Across the galaxy, people began to watch. From a small group of Noghri farmers gathered round a propped up screen on Leritor, to massed crowds in the streets of New Dubrillion watching on a vast town-square display hanging from a mighty tower. From the Verpine of Roche to the bankers of Bonadan. From the spires of Coruscant's halls of power to the deep mountain halls of the Azguardian warriors. From the crew-pits of gleaming new Claymore battle-cruisers to the lone, cold outposts in Hoth's eternal winter.
From the Coalition to the Empire, from Wildspace to the Unknown Regions, from one side of the galaxy to the other, people began to watch as Regrad - Prime Minister of the New Galactic Coalition - ascended the last few steps to the podium erected on a jutting platform before a vast crowd and the Coalition Command Tower, a tower that reached up into the sky and touched the setting sun behind him. The Prime Minister was as ever an enigmatic figure to observe, of an alien race few had met face to face and even fewer had interacted with. He was grey, and gaunt, his face creased and his robes of state bound tightly around him as a steely look was set upon his features. About him stood officials from the tower, including officers and ministers, waiting in silence.
Finally, he spoke. "Gentlebeings of the galaxy. I come before you today as Regrad, Prime Minister of the New Galactic Coalition, to speak of the Coalition for which I stand, the galaxy in which we live, and the vision for which we fight. It is a vision for the Coalition, a vision for the galaxy, a hope I hold dearly in these dark days.
"I forsee a day that may come where the galaxy is no longer fractured, where war no longer wracks its' worlds and persecution no longer hounds its' people. I have a vision of a galaxy not simply united and not simply no longer at war - I have a vision of a galaxy at peace! A galaxy not just free of the wars of soldiers, but of the wars of races, of beliefs, of rulers against the ruled and of Order against Freedom.
"I believe this vision can come to pass, and even in these darkening days with war ever-present on the horizon, I believe there is still hope to see this vision in our galaxy. There is still a hope in the Coalition, still a hope in the galaxy, and still a hope in it's people that we can achieve what has for more than forty years been denied - the birthright of every sentient in the galaxy, the rights to freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness irregardless of species, gender, belief, heritage, creed or faith.
"Even now hope endures for this vison, with the dark shadows of continued strife and pain circling ever closer, with the tempting promises of a New Order that will bring with it peace and fraternity - but that temptation must not be heeded! What they bring is exactly what is promised, Order without freedom, Order, without liberty, Order without the pursuit of happiness and Order without peace. The masters of the New Order lash out and rage and bite, but in the end, for all their rhetorical claims and their elaborate promises that submitting to Order will lead to a better life for all, all they offer is Order, and it is a cold and heartless Order that believes in nothing but it's own survival. For the citizens of the galaxy to submit now is to betray everything that we know is right, that we have known from the Republics that is right - it is to betray ourselves, and submit to the easier road, the quicker road, but we will not find what we seek there.
"It is easier to say these things, however, than it is to act. It is easy to say that there is a vision for the galaxy, to say that there is still hope in the hearts of it's citizens, but it is far harder to act on it and even continued resistance is painful. As the people suffer and the galaxy is torn apart from within, we must stay strong and stand together again, for only through our rejection of the temptations of Order shall we overcome, and find ourselves once more in the light of Peace.
"There are those who doubt my words, and there are others in whose hearts my words will sow doubt - I ask of you, if there is any doubt of any kind in your hearts, seek the truth out of your own accord. Seek it in the ruins of the planet Dubrillion, that dared to stand independant of the Empire and was reduced to ashes, survivors fleeing to the city of New Dubrillion on Rattatak. Seek it in the wreckage that still orbits the world of Tynna after the Empire tried to storm it and claim it from it's soverign place in the Coalition by force, only to be driven back bloodily with many unnecessary losses on both sides. Seek it at Roche, where the Verpine were terrorized and coerced by Imperial armed forces who thought nothing of firing on their asteroid homes to try and steer them away from their own decisions. Seek it at Bimmisari, where the Empire unleased new weapons of war on the defenders for no other reason than to spread death and mayhem. Seek the truth, and in finding it, face your doubts and consider what truth still remains in the New Order and it's promises.
"There are yet other terrors that lurk in this galaxy, from the terrorist cells of the Union to the harsh and isolationist Black Dragon Empire to even a new race of strange and enigmatic conquerors who wiped out the people of Kiyar and the Coalition relief effort of that world. Against so many terrors and their suffering, what hope can there be? What vision can stand against such numberless hordes of horror?
"The truth is, however, that it is we who outnumber them. This vision that I speak of, a vision of a free and united galaxy, of peace and cooperation, is one shared in the hearts of people from every walk of life on every world where life exists and people live. It is in the hearts of the subjects of the Empire and the hearts of those subjected by the Black Dragons. It is the same vision that has been followed by good people since the first civilization rose. Our numbers are countless, our strength infinite, our vision on the cusp of reality. The only thing that stands in the way of this galaxy of peace are the masters of Order, wether it be the New Order of the Empire or the religious orders of the Black Dragons or any other Order that proffesses the interests of the people and yet pits good people against each other.
"This is where the action behind my words comes from. This is where we win this vision of peace and fellowship. This place, in the hearts of all, where the desire for those things denied by Order, is where the battle is to be fought for the heart of the galaxy. I ask, nay I plead of you throughout the galaxy, to join this battle of spirit, to reject the Order and embrace instead a vision of what once was, of what could be, of a peace of nations and societies, of a freedom of spirit and mind. Do not bend to the will of Order, do not bow to the wrath of Order, find your strength instead in the hope of a vision, a vision of a galaxy united not by strength of arms or force of will, but by this vision that we share, by this desire for peace and for freedom.
"With this battlecry, shall I rally the Coalition. We have rebuilt our nations, we have regained our strength slowly and methodically. Where war had ravaged, we have healed. Where tragedy had befallen, we have lifted spirits. United in heart and mind, I shall not rest until the galaxy is free to take up it's vision and it's people free to follow it. We will not bow to the aggressions of Order nor to it's threats of war. We will not bend to it's will nor it's agenda. Here shall the line be drawn where we shall say 'Not one step further!' and take back the galaxy, take back the people, from these masters of Order that have ensnared it.
"In the fading light of this long day, shall follow a terrible darkness. Through this darkness we shall have to percivere, and it cannot be done alone. The hope for this vision lies in the hearts of everyone in the galaxy, and only through your rising shall the hope outlast the dark night of Order. But it is a finite night! For ever day, for every hour, for every minute that passess, it becomes closer to that glorious time when the Order is rejected and a new dawn of peace shall fall upon all the people of the galaxy. I call on everyone, from the tribes of Rattatak to the officials of Coruscant, from the nobles of Corellia to the soldiers of Azguard, from the bankers of Munnilist to the artists of Mon Calamari, I call on you all to look within yourselves and look across the galaxy and look to the Order and finally look to the vision - the vision that you all know well, for it is the vision you find in your heart - and decide what must be done in this galaxy. For my part, I shall return to my own vision, and I shall labour every hour sent to me to make it come to pass, a galaxy of freedom, of liberty, of fellowship, and of Peace. Good night."
With that, the Prime Minister bowed, and departed, as a roar of cheers swelled to meet him.
From the Coalition to the Empire, from Wildspace to the Unknown Regions, from one side of the galaxy to the other, people began to watch as Regrad - Prime Minister of the New Galactic Coalition - ascended the last few steps to the podium erected on a jutting platform before a vast crowd and the Coalition Command Tower, a tower that reached up into the sky and touched the setting sun behind him. The Prime Minister was as ever an enigmatic figure to observe, of an alien race few had met face to face and even fewer had interacted with. He was grey, and gaunt, his face creased and his robes of state bound tightly around him as a steely look was set upon his features. About him stood officials from the tower, including officers and ministers, waiting in silence.
Finally, he spoke. "Gentlebeings of the galaxy. I come before you today as Regrad, Prime Minister of the New Galactic Coalition, to speak of the Coalition for which I stand, the galaxy in which we live, and the vision for which we fight. It is a vision for the Coalition, a vision for the galaxy, a hope I hold dearly in these dark days.
"I forsee a day that may come where the galaxy is no longer fractured, where war no longer wracks its' worlds and persecution no longer hounds its' people. I have a vision of a galaxy not simply united and not simply no longer at war - I have a vision of a galaxy at peace! A galaxy not just free of the wars of soldiers, but of the wars of races, of beliefs, of rulers against the ruled and of Order against Freedom.
"I believe this vision can come to pass, and even in these darkening days with war ever-present on the horizon, I believe there is still hope to see this vision in our galaxy. There is still a hope in the Coalition, still a hope in the galaxy, and still a hope in it's people that we can achieve what has for more than forty years been denied - the birthright of every sentient in the galaxy, the rights to freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness irregardless of species, gender, belief, heritage, creed or faith.
"Even now hope endures for this vison, with the dark shadows of continued strife and pain circling ever closer, with the tempting promises of a New Order that will bring with it peace and fraternity - but that temptation must not be heeded! What they bring is exactly what is promised, Order without freedom, Order, without liberty, Order without the pursuit of happiness and Order without peace. The masters of the New Order lash out and rage and bite, but in the end, for all their rhetorical claims and their elaborate promises that submitting to Order will lead to a better life for all, all they offer is Order, and it is a cold and heartless Order that believes in nothing but it's own survival. For the citizens of the galaxy to submit now is to betray everything that we know is right, that we have known from the Republics that is right - it is to betray ourselves, and submit to the easier road, the quicker road, but we will not find what we seek there.
"It is easier to say these things, however, than it is to act. It is easy to say that there is a vision for the galaxy, to say that there is still hope in the hearts of it's citizens, but it is far harder to act on it and even continued resistance is painful. As the people suffer and the galaxy is torn apart from within, we must stay strong and stand together again, for only through our rejection of the temptations of Order shall we overcome, and find ourselves once more in the light of Peace.
"There are those who doubt my words, and there are others in whose hearts my words will sow doubt - I ask of you, if there is any doubt of any kind in your hearts, seek the truth out of your own accord. Seek it in the ruins of the planet Dubrillion, that dared to stand independant of the Empire and was reduced to ashes, survivors fleeing to the city of New Dubrillion on Rattatak. Seek it in the wreckage that still orbits the world of Tynna after the Empire tried to storm it and claim it from it's soverign place in the Coalition by force, only to be driven back bloodily with many unnecessary losses on both sides. Seek it at Roche, where the Verpine were terrorized and coerced by Imperial armed forces who thought nothing of firing on their asteroid homes to try and steer them away from their own decisions. Seek it at Bimmisari, where the Empire unleased new weapons of war on the defenders for no other reason than to spread death and mayhem. Seek the truth, and in finding it, face your doubts and consider what truth still remains in the New Order and it's promises.
"There are yet other terrors that lurk in this galaxy, from the terrorist cells of the Union to the harsh and isolationist Black Dragon Empire to even a new race of strange and enigmatic conquerors who wiped out the people of Kiyar and the Coalition relief effort of that world. Against so many terrors and their suffering, what hope can there be? What vision can stand against such numberless hordes of horror?
"The truth is, however, that it is we who outnumber them. This vision that I speak of, a vision of a free and united galaxy, of peace and cooperation, is one shared in the hearts of people from every walk of life on every world where life exists and people live. It is in the hearts of the subjects of the Empire and the hearts of those subjected by the Black Dragons. It is the same vision that has been followed by good people since the first civilization rose. Our numbers are countless, our strength infinite, our vision on the cusp of reality. The only thing that stands in the way of this galaxy of peace are the masters of Order, wether it be the New Order of the Empire or the religious orders of the Black Dragons or any other Order that proffesses the interests of the people and yet pits good people against each other.
"This is where the action behind my words comes from. This is where we win this vision of peace and fellowship. This place, in the hearts of all, where the desire for those things denied by Order, is where the battle is to be fought for the heart of the galaxy. I ask, nay I plead of you throughout the galaxy, to join this battle of spirit, to reject the Order and embrace instead a vision of what once was, of what could be, of a peace of nations and societies, of a freedom of spirit and mind. Do not bend to the will of Order, do not bow to the wrath of Order, find your strength instead in the hope of a vision, a vision of a galaxy united not by strength of arms or force of will, but by this vision that we share, by this desire for peace and for freedom.
"With this battlecry, shall I rally the Coalition. We have rebuilt our nations, we have regained our strength slowly and methodically. Where war had ravaged, we have healed. Where tragedy had befallen, we have lifted spirits. United in heart and mind, I shall not rest until the galaxy is free to take up it's vision and it's people free to follow it. We will not bow to the aggressions of Order nor to it's threats of war. We will not bend to it's will nor it's agenda. Here shall the line be drawn where we shall say 'Not one step further!' and take back the galaxy, take back the people, from these masters of Order that have ensnared it.
"In the fading light of this long day, shall follow a terrible darkness. Through this darkness we shall have to percivere, and it cannot be done alone. The hope for this vision lies in the hearts of everyone in the galaxy, and only through your rising shall the hope outlast the dark night of Order. But it is a finite night! For ever day, for every hour, for every minute that passess, it becomes closer to that glorious time when the Order is rejected and a new dawn of peace shall fall upon all the people of the galaxy. I call on everyone, from the tribes of Rattatak to the officials of Coruscant, from the nobles of Corellia to the soldiers of Azguard, from the bankers of Munnilist to the artists of Mon Calamari, I call on you all to look within yourselves and look across the galaxy and look to the Order and finally look to the vision - the vision that you all know well, for it is the vision you find in your heart - and decide what must be done in this galaxy. For my part, I shall return to my own vision, and I shall labour every hour sent to me to make it come to pass, a galaxy of freedom, of liberty, of fellowship, and of Peace. Good night."
With that, the Prime Minister bowed, and departed, as a roar of cheers swelled to meet him.
