Negotiations worked with those who wanted peace. Never did they seem to work when one was devoted to his own power. Never did they seem to work when one had predetermined their decision toward their own basis of rule. With the New Republic, even with the Empire, they were at least willing to lean a bit, to give up some of their power if it meant peace and sometimes prosperity in the end.
Why did the Galactic Defense Initiative choose to do battle? Why did they refuse such generous terms laid forth by Supreme Prefect Sawl? Rarely did the Chiss even offer an escape for stealing one of their star systems, and yet here Sawl was, offering just that...and was spat on.
And that was all he would grant, nothing more. He would not even open negotiations with the prefect. He wanted war.
Why would he do such a thing? Was he a coward? Was he afraid to give up power? That had to be it, there was simply no other explanation offered.
And so the Enclave prepared for war.
<font color=blue>"We have to stand up and fight!" the indigo skinned character cried out from atop a set of boxes, his facial expression growing more stern with every word. "The Galactic Defense Initiative cannot continue to rule over us! Where they have saved us from the Chiss Imperium - the Kharins - they refute our way of life! They are abolishing our heiarchy! They are enforcing commercial economy and taxation!"
Those that gathered around were listening intently, their glowing red eyes intent and focused, though deep inside they felt a fear for his speaking. What would they do to any who had these ideals and openly protested the Galactic Defense Initiative?
They were aliens. They were coming and had changed their way of life, which was perfect for those who were not Chiss on the planet, but for the majority of the population...they might as well have been run by the Empire!
"Your aristocracy does not care for you!" the Chiss cried out, continuing his speech of patriotism. "They take in your 'credits' and use them for personal gain, they are corrupted by the money put forth by the Defense Initiative, they try valiantly to supress us, but I will not be supressed! Nor shall I ever allow any of you to be opressed for as long as I live!
"How can you standfast and watch as everything you've lived for is destroyed around you? I want freedom! How many of you want it as well?"
There were mixed feelings in the crowd. Indeed all he spoke was true, but what were they going to do? Fight? What would that pull off? The whole of the Galactic Defense Initiative would simply impose harsh punishments to all those who tried a political upheavel.
"What do you expect commoners to do?" one in the crowd called out.
The speaker smiled a flash of brilliantly white ivory teeth. "I expect commoners to stand with me for what they believe in! For what all our forefathers fought and died for!" he cried out.
The speech continued with hand motions and cries and with his involving the crowd. He was a master speaker, but obviously not a master observer.
While he talked he did not notice the man slip into the shadows behind him, did not notice that his life only remained for a few more seconds.
"We cannot simply stand still and...ugh," he looked back as crimson blood began to spill from his lips. He winced slightly and the crowd stared at him in confusion. He turned around, growing increasingly dizzy and that was when they saw the knife sticking from his back.
The crowd began to scatter, screams of fright erupting from most about. Chaos began to cover the streets, and the speaker - who had died for his patriotism - fell to his stomach, the last thing his glowing eyes ever glanced at was the dirty box with which he stood on.
Chiss warfare was something beyond concept of those that were not of Chiss heritage. Where the Known Regions, as they called themselves, had studied basic science and in space battle, the Chiss had taken it a step further.
Their tactics involved everything from cloaked warfare to advanced science warfare. They could use wormholes to throw the enemy twenty thousand light years away, they could fit superlasers in Star Destroyers, and they could live in unity with one another without money.
It was something the rest of the galaxy could not even begin to fathome yet. The Chiss had come so far along in technology that any who came upon them would drop to their knees in awe, believing it to be the work of the gods.
This was just how Supreme Prefect Sawl liked it. His battleships were so well made, his crews so well trained, who could really stand up to the Chiss when they came to attack?
His position as a member of the joint chiefs of staff insured that his smarts in outsider politics would come in handy, that the enemy would have something coming to them.
The bridge was dark on his Eclipse Star Destroyer, his red eyes creating a neonic glow, reflecting off of the advanced sensors in front of him. He watched the visuals of convoy ships moving in and out of the Elysia system, where they would jump in, how far they would travel on sublights, and how they would drop off their goods before jumping out.
A perfect target indeed.</font>
Why did the Galactic Defense Initiative choose to do battle? Why did they refuse such generous terms laid forth by Supreme Prefect Sawl? Rarely did the Chiss even offer an escape for stealing one of their star systems, and yet here Sawl was, offering just that...and was spat on.
And that was all he would grant, nothing more. He would not even open negotiations with the prefect. He wanted war.
Why would he do such a thing? Was he a coward? Was he afraid to give up power? That had to be it, there was simply no other explanation offered.
And so the Enclave prepared for war.
***
<font color=blue>"We have to stand up and fight!" the indigo skinned character cried out from atop a set of boxes, his facial expression growing more stern with every word. "The Galactic Defense Initiative cannot continue to rule over us! Where they have saved us from the Chiss Imperium - the Kharins - they refute our way of life! They are abolishing our heiarchy! They are enforcing commercial economy and taxation!"
Those that gathered around were listening intently, their glowing red eyes intent and focused, though deep inside they felt a fear for his speaking. What would they do to any who had these ideals and openly protested the Galactic Defense Initiative?
They were aliens. They were coming and had changed their way of life, which was perfect for those who were not Chiss on the planet, but for the majority of the population...they might as well have been run by the Empire!
"Your aristocracy does not care for you!" the Chiss cried out, continuing his speech of patriotism. "They take in your 'credits' and use them for personal gain, they are corrupted by the money put forth by the Defense Initiative, they try valiantly to supress us, but I will not be supressed! Nor shall I ever allow any of you to be opressed for as long as I live!
"How can you standfast and watch as everything you've lived for is destroyed around you? I want freedom! How many of you want it as well?"
There were mixed feelings in the crowd. Indeed all he spoke was true, but what were they going to do? Fight? What would that pull off? The whole of the Galactic Defense Initiative would simply impose harsh punishments to all those who tried a political upheavel.
"What do you expect commoners to do?" one in the crowd called out.
The speaker smiled a flash of brilliantly white ivory teeth. "I expect commoners to stand with me for what they believe in! For what all our forefathers fought and died for!" he cried out.
The speech continued with hand motions and cries and with his involving the crowd. He was a master speaker, but obviously not a master observer.
While he talked he did not notice the man slip into the shadows behind him, did not notice that his life only remained for a few more seconds.
"We cannot simply stand still and...ugh," he looked back as crimson blood began to spill from his lips. He winced slightly and the crowd stared at him in confusion. He turned around, growing increasingly dizzy and that was when they saw the knife sticking from his back.
The crowd began to scatter, screams of fright erupting from most about. Chaos began to cover the streets, and the speaker - who had died for his patriotism - fell to his stomach, the last thing his glowing eyes ever glanced at was the dirty box with which he stood on.
***
Chiss warfare was something beyond concept of those that were not of Chiss heritage. Where the Known Regions, as they called themselves, had studied basic science and in space battle, the Chiss had taken it a step further.
Their tactics involved everything from cloaked warfare to advanced science warfare. They could use wormholes to throw the enemy twenty thousand light years away, they could fit superlasers in Star Destroyers, and they could live in unity with one another without money.
It was something the rest of the galaxy could not even begin to fathome yet. The Chiss had come so far along in technology that any who came upon them would drop to their knees in awe, believing it to be the work of the gods.
This was just how Supreme Prefect Sawl liked it. His battleships were so well made, his crews so well trained, who could really stand up to the Chiss when they came to attack?
His position as a member of the joint chiefs of staff insured that his smarts in outsider politics would come in handy, that the enemy would have something coming to them.
The bridge was dark on his Eclipse Star Destroyer, his red eyes creating a neonic glow, reflecting off of the advanced sensors in front of him. He watched the visuals of convoy ships moving in and out of the Elysia system, where they would jump in, how far they would travel on sublights, and how they would drop off their goods before jumping out.
A perfect target indeed.</font>