《Star wars: Selfish virtue.》Chapter 25: Stay of Execution
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After his first word, Coda sat there. The only sounds that could be heard were the low hum of machinery, his breathing and the dripping of the blood that had soaked into his robes. His face looked weary as he had one foot up on the seat as he rested his arm on it. He was playing with a silverish lightsaber hilt in his other hand as he looked into the camera.
"I am disappointed. Extremely disappointed." Coda said with a heavy sigh. "A galactic civilization, spanning thousands of worlds. Yet, you all are still just as ignorant as any planet-bound people. I would have thought... At least hoped you were further along than this. But according to what I've now seen, you are all guilty of the same evils as any lesser civilization and that is so very disappointing."
Coda's head tilted backward for a bit before he returned his gaze towards the camera.
"I have quite the story to tell those that have access to this feed for you see, I've discovered a truth that offends me, greatly. Regardless of the advancement of sentient life, it still hasn't taken steps to correct the things that should be corrected. Rampant capitalism, broken and useless democracy, sanctioned assassins and glorified slavers." Coda shook his head slowly. "While the population at large sticks their head in the sands and ignores the plight of the people around them. Well, to those who this may concern I will have you know. No more. Those accountable by the atrocities committed will now have to face the consequences of their actions."
Coda put his leg down and brought his hands together in front of him.
"The Order of the Invisible Sun, the faction I lead will now make a decree that supersedes all laws, of all factions. If this law isn't headed, and you are found to be in violation. You will be found guilty and will be summarily executed regardless of affiliation. Republic, Jedi, Sith, Separatist, Hutt, and anyone else really, It doesn't matter."
Taking a deep breath, his eyes narrowed as his voice got deeper still.
"Listen closely, and take it seriously. This is a threat to any and all forces out there, a threat that I will deliver upon you with righteous fury. The first decree of The Order of the Invisible Sun is as follows."
"Slavery is henceforth illegal, coercion of civilians into debts, sex and/or forced labor is punishable by death. Regardless of affiliation or status in your respective society. I'm aware most people do not know who we are or what we are capable of and will choose to ignore this warning."
Coda stood up slowly and clipped his now alone hilt to his belt. Blood dripping down to the cold metal of the hangar.
"You are all of course entitled to do so. As my order values free will above all else. So ignore me, laugh my statement and ridicule me. That is all fine." A smug smile appeared on Coda's face. "Our first investigation has revealed some unfortunate truths about how it seems most of those in power either do not care or silently approve of what has been happening. I will be expecting... No. I demand explanations for the reasons you allow these things to continue. Pending further investigation, it would seem many people are already running around on thin ice."
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Coda turned his head over his shoulder and looked out of the hangar to the Prometheus before turning back towards the camera.
"En route to our destination, we were set upon a self-proclaimed patrol fleet belonging to a station named Watchpoint. The fleet was lead by a member of the house of Rudd, I've been told it's a noble house." Coda laughed with easily discernable mockery. "It seems you moronic pieces of shit don't know the meaning of the word noble. They'd been attacking and preying on ships that couldn't defend themselves and taking those people prisoner, turning them into slaves to do horrible things to them. The file that we uploaded has the results of everything we saw here."
Coda's features twisted into a scowl as he continued.
"I mean everything. Every catatonic woman that had been broken by rape and abuse, every child made to be addicted narcotics, every man beaten down until they become shells of what they once were. Files that link these atrocities to all the people related to this at this station are included as well. Thus, I am disappointed. Disappointed that I don't have the time to slaughter all you animals that are stationed elsewhere in the galaxy."
A sinister smile appeared on his face before he started talking again.
"You've thought yourselves above the law. Untouchable. Well, I'm sorry to say that your immunity to consequences is no more. I cannot be bought, threatened, persuaded or reasoned away. I hunt monsters, and I've been shown that there are plenty of monsters to be hunted down. So that is what I and my order will be doing soon."
"So I will end this by saying if you are not affiliated with any of this. You will be fine. The innocent have nothing to fear from us, but for those who defend those responsible. I will visit death upon you, regardless of anything else. The actions taken by those that got this to arrive at this point..."
"Well." Coda smiled with a big sinister smile. Extending his hand with his palm up towards the camera. "Action!" He brought his palm to rest on his chest before continuing. "Meet consequence."
As if prompted the camera spun slowly away from Coda over to the main space of the hangar. It slowly revealed a room full of people that had been cut down or shot. A scene of mass execution.
The sound of someone walking on the film of blood that covered the floor could be heard as Coda walked back into frame could be heard.
"All these people are responsible in one way or another for the suffering on this station. It's all in the files we uploaded. This is a truth I will not allow to be swept under the rug, look upon it and remember. If this has happened on a no-name station in the middle of the galaxies ass crack. What are those in power doing closer to home?"
Coda turned to look at the camera once again.
"The Order of the Invisible Sun denounces House Rrud, The Hutts and any people involved in the trade that lead to this. People and Freedom are not something to be bartered. Once we return, there will be war."
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With his closing statement, the broadcast cut out. Coda spoke to the RG that was acting as a camera.
"Let's go, there's nothing left for us here." As he and the RG boarded the Dauntless and took off.
Coruscant, Council chambers in the Jedi temple.
Most of the council members were in attendance as was Qui-Gon. The broadcast had just cut out. They sat there in mute shock for a couple of minutes before Windu spoke up.
"That man is insane!" He cried out.
A slight murmur broke out in the chambers as Yoda glanced around. He could see conflicting feelings from the people inside the chambers.
"Criminals they are, according to him." Yoda said softly, though it could be heard clearly.
"He doesn't have the right to do that! That's mass murder!" Windu said with agitation.
Qui-Gon sighed lightly before speaking up. "His goal is reasonable, but his methods are extreme I agree."
"REASONABLE?!" Windu said in a loud tone, not bothering to keep his voice down. "He's a madman! We have to stop him!"
Qui-Gon's face became marred with an angry expression. "What exactly have you been up to these past ten years!? Forget Coda, why are these things allowed to continue? Aren't we supposed to be the ones doing something about this? The Republic? Aren't we supposed to be the ones to protect the people?"
Trying his best to calm himself he continued. "Now you become angry because someone did something we should be responsible for? Admittedly his reasoning is a bit self-serving and his methods unpleasant but he isn't wrong! Besides, how exactly do you suppose we 'Stop' him? Yoda can attest that even with all of those in this room we'd still lose. That's assuming we get to him at all, his flagship is a ship unlike any we've ever seen. We don't have the manpower in any form to spare fighting him. Especially when I'm not even sure we should."
Windu's face showed shock and confusion as he turned to Yoda. "Master Yoda, is what he says true?"
With a sagely nod Yoda spoke. "Unwise, fighting him would be. The separatist, easy in comparison."
This shocked the entire chamber as they raced to understand the gravity of that statement. Qui-Gon and Yoda locked eyes before they both sighed.
"What about the files?" Qui-Gon asked.
Shaak Ti answered. "We're getting them in order as we speak." She said as she was operating a datapad. Before she could continue her face scrunched up as a spike of anger shot over the room.
"Sorry." She said as she got her feelings under control again. Though it managed to surprise most of the people there. "This will be unpleasant to go through."
"Can you elaborate Master Shaak?" Ki-Adi asked.
With a nod, she started working on the pad to relay the info towards the hologram display in the middle of the room. The scene she had been watching had been of the Hutt using a woman as a snack before she brought out the image taken by the Prometheus of the pillar floating in space as Coda's power ravaged it from the inside.
A heavy silence dominated the room because of the first image, the second prompted a sigh from Qui-Gon.
"Someone must have royally irked Coda." Everyone except Plo Koon and Yoda swiveled their heads towards Qui-Gon.
"You're telling us he did that?" He said pointing at the broken of section. "By himself?"
Plo Koon suddenly spoke up. "That is what he's saying. He excels at an almost dead Jedi art, Pyrokinesis." Shaking his head he corrected himself. "Excel is wrong, he's a master of it. I believe he might be the strongest recorded user of it as far as my research goes."
Before that revelation could even set in Yoda continued. "All, that is not. Lighting, Speed, Self-strengthening, Reflexes. A warrior he was, even before the force." He nodded slowly before continuing. "Only the powers we know of, those are. Creative uses for them, he has as well hmm..."
Ki-Adi spoke softly. "Old republic force users weren't this strong usually. This is a worrying development."
"We don't really have much to worry about when it comes to Coda. He isn't interested in taking over the republic or getting in the way of our order." Qui-Gon said in a matter of fact tone. "He doesn't take the order all that seriously to be honest. He thinks it a joke."
Windu responded in a spiteful tone. "Who does he think he is!"
"And that's why," Qui-Gon said succinctly.
Windu stopped dead in his tracks because of the strange comment. "What do you mean?"
Laughing in self-mockery Qui-Gon responded. "I believe his words were that we're nothing but a self-righteous circus of hypocrites. He also alluded to some atrocities the Jedi Order has done in the past and that we have no moral high ground to lecture others from. So all in all, not a big fan."
As everyone mulled over those words Yoda laughed quite loudly. "Quite a mouthful, that is."
Windu deflated as he sat back in his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose he spoke up. "At any rate, we have to discuss our next course of action."
As nods of agreement could be seen from everyone an assistant entered the chamber. "Master Jedi, an odd man is requesting to see you all."
"Who?" Windu asked quizzically.
"He says he's here on behalf of the newly crowned galactic superstar Coda?" The assistant answered with hesitation.
Most of the members of the council had the same reaction. 'What?' While Plo Koon and Qui-Gon facepalmed after sharing a glance. Yoda just giggled as he spoke. "Lead him here."
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