Diplomacy 101

[Caliban Antares]

Senate Building, Hanna City​

It had taken a lot of effort and calling in more than a few favors to get him this appointment, but he had finally managed to get some appointments with a few Senators. He had called every friend and acquaintance and used up all the goodwill he had earned over the years. But he was sure it was worth it, this was something worth putting everything on the line for. Everything was changing, and he could not stand by as his home was left behind while the rest of the Galaxy marched on to a better future. Coruscant had to be a part of the Republic, and these few meetings were his opportunity to make sure that happened.

Sitting in the waiting area outside the offices of the Senator from Commenor, Cal tried to compose his thoughts, preparing himself for whatever might come. He had never met the Senator before, and wasn't sure what to expect from him. His aides had of course prepared a dossier for him with information on all the Senators he would be meeting over the course of his visit to Chandrila, and he had spent most of the flight here reading up, but there was only so much you could learn about someone from reports. He might as well be going into these meetings blind, he was going to work on his feet and do the best he could.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the doors to the Senator's office opening and a few beings walking out, at which point the Senator's secretary approached him with a smile. "The Senator will see you now."

He smiled back and nodded his acknowledgment, thanking her as he walked into the Senator's office, the secretary closing the door behind him. Finding him seated at his table, rearranging some papers, Cal approached his table and held out a hand in greeting.

"Senator, thank you for meeting with me."

@Ecclessey

 

[Mida Zebb]

Mida knew that the acting chancellor was vetting senators for high profile positions and that rumor had it he was being considered. It shouldn't effect him much, but for the first time in his long and established political career it seemed as if he was finally close to achieving his goals. The visitors that had just left were from her office and they certainly hinted at him being able to help found an interplanetary defense force that guaranteed equal treatment no matter gender or species.

Honestly, that ambitious human who was scheduled to request his support in getting Coruscant into the Republic couldn't have picked a worse moment. Mida tried to retain an outward look of professionalism and while he gave his secretary the nod for the human to enter he quickly send a message to his son, Sander, to meet him for lunch.

The shuffling of papers as he entered was just for show. Mida did most work on his datapad anyway. "Ah, Caliban Antares I presume." the aged abednedo smiled as he shook the human's hand and with a gesture offered him the couch in the small seating area to Caliban's left. "Let's have some caf, too." a short press of a button later Mida walked around his desk and took a seat in one of the cushioned chairs. "So you're the one whose going to defeat the Imperial symphatisers on what has been the Empire's capital for five-hundred years?"


@Wit

 

[Caliban Antares]

Cal smiled as he shook the Senator's hand, moving to the proffered seat and sitting down with a "Thank you Senator."

As the Senator took his eat, Cal thought on his question, he took a moment to answer, seeing as it would be a question he might have to answer a few times today.

"I can only try my best Senator, it is up to the people to pick who they will. But elected or not, I intend to do everything in my power to ensure the well being of the people of Coruscant. Which is why I requested this meeting, to ask for your support in Coruscant's bid to formally join the Republic."

He observed the Senator as he said the words, trying to gauge from his reaction what his opinion on the matter was. Not that he expected to learn much, he was one of the more seasoned politicians in the Senate, it was unlikely he would reveal his feelings so openly. Maybe the Jedi with their supposed magic might have had better luck, but he wasn't hoping for much.

"Coruscant might have long been imperial in her inclinations, but I can assure you the common people care little for how rules as long as they have food on their plates and feel safe in their homes. I can only try and get what help I can to give that to my people."

@Ecclessey

 

[Mida Zebb]

Mida's face betrayed disappointed skepticism as Caliban asked for his support for Coruscant's bid to join the Republic. It was simply a sentiment that he wished to convey to the young human and when the latter was done talking, the Abednedo senator let silence command the room for a moment. "So you only wish for my support in terms of Coruscant's admittence into the Republic?"

Mida had hoped to see Coruscant's rulers to step away from Imperial culture that had the planet as its capital for centuries, yet the young human chose his words too careful and didn't deliver as much as the aged senator had wished. He had been on Anaxes and witnessed that despite the dissolvement of the Empire its culture and values were upheld and enforced. For Mida that was a regrettable fact he didn't wish on Coruscant. It seemed that of the two people in this room he was the only one so inclined.

"I am known by some as a one-issue politician-" the Abednedo began in a resigned tone of voice, "-and it's true, I care foremost about equality and a rule of law that is fair and inclusive." The caf in his hands seemed to serve primarily to keep his hands warm, for he was so preoccupied in thought that he had neglected to take a single sip. "For me, the biggest source of frustration when I visited Imperial worlds was the mistreatment of aliens like myself. They lived as fifth rate citizens and I resent that on some former Imperial worlds they often still do today."

Caliban was no doubt a man of considerable intellect and was able to prepare himself mentally for the next words that he most likely already knew were coming; "I cannot in good conscience welcome Coruscant into the Republic. Not until it is outspoken in the desire for equal rights and fair treatment of all its citizens, human or otherwise."


@Wit

 

[Caliban Antares]

Cal noticed the look on Mida's face. For someone born and raised on Coruscant, along with the benefit of the years he spent in the military, it wasn't particularly hard for him to notice the nuances of facial expressions on most species. Though in this instant he wouldn't have had any issues with not understanding the sentiment the Senator's face betrayed.

"That is something I agree with you on Senator." Cal finally said in response to the Senator's views on equality and fairness. "I was born into poverty in a planet ruled by the rich and powerful. I was raised in shelters and ramshackle homes on a planet covered with palaces. I have fought against the status quo all my life Senator, and though I could not claim to know the true depths of the inequalities you speak off, I have tried my best to fight it. And I am not the only one. There are others like me, who have seen the true face of Coruscant, of what the system has done to our own people. My words might not count for much, but I can assure you I stand with you on this and much of my planet with me."

He wasn't sure how much weight his words would carry, he was a nobody after all. But if he went forward with his bid to become senator then that would change. And that possibility was all that he could offer to Mida. Mida was right to think that he would have expected the Senator to ask for something like this. And he had come prepared to offer it to him. It really wouldn't have taken him much time to consider it even if hadn't come prepared with an answer. It wasn't a hard choice to make.

"In a few weeks my planet will vote to elect a new Senator. I can promise you here and now that I will be pushing to get our planet on the right path with regards to equality for all. You might not believe me on this, but if the people still vote for me when I shout for fair treatment for one and all, well then that might make you consider your choice."

He had done some research on the matter, and while many of the common folk would stand with him on this matter, there was a small, vocal, and very rich minority that might take issue with such a change. But turning them against him was something he was willing to go with if it meant doing what was right. Maybe that made him a bad politician, but the Galaxy had known many good politicians and it had lead them to nothing good. Maybe it was the turn of bad politicians to give it a try.

@Ecclessey

 

[Mida Zebb]

Mida wasn't entirely sure whether or not it was his own less than favorable disposition towards humans coming from former Imperial worlds, but Caliban's words were focused on wealth-inequality and that wasn't the Abednedo's point at all. "Maybe," he replied to the human after the latter finished speaking, "Perhaps your motives are pure and it's only your words I find lacking."

Caliban no doubt had seen HoloNet interviews and debates of the United Protectorate and knew that when it came to informing the public there was a benefit to being as vague as possible. Speak in general terms, avoid details and concrete policy suggestions, and play solely on the short-term emotional responses of the voter. It was a game. It wasn't a game Mida enjoyed playing, but unfortunately it was sometimes a bare necessity. Not today, however, for behind close doors there was no use to play a game both could play.

"Fair treatment for one and all," Mida said slowly as if he was repeating Caliban's entire argument in his head, "sounds too vague for me." An apologetic smile followed as he finally gave up on his caf and put it down on the table, "Be a champion to give equal status to aliens and be vocal about it. Are you willing to do that?"

@Wit

 

[Caliban Antares]

Cal's intent had been to show to the Senator that he was not part of the Coruscant elite that was at the heart of the discrimination that he wanted Coruscant to fight against. But maybe he hadn't been clear enough in getting his intent across. It mattered not, what the Senator asked for was still the same, and Cal still had no issues with agreeing to his demands.

"Discrimination in any form is something I cannot support senator. In an ideal world there would be none, not on the basis of race, or wealth, or rank. And I will fight for that." Cal hoped that his sincerity in this matter was evident to the Senator, though given that he must meet dozens of others who simply acted and played along with what he said to get in his good graces, Cal wouldn't be surprised if his words carried no weight on their own. But his actions would. "If you need me to explicitly spell it out then I will do so, and with no hesitation. Coruscant will move towards a future where aliens and humans will be treated equally. You have my word, right now it is all I have."

He would be returning to Coruscant soon, and elections would be beginning not long after. That was when he could prove to the Senator that he wasn't just another shill out to buy his favor. He was here to do what was right, and help make life a little better for everyone.

@Ecclessey

 

[Mida Zebb]

Finally, it seemed the young human got to where Mida wanted him to go. It helped if some points were spelled out, not necessarily for the other politicians, but for the general public. Mida didn't just have to think about the perceptions of Coruscant, but could he endorse a former Imperial who was not an outspoken advocate for equal rights for aliens? The people of Commenor and in greater extent the people of the New Republic, the countless of aliens that looked up to him, an influential alien senator, to be their advocate, could not be disappointed.

"Very well, there seemed to drop a sliver of a facade and Mida's right hand extended to grab his cup of lew caf, "Once you publicly advocate for the equal rights of aliens, I'll be happy to announce to the galaxy that I not only endorse your bid for senator, but will also give my support to Coruscant joining the Republic-" he stopped, lifted the cup slightly higher and yet didn't seem quite finished with that sentence, "-understanding you will represent it in the senate." Translation: Mida wants to give a clear message to the people of Coruscant that their best bet of successfully becoming part of the Republic is with Caliban Antares.

Only then did the Abednedo senator take a sip of his caf, jerk his head back, frown and then visibly relax. "It's cold."

@Wit

 

[Caliban Antares]

Cal was silently contemplative as the Senator spoke, surprised by his words, at least some of them. He had come here hoping to get his support for a Republic membership for Coruscant. He did know that the credit for getting the Secretary of Defense's support for Coruscant's inclusion into the Republic would have helped with his bid to get elected. But an outright endorsement was a game changer. He hadn't lied when he had told the Abednedo senator that he wanted to run on a campaign of fairness and anti-discrimination, but he had known that he would be making quite a few enemies on Coruscant, specially with the old and wealthy upper class. But this was something that would help mitigate that. The old croons imperialist crown might be set in their ways, but they were even more in love with their money. The financial fallout of not being in the Republic was something even they could not ignore, and with the Senator's endorsement he might be able to play on that greed to hold onto their support.

"That is most generous of you Senator," he said, "I hope that this will pave the way for a better future for Coruscant and the Republic alike." With that he took a look at his caf, noticing by the lack of any steam coming off it that it had indeed gone cold and placing it back on the table. He had grown rather fond of the Caf they served on Chandrila, but he was going to have to wait a little longer for another cup. Well, it wouldn't really be a day at the Senate if something didn't go wrong.

@Ecclessey