Across from him stood his Chief of Staff, Jules Petit. "Sure you don't want me to take a look at your speech?" he asked. He smirked at him, sighing. "I'm fine.", "It's pretty good...", "Aw, psh.... it's been a great ride.", "What do you say we ride again sometime?" said Jules. He smiled at him, "I'll be there." With that, his Chief of Staff walked off to the side, where a holo screen was set up, and his staff was huddled around. After a moment, Canny Mandary Bertar walked past, making her way into her seat, behind her he went, and behind him came the Representative of the Tapani Nobles, Lord Sef Falken of House Melantha. He exhaled once more, as he took his seat. He noticed Senator Bertar was looking at him. "Yes, Senator?" he asked with a soft voice. "I am so sorry this has to happen, but in this day and age...you must do what must be done," she said. He smiled at her, "No wiser words have ever been said in this building in over a decade," he responded with a wink and provoked a smile from the Senator. He was always kind and compassionate towards the Senator, something that Lord Falken hated, almost as much as not being Senator himself. Thankfully, more than just the nobles voted in the Sector.

The day's session started out rather normal, the holocamera droids followed the action, simulcasting everything to the galaxy, there was the usual bustle with the call to order, except to begin things, Grand Vizier Sate Pestage called upon the Tapani Sector delegation, to which the pod floated forward to face the chair. "I believe Representative Crion has some words he'd like to say," he said. He rose and bowed towards the chair, and approached the podium of the senate pod. There was some applause, and even more boos, to which he smiled and waved. "Thank you, thank you...." he said to all of the delegates. It had been announced across the galaxy that he was to make a major, influential speech today. He set down a datapad on the surface, and looked at it for a brief moment before looking out towards all the delegates. With a swallow, he began.

"You know, I hoped to be standing here...today...under very different circumstances. I have been asked, by people by people that I have respect, to take this opportunity...to step down as Represenative of the Freeworlds, and support someone else for my seat. To help decide who my successor should be. Some have even said, I should openly put it in the hands of the Imperial government.." he said, looking down at his speech that had been written out. He had taken several hours to write it, but that didn't matter any more. He had to do what was right, as he had been raised. He took the datapad in hand, and brought it off the top of the podium and brought it down to his thigh, where he tossed it to the side of the pod and onto the floor. He could hear Lord Falken rustle as if he suddenly went from a relaxed posture to leaning forward intently. He also heard a twitch from Senator Bertar twitch into attentiveness, and several murmurs throughout the Senate Hall. He looked down at the empty top of the podium, and swallowed again. Now it was time to show his true colors, and do his family proud. Now it was time to give the people watching a real show.

"But I can't do that. I can't do that, because it's not my place, nor Sate Pestage or Palpatine's, to decide who that should be. That decision would rest in the hands of my government, but it should rest in the hands of my people," he said taking a pause. "There's been a great deal made of my 'break' from the Throne's stance on the issues and policy, on legislation and foreign affairs, but I realized last night, and some may disagree with this... we're hypocrites. Our people, our citizens...those trillions upon trillions of sentient beings that we stand here and represent, in their name and their faith, as has occurred for over twenty-five thousand years, and us, those who made a sacred vow to protect the Constitution and the government against all enemies, foreign and domestic...we're all broken, every single one of us, and yet we pretend that we're not. We all live lives of imperfection, and yet we cling to this.... fantasy, that there's a perfect life and that our leaders should embody it, our government expect us to embody it. But if we expect out leaders to live on some higher, moral plain than the rest of us...well we're just asking to be deceived; our government is just asking to be disappointed, even frustrated and angry. Dissent, or the more polite term, disagreement.... is a natural aspect of sentient life. It's part of what makes us living beings, Human to Mrlssti, Sluissi to Zabrak, Barabel to Cerean. It is part of the greatness of our minds that we have been gifted with; the freedom to use them for our own thoughts, and no one should waste that away." he said, a caring inflection caressing every word. He paused to take a breath, before continuing.

"Now it's been suggested to me that I should try to buy your support....be it financial to legislative benefits. It's been suggested that I should violate my beliefs and become a populist to retain my position. It's been suggested that I become a 'yes-man' to the Throne. It's been suggested that unity is more important that democracy. It's been suggested that unity is the only thing that matters, nothing else; not even the legislation we work on everyday nor our people that we represent. It has even been suggested that the Empire will kill anyone who disagrees with it or speaks out against any of its policies over an extended period of time..." he said, taking a measured breath. "It has been suggested to me that unity is more important than our democratic rights as delegates, more important than the people's democratic right to representation. This is why I must ask of all of you, the delegates to vote for not what benefits you or the few...but what benefits us, as a community, us as a united galaxy, what benefits us as a whole...every species, every gender, every race...vote for what you believe we need to keep our government strong and free. You, the people, don't vote for us because we are perfect. Don't vote for us because because someone tells you to. Vote for who you agree with on the issues that are important to you. Vote for who you think can make a difference that you want to see here in the Senate. Vote for who you can associate with, who shares your ideals, your values, your hopes, your dreams. Vote for who you, the sentient being, thinks is right to run this galaxy. And when you all do that, delegates, go back to your homes on Corellia, Brentaal, Dcukenwell, Deralia, Telos, Chandrila, Garos, Eriadu, Dantooine, Sluis Van, Naboo, among many others with your head held high, and say I am a member of the Galactic Senate. Citizens, when you do this, enjoy your homes with your family and friends, on Coruscant, Alderaan, Corulag, Metellos, Tatooine, Contruum, Ithor, Sullust, with your head held high and say I am a member of the galactic community!" he said, his voice obviously excited, and nearly yelling his words near the end. He composed himself, and then, to probably the shock of some, continued.

"Some have told me that words don't matter. Don't tell me words don't matter. If words don't matter, how come I am an outcast and ostracized from this body? How come I am subtly threatened? How come I get death threats in my mail daily for talking about keeping the values and ideals of the Republic alive? How come Mon Mothma was run out of this body? How come Mon Mothma is running for her life from Imperial agents, and we don't have a single piece of evidence from the government? And you tell me words don't matter..." he said, obviously pushing it here with what he was saying. It was almost as if he were challenging the Empire, if it was as benevolent and just as it reminded its citizens every day, it would let someone say these words. It would not kill nor threaten a man for disagreement or calling them out. He was daring them to defy the descriptors they used for themselves on a daily basis.. it was a dangerous game, and one he was unlikely to ultimately win. Despite that, he continued now, hoping to embolden other Senators to take a solid stand as he had. To stick to their beliefs and what they were elected on.

"The Republic's founders didn't look at Xim the Despot as say, 'Eh, he's too far away.' They didn't look to the thousands of colonies many of us now call homes and say 'going out there will be too difficult. Just stay everybody, we're better off that way.' We did not sit here twelve years ago and tell the Separatists 'Well, good luck on your own. Hope you have a blast!' No. We went out, and took down Xim the Despot, and included his former territory into our own. We went out to the stars, and blazed trails across the skies, and set foot on virgin worlds. We told the Separatists that we would not allow terrorism or renegade droid armies to swarm the galaxy. And words don't matter..." he said, taking another breath. He was ad libbing the entire thing, and so far, so good in his mind.

"I'm here to tell you, words do matter. When I grew up and Tallaan, I was born into a poor, lower-class family of seven children, and six generations of my family within the same houshold. I was told, I might finish secondary, but not likely. I was told, I wouldn't get into a university. I was told, I would be stuck to work the family business of a hardware store for the rest of my adult life, maybe doing a job or two more at the same time just keep myself alive, and that wasn't including what I would have to work to take care of the rest of my family. I am not living that life today. A recruiter for the Judicial Forces attended every grav-ball game my secondary school had. At the end of the season, and it wasn't a very good one, he approached me. He told me that even when my leaders didn't show leadership, be it my coach or team captain, I did...and I never gave up. He convinced me to join the Judicial Forces, and not only that, but to apply to Raithal Academy. And I did, and I hounded my Senator and Representative every day, until they finally approved my application. I was going to be not only the first person in my family to attend a form of schooling higher than secondary, but I was going to be the first person in my family to attend a military academy. I noticed something too, I liked politics. I wanted to be able to make a difference, so after serving a term in the Starfighter Corps, through the Clone Wars, I retired, and went to university on Mrlsst through my benefits to attend graduate school, and I obtained three Masters Degrees. Three." he said, taking a second before continuing.

"After working my way through my unique local government back on Tallaan, making what difference I could, here I am... a poor kid who was doomed to work in the family business all his life, with six siblings, and living as one of six generations under one small roof...in this Senate, as one of the delegates. And words don't matter..." he said, scoffing a bit. "Today, we stand, a proud people. Not because of the height of the buildings on Coruscant, not because of the power of our military, not because of the size of our economy; our pride based off the fact that we are many, united together under one banner. Now that banner may have changed, and times may be tough, but we are still a united, proud, galactic people." he said, now getting a little animated in his movements.

"We are all united by out sentient rights...our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are united by faith; faith in dreams and miracles; that most of us can go to sleep tonight fed, warm, and safe from harm, that most of us can say what we think and when we think it without a knock on our door, that we can have an idea and start our own business on the spot with just the cash in our wallets. And for those that do not enjoy those liberties, they are united by the faith that one day, they will again be able to do so. It is the mentality of 'I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper' that keeps this faith alive." he said, not pointing any specifics. Most would get the reference, and perhaps even the repeated dare, but he said nothing more specific, and continued.

"In this day and age, there is a lot of separation in our society, unfortunately. Despite the unity the government wants us to believe in, we are divided between alien and human. We all breath the same air. We all cherish our children's future. There is no human galaxy, or alien galaxy, but the galaxy. We are one people, all living together...and we must work together towards a better society." he said, impressed how far this had gone.

"Words do matter...which why I am saying this." he continued, pausing to collect himself. "I am not stepping down as Representative of the Freeworlds. I sure as hell am not stepping down as Premier of the Freeworlds. Not only that, but I will make a promise right here and now to my constituency, that as a first in this galaxy that I am aware of, the seat of Representative of the Freeworlds will be elected from now on, by popular vote. The first of which will occur in two years, to offset from the election for the Senate seat which occurs this year. Not only that, but should the Representative be removed by any means, be it elected or selected for higher office, or worst case, death... the person who will serve as acting Representative to fill out the term will be elected by popular vote. Even though the executive no longer is, this is a government by the people, for the people...and I will fight to keep it that way, even if a few changes have to be made. I will fight, to keep this government the way we have always known it, because that is my right as a sentient being.... that is what my own free will and independent thought has guided me too.... that is who I am, and if that makes me a bad person, or an enemy of the state, then so be it; because that only means one thing, that this government is nothing like what it preaches that it is." he said. He was done, and walked away from the podium while the Senate reacted. He personally didn't pay attention as he was absorbed in his own thought of what he had just done and what had come over him. When this session was over, he would use his own personal transportation, under heavy guard from the Freeworld Common Defense Forces' best and most trusted individuals, to return to his homeworld and begin enacting the reform he just spoke of.