Galactic Republic | Year of the Phoenix

[SWSF Hale]

YEAR OF THE PHOENIX  will be a storyline mini-series chronicling the first year of the restored Galactic Republic, with events beginning directly after the Battle of Coruscant leading into the launching of GCW Episode III. All the major characters/players will be featured in the "Dramatis Personae" thread for reference.

[SWSF Hale]

YEAR OF THE PHOENIX
Chapter 1: Ashes of the Wake

It is a time of great promise and hope, but yet considerable uncertainty.
With the final death blow dealt to the burgeoning Galactic Empire and its Remnants at the Battle of Coruscant,
the Galactic Republic now has a chance to turn this military victory into a political victory...
so that the galaxy may once again know peace and prosperity!

One week after the Battle of Coruscant...

In a makeshift tower looming over the construction site where the wreckage and broken material from the former Imperial Palace, there sat nearly three dozen esteemed members of what was being called the Provisional Council of the New Republic, along with nearly two dozen other members present via HoloNet. Former leaders of the Rebel Alliance, New Republic, and many other delegates from various systems were all representing their constituents in what would likely come to be known as the most historic event of the modern era: the reformation of the Galactic Republic.

At the head of the room sat three men of considerable power. In the middle was none other than Lucidius Hale, who had been proclaimed Lord Protector of the Republic for his military strategy and heroic intervention at the Battle of Coruscant. Although many had suspected his true loyalties, other progressive diplomats all agreed that promoting a former Imperial leader to such a prestigious position within the Republic not only made strategic sense, but political sense as well. It demonstrated that peace was the agenda, and that reconciliation of a broken galaxy was the chief concern.

To the right of Hale was Corellian Senator Davik Amani, who was elected to be the Moderator of the Provisional Council, and also had plans to run for President of the Galactic Senate once it became functional. Similar to Hale's circumstances, Amani found himself thrusted into a position of leadership since many key members of the New Republic had perished in the Battle of Coruscant. To Hale's left sat Jedi Master Hageshi Senshi, a relatively unknown and dark horse figure in a room concerning itself with political and economic power, but yet he was nonetheless the Headmaster of the Jedi Temple and would provide the voice of Jedi wisdom in the coming affairs.

Currently, the delegates were squabbling over strategic balances of power. The landmark Pellaeon-Mothma Treaty had brokered a galaxy-wide peace, but at considerable cost and concessions on behalf of the New Republic and Imperial Remnant. Many assets and systems were traded such that other regional powers could expand their influence. The political theory is that every system across the galaxy was given the option to declare allegiance or independent sovereignty. Most chose the neutral path, but the some half a dozen factions that had suddenly risen up in the ashes of the wake had suddenly been given the power they perhaps would not have been able to acquire for themselves had there not been a treaty.

"What do you mean we've lost Rothana?" complained Hale, over a holo conference with a council of various diplomats.

"It makes no difference. Scourge Squadron is a war machine of the Old Empire now, and without other resources to maintain their Star Destroyers, Rothana and Kamino will fall in time," replied Senator Amani. "We need to focus on the systems that have already signed the Provisonal Charter." Other delegates agreed, and Amani continued, "Corellia and Bespin stand together with Coruscant, and there is promise with Yavin IV as well, but I will let Master Senshi speak to that..."

Master Senshi stood up and walked to the center of the room. He had a powerful and commanding presence, and spoke with absolute authority. "I had heard the stories of Skywalker right when I had joined the New Republic, and immediately I was inspired. Although we have yet to recover his body from the wreckage of the Imperial Palace, we must presume him to be dead such that we can honor the New Jedi Order he embodied. To this effect we will construct a Jedi Praxeum on Yavin IV, to train a new generation of Jedi Knights. The other Jedi Masters who have come out of hiding are old and their connection to the Force has diminished, but their wisdom and instruction will serve the Jedi Order well."

One delegate raised a concern, "and what of your powers Master Senshi? What if another Sith Lord rises up to threaten the Republic again? Will you be strong enough to stop him?"

Hageshi smirked and closed his eyes and began concentrating on his environment. After just a few seconds, the entire room began to tremble as if there was a massive earthquake. Hageshi opened his eyes and let the tremor subside. "If it came down to it, I would gladly sacrifice my life as Skywalker did to save the Republic."

Hale interjected, "Master Hageshi is a man of few words, but he is dedicated to rebuilding the Jedi Temple and building the Jedi Praxeum. We cannot have a Republic without a Jedi Order, this much is certain. Now, let us continue our talks of the new Republic Capitol..."

TBC

[SWSF Hale]

YEAR OF THE PHOENIX
Chapter 2: Jump in the Fire

With the dust finally settling and the shadows of Imperial power receding,
the burgeoning Galactic Republic seeks to solidify its control over Coruscant.
Despite the initial success, news of some of the Republic's greatest heroes shakes the Provisional Council...

One month after the Battle of Coruscant...

Just a short distance away from the ground zero zone that was the former Imperial Palace, an interesting new structure was looming over Republic City. This structure was the Jedi Watchtower, and was the first building of a three-building construction project to re-establish Coruscant as the headquarters of the Jedi Order. The Watchtower was the brainchild of Jedi Master Hageshi Senshi, who decided it was necessary to bring the Jedi Order into a new era by taking advantage of new technology and human resources. If the Jedi Order was to do its job, it could not rely on Jedi Knights alone to handle every law enforcement need or diplomatic mission, no, the Order would need a powerful new tool to do its job - the Watchtower.

At the core of the Watchtower was a powerful multi-layered droid artificial intelligence that was tasked with monitoring security across Republic City. By way of aerial surveillance drones, seeker droids, and traditional law enforcement droids, the Watchtower would function as a fully automated monitoring system that kept a close eye on the public. The Provisional Council was hoping the Watchtower prototype could be implemented across the galaxy as a model for the Republic's image as being tough on public crime, such that the rule of law could prevail.

Inside the Provisional Council chambers, the ground zero cleanup efforts were finally coming to a close. However, as the ruins were cleared, some interesting discoveries were made...

"Esteemed members of the Council, it saddens me to say this, but we may have evidence of General Skywalker's status," began Master Senshi. "His lightsaber was recovered in the ruins somewhere near the dead body of Darth Algoz. What is curious is that we have yet to find Skywalker's body... and so we must presume him to be missing in action. I sense through the Force that he is still perhaps alive, but I cannot be certain."

Hale jumped in, "the best we can do at this point is to move on. I've tasked Republic Special Services with the case to determine Skywalker's status, in addition to a new case that I was just made aware of today..." Hale paused for a moment, "that we have confirmed that Princess Leia was captured alive."

Provisional Senator Lando Calrissian, representing Bespin, stepped forward, "What happened?"

"Apparently, during the Battle of Coruscant, the plan was for the Millenium Falcon to provide Luke's escape, but as the Falcon landed on one of the Imperial Palace's platforms, a team of bounty hunters descended on the ship."

"Bounty hunters!? Who?" Calrissian was angry.

"Our recovered security footage shows that this team was led by none other than Boba Fett himself, who apparently escaped his fate on Tatooine. The bounty hunters moved with extreme precision, as each of them were apparently equipped and trained by Fett. They all moved as he moves..."

"Mandalorians..." replied Calrissian.

"We're not quite sure just yet, Lando. We don't know who Boba Fett was working for."

"He wasn't working for anyone. Boba Fett had a grudge against Han... which explains his missing whereabouts."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Your initial suspcicions that Han disappeared were wrong Senator. Both General Solo and Chewbacca were killed in the resulting gunfight. This was a vengeance hit, plain and simple. Taking Princess Leia as hostage was perhaps an afterthought on behalf of Boba Fett," replied Hale.

"What happened to the Falcon?" asked Lando.

"We were unable to determine who or what piloted the Falcon, since our footage of this incident is from a considerable distance away, but somebody boarded the Falcon after the bounty hunters cleared out and took off. It could've been anyone."

"I don't believe this..." sighed Lando. "Just when I thought things were looking up."

"Our current theory is that it was Skywalker who boarded the Millenium Falcon, as he may have been acting according to plan. Seeing that the ship was open and abandoned, and scarred from blaster rifle plasma, he probably deduced that his friends were killed or taken... and so he left with the ship," responded Hale. "This is just a working theory of course, but it makes sense considering the evidence, and Skywalker's propensity to flip a situation when least expected."

"That still doesn't solve our problem: where's the Princess?" asked Lando.

"You and I both know the answer to that, but presently we don't have enough information to make any clear judgments one way or another."

"The Hutts..."

"Again Senator, we can't make any accusations just yet. It's likely Leia will turn up sometime soon in a power play. With the galaxy's current affairs, the Princess would make a considerable bargaining chip..."