2007-10-18 - The Future of Ord Mantell

Coruscant: West Tower of the Palace - The Senate of the Republic
This building is a wide, low circle of silver durasteel, overlooking itself with four floors of balconies. On every balcony flags of the Republic hang red and sharp next to flags from all over the galaxy and soft subtle light from hidden alcoves gives the place a feeling of quiet that it rarely sees.
Further back the balconies are supported by great heavy columns, obscuring the towering walls in shadow. The space is enormous: capable, at a glance, of holding more than a hundred thousand sentients comfortably. The balconies themselves are unfurnished.
Down the middle of the bottom floor a dark red carpet runs from the main entrance of the building, across the long floor to the foot of a well-lit white dias. Upon the dias is a light silver chair, and on its high back is the sigil of the Republic. Behind it a vertical slash of glass rises up like a wild brush-stroke to break the continuity of all four floors of the balcony: the building's only window.
The bottom floor descends in four circular steps, making a sort of stage of the lowest platform. This cylindrical recession is well lit with white lamps set in the step above it, and the red carpet spreads here to fill the circle in the center of the room.
Despite the building's size, it is always crowded. Senators and bureaucrats come and go from here at all hours of the day and night. Informal debate and political scheming fill the hall when legitimate government does not.
Bail Organa hurries through the Senate Chamber, stopping to shake the hand of a tall Duros. He bows to the fellow sentient and exchanges some small joke which has him laughing as he strides confidently towards the Western Doors of the Senate.
Viceroy Antilles is standing in the well of Senate, giving a speech mostly for the homeworld. Seeing the Senator from Alderaan, Antilles finishes quickly and yields the balance of his time back to the chair. "Senator Organa! Senator Organa, a word with you please," calls the Corellian as he moves quickly out of the well.
Bail Organa turns, looking over his shoulder. He smiles pleasantly to the Senator of Corellia, and draws himself up, putting forth his Leer Bird Bone Cane and bowing respectfully, and warmly.
"My Lord Antilles, I always have time. Would you care to talk en route? My business off-world concerns you."
"Of course Your Majesty." Ksar matches Organa's pace. "I seek your counsel on the Ord Mantell question. Given that Amalfiel Daving has been captured, Corellia has deployed troops back to Ord Mantell, but has not yet restored its administration. Before Corellia takes any further action, I seek advice and I would be honored to have yours."
Bail Organa smiles, and bows his head low, "I am honored, My Lord Antilles, that you would come to me for advice. It is a shame that we haven't spoken before. I was a close associate of your predecesor, Nash Dragen, and Corellia has always been an important member of the Republic, and this Senate."
He pauses in his speech, waving briefly to an elderly Twi'lek delegate, and then passes through the Western Doors, "I would like to begin by congratulating you on your speech about Mantellian Independence. I think it is the right move, and I think you are wise to support the construction of a new infrastructure in order to phase Mantell into Republic membership."
Coruscant: West Tower of the Palace - West Offices of the Senate
This long hallway runs in a subtle curve north to sorth. Its clean silver walls are ribbed at regular intervals, and bright lamps glow from the ceiling where these ribs meet overhead. A soft crimson material carpets the floor, and it is lined to the left and the right with polished gold strips.
The east wall is broken between each rib of the corridor by small, open doorways, each of which is watched by a pair of Senate Guards. The west wall is set with hundreds of doors, and above each a silver plaque has been engraved with the name and planet of a Senator.
To the north, the hallway ends in an open doorway leading outside, while the hallways ends abruptly to the south in a floor-to-ceiling window that looks across the open skies to the Palace Fountains and the glittering City below.
The Corellian gives his Alderaanian counterpart a long head bow. "I must admit. My initial view was to free Ord Mantell. But after Daving betrayed my trust, I became a bit wrathful. But now, I see it as Corellia's duty to act as steward to Ord Mantell, not overlord. I hope I can count on Your Majesty's support for the Republic's help in restoring Ord Mantell's fortunes before Corellia grants independence?"
"Perhaps I can do better than that," Organa says. He smiles charmingly to the Corellian, and pulls out a small communicator, "Captain Draven, please head back to the ship. Senator Antilles and I will be proceeding to Alderaan."
"I have a package to pick up there, Senator... and depending on how the pick up goes, the infrastructure of Ord Mantell may be restored sooner than we think," Bail says. He holds up his cane, and motions to the landing pad to the North. He then proceeds.
Coruscant: West Tower of the Palace - Private Senatorial Landing Pad
A broad shelf of silver durasteel, dulled with long use, extends from the side of the Senate Building and around north, well out of the way of the government's chamber above. The platform is simple and unadorned, but it is a hubbub of activity. Leaders from worlds all over the Republic land and depart again, and the open space is often crowded with trains of droids hauling luggage to or from a ship. Amidst it all efficient members of the Senate Guard guide incoming vessels and help to coordinate adequete parking.
At the two furthest corners of the platform large turbo-laser cannons stand vigilant, their barrels pointed straight skyward. Beyond these the skyline of Coruscant opens up before those privledged enough to enjoy such a view: a kilometer above the heights of the City-Proper. From here it is an shimmering sea of light.
Still following Senator Organa, Antilles walks out onto the Senate's skyport. "Of course, my schedule is currently open. Please lead the way."
A young man leaps up at the Senators' entrances and steps into position, pressing a button to open the door to the Alderaanian Limousine parked beside Ksar's own Telos class shuttle. Bail smiles to the man, and nods to him, as he boards the Limousine.
"You see, Senator Antilles, Amalfiel Daving has been caught. He is awaiting transfer to my custody on Alderaan right now. And I have reason to believe that the Jedi brought him in-- not a Bounty Hunter. Which would mean that the would-be Bounty could be applied to more fruitful tasks... like building up Ord Mantell."
Royal Alderaan Alpha: Cockpit
Ksar's eyes open a little wide at that statement as the Corellian takes a seat next to Bail. "Indeed! Indeed. How much was the bounty on Amalfielf? It must be too generous!"
Bail Organa leans back, settling into a well-cushioned chair, and presses a button, "Take us to the Triumph, Taloga."
"Yes, Your Majesty," comes the crisp, professional droll of a reply.
Bail reachs over to the in-cab bar, and pours himself a glittering silvery drink over ice. Outside, the Limousine slips up into the sky, and the swirling, sparkling traffic of Coruscant quickly surrounds the aircar. "Would you care for a drink, My Lord Antilles? The Alderaanian glitter vodka is quite nice."
The Alderaanian executive lifts his glas to his lips and sips thoughtfully, looking out at the madness of technology that is Coruscant as the aircar swirls down slowly to a parked capital ship on the West Tower's landing pad, "It was a trifle. But Alderaan would be willing to give even more support. What we should really do, is put it forward as a motion in the Senate. Set certain milestones that the Mantellian government would have to meet before the Senate promoted it for full membership to the Supreme Court. I could garner a lot of support for you on the Senate if you were to bring up such a motion... and then who knows how much assistance the people of Alderaan... and of course, I personally, could offer."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> Royal Alderaan Alpha blasts off into Coruscant: Airspace Sector 000.
The Corellian takes his glitter vodka and sips it before taking a larger drink. "The drink is delicious Your Majesty. And I thank you for the opportunity to spearhead the efforts to bring Mantell fully into the Family of the Republic."
"I understand that it can be expensive, keeping a planet secure so close to the Outer Rim. I don't want you to think that I am unsympathetic, My good My Lord," Bail says. Outside, the aircar lowers itself to the landing pad, and comes in to dock with the capital ship there, "Alderaan is peaceful, but we have acquired a fair amount of wealth in trade. We should share that with those less fortunate than ourselves... and if a resolution was passed in the Senate, we would be more than willing to go in, and match Corellia dollar for dollar on any investments into Mantell's industry, housing, and planetary security."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> Royal Alderaan Alpha lands in Coruscant: West Tower of the Palace - Public Landing Pad.<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> Royal Alderaan Alpha enters Triumph of Reason's docking bay.
Ksar nods as he finishes off his drink. "Mantell is closer of course. But Corellia itself is not that far away at all and could be even closer to the barbarians out there on the Rim. I have information that the Hutts have their eye on Mantell and are prepared to pay a hefty sum to ensure it comes under their dominion. Corellia is a wealthy planet, but recent political events and Daving's uprising on Mantell have drained our treasury from what it recently was."
The door to the Limousine opens with a hiss, and Bail drain his own drink, placing the glass in the sink before he steps out into the hangar of his ship, "Indeed, I quite imagine it would have. But come... we should think on happier matters. The Hutts remain in the Outer Rim, and now the Galaxy has become a safer place. Amalfiel Daving is about to be in our custody."
Triumph of Reason: Hangar Deck
"A fine ship Your Majesty has." The Corellian looks around admiringly. "What will happen to Daving?"
"He will stand trial," Bail replies siply, his cane tapping on the deck of his ship as he makes his way to the repulsorlift, "And, if he has any sense, he will allow me to defend him with a guilty plea, and get himself life in prison rather than a firing squad."
Triumph of Reason: Bridge
A look of resignation passes over Ksar's face but then a grin comes. "If it must be, it must be."
"What would you prefer, My Lord?" Bail asks curiously.
End of scene.
Category:October 2007 RP Logs