Worth: A Star Wars Story (ON TEMP HIATUS)

19. The Politics of Invasion

Hollis was surprisingly efficient for a local military commander. Usually, the local militaries we contended with were lacking experience in warfare of any kind, even when it came to pirates. There were always a handful of planets that had good military roots to provide a solid landscape for protection. Planets like Alsakan, whose rich military tradition and highly impressive military academies turned out a number of our standard issue human commanders that held positions over the Navy where the Jedi had no jurisdiction, were a boon when we got to work with them. Never had a problem with Alsakans or any of the men and women who walked out of their academies. Sarkhai was proving to be just as efficient and Hollis ran a tight ship.

"We have plenty of practice defending our shipping lanes," Hollis explained as he handed us map pucks to download the schematic for the main building, "and our military academy was established thanks in part by the urgings of Lady Grell over a millennia ago. After the fall of the Sith Empire, she insisted that Sarkhai always be ready to defend itself, but her urgings also stated that we must never use our armies for offense. Defense and defense alone."

"A pretty sentiment," I began downloading the schematics from the puck to my visor, slowly seeing the map contents begin to appear, all coordinates coded in and ready for use. "At least you kept up with it."

"We are always prepared for the worst. None of us are dumb enough to not realize that we are a resource rich world," Hollis sighed the sigh of a man who knew what he and his people were getting into. "Let's listen in to the debates. Try and keep our fingers on the pulse a bit."

He pulled up an additional screen on a nearby terminal and soon we saw the Sarkhai senate chambers. The Queen and King sat at the head of the room, and the senators and representatives all sat in a large circle around the debate floor, where three figures stood. One I immediately recognized as Senator Grell, another was a younger man I didn't recognize, but was sporting a republic medallion so I tapped him for the Republic Representative, and the third was a Muun. That had to be the CIS representative that Grell had mentioned in the reports he had forwarded us before we arrived.

The Muun was in the middle of speaking when we tuned in for the first time, "...And I am sure that the entirety of Sarkhai can see why closing the trade routes to neutral world trading could be catastrophic for not only the Confederacy, but for all unaligned systems caught between our two powers in this war."

"This is obviously a sympathy play in order for the Separatists to find way to harvest more resources from Sarkhai," the Republic Representative quipped in reply, his eyes narrowing in obvious distaste. My attention went to Senator Grell, who was clearly unhappy with the comment made by the Representative.

"Representative Daine, I am sure that you did not mean to sound so dismissive, but Ambassador Pildo makes a perfectly valid point," Pelas' point was firm, and it made Daine shut up and start looking annoyed pretty quickly. Pelas turned again to Pildo, "Now, what is it that the Ambassador would propose Sarkhai do to mitigate the issue?"

"Simple," The Muun folded his hands before him with a self-satisfied smile, "formally declare neutrality and sever all economic ties that remain exclusive to the Republic, allowing free trade throughout the system."

A rippled went through the Senate as Pelas whipped his head and turned to fully face him. "You are asking us to secede from the Republic!" Pelas retorted, his face a mask of indignation that matched the rising tone of his voice as if the entire suggestion was an affront to everything he stood for. Being fair, it was.

"And how long has the Republic taken advantage of Sarkhai's earnest loyalty?" The Muun diplomat continued, and I could see a certain confident, hungry look in his eye even over the holos.  "Surely you can see how your neutrality has been continually taken advantage of in order for the Republic to use you as a steppingstone to oppress other planets. Look at what they are doing now, seeking to use you to begin moving to take Dubrillion next!"