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Phase 33
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Part 1
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Rumors of various Republic members curtailing military support despite the overwhelming success of Operation Star Hammer have been confirmed! Official statements from fewer than a hundred governments cite the heavy casualties their System Defense Navies suffered during the recent offensive. While they pledged continued future support, that could only happen after their navies had been rebuilt and upgraded with modern military technology.
Contrary to those official statements, sources who wish to remain anonymous claim that the real reason for withdrawing military support is the belief that General Veil intentionally sacrificed SDF units to preserve elements of the Republic navy…
Holonet News
GAR High Command issued a statement that recent events in the Core mean the Republic military won't be able to launch any new major offensive actions. We should prepare for a war that might continue for years, dashing all hopes that recent successes have turned the tide and might have heralded a rapid conclusion of hostilities…
GNN
An increasing number of serving and retired military officers all over the Republic are voicing support for Chancellor Kenobi's administration and the New Order platform it is backing.
GNN
The closed-doors meeting between Senator Skywalker of Naboo and the Emergency Council on Aargau would enter history as the first time a high-ranked Republic official, a loyalist Senator no less, openly admitted that the Republic had fallen. While the details of that meeting would largely remain classified for at least a generation, it marks a turning point in history. From then on, preparations for establishing the New Order and proclaiming the future Empire would significantly accelerate…
The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Republic, Volume X, Holonet Archive Service
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Bank of Aargau Arcology, Aargau
Zug system
Two groups of soldiers escorted Padme and Anakin to a large conference room, leading them through corridors and elevators void of bystanders. Instead of local diplomats and government representatives, everyone waiting for them flanking Zebulon Mae appeared to be wealthy CEOs.
A brief round of stiff introduction confirmed that Padme wasn't off the mark as far as her hosts were concerned, which did nothing to improve her mood. Padme concluded that that encapsulated much of what was wrong with the Republic and was a major reason for its ongoing ruination. And to think she used to believe that democracy and the rule of law reigned supreme in the cradle of civilization that was the Core….
"Senator Skywalker, we have a long list of grievances with the Republic…" Mae began as soon as the introductions were over. "After the arrogant conduct of your government and military, we would require compensation to even consider normalization of relations. If we are to ever continue backing you in your war against the Confederacy, we would require much more."
"I see…" Padme humored him while her mind went over her options. "What kind of concessions do you have in mind?"
"We have prepared a list with tax breaks and exemptions for you to review, Senator. However, we must first agree on the penalties the Republic needs to pay for grossly violating our sovereignty and highest laws," Mae kept going undeterred.
Padme had to grant him that much; he wasn't thinking small. Behind her, she could feel Anakin stiffen at the disrespect and demands. Her husband was quite angry already, and she was sure he would be angrier still by the time they heard all Mae had in mind.
Mae kept citing many violations and damages caused by the GAR units stationed on the planet when the locals went after them. In that regard, Padme honestly wasn't entirely unsympathetic. The Republic military deploying to Aargau in the way it did had been heavy-handed and short-sighted at best, outright belligerent and asking for trouble at worst. That still didn't excuse the locals for attacking like they did, especially when they did it. There was not even a shadow of a doubt in Padme's mind that the only reason they dared do it was the perceived weakness of the Republic.
It didn't help that said weakness was very much true and caused by the kind of people who smugly looked down on her in this meeting and issued demands that would undoubtedly make them wealthier at the expense of everyone else, the regular citizens of this world, and the whole sector included. Padme thought about her many talks about politics with Anakin, especially about what she used to think was his naive demand that when push came to shove, someone had to make politicians sit down and go on with the program. She used to believe that her dear husband had been merely naive about politics and blind to the danger of consolidating the kind of power that would make governments do as a higher authority told them.
As of late, circumstances had forced Padme to reevaluate her thoughts on the matter. The dangers she spoke of were genuine; that didn't change. What changed was the belief that there were enough good people in power who could be reasonably expected to do what was best for those they represented and the galaxy as a whole.
Everything that happened since Palpatine's assassination proved the Senator wrong on that point. Today was no different, and suddenly, Padme found herself at the end of her rope. She had been struggling to do the right thing in a galaxy she could scarcely recognize for a long time. Yet, what was morally right and what was best for her people were seldom the same thing. Something had to give, and it wasn't the grim reality of their situation.
"You are right, Director Mae. The Republic should have handled Aargau in a different manner. There is no excuse for the stark violations of your sovereignty and laws," Padme allowed. "We can't change the past and must accept the facts as they are. For all intents and purposes, the Republic that intentionally and foolishly broke one of your three highest principles is no more. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here, listening to your demands," Padme raised a hand when Mae opened his mouth to say something. "I haven't finished, Director," She added in a frosty tone. "If you believed the Republic had a future, you wouldn't have acted as you did. However, there is a simple fact that you seem to have missed, Director."
Padme's words came out harsher and colder than she intended them to be. That was in no small part because what she was saying aloud was an admission she had been struggling to avoid for a long time. Being forced to confront that particular truth here and now was painful and infuriating. It meant that almost everything she had been doing for over a decade was an outright failure. Her principled stands for democracy were nearly pointless gestures when compared to cold and uncaring reality.
Further, what Padme really wanted to do was to scream and vent at the short-sighted fools arrayed against her for their stupid games, which brought down the light of civilization that shone for countless years. These people she was supposed to negotiate with in good faith were the enemy as much if not more, than the Separatists. The Confederacy was at least more or less open about what it stood for and wanted to achieve!
"And what is that fact we overlooked, Senator Skywalker?" Mae demanded in a condescending tone.
Those words focused on Padme's raging mind, and she realized she had abruptly stopped talking.
"The Republic might be dead now. You and many other vultures are eager to pick up at its carcass. It doesn't matter. The war is not over, Director Mae. Chancellor Kenobi's government was established to keep fighting the war in spite of what happened to the Republic, and it will keep fighting it. Those who back our current government are in for the long haul, and like General Veil just demonstrated, it is a war we can win. The question you should be asking yourself, Director, is where you would be when the dust settles and we busy ourselves putting the galaxy back into order."
Padme was glad she avoided outright threat, considering her turbulent state of mind.
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Part 2
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Twenty-First Independent Ranger Regiment returns victorious after participating in the liberation of Corellia!
Tactics and Strategy Magazine
Upon returning home, Colonel Ahsoka Tano and her regiment will receive the highest honors of the Anaxes government and military!
Anaxes Daily News
The CEO of CorDuro Shipping, Hahani Trirlel, spearheaded a clandestine meeting between Duro's colonial leaders, Corporate CEOs, and the Corellian Diktat in the ruins of Coronet City on Corellia. News about what was discussed and any agreements that might have been reached are currently scarce.
Holonet News
Operation Star Hammer was the war's turning point, both politically and militarily. That was the Republic's last chance to redeem itself and rise to the challenge. To an outside observer and for the regular citizens, by its very nature, that offensive was an incredible display of unity and determination unseen since before Chancellor Palpatine's murder. Indeed, if the Republic was as united as it appeared, the war would have been won months ago, and the Core wouldn't have been invaded and, in part, captured by the Confederacy. The history as we know it would have been radically different.
Unfortunately, the Republic was far from as united as it seemed at the time. Any hopes for more military triumphs and a rapid conclusion of the war died shortly after Star Hammer's conclusion when many Core worlds pulled back their System Defense Forces contribution to the GAR, citing various reasons. The same was true for certain ground formations released to join the GAR for Star Hammer and the liberation of the Core.
The Republic's political leadership utterly failed in what should have been both its finest hour and that of greatest need. It rapidly became clear to anyone paying attention that the old order had utterly failed. Thus, people began looking for alternatives.
In those days, the only ones who were offering something new, compared to a return to a failed status quo, were Chancellor Kenobi and those allied to her promoting the New Order agenda. Star Hammer became a catalyst for change. Before it, the support the Kenobi administration enjoyed was shaky at best. It was concentrated among those who wanted to keep fighting the war. Yet, there was no united vision about what survival would look like, much less a victory.
The success of Star Hammer became a catalyst for change, which led to a rift between large parts of the military within the Core in particular and the surviving Republic at large, on one side, and the political leadership not aligned with the Kenobi administration…. At the same time, a broad political divide and realignment fomented between the Core Worlds invaded by the Confederacy and those that remained intact.
"The Fall of the Galactic Republic" by Lillian Solo,
first edition, Corellia
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Coronet City, Corellia
Obi-Wan shouldn't have been back on Corellia, dealing with politics. Instead, he should be in orbit or on the planet's side at one of the other Five Brothers, coordinating and commanding the liberation campaigns there. However, in this damned war, no one was getting what they wanted or, more importantly, needed.
This brief respite from the direct war effort could have been spent speaking with Ahsoka and trying to keep her away from the worst effects of her slip into the Dark Side. Obi-Wan still didn't know how she managed not to fall for good and somehow avoided becoming a monster. He had his suspicions, and they all began and ended with Veil. That constant source of headaches proved that the Jedi didn't know as much about the force in general and the Dark Side in particular as they believed they did. At least this time, the consequences weren't catastrophic.
In that regard, the best Kenobi could do in the short term was to ensure that Ahsoka and her unit had time to rest and recover at Anaxes. Ideally, he or another Jedi would find the time and capacity to aid her in recovering her balance.
More representatives arrived, bringing Obi-Wan out of his musings. He looked around and examined the area through the Force. Fortunately, there was no sense of imminent danger. However, he couldn't say that the ruined building they met at was as safe as the gathering of so many high-profile people might require. They were in a vast, somewhat intact auditorium within the CorSec Headquarters – a place that saw heavy fighting before the Corellians had to abandon it along with this part of the capital. Kenobi was sure this was why the sneaky CEO who arranged the meeting chose that place. It was a very pointed reminder of the reality of their situation and the price the war was extracting from everyone.
Most, but certainly not all, of the attendees were Duros. A handful were CEOs of major corporations who were out of the Duro system when it fell. The rest of the corporate officers were either the highest-ranked people left holding the bag after the Separatist Grand Offensive. Government leaders from Duros colonies were spread in small clusters, surrounded by diplomats and military advisers.
Finally, the Diktat arrived, leading a Corellian political, economic, and military delegation. That got the nervous and often excited chatter to die out. Their host nodded politely at the Corellians and headed for the podium, which was mostly clear of debris. However, the wall and screens behind it were still a shot-up ruin.
"I am glad you all chose to attend this meeting," Hahani Trirlel said in perfect, if slightly accented, Basic. "I see among you friends, allies, rivals, and people who, until recently, were political and economic enemies. The reality of this war makes our grievances pale compared to what is happening across the galaxy as we speak."
Murmurs of agreement rose from the gathered people. Obi-Wan could sense curiosity mixed with resignation and anticipation.
"I hope you've all done what I requested before arriving here," Tirilel continued.
This time, the emotions rippling through the crowd were vastly more varied and harder to pinpoint. What stood out to Obi-Wan was a lot of anger, deep resignation, and immense frustration mixed with a sliver of hope.
The Duros CEO waited for a few more heartbeats, carefully studying everyone with her large eyes. Her dark blue skin looked almost gray in the hastily repaired lighting of the chamber.
"We are at a crossroads," Tirilel waved at the crowd. "Not just us here, but everyone in the Republic and beyond. Until the campaign that led to the liberation of this very world, the Republic was about to die. The latest victories our people paid in for blood should have revitalized the Republic. Instead, all you need to know the truth is to take a look at the news," the Duro sneered. "Each of us has contacts offering us a deeper understanding of the situation. You should know it is worse than what the Holonet is babbling about."
Angry murmurs of agreement carried throughout the chamber.
"The Republic failed us. It failed everyone, including the damned Separatists who are murdering our people and destroying our livelihoods. It failed Corellia, and countless innocent people paid the price. It failed Duro, and each world across the galaxy suffering under the Separatists."
Obi-Wan stiffened at those words and very warily observed everyone else. The gathered people were growing angrier by the minute, and there was no hiding their agreement with the sentiment. It didn't help his peace of mind that he was the one representing the Republic in here. Yet, curiously enough, Kenobi couldn't sense danger, even if the Duro woman kept stoking the crowd's anger.
"You all know what I am talking about. We all participated in the petty games of politics, power, and money that have characterized the Republic for countless generations. Until the enemy was at our gates, we had more important concerns than the war. The same is true for those who aren't under immediate Separatist threat across the Core!"
Obi-Wan could clearly see and feel the self-loathing and the immense anger Tirilel barely had a grip on. At the same time, many people around him burned in outrage, yet more than a few briefly felt shame at the truth thrown in their faces.
"Many of us here were at the heart of the problem that brought the Republic so low that it might not even exist right now. I say, enough! We all have a monumental choice to make! Will we keep playing games that might further damn us and our people, or can we rise up to the occasion? These past weeks were proof enough for me that the old order is rotten. We let it get so bad because it benefited us, while no one cared about the consequences. Now it is time to pay the price for our blind arrogance," Tirilel paused and took a few deep breaths while the crowd rumbled before her. "I have a series of radical propositions for you. No matter what each of you might decide to do, as the CEO of CorDuro, I have chosen a new path for those in my employ. I offer my corporation's full political, economic, and military support to Chancellor Kenobi and the GAR for the war effort. I beseech you that you do the same…"
Obi-Wan stared at the CEO in shock. He didn't see this one coming, and by the look of it, there weren't many of the gathered people who did. Terilel took advantage of the shock caused by her announcement to begin outlining her propositions until the buzz of the crowd became too loud.
Kenobi clearly heard ideas of total economic mobilization, raising and equipping vast volunteer corps backed by various financial incentives backed by Corporate and Government funds. Suggestions for unified rebuilding efforts combined with a massive expansion of the military industry and shipbuilding capacity across the Duro and Corellian sectors followed. By that point, the noise was overwhelming.