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[b][center][color=BE494D]SENATOR JEH LAIRK[/color][/center][/b]
[/h1][/sup][/color][indent][sub][COLOR=BE494D][I]19 BBY[/I][/COLOR][/sub][/indent][indent][sup][right][COLOR=BE494D][b]THE DECLARATION[/b][/color][/right][/sup][/indent][hr][indent][indent][sub][COLOR=BE494D]Senate Rotunda // Galactic City[/color][/sub][/indent][/indent][indent][indent][indent][color=CD7477]Jeh Lairk's worst fear was realized when the disfigured Chancellor announced the dismantling of the Republic like he was celebrating its demise. In fact, the majority of the Senate applauded, which wasn't surprising because it meant the end of the Clone Wars. Peace was finally here... but at what cost? He should've joined in the standing ovation. After all, it was supposed to be a moment of celebration. But instead, he looked around the chamber, and partially at the Chancellor, in disgust. Why?

[color=BE494D]'This is...'[/color] Jeh stopped himself from finishing that thought as the Chancellor finished his declaration of "a new order." The final standing ovation and the last chance to join in with insignificant applause. But... he wasn't able to move his hands at all. He tried again with force, but they remained gripping the railing of his senate pod. Even as his aides and other nearby senators began to notice, his hands still remained frozen in place until the Chancellor was gone. He was finally able to let go of the railing, and they were fine as if nothing happened to them. So why did it freeze? Was it out of fear from seeing what the Jedi did to the Chancellor? Out of excitement that war was over and peace was certainly here? Or was it out of... anger?

[color=BE494D][b]'No.'[/b][/color] Jeh told himself as he left the chamber with his aides following close by. [color=BE494D]'I am just stressed out. That's it! I need to book an appointment with my masseuse and...'[/color]

Jeh stopped dead in his tracks when he remembered the Chancellor declaring that "any collaborators will suffer the same fate" as the Jedi. Any [b]collaborators[/b]. That obvious threat was directed at the Delegation of 2000 in which he was an active participant. Did it mean his life was in actual danger? If he wasn't there in person, and read the speech through the HoloNet, then he would've said no with ease. But... he was there at the chamber and felt how much hatred the Chancellor had in his words. That alone would've been concerning enough.

But, with the abolishment of the Republic, it was [b]alarming[/b].

Jeh took a deep breath before signaling his most trusted aide, Nym Breri, to come to him. Then, when he was close enough, the senator whispered, [color=BE494D]"Notify the twenty. Request an emergency meeting at once. Make sure the channel is secured."[/color]

Nym nodded and began preparations to send out the message to the twenty senators that Jeh trusted the most within the Delegation of 2000. And with his mind occupied, Jeh tried to head towards his airspeed before hearing his name being called. He turned and saw it was Jemok Fair, the senator of Lothal, with a few other senators. Domus had a huge smile on his face as he extended his hand out to Jeh, who accepted it.

[color=D2C0A8]"Peace is finally here, friend! We've won the war!"[/color]

Jeh managed to pull off a convincing smile for his friend and responded, [color=BE494D]"It's a wonderful time to celebrate peace."[/color]

[color=D2C0A8]"And celebrate, we shall!"[/color] Jemok happily proclaimed and then turned around to his senator friends, some of who Jeh knew. [color=D2C0A8]"Speaking of celebrating, we were going to head over to the cantina. I heard they were offering discounts on drinks. Want to come with us?"[/color]

[color=BE494D]"I'd love to, but I am not in the mood to get drunk. It was nice seeing you, though."[/color] Jeh declined Jemok's offer and tried to leave, but he was stopped by the Lothalite, who looked concerned about his friend.

[color=D2C0A8]"You usually don't turn down an offer like that. Are you alright?"[/color]

Jeh tried to come up with an answer until he found it rather quickly. [color=BE494D]"I just need a moment to rest after.. seeing the Chancellor for the first time after the assassination attempt. It caught me off-guard."[/color]

Jemok understood. [color=D2C0A8]"Yeah, I get it. It's extraordinary that he even survived the attempt on his life. Thankfully, the traitorous Jedi Order was swiftly punished for their crimes against the Chancellor."[/color]

In all honesty, Jeh nearly forgot what the Jedi supposedly did to the Republic until the Chancellor came into his mind. He didn't care about the other senators' opinions because it would've been the same: the Jedi betrayed the Republic and needed to be punished for it. But, for Jeh, he needed solid evidence for this alleged conspiracy. To him, it was unthinkable that the Jedi Order would've suddenly betrayed the Republic out of nowhere—especially with the war coming to an end. Then again, he did see what happened to the Chancellor at the chamber... It was impossible to fake his grey scarred body with makeup and prosthetics.

He didn't know what or who to believe in.[/color][/indent][/indent][/indent]
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