The following GNS post is the views and opinions of the author only. They are based on fact obtained by this author over the course of the past 12 to 18 months. Kobola merely allows this author to post this GNS and has not read it prior to its posting.
This is a sombre post. There will be no attempt to pretty it up with images or fanfare. There will be no merriment. This will be the truth and nothing more.
Amid the news and shock that followed with the Imperial take-over of Ailon Nova Guard, many have expected the unaware citizens of Ailon to be up in arms over what has transpired without their knowledge. While many, this author included, initially reacted with intense frustration and disgust, a closer examination of the “why” behind the “what” is warranted. Although many have probably read the propaganda distributed by ego-manic Tanez Kalrade as the gospel-truth, a very different picture lays behind the fanciful picture so expertly weaved by this spin doctor.
There were no joint celebrations by Ailon Nova Guard members and Imperial diplomats in the wake of this galactic event. The only rejoicing happening was within the Galatic Empire, who finally had for themselves a half decent production capacity. The stark reality is many Ailon citizens have been forced out of their home. A home they have spent years building. A home now turned into nothing more then a factory for the Empire. Kalrade and the Empire would have you believe that Ailon itself has been taken over by their tyranical rule. Alas, while they now control the former territory of Ailon and its production capacity, they have in fact not been able to purchase the people. The very heart of Ailon still beats strong. While planets and assets can be purchased for some price - loyalty and honour are not things that can ever be bought. Millenia ago the Ailon people were a scattered people, forced to abandon our home system of Ailon and set forth throughout the galaxy. Now, we are once more a scattered people. Once more we will find a new home – a new purpose. Nothing has changed, we are still Ailon.
With all this being said, who should the Ailon people turn their anger on? The Galactic Empire? As much as this author would love nothing more then to turn his full anger and wrath upon the Empire, in truth they were presented with a business opportunity and made full worth of it. It must have come with quite some delight to the Imperials to have this offer presented to them. A number times had their lead diplomat, Jarek Sankin, approached Ailon Nova Guard about leaving the Galactic Alliance and joining the Imperial Union. Their motives were quite clear when then Executor Thomas Cherokee expounded “We are more interested in your production capacity.” The laughable production capacity of the Empire, when combined with the impressive capacity once governed by Ailon, will finally bring the Empire to parity with production levels of the Galactic Alliance. From a purely economical point of view, one can not hold a business negotiation in this case against the Empire.
Should the people of Ailon then focus their anger on former leader Teyacan Quetzalxochitl? While a certain amount of anger should be applied here, it should be an anger directed at the “how” of this situation. Not informing or declaring her plans to her once loyal citizens saw many full of discontent. Her government was made by her people and not to show her respect to them for their faithful and loyal duty over many years, while forgivable – may not be easily forgotten. Yet while anger at this is somewhat justified, blaming her for taking this path is certainly the incorrect course to take. In many ways the Ailon leaders' hand was forced by the very people that once promised so much hope to not only Ailon but the galaxy at large – The Galactic Alliance. It is at this “alliance” that this author lays full blame for the happenings of the last little while and on who full anger of the Ailon people should now rest.
With the announcment that a new Emperor had risen to the throne of the Galactic Empire, the Galactic Alliance found itself in a wave of self doubt and panic. Cries of “what are we going to do with a competent Emperor in charge?” followed by “They (Galactic Empire) always had superior firepower and now they have a leader smart enough to use it” have been met with what would appear to be confusion and worry that an Emperor they genuinely seem to fear is now in control.
One would be forgiven for thinking that this wave of turmoil and confusion that has hit the Galactic Alliance is a “once of” occurance for what is publically portrayed as an effective, solid and stable alliance. One would also be forgiven for being very, very wrong. Turmoil seems to be what is at the very heart of this so called “alliance.” One need only take a cursorary glance over meeting minutes, proposals and motions to instantly see there is something wrong. So much is wrong that it is quite difficult to know where to start when discussing such matters.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle that the Galactic Alliance needs to overcome are the rifts and fractures that are highly evident between member governments. The Rogue Squadron seems to be constantly at loggerheads with numerous other members, which has even prompted a motion from the Falleen Federation to remove them entirely from the Alliance.
“The RSA leadership is incapable of rational, productive negotiation, not just with me, or with Tigris or any other people who have been here for a long time and who have a bad history with the RSA, but also with brand new GA (provisional) members who have no negative history with the RSA and are only trying to improve the GA.” - King Bisz Aldaris
However, this is not the only other rift in the Alliance. The fact that the motion to remove Rogue Squadron received at the time majority vote speaks volumes about where the faction-lines of this Alliance stand. Tied to this very concept also lay the reasons for exactly why some governments joined the Alliance in the first place.
“If NR (New Republic) were not offering us ships and [name edited out] and [name edited out] were not having a personal squabble, I highly doubt Krath would even have joined this Alliance.” - name withheld by request
It begs the question – how many Alliance members are just there for “what they can get out of it”?
If technology is the sole factor on which governments join this alliance then you have to fear for the future of the Galactic Alliance. Perhaps it is this self-centred doctrine which has led to what appears to be a lack of interest or caring developing within the Alliance. Within the past six months, two attempts at discussion regarding fixing the issues with the Alliance have been started. Both of which have now fallen into the “ignored” bin. Not even the revelation of a new Emperor which clearly was the source of much concern prompted them into action. Meetings and discussions remained idle while public concern and worry about the Empire intensified. If there was such a genuine concern one must wonder why the caring and determination to fix the Alliance is still yet lacking.
“I just don't care anymore” - Lord Marshal Lord Xias C.L.
Perhaps though the most telling quote comes from Taka Aioko, Minister of State for the New Republic:
“...we are just too busy with our own governments?”
If this is the case and the general feeling of the members of the Alliance, where they either do not care or would rather deal within their own faction – what is the point of even being in the Alliance at all? It also begs the question that if each government is too wrapped up in their own interests what sort of help and benefit could a potential new or indeed, an existing Alliance member expect?
Over one year ago Gilbert Taylor, Consul of the Triumverate Coalition, proposed a system that would see collective alliance funds move to those Alliance members that needed the help to get established and be a springboard for their development. The following comments were made regarding that proposal:
“We are not a bloody charity organization.” Lord Marshal Lord Xias C.L
“The groups who need credits should seek loans themselves” Praetor Jar-Tan Kem Triumverate Coalition
“I have to agree. This is an alliance not a charity.” Blake Firewalker, then 2IC of the now defunct Antarian Rangers
“GA should not be a charity, otherwise there will be those groups who look upon the GA as a target to acheive, whereupon entry they will have a free ride so long as their ideology aligns.” Titanes Keano Jedi Order Master
Sure. The Alliance should not be a charity to each and every faction that comes begging. However, there surely must be a distinction between charity and affording aid to allies. If a member of the Alliance can not count on aid as needed, surely it further erodes the very foundation on which an alliance should be based. It could be argued that that should be the purpose of an Alliance. It must be noted however that the Falleen Federation are very generous in this regard and take it on their own initative to attempt to help their smaller allies. Triumverate Coalition has been the recipient of much aid while The United Coalition of Rachuk has received billions of credits for their development, however only incompetent leadership could possibly account for the lack of progress this so called government has made.
Even trust, which should play such an important role in any Alliance appears to be in short supply. When the New Republic recently had a major technological break through in military technology research, which would see the Republic able to decrease the gap between the Alliance and the Imperial Union in terms of firepower on the battlefield, Allies from across the Alliance offered to allow the Republic to utilise their production capabilities so to construct as many of these “Home One Class Cruisers” in as quick a time-frame as possible. These offers were met with distrust as all production facilities were demanded to be given to the Republic and those offering use of production capacity were expected to supply all required raw materials for construction. Trust is hard to give to a supposed ally when they themselves can not and do not trust those that are able and willing to help them. For example, they would rather let a system sit idle due to their lack of manpower then allow an “ally” to develop the system for mutual benefits. The New Republic wonder why it is hard to trust them when they have a woeful record for security and every few months they have a new leadership group with new internal dynamics.
Issues of trust do not solely lay in the New Republic's court. The Jedi Order perhaps is the source of the greatest disturbance of trust in the Alliance at this time. While the Jedi pronounce publically that “The life of a Jedi is one of sacrifice” the reality is the Jedi Order is a power hungry, asset wanting group of force users who are more like the Sith then they themselves realise. “Emotions such as hate, anger, and fear are destructive and lead to the dark side, such things are banned from Jedi practice” … yet these very things are highly present in many of the Jedi Order – not to mention rumour spreading and fear mongering. The Jedi Order has clearly lost its way, even now considering non-force users to enter their ranks so that they can further grow their influence and actually attempt to establish their own government with Republic help.
“The Jedi Order is acting more like a government than a militaristic religious order.
When did you guys stop being super bad ass ninjas on speed and become paper pushers sitting in cubicles? “ - King Bisz Aldaris
This hardly sounds like the Jedi aiming to achieve “The life of a Jedi is one of sacrifice” and “We conquer emotions and materialism.”
Even the faintest thought of anything that may impact on their power within the Alliance is immediately met with loud voices and wild accusations. Not only this, but the Jedi are in fact actively spying on their so called Allies. When asked directly which of their allies the Jedi Order was spying on, the following reply was received:
“On everyone...” - Jedi's name withheld at request.
Coupled with constant questioning – and failure to believe answers received – by Jedi Council member Thragg Craghorn, with giving little to no reasoning for the questions, it is clear that the Jedi are indeed spying on their allies. If proof is needed, one only ask Jedi Craghorn who, while discussing Ailon's initial application to the Galactic Alliance with this author stated:
“It is our job within the Alliance to know what is happening in its members. We watch. From within and without.” - Thragg Craghorn.
All Alliance members should also ask themselves what the Jedi agenda is with them. How can a culture of trust prosper when the very member group who are supposed to represent “the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy” continually act in such a manner that makes those their own allies question their motives.
Recently, another issue with the Jedi Order came to light in which they attempted to not only actively interfer with Triumverate Coalitions' sovereignty and attempting to undermine their leadership – they went so far as to do this to release a Sith from captivity.
“Recently Master Aruu entered our space in an attempt to release Svith. This is utterly unacceptable and I would call for Master Aruu to be removed from the Council because of it. The Coalition command does not expect an ally to breach our space with the direct intention of scuppering what is a ratified command decision of ours... I am also fully aware that the Council has been asking my men to disobey orders and aid in releasing Svith, again utterly unacceptable.” Consul Gilbert Taylor.
“What I see though is the JO meddling with a GA gov's sovereignty and trusting a sith (out of all things) instead of one of their longest serving members. I'd be in Gil's shoes, I'd be mighty pissed as well.” - Aves Sunfel, Chief of State, New Republic.
This is clearly not the first time the Jedi Order have attempted to undermine an “ally.” Chief of State Aves Sunfel continues:
“It reminds me of another event, right out of NR's history. Edh was our CoS, I think we all know where it went, he was shown to actually be a Black Sun member and covertly working for a BS takeover of the NR along with other key NR members. They were discovered by CRI and we were able to stop it before their plans came to fruition. Edh was later on arrested in April 2009 (iirc) and put on trial. He was sentenced to prison by the JO.
“However, here is the clincher, he was not tried to NR courts but by the JO because he was force sensitive and had been captured by the JO. We asked to get him extradited to NR so he could be put on trial for the crimes he had done there, no go. We were able to give our input and one of our prosecutor helped on the case. But I do know that our Judicial Department was quite pissed over it, mainly on the long time it took for the trial to be done. One of the members of that department managed to get the actual sentencing: … So yeah, 17 months in jail should have seen him there until maximum February 2011 (as there was time already served) but frankly, general NR reception to this sentence was “what? Only?”....But earlier this year (around July or August) we were surprised to find out that Edh had been released by the JO, because of good behavior.”
However, there is a 3rd event which should raise serious concern for the Alliance. Thragg Craghorn, a Jedi Council member, actively interfered in the sovereginty of the Antarian Rangers and this meddling resulted in the Rangers being looted and finally dissloved into Blacksun. While claims of Craghorn being innocent of any wrongdoing came thick and fast from the Jedi Order and their close friends, it seems many people either thought Craghorn was indeed in on the plot against the Rangers or was played for an incompetent fool.
“I thought Thragg was not on the JO Council anymore (the TAR debacle should have been evidence enough by itself...). That last event has frankly his signature written all over it, so I'm not so sure anymore.” - Aves Sunfel, Chief of State, New Republic.
It all seems to boil down once more to yet another Alliance member apparently only focused on themselves and what is in their best interests.
“I am asking the JO Council to seriously review their actions in this and really see if they are acting in the GA's interest or in their own.” - Aves Sunfel, Chief of State, New Republic
Compounding the Alliances issues, the Ailon Nova Guard, had it not been sold out in such a hurried way, was on the verge of withdrawing from the Alliance. The formal statement had been drafted and was awaiting final approval.
“We regret to announce today that Ailon Nova Guard has decided that being a member of the Galactic Alliance is of no benefit and that, in our opinion, unless serious changes happen soon then the Alliance is headed for a very bleak future. Wanting to make changes is not enough. Unless someone is willing to stand up and draw a line in the sand – nothing will ever change. Around twelve months ago the Triumverate Coalition, New Republic and Falleen Federation had decided to present an option to the Alliance and if not accepted then they would form a new Alliance amoung themselves. Unfortunately none of these governments had the intestinal fortitude at the end of the day to actually to keep their resolve. Today, ANG carries our resolve forward.”
Unfortunately this announcement is no longer needed, yet its message still stands out very clear and to the point.
Certainly it is an important time for the Galactic Alliance. Member government want to leave, others want to but are only there for access to New Republic technology and no one seems to be able to trust the other. How many more wake up calls does the Galactic Alliance members need? They just lost one their most powerful allies in terms of economy and production – what else do they have to lose? If they want any hope, the Alliance need to listen more to good people in the Alliance such as Taka Aioko of the New Republic, Gilbert Taylor of the Coalition and finally, the Falleen Federation. They are the real power within the alliance, however pride and ego will prevent most alliance members from believing this. It is also down to each and every single government in the Alliance to be brave enough to know when enough is enough and if the only way to fix the Alliance is to leave it and start from scratch with new alliances then so be it. Whatever happens, the Alliance needs to hearken to the words of Lord Marshal Lord Xias C.L:
“Now is a fantastic (nb: sarcasm) time for the Alliance to fall apart with a competent emperor...”
All citizens of Galactic Alliance member governments need to wake up to what is happening around them. Do you want to be like the people of Ailon? Do you want to find one day that your home is gone because the alliance you put so much faith in failed you on every front? Ask your leaders and superiors what is really going on behind the closed doors of the Galactic Alliance High Command. Demand more from your leaders. Demand more from your alliance. Demand your leaders pull their heads out of whatever crevice they have deposited it into and do what is needed or else the tide of the Empire will crash upon your shores without even a passing whimper from your so called alliance.
