Post by Fromikeable on Feb 17, 2019 16:12:27 GMT -5
A silence, thick and heavy fell over the Galactic Senate as the Chancellor’s podium began to rise. It lifted slowly, ponderously from the floor of the massive chamber and every eye of the thousands of souls turned to the center.
Alder, draped in the ceremonial blue of his office, felt a rush of adrenaline as he took in the sight.
He’d addressed the Senate countless times before this. Though he never dared to let its weight become routine, those talks--the regular steps of governing, couldn’t compare to what was about to happen.
It was, after all, a rare thing for the Chancellor to call an emergency session of the Senate. None had come since the end of the Galactic War against the Empire.
As the podium stopped, he cast a glance to Bothawui’s delegation. Their hoverstand remained where it always was, but they’d assured him they were ready to speak, to throw all of Bothan Space’s weight behind what was about to unfold.
For once, Alder doubted that’d be necessary. It was just a shame it’d taken a catastrophe to bring the Archeri’s threat into focus for the full Senate.
“Senators,” Alder said, baritone voice echoing the cavernous chamber, “our reason for gathering here needs no introduction. We have lost Bothawui to these invaders--these Archeri. It is my understanding that General Stellar here has, time and again, sought your blessing to deploy the Enduring Flame to meet this hostility.
“Time and again, you have refused him.” Alder let the words hang, fully aware of the uncomfortable shifting that followed. “I understand your concerns, especially in the face of the fragile political climate that cloaks the Galaxy. Yet we cannot continue to stand idly by as these invaders carve the Galactic East apart and prepare for greater conquest. We cannot. We will not.”
Nor would the Empire. Republic intelligence suggested the Empire was facing troubles of its own, near Af’El. And over all of hung the of the looming conference with the Empress.
“Regardless of your thoughts on the Hutts, the Archeri have struck a blow against the Republic--against some of our staunchest members--directly now,” he said. “This action cannot go without a response.”
The Senate hummed in a thousand different tones as every senator spoke at once. Each hover platform played host to it is own miniature debate, senators debating amongst themselves as well as their neighbors. The words they tossed about rang with tragedy: “war”, “civilians”, “repercussions”, even “invasion” from the most frantic.
Horst simply stood in the midst of all of them as his hover platform came to rest at the senate’s center, just before the Chancellor’s podium. Nodding to Alder, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was the standard reaction to military interventionism or if the introduction of the Archeri as a topic had simply become a political nerve.
Either way, he could feel the daggers being glared at him, both for his action and inaction. Knitting his brow a bit, he ignored them, switching his mic on with a click. “Senators.” As his voice rang through the chamber, the din quieted, only the loudest of representatives allowing their voices to linger.
“I am here to confirm that the planet of Bothawui is completely occupied by a hostile force.” As outrage threatened to spill out, Horst punched up a map before his and the Chancellor’s positions, a large depiction of the galaxy flickering to life. The map zoomed toward the Republic’s border with Hutt Space, focusing on the planet in question.
“All contact with the planetary government there has ceased, with numerous hails from individuals identifying themselves as the ‘Chorus’ being sent along Republic communication pathways. The 107th Fleet responded at 06:32 planetary-capital-time.” Pausing, Horst waited for the map to zoom in the planet itself, a purple hue spreading across large swaths of its surface.
“Initial relief and reconnaissance operations have confirmed that most of the planet is currently infected with the Archeri Plague.” The Senate erupted in sound, threatening to overpower Horst’s broadcasted voice. Speaking more loudly, the General continued. “All operations have since been suspended, with the planet placed under total blockade. Current data suggests that the planet will be totally infected in two weeks, depending on the success of resistance cells in contact with the fleet.” The Bothan delegation looked on with horror in their eyes. Giving them a small nod of acknowledgment, Horst’s expression grew grim.
“I know what most of you want to hear at this point. In a perfect galaxy, I’d be here with some sort of medical treatment to reverse the plague and a complete guide to restoring Bothawui to its pre-infection state. I’m here today to tell you that no matter what happens from here on out, that isn’t happening.” The Senate began to fall quiet again, the weight in the air apparent. The map disappeared in favor of an assortment of view screens, each depicting footage from the last feeds sent from Bothawui. Each showed the unthinkable; plant-stitched warships bombarding cities, white hordes of spiky-armed monsters running through the streets, and the very real devastation the planet had suffered in the opening volleys alone.
“Bothawui is not going to escape the Archeri Chorus unscathed. Anyone doubting that can rewatch the holovids submitted to you all by Republic Intelligence. The planet, the government there, the businesses there, and every single sentient soul out’ve the two-point-five billion is going to be targeted. Every second we don’t respond, more of them face a fate worse than death.” The screens changed over to curated footage from Edgepoint Station and Weeping Falls. The stuff of nightmares was projected with as little censorship as Republic broadcast law would allow. The images looked less like documented footage and more like something from the gallery of a twisted chopshop.
“The Chorus is not a political faction. It isn’t an autocratic empire run by egotists and cults we can sign peace treaties with. It isn’t a warrior culture we can try to deradicalize. It isn’t even a criminal syndicate we can broker deals with.
“It is a single-minded, animalistic force that moonlights as a mystical cult with one simple goal: the obliteration of every other unique, free-thinking lifeform in the galaxy in the most barbaric, violent, and disturbing ways possible.”
“That is what we are dealing with on Bothawui. If we sit and watch the Bothans die the same way we’ve watched Hutt space, then soon we will be dealing with it on Nexus Ortai.” A finger shot out at the planet’s delegation. “Then Monastery. Then Druckenwell. So help me if anyone here thinks that’s acceptable, then it’ll reach the Corellian Run. From there, every man, woman, and child on Barcana, Iseno, Byblos, Corellia, all the way down to Coruscant.” Horst huffed.
“So, senators, I’m here to tell you in plain, simple Basic what needs to happen to end this.” Reaching into his coat pocket, Horst plucked out a communicator. Pausing to unlock it, he let the silence of the legislature ring for a moment, the vast majority of the delegations too fixated on what they were being shown to say a word. ”For the last damn time, I’m going to give a direct order to the Enduring Flame and the assembled Expeditionary Task Force from right here. I want you all to hear it, and I want the entire Galactic Republic to hear it.” Raising the device up to his mouth right next to his microphone, Horst flicked it on, a small crackle indicating that it was live.
”All personnel, this is a priority command. Report to your commanders and prepare for immediate deployment. Make way for the Bothawui system and neutralize all enemy forces.” Looking down to his datapad to transmit the clearance codes, half of the holoscreens in the room switched over to a variety of live feeds from the Kuat dockyards. Warships were launching en masse, but the key focus was placed on the Enduring Flame, the engines of which were beginning to glow with greater and greater intensity as the behemoth came to life. The shipyard’s public alert sirens began to ring through the broadcasts as the behemoth crawled forward out of its dock.
Horst’s eyes scanned every hover platform with a hard squint, practically begging to be challenged.
Alder, draped in the ceremonial blue of his office, felt a rush of adrenaline as he took in the sight.
He’d addressed the Senate countless times before this. Though he never dared to let its weight become routine, those talks--the regular steps of governing, couldn’t compare to what was about to happen.
It was, after all, a rare thing for the Chancellor to call an emergency session of the Senate. None had come since the end of the Galactic War against the Empire.
As the podium stopped, he cast a glance to Bothawui’s delegation. Their hoverstand remained where it always was, but they’d assured him they were ready to speak, to throw all of Bothan Space’s weight behind what was about to unfold.
For once, Alder doubted that’d be necessary. It was just a shame it’d taken a catastrophe to bring the Archeri’s threat into focus for the full Senate.
“Senators,” Alder said, baritone voice echoing the cavernous chamber, “our reason for gathering here needs no introduction. We have lost Bothawui to these invaders--these Archeri. It is my understanding that General Stellar here has, time and again, sought your blessing to deploy the Enduring Flame to meet this hostility.
“Time and again, you have refused him.” Alder let the words hang, fully aware of the uncomfortable shifting that followed. “I understand your concerns, especially in the face of the fragile political climate that cloaks the Galaxy. Yet we cannot continue to stand idly by as these invaders carve the Galactic East apart and prepare for greater conquest. We cannot. We will not.”
Nor would the Empire. Republic intelligence suggested the Empire was facing troubles of its own, near Af’El. And over all of hung the of the looming conference with the Empress.
“Regardless of your thoughts on the Hutts, the Archeri have struck a blow against the Republic--against some of our staunchest members--directly now,” he said. “This action cannot go without a response.”
The Senate hummed in a thousand different tones as every senator spoke at once. Each hover platform played host to it is own miniature debate, senators debating amongst themselves as well as their neighbors. The words they tossed about rang with tragedy: “war”, “civilians”, “repercussions”, even “invasion” from the most frantic.
Horst simply stood in the midst of all of them as his hover platform came to rest at the senate’s center, just before the Chancellor’s podium. Nodding to Alder, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was the standard reaction to military interventionism or if the introduction of the Archeri as a topic had simply become a political nerve.
Either way, he could feel the daggers being glared at him, both for his action and inaction. Knitting his brow a bit, he ignored them, switching his mic on with a click. “Senators.” As his voice rang through the chamber, the din quieted, only the loudest of representatives allowing their voices to linger.
“I am here to confirm that the planet of Bothawui is completely occupied by a hostile force.” As outrage threatened to spill out, Horst punched up a map before his and the Chancellor’s positions, a large depiction of the galaxy flickering to life. The map zoomed toward the Republic’s border with Hutt Space, focusing on the planet in question.
“All contact with the planetary government there has ceased, with numerous hails from individuals identifying themselves as the ‘Chorus’ being sent along Republic communication pathways. The 107th Fleet responded at 06:32 planetary-capital-time.” Pausing, Horst waited for the map to zoom in the planet itself, a purple hue spreading across large swaths of its surface.
“Initial relief and reconnaissance operations have confirmed that most of the planet is currently infected with the Archeri Plague.” The Senate erupted in sound, threatening to overpower Horst’s broadcasted voice. Speaking more loudly, the General continued. “All operations have since been suspended, with the planet placed under total blockade. Current data suggests that the planet will be totally infected in two weeks, depending on the success of resistance cells in contact with the fleet.” The Bothan delegation looked on with horror in their eyes. Giving them a small nod of acknowledgment, Horst’s expression grew grim.
“I know what most of you want to hear at this point. In a perfect galaxy, I’d be here with some sort of medical treatment to reverse the plague and a complete guide to restoring Bothawui to its pre-infection state. I’m here today to tell you that no matter what happens from here on out, that isn’t happening.” The Senate began to fall quiet again, the weight in the air apparent. The map disappeared in favor of an assortment of view screens, each depicting footage from the last feeds sent from Bothawui. Each showed the unthinkable; plant-stitched warships bombarding cities, white hordes of spiky-armed monsters running through the streets, and the very real devastation the planet had suffered in the opening volleys alone.
“Bothawui is not going to escape the Archeri Chorus unscathed. Anyone doubting that can rewatch the holovids submitted to you all by Republic Intelligence. The planet, the government there, the businesses there, and every single sentient soul out’ve the two-point-five billion is going to be targeted. Every second we don’t respond, more of them face a fate worse than death.” The screens changed over to curated footage from Edgepoint Station and Weeping Falls. The stuff of nightmares was projected with as little censorship as Republic broadcast law would allow. The images looked less like documented footage and more like something from the gallery of a twisted chopshop.
“The Chorus is not a political faction. It isn’t an autocratic empire run by egotists and cults we can sign peace treaties with. It isn’t a warrior culture we can try to deradicalize. It isn’t even a criminal syndicate we can broker deals with.
“It is a single-minded, animalistic force that moonlights as a mystical cult with one simple goal: the obliteration of every other unique, free-thinking lifeform in the galaxy in the most barbaric, violent, and disturbing ways possible.”
“That is what we are dealing with on Bothawui. If we sit and watch the Bothans die the same way we’ve watched Hutt space, then soon we will be dealing with it on Nexus Ortai.” A finger shot out at the planet’s delegation. “Then Monastery. Then Druckenwell. So help me if anyone here thinks that’s acceptable, then it’ll reach the Corellian Run. From there, every man, woman, and child on Barcana, Iseno, Byblos, Corellia, all the way down to Coruscant.” Horst huffed.
“So, senators, I’m here to tell you in plain, simple Basic what needs to happen to end this.” Reaching into his coat pocket, Horst plucked out a communicator. Pausing to unlock it, he let the silence of the legislature ring for a moment, the vast majority of the delegations too fixated on what they were being shown to say a word. ”For the last damn time, I’m going to give a direct order to the Enduring Flame and the assembled Expeditionary Task Force from right here. I want you all to hear it, and I want the entire Galactic Republic to hear it.” Raising the device up to his mouth right next to his microphone, Horst flicked it on, a small crackle indicating that it was live.
”All personnel, this is a priority command. Report to your commanders and prepare for immediate deployment. Make way for the Bothawui system and neutralize all enemy forces.” Looking down to his datapad to transmit the clearance codes, half of the holoscreens in the room switched over to a variety of live feeds from the Kuat dockyards. Warships were launching en masse, but the key focus was placed on the Enduring Flame, the engines of which were beginning to glow with greater and greater intensity as the behemoth came to life. The shipyard’s public alert sirens began to ring through the broadcasts as the behemoth crawled forward out of its dock.
Horst’s eyes scanned every hover platform with a hard squint, practically begging to be challenged.