"We Are One"
Historian's Note by Jem Ibur
The speech "We are one" was given by Chancellor Nalerine Kanter two days after the "Battle of the Swarm" at Chalcedon on 1008:05:28 RR. Several recordings exist but the clearest was captured by Arc Specialist, TC519, "Jenkins" of the Beskar Aran "Roughnecks" unit, who used the Tapani Calendar dating system of 28-05-12731.
This speech was a response after surveying the damage done by the Bloodsmith Raiders and their Meldari Council allies during the invasion attempt. Sources close to the chancellor remark as to how, despite her own feelings of inadequacy over being chosen to lead the fledgling Freedworlds, the spirit of the survivors motivated her to speak.
A formal speech had been hastily prepared but Chancellor Kanter discarded this in favor of an impromptu speech. The chancellor's words are recognized as one of the cornerstones of the Freedworlds' people and collective culture. It is also the source of the Freedworlds greeting, 'For the One'.
Bright skies to you all.
Yesterday, Chalcedon, our Freedworlds Republic, saw a dark day. One of the darkest days anyone can remember.
The Bloodsmith Raiders, supported by the firepower of the Black Sun Syndicate and the Hutt Council, launched an attack on all the settlements of Chalcedon at once. A full planetary invasion. Attack droids, living troops, and even bio-mechanical insects ripped at the fabric of our lives.
But here we are.
They threw us onto the bloody sands of a gladiatorial arena and into death’s fangs. No one was spared. Not us, or our few allies. Here in Port Etmar, we were outnumbered twenty to one, attacked on all sides. Everyone fought.
Chausid Station? Carapid Station? They were battered by the Raiders’ Clone-era walkers. Port Nevermore? She suffered under orbital bombardment and an assault from technological terrors called World Grazers. Some of the even more remote stations suffered swarms of Reavers being driven forward by Meldari Council mercenaries.
Yet. They failed. We survived.
All of us here come from different places and backgrounds. Cultures from Bothan, to Twi’lek, Human, Nogri, and so many more. Either you were born to Chalcedon or brought to it against your will. Different blood, minds, and thoughts.
But yesterday, you stood together. We stood together. An impossible challenge, a test of faith and strength, was dropped on us. It was supposed to break us.
They were wrong.
I’ve read the accounts. A single starfighter pilot with no working weapons driving three Bloodsmith Raider starfighters into the sands of the Olat Sea. Freedworlds troopers using a captured Bloodsmith AT-TE walker to stomp two more into submission. The Hutts and their Bloodsmith allies set down an impossible challenge.
But no challenge is impossible for a people who are together.
One people. United.
Us.
A small few in the galaxy have lent help. Tapani Imperium, the Alliance of Worlds, the Star Empire, they’ve all offered advice or equipment or both. It’s what little they can give while their people debate if they should send more. If they should even be involved.
Even a little help is welcome. They can’t, shouldn’t, fight this battle for us. What they’ve given us are tools. Tools we will use. A wise person told me recently that we have a chance to be technicians and assemble something special. Something great. To build something.
So we will.
But there are still more in the galaxy that wait and watch or even just turn their backs on what is happening here. They don’t want to hear us.
That’s fine.
The Galactics? The Hutts? The Bloodsmiths? The Vor? They’re going to hear us.
The entire galaxy will hear us and won’t be able to look away.
How? We will be angry with one heart and speak with one voice.
We will say ‘we live!’
We are here!
We will not vanish into the void!
We will not go without a fight!
People of Chalcedon, the Colonies, Monorick… people of the Freedworlds Republic… we are a dream. An idea of hope and freedom for the oppressed.
Ideas cannot be destroyed.
Neither will we.
We are the Freedworlds and the Freedworlds will no longer tolerate a tyrant’s boot on our necks.
So we will speak with that one voice. We will roar out...
We are one.
Historical Details
Public Reaction
The cheers that followed from the crowd were a wave of sound. A different sound from the crowd quickly eclipsed it. A chant. Three simple words.“We are one!”
Type
Record, Historical
Medium
Digital Recording, Audio
Authoring Date
1008:05:28 RR | 28-05-12731 T
Location
Authors
Signatories (Characters)
Signatories (Organizations)
Comments