear and terror to prop up his regime of criminality and degeneracy. And I know this Republic's people are no cowards either."
There was determination on his face as he spoke. "I remember, as do many of you, how we regained our liberties and values. It was not by selling our allies to evil, it was by standing up to evil. Both the Empire and the First Order tried to subdue the galaxy before these Sith, and both failed in the end because there are decent people willing to stand up to such bullies and tyrants. And I intend to stand up against such forces of deceit and evil, together with the Republic. I will not look the other way and accept a dictate by the enemy to buy the Republic another two or three decades of peace. I will ensure that our values and rights are guaranteed and that any peace or ceasefire is conducted on our own terms, or I will die trying."
He leaned back in his chair, calming his tone and demeanour before changing the topic: "But I can only do any of that with the support of the Republic citizens, and the Senate. But If I shall lose the election on the Senate floor, and if the Republic chooses complacency and stains its rights, at least it seems there will be some matters on which I can work together with my opponent. In his recent address, among other things, he seemed to suddenly support my idea of a Republican Humanitarian Organisation, tasked with helping those that are in most dire need."
Shaking his head, and shrugging he added. "When I first pitched that idea during the Emergency Session of the Senate on the matter of Kashyyk, he seemed opposed to the idea, but I guess that was partly because he was too busy being the first to announce his candidacy. Certainly, that takes precedent." The sarcasm in his voice was hardly missable, yet it was the last he intended to say about the ill-fated Emergency Session, which had resulted in little to nothing for Kashyyk.
Clearing his throat, and folding his hands, he made ready to conclude today's short address. "I will end tonight's broadcast with a plea. Even if you have no sympathy for the Jedi, regardless of their work in the Agricultural corps or on the Frontlines defending our worlds, think about the values of our Republic, the cost it took to build our government and free the core from oppressors like the Sith, and truly return to a democratic system. And also remind yourself of the actions of the Sith, on their many oppressed worlds and their blatant war crimes. And then decide for yourself, if you will bow your head in ignorance until they have run out of alternatives to conquer, or if you will stand in for democracy, decency and human rights."
He paused, a last look into the camera before he ended the broadcast.
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