Jez Debalto and Tip were in the Jyvus City Viewing Center when the Star Destroyers left Duro space.

The huge bulbous room featuring the even larger wraparound viewport that gave it the name Viewing Center was the hottest attraction in Jyvus City. Thousands of people could fit in the room, and still have a wonderful view of the stars in the Duros System. There were many other smaller attractions placed all around the room, but the view was the main reason everyone came.

Jez and Tip had been getting drinks and lunch in a local bar when someone made a comment about one of the destroyers moving closer to the station.

Jez turned in time to see the massive ship jump into hyperspace.

In the next ten seconds, Jez had his mike in hand, and Tip's camera was hovering a meter before him.

He was on the commlink with HoloNet HQ the second after. "Marci, this is Jez! We have breaking news! You've gotta put us on-air! Now!"

"What's going on, Jez?" Marci asked, puzzled. Jez had never pulled anything like this before, even in his career as The Risk-taker.

"Just do it, dammit! The Republic's abandoning Duro!"

Marci patched him through regular programming.

The light on the camera went red.

"Hello this is Jez Debalto with some breaking news," he began. Tip whirled the camera around to look out at the stars. The remaining two Star Destroyers were swiveling around.

People were gasping in shock and outrage, and Tip made sure to get a number of their expressions on-camera.

Then, before the camera's lens, the two Star Destroyers blasted away into hyperspace.

Indignant cries of shock rose up from all around the Viewing Center. "They abandoned us!" A shocked voice screamed. "How could leave us at a time like this!" Someone else said.

The crowd roared their displeasure.

"As you can see," Jez said, struggling to be seen by the camera as people tried to tell its lens what they thought about the ships leaving. "The Republic has practically abandoned the Duros people in their time of need. How this will affect the Ruling Council's decision, I can only guess.

Someone crashed into Tip. The camera went spinning as he lost control of the datapad.

The crowd had become a mob, at this point. The camera crashed to the ground. Jez, knowing the camera would still pick up his voice from the mike he wore on his shirt-collar, said, "We'll bring you live updates! Stay tuned!"

Then the camera was smashed into smithereens by stampeding feet.

In all the years Dictio L'varren had been a negotiator, ambassador, and a politician, never before had he seen something so crushing to a negotiation meeting.

In a top floor of a spacescraper in Jyvus City, the Ruling Council and Republic ambassadors had a clear view of the Star Destroyers exiting Duros space.

Dictio's mouth hung open in utter astonishment.

The Duros delegates were in an uproar. Rasperton, one of Keggle's aides, was the leading voice here.

"You realize these talks are over!" he shouts.

Another shouted: "How dare the Republic do this to us! The Duros people have been outstanding citizens of your government!"

Hoolidan Keggle could only sit back and stare at Dictio.

The Republic ambassadors were at a loss for words, and could do nothing but take the verbal beating being thrown at them.

Then, Dictio's shock gave way to anger.

Rage.

But not at the Duros, but at the Republic military.

"We are going to get this mess figured out!" He shouted above the Duros. They calmed, somewhat. "Until then," he said, "please don't automatically assume the meetings are over. I'm sure there is a good reason the ships left Duros space. Perhaps there is a battle nearby that needed their attention!" he pleaded.

Keggle only shook his head.

Dictio and his staff swept out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind them, he growled to his aide, "Find out what the kriff happened in there! And I want a damn good explanation! This will hurt the negotiations immensely, if it hasn't already crushed it! If these talks don't work, Duro is wide open to attack! I will not let this happen!"

The aides scurried away. "Get me Vice Chairman Amedda!" Dictio roared as they all walked into the comm center. The other ambassadors were either on their comm links or scrolling through their datapads for news on the leaving of the cruisers.

Dictio waited as the droids patched him through to Coruscant.

Vice Chairman Mas Amedda was usually seen right beside Chancellor Palpatine. The Chagrian's blue skin and long horns jutting out from his head made him distinctive in a crowd.

"Ambassador L'varren," Amedda said when his life-size holoprojection appeared over the holotable. "Are you-"

"Cut the stang, Mas," Dictio growled. "What is going on here? Three of our Star Destroyers just jumped out of the system! Do you have any idea what this implies for the Duros people? This is a sign to the Duros Ruling Council that the Republic could abandon them at any time!"

Amedda nodded. "We just got word of this ourselves. The Jedi Council has come to Chancellor Palpatine with it. I was on my way there when your call came through. Are you all right? The terrorists did not harm you?"

Dictio waved him off. "If I am here yelling at you, I am well enough to do so. What have you got on the cruisers leaving?"

Amedda sighed. "You are not going to like this."

Dictio sneered. "Try me."

"The Senate Action Subcommittee for Corellian Trade Spine Defense has ordered the cruisers on a shake-down cruise to Rodia."

"And?" Dictio asked, hoping against hope there was more to the story. For if that was it, all hopes of a permanent Republic military presence on Duro was lost.

"That's it."

Dictio lost it, then. "Are you kriffing joking! How in the nine hells of Corellia do I tell the Ruling Council the ships that are supposed to protect them went on a little pleasure cruise to karking RODIA?"

"Reign your temper in, Dictio," Amedda warned.

Dictio took three deep breaths, but his blood was still red-hot. "Who ordered it? I want him strung up by the NECK in Monument Plaza!"

"As soon as I find out more, I will contact you, I swear. I've just reached 500 Republica. I have to meet with the Council and Palpatine now, I will get back to you."

His image collapsed.

Diction punched the holotable.

When he glanced at his knuckles, they were bleeding.