Chapter 1
Mira Lendix looked at the script on her datapad; "On Jabiim, full scale civil war with the separatists in control of most of the Jabiimi militia. Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, have just made planetfall. That makes 10 Jedi on Jabiim". She clenched an excited fist and just as quickly unclenched as the rest of her repoter's message scrolled across; "Jedi are asking that we hold all reports concerning Jabiim until they have assessed whether Separatists are in contact with the Confederation". Stang!
She dropped the datapad and began pacing the newsroom at RHN, Republic Holo-Net. The first six months of this war had been nothing but a giant frustration for the media. Alliances shifted faster than play in a game of skyball, with governments declaring for one polity, only to be overthrown by dissident members of their own government, who then declare for the other. She, like everyone, was still waiting for this war to begin following some form of order. Besides that, Jabiim was a story. The vast majority of the ninety or so fronts opening up across the Republic were being contested by droids and clones, two combatants the public couldn't give a bantha's backside about. But on Jabiim, you had flesh and blood soldiers so fed up with the Republic they were willing to risk their lives. You had Jedi, including a team of masterless Padawans, risking everything to keep a Republic together that many feel is no longer worth saving. Bottom line, she had to get this story to screen, because it wouldn't be long before reporters from GNS or HNN would get there.
Five days later she was running out of patience when her datapad signaled an emergency chime. She threw her caf down and held up a finger to her Rodian producer. She read the message as it came across the screen; "Confirmed engagement with Confederate military. Repeat: Confederate military already on Jabiim. Run the story."
Mira jumped out of her chair. "Bolla, clear block A".
The Rodian shrugged and muttered something under his breath in his native tongue. Something he didn't want Mira to hear. Something she knew would be about how easy she thought his job was. She didn't care at this moment. She looked back down at her datapad to confirm and saw the word "addendum", followed by words that rocked her back on her heels until she collapsed into her chair. "Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi believed KIA trying to evacuate clone troops from a downed walker".
Despite his complaints Bolla had cleared block A for Mira's new lead. She had spent two hours in the tech department finding the right image of a solemn Obi-Wan Kenobi to use as background. While there were few images of the famous Jedi Knight, the ones that were available were an array of solemn faces. She had chosen a more recent image captured at the Senate while he listened to post Geonosis debating.
She had spent another hour in makeup. Not since the story that had grabbed her the anchor desk; the death of Anoo-Dat terrorist General Khorda, at the hands of the Jedi, had she had such a big exclusive. They had been third to the attempted assassination of Padme Amidala, second to Geonosis. Not this time she thought as she settled into her form fitting chair behind the RHN news desk. Her Vurk co-anchor, Fanus Kain, sat down beside her and gave a curt nod. No doubt he was as jealous as every other news anchor would be in minutes.
The Jabiim story had went from a fairly minor newsflash concerning yet another front in the war, to the biggest story of the year. Obi-Wan Kenobi had been the most famous Jedi not on the Council since Naboo. His death would shock and sadden Republic citizens, not to mention keep them glued to their holo-sets for the next twenty-four standard hours. But Mira wasn't all business. The news had shocked and saddened her as well. Like the vast majority of Core citizens, she had a rooting interest in this war. And the death of a Jedi like Obi-Wan Kenobi would seriously hamper the Republic war effort.
She was getting the last strands of her bangs combed to the side when Bolla stepped in front of the lights and waved her to him.
"What is it Bolla? I'm about to go live" she snapped, shooing the stylist away from her eyeline.
"Not with that story your not" the Rodian shook his head.
"What?!" Now she was out of her chair and moving towards her editor with bad intentions.
Bolla held up his hands in a supplicating gesture. "Don't blame me Mira, talk to them" he pointed one suctioned cupped finger towards his office.
Inside Mira saw a human and a Miralian in the blue uniforms of the Judicial Department.
Mira burst into the office with all the fearlessness and confidence that had won her one of the most coveted roles in her field. "What the blast do you think you're doing!?"
The Miralian was already holding out her hands in a calming gesture. "Miss Lendix we are here to ask for your cooperation with the war effort".
Still hot Mira resented what she thought was the implication she hadn't been cooperating with the war effort. "Have you read the 1st Amelioration?!"
"This isn't a constitutional issue Mira" her editor said from behind her, having snuck into the office while Mira was yelling. "They are asking us, in the name of patriotism" the Rodian finished.
"How is that patriotic?" Mira asked in a normal voice for the first time. "How are we servicing the war effort by hiding the severity of the threat we face?" she continued, now thinking about the issues larger than her losing a 'scoop'.
"All your points are valid Miss Lendix, but there are factors in play that you are not considering" the human Judicial said with a little less diplomacy than his partner.
"Like what?" she sighed with arms splayed before her. "Help me understand" she added into the silence.
"I'm afraid we can't miss. Trust that I understand and sympathize with your consternation but all I can say is that public perception is the fuel this war is fought on…and your story could act as a vibro-blade in the fuel tank" the Miralian said, taking over for her less tactful partner.
"How can censoring the news make the citizenry anything other than apathetic?"
"At this point we would prefer apathy" the human remarked out of the side of his mouth, drawing a withering look from his partner.
"to what? Hostility?"
Neither Judicial said anything.
"Forgive me for saying so, but I believe your lack of faith in the public is what is truly unpatriotic" Mira added, crossing her arms across her chest in disgust.
"I can't say I completely disagree with your assessment, but unfortunately the stakes are too high for faith" the green skinned humanoid added without making eye contact.
"And they're stakes that are too high for us" Bolla added walking around in front of Mira. "I'm ordering you to shelve the Jabiim story".
Mire clicked her jaw and stared at the ceiling. "Mira?...Mira!?" her editor snapped.
Mira finally brought her eyes back down to the Rodians's level and gave him a nearly imperceptible nod. But Bolla knew Mira well enough to take what he could get. He turned around to thank the Judicials for coming by and showed them to the door.
The Miralian stopped in front of Mira and said "I understand your frustration and I just hope we can work together in the near future".
Mira flashed a polite smile but left the bureaucrats hand unshaken.
"In sporting news the Republican Chin-Bret club from the Senatorial District bested the Brigadiers from CoCo 7-3 at the T'Chuk Arena in front of a record crowd of five hundred and three thousand, to capture their third straight league title" Mira's co-anchor finished saying.
She was lost in thought and didn't hear his report but knew that he was done. She looked at the words on the holo-prompter that started from all of us at, and she made up her mind. "Finally, some breaking news, it appears Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi is being reported Missing in Action on the planet Jabiim whe-"
She saw the lights go out on the holo-recorder a moment before she heard "Mirrrraaaaaa!" in a nasally Rodian voice.
"How long are you suspended for?" the Mira's best friend, Luxi Adawalli, asked through the screen.
"Two weeks, but there will be a board hearing before any reinstatement".
"So…was it worth it?" she asked with a wince.
"Three days in and with nor further word from my contact I would have to say that is a big, fat, no" Mira answered with a sigh and took another long sip from her wine glass.
"What do you think happened?"
"Who knows. The last I heard from him he said the storms were so bad it was preventing anything from getting offworld."
"So what are you gonna do?" she asked as a Zabraki man appeared over Luxi's shoulder and said something to the effect of "take his wife to bed". She playfully slapped him away and turned back to the screen.
"Hi Zav" she said to her faux brother-in-law before turning her eyes back to Luxi, "I don't know, probably mope around the apartment for another week and then go grovel for my job."
Despite her initial protestations it was clear that Zav was starting to win out over Mira and Luxi turned back to the screen. "That's what I want you to do, but if you did you wouldn't be you".
Zav had given up pulling her away and now sweeped up her legs in his muscled arms. "Wait! Luxi! What are you saying!?"
"Go Mira! Go find your story!" was all she heard as the couple turned the corner into their bedroom.
Mira terminated the screen and sat thinking. She would sit thinking for another two hours before she had a plan of action.