Post by Darth Kairos on Jul 28, 2015 14:02:42 GMT
Dressed in nondescript clothing, Corran Horn slid into the seat opposite Ooryl and clasped his friend's hand.
"Ooryl," he greeted warmly. "It's good to see you."
"It is good to see you too, Corran," the Gand Findsman replied, gripping Corran's hand with strength that could - and had - crush a Stormtrooper's bucket-headed skull. "I only wish it were under better circumstances."
"Bad news, I take it? Well, in that case..." He raised a hand, signalling a serving droid over. "Lomin ale. Ooryl?"
"Not today. The news I have is bad enough."
Corran waited until the droid had returned, bringing with it a frothy amber liquid on a serving tray. Corran took a mouthful, rolled it around in his mouth, decided it was acceptable - not the best lomin, not the worst - and swallowed it. Ooryl continued talking, telling Corran of his journey from Gand, until Corran set the glass down and interlaced his fingers, attentive.
"Alright Ooryl, we're not old enough to start reminiscing about the glory days yet, so it can't be good. What's happening?"
"Is that Jedi intuition speaking, or that of a detective?" Ooryl asked in response, and Corran knew the Gand well enough to recognise the joke. He chuckled, then sobered as Ooryl began to speak. "As you know my friend, Gand straddles the border between the Obsidian Union and the fractions of the Eastern Rim still free of their grip. We have had to contend with the Obsidian Union for sometime - their pirates are an unwelcome sight, and many times their delegations have come to meet with us. The Gand had resisted, but the Union's power grows as the Alliance's power wanes."
"Their latest big assault," Corran acknowledged. "Bluster and posturing. The Union couldn't hold half of that territory, if Daala would let the fleet off the leash..."
"An overextension, to be sure, but it has raised many issues among the Gand," Ooryl continued. He seemed to slump. "Since the Union raided Coruscant four years ago, a group of Gand has gained power in our society. They have many fronts, and they hide their links well - but the Findsman are not deceived. Many of them believe in the Union cause, but many still believe in an independent Gand. Not merely our planet, but many, under the Gand's rule."
"A Gand Empire?" Corran asked, surprised. "Of a sort," Ooryl replied. "They were weak at first, held in check by the Findsmen. But we are few, and over time they have become many. Gand's respect for its Findsmen has not waned, but the influence of its Unionists has grown. Were they overt, the Gand's rulers would have dealt with them already, but I suspect they are aided by the Union and its Sith. They have presented themselves as reluctant freedom fighters, determined to ensure Gand's freedom and prosperity. Over time, the people of Gand have come to believe them, and see the Alliance as a great weight on the shoulders of the Gand. They have taken many positions in our government, and persuaded many Gand to their cause with promises of greater wealth and power."
"Already?" Corran asked, increasingly alarmed for his friend's planet. The Gand had never enjoyed a particularly democratic government, but the people's rulers had been content with one planet. A Gand empire was something entirely unprecedented. "How did they lose faith in the Alliance so quickly? Gand avoided the war, it had no need for reconstruction."
"Gand is a long way from Coruscant, Corran," Ooryl replied sadly. "Alliance presence nearby is minimal, a token force in the sector, terrified of the Union just light years away. So far from the Core, the only news that reaches Gand is easily filtered. And there is little good news coming from Coruscant in recent days."
Corran could only grunt his acknowledgement. "So why now, Ooryl? What's changed?"
"The Union's great leap forward has spurred the rulers of the Gand to action. They are calling for an independent Gand state, and many of our people now agree. What is more, they publicly intend to ask the Union for aid liberating themselves from the Alliance, establish trade relations, freedom from the Union's pirates - and the right to control their sector unchallenged, in exchange for the help of the Gand people. The Findsmen oppose this, but there is little we can do. I expect that within several weeks a Union force will rout the Alliance garrison, and a grateful Gand will sign over our lives, our rights, and hang a banner of their dead ruler in every household."
"What do you need, Ooryl?" Corran asked. "I'll do what I can. I'm still in touch with Wedge and Tycho - they might be able to muster some fleet support, convince Pellaeon to send a few ships. Luke should be able to send a few Jedi, and we'll see what the Rogues are doing."
"Thank you, Corran," Ooryl said, audibly relieved. "I knew I could count on you. I do not think you will have to ask for much. The Union is spread thinly, expecting the Alliance's response. They will not send any more ships than they believe necessary - the arrival of reinforcements should scare off any attacking forces."
"And by the time they can, Coruscant should have set the fleet out," Corran finished. "The military's raring to get at the Union full-time, they're tired of four years of border skirmishes and staring contests. Daala can't just sit by and let the Union be the wampa-under-the-bed anymore - she has to deal with them once and for all. Time might be all your people need."
"Many Gand support our Union-backed independence, but many others are aware of its true goals," Ooryl said. "I expect many Gand will be ready to aid a Union attack, but not all. If their fervour can be broken, if the Union's image of unfaltering spread is stopped-"
"Public opinion will do the best." Corran stood, draining the rest of his lomin ale and wiping his mouth. "Then there's not a moment to lose."
"Ooryl," he greeted warmly. "It's good to see you."
"It is good to see you too, Corran," the Gand Findsman replied, gripping Corran's hand with strength that could - and had - crush a Stormtrooper's bucket-headed skull. "I only wish it were under better circumstances."
"Bad news, I take it? Well, in that case..." He raised a hand, signalling a serving droid over. "Lomin ale. Ooryl?"
"Not today. The news I have is bad enough."
Corran waited until the droid had returned, bringing with it a frothy amber liquid on a serving tray. Corran took a mouthful, rolled it around in his mouth, decided it was acceptable - not the best lomin, not the worst - and swallowed it. Ooryl continued talking, telling Corran of his journey from Gand, until Corran set the glass down and interlaced his fingers, attentive.
"Alright Ooryl, we're not old enough to start reminiscing about the glory days yet, so it can't be good. What's happening?"
"Is that Jedi intuition speaking, or that of a detective?" Ooryl asked in response, and Corran knew the Gand well enough to recognise the joke. He chuckled, then sobered as Ooryl began to speak. "As you know my friend, Gand straddles the border between the Obsidian Union and the fractions of the Eastern Rim still free of their grip. We have had to contend with the Obsidian Union for sometime - their pirates are an unwelcome sight, and many times their delegations have come to meet with us. The Gand had resisted, but the Union's power grows as the Alliance's power wanes."
"Their latest big assault," Corran acknowledged. "Bluster and posturing. The Union couldn't hold half of that territory, if Daala would let the fleet off the leash..."
"An overextension, to be sure, but it has raised many issues among the Gand," Ooryl continued. He seemed to slump. "Since the Union raided Coruscant four years ago, a group of Gand has gained power in our society. They have many fronts, and they hide their links well - but the Findsman are not deceived. Many of them believe in the Union cause, but many still believe in an independent Gand. Not merely our planet, but many, under the Gand's rule."
"A Gand Empire?" Corran asked, surprised. "Of a sort," Ooryl replied. "They were weak at first, held in check by the Findsmen. But we are few, and over time they have become many. Gand's respect for its Findsmen has not waned, but the influence of its Unionists has grown. Were they overt, the Gand's rulers would have dealt with them already, but I suspect they are aided by the Union and its Sith. They have presented themselves as reluctant freedom fighters, determined to ensure Gand's freedom and prosperity. Over time, the people of Gand have come to believe them, and see the Alliance as a great weight on the shoulders of the Gand. They have taken many positions in our government, and persuaded many Gand to their cause with promises of greater wealth and power."
"Already?" Corran asked, increasingly alarmed for his friend's planet. The Gand had never enjoyed a particularly democratic government, but the people's rulers had been content with one planet. A Gand empire was something entirely unprecedented. "How did they lose faith in the Alliance so quickly? Gand avoided the war, it had no need for reconstruction."
"Gand is a long way from Coruscant, Corran," Ooryl replied sadly. "Alliance presence nearby is minimal, a token force in the sector, terrified of the Union just light years away. So far from the Core, the only news that reaches Gand is easily filtered. And there is little good news coming from Coruscant in recent days."
Corran could only grunt his acknowledgement. "So why now, Ooryl? What's changed?"
"The Union's great leap forward has spurred the rulers of the Gand to action. They are calling for an independent Gand state, and many of our people now agree. What is more, they publicly intend to ask the Union for aid liberating themselves from the Alliance, establish trade relations, freedom from the Union's pirates - and the right to control their sector unchallenged, in exchange for the help of the Gand people. The Findsmen oppose this, but there is little we can do. I expect that within several weeks a Union force will rout the Alliance garrison, and a grateful Gand will sign over our lives, our rights, and hang a banner of their dead ruler in every household."
"What do you need, Ooryl?" Corran asked. "I'll do what I can. I'm still in touch with Wedge and Tycho - they might be able to muster some fleet support, convince Pellaeon to send a few ships. Luke should be able to send a few Jedi, and we'll see what the Rogues are doing."
"Thank you, Corran," Ooryl said, audibly relieved. "I knew I could count on you. I do not think you will have to ask for much. The Union is spread thinly, expecting the Alliance's response. They will not send any more ships than they believe necessary - the arrival of reinforcements should scare off any attacking forces."
"And by the time they can, Coruscant should have set the fleet out," Corran finished. "The military's raring to get at the Union full-time, they're tired of four years of border skirmishes and staring contests. Daala can't just sit by and let the Union be the wampa-under-the-bed anymore - she has to deal with them once and for all. Time might be all your people need."
"Many Gand support our Union-backed independence, but many others are aware of its true goals," Ooryl said. "I expect many Gand will be ready to aid a Union attack, but not all. If their fervour can be broken, if the Union's image of unfaltering spread is stopped-"
"Public opinion will do the best." Corran stood, draining the rest of his lomin ale and wiping his mouth. "Then there's not a moment to lose."