Garm Iblis enjoyed a slow trip back to his apartment on Coruscant. His eyes had long since gotten use to the sight of the Republic Capital as he gazed off into the distance, his mind instead focused on the conversation with the Jedi Apprentice, or whatever the relationship was between a Padawan and their Master. There was no doubt that Garm would be hearing from her again and he felt it would do well to keep tabs on her progress, it was always a useful tool to have a friendship with a Jedi or two.
Although that friendship also came with certain risks as a large number of citizens did not trust such an isolationist order that felt the need to involve themselves into a number of situations, but Garm felt that Corellia was full of people that were mostly either positive or had no real opinion on the Jedi.
Padawan Degurechaff would prove a very valuable ally if she did come up with a plan to help a large number of people avoid or get out of slavery, something Garm could sign up with and show off to his constituents as a move towards leaving an evil institution that was prominent not long ago in Corellia's own past. Although, not by name, several corporations had taken control of several key industries and enacted practices that were slavery in everything but name. It had taken a lot of effort and regulation to give the workers fair wages and safe working conditions and the scars were still being felt two generations later. Old graffiti was still scrawled on some of the old converted warehouses that now exist as barracks for ship dock workers. Graffiti that spoke of and reminded the workers of how only a few decades ago corporate money had turn free men into slaves. Graffiti that the workers protected to remind the companies they worked for that they will not stand for greed over lives. That lives are more important than profit.
With a sigh, Garm shook himself out of his thoughts and straightened himself up as he arrived at his Coruscant apartment and his wife. Their marriage was one of politics and any affection or attraction they might have had for each other had died out a long time ago, but a divorce would ruin both of their careers far more than any apparent unfaithfulness they might have indulged in.
Entering into the residence, Garm went through the motions of calling out to his wife, taking off his jacket and shoes, and heading to the dining table for dinner their protocol droid would have prepared.
"Gavid called," Garm's wife said in an uninterested tone. "He is still seeing that Mirialan hussy."
"Oh, well I hope he is enjoying himself," Garm replied, not bothering to deal with his wife's racism. She was far to set in her ways and was too strong a supporter of the humanity first movement to change her tone. "You remember Sar Labooda?"
"The Jedi?" Drinna confirmed, a bit of heat in her tone of voice.
"Yes. She is training a Padawan now."
"Is she at least training a decent person?"
"Possibly. Near human at least. Padawan Tanya looks like she is maybe a four or five year old human, but I don't think Padawans begin training with a master until they are a teenager, so probably either a slow aging species or one that happens to look like children."
The scowl on Drinna's face said exactly what she thought about that information.
"I'll be having some friends over tomorrow, so you can go do whoever you want," she said, changing the subject.
"I think I know some people that can keep me occupied and warm." Garm replied, making a few plans. He had been spending a bit of time charming his secretary, maybe it was time to see about sealing the deal, so to speak.
—-
Anakin was in the pilot seat flying the stolen pirate ship while Obi-Wan was contacting the Jedi Order to relay the developments of their mission. Namely that a pirate base has been set up and the Judicial Forces would need to be sent to clear them out. A relaxed smile was on the Padawan's face as Obi-Wan put up the commlink.
Anakin took his eyes off the stars streaming by as he felt his master lay a hand on his shoulder. "Good work Anakin," Obi-Wan said before plopping himself into the co-pilot seat.
"So, that's it for the mission?" Anakin asked, turning to monitor the equipment.
"Yes. Our mission parameters were to survey the planet to see if it would be a good place to expand the agricorps operations. Pirates are not conducive to any agricultural pursuits, so until those pirates are cleared out, our scans would be useless."
"Why didn't we clear them out ourselves then?"
"Because you are too young for combat missions." Anakin gave his master a look with a raised eyebrow, that Obi-Wan responded to with raised hands. "We are in a time of peace, no need to be sending our youngest padawans into dangerous situations before they are ready. Next year you should be able to join me on all manner of missions you are too young for. Why I didn't go on a mission with an expectation of combat until I was seventeen."
"Oh? And how was that?" Anakin asked, devising that hearing such a story from his master's past was a better way to spend time than brooding on not getting to go on the exciting missions yet.
"Well, it was a long time ago, so pardon me if I get some details wrong, but the Mandalorians were having a schism and my Master and I were sent to help broker a peace between the two sides..."
—-
Delving into the legal rabbit hole that was intergalactic trade agreements and the current situation of slavery was a sobering experience. Slavery was technically illegal. Technically. The wording of the laws however made that a very thin veneer of safety for the common person to avoid ending up working for no pay at the pleasure of another. Indeed, slavery was just another institution of commerce throughout the galaxy that only required a vague reason for a person to be declared not a real person.
There were a few groups that were made up entirely of clones due to having lost more traditional methods of reproduction long ago, and maybe two have rights as sentient beings thanks to having an exemption placed in the books. Indeed, having taken a side stroll into clone rights, most people viewed clones the same as droids, just made out of flesh and organic tissue instead of metal and inorganic parts. Both could be programmed, both could be customized at the time of order, and, despite any evidence to the contrary, both were deemed incapable of truly being self aware.
I had made a few notes to add to my proposal that in order to help end slavery, droid and clone rights would likely have to be addressed as well or the slaves can just be classified as clones or organic droids.
Setting that aside, my proposal to help the Twi'lek people was multi-fold. There were several key ways Twi'lek were made into slaves on Ryloth and for several key reasons, all of which would have to be addressed. The first was dealing with the rampant poverty of Ryloth in order to raise the Twi'lek out of having to sell themselves or a family member into slavery to make ends meet. The Twi'lek on Ryloth needed jobs that paid a fair wage.
To this end I examined the books and found labor laws were kept to a system level due to the Republic's long standing respect for specie's traditions. As such, the Ryloth system would need to enact some minimum wage laws, several proposals I copied from other systems that already had such on the book to give those in power the option to pick the labor laws that best suited their needs.
Of course, a fair wage does not matter if there is no jobs available, so I also included a proposal for infrastructure overhaul on the planet, Ryloth having fallen far behind the rest of the galaxy in development, which would create a number of labor jobs paid for by the government. As part of this proposal, the local system government would likely need to take out loans, so I wrote up a proposal to get the banking clans on board with part ownership of a new industry I was also going to propose to help deal with one of the major reasons Twi'lek are such popular slaves.
Twi'lek are naturally beautiful people. They have a grace and sensuality to themselves that many species are naturally drawn to. So a large number of Twi'lek are forced into sex trafficking and becoming pleasure slaves. If they can be placed into an environment where their natural charm can be used to their benefits while surrounded by security that prevents any kidnapping, then people would be willing to come to admire and spend time with Twi'leks for a large number of reasons. And what better way to have security be a part of something where beautiful people wonder around barely clothed than to create casinos. A lot of money and sex and all manners of vice on sale protected by ever watching eyes in the skies and security personnel on the floor. And the Twi'lek will fit the role is waitress, dealer, and entertainment easily enough in such establishments. Throw in a few in the security booth watching the cameras and you have a primarily Twi'lek staff helping the local Ryloth economy by spending their earning at local businesses when they are off the clock.
The number of planets with casinos is a surprisingly limited number, most of which exist in Hutt space, so rebranding Ryloth as a center of pleasure and gambling would not step on many Republic toes and the more illegal games would remain in Hutt space keeping the Hutt Cartel from being too interested in shutting down an upstart enterprise before it is able to begin.
This was the core of my proposal, a massive casino complex to bring in revenue to help all the other little proposals get the fundings they needed mature, with other enterprises proposed or proposed modifications to existing enterprises already on planet to provide other avenues of revenue and profits to interest the big interplanetary corporations to invest and play along.
Before I ran this by any politicians though, it would probably be a good idea to have it looked over by several other Jedi eyes to see if there are any obvious flaws I missed that could embarrass the Temple by association. Would not do to hurt my future prospects in the Temple by making the Jedi look like a bunch of ignorant fanatics who don't understand the first thing about financial laws.