Saorise Kallig Accused of High Treason

[Jacob Tagger]

This thread is based off the events of the following IC events pertaining to the Kuat Drive Yards reconstruction effort:
The Shock Doctrine
Wicked Game
Tricks of The Trade
A Toast!
Special shoutout to @Nightfall to be so willing to compromise their own character's image to create such an amazing story!

Holo News Network

Special Investigative Report

By: Jacob Tagger​

Tonight there was no Nastia Vant sitting at the newsdesk. Instead, Jacob Tagger's familiar face filled screens and displays across the galaxy. His expression was serious and his suit somber. This was not an inflammatory report, but a somber and chilling dive into the illegal and amoral actions taken by one Saorise Kallig. Jacob's green eyes rose to look into the camera as he began to speak.

"Good evening," He began, his voice that of a seasoned professional. "Tonight the Holo News Network is proud to present the culmination of a months long journalistic investigation into the actions of Ms. Saorise Kallig (@Saorise Kallig) pertaining to the Kuat Drive Yards reconstruction."

He shuffled papers on his desk, making sure everything was in order and that he had the clips timed in the proper order. It would not do to have a mistake tonight.

"What should been an altruistic endeavor to better the lives of the people of Kuat following the unprecedented attack on the Drive Yards by the Mandalorians, was marred from the beginning by a desire for personal gain. The crimes committed by Ms. Kallig are numerous and severe; patricide and forgery leading to accusations of high treason chief among them.

"The intricacies of Kuati politics are well known; and because of those intricacies, knowing that the potential to abuse the situation; The Holo News Network found it important to watch the rise of House Dalaigh. Our mission has always been, and will continue to be, to hold people accountable for their actions; to make sure that the public is well informed." Jacob paused before continuing, to let it sink in that this report was at the very core of his, and his networks principals.

"Formerly a minor but wealthy Kuati noble House, House Dalaigh has over the past months risen to become a much more prominent player in the political landscape of Kuat. Through their donations and encouragement of other noble houses to pledge money to the reconstruction efforts they have gained leverage. It would seem too that Lord Kuat, patriarch of the leading noble House, House Kuat, had given his support to House Dalaigh. The Holo News Network has obtained evidence that directly contradicts that claim. Our sources have given The Holo News Network access to a number of horrifying documents, audio files and security footage. All have been verified by experts and are authentic.

"Over the course of the investigation we have learned that House Dalaigh has inserted themselves into a position of power through manipulation and murder. At the center of all of this stands Ms. Saorise Kallig, the new head of House Dalaigh. Many on Kuat found this change of power within House Dalaigh to be suspicious though they had no concrete evidence of wrongdoing. Our sources, however have provided us with evidence that illegal acts occurred.

"I warn you, the footage that are about to see is very graphic and unsettling."

The camera cut, the image now showing a dinner scene. Clearly visible were Saorise herself, a man lying dead on the floor and Lord Dalaigh himself. The man coughed blood and mucous, poison taking his life as Saorise looked on. His choked voice filled the speakers.

"My son is dead. I fired the blaster - but you put it in my hand and gave me reason to use it. You're not my daughter anymore... you climb to my position... on the blood of myself... and my son..."

For a moment the holo seemed to freeze, the only motion coming from the hysterical Lady Dalaigh as she clutched to her fallen son's lifeless body and watched her daughter stride coolly over to the blaster, pick it up and clip it to her belt. She began to bark orders before turning to her father's lifeless body and said: "Some animals need to be put down, father."

There was a moment of utter silence before the camera cut back to Jacob. His expression even more grim he faced the camera. "That disturbing footage shows the callous murder of Lord Dalaigh and his next in line, his son, Aiden by none other than his daughter, Saorise Kallig. This callous act is what propelled Ms. Dalaigh forward in the political scene on Kuat. With her father and brother out of the way she was able to move into a position where she could game for more power for her House, for herself.

"Many would have stopped there, but Ms. Kallig continued to undermine the people of Kuat and her peers. The Holo News Network has in its possession a series of audio files, recordings Lord Kuat's voice edited together to twist his words. The manipulated recordings give the support of House Kuat to the efforts of House Dalaigh. We have reached out to House Kuat for comment and they have denied such a thing ever took place. While it remains unclear what transpired following the use of these recordings we have been able to learn that House Dalaigh has taken the place of another House and has come into possession of a large stake of the Kuat Drive Yards." Jacob sipped a glass of water and continued.

"It is clear to everyone that what was once a humanitarian effort for the people of Kuat has become nothing more than a violent political power play by one of the most devious minds this generation has ever seen. Ms. Saorise Dalaigh has manipulated and killed her way to power."

It was a damming accusation backed by hard evidence of the fact. Jacob displayed no emotion. The media could not be the judge here. They had a duty to bring these details to light so that the public could be informed. The rest would be handled by the authorities but the critical damage was done.

Everything that Saorise touched, everything she did in the public eye going forward would be subject to the utmost scrutiny from all sides. Never again would she be able to move so freely, be so brazen. Jacob was sure she would remain just as duplicitous and power hungry, but she would need to be careful...and that alone would be enough to put a damper on her efforts.

"The evidence that The Holo News Network has obtained of Ms. Dalaigh's treasonous actions has been turned over to the authorities. We at the Network belive in holding politics accountable but we are not the judge or jury. We have brought you this report so that you may be made aware with the best evidence.

This has been Jacob Tagger with a Special Investigative Report. From the Holo News Network newsdesk, we bid you good night."

@Nightfall @Nefieslab @Insalius

 

[Percy Fleck]

Percy hated these medicals. He was a young man, he shouldn’t have been sat in a place like this for another fifty years at least. Longer if his powers grew stronger.

But his new hand was still adapting to his body. It needed regular checking and testing, at least that was what they said. Percy couldn’t stand to look at the thing. He pursed his lips in silence as the stern Imperial matron pricked and prodded the length of his arm, running a heart scanner over his bare chest.

The plush consulting room was silent, save for the drone of the Holo News in the background. Percy could almost hear his teeth on edge.

Then came the Kallig name.

The nurse went to scan him again but he waved her away, slipping off the bench and drifting closer to the screen. Surely not.

The news anchor filled the screen. Jacob Tagger’s face was a familiar sight in Coreward circles, a man who managed to walk a fine line in a galaxy at war. But Percy wasn’t drawn by Tagger, but the woman against whom he was laying out the case.

He and Saorise Kallig had crossed paths more than once. The young Sith had helped in a few of her endeavours, not least the business on Kuat. Bringing the fractious houses to the table had been a delicate business, but one he had helped her see through. Mherest, Knylenn, even Kuat had pledged its wealth they said.

But had there been something more at work? High treason was bold accusation by any standard. The people behind Tagger wouldn’t level it on a whim. Percy was no fool. It was entirely possible Saorise had been looking out for herself from the beginning. But treason?

He liked the woman. She had flair, personality, drive. There were too few with her energy working to advance the Republica. Did he care if she was also advancing herself too?

The child in Percy said yes, a young innocent boy who could never murder the family he’d always missed. But the Sith of today was more ambivalent. More uncertain what was justified in pursuit of one’s goals, of the power one needed to truly protect the Empire.

And then, of course, it could all be complete nonsense.

I hope you know what you’re doing missy he mused, knowing at the same time that he’d give her up in a heartbeat, if push came to shove.

A jail cell was no place for Percy Fleck.

 

[Metropolis]

Metropolis was doing force push ups. An exercise he had invented after noticing it was easier to do force pushes after he practiced on larger objects. So he picked the largest he could think of. An entire planet. Of course the idea was absurd, pushing a planet, but he pretended it wasn't for the sake of practice. He used the panic he normally felt in a combat situation, maybe the paranoia he normally felt when something seemed off, or the anger when others tried to take things he felt were his; to channel the force into his arms and imagined the planet being pushed off its orbit by his force powers as he did a push up. Of course, he did it at equal intervals for whatever passed for a day on the planet he was on. You know, to balance his attempts at throwing a planet off its orbit in equal directions. Just in case it was really working. He figured at the very worst he'd end up physically stronger, even if the exercise was worthless in learning to channel the force. He was not exactly a Sith master.

At the mention of Kuat on the broadcast he lost his concentration. It was useful to have a distraction doing force exercises. When he needed a good force push there would likely be one. But he had business on Kuat so decided to turn the volume up instead of continuing. Something about wrongdoing. Murder? Oh, it was some noble type. Poison? Ah, he understood.

The father had killed his son after being baited by the daughter, the father was then killed by the daughter before he could kill her, but she had then been in turn baited into doing it on camera by a third party not mentioned in the report. The third party would be taking power from both of them now. Maybe it was the mother. Your standard double cross embedded in another double cross. Also known as the false triple cross. Sort of like a love triangle, but minus love. And plus hatred. So like a hatred triangle.

It was typical for Umbaran school children to use it against a teacher and a rival, but to get them fired and expelled instead of killed. He didn't see how it was news. The true triple cross was much rarer. When it involved murder it could leave all three participants dead. He determined it was only useful to him if a bounty was set on the woman. He set to record the broadcast just in case, figuring if she had been found out so easily she could also be captured easily.

Of course, the mother was in a care institution and Tagger was the imagined third party working behind the scenes. Oblivious to the galaxy through a simpler, more culturally human lens, Metropolis went back to trying to send Taris into deep space.

 

[Darth Inheris]

Even as the broadcast aired, Saorise was already at work. The intelligence officers under her command, a legal team alongside, were all readying themselves to challenge the charges brought, Jacob having given her the chance at the Drive Yard reopening. She now wasted no time in settling down to business, holed up in her office in House Dalaighs private residence.

Outwardly, she was singular, focused, calm. But beneath the skin a rage stormed within, a fury at the very indignity that was being done to her name. But those beneath her couldn’t know that, couldn’t sense it. She damn well hoped Jacob Tagger couldn’t either.

Instead, she buried herself in commands, orders, work, keeping her mind focused and her drive ready. The Kuati legal system was new territory for the Sith, but one that could be played. They all could be played. There would yet be a time where her head would be held high, higher than ever before. First though, it meant clearing herself of this, and sending a message that Saorise Dalaigh could come back from anything.

A servant approached the door, a polite knock breaking her from her trance looking at reports and planning possibilities as Taggers broadcast played in the background. The door. Police. For her. She expected as much.

A deep breath, a moment to maintain composure, and down the stairs she went, her sly smile finding its way back onto her lips, as readied herself to greet the pair of officers at the door. Her hair just right, smile quietly confident as she prepared herself for what was to come, she opened the door,

“Ms Saorise Dalaigh. We need to ask you some questions”