A/N: This story is basically a speech by Nolaa Tarkona to her people in the Diversity Alliance, the anti-Human terrorist organization that tried to wipe out the Human race in the Young Jedi Knights series of books. It's also my speculation that many Aliens from the prequel era and before would've been part of this Alliance, as well, because the entire Young Jedi Knights series was written and published before the release of the prequel trilogy into theaters. Despite its involvement with characters outside of the series, this isn't intended as a crossover; it's still about the Diversity Alliance, its members, and its leader, Nolaa Tarkona, and not much else.
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Jedi Knights. Authors Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta wrote the series, and LUCASBOOKS owns it.
Diversity Expanded
Nolaa Tarkona looked out at the expanse of the planet Rattatak, where another species of aliens, the near-human Rattataki, had pledged their support to the mighty Diversity Alliance, the pro-Alien organization that fought for alien rights and was also out to bring suffering to the "monstrous" Human race that had oppressed Aliens for such a long time, even long before the official founding of the Galactic Empire. The Alliance had come to their aid during another one of the planet's periods of bloodshed, where the New Republic and New Jedi Order, just like the Old Republic and Jedi, had declined to intervene in the problems of the planet. The Diversity Alliance had pacified the planet with military might, and brought an end to the conflict, making the Rattataki come to terms with their issues with each other, and now, as a sign of gratitude, many of them had pledged themselves to helping the Alliance take down the New Republic.
Tarkona had been busy during these early days of the Alliance's existence. Besides helping many aliens that were common sights in the galaxy these days, like Rodians, Wookiees, Ugnaughts, Trandoshans, Twi'leks, and Duros, she had been of immense help to many of the Aliens that had been primary targets of the Empire's oppression due to their involvement with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Tarkona knew now that Palpatine had set up those merchants and other Aliens to join the Confederacy, so that he and his Imperial military could ravage them and their worlds worse than most others, and she had offered much to the Gossams, Koorivars, Muuns, Neimoidians, Geonosians, Aqualish, Harch, Quarren, and even the reluctant, xenophobic Skakoans. Even some Kaleesh warriors that wanted to avenge the late General Grievous had joined her organization with relish. These descendants of the Separatist leaders had been offered a new hope in this Diversity Alliance, and Tarkona had no intention of letting them down.
She was even helping numerous species that had been loyal to the Old Republic right up until it officially became the Empire. Tarkona had come to the aid of many worlds over the past few months. Some species, like the Cereans and both of the species of Utapauns, entirely declined the offer to join the Alliance, despite the rallies she held on their worlds. The Utapauns said they didn't want revenge on the Humans, because the Humans had saved their world from the Empire, and the Cereans wanted nothing more to do with violent activities, especially vile ones like sabotage and piracy. Many others, though, had members that were interested in Alien unity.
Some Mirialans and Kiffar believed that the Force had called them to join the Diversity Alliance and remind the galaxy that they wanted their place back in galactic society. Tarkona had some reservations about this idea, because the Diversity Alliance was anti-Jedi as well as anti-Human, but she tolerated it, because the two near-Human species were still on her side. Besides, the worlds of Mirial, Kiffu, and Kiffex were still Imperial worlds, and they had more than enough of the Imperial Remnant forbidding them to practice their old Force-based religions anymore. The Imperial Remnant still had a strong presence on Ojom, the home world of the Besalisks, too, and many of these four-armed Aliens gladly pledged their support to the Alliance after the leaders overthrew the Imperial presence there. Some surviving Togrutas from the Imperial Period were eager to leave a mark on the New Republic and the New Jedi Order, as well, despite there having been numerous Togrutas living peacefully within the Old Republic and Old Jedi Order. And after rescuing many Alien slaves of species like Dugs, Gungans, Zabraks, Kel Dors, Nosaurians, Chagrians, Umbarans, and many others, Nolaa Tarkona felt like she had gathered a nearly sufficient force to defeat the New Republic, and eventually, the Human race.
"Members of the faithful Diversity Alliance," she addressed the many members present, including the Rattataki, "Today we mark the beginning of a transition. For so many millennia, Humans have been doing everything they can to destroy everything that so-called Aliens have worked so hard to create. Closed-minded and intolerant Humans have refused to respect our unique and diverse bodies and senses. Humans have rejected our art, music, and other forms of creativity as 'uncivilized.' Scoundrel Human leaders like Darth Vader, or should I say now, Anakin Skywalker, and Wilhuff Tarkin, have claimed explicit Human superiority over Aliens, and have done everything in their power to annihilate entire Alien worlds with their horrific lightsabers and orbital bombardments. Don't forget Skywalker's son, Luke Skywalker, and his single-handed slaughter of Jabba the Hutt's entire entourage, mostly consisting of Aliens again, for although nobody here is a friend of the vile Jabba, and least of all myself, I'm sure we all find it frightening the way that young Skywalker so easily butchered dozens of Aliens all by himself, who did not have any talents or Force abilities to compete with him."
"But most of all, let's not forget how the Master of Deception and enemy of all life as we know it, the Human Emperor Palpatine, tricked countless Aliens like your own ancestors into joining the Separatist Alliance before and during the Clone Wars, just so he could best them in the war, and subsequently blame them for his own deceptions through his monstrous Imperial armada. No atrocity of Humans against Aliens is greater than that one, and look where it's gotten us. The Humans of the Empire have had so much terrible influence over the galaxy that the New Republic, which claims to be righting the wrongs of the Empire, isn't capable of shaking off that humanocentricism at all. Its leadership continues to be Human-dominated, except for a few Bothans that dislike the way Aliens are referred to as 'Aliens' and 'non-Humans.' And while the Old Jedi Order was known for its own diversity, no matter how vile those Jedi also were, the New Jedi Order is more humanocentric than any other organization in the galaxy. Barely any Aliens serve in it, mostly just a bunch of proud, self-righteous Humans."
"But worry not, my friends. For you also have friends in high places, such as myself and the other leaders of the Alliance. And I will help all of you achieve a new era of pro-Alien dominance, pride, and dignity in this galaxy. Although I do not approve of the Force, I respect the needs of other Aliens, and the Mirialans and Kiffar will be free to reinstate their old cultural religions. Slaves like the Wookiees, the Dugs, the Chagrians, the Gungans, and all others, too, will be free and able to live their normal lives again. This world, Rattatak, will be a peaceful world for once. More Alien-indigenous worlds like Ojom will be freed from the oppression of the Imperial Remnant by us, before the New Republic can do so themselves. And the races that dominated the C.I.S. will find peace and power like they haven't known for many generations after their defeat in the Clone Wars. Even the world of Castell, being so severely ravaged by the Empire, will recover in time. And Aliens will be the winners of our own private war against the Republic and the Jedi, for the Humans will not oppress us forever. I will see to that! We shall see to that!"
Cheers and applause came from the crowd of Aliens. Being as diverse as it was, all kinds of sounds came from the crowd as they cheered. Tarkona had no doubt that some Humans would find it amusing, while others would find it terrifying. She hoped the latter far outnumbered the former, because she had a plan to teach the Humans an ultimate lesson before this war was over.
And she didn't think the Humans would like it very much.
FIN