USH'S STAR WARS GAME- CAMPAIGN II EPISODE III (JEDI)- Revelations

"Ahh," says the Abbot. "You know little of my work, I see. Perhaps no wonder, for one of the privileged class. Oh, I hold not the matter of your birth against you, but there is much in the Galaxy one in your position does not see.

"Please... come sit with me and I shall tell you."

"I do not doubt that, Abbott," Gallagher says. "We are a sheltered family, yes?"

Gallagher seats himself with the Abbott.

"It's a large Galaxy, Mr. Klinge-Faust. Ane there are many amazing things within it. But for all its natural wonders, and for all the life that the Force breathes within, nothing is more important, to us as sentient and rational beings, than the fate of the many races and many people of the Galaxy. From one point of view, the Galaxy is a giant lifeform in of itself, and each of us its constitutent parts. Like all things, it should be kept in Balance.

"Yet this Galaxy is far from balanced. And here I talk not of great evils from without, for they are not within my purview to fight; others do that. But it is what we do to ourselves that concerns my time. It is what happens to the people of this Galaxy."

"What do you mean?" Gallagher asks.

"Poverty, Mr. Klinge-Faust. In the last ten years, the divide between rich and poor has at least doubled; by some estimates, far more. The great corporate interests of the Galaxy have grown more powerful than anyone has ever known- and it is the common being who has paid the price. There are entire planets out there, planets that are meant to be part of a great Galactic civilisation, who cannot affod to keep their citizens within homes, with no sanitation or medicial facilities. Their story goes unheard. So too does the story of thr poor within the mighty planets. In the bowls of Coruscant itself, the planet that is meant to be the shining jewel of all things civilised, lie countless millions of people living on the street. No-one will give them a second glance. No votes in the dispossessed, no money in those with none to spend.

"No-one cares any more."

"Ah, that is indeed an evil plague upon this Galaxy. My family is as charitable as it can be, yet...one family is not enough to turn the tide, I fear. I take it that the Senators you spoke with feel the same way, that it is not worth taking the time? And, just out of curiosity, which Senators?"

"Oh indeed not, which is why I deal with things on a grander scale," says Sienar. "But the war on Poverty... the War on Want itself... is never ending, For now, I am busying myself with one major campaign, and the stakes are greater than perhaps can be conceived."

"How do you intend to go about things?"

"To destroy poverty, or to win my current truggle, do you mean?"

"Both, I suppose," Gallagher says with a slight grin.

"For poverty, one can only hope and pray, and presume that others will continue the fight in future times.

"For the other... well, you don't even know what it is yet."

"One can only hope..."

"True. What might that be?"

"It's not widely known," says Sienar. "It certainly hasn't been well reported. It glides by most people. But owing to a particular set of circujstances... some failures, some increased pirate activity, some natural disasters... there is an entire quadrant of the Galaxy, the part on the other side from Coruscant, the other side from the Hutts...

"... there is the most enormous famine crisis approaching. In some parts of the quadrant the problem will be total. Entire planets that cannot live. They will starve. In fact, the dying has already started. Tens of thousands every day- a crisis too small for anyone else to even consider. But it grows, day by day. No-one wants to accept the worse, but I know it to be true! The crisis will come. And billions will die, Gallagher. Tens of billions. More. More deaths than can truly be comprehended."

(I assume he said 'Scroop' rather than 'Gallagher' 😉 )

"That's terrible!" Gallagher says.

So that's what I've been predicting...if Abbott Sienar dies, this famine will become a reality!

Gallagher sits quietly for a moment.

"I have a friend who may have predicted this famine you speak of," Gallagher says. "That is why I have been trying to talk to you, because of this friend. He predicted your death- by something other than your illness, no less- leading to this famine."

Bah, you and your aliases...

"Many have predicted such a thing," says Sienar. "I cannot let fear affect my work. The nature of things is delicately balanced at this point; the next month is crucial."

Gallagher very badly wants to tell Sienar that he's a Jedi...

"How so?"

"Well, the Galaxy is not so far gone that these things go totally unnoticed. There is a Senatorial committe that acts as a relief organisation to deal with Poverty-based Galactic emergencies, including this coming famine, the details of which they are only too well aware of.

"But the Poverty Commission is close to being a sham. Politicians take positions on such committees not because of personal dedication- such things are not the focus of their careers. They take them because positions on committee get you' kudos' among your peers, recognition, a chance to demonstrate your skills. There are hundreds of committees, and Senators move form one to another, climbing the ladder of each one that is more powerful than the last, until they are in a position to attempt to become Supreme Chancellor... the unusual circumstances of the last election not withstanding.

"So the commission is full of career politicans. Some are truly altrusistic. Some take their responsibilities on the commission seriously whilst they are there. Most only see it as a stepping stone. And all too many are patsies, manoeuvred into the position by their Corporate sponsors in order to preserve their interests.

"Only the Republic as a whole can prevent this catastrophe. And it will do that only if the Commission acts."

"How do you intend to get the Commission to act, if it is so corrupted?"

"It's not corrupted, unless that is your general view of all politics. This is simply the way things work. The adveserial view to the problem is a problem in of itself. You see, so many others who care become so angry with the failings of such bodies, that they criticise and protest... but nothing gets done., Their anger may be understandable. I am angry too, though I try not to let it get the better of me. You see, their anger wins no votes, and so saves no lives. The Senators will not be convinced by people spitting in their faces, metaphorically or literally. It needs a soft diplomatic touch, and to understand their ways.

"The system WILL act. There is no possibility that they will just stand by. That's not the problem. The problem is that the system is useless. I won't bore you with the details of the voucher system that is supposed to handle famine problems with poverty stricken worlds, or the complications caused by suppliers, transporters, buyers, and their many and varied representatives. Suffice to say that if things remains as they are, the system will be impotent to prevent the catastrophe within, I am reliably led to understand, two years.

"There must be considerable reform to the system. It must be fundamental. And it must start NOW.

"The Committee meets every year. It is normally a rubber-stamping exercise. But this year it must be different. It has taken... considerable effort, but I have ensured that this year, the committee will meet on Mandragos- the world of the Synod. We shall be the hosts to this great meeting on the matter of poverty- and the subject for the year will be the coming famine. It's my chance, young Scroop. My chance to make a difference."

(This is very interesting to read, btw)