TIGWS: Rise of the Rebellion

Sorry it took so long! It was written, I just didn't post it. Summer was busy!

Chapter 4

“Well, that went well,” muttered Kwest as he and Lira exited the Senate room.

“We knew that would happen,” Lira pointed out.

“Yeah.”

The two walked away from the Senate building in silence.

“So that’s what we came to see?” Kwest asked.

“Well, basically. And you know we also came to meet with ‘you know who’,” Lira answered.

“Oh, yes. Where are we meeting them?”

“I contacted each of them, and we are meeting in the lower city. I have the coordinates,” Lira informed him.

“Okay. Are we going there now?” Kwest inquired.

“Yes.”

~--~

Lira and Kwest took the HC speeder to the coordinates they had been provided with. The rendezvous point was close to the Great Galeon Fountain, but in a narrow alley way.

“So we are meeting the Senator from Solero?” Kwest asked in a low voice, as they jumped out of the speeder.

“Yup, and the prime minister of Prinyone and the congresswoman of Obok,” murmured Lira.

“Well, it’s just going to be another diplomatic meeting, then,” Kwest said dryly.

“Be patient. This is really important,” Lira assured Kwest. She glanced at him. He had a sour look on his face. Kwest hated anything to do with diplomacy.

The two approached the alley way. As they neared, Lira observed that all the representatives were present. She and her partner sneaked into the cover of the shadows.

“Hello,” Lira said, bowing.

“Oh, uh, hello,” Kwest managed, also bowing.

The group of politicians returned the bows.

Aside from Lira, there was only one woman. Kwest could see that there was one human man, along with a Solerian, present.

The young woman cleared her throat. “We have only spoken through the comm, but I am the representatives to Congress from Obok. My name is Shee Neseni.”

Congresswoman Neseni was strikingly beautiful. She was about seven years older than Kwest, but he could feel himself blushing. Neseni’s silky blonde hair was cropped just above her shoulders, and her dark black eyes made Kwest feel as if she was looking right through him. Kwest blinked twice, his mouth open. Neseni was wearing a quite attractive and form-fitting, brown knee length dress.

Lira saw Kwest, and gave him an authoritative look. Kwest shrugged and ran his hand through his short light-brown hair. Lira put her hands on her hips and, looking away from her partner, smiled.

“Hello, Congresswoman Neseni,” she greeted.

“And I am the prime minister of Prinyone, Zobert Ancha,” the tall, green-eyed man said, as he stepped out of the darkness. In his black slacks and dress shirt, Ancha looked like a compelling young man. He was about Lira’s age, a little older than twenty standard years.

Pretty young to be a prime minister of my home planet, Lira thought. But then again she’d known Zobert when she was mayor of Donifer, back on Prinyone.

“Nice to see you, Lira,” Ancha commented.

Lira nodded at him in return.

“And that leaves me, the senator of Solero. I am Com Morabblis. Pleased to meet all of you,” the older alien said, his big brown eyes scanning the group. Morabblis dominated the group of small humans. He leaned down to be on eye level with them, his scales bristling as he tucked his tail behind him. Morabblis retracted his claws to shake the hand of each of the humans.

Lira remembered how feared Solerians were throughout the galaxy because of the evil bounty hunters that originated from that planet. Most Solerians were generally kind creatures, although they had a nasty temper when provoked.

“Hello to you all. It’s great to meet everyone finally. I am Lira Thell-Ellis, co-founder and one of the presidents of Zatship Drive Yards,” she said, introducing herself.

Lira had pulled back her shoulder-length dark brown hair into a loose pony-tail. But the most stunning feature was her bright blue eyes that seemed to bore into everyone, studying them.

“And I am Kwest Omarrin,” he said. “I am the co-founder and the other president of Zatship Drive Yards.”

Lira sighed. He had copied exactly what she had said. She glanced back to the politicians.

“I have called you all together because we and our governments and corporations are some of the only ones that are still loyal to the Republics,” Lira started.

And the only ones that still have half a brain, thought Kwest.

“Yes. The situation is very sad,” Morabblis added. “If you saw the so-called debate in the Senate today, no one even spoke up when the Emperor allowed the use of force against the resistances.”

“The whole dome was shaking because there are so many who favor the Empire!” Kwest put in.

“Mostly because of the bribes,” Neseni reminded them.

There was a short silence, and then Zobert Ancha spoke up. “Well Miss Thell-Ellis, what do you have in mind to do against the Dark Empire?”

Lira took a breath. “Kwest and I created a clone army and are using our resources to create--”

“Are you trying to make us go to war?!” Ancha burst out.

It’s just as security,” Kwest calmly replied, “in case the Empire attacks. No need to panic, Prime Minister. We will try to do everything we can to keep war from happening.” He had been prepared for the outburst.

“Anyway, I would like to know what you know about the Dark Empire. What have they been doing on your planets?” Lira continued.

“It’s horrific, President Thell-Ellis!” Neseni answered. “They’ve completely taken over Obok already!”

“Congresswoman Neseni is correct,” Morabblis explained. “They are seizing governments, putting protestors in prison, and then taking the loyalists and prisoners to stations to work in droid factories and garrisons.”

“They are also taking citizens who are young enough to train as troops or officers in the Dark Imperial Army!” Ancha added.

“That’s terrible,” Lira breathed, a look of despair on her face.

“And those people are treated as slaves,” the Solerian said quietly.

“Actually they just announced it,” Neseni persisted. “The Dark Empire has made a proclamation saying that all citizens above the standard age of eighteen have to do thirty-five hours of community service to the Empire every three weeks.”

“And what is this ‘community service’?” asked Lira bitterly, crossing her arms.

“Well, the only thing the Imperials said was that the citizens were ‘helping them with building, shipping, et cetera’. They didn’t say anything else, but I’m sure they won’t,” Neseni explained.

“They won’t,” Ancha said. “For now they want to gain people’s trust.”

Ancha dug his hands into his pockets.

“Plus,” Kwest put in, “since they have droids, they won’t need that much help for long.”

“This is a terrible situation. The worst I’ve seen in all my years,” Morabblis proclaimed.

“I agree.” Lira glanced at Kwest and the rest of the Loyalists.

“We need to do something!” Kwest said angrily.