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Phase 31: Laying the foundations of a New Order

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Part 3

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General Veil returns victorious! After the stunning success of Operation Star Hammer, Republic naval units are returning for repair and resupply while forward-deployed battle groups secure key hyperplanes. As of noon today, GAR High Command confirmed that communication lanes with the Mid-Rim Alliance are now open, though currently restricted for use by governments, the military, and vital war industries.

HolonetNews

Tonight, on the Galaxy at War, we will have an exclusive interview by our own Sylvia Halcyon with GAR and local soldiers who held Eriadu against all odds ever since the culmination of the Separatist's Grand Offensive!

In other news, our correspondents at Kuat confirmed that a large convoy with heavy escorts left for Naboo. Those freighters carry relief supplies and spare parts for the Republic warships and vehicles in the Mid Rim. They are expected to return with holds full of plasma cells from Naboo and ship components to be recycled and utilized for the war effort.

GNN

I am not sorry to say that our colleagues at the Strategy Insider don't know what they're talking about. It is either that or they are willingly pushing divisive agendas that serve no one but the damn Separatists! By relieving the Mid-Rim Alliance, General Veil achieved multiple strategic objectives beyond the scope of Operation Star Hammer, putting the Republic as a whole in a much better long-term position.

Without his decision to head for the Mid-Rim, Admiral Trench might have struck on his way back to Separatist space, laying waste to our allies over there! Instead, now we have multiple sectors with hundreds of worlds back into the fold. GAR naval and army elements that might have been destroyed otherwise can finally rest and recover instead of dying abandoned! The same is true for our valiant allies from Naboo to Eriadu!

Of greater importance is that through first establishing and now relieving the Mid-Rim Alliance, General Veil just secured the whole Western Galactic Quadrant for the Republic. There are only light-raiding enemy forces left in the entire region, which we have good authority and will become a focus for our military in the area. This is a staggering strategic and moral victory, giving us access to a tremendous amount of resources to feed the starved economies in the Core! Preserving the Mid-Rim Alliance and the sectors to the west of it radically changed the long-term projections for the war.

The Separatists are going to be on the clock now!

HolonetNews

Mid-Rim Alliance representatives arrive on Coruscant to discuss reintegration with the Republic at large!

GNN

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Senate Building, Coruscant
Republic space

Arriving at Coruscant, after a brief stop at Kuat, hammered down the point of how dangerous the enemy was not only for the Mid-Rim Alliance and its members but to the more populous and heavily industrialized Core. Kuat Drive Yards were a shadow of their former self. If anything, there was more wreckage in the system than around Naboo, with the remains of whole fleets worth of warships awaiting their turn to be broken down for raw materials. That was a testament to the apocalyptic battles fought in this part of the Core.

Coruscant wasn't spared the destruction, though it was more limited compared to the likes of Naboo. Yet, many of the wounds here were self-inflicted. On his way to meet the Chancellor, Gideon Tarkin couldn't help but think he was seeing the well-preserved corpse of the Republic, which was put on display in the hope of convincing everyone it was still alive. It was even working, though by now, he knew better.

After the delegates representing the Mid-Rim entered the Core, they were finally able to establish highly encrypted and secure communication lines with Coruscant and their allies there. The news was damning and broadly confirmed everything Veil was telling them. For Gideon, that information meant his decision to back Mandalore was vindicated. That meant Wilhuf would be insufferable for the foreseeable future, too. It also dashed the desperate hopes of other representatives that the old status quo might return, which wasn't a bad thing.

Eriadu and their part of the Rim had to stand alone for too damn long while the Senate debated, condemned, and ultimately did nothing constructive for decades before the war. Could things become different now in a way that would be better for his world in particular and their allies in general? That was the question everyone wanted answered today.

Clone soldiers escorted the delegates to the Chancellor's Office, where a very pregnant Satine Kenobi awaited them, surrounded by a small group of aides. After a flurry of greetings and introductions, they all sat and could get to the reason for this meeting. After all, he has experienced in the war so far, Gideon both appreciated and felt sad at disregarding so many diplomatic niceties and protocols so they could immediately get to the point.

"I understand that you have a proposition for us, Chancellor?" Gideon asked a leading question.

"I have a few points to make, Governor Tarkin," Kenobi calmly stated. "Being the Chancellor gave me a unique perspective about what the Republic was. It was a radically different experience from what I expected or believed it to be. You know who I am and who I was, Governor. For my New Mandalorians and me, the Republic was a shining beacon we strove to emulate," the Chancellor sighed quietly. "The truth of the matter was far different. Before either of us was even born, the Republic betrayed its core principles. Security and economic prosperity, Governor Tarkin. You know what happened when the Republic disbanded its military and, for all intents and purposes, abandoned the Rim. Eriadu had to fight again and again to maintain a semblance of order. It was that betrayal that directly led the Trade Federation as we know it to become a thing and to the first invasion of Naboo. At its core, my offer is a simple one, Governor. We go back to the basics and build a New Order."

"Security and prosperity?" Gideon repeated as if tasting the words. That was what Eriadu and his family had been fighting to preserve for nearly a century now. The question was what the Chancellor was really about to offer. Eriadu and the rest of the Outer Rim had received nothing but platitudes through official Republic channels until the war began. Almost everything they have achieved for decades was through family connections, business deals, and political alliances with individuals, corporations, and houses in the Core, not because the Republic government decided it was high time to accept responsibility for the Rim once again.

"Security and prosperity," the Chancellor gave him a sharp nod that made her elaborate headdress sway. "The Republic framework didn't survive the murder of Chancellor Palpatine. The war and all the corruption my predecessor has been working to expose, and did through a dead man's switch after his death, have been destroying the ability of the Senate to function. My election was not regular, as you well know."

It was Gideon's turn to nod. He had been briefed on how Satine Kryze, the Duchess of Mandalore, became a Chancellor, and it wasn't because the Senate could agree on someone after an embarrassingly long period of a deadlock. To be honest, her election was a warning sign that vindicated all dark rumors everyone had heard or suspected about how the Republic really worked. Under different circumstances, even something like that could be swept away by success and the need to normalize the situation.

Because of too many reasons to recount, that wasn't in the cards. If anything, the Republic kept fraying, with more and more worlds seceding or outright joining the Separatists. The recent successful campaign might have stemmed the bleeding, however… Gideon knew the truth behind it. Veil told it to the Tarkin brothers, and their allies in the Core recently confirmed it. Those powers, which were the economic and industrial heart of the Republic, no longer believed the current paradigm was sustainable. The only reason they weren't seeking a separate peace with the Confederacy was the chance of victory Veil's plan offered. Either way, the price for their support was a new paradigm that would give them more than the Republic framework could offer, and that was something Eriadu couldn't accept. The Republic's mismanagement and lack of support were terrible enough.

Whatever replaces it might be worse. That was why, eventually, everyone agreed to back Veil's outrageous plan, so here they were, discussing what would have been treason not so long ago.

However, how could you betray something that no longer existed?

"You are telling us that the Republic is dead," Gideon spoke in a measured tone. "What do you intend to replace it with?"

"A federal framework has served this galaxy well for a long time. Anything more would lead to even more strife at a time when we can ill afford it. I offer to establish a military and economic alliance for the duration of the war. We will use it and what effective Republic institutions are left as a foundation to replace the Republic in the fullness of time. Many of the details are open for discussion," The Chancellor explained. "However, one thing is clear. We can not afford to allow centralization of power within a single faction like within the Republic. That was its eventual downfall. There was nothing to check the ambitions and policies of the Core, which directly led to the formation of the Separatists. This is my second offer, Governor Tarkin. The Mid-Rim Alliance will be one of the pillars of the New Order acting as a counter-balance to the old powers in the Core."

"Even with all the Core has suffered in the war, we don't have the industry or population to challenge established Core powers in the long run," Tarkin shook his head. No matter how tantalizing the proposal was, it wouldn't work. As presented, it would set up the Mid-Rim Alliance for a future clash with the Core, one they might not survive.

"Kuat and Corellia are with us. Many of their rivals would rather see them not recover from the war. If your bargain with Mandalore works, a new Mandalorian nation will act as another pillar to counter-balance the Core," Kenobi elaborated.

"You had a sway over a thousand developed worlds or so in the Mandalorian and nearby sectors, didn't you, Chancellor?" Gideon inquired.

"Less now after the Separatists invaded," Kenobi admitted.

Tarkin's mind raced. If Veil returned as a liberator backed by the Mid-Rim Alliance? That might allow him to create a resurgent Mandalorian nation. Would that be enough? Could such a nation rise fast enough to be a helpful ally?

"My third offer is focused on economics. When the war ends, we will need a replacement for the services the Trade Federation offered in the Rim. Federal and local military units would cover security. The Mid-Rim Alliance would have exclusive rights to exploit and control the flow of resources headed for the Core."

She was offering a dagger aimed at the Core's collective economy. It might very well work if Veil's plan succeeded. Or it might guarantee another war in the future, one fought over control of the Rim's resources. The Chancellor had to know that. Veil wasn't a fool. He had to know precisely what Satine Kenobi was offering.

Gideon had a sudden realization that chilled his blood. They weren't just offering a place on the table to forge a New Order. They were setting up the pieces for another potential war, which would mirror the ongoing conflict… Because even in victory, the Core wouldn't allow anyone to fix the issues that brought the Separatists together. Doing so would mean too much of an economic hit in the long run.

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Part 4

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Eriadu diplomatic mission, Galactic City

Coruscant

For centuries, the representatives of Eriadu, and by extension, the whole Seswenna sector, maintained a presence within one of the prominent buildings deep into the Ambassadorial District of Galactic City. Doing so was an expensive status symbol required to be taken seriously by many of the movers and shakers within the Core. Doing so was particularly important for a system that maintained ambitions to be among the leaders on the Rim and remain at the forefront there.

Now, generations of efforts were threatened, yet the current danger and chaos presented unique opportunities. Gideon honestly wasn't sure what path to take. After hours of negotiations with the Chancellor, the Mid-Rim Alliance reached a set of agreements that, while vital, left the main issue unresolved. Their fledgling alliance would have to choose a site at a time and place where they weren't sure what their options were.

Gideon was busy explaining everything he knew about the situation and his options to gain more information. Wilhuf would arrive soon, after most of the day briefing and debriefing with GAR High Command. At least that should give them more tangible data to work with. Until then, Gideon would have to ponder how to deal with the generous terms offered by the Chancellor and the fact that they might not matter in the long run.

Tarkin picked up a data pad from the nearby table and browsed through a summary prepared by Eriadu's diplomatic staff. Everything Gideon had access to tended to corroborate what Veil and the Chancellor implied or outright told him. He tapped a few links to check the nature of the source material. A disturbing amount came from credible eyewitnesses, backed by what certain groups were busy spewing through the news outlets they openly or covertly owned and influenced.

He wouldn't say it was nice to have a confirmation that many in the Core weren't pleased that the Mid-Rim Alliance was a thing, even though without the level of military, economic, and political coordination it allowed, they might not have repulsed the Separatists. Like him or not, Veil's contribution was critical, even though it came with strings attached. What could be seen on the news and easily found on the holonet was just the tip of the iceberg. While Gideon was glad that Eriadu's diplomats and agents weren't idle after the enemy cut them off from home, what they'd collated for him made his decision that much harder.

It would have been easy if the various powers in the Core simply didn't care about the Alliance. That Eriadu could live with like it did for countless generations now. The signs of outright hostility no one could miss were a different manner. The more Gideon saw, the clearer it became that Veil might be right. There were many powerful governments and other entities in the Core that wouldn't tolerate yet another rival rising on the Rim. Unfortunately, that was what the Mid-Rim Alliance was right now. If the Republic was truly as dead as the Chancellor outright admitted, then for a time, the Alliance would, at least in theory, be a power to be reckoned with until the Core manages to recover. What would happen then was the big question.

For Gideon, it was clear that, in the long run, the Core would not allow another threat like the Confederacy to rise unchecked. The only question would be the preferred method to deal with said threat – economic and political measures or outright military ones. Tarkin would like to say that after this war ended, no one would be eager to start another.

He wasn't about to bet Eriadu's future, or that of his family, on people being so reasonable. Otherwise, enough of the people running the Core might have done something about the situation on the Rim and derailed its escalation into war. The most unfortunate thing was that Gideon had thousands of years of history to point at about the Core's conduct. That was one of the significant factors that made the Confederacy possible in the first place.

Wilhuf's arrival derailed Gideon's train of thought. His brother vanished into the fresher before leaving it a short time later, carrying a towel he used on his face and damp hair.

"That bad?" Gideon asked.

"It was enlightening to see what has been happening since we were cut off," Wilhuf allowed in a tone drier than Tatooine's deserts." The odds that this war will end without resolution are disturbingly high. It's either that Veil gets lucky, or both sides fall apart out of exhaustion."

That statement got Gideon's undivided attention. He leaned forward and let go of the tablet so it fell on the couch beside him.

"Give me the high points, brother."

Wilhuf dragged himself to a nearby armchair and sat down, making himself comfortable.

"Everyone is aware of the best military course of action, and it is politically impossible to carry it out," Wilhuf ground out. "There are over two hundred confirmed Core Worlds with droid army groups deployed on them. The GAR will have to deploy a tremendous amount of material and logistics assets to retake them instead of dedicating its efforts to reducing the Separatists' naval forces. This, combined with the loss of Kamino and all cloning operations they had in their region, is creating shortages in trained personnel – both infantry and crew. Freshly raised formations will be inexperienced and suffer a disproportionate number of casualties in any engagement, making victories that much more expensive."

Gideon grimaced at that.

"Volunteers and conscripts. Either way, many of those doing the dying now will be people who matter. The price for victory will be much higher now that it's not expendable Clones or people from the local militaries doing most of the dying," the Governor concluded.

"That's the first big factor. Admiral Trench managed to extract most of the naval forces he had in the Core intact. For all its success, Veil's operation was paid in blood. I have it on good authority that we won't see another offensive receive anything like the support Star Hammer did. Too many ships from Core System Defense Fleets were destroyed or crippled in the fighting for the powers that be to risk what they have left or any new construction," Wilhuf spat in disgust. "The core of the Separatist navy is intact, and with their droids, they don't have issues with training crews. That is yet another factor that would make winning more expensive."

Gideon closed his eyes, analyzing how this new information impacted the Alliance. Wilhuf pointedly didn't say that some in the Core would be ready to sacrifice the Rim for a peace that would buy them time to prepare for round two. After all, he had too many damn confirmations now that if it wasn't for Veil and his latest crazy plan that worked, right now, the Mid-Rim Alliance might be standing alone.

"Brother, I need you to speak with your contacts in the GAR. Get me a private meeting with Veil and the Chancellor. We need to discuss our future."