<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Calna Munn City<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> This place is a powder keg!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
Ciscero had seen the extreme poverty the general population experienced with the stoicism that went with being in Imperial work.
"Mosti, what have you gotten us into?" Carlotta's retainer angrily said, as they made their way to the plush buildings near the center of town.
"The future," Ciscero responded, noting that even a blind man could sense the dispair that hung over everything.
Two men and a woman were fighting over the halves of some domestic pet with great determination.
Carlotta looked on with silent curiosity, her spoiled nature quieted by the sights.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Yes, take a great look you fool of a girl. This is what the future holds for most..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
They passed through a fancy checkpoint and into a gated community. A community for the privileged of Agamar.
Soldiers lined the walls in growing numbers, as if the rich on the planet were aware of the powder keg about to go out.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> But it's hard to empathize when you have everything at your grasp. It's only when you have it stripped from you when one starts to truly see the horrors of having to do without.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
When they were situated in their rooms, the chill in the room a refreshing experience from the lurking humidity and stench outside.
"I feel like I must shower by walking outside," the Naboo retainer commented, and then turned to Ciscero.
"Now..<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Uncle<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Motsi. Could you provide an explanation as to why you brought us to this godforsaken planet?"
Ciscero only smiled as he picked up a piece of fruit off the table before answering. "Quite simply, Sir, because the family now owns a great deal of stock in this world's major export industries."
"WHAT???" the retainer shouted?
"Are you mad? Do you see what's going on out there?"
"Class struggle. The worker will get his due," Ciscero said, slightly grinning knowing he was egging the family guardian into a frenzy.
"This planet is going to experience a civil war between classes alright. The productivity of this planet is almost nonexistent! If the rich win, it will remain so..and with fewer workers."
"And if the poor win?" Carlotta asked, which surprised Ciscero.
"Then, my dear, I am sorry to say they will not know how to govern themselves with any semblence of order." The guardian looked straight at Ciscero.
"And Motsi just tossed away a great portion of our money. Money, I might add, that we will need for your coming election."
"Motsi? Is it true you do not want me to win?" the little girl asked.
Ciscero's eyes grew serious. "On the contrary, Carlotta, I would like you to very much win. But winning isn't everything..if you cannot hold onto it. The leaders of this world think of themselves as winners but tell me, are they really winning?"
"No.." the girl answered looking out their highrise building.
"If your people are not happy, how long do you think they will put up with it?"
"Naboo is not like that!" the guardian snapped.
"Everybody who grows hungry eventually becomes desperate, no matter their race." Ciscero said with a conviction born of experience.
"Quite an expensive lesson, wouldn't you say Motsi?" the guardian said.
"You have front row tickets to a government's greatest disaster."
"We have the Jedi.." the girl started.
"Yes. That is one strength we have. But it is one we cannot rely on."
"But..?"
"Reason it out, darling. The Jedi claim to be the guardians of peace and justice not only on Naboo but in the galaxy. But there are too few of them. They cannot be everywhere at once."
"They certainly are not here.." the girl concluded.
"No.." Ciscero said, "The Jedi will fight to protect you. Or at least I do hope they will when you get elected. However, Carlotta, think. We cannot rely on the Jedi to always solve our problems. You cannot always rely on others to give you the answers."
"That's like cheating.." the girl said, and Ciscero's eyes brightened.
"And cheating is not only morally wrong." the guardian started, not wanting Motsi to get all the credit for teaching something to this aspiring queen, "It does not help you learn the lessons you need to learn."
"But... Why did you throw our money away, Motsi?" the girl asked and the guardian smiled, his eyes saying... <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Yes, I'd like to know that too..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
Ciscero's eyes grinned for he knew the guardian would not like his answer. He walked over and stood near the window to look out with the young girl.
"Because I think the poor will win this fight. By buying shares of stock in certain companies, it keeps the poor in work a little while longer. That is something a poor man appreciates. Steady work and steady pay.... and because I think that the poor will have other's help them."
"Who?" both the girl and her guardian chimed in unison.
Ciscero pulled out a flyer he had taken from the side of some building. It was old but still distinguishable.
It held the words, "FREEDOM!" and a faded symbol of the Empire behind it. "They may be talking to the Empire to gain outside recognition."
"If they gain Imperial recognition..." the guardian started.
"The market will remain steady and grow. The family will make more than enough money to win an election."
"But.. but.. the Empire?"
"Another lesson, Carlotta. Sometimes, one has to go with their gut and take a risk. I don't love the Empire, but I respect the stability it stands for...and this world could use stability."
As if to punctuate his words, weapons fire suddenly erupted down below.
"WAR! It's war!" some shouts in the hall of the highrise building came through the room.
From the news reports it looked like no one knew what set the conflagration off, but both sides were determined to finish it.
The people taxed beyond their means struck with a savagry previously unknown to Agamar and the higher citizenry fought with grim determination to protect their crumbling, privileged way of life.
For days the fighting when on, the building struck repeatedly forcing Motsi, Carlotta and her guardian to go to lower levels.
"Wh..when will it stop, Motsi? Why .. why can't they find peace?"
"They hate too much... Carlotta. They hate to much."
"Look!" the guardian shouted.
In the distance, shuttles were descending. Ciscero snatched some nearby lens and zoomed on the ships.
"Their Imperial!" he said rather excitedly.
The girl was going to shout in exclamation when Ciscero clamped down on her mouth. "Remember whose camp you are in." he whispered. Even the guardian nodded at that.
Inwardly, the Imperial agent smiled.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The markings on those shuttles show General Ming's division. The old goat finally got himself out of Carida. Well bully for him! This fighting will be over quickly enough if he has anything to say about it..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> This place is a powder keg!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
Ciscero had seen the extreme poverty the general population experienced with the stoicism that went with being in Imperial work.
"Mosti, what have you gotten us into?" Carlotta's retainer angrily said, as they made their way to the plush buildings near the center of town.
"The future," Ciscero responded, noting that even a blind man could sense the dispair that hung over everything.
Two men and a woman were fighting over the halves of some domestic pet with great determination.
Carlotta looked on with silent curiosity, her spoiled nature quieted by the sights.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Yes, take a great look you fool of a girl. This is what the future holds for most..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
They passed through a fancy checkpoint and into a gated community. A community for the privileged of Agamar.
Soldiers lined the walls in growing numbers, as if the rich on the planet were aware of the powder keg about to go out.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> But it's hard to empathize when you have everything at your grasp. It's only when you have it stripped from you when one starts to truly see the horrors of having to do without.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
When they were situated in their rooms, the chill in the room a refreshing experience from the lurking humidity and stench outside.
"I feel like I must shower by walking outside," the Naboo retainer commented, and then turned to Ciscero.
"Now..<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Uncle<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Motsi. Could you provide an explanation as to why you brought us to this godforsaken planet?"
Ciscero only smiled as he picked up a piece of fruit off the table before answering. "Quite simply, Sir, because the family now owns a great deal of stock in this world's major export industries."
"WHAT???" the retainer shouted?
"Are you mad? Do you see what's going on out there?"
"Class struggle. The worker will get his due," Ciscero said, slightly grinning knowing he was egging the family guardian into a frenzy.
"This planet is going to experience a civil war between classes alright. The productivity of this planet is almost nonexistent! If the rich win, it will remain so..and with fewer workers."
"And if the poor win?" Carlotta asked, which surprised Ciscero.
"Then, my dear, I am sorry to say they will not know how to govern themselves with any semblence of order." The guardian looked straight at Ciscero.
"And Motsi just tossed away a great portion of our money. Money, I might add, that we will need for your coming election."
"Motsi? Is it true you do not want me to win?" the little girl asked.
Ciscero's eyes grew serious. "On the contrary, Carlotta, I would like you to very much win. But winning isn't everything..if you cannot hold onto it. The leaders of this world think of themselves as winners but tell me, are they really winning?"
"No.." the girl answered looking out their highrise building.
"If your people are not happy, how long do you think they will put up with it?"
"Naboo is not like that!" the guardian snapped.
"Everybody who grows hungry eventually becomes desperate, no matter their race." Ciscero said with a conviction born of experience.
"Quite an expensive lesson, wouldn't you say Motsi?" the guardian said.
"You have front row tickets to a government's greatest disaster."
"We have the Jedi.." the girl started.
"Yes. That is one strength we have. But it is one we cannot rely on."
"But..?"
"Reason it out, darling. The Jedi claim to be the guardians of peace and justice not only on Naboo but in the galaxy. But there are too few of them. They cannot be everywhere at once."
"They certainly are not here.." the girl concluded.
"No.." Ciscero said, "The Jedi will fight to protect you. Or at least I do hope they will when you get elected. However, Carlotta, think. We cannot rely on the Jedi to always solve our problems. You cannot always rely on others to give you the answers."
"That's like cheating.." the girl said, and Ciscero's eyes brightened.
"And cheating is not only morally wrong." the guardian started, not wanting Motsi to get all the credit for teaching something to this aspiring queen, "It does not help you learn the lessons you need to learn."
"But... Why did you throw our money away, Motsi?" the girl asked and the guardian smiled, his eyes saying... <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Yes, I'd like to know that too..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
Ciscero's eyes grinned for he knew the guardian would not like his answer. He walked over and stood near the window to look out with the young girl.
"Because I think the poor will win this fight. By buying shares of stock in certain companies, it keeps the poor in work a little while longer. That is something a poor man appreciates. Steady work and steady pay.... and because I think that the poor will have other's help them."
"Who?" both the girl and her guardian chimed in unison.
Ciscero pulled out a flyer he had taken from the side of some building. It was old but still distinguishable.
It held the words, "FREEDOM!" and a faded symbol of the Empire behind it. "They may be talking to the Empire to gain outside recognition."
"If they gain Imperial recognition..." the guardian started.
"The market will remain steady and grow. The family will make more than enough money to win an election."
"But.. but.. the Empire?"
"Another lesson, Carlotta. Sometimes, one has to go with their gut and take a risk. I don't love the Empire, but I respect the stability it stands for...and this world could use stability."
As if to punctuate his words, weapons fire suddenly erupted down below.
"WAR! It's war!" some shouts in the hall of the highrise building came through the room.
From the news reports it looked like no one knew what set the conflagration off, but both sides were determined to finish it.
The people taxed beyond their means struck with a savagry previously unknown to Agamar and the higher citizenry fought with grim determination to protect their crumbling, privileged way of life.
For days the fighting when on, the building struck repeatedly forcing Motsi, Carlotta and her guardian to go to lower levels.
"Wh..when will it stop, Motsi? Why .. why can't they find peace?"
"They hate too much... Carlotta. They hate to much."
"Look!" the guardian shouted.
In the distance, shuttles were descending. Ciscero snatched some nearby lens and zoomed on the ships.
"Their Imperial!" he said rather excitedly.
The girl was going to shout in exclamation when Ciscero clamped down on her mouth. "Remember whose camp you are in." he whispered. Even the guardian nodded at that.
Inwardly, the Imperial agent smiled.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The markings on those shuttles show General Ming's division. The old goat finally got himself out of Carida. Well bully for him! This fighting will be over quickly enough if he has anything to say about it..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->