HoloNet News The First Address

[Alexander Xerxes]

It had been barely an hour since Alexander had been declared the new Supreme Chancellor of the Republic and it was now time for his first address. Walking up the podium set out for him by his media team, he took a moment to run his hands across the wooden surface, his fingers tracing the lines of the Supreme Chancellor’s seal on the front. As he prepared himself to speak, two women quickly approached him, one applied a final bit of makeup to help keep the glare off his forehead, the other attached a republic pin to his jacket and straightened his tie.

To each side of the podium and the Chancellor hung flags of the New Republic, now more than ever he needed to be a symbol of patriotism within the government. The main holo-cam was moved into place as someone started counting down from five, four, three…

“Ladies and Gentleman of the Republic, I have just left the Senatorial Chamber to speak to you today. I want to say what an enormous privilege and honour it is to be trusted with this government and I am deeply conscious of that privilege and honour at this time.” He began in the calm voice the galaxy was quickly associating with the man.

“I would like to first say this word about my opponent in the election, Senator Hedarial of Byss. Even though obviously I profoundly disagreed with many of the things he may have said during the course of this campaign, I thought he showed extraordinary stoicism and resilience in very difficult circumstances and I said to him only moments ago that I wish him well, I wish him the very best of luck in the future and I hope that he will bring all these traits with him as we continue to work towards a better Republic.”

“Today is a remarkable and historic day, as our Honourable Senators made the choice to invest into me this most sacred seat and I am in no doubt at all as to what it means. It is a mandate for reform and for investment in the future of our Great Republic. A mandate that is expected to be delivered without falter or delay. In the course of the campaign we have just had, I set out in a series of speeches the changes that I believe our Republic needs to see.”

“Investment within the economy, the establishment of trade links with the Consortium, Alliance and the many independent worlds littered throughout the Galaxy. The continued deployment of the AMS vacaine, the establishment of a Relief and Health body to bolster the good work done by the ISCRA. Establish and encourage the skills and talents and education of the Republic Citizens so that everyone of us can reach our maximum potential. With this we will become a pillar of scientific and cultural advancement that the whole galaxy will envy. To reform our criminal justice system. There is no issue that touches our citizens more deeply than crime and law and order on our streets and we need to make the changes there so that we have a criminal justice system that punishes the criminal, but also offers those convicted of crime the chance to rehabilitate and get their way out of a life of crime.” He continued, speaking with his hands showing a little passion to the audience behind his calm exterior.

“These changes will not be easy, they will be hard. But I feel the great citizens of our Republic are a special people, ones that can dig down deep, when times are difficult and push through and strive for a better tomorrow, no matter the adversity put in their way.”

“Finally.”

“Although a hundred decisions and choices have already fallen at my feet in this past hour, one above all takes precedence. The Jedi Order and the Sith Empire.” Alexander gripped the edge of the podium and leaned slightly forward towards the camera. “As seen over the past few years and the millenia before it. The Jedi Order, no matter the good will they have or the great deeds they have given to the galaxy. They always bring with them one thing to the galaxy and those that ally with them. Death and Destruction.” Alexander clenched his jaw for a moment, this needed to appear a hard choice.

“That is why, fifteen minuets ago, as my first act as Supreme Chancellor of the New Republic. I have signed an executive order, which bans all members of the Jedi Order from Republic Space. Their presence within our borders will be seen as an illegal act and they will be detained accordingly. This order comes into effect by midnight Coruscant Central Time tomorrow. I ask that all Jedi within the Republic please leave quietly and without fuss, our alliance is now over.”

Straightening himself back up, he pulled on the cuffs of his shirt to pull them tight. “I then say this to your Empress Andruil and the Imperial Council. We propose an immediate ceasefire between our two Governments with the discussions of a full end to hostilities to begin at best haste.”

“Free People of the Republic, I hope this shows to you that I stick to my word, my ideals. And I can promise you today, that your faith in me will not be misplaced. I will make our Republic a bastion of prosperity and abundance for all people within our borders. For I am your Supreme Chancellor and it is my honour and privilege to serve you and I will not fail in this sacred trust you have given to me.”

“Thank you and goodbye.”


@ThisIsHowLibertyDies @Valen Pelora @Phoenix

 

[Crix Aran]

And just like that?

His first home was closed off to him.

Legally he could no longer physically go and visit his mother.

Legally he could no longer wander the streets of Coruscant and grab a Coru-Dog (not that he'd probably want to now that his stomach had forgotten how to digest such poison).

Legally he could no longer go back to his alma mater and shoot the shrak with the engineering professors there in person while they tinkered with a droid.

Without any conscious thought, the screwdriver he had been using to tighten a screw on a small probe droid crumpled under a combination of his physical squeezing and the Force. Looking down at the thoroughly warped tool, Crix just sat and stared at it for a moment. It was proof that his mind was abuzz with a myriad of feelings he probably should know better than to build up enough to burst out like that.

Letting out a slow breath, he brought his free hand up to his eyes and just held it over them as he just sat there.

He wasn't sure how long it had been before he moved again, tossing the thoroughly ruined screwdriver into a nearby bin as he forced his stiff limbs to move to grab another from his tool bench. Behind him, Sebastian walked into the cargo hold on his mechanical legs, making sure to actually make a sound.

Looking over his shoulder at his friend and un-official second Padawan, Crix put on a brave face and grinned boyishly at the worried man.

"No need for us to worry - we're not even in Republic space right now. Make sure Atias has had his shots for Dxun's insect based diseases yeah? Thanks Seb."

He forced himself to turn back to the workbench and not look at his co-pilot until he had walked away. Closing his eyes, Crix was certain that the best of the Jedi Order were probably already lamenting how this helped ruined their ability to help people. To Crix, who had been introduced to the idea of being a Jedi by a reformed Sith assassin and trained as a Jedi by a flippant Jedi Shadow Master?

Well he'd just have to do good out of spite now wouldn't he?

Saving the Galaxy from the Sith and their tyranny (velvet glove or not) was always the goal and the compliance of the Galaxy to go along with it was now no longer a factor. If they thought the Jedi and the Sith were just warring factions of the same peoples then fine - they'd war and they'd win and they'd prove all the doubters wrong.

He was reasonable sure that it was still doing the right thing, even if it was born out of spite, but he'd leave That particular headache for Alex.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was numb from watching the address. She had gone out and voted for Hedarial, but she already knew where the polls were headed. It was heartbreaking, and it made her furious. She watched the address, her jaw tightening. She had been a Coruscant native, and she had been a single mother to her son Crix who was born on Coruscant soil. She fought and bled for Coruscant as a Ranger. She was among the first that exposed the Sith to the galaxy. She had gone to the depths of hell for her son. She had her mind tormented by the Sith. She had been left a mindless husk and it had been the Jedi that came to tear her out of it. It had been a Jedi that fixed her mind and risked his own life after modern medicine had given up on her. After modern medicine left her son with the potential choice of pulling the plug on her and saying his goodbyes. It was the Sith that took the love of her life from her. It was the Jedi that died fighting side by side with her, the funerals she attended where she felt that crushing guilt of survival. The funerals where she was once again there to witness her fellow Ranger fall to a Sith. It was the Jedi that stood unyielding, through every setback, through every attempt at shattering them, through every strike against their character. But she knew what the Jedi were. And the galaxy was truly lost if they turned from their most powerful allies.

The Ranger closed her eyes and exhaled. She rose from her seat, grabbed her badge and left. She left with her armor, left with her belongings, locked the door to the last home she would ever have on Coruscant. Her next stop was handing in her resignation to the Coruscant Ranger branch after twenty two years of stellar service. The Branch that saw fit to put her in a desk job because they decided she was unfit after having her mind tampered with by the Sith. It there was a push needed to clear those last cobwebs, this was it.

After that, Trys Aran made her way to her ship. To get the hell off this planet that was no longer her home. No planet that shut its doors to her son would ever be home for her. She flipped on her comlink and called up every contact she knew.

“I’m going back in,” She said simply, “I’ll deal with these fucking sons of bitches myself. Get me every bit of after market Outer Rim gear you can.”

Trys owed the Jedi her life many times over and she would join every resistance, every fight, every force they were ever a part of. She would fight till her dying breath and on her own damn terms.

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

​

"... Kriff."

Clove had been staring at her holo-device for what seemed like an eternity. She knew it was coming, that with everything that had happened it was obvious. Alexander would be crowned Supreme Chancellor of the Republic and therefore banish the Jedi from the New Republic. But she couldn't take her gaze away from the recording as it looped, her already pale skin turning paperwhite and her breath stocking.

The holo-device shut down somewhere along the way, leaving the half-Annfyn in the darkness of her dorm room. Whereas the first round of anti-Jedi statements had left her in a state of tears, now all she felt was numbness.

Her gaze eventually wandered to the toy of herself and Crix that sat proudly on her nightstand, their silhouettes the only shapes in the darkness. Their portraits were plastered all over the holonet, making them among the most recognizable (alive) Jedi. Not because of their status or skill, but because their merchandise spread like wildfire. And, as a result of her newfound attention, she couldn't set foot on New Republic planets without being caught almost instantly.

Her home, her family, they were always so close. Until now, where they felt a million stars away. Because legally, she could no longer visit them. Legally, her home was no longer hers. Not without putting herself and possibly them in danger. Kriff, did she even have a New Republic passport now that her entire existence was illegal?

But this wasn't the end.

No. Crix had taught her not to be a crybaby, but to be a survivor, a fighter. This was just another challenge to overcome. If the galaxy decided to compare them to the Sith and banish them? Fine. Let them. The Jedi will continue to help wherever they can, whether it is out of spite or because it is the right thing to do. Giving up would only prove them right. No, Alexander the bantha-face wouldn't get the last laugh. He did not deserve such a cowardly win, especially not without a fight.

Clove's body finally found movement, despite the fact that the color in her skin had yet to return. She pushed herself out of bed, grabbing her commlink device from the nightstand next to the toys as her feet touched the cold floor. Her free hand brushed through her long mane of curls, grabbing strands and pulling them up into a bun, while her other hand dialed a number on her commlink.

"Hey, mom and dad? I won't be coming home for a while."

---

​

​

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She had been watching the Holonet address from her datapad in between meetings. With the new upcoming version of the vaccine being released to the public, as well as a few new technological additions to MC's collection. Since she had not been kept strictly up to date on galactic politics, when Kaidan, her aide, burst in with a panicked look on her face, somehow, she knew.

Gut clenching, she watched the Holonet broadcast without a single muscle moving on her face. The Fondorian aide before her shifted uncomfortably, then darted out quickly when she saw the Doctor's features suddenly tighten. The air temperature dropped several degrees as the datapad splintered to shards in her hands, splitting the image of the Chancellor into plas shards that sputtered and died out.

She stared grimly at her desk, fists clenched and shaking. The shards sliced through synthskin, showing the complex technology that was part of her mechanical arm.

Before her laid two paths. One was to split from Sevrin. If all Jedi were banned, her known association with them would be considered a liability to her business. She should cut ties with them permanently to save her image, the image she spent literal blood, sweat, and tears on.

But; but.

She had been alongside the Jedi during the assault on Coruscant, and it was a Jedi that pulled her free when she was spiraling towards the Dark Side. It was a Jedi that taught her how to feel, and it was a Jedi that helped her when she mourned and when her life was at risk. To choose them was to choose career death.

She had been at the bottom of the barrel before. It was nothing new. She would possibly lose a great deal of her fortune with this, but she could step down. A new, fresh face could take over MC; someone who she knew had all the qualifications. If she was interested. But she slowly stood from the desk and tilted her face towards the ceiling. A single tear slipped free, before she brushed it away, chuckling slightly.

Before, she had chosen her career. Pulled herself and her daughter from literally nothing. Now her name was synonymous with being a savior of the galaxy, because of fortuitous timing. This could be her downfall. But...

She reached out a singular call through their Bond. She and Silvi would survive. Despite it all, it would be worth it.

Sevrin was worth it.

She stood, and dropped the plas shards into the closest wastebasket before sighing, and shaking her head once. She had done her piece for the galaxy. But if one would decide the fate of many, she would do the same. It was time for her to retire, anyway. She was... just done.

Pulling up her comm, she dialed the number almost without looking at it.

"Where are you? I'm..."

The Doctor paused, taking it all in. The opulent office, the view of Paqualis III's ocean rolling from far away. And beyond... a different future.

For the first time in a long time, the Doctor smiled, letting out a long sigh.

"I'm coming home, now."

Heels clicked on marble, and she was deaf for the first time to others' presence and voices. Only one was on her mind, and she would come to him and stand with him. This would, perhaps, be the last time she would ever walk through this medical sanctuary ever again.

 

[Newton]

Newton, heard the news while in his office, his assistant protocol droid informed him that he should tune into the new Supreme Chancellor's first speech and he did. He listened to it in the background via holoscreen while doing some work on his terminal. So, the Jedi are banned from Republic space. Interesting development, he had to give him that.

The Blackwell Executive did not care much for the Jedi, although they are ridiculous. They are relic of a bygone age. To Newton's knowledge, they had meager finances, didn't buy anything from Blackwell Tech or any of it's many subsidiaries. If he had to be honest, discarding the Jedi like trash is probably the best call for the Republic. Out with the old as they say. Good job on the new Chancellor. Newton would lean back in his seat and then look at the holoscreen with the new Chancellor on it. He would mutter to himself "So, looks like the Jedi are going into that dustbin after all"

Holoscreen off. Back to work.

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn saw the broadcast in the cafeteria. Many people didn't listen, a few cheered, and a few laughed in mockery of the Jedi. For Varyn, the revelation produced emotions he couldn't show. They cut his heart in two. He'd grown up on Coruscant, it was where his dad still lived. He may not have returned often, but he did return... now, he wasn't allowed. He couldn't make his way back without being branded a criminal. And for what? Because some idiot politician didn't have the balls to stand up to the Empire?!

The feelings of betrayal, anger, and cutting grief all tore at his mind, but he couldn't let them out. He had to smile and pretend to be happy. Pretend to think it was a good thing and blend in with the rest of the acolytes.

He couldn't think about his dad who had probably tried to call or message him. He couldn't think about how there would be no response until Varyn could get back to his Jedi supplies stashed away from his barracks. He couldn't think about how everything he was doing here in the Sith felt like it was for nothing.

So he smiled, he faked it, and he pressed on. He had no other choice.

 

[Alexandria Voran]

So be it. Alex stood with her arms folded over her chest. Her gaze sweeping across the Yavin horizon. The Supreme Chancellor had kept his promise. The Republic finally showing the truth of their soul. Cowards. A system predicated on protecting the wealthiest and perpetuating a cycle of poverty. The Core Worlds were the safest because they were the richest. Foolish girl. You had played right into that system. Glad handing with politicians, agreeing to alliances, bowing, and scraping so they would accept your help. For what? To be cast out. Cast out by a man suddenly appearing on the galactic scene. They did not want them. She stretched her fingers, old mantras repeating in her mind. A Jedi’s life was sacrifice. They fight, they die, they protect this galaxy…and they would be hated. Alex had the strength to bear that hate. She could only hope so did the others. A deep breath and she turned on the holovid. Her image cast against that of Yavin.

“We will obey the Supreme Chancellor’s decree and accept the will of the people of the New Republic. No Jedi will enter Republic space and any who do so will be violating Republic law at their own peril.” Her voice was firm and unwavering. “The galaxy should remember this. The Empire devours without remorse. Agamar, Ossus, Sluis Van, Wayland, Rago, Kashyyyk, Firrerreo.” She paused. “The Empress will wail of striking worlds that harbor Jedi…only Ossus did we call home.” Alex’s gaze hardened. She wore armor beneath her robes. “The galaxy was right to condemn the actions of two Jedi on Kashyyyk but we accepted our failing and turned those over to the justice of wronged peoples. Do not forget why Kashyyyk burned. While the galaxy focused on the actions of two, it has forgotten the Empire killed millions without statement and without apology. Kashyyyk is in ruins. The Empress burned Kashyyyk just as she burned Firerreo. Just as she will burn again.” Sadly, Alex shook her head. “Do not forget, I have stood in this room and asked her for peace and yet the Empire’s war continues.”

Alex took a step towards the camera. “Imperial, Mandalorian, it has not mattered. Jedi have fought and died to protect freedom. Ithor, Denon, Dantooine, Taris, Felucia, Lothal…worlds Jedi stood to protect. Worlds who asked for our help and worlds we fought to free.” One more step forward. “History has taught us when the Jedi are thrown out, the Sith rule, and the Galaxy suffers. Over and over history repeats. Always it is with the Jedi, the freedom loving people of the galaxy strike back.” Another pause. “Here we find ourselves again. What will happen this time? It does not matter. We will be here waiting, ready to fight, even if you hate us. You need only ask.” The vid clicked off.

 

[D-3PO & BT-4]

"I know that BeeTee." 3PO lamented, throwing his arms into the air for dramatic effect as he tapped his way down the corridor toward the Chancellor's office. Neither of them knew what terrible thing they had done to deserve the assignment that they had been given this morning - preparing the new Chancellor's office decor, ahead of his arrival.

"Don't you take that tone with me BeeTee, I'll have you compacted." he snapped, as they opened the door to Xerxes office, and quickly took scope of the task ahead of them. The outgoing chancellor, well - the dead one - had buckets of crap everywhere, that, according to their specifications, Xerxes would not like at all. Quickly, they moved inside and closed the door behind them, turning on the lights to see the commanding expanse of the office that opened up before them.

Before they got to work, the two droids stopped and watched the address. BeeTee beeped aggressively as the Chancellor spoke about outlawing the Jedi from the New Republic. "I don't know what you're complaining about," 3PO reprimanded "I didn't vote for him, and I hope you didn't either!"

BeeTee booped, sounding confused. "By the force BeeTee, I know we can't vote. It was a joke you useless can of cr-" 3PO shook his head and went to retrieve the mop from a side cupboard.