[18 BBY]

[Secure Meeting Room, Hardened Bunker beneath Senate Buildings, Eriadu City, Eriadu, Eriadu System, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim Territories]

Our 'Interim', looking long-term, Chancellor, certainly knew how to organise events, and work them to his advantage. Or at least give the impression of that I found as I sat, with Asajj beside me as my aide, at the partially circular command table that looked like it had been always here, for the exact number of officials sitting out before our 'host'. Superior Officer was the more accurate term, as everyone was in uniform, the New Republic ones for Moff's and their Senior Aides, with our Chancellor dressed in his own black version of our white ones as Grand Moff.

'Interesting how much of the New Order mandate he's managed to maintain, even down to aesthetics, despite dropping the worst of the humanocentrism and male chauvinism' I noted idly considering the rather stark and severe layout, including the rather minimalist nature of the uniforms. Oh, humans still had the majority here, but only by a small margin, and several of their aides were either close near humans, or simply distant near humans like myself as they put it now. Bit nonsensical as we were space orcs, like a cross of humans with gamoreans, from Solem and Karksis, but it suited me down to the ground to see a fusion of the militarist pragmatism, and some lingering republicanism, than the monster that came about in another galaxy far, far, away.

Moff, and now Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Rahm Kota sat across from me, giving me a nod as I took my seat, while his aide, Quinlan Vos, gave a barely concealed glare as my aide. I gave my own polite nod back, but remain silent as I brought my hands together before me, fingers interlocked, as I gazed at the others taking their seats. Moff was an old military term, technically being a 'Republic Allied Warlord' historically, but right now it was more a stop-gap, catch-all, military position created to….well, do things really, since ranks were still be standardised, a Admiral-General-Director-Senator all rolled into one.

Really it meant 'Chancellors' Direct Subordinate and Trouble-shooter' currently, and this meeting was all about getting our marching orders….now we were all assembled to hear them. Arguments had already been made, and this was being clearly presented as a 'here are your orders' situation as data-slates were delivered to each of us, individually, and unlocked with fingerprints and personal security codes. Our personalised orders along with New Standard Tables and the like I noted as they popped open before me and I did a quick scan of the data-slate's contents. Nothing too shocking it seemed, even if I wasn't getting everything I wanted.

"Greetings, now I won't waste time with small talk. We are here to deal with organisation, and this meeting will be long enough dealing with those matters…" our Chancellor, and Grand Moff, began in his usual cold, clinical, manner as he came to stand in the centre of the slightly over half-circle….two-thirds circular?...table, hands clasped behind his back. No small-talk here it seemed as I listened to him simply jump into detail what the overall strategy was, and what our roles in it were…

'Which boils down to we are starting to centralise and standardise things. Don't fuck up. Be ruthless with piracy. Crush resistance' I noted as holograms game alive as I alternated between glancing at those holograms, checking the data-slate, and very soft, silent, words with Asajj, just like the others with their aides, while ensuring we didn't interrupted our Imperious Leader. Note-taking was important after all, but securely, and Asajj, like one or two others here, could be considered of dubious loyalty…because it was an alliance of convenience to some degree. Save turncoat now, or trying to anyway, would very much get you dead with this group.

Questions were limited to clarifications really I noted, watching as Vladimir Yanthis from the Ailon Nova Guard confirmed the limits of his authority, and desired fleet actions in the short-term. Not surprising really, and something we all clarified as we were to both coordinate with various local Senators, Magnates, and Not-Pirates, as well as handle any Amnesty granted. That was a limited affair, and very much a 'first come, first serve' for any taking it up – giving up their vessels and crews for not being killed along with a sum of credits. Cash for Slugthrowers on a large-scale really. My own question came when the details of the new 'Republic Security Bureau' was brought up.

"Just to clarify" I began as the Chancellor indicated I should speak "Moff Nils Tenant will be in charge of the successor organisation to the Judicial Forces, but essentially for the next ten to twenty standard months the organisational structure would be outsourced, or will make use of, local forces, or from some our own forces?"

"Indeed, though this is intended as a temporary measure as the current forces are created and expanded, but for now it will be in cooperation with local Moffs, Senators, and Security Forces. In regards your unspoken question, and that of Moff Kota, the active duty roster will consist of the four recommended individuals put forward by your Moff Stormcrow, and yourself Moff Kota, with both of you included for operational deployment should the situation require it. We currently do not have the resources to remove from battlefield operations. Protocols for cooperation will be provided once measures are passed through the Senate"

I nodded "Understood Sir, thank you for clarifying"

'So that's myself, Asajj, and Celeste on my side, and Kota, Vos, and Secura from the Jedi Order…tolerable since neither of us is running it, instead a close Tarkin supporter and his aide, this….Oniye Namada' I thought silently as the briefing resumed once again. No offensives thankfully….well, no major ones beyond very aggressive anti-piracy and Confederate holdout systems in our territory, along with a push towards Ukio and Molavar with the view towards later operations towards Rishi, and then beyond that to Rothana or Kamino along that galaxy jumping hyperlane….

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[18 BBY]

[Blazing Starlight, Ghtroc 720-class light freighter, near Phu System, Colonies Region, towards the Edge of the Unknown Regions]

"We're loyal to the Republic….but also Neutral! Oh, and if you hear about any Jedi….let us know!" Ahsoka Tano complained now that they were away from the world of Phu with its gambling, and then memories of Grievous and the Malevolence as they passed through that battlefield again. What had happened on Moraband….Korriban…shivered in her nightmares at times like that, almost seeing them as 'better days' now, with everything falling apart across the galaxy.

"I expect you'd fetch a fair price Ahsoka, just like I fear the likelihood of a similar reward for my own self as well" the Senator, a young human woman named Silya Shessaun who was dressed like everyone else in work cloths instead of fancy robes. Or smugglers clothes maybe….though it was better than some of the things she'd been forced to wear on missions, such as dressing as a Zygerrian slavegirl for one. This time she'd picked comfortable, not revealing, clothes because*she* was in charge of the mission and there was no Obi-wan or Skyguy around to make *suggestions* that were really orders.

The Senator sighed "And do not blame them. Everyone is being forced to make a choice, and if you can avoid making that choice by being distant to the conflict….well they merely want to be left alone. Even if they are not trustworthy either of course. But they would argue we are not either, considering the fact of us being on a secret mission and telling them untruths about who we are"

"Dangerous secret mission I might add, we can't even trust the end destination" Rex stated coming forward, looking….well, odd, with a beard and dressed in light 'swashbuckler' armour and placing down the tray of food and kaff on the table between them. Ahsoka thanked him, gladly taking the plate of not-terrible smelling or tasting food-mush in front of her.

"That's why they are sending us after all Commander Rex" Senator Shessaun replied with a smile "Acceptable losses, important enough to be seen as serious, but not known enough to be spotted like her Master and your former General, or like Bail Organa would be"

"Isn't that why were in this rustbucket and not a nicer ship?" Ahsoka huffed back, though it was more amusement than annoyance as she poked at the mush-meal with her fork, tasting it…and it wasn't too bad actually. Something to remember to have again on the journey rather than some of the 'pastes' they'd been stuck with. Clones had no sense of taste apparently.

The Senator chuckled "It's actually relatively new…second-hand, but new second-hand, and she's had a complete overhaul. It also doesn't scream Corellian like a brand new YT-series would, or draw military ships like a Consular or other light warship would"

"You speak from experience Ma'am"

"Why yes I do Commander Rex…" the woman replied seemingly agreeing with Ahsoka's silent assessment that the colourful mush was rather nice "…wasn't always a fancy-pants Senator, I was a simple girl from the Outer Rim with wrench in hand, and eyes out for danger. Whether the militarists on the other side are trustworthy or not, and they'd be silly to betray us when there is nothing to gain, we have to get there. Through all the dangers in the way. And people out here might notice little things. We are simple Outer Rim smugglers, poor honest sentients as the shanty goes"

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow "Honest smugglers?"

"It's the Rim my dear Jedi, opinions differ in the Core of course as Senator Organa would say" the Senator replied with sad chuckle, then shook her head "Its not coming from a good situation, but its sadly very common…the only option for many worlds, let alone families. We won't stand out as we are. It just means we have to avoid the other dangers, such as pirates….and people calling themselves a Navy who are actually pirates as well"

'Or Sith, or Droids' Ahsoka didn't add as she thought about seeing Barriss again, and General Stormy too to have words about corrupting her best friend. And making sure he was being a good boyfriend to her then, since *Anakin* had already been up to that. She resisted huffing and folding her arms across her chest. She' nearly had a romance and had to be super-respectful and be a Jedi first….and everyone around her was having super-secret sexy times! That was just unfair!

"Well it still beats being cooped up in the apartments. If I had to change one more diaper!" she huffed back instead, changing the subject. There'd be enough time to talk about the secret mission to get more than a few 'secret messages' over the damaged Holo-Net from the Tarkanite Senate on Eriadu. After all she had her own, other than the first, secret mission to talk to the Jedi here and see what the kriff they were thinking as it was put to her. Things were getting worrying out there in the galaxy, and they still hadn't killed the Sith Lord who'd betrayed them all, and things were getting confusing with everyone seeming to declare themselves the 'Proper' Order, and being Grandmaster.

She didn't even know who Rahm Kota was after all!

Master Yoda was Grandmaster, but he was off in the woods doing…something super-important to fight the Sith probably, and Obi-wan was now….sort of…Grandmaster. Even if she couldn't really see Obi-wan as Grandmaster, or Skyguy as a Master on the Council. She chewed and swallowed the mush. Things were confusing and dangerous these days…

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