Open Galactic Senate Onderon Congregation of Planets and Nations

[Sibyl Lassiter]

Sibyl couldn’t believe that the last item of the agenda was being discussed now. The session seemed to have been longer than any other that she participated in, maybe it was due to the bad mood that she was in.

The removal of the Jedi from the Galactic Senate. Sibyl never cared for them, unlike Caledan Brentioch, who hated them with all his strength. In her opinion they and the Sith could link arms and jump inside the Maw that she would not even shed a tear for them.

However, she never expected that the Jedi would try to manipulate the mind of a politician. The Governor knew that they had this type of ability, but she always thought only the weak minded were affected by it. Well, with Emil Ro having a simple mind like that of a fish, she wasn’t surprised that he could be easily influenced.

After President Thorne put the senile Wookiee Senator in his place, Sibyl rose from her seat and activated his microphone. "I believe that the Jedi Order already did much for the Galaxy. However, what Master Voran did here today can't be ignored. We can't trust them with seats on the Senate if they will try to use these abilities to influence the votes of their own proposals. Due to that, Brentaal supports their removal from the Galactic Senate."

Finishing her speech, Sibyl returned to her seat. At this moment, she received a message on her Datapad. While she read it, the Brentaalan woman felt happiness for the first time during the entire day. "What happened?" Dongwa said, after noticing her smile.

"Tristodd will return to work next week." she said to the droid. The woman still hated him, but now that he returned her office was going to work perfectly again. And she could put the man to fill in the paperworks of Brentaal's transition from the New Republic to the ISC, while she relaxed. She missed being able to explore the man like a competent slave. Finally something good was going to happen!

 

[Hergalor]

Another FWA Senator had gone off the rails. It was beautiful, the regularity with which it happened; like a train that would always wreck, right on schedule. Starros with sanctions and Felucia, Hawthorne with his brazen insults to his constituents, Kashyyk with its aggressive distrust of the ISC. He would spend the remainder of the afternoon searching for other FWA-related blunders; maybe he could make a fun blooper reel to show his staff at the year's holiday party. While it was a fun family of misfits for Hergalor, he wondered what Prime Minister Korre made of these constant failures; the FWA has been demonized by all other political factions of the galaxy in recent years. It must weigh on her. Should probably send a fruit basket, out of sympathy.

Hergalor took the opportunity of a pause to speak. "Today's Senatorial gathering has been one of hope, thus far. Of optimism. It has reaffirmed our basic principles at the highest level and against adverse conditions. While fears of the Sith Empire compelled our Senate to act against the interests of sovereign worlds in previous sessions, today reason has prevailed. We have set the valuable precedents that no decision made by this Senate can override and that any sovereign, governing body in the Galaxy is worthy of admission to the Galactic Senate."

"Taanab still recommends that, regardless of the decision made today, we launch a full investigation into the extent of Jedi force-usage within the Senate halls. The alleged actions undertaken by the Grandmaster of the Order are inexcusable if proven true, and in the future, our Senate should have stricter guidelines and security procedures to prevent Force manipulation from any party." A rare, genuine sentiment from Hergalor. The idea that the Jedi could psychically dominate the members of the Senate, without them being aware, was terrifying; who really knew the extent to which the Jedi had exerted their power in Senate? How could they learn and prepare for the future. "However, potential to misuse the Force alone should not be the line for our bodies to consider membership. We should be well-prepared for use of the Force, in all of its devious machinations; in our next meeting, we should be better-prepared for any potential Force use and have better procedures in place for detection and enforcement. Perhaps, the Sector Rangers can lead this effort." He had no idea what it actually looked like, but he reasoned that there had to be some technology for monitoring who was a Force user, detecting use of the Force, and arresting or suspending members, employees, and aides who misused their Force abilities.

Force use alone shouldn't decide membership. That much was clear - the Senators again were giving into their (perhaps well-founded) fears of the Jedi and Sith to motivate decisionmaking. And continued fear mongering about the Force was only aided by the Jedi's seeming inability to genuinely look outside of themselves and towards the populations they so claimed to serve. "The Jedi have long described themselves as servants of the Galaxy. Perhaps, it was this station that granted them a seat on the Senate in the first place. However, outside of this meeting, the Jedi Order has consistently shown very little interest in voting, proposing, or passing referendums. This speaks to their unique position; they are not a government, and not beholden to constituents in the same way that the other member governments are. Their holdings already stand on member worlds, or are sparsely populated temples in the far-flung reaches of the Galaxy. Were the Jedi to form a legitimate government on the worlds that they occupy, perhaps this could be a different conversation." Truly, this Senate had changed his perspective on the meaning of the Senate. It was not a body for passing legislation (thankfully), but for creating joint initiatives that were voluntarily approved by member governments. It was a forum for diplomacy, where voting was a way of measuring interest in passing proposals rather than a strict, legal guide to what will happen. It was not a true "Senate," at all; with the Galaxy's multiple failures at maintaining a true Senate, this was maybe for the best.

"But we cannot deal in 'ifs' and 'perhaps,' only the facts. The facts of this situation compel Taanab to support Senator Isard's motion for expulsion. Though, with a caveat: Would the Jedi reapply in the future as a legitimate government, our Senate should treat the application with the due respect and consideration we have offered the Corporate Sector today."

@lizziie @Wit

 

[Phineas Hawthorne]

"Ord Mantell agrees with the proposal from Senator Isard as well as the note given by Senator Hergalor. I believe that what the Grandmaster did was inexcusable. I also believe that a foolish student throws away a test with a bad grade and hopes for the best. I think that a wise student revises the test, gets tutoring and help from teachers and professors, and then retakes the test to receive a better score. If the Jedi can't respect the laws of the Senate, then for the time being I see it perfectly fit that they no longer have a seat in the Senate. If they wish to further prove their legitimacy and responsibility with the Force, then I don't see why they wouldn't be able have their voices heard again in the Senate." Senator Hawthorne didn't think that was that bad- or at least as bad as when he first spoke in the meeting. That did not go as planned at all- and though everyone misread what Phineas was saying, he wasn't going to correct them. It would've made him look like a bigger fool than he already made himself out to be.

But was going to apologize to the President, of course. It was the least he could do at the moment. He wasn't even going to be surprised if what Phineas said was disregarded are nit-picked at- which he was ready for.

 

[Cassian Graves]

Now that the Jedi had been escorted from the building, their repulsorpods sat empty. Ten vacant seats, cluttering up the assembly room and taking up space just like the Jedi themselves. Like clockwork, ten seats had been emptied of the Jedi, and ten seats were to be given to the Corporate Sector. Out with the old, and in with the new.

"There is no denying the fact that the Jedi Grandmaster invaded the mind of the Supreme Chancellor. The Chancellor himself has confirmed this accusation to be true, and I do not call his word into question." The Zeltron had to resist the urge to roll his eyes with that lie. "I share in the concerns of the Senator of Coruscant. It is a matter of trust.

"Grandmaster Voran's actions today were in direct violation of this body's code of conduct. More than that, they were a violation of our trust. We invited the Jedi Order into our midst out of the goodness of our hearts and welcomed them with open arms, and this is how she has repaid our generosity. By invading the mind of the Supreme Chancellor and lying before this very assembly."

Cassian shook his head, his brow furrowed with the façade of sorrow. "My honorable colleague, the Senator of Kashyyyk, is mistaken to confuse the Jedi of today with the Jedi of times past. If history has taught us anything, it is that liars and traitors are not to be trusted. As one poet aptly put it, 'The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool.'

"I do not intend to be used as a tool in the Jedi's never ending war with the Sith, and I do not intend to put the lives of the good people of Onderon in danger with such an alliance.

"While we might come from different planets, this one thing we have in common: the citizens of our respective planets have put their trust and their hope in us. They expect us to look out for their best interests, and nothing less should be expected of us."

He hesitated for emphasis, allowing his words to sink in as his blue eyes wandered over the senators closest to him. "Jedi Grandmaster Voran lied to us today, and who is to say she will not lie to us again? Let us not be used as pawns in the war between the Sith Empire and the Jedi Order. Onderon, sadly, has no choice but to vote yes."

The Zeltron turned his microphone off, trying to conceal a smile.

@Wit​

 

[The Storyteller]

The Speaker​

The votes were cast and this is it, a holographic counter would tally the vote from each planet in attendance. It became clear very quickly that the proposal would pass.

"The proposal passes," announced the Speaker after all votes had been tallied. "The Jedi are now removed from the Galactic Senate structure effective immediately.

This concludes this session.

Dismissed. "

FIN​

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@Wit

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