WotH-2 Chpt 15

==War on the Horizon - Chapter 15 / Book 2==
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===Weighing the Good & the Bad===
Date: November 21st, 3017 AD/27.11.7956 CRC (Coruscant Reckoning Calendar)Location: City of Raxus - Secundus, Confederacy of Independent Systems - Capital building
"We reviewed the history that you gave me," Dooku looked at me and the advisors that he had collected over the last few years. "And while it may have worked on the nations and city-states of your world when it was primitive, we are not convinced that it will necessarily work here."
 
Dooku looked at the historical advisor and gestured for him to speak.
 
"While such a stance and approach would work on the Zyggerians and other short-lived species, it's not the best approach with the The Hutts," the man gulped as he noticed every eye was on him. "They live long enough that the oldest among them was alive before the Ruusan Reformation. There is little doubt among myself and other historians and analysts that they have potentially massive fleets and weapons hidden away in case of an invasion."
 
"So what's the plan then?" I asked. "I'm contracted for y'all, and as long as you've got a decent plan, I'll follow it."
 
"If we want to collapse and bring down the Hutts then we're going to have to do two things," the young man hit his stride. "The first bit is economic warfare. We're going to have to win monetarily. We stonewall all trade goods that are intended to go through Hutt Space, we deny them access to all of the Amenities that they want. The Hutts live for their own pleasure and denying them the ability to get what they want and desire will mean that they'll start trying to find ways to change that."
 
He paused and sent out a file to the datapads in the area before making a hologram of the galaxy appear.
 
"The next step is where you, and our military, come in," he continued. "One of the big things we were able to pull from your world's history was the fact that everyone knew where the pirates docked and made port at. Well, the Hutts ensure that no truly illegal shipping goes through their world's ports. They trade with everyone, so they need to make sure that their goods look clean on the Republic's and the CIS's side. So, all of the pirate and slaver entities use ports that are off the standard hyperlanes to dock and conduct the transfer over to more 'legal' ships. Smugglers, people that lurk in the gray areas of the law without actually crossing over it. Your job is to hit every single one of those ports. Eradicate them from the galaxy, make sure that there's not a single safe port of call for any of them. The pirates won't have anywhere left to run, and the Hutts now have to pursue other methods to get what they want. That's the first and second steps."
 
"And the rest of it?" I asked, raising my eyebrow as I settled in and crossed my arms.
 
"The Confederacy Intelligence Agency has been getting in touch with a few of the Hutts that would be more amenable to our goals for that region of space. We would provide funding and weaponry to them in order to get them into seats of power."
 
"Nope," I shook my head. "Setting up dictators or trying to force people to be favorable doesn't work. It always comes back to bite the person who set them up in the ass. Either you conquer a place, or you don't. But half-assing it only leads to further problems down the road when you least need said problems."
 
"It's our most reliable option at this point," the now identified spook argued, his eyes searching for support.
 
"I like the first two steps of your tentative plan," I uncrossed my arms. "What I don't like is the thought of us starting down the path of the Confederacy deciding to form government organizations that act without oversight doing whatever they please as long as it 'benefits' the Confederacy."
 
I glared at the spook, making him shrink back.
 
"Beyond that, even if everything goes exactly as you plan it, do you know what's going to happen when we inevitably end up in a war with another power? Those puppets that you put in place will decide that while we're distracted is the perfect time to stab us in the back."
 
"We should take a recess," a junior secretary finally spoke up, breaking the pall of silence that had built up after my response. "It is clear that this subject is heavily charged with emotion. We are all agreed on the first two steps, and we can work to begin their implementation. We should table the other discussion until a later date when both sides are more prepared to argue for their case."
 
"It won't make a difference," I replied. "Either we go with that option, or we don't. But we'd best make a decision."
 
I stood and walked out of the room. I needed to clear my head. All of this sort of bullshit was reminding me of the mistakes the US had made during the Cold War; and I wasn't so sure that I would be able to stop this fledgling nation from making the same mistakes. But I'd at least do my best to try.
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===Striving for the end through death===
Date: 27.11.7956 CRC (Coruscant Reckoning Calendar)Location: Naboo, Sheev Palpatine's private residence
"We have received intelligence reports from the agents you embedded within the Confederacy," Mas Amedda reported to the chancellor as he reclined on a small chair in the sunlight of the local star. "The Confederacy seems intent on silencing all piracy operations in their space, and are planning to go after the ones that directly trade with the Hutts."
 
"Well then, we should make our more… Lucrative trading partners aware of the situation," Sheev replied. "And ensure that some of our assets from Kuat are lost to us. The longer the Confederacy has to deal with these nuisances, the more time we will be granted for us to consolidate power in the Senate."
 
"You will have to deal with threats to your hold on the Chancellor's seat," Amedda reminded him . "Your own protege Senator Amidala has been a thorn in your proposals."
 
"I will deal with her," Sheev waved his hand. "Her death will be the spark that gives birth to the beginning of the end for the Republic."
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Chapter 2-15