Star Wars: Rise of the Battlemage - Chapter 345 - Mon Mothma and Leia Organa Interlude (Patreon)

Hey everyone! Just a warning, I will be taking off my annual summer break from the 3rd to the 7th of August. Normal posting will continue on the 10th. Thank you for your patience, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

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ALSO! This months snippet will be posted on the first of August, and will take the place of that days poll.

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Mon Mothma Interlude -

It was pretty rare for Mon Mothma to ever be alone. She slept alone and prepared for her day alone, but for the rest of her time, she was always accompanied by someone. Whether it was her personal assistant, Leia, one of her many counselors, bodyguards, or someone looking to discuss something, there was almost always someone with her.

Which made shutting herself in her room, alone, stand out even more. 

She was well aware that she shouldn't be hiding away. Her experience made it very clear that situations like these demanded rapid responses to mitigate the damage, but… she needed a moment. To breathe. To stop the reeling and spinning.

The situation had spiraled enough already, she couldn't afford to make it worse. Her efforts had failed, and now she needed to deal with the consequences.

In truth, she knew Gial would be upset. He liked Deacon Roy, thought he was a smart young man who could help stabilize the galaxy during the chaos that would follow, should the Rebellion ever succeed. He liked the Skyforged, an organization that supported its members but still worked for the betterment of the galaxy. On the surface, even she could appreciate their direction, even if she knew the truth.

She knew he would be angry, and that she would have to explain herself. She just didn't expect him to stand up and demand answers so publicly. She had expected a private argument, not to be raked over the coals in front of everyone she had gathered together. Their anger and frustration wasn't meant to be focused on her.

She had made an assumption, and it had turned out disastrously. Unfortunately, even with hindsight, she had no idea what she could have done instead. Admiral Deacon, the Skyforged Vanguard, their influence was growing too fast, and the control they had over the Rebellion was growing too strong. 

Weeks ago, she had been happy with their growth, pleased to see an allied group growing more powerful, all while still supporting them. Then Leia had asked a question during a private meal.

Her protege, someone she considered to be an adopted daughter of sorts, admitted she was feeling disillusioned. Not towards the Rebellion, but about what happened after. She was worried that bringing back the Republic, as it was, would just be reviving a broken system.

How could she have said something like that? Palpatine was why the Republic fell, it was his corruption and greed that broke it. It was all his fault. With him gone, the system would heal itself, and stability would return to the galaxy. They could shrink the military, spread peace, and everything would be better!

But her protege disagreed, even after she spent so long explaining it to her. Leia even admitted she had talked to Admiral Deacon about the problem. Mon Mothma had been aware that the Admiral wasn't the biggest fan of politics, but to learn they wished to stop the Republic from reforming, and had poisoned Leia's opinions...

It was horrible to hear. Such an important faction, corrupted by whatever poor thoughts Deacon was spouting. It made her very concerned about what their true goal was. Anyone who couldn't see that the Republic was the perfect system, that it was the only way to lead the galaxy, was a threat to their future.

So she made a few subtle inquiries towards her intelligence people, and the results were harrowing.

The Skyforged Vanguard was growing at an alarming rate, and in seemingly every different direction, all of which were concerning. Not only did they have a growing force of Jedi and Mandalorians, and not only did their normal ground teams beat out any fighting force that the Rebellion had, that maybe anyone had, but now there were reports of Admiral Deacon's magic showing up in the hands of other members of his forces. 

His abilities were spreading. 

Of course, just as concerning was their Navy, which was still growing at a shocking rate, lightyears beyond any growth that the Rebellion had ever shown in its early days. Their ships were stronger, their pilots better, and they always seemed to have some sort of edge in everything they did. Worse, their self-sufficiency was rising to match their growth, something the Rebellion had never had the luxury of enjoying. The Skyforged produced their own food, supplies, minor equipment, armor, metal, starfighters, and now their own capital ships, which Admiral Ackbar spoke highly of. 

They didn't need anything, meaning they were growing unchecked.

And grow they did, in every direction.

Reports said their approval rating for the Outer Rim was shockingly high, despite never once engaging in any sort of publicity campaign, and just the mere association had translated to an increase of credits from their Outer Rim supporters. In normal circumstances, that would be excellent news, but that level of influence… it was dangerous.

Then there was the fact that so much of their credits were being fed directly into the Skyforged.

Despite their fleet being small compared to their own, the Skyforged Vanguard had provided nearly thirty percent of the Rebellion's supplies, and twenty-seven of their corvette and cruisers over the last six months. That was an incredible percentage, and the effects were felt deep. Their forces were larger than ever, growing steadily, and were better supplied than they had ever been.

Again, this would have been amazing news if it didn't come with the added level of influence. 

And the credits! Despite selling at a steep discount, the Skyforged Vanguard was making money from the Rebellion hand over fist, investing the millions of credits they were paid directly back into their planet and self-sufficiency. Even worse, because they were selling their goods at low prices, the infrastructure of the Rebellion had already started to shift to rely on them. At this point, they would have to downsize their forces if the Vanguard stopped selling to them. 

While that was far from optimal, it was better than what would happen if this continued unchecked, and something happened in, say, a year. They would be totally dependent on the growing force, who would no doubt be an even larger threat at that point. Who knew how much they would influence the Rebellion away from its true goal, to reinstate the Republic!

Yet all of that paled in comparison to the real problem. Each purchase that the Rebellion made from the Skyforged was done at around forty percent. The remaining amount was then reduced by ten percent, and added to the debt they owed the Skyforged. Just a few weeks ago, before she realized that Deacon was a threat, that he might use his growing influence to ruin their plans, the number was large, yes, but not concerning, since the Skyforged had proven to be professional and allied to the cause.

Yes, it was unfortunate to owe so much money, but considering how far each credit spent with the Skyforged went, and their support, it was simply something to deal with once the war was over, something the Republic would pay over time.

But now she knew the truth. She knew that Skyforged were not stalwart allies, but anti-Republic mercenaries, who were rapidly gaining enough influence to shift the attitudes of her forces! 

Every single credit of the seven hundred and thirty million credits the Rebellion owed to them was another layer of grip they had on the future of the galaxy.

In just a few weeks, her entire perception of the group had spun on its head, from their growth, to their popularity, and strength. They represented a threat to the rebirth of the Republic, and she needed to bring them to heel, to reduce their influence and weaken them. Before their influence could be used to corrupt her forces, to shift them away from the truth! 

So when the threat of the Executor fleet presented itself, she saw an opportunity to do all three. 

She could reduce their influence, damage their reputation, and, maybe if they were lucky, reduce their grip on their future. The Republic was the only way to peaceably guide the galaxy, without it, there would be chaos and war, pain and suffering.

Palpatine needed to be stopped, but not at the cost of the galaxy's future!

She thought she had a solution, a weighted gamble to trap Deacon Roy in an unwinnable dilemma, one she could use to take him down a peg, to force him to heel. It was a risk, but it was necessary!

The Republic was too important, not even an ally could get in the way of reforming it. 

The gamble had failed, however, in the most catastrophic way it possibly could, in a way she didn't even anticipate. Three of their most famous leaders, all people she thought she could trust to see the danger Deacon Roy and his forces represented, stood up in his defense, cutting her down in front of people she was supposed to lead. By now, the words of the meeting would already be spreading, the damage cutting through her reputation.

How was she supposed to fight Deacon's influence if her own was so damaged! 

It would take a long time for her to rebuild her reputation, and she was sure that others would be vying for her position. She would need to shore up her allies, explain the threat to some of them, and explain how important it was that they reduce the Skyforged Vanguards' influence. Those of her supporters who were once senators would understand.

They would help her repair the damage to her image.

Mon Mothma shook her head, straightening out her gown as she prepared to leave her study. She had wasted enough time, she needed to get to work. She needed to find Leia, she-

No, Leia was potentially compromised. She needed to find supporters who weren't questioning the importance of restoring the Republic to its former glory. 

The future of the galaxy depended on it.

Leia Organa Interlude - 

When the hangar meeting finally broke up, and the first planning- the first replanning session ended Leia was quick to drag Luke from the room. He was surprised by her sudden movements, but still let her, walking faster to keep up as she moved. Eventually she pulled him into a small space just outside the hangar, an empty office of some sort. When they were both inside, she sealed the door behind them and immediately started to pace.

"Leia, what's going on?" Luke asked, his brow furrowed. 

"I… I think that might have been my fault," Leia admitted, chewing her lip. "I mean, not directly, but…"

"What happened?" Luke asked, his voice gentle, clearly noticing her high-strung emotions. "Why do you think this was your fault?"

"You know I've had… questions, with the plans after this war is over," She said, letting out a long breath and shaking her head. "I've tried to commit to the concept but… I can't get past what Admiral Deacon pointed out. Every bit of research I have found, at least from credible sources, agrees. The Republic was already broken when Emperor Palpatine took control of it. Reinstating it, without change, without finding a better solution... it would just be repeating the cycle."

Luke's eyes went wide, surprised by what he heard. He knew Leia was struggling with a crisis of faith, so to speak, but he had never heard her openly declare that she no longer believed in the Senate, in the Republic. It was a big step.

Personally, he was inclined to agree with her. His own research, which was admittedly a lot less detailed, had brought him to the same conclusion.

"I tried to talk to Mon Mothma about it subtly, to maybe discuss a possible alternative, or compromise, anything that might lead to a better solution than just… than just… Than just puppeting the Republic's corpse while the rest of the galaxy rots!"

It didn't take the Force to feel the frustration that Leia was feeling, it was almost palpable. Then again, Luke had always been pretty good at figuring out what Leia was feeling. He waited for a long moment while Leia stamped down her frustration, her pacing getting a little heavy-footed until she did. 

"Finally I realized I couldn't play coy any more," she admitted. "I… I believed if I pointed out the problem, she would at least consider it. I had faith she would understand. Instead… she shut down. It… It was like watching someone who refused to face their trauma, Luke. It reminded me of the old war heroes who came to Alderaan when I was young, looking for peace. Sometimes… when they heard the wrong thing, they would shut down, their words spinning into almost ramblings."

"You… You think Mon Mothma has PTSD?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow. "And that's what made her… try and turn Deacon and his people into martyrs?"

"No, I… well, maybe," She admitted reluctantly. "I think… she blames herself in some way. Palpatine's reign, the fall of the Republic happened under her watch. Blaming it all on him… it might be her way of dealing with the guilt. Bringing back the Republic, demilitarizing… what if it's to prove it wasn't her fault, even if she didn't consciously know?"

Luke studied his friend's face, reading her features. If anyone else had suggested such a theory, he would have had a lot of doubts. But Leia had a way of reading people that few could come close to. Her instincts about people around her were good enough to bet on, so if she thought something was wrong with Mon Mothma, he trusted her judgment. 

"Luke…what should I do?" She asked, stopping her pacing to look at Luke. "Hearing that I might not agree that the Republic is perfect, the best way to lead the galaxy seemed to trigger... I'm worried hearing Deacon was who convinced me was what inspired this... "

She trailed off, collecting her thoughts. Luke knew that Mon Motham was a pillar of Leia's life, going behind her back like this took a lot of courage and determination.

"Should… I tell other people?" She asked. "It could ruin her, but if she is making decisions based on trauma…"

"...starting anything now would be a bad idea," Luke said, shaking his head. "This terror fleet needs to be stopped. But we should talk to Deacon and Admiral Ackbar. The Admiral can keep tabs on her to keep her from doing anything rash, and Deacon deserves an explanation. What we do after this mission… we can handle that after we return.

Leia considered his words for a long moment, chewing her lips, before she eventually nodded. 

"Yes, that makes sense. Admiral Deacon does deserve to know our theory, and Admiral Ackbar has the influence to mitigate any issues," She agreed. "I just wish…" 

"I know," Luke said as he approached, reaching out and giving her a tight hug. "We will figure it out. The Rebellion will recover, no matter how bad it gets. And if Mon Mothma is sick, this could be the first step of getting her the help she needs, and stopping her from ruining our relationship with the Skyforged."