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[Charlotte Le'Anna]

The Queen Mother sat in her throne room. Her lips painted a devilish red. A green gown splayed out around her. The holocams turned on and she smiled. “You are not safe.” She shook her head sadly. “The Killik have not skittered back to their holes. The Jedi have not ended their war with the Sith.” Charlotte clicked her tongue. “The Empire and the ISC protect their own…but they will not protect you.” She leaned back in her throne. “So I offer you a chance...and opportunity. Corellia has seen the light. They have joined their strength to ours so that their people might be protected.” And her fleet grew by leaps and bounds. “The price they pay is an easy one. Atonement for the crimes of the Republic. Their innumerable failures.” Her hands gripped the chair with iron.

“Others will be given such a chance…a chance to find safety in our strength. Gratitude in service to a greater cause.” Charlotte stood and the cameras followed. “I stood here after the death of my beloved predecessor and promised we would be isolated no more. We worked faithfully within the Free Worlds and what good did it do? They put their faith in a senile old man…a girl so afraid she simply gave up…and a senator who never stopped pining for her true love.” (@SlagathorTheUnknown @lizziie @LadyRen) The Queen Mothers eyes hardened.

“They will pay for their mistakes. I offer this chance for redemption only once. Take it. For we are coming.” The feed cut. She could only hope Raze would be pleased.

[abox3]

 

[Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl]

Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl killed the feed, slowly shaking his head. He'd felt betrayal before, he'd been threatened by more powerful women than the Queen Mother, and he probably could've guessed that something was going to imperil the galaxy again- just when he thought he'd live out his final years in peace. So what was so different about this time?

A moment of reflection was followed by solemn acceptance. Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl admitted to himself that while he wasn't the senile fool many made him out to be, he was old... and more specifically, he was tired. Drained. Exhausted. And alone. He'd run for office, and reelection, with the goal of making the galaxy a better place. Now, it was clear that he'd failed at every turn.

Allies had been killed, turned, or scattered to the corners of the galaxy. Kashyyyk had burned while he stood helpless to prevent it, which he still saw in his nightmares. The FWA had collapsed on his watch, with nary a warning; also something the Wookiee knew he would take to his grave. Building a new coalition seemed pointless; if the FWA had disbanded despite an active council with half a dozen senators at its helm, then what chance did an upstart faction stand?

Two mutually exclusive thoughts wrestled inside his head for supremacy. First of all; he and Kashyyyk could not, would not, bend the knee.

And second, Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl had no energy left to resist.

Somewhere between his office and the press podium, the painful decision was made. Feeling every one of his hundreds of years, Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl addressed the cameras.

"When the Joined 5th Fleet bombarded Tanaab and Commenor, what did the Queen Mother do? Did she hunt for the 5th Fleet after Tanaab, or rush to Commenor's defense?" The Wookiee shook his head sadly; he had even personally requested her assistance once the 5th had been located. "She chose blind vengeance over protecting allied worlds, and placed her own agenda above the lives of her people." Her decision to blockade Bylbos had nearly been met with disastrous consequences and needless slaughter; to this day, Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl was thankful that war with the New Republic had somehow been avoided.

"When the Joined 5th Fleet threatened innocent worlds, who came to their aid?" A sudden realization hit the Wookiee Senator, and he blinked away a rush of emotion at the thought.

"You did."

Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl swallowed once and continued, feeling an old spark returning; if only for a few moments. "Pilots and ships from hundreds of worlds, willing to stand against tyranny and destruction. Humanoids across the galaxy who bravely and selflessly came to the aid of their neighbors in their time of need. Had I not stood on one of those ships myself, I wouldn't have believed it possible." He'd experienced- and had been responsible for- more than his fair share of infighting within the galactic political scene. But the coalition that had destroyed the 5th Fleet had transcended politics. "The flame of resistance- of light, of love, of freedom, and peace- lives nowhere more strongly than in the hearts of you all." He'd spent his whole life believing in that ideal; now, he had to will it into existence. Others would have to carry that torch sooner rather than later.

"The Queen Mother would have you think that you are isolated, and that your only options are acquiescence or destruction. It is a tactic used by those who rely on fear to rule. It is representative of everything that I have fought against in my life... and everything that I will continue to fight against. You are not alone. You will not be abandoned. And you will not be forced to serve someone who only serves themselves."

The cameras clicked off, ironically mimicking the Charlotte's most annoying habit.

"Ready the fleet. If they try something, we'll be ready."

@Valen Pelora

 

[Hauron Solus]

"You are not safe.”​

"Dar osik"

"...The Jedi have not ended their war with the Sith"​

"Dar osik"

The Mikkian lazily rolled his eyes behind his visor when he heard the word "offer" come from the woman's lips and was followed with others like "opportunity" and "chance" but he knew what she really meant. It was a lie. The Hapan Queen Mother did not offer, she demanded and Charlotte was no better than the Hutts or Sith she claimed to be superior to. All that makeup and even an immaculate complexion could not hide the ugliness of a tyrant.

All of the Queen Mother's words seemed to not apply to Mandalorians and Hauron could think of a few groups that would try their luck against the Killiks, AMS and the rest of the galactic horrors rather than allow a new boot heel to step on their necks. After Charlotte finished, the Mandalorian changed the channel and sighed.

Later Hauron would smile as he witnessed the familiar face and voice of Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl come through the holoprojector. As the Senator of Kashyyyk spoke, the young Mikkian knew he had no right to complain. The two million credit placed on his head by the Queen Mother seemed petty compared to the loss others had experience and continued to deal with. The price on his head was actually flattering if not a bit paranoia inducing at the same time.

The Badger got up from his seat and headed towards the communication suite of the Dralaalar. If possible, he wanted Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl's response replayed to Mandalorian space and beyond. Hauron could not, likely would not, have said the words better himself. Secondly, Rancor Squadrons would move into defensive positions around Kashyyyk space and neighboring system enabling an early warning system should any Hapan fleet tried to drop in like they did on Corellia.

@Valen Pelora @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Jana Kang]

It had been over a decade ago when Senator Kang had first pleaded in the senate against some member's actions to build fleets that were not merely meant to be defensive, for they were too large to be able to be crewed and paid for by the people of a single planet. One of her most vocal legislative partners was subsequently murdered after Mandalorians invaded his planet, resulting in all restrictions on fleet sizes and military power to become more or less a taboo in the senate.

Fleet sizes roared. Voting blocks in the senate, but mostly Republic and Consortium Fleets, grew in power and dwarfed defensive pacts like that of the Free World's Alliance. The Killiks showed that one of those rogue fleets could do enough damage to destroy multiple worlds and require an alliance of worlds unrestricted by their voting blocks to succesfully engage them.

Senator Kang had managed to talk the Queen Mother down once before, when she had been of a mind to -aided by the Onderon Fleet- burn Byblos down and kill all of its billion innocent inhabitants. Back then, while her hostage, Senator Kang had realized that the ruler of Hapes was effectively mad. Their was no logic or common sense in her actions. It was as if she was only focused on a single thing: destruction; and it didn't matter if it was someone else's or indeed, her own.

Thankfully, due to the Queen Mother's recent actions, the Byblos government had agreed to the following statement:

"The actions of Charlotte Le'Anna, Queen Mother of Hapes, has shown her to be a veritable madwoman time and time again. She will lead her own people and the once great Hapes to inevitable destruction. Byblos calls upon those within the Hapan government take a stance against her.

Furthermore, Byblos pledges to do the same. Hapans that do not denounce her publically will be regarded as agreeing with the madwoman. There will be no trade with the consortium until she is deposed and Hapes ceases its hostility towards other planets and people."​

Off-screen and unbeknownst to the rest of the galaxy, the Byblos government had cancelled all leave for its naval personnel and was stocking up and preparing its fleet for departure.

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Nal Hutta

Nor'baal had barely moved for the best part of a week. Gorging himself, smoking and drinking, the important matters of Hutt business, had dominated his time. He'd kept a lazy eye on the holoscreen at the arm of his throne, held aloft by a diminutive Ugnaught, who appeared to fall asleep every so often.

It was to this screen that he now looked.

Hapes was on the move again, the mad Queen burning a swathe of destruction to the Galaxy.

Whilst he could simply swat her mediocre fleet out of the heavens, the Hutt found it vastly more entertaining to observe the destructive instincts of the lesser species played out for his enjoyment. Like a grand galactic theatre, the Hutt got to watch a panoply of inferior races dance and die for his amusement.

It was quite fun being a Hutt.

Naturally however, there would be those within the Cartel who expected him to act. There would even be those outside his domain who looked to see what he would do.

Nor'baal weighed his options.

The Clan was always slow to act, doing so with a heft and gravity that would reverberate across the stars. Hutts had little interest in fleeting disputes, they preferred to make sure people noticed when they got involved.

Numerous options were his to take. He could issue an order and render the Consortium to ash in a moment, ensuring the entire galaxy was keenly aware of the might of the Clans.

But such a move was possessed of a vulgarity he detested.

Power that has to be given voice to be noticed, was pointless.

It was an immutable fact that the Clans could act as they wished. Nor'baal had nothing to prove.

But.

Exploitation of the calamity faced by others was something he could get behind. He snorted in agreement with himself.

There would be no grand proclamation from Hutta.

Instead the word would permeate out through the Hutts, through the Lordas, the Daimyo and Scions, through Palace gossip that would fuel a feeding frenzy across Hutt space.

Nor'baal brought up a vast projection of the planet Kashyyyk, and nodded in the clear sight of all in his throne room.

He whispered something to his droid, who replied loudly in basic "You do not have any Wookiee Slaves, nor much by way of the rich bounties of that world, your Excellency."

Nor'baal shook his head, and slapped his droid to the floor.

The message was clear - those who brought slaves and wealth from the distant world of Kashyyyk, would clearly earn the favour of the Desilijic.