Grand Convocation Chamber

[Jago]

*Easily one of the most familiar and famous locales of Coruscant (aside from the Jedi Temple), the Senate Rotunda was where the governing body of the dominant force in The Galaxy frequently met to decide upon matters of state. First the home of the Old Republic, it has transitioned hands many times before present day, now being the central location of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.

The room was over 100 meters tall and ringed by 1,024 repulsorpods, bearing delegations from every member world of The Federation. Decorated with a lavender color scheme, the architecture was designed to be both calming and pleasing to as many species as possible, considering the weight that words carried here. Following the reconstruction of Coruscant post-Yuuzhan Vong War, as well as the dissolving of the New Republic into the GFFA, the central podium that the Supreme Chancellor used to address the Senate from was removed. Instead, the Chief Of State now addresses the assembly from their own repulsorpod, an intentional change meant to facilitate equality amongst the member states.*

[Jago]

" Even now, we have received reports of Mandalorian aggression moving beyond their Star Cluster. An increase in traffic along the Hydian Way is a sure sign of th-"

" Conjecture, Senator Leem. Where is your proof that this 'increase in traffic' is anything more than a normal sign of growing trade and movement within the Outer Rim? Or do you honestly expect this assembly to take your skewed charts and statistics as tantamount to law?"

" Yavin is my proof, Senator Flynn!" the Gran very nearly shouted back, losing his species' well-known composure for the briefest of moments.
" We've had no word from the Jedi on the moon, not even the communication satellites of Coruscant can reach those that are stranded there."

" Stranded?" came the cool, gunpowder reply, a bright, aquamarine gaze leveling at Senator Leem's eyestalks.

" We all heard the declaration of the current Mandalorian Leader. Their quarrel is solely with the Jedi. Why would anyone else be detained or, dare I use such a negative word as stranded?"

The rest of the Senate murmured in response as the two went back and forth. Indeed, this recent talk of Mandalorian hostilities had the entire Federation abuzz with activity. Nobody was eager for another major conflict. Not after the destruction wrought by Darth Caedus, not after the activities of a Sith Cult helped by an eldritch abomination attacked Coruscant. The Galaxy had finally, finally seen a few years of ... perhaps not peace, but stability.

Senator Tam Flynn, of Omwat, was not about to see that peace shattered due to some over-eager zealots in their support of the 'peacefully devoted' Jedi Order. She sneered inwardly at the thought; it was Fallen Jedi that had been wracking the former New Republic and current Galactic Federation with their damnable religious wars and crusades popping up all over the Galaxy. The Vong had come for the Jedi, and she had served her government and its people faithfully to repel them at great loss to the Galaxy as a whole, in the name of protecting those Monks. The Sith were much the same. And the Second Galactic Civil was shown to have been worsened thanks to the GrandMaster's own nephew!

" Surely, Senator Flynn, you cannot be so short-sighted. Your people are gifted with a natural predilection towards intelligence: think of the ramifications if the Jedi are defeated on the Rim. What would happen to the security of the rest of the worlds around the Gordian Reach? Along the Hydian Way?"

Her pod nearly shot out into the center of the large, open arena, circling the Senator of Katraasii's podium almost like a kath hound stalked her prey.

" You would have this prodigious convocation jump towards Full-Scale War just on the basis of what might happen? Have we learned nothing from the mistakes of the past? This is precisely how the Republic of Old fell into darkness, by rushing into conflict!"

" And the Republic that came after could have been preserved had it taken the measures to defend itself sooner," the Gran sagaciously added to Tam's statement, causing a rush of approval to whisper through the large auditorium.

" I am not advocating that this Senate vote for war. Merely that we show the Mandalorian Government that this hallowed world, and its people, and what it represents still supports those that have given nearly everything to protect it."

Not so fast.

" So that is your answer? Words? Words against what you were trying to convince this Senate, mere moments ago, was an invasion of Federation Space? Not only that, but you have the gall to try and convince us that the Jedi are protectors of The Alliance?"

She turned towards the rest of the assembly, the pale-orange dyed feathers on her crown whipping softly as she did so in dramatic fashion.

" It was a Jedi that gave the order to burn Kashyyyk. It was the Jedi that the Sith came for on this planet and elsewhere, time and time again. It was the Jedi that meddled with the Killiks, that drew the attention of the Yuuzhan Vong to the Core, that failed to prevent the Rise of The Galactic Empire."

From her pod up above, Tam looked down on Senator Leem with a slight curl to her lips. Polite in her words, even as she shredded his arguments as best she could.

" The Jedi Order has brought more than enough devastation to the peoples of The Galaxy. War and ruin flocks to them, Senator Leem. The Mandalorians would be foolish to strike at the full might and power of the Galactic Federation Of Free Alliances, a body that, need I remind you, possesses the largest fleet in current existence, and maintains an active presence from the boundaries of Corporate Sector Space to the farthest reaches of the Corellian Trade Spine. The resulting fight, if even there were one, would be an Akk Dog nipping at the heels of a Krayt Dragon."

The Gran made to speak, to defend himself, but Tam did not allow him the opportunity.

" In fact, I dare say you are attempting to cajole this congregation with your trumped up charges and exaggerations for personal gain."

" I know not what you imply, Senator Flynn."

" Is it not true that a member of the Leem family serves as a Jedi Knight on Yavin Four at this very moment?"

The crowd hushed, looking on at the Gran who did his best to compose himself, even while wondering exactly how and when Tam drew that information. Did she know that he would be her opponent in rallying aid for the Jedi? That there had to be a voice that could stand against such a rash line of thought?

" I would never lie. Zak Leem is an honorable being, and yes, has recently attained the esteemed and valorous title of Knight Of The Order."

" Are you worried about his safety, Senator?"

" Of course I am, how coul-"

" And in worrying for his well-being, could it not be that you are seeing warships where there are only cargo runners? Battle stations and rallying points, in place of storage ports and nebulae?"

They cared deeply about family, the Gran. Tam knew that well. Knew it very well. She would have been a fool to not have researched every aspect of this particular Katraasiian native before convening today.

" I assure you, I am not the blind one here."

" Nobody in this Senate would think any less of you, Senator Leem, for caring for a family member. Many well know that I lost my only son when a Jedi abandoned him on Balmorra, to preserve and uphold the ideals of the Federation that he fought for. But I did not rush into joining the Confederation with that loss, Senator Leem."

She hardened her eyes at him, this ... this Gran. This being that spoke of peace but warned of war. She would not be the one to allow another official to plunge the Galaxy into fire and death, all for the sake of the vaunted Jedi.

" I did my duty for Charter And Alliance. And I would hope you would do the same, Senator Leem."

[Dav Man'Sell]

Georj Lorrimer had waddled, as he ever did, into his Senatorial Booth. He waddled to his seat, and managed to somehow waddle as he stood still and lowered himself into it. Finally, settled into his seat, he squeezed out another waddle as he tried to get comfortable, before letting out a small sigh.

He knew what was coming. Knew what the discussions would centre around today - the biggest news in the Galaxy. And with it would come political posturing, the egos, the bickering and the back room dealing. The deliberate manipulation of what was a really quite worrying development, all twisted for the purposes of promoting their own political agendas.

Georj sometimes missed the world of espionage. Spies were so much more straightforward. They were either for you, or against you. They were either hiding their allegiance, or it was known to you. The world of spies was, in comparison to the bureaucracy and democracy of the Alliance, a far more honest and straight talking environment.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"Well, well. Let's see what's to be seen here today."

His utterance was small and softly spoken, not to anyone in particular, simply to himself. Somewhere beside him, he could hear his neighbour in the pod for the Kailion Sector next to him, the hunched over, winged Representative from Bovo Yagen, finding his way to his seat. The Bovorian Representative didn't often actively attend senate himself, tending to rely on his own Sector senator to provide representation, but today, here he was. Clearly, the events in the Outer Rim had attracted the attentions of even the most uninterested of representatives, in some way.

Well, who can blame them?

It was true; some may have contented themselves with feigning a lack of concern, others were bolshily standing firm and puffing out their chests, and yet more - and, unsurprisingly, generally those on the Rim, nearest to the area of upset - displayed active concern, even bordering on panic, but none were ignorant or truly apathetic to the latest conflict to emerge and challenge democracy and civilisation. The Mandalorians, and their assault on Yavin IV's Jedi Academy, would be the prime topic of discussion. Even those that didn't care were actively not caring, and in his rounds to other Senators and representatives, Georj had picked up more than one muttering of a motion to... what was the phrase he'd heard... 'let those damned wizard monks fight their own battles'.

And if there was to be a poster girl for that mindset, Senator Flynn was turning out to be it.

Georj had brought his own pod forward, gently, into the inner area of the convocation chamber. Waited for Senator Flynn's tirade to reach the height of its hyperbole and passion and extremes.

And then tapped the button to activate his microphone.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"Ahem."

There was a few seconds before the automated announcer spoke.

=Convocation Announcer=
"The floor recognises the Senator for the Merthian Sector."

Georj took a small breath in, dipping his chin in a moment's consideration, before he looked out at the gathered members of the Senate. When he spoke, it was softly, as though he spoke simply in facts, as though he stated only the prudent analysis of statistics that he could read from a datapad before him.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"Senator Flynn. You make your point rather clearly, if, ah..." He lowered his head, gently pushing his spectacles back up his nose with the middle finger of his right hand. "... if with a rather slanted and over-dramatic set of, umm... 'facts'."

He looked out at the Senator. Gave a weak, and slightly sad smile.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"If we're going to judge all of the current Jedi because one or two former Jedi commited atrocities, then should we not also judge all of the politicians by one or two former ones, too?" He arched his brow. "Maybe the peoples of the Galaxy should inherently distrust you and I, Senator?"

Georj pressed his thin lips together, and glanced out over the rim of his spectacles.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"After all, Palpatine was a Senator. An incredibly shrewd politician, well respected by all in his time in the senate. He stood not a few dozen meters from where your pod hovers now, and corrupted the grand Old Republic into one of the most evil regimes in recorded Galactic history. He murdered hundreds of billions, repressed trillions more. He started out not unlike you, Senator. A respected politician from a humble background, representing a sector far from the core worlds. He was equally as vehement about his proclamations towards doing his service."

He gestured vaguely towards the Omwati senator.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"Would you like all Senators who hold office, who convene in this hallowed chamber, to be judged by the actions of him? Or of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, who less than a decade ago managed to infiltrate themselves into the very heart of this government, at every conceivable level? It was us who failed the Galaxy then. It was this Senate who allowed Abeloth, a - quite literally - hideously monstrous evil, to take over the Alliance right beneath our very noses."

Georj looked out at the Senate hall.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"Perhaps the esteemed Senator for the Garis Sector would be equally agreeable to the notion that we all automatically distrust each other entirely, because in the past Senators from this chamber turned out to be evil megalomaniacs, therefore potentially so will one of us." He glanced at the Omwati, and blinked once. "Or maybe she suggests we should just distrust the Senator for the Chommell Sector, just in case?"

Now Georj took a deep breath in, and stood a little taller, looking the Omwati square in the eye.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"To say we should leave the Jedi on Yavin to die, simply because they are Jedi, is rather prejudiced. I rather imagine you'd find some objection in us being willing to leave you to die somewhere simply because you are an Owmati."

[Jago]

Tam smiled the entire time Georj spoke. She smiled while he politely insulted her, while he, too, hid under the guise of calm, soft word to advocate the fallibility of mere mortals, and the concept that if that was how The Force had designed them all, then fallible they must be, in all things.

” Come Georj, my dear, she finally opened her mouth with a tone of just slightly insincere familiarity, having paused long enough for the rest of the convocation to get out their whispers and murmurs. Cowards, she thought: content to mutter their half-voiced sentiments, but ultimately afraid to step onto the floor. The Omwati quite admired the Senator of the Merthian Sector for his ability to speak for his convictions. It was always a quiet thing, a small word, a sigh of gentle reassurance and reason, and it nearly always carried approval with the rest of the Senate.

Georj Lorrimer was one to watch, was her conclusion. It was a shame that there was quite a bit in his file that was missing. Such a shame, oh yes.

” The peoples of the Galaxy are correct in distrusting us. It keeps power in the proper hands: The Peoples’. Where it should always belong. Why, without that distrust, I’d imagine we would be looking at another monster worming its way into our lavender halls, far more horrible than some shadowy thing from The Maw.”

She moved her pod from its stable position to bring herself and Lorrimer at an equal level. Here was someone she could not risk against: someone who could ruin her career, so long in the planning, with seven words. Possibly six, if she were highly unlucky. So, she was amiable, level, and maintained the appearance (at least, in her mind) of being equal to this small man from Osarian.

” But I am sure that the Senate does not need more of a history lesson; Yourself and I could go on for ages, I imagine, about the thousands of years that the Old Republic fought the Sith for the Jedi. Or how most of the member states here defeated an Empire with determination, courage, and ingenuity, rather than trust in The Force and a lightsaber. How you talk of fighting prejudice whilst silently forgetting that my people were happily butchered by the Tarkin while the ‘main’ members of The Former Alliance were freed quite quickly during the Rebellion. Forgotten like the peoples of Iridonia. Kashyyyk. But again: the past is the past. No, Georj; you and I, we are concerned with the future.”

The almost song-like quality of her voice, natural to Omwati, carried on throughout her speech, leading to a lyrical swell of patriotism within the Hall.

” A future where old Senators like you and I stop finding reasons for wars for our young to go and die in. A future where we will hold ourselves accountable, yes, but we would also expect those around us to do the same. Senator Lorrimer, in your very, ah, enlightening speech, you failed to recognize that I am not advocating that we lead the Mandalorians directly to the Jedi and allow a wholesale slaughter: I fought the so-called ‘Peace Brigade’ during the war. This is not the same case; This is not about prejudice. It is about prudence.”

She cocked her head suddenly to the side. Dove-like, or more akin to the hawkbat?

” As far as we know, the Mandalorians are not attacking our people. There has been no action taken against the Federation, its populace, our planets, nothing. The Jedi Order left Coruscant in the wake of the Lost Tribe Crisis; they knew the risks of taking up settlement within the Rim. As far as I can tell, this is an entirely internal matter between the Jedi Order and the Mandalorian Peoples. The Order owes us no duty of protection, nor do we ask it anymore. I simply cannot recommend a course of action that is going to lead us into confrontation. What if we do, Senator?”

Her voice rose a little. Impassioned. But not from mere politics, no; there was something personal about her words, now. A trace of memory in them. As if she had had this conversation before.

” You’ve a daughter, do you not? The Merthian Sector is quite a ways from Mandalorian Space, but are you prepared to see how quickly it can come to your doorstep? Could you reasonably sit here and advocate that we involve ourselves militarily against an aggressive, warlike culture that would counterattack? Just because we might win quickly enough that this will be remembered by history as nothing more than a border skirmish is not good enough justification for fanning these flames and possibly provoking something worse. If the Mandalorians are not content with fighting Jedi who have toppled horrors such as Abeloth and seek to fight the Alliance, I will be one of the first to board a warship again to protect our citizens. But that time has not come, Senator.”

It was well-known that Tam Flynn had been a strong supporter of bringing the Confederacy back into the fold of the Galactic Alliance. Through violence, if need be. Now, however, having fought through a major conflict and lived through another, the Omwati was much more reluctant to see the Federation march straight off into another armed conflict.

The Second Galactic Civil War was supposed to have been over before Life Day, after all.

” Palpatine, whom you’ve so eloquently compared myself to, was all too eager to exacerbate both the Separatist Crisis and the subsequent Clone Wars.”

She locked eyes with the elder human, nodding softly. Solemnly.

” I learned my lesson the first time, Georj. I wager many of us did.”

[Dav Man'Sell]

Niece. I have a Niece.

Georj was surprised that the first thing his mind rushed him to correct was that one, though in his usual, carefully considered way, he held back from blurting it out. And, in fairness to the Omwati senator, he could appreciate how easy a mistake to make it was. He had, after all, cared for Ella and her mother since the young girl had been barely five years old. Ever since...

Ever since your own brother died on a mission of your design.

He had rather hated himself for that. To understate things somewhat. He'd cared for Ella because his damn foolishness had killed her father. Another one of, what Tam Flynn had just called, "wars for our young to go and die in". His cause, his efforts, had been just and right, or so he believed. That did not make the pain, the loss, any less poignant. It did nothing to assuage his guilt.

He dipped his chin for a moment, gently chewing on the inside of his lip, and forced himself to focus.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"No, Senator Flynn, I rather beg to differ on a key point there. You may be concerned with a future where we stop finding those reasons, but it's a futile endeavour. If history has taught us anything, it's that those reasons will find themselves, given time. I'm more concerned about a future where we still have a Galactic Alliance to hope anything of at all."

He looked pointedly at the Omwati.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"How do you imagine this would play out, Senator? Let us presume, for a second, that in Mandalore Intalbo, we're dealing with a cunning, vicious, and ultimately fanatical megalomaniac. The very kind that we're discussing here. You referred to his proclamation of his intent solely against the Jedi, and held it as an example of why we should restrain ourselves from action. Well..." He turned to throw a glance out at the senatorial pods, as though he was sharing a knowing look with an alike-thinking other, as if to say 'you and I both know what I'm about to say, even if she doesn't'. "I hate to break it to you, Senator, but there's every chance that he's lying. People do that, from time to time."

There was a momentary ripple of ascent, perhaps even a small laugh somewhere in the chamber. Georj logged it in the back of his mind, but continued to focus on the Omwati senator.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"It could well be that he has every intention of launching an offensive against the Alliance. We cannot do as the Empire did in the design of their Star Destroyers, and assume that just because our forces are of vast size, that no foe would dare stand against them. Nor can we assume that such a force as ours is immune to destruction, just because of its size. Just like the Executor, and the Lusankya, just like the Empire itself, history has proven both of those assumptions a fallacy. I would urge you to remember that intelligence reports from the taskforce stationed in the Gordian Reach have confirmed Intalbo fielding a fleet in excess of five times our previous estimates for the Mandalorian Military capabilities. He's hidden that much from us, who's to say he hasn't hid more?"

The short, rounded little man gave Flynn no quarter to retort. He pressed on. His point was near, and he rather hoped, so was the conclusion of the argument.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"Supposing that Intalbo has the will, the inclination, and crucially the power to engage us? And he simply wants the Jedi out of the way first? Would it really be prudent to wait until they have been functionally annihilated to step up? Would it really be prudent to let them be crushed beneath a Beskar boot?"

He dipped his chin, eyeing the blue face of Senator Flynn from over his spectacles.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"The Jedi may no longer be behoved to us, Senator Flynn, but they are still allies. They have still fought - and died - in the protection of the Alliance and its' peoples, countless times, both before and after their renouncement. And in that, they are probably our most potent allies, our most capable. Would it really be prudent to let an enemy defeat them because we did not come to their aid?"

Now Georj directed his statement to the Head of State's pod, still peering over the thick rims of his spectacles.

=Georj Lorrimer=
"If they're capable of defeating the Jedi, then do we really rate our own chances against them so well? Or will we be looking back as the Mandalorian War Machine rolls down the Hydian, saying to ourselves 'I wish we'd helped the Jedi when we had the chance.' 'I wish we had them so we could face this threat together'."

[Jago]

Prattle, prattle, prattle, Old Human.

Senator Flynn kept up her smile as Georj went on, citing, very astutely the Omwati had to admit, that the Jedi did indeed go out of their way to assist the Alliance. And her Enemies, from time to time. But, she supposed, that was the way of those who felt the mysterious Force. They could not be bound by rules and laws, save for their own, and yet they had the audacity to set up this Triumvirate to oversee the Alliance whilst still resisting its mandates.

There was a slight bit to Tam, however, that did wonder just how much of a point Senator Lorrimer actually had. Could the Mandalorians be seeking to attack the Alliance once a major power in the Galaxy was either gone or so tied up as to be effectively useless? Even if they did, and even if the reported numbers of Mandalorian soldiers and war materials were constantly growing at rates they did not have accurate rates on, what hope could they have against the largest Galactic Government that had ever been seen? It would be foolhardy to assault the Federation, would it not? Did not their power give them such security that war should not even be a possibility for the Alliance any longer?

And yet, Lorrimer was correct in the comparison to the Empire. Even she, aboard tiny, New Republic ships, had fought and won against Yuuzhan Vong warvessels that easily dwarfed anything she had ever served aboard. The Mandalorians may have in fact been suicidal enough to fight a war they could not possibly win.

These were all fantastic points, they were. But it was still no reason to begin deploying starships and marines when it had scarcely been a week of the reports from the Gordian Reach. Yet, before Tam could open her mouth, a new voice spoke up. A strong voice. A confident voice.

” This Governing Body does take into account both arguments from Senators Lorrimer and Flynn.”

Chief of State Wynn Dorvan. A popular leader who had managed to rally the Alliance together after the departure of The Jedi and in the wake of that monstrosity, Abeloth. He was a good human, Tam thought. A bit … idealistic. But a good man all the same, much as Georj was.

Hopefully not too bent on benevolence, however.

” But in the effort to appease both ideals, I suggest the Alliance take a stance of Passive Alert. We will deploy elements to watch the situation in the Gordian Reach, but we will also approach the current Mand’alor, Ashrah Intalbo, to seek a diplomatic ending to this violence before we ever consider engaging in open conflict with the Mandalorian Clans.”

Open Conflict? An interesting choice of words.

” I put this to vote now, if it pleases this Senate.”

There was a few brief moments of debate, but ultimately a vote was cast. Tam, herself, pressed the corresponding button on her pod, giving Georj a small nod of respect for having sparred with her on the floor as she floated back to her delegation’s place in the Chamber. Not many would be so bold or confident to have done so, and she did have to concede that Senator Lorrimer was less like some of her corrupt counterparts and someone who truly pushed forwards for the best for the Alliance. As she did.

They just had different ideas on how to achieve this.

” The votes are in, and this Senate agrees to these measures. The Triumvirate will divert several ships from our Outer Rim Fleets to patrol and observe, whilst we seek to contact the Mandalorian Government. For now, this convocation is adjourned.”

Tam wrinkled her nose slightly. She doubted Georj would be as pleased either. Wynn was smart, and did enough to appease both sides, though. He had enough on his plate just trying to keep the Federation together these days: a massive split between the Senate would probably have been his least favorite Life Day Present.

Regardless, Tam was now secured in that the Alliance was not immediately reacting to conflict with conflict, and Senator Lorrimer got his ships near the area if anything went horrendously wrong.

But it wouldn’t, Tam assured herself as she left from her pod to return to her offices.

This was just another flashpoint. Nothing more. No need to get so worked up over it.