[19 BBY]
[Dining Room, Alderanian CR90 Corvette/Diplomatic-cruiser Tantive IV, In Service of House Organa, Republic Diplomatic Mission, In Orbit Corellia, Corellia System, Corellian Sector, Core Words Region]
"...sadly it has almost become my living space thanks to this terrible conflict, and pleasant as it may be at times...it is not comparable to the simple joys of being home" Bail replied honestly as he sat at the table for their breakfast briefing. The diplomatic mission had only arrived in orbit...well the rest of the delegation as he had been here several days preparing the groundwork for the peace talks...a few hours ago and would have time while CorSec cleared them to descend to the planet below. An ideal time to sit and discuss matters in what was the securest place available on the Republic mission's small flotilla;- his own mobile headquarters of sorts these past two years, the upgraded CR90 Corvette Tantive IV.
Fellow Senator Mon Mothma gave a sad nod at that "I know Bail, one of the unfortunate sacrifices we have all made of late...we can but hope we are successful in our efforts in the coming days"
"We can but hope Mon, the death of Count Dooku, and that monster General Grievous, might actual give us a chance at achieving a basis for a solid peace...much as I'm loath to celebrate such dark deeds, we have badly needed the victories" he replied taking a sip from the fruit juice laid in the crystal goblet before him. In truth it was more than hope;- matters were coming to serious stage right now on Coruscant as his long, long, meeting with other members of the Senate Oversight and Grand Army of the Republic had shown. Celebrations might be taking place on the streets of a great number of worlds at the Republic's recent string of victories from Bonadan to Dathomor...but the truth behind the curtains was the opposite in so many ways to the public perception.
In many ways the victory at Dathomir, and death of the Separatists major political and military leaders, had seemingly unclogged all the troubles and delays their peace mission had faced in the Senate. Not only that but it had clearly shaken members of the CIS as well considering their sudden eagerness for the talks, and willingness to compromise on certain matters. It had been clear to Bail the desperate need for why the Republic needed to end this conflict immediately; they were facing potential financial disaster, barely able to afford the current military deployments, let along those projected by the GAR and the analysts working for Office of the Supreme Chancellor. From the after effects of the destruction of Kuat, to the Senate's bailout of the Insurance industry...things were at a delicate, and perilous, stage right now.
Not only that; but the Mandalorians had risen in strength again, even if nominally allied with the Republic in the here and now. How long that would last...history, military analysts, and common-sense argued that was never a long period, and a strong Mandalore always meant a war-like and expansionist Mandalore. Just as the Hutts were reported to be building their strength and flaunting, for all the Galaxy to see, the capture of two members of the Jedi Council sent to arrest a criminal Force-User the vile slugs had been sheltering from Republic law. His own elation at the victory at Dathomir, along with the Chancellor's and everyone else present at the briefing, had swiftly given way to a cold dread, then an urgent focus, on ensuring they did not waste this opportunity. For the perseveration of the Republic Bail Organa would happily put up with smug Militarists and strutting neo-barb warlords like The Stormcrow.
"I don't think they were that bad Senator..." Jedi Knight Skywalker replied with the faintest snort of amusement perhaps "...Count Dooku was hardly innocent after all he had done, and as for Grievous...Daron did us all a massive favour in taking that murderer down. It might even be enough to bring this terrible conflict, finally, too an end as the Chancellor spoke so passionately on before we left"
"Mesa agreeings with Annies, yessa ah does..." Senator Binks bobbed his head rapidly in agreement as he sat beside Padwan Tano and Senator Amidala "...Grevious is big bombad cyborg and kill mui mui gungans. Mui mui gungans smilin now on Naboo mesa knows"
Padme Amidala smile sadly at Senator Binks, then Bail "Unfortunately I think its one death we are all, in some way, glad to hear of. War has made us this way...and the sooner it ends the better, though I fear we are placing all our responsibilities upon the shoulders of the Chancellor, and giving him little say in the matter"
Bail nodded "Yes, we are, and potentially giving up too much even if all goes well, but even that is better than breaking the stalemate by filling the void with dead bodies and broken starships. Nor will the Supreme Chancellor say no should we succeed, what's another decade of public service after all he has given already I'm sure he'll joke to us..."
What was vital right now though was calling a true ceasefire and getting the trade routes open again, temporary measures could always be amended through later negotiations "...but that is a long way down the road, even if the Separatists were the once to bring the idea forward"
"Yes, but it does feel too much like losing the fight with the leeway we have been given..." Mon Mothma murmured as food was delivered by Bail's loyal staff "...I can agree with ending martial law and restoring freedom to worlds taken in the fighting, but accepting a Separatist Senate, that's a hard thing"
"It's certainly a novel solution to the conflict I'll admit..." Bail replied taking another sipping, staring into the juice before sighing "...but it keeps them within the Republic, under several shared offices like that of the Supreme Chancellor. If we can just get them to sit down, reduce their armies, and get back trading, then we can work towards healing wounds over time till they are brought back within the fold in the years to come. Of course, we can't count our bantha takings before the market, but I'm optimistic that we can achieve something important here"
Jedi Knight, likely soon to be Jedi Master by all accounts Bail had heard, Skywalker nodded towards the viewports "I think we need too, the number of ships being built for CorSec is a surprise, though considering the number of pirate attacks of late..."
Bail nodded in agreement as the Jedi trailed off, letting Senator Amidala and her close friend engage in some spirited banter as he took a bite of his breakfast. He knew himself the situation in the Corellian yards was less the growth of piracy, than the desperate need to step in and insure the ships under-construction were completed and the builds didn't default. He, and many of the other Houses of Alderaan, had been forced to do the same in the cause of the Republic despite Alderaan's pacifism;- Corellia, for all its proclaimed neutrality, was doing all it could within that framework to support the Republic's dire financial situation.
'Of course, to be more cynical in thought, another reason is because their tradition rivals are building up their forces to avoid being turned into another Kuat' he admitted to himself glancing towards the view port once again. If worst came to worst, and the talks failed, it would at the very least buy the Republic time to reorganise itself after the series of setback of the past year, to attempted get the likes of Corellia back into the fold and, more importantly, back paying its taxes...or at the very least contributing CorSec to the fight beyond handful of mercenary units...
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[19 BBY]
[Dining Room, Confederacy of Independent Systems Diplomatic Frigate Shining Haven, Corporate Alliance Munificent-class, Confederacy of Independent Systems Diplomatic Mission, In Orbit Corellia, Corellia System, Corellian Sector, Core Words Region]
Senator Voe Atell wasn't overly happy with the current arrangement, she, not Mina Bonteri, should have been the head of delegation after all, but she would endure it she found sitting with her mug of kaff in hand "Not ideal that we allowed the Republic delegation arrive first"
Amati Fonti gave a giggle "Oh, Voe, they merely arrived and sat in traffic! Corellia are being scrupulously neutral after all"
Voe resisted an eye roll, Senator Fonti was an idiot her opinion, but she had a lot of powerful friends, and those powerful friends spoke through her right now and it would be best not to disturb things unnecessary. Not with things in the Parliament...in the Confederacy as a whole...thrown into chaos "True, perhaps, I don't like conceding anything to the Republic, even being ahead of us in that queue"
"Hmmm..." Mina Bonteri hummed in thought it seemed, nodding in agreement with Voe as they were forced to work together due to recent events "...I cannot argue with that Voe's logic, it will be a hard fought negotiation Amati"
Their Leykadian colleague By Blyss shook his head, fingers coming up to rub at his chin "Yes, yes it will, especially with our hand weakened so by the madness of the Count...whatever possessed him to do such a thing"
"Delusions of the Force it appears, but we have to pick up the pieces now By..." she replied taking a sip of her warm drink as the droids prepared their lunch "...and I am loath to accept anything short of true independence from the Senate, recent setbacks aside"
In her view these peace talks were a desperately needed time to recover from the chaos that the Confederacy had been thrown into by the deaths of both the Liberator and his most stalwart General. Why he'd lost his Force damned mind and went off to a backwards world like Dathomir was unknown, but they had, and gotten ambushed by the restored power of Mandalore and the Republic's attack rancor the Stormcrow. Not only were they dead, but the chain of command was thrown into chaos, and captured warships with that particular Republic lackey meant compromised command codes as well. Their briefing before departing had been...frank to say the least on the dire straits facing their cause right now.
Oh, their shipbuilding was up, and support being rallied, but even she had failed to realise the extent of the centralisation of command around Count Dooku and his inner council. Her own patrons in the Corporate Alliance were desperately trying to coordinate with the other important backers of the Confederate cause as the fleets and armies...stumbled and stalled due to lack of coordination in recent days. Dooku and Greivous's influence had been everywhere within the upper levels of command, the loss...to her horror, and that of the others, the briefing had revealed senior Generals and Admirals needing to be recalled to try hammer out a temporary command structure, and new command codes, to hold unto recent advances.
"Few of us are Voe, but effective independence is better than fighting more just to arrive at similar terms...I can tolerate the Chancellor as a figurehead for the Parliament, as well as the Senate, but only if those lands conquered and oppressed, like Sullust and a hundred worlds in the Outer Rim, are freed..." Mina half-agreed with a frown "...and, if we can, those pirates and scoundrels like the ORSF, the Mon Calamari fleets, and the Stormcrow are reined in"
"Yes, bad for business the war has been, credits are tight" Amati stated and Voe found herself nodding in agreement. The Corprate Alliance had gone into the conflict with objectives, but any thought of making anything other than major losses had been swiftly jettisoned as the sheer, ridiculous, cost of fight said war of independence had become apparent. Again, Count Dooku and his homeworld of Serreno had been a lynchpin in the web of finances helping bolster the Confederacy's borrowing capacity;- time was needed as ships were near construction along with new droid armies. Time was needed, and if worst came to worst and the talks failed...well, Voe would do everything possible to buy that time for the cause...
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