Star News was called to Dantooine to talk to Federal Mediator and Staff Sergeant of GAR Rush. Over the com he told us he wanted to address Anda Anjiliac’s recent article in Star News.
Federal Mediator “Rush”: “The Hutt Cartel doesn’t like the Grand Army. We interupt their business, and when we were on Ord Mantell for a tour of duty on behalf of the Ord Mantell governorship, Anda the Hutt got the brunt of what it truly meant to live with us. However, her possible personal feelings aside I can only imagine how the cartel feels. The Galactic Federation makes up quite a large portion of the Expansion Regions, Mid Rim, and even pieces of the Outer Rim, and when we declare war, we distrupt businesses because then, our hyperspace lanes get militarized, it becomes harder for shipments to go in and out of systems, ect ect. The Cartel has trade agreements with several Federation worlds, and I am sure a declaration of war makes them all uneasy, but Anda especially since she’s seen what the Grand Army does first hand. Granted, we don’t mean to harm Cartel business but you got to understand… We uphold our own planetary and federal laws. Many of those laws ban Cartel business such as… Drug and Slave trade, weapon smuggling, and more. I mean these are just a variable sum of things, but the Federation doesn’t allow them. So you can understand their possible frustration with us.”
Star News: “… Have you tried to talk to Anda instead of the media?”
Federal Mediator “Rush”: “Anda is out of my reach I am afraid. It’s hard enough to meet with a hutt when I’ve been told specifically NOT to personally meet with a Hutt, but our last conversation was so unfruitful that her and Tompuka threatened to enslave me when I visited them on their private moon… Which, if you must know, I do have a recording of as proof… The thing is, I have no personal quarrel with the Hutts. Anda named me over 10 times in your article by name, and I will not do the same. I will address the entire Cartel, just as I have done since dealing with them. I want to set the record completely strait, in public, and without hesitation…. Yes. There were plans in the Federation, even talks, to preemptively strike at Tatooine, especially Ancorhead due to hostility and Death Watch attacks which were confirmed by Mandalorian clan Muntit’kad and GAR re-con teams. Yes, we did call the entire Hutt Cartel out because we feared they were harboring Death Watch, and at the time, Imperials known at the ITR: Imperial Trooper Remnant. BUT, the Cartel did not get a full story, nor a full recording. If the information and records you were given by the cartel were true. They would have known that the Cartel was dismissed as a hostile force MONTHS ago, and that the ITR, those Imperials on Anchorhead are now registered no longer hostile, but neutral, and even possible allies….All the proof you need, logs and all, is here.”
Star News: “how do you address the accusations that Anda is not implying but out and out saying… that GAR is controlling the Galactic Federation in their own personal agenda?”
Federal Mediator “Rush”: “False, untrue, and foolish to think of. The Grand Army holds only one vote, one seat on the Federation Congress and even with me as its Mediator, I have already made it very clear I am only a temporary position until our staff is elected. We have just as of last week elected our President and Vice President and will be holding an inauguration for them to replace me…. Honestly, the thought of a fully military force controlling an entire government is absurd, and to call us Imperialists. The Grand Army is only but one of several seats in congress, held by all the planets and factions within our government, even if we wanted to control everything, there is a complex system of checks and balances in place to ensure past mistakes of one group or person taking control does not occur.”
Star News: “What is GAR’s stance on Anchorhead. Were the families of the victim’s compensated?”
Federal Mediator “Rush”: “There were no victims, there were no struggle. There was only a firefight between GAR troopers and the ITR stromtroopers. We’ve since held a peaceful meeting and settled on neutrality and have been fine ever since… Let me be very clear, and this is to the Cartel, the galaxy, and everyone who says otherwise. The Cartel does not, I repeat, not own Tatooine. This is a farce, and a complete and total lie. I mean no disrespect to the Cartel, but they even know it to be true, they cannot hold the system because it is held or claimed by several other factions. The Fel Empire led by SiareFel claimed Mos Eisley as their own territory with their own Imperial Governor over the city and surrounding area. They merely allow the cartel to meet and have their Cartel nights there. You want proof? Star News was there when the Empress told it to their face to not step over their boundaries or they’d be kicked out. Want to know what else? They say the ITR didn’t martial law Anchorhead? We met with them, we have logs of that meeting too who say they are, and have. There were AT-STs walking down the streets. Maybe that’s changed in the last two months since our meeting, but that was a fact of the time. As I said, I have the proof right here. So before the Cartel goes snapping our heads off, they should set the records strait on a world they don’t even have full control of. The only thing they own, is Hutt Space, as they always have, which has been respected. The Federation NEVER enters Hutt Space without priror approval by the Cartel. You were there when I personally asked permission to enter with a fleet to follow the Imperial Reich, otherwise, the Cartel has as little power on Tatooine then we, The Federation, would have visiting Coruscant, or visiting Ordo or Mandalore. It’s plain fact, and they’re trying to use the term ‘war’ as a scare tactic to make it seem that the Federation is fighting for an unjust cause, and that the Grand Army is behind it.”
Star News: “..are you speaking for the Grand Army now or for the Galactic Federation?”
Federal Mediator “Rush’: “I speak for liberty, and for the thousands dead already after months of turmoil and terrorism caused by Death Watch and their allies. You’ve seen their damage first hand. They’ve not only attacked the Grand Army, they’ve attacked civilians on Onderon! They’ve kidnapped and slaughtered Jedi on Yavin IV, and have even gloated about it on your own news channel! They’ve threatened the integrity of our Federation, and even now kill and attack our Mandalorian allies in Clans Ordo, Muntid’kad, Tz’rch, and more!… What more could the galaxy want to know? What reasoning could their possibly be to justify our declaration of war. We’re defending our freedom and ability to live peacefully. We’re going to war because a merciless enemy asked for it, and they believe we will not go to the ends of the galaxy to pursue them!” I guarantee you, I guarantee the galaxy that the Federation stands for more than just talk. We are a proud, united nation who in one voice last night shouted out against the tyranny of a force who wants nothing but the blood of our sons and daughters. I won’t allow it, my friends across the Federation here on Dantooine, on Yavin IV, on Fennel, Tython, and Onderon WILL NOT ALLOW IT! We will defend our land, and we will not stop until they understand that the Federation will never live in fear!”
Star News: “is there anything you think we missed or you want to add?”
Federal Mediator “Rush”: “I merely want to set things strait. I merely have two things left to say. Firstly, to the Cartel. I wish nothing upon you or your businesses and freedom to trade, and do as you will. Although the Federation itself will not allow your practices on our own systems, we recognize that every culture is unique and in their own way allowed to do as they wish. This is a free galaxy, and no matter what your business is acknowledged and we will never push our own beliefs upon you, so long as you do not do the same to us… Secondly, to the galaxy at large from the Core Worlds to the Outer rim…. The Galactic Federation is a government like no other. We aren’t like the overpowering society as the Sith Empire… Nor are we the one viewed light side of the New Republic… We are unique, a government born by the moral rights believed by all sentient beings in the pursuit of happiness and just cause. Our constitution is written not only for the betterment of the systems who inhabit this nation, but for every man, woman, and child who call the Federation home, and by the constitution we worked so hard to form. We will ensure that those rights are defended, and that all are fairly treated under them. So help the force.”
Star News 