Metastraten Civil War

"Your rights have been subverted, your government corrupted. Stand up, people of Metastrato Prime, and understand what has happened here; Palpatine has returned, and his name is Tenth Grouman."

- Reilly Carroll

The Metastraten Civil War, of 39 ABY and 40 ABY was a relatively minor conflict between the Free Colony of Metastrato Prime and breakaway segments of their own government, the Shattermoon colonies and the Metastraten Government-in-Exile, following what many saw as the unlawful subversion of that government by Tenth Grouman.

Origins
Following the Yuuzhan Vong War, the galaxy fell into a period of relative stability. Metastrato Prime was no exception. Under the leadership of Manax Ryyder, Metastrato led the way for reconstruction in the Metastraten Sector, and became home to millions of refugees left over from the war. During this time, there was a growing political movement pushing for Metastrato to join the Galactic Alliance. Ryyder resisted this push, believing that Metastrato would chafe under the Alliance's military and trade restrictions.

Ryyder and most of his chief advisors, including Jedi Master Miaak Ha, Grand Master of the Samean Jedi, were attending a sporting event in the Metastraten capital when a bomb tore apart the platform on which they were standing. Ryyder and Ha were killed, along with eighteen others. Immediately afterwards, Vice-Governor Tenth Grouman was sworn into the office of Governor, a position that he was supposed to maintain only until emergency elections could be held. Several terrorist groups claimed responsibility for the event. Grouman brought on Reilly Carroll, former Governor and Metastraten war hero, as chief advisor. Reilly came to disagree with Grouman's policies, particularly Grouman's handling of the captured members of the terrorist groups.

When Grouman announced the elections, Reilly decided to oppose him. However, realising that his popularity had slipped against Grouman's, he entered into a coalition with Tessa Montor, Ryyder's Prime Minister and head of the Metastraten Parliament. Montor and Carroll were elected by the slimmest of margins, and became co-Governor. Grouman, however, won a seat in Parliament and replaced Montor as Prime Minister.

The major push for membership in GFFA continued. Reilly opposed it at first, but later, due to public pressure, decided to open diplomatic avenues with Cal Omas, and approved the establishment of a GFFA consulate on Metastrato.

Downfall of Montor
"These unfounded, baseless charges of corruption are purely political in nature, an attack on my character and the character of this administration."

- Tessa Montor

As Reilly opened negotiations with Omas, Grouman's political machine, backed up by wide support in the Parliament and equally wide support among the general public, led a witch-hunt against Montor, finding evidence of corruption. Years before, as a member of Parliament, Montor had accepted donations from a military contractor, Bucklii Industries, that had gone on to secure the rights to exclusively produce blaster pistols for the Parliamentary Guards. Investigations into Montor's financial portfolio also indicated she had what appeared to be insider investments.

Despite Reilly and Montor's best efforts, public opinion quickly turned against her. When it became clear that Grouman was pushing for an impeachment and indictment, Montor announced her plans to resign, effective immediately. Despite Reilly's advice, Montor resigned, leaving Reilly in charge of a weakened government, that had lost a large amount of support both publicly, and within Parliament.

At the same time, on a galactic stage, tensions were flaring between Coruscant and Corellia. The events of Operation Roundabout led to a major shift in public opinion against the GFFA, and demonstrations in support of Corellia broke out around the planet, spurred by inflammatory speeches made by Grouman and his supporters.

Storming of the consulate
"I condemn, in the strongest terms possible, what happened at the Alliance consulate earlier today. However, I condemn even more strongly the actions taken by Reilly Carroll in the course of this tragedy. Or should that be inactions?"

- Tenth Grouman

As the anti-GFFA demonstrations continued around the planet, Carroll kept calling for calm. Nevertheless, Grouman continued to push for the immediate expulsion of GFFA personnel from Metastraten space in protest over the events on Corellia. Riots broke out in front of the newly established GFFA consulate in the capital. Reilly positioned Metastraten troops in and around the consulate for the protection of the GFFA staff.

After two days of continous rioting, some two hundred armed civilians stormed the consulate, setting fire to the building and destroying millions of credits of GFFA property. More importantly, however, five GFFA personnel were killed in the attack. The Metatstraten troops, in defense of the consulate, killed twelve Metastratens. Omas immediately pulled all GFFA personnel out of the system. Reilly proclaimed the ttack on the consulate as a terrorist action, and pointed out publicly that the troops were well within the law to open fire on the crowd. Attending the funerals of one of the deceased, he was heckled, and decided not to attend any others due to threats of assassination. Further riots broke out throughout Segreddo, and, in order to clam them, Reilly called in the military.

Grouman went on the political offensive, saying that the martial law, and the death leading up to it, wouldn't have been necessary if it hadn't been for Reilly's supposed inactions in dealing with the GFFA. Grouman announced plans for a vote of no confidence in Reilly's administration, which, if successful, would lead to Reilly's removal from office.

Collapse of Carroll government
"It is my duty, at this time and date, to declare that the Parliament of the Free Colony of Metastrato Prime was issued a vote of no confidence in the government of Governor Reilly Carroll, and that, as of this time and date, he is no longer in possession of that office. With no Vice-Governor, control reverts to Prime Minister Tenth Grouman until such time as elections can be held. Thank you, and good night."

- Metastraten Parliament chamberlain, announcing the end of the Carroll Government.

Grouman's political machine continued to use the riots and subsequent declaration of martial law as ammunition against the embattled Carroll administration, and Grouman publicly pushed for a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Parliament initially refused, but as the rioting spread across the planet, slowly began to turn towards Grouman as the better choice of leader.

Tessa Montor, who had been under Parliament-mandated house arrest, was found dead in her home soon after. It was widely reported that she had committed suicide by slitting her wrists. These reports were later corroborated by a coronial inquest. However, Reilly confided to his wife, Yshara, that he believed that Montor had been murdered by elements within the Metastraten military, who still saw Grouman as a hero of the Yuuzhan Vong war.

Grouman finally succeeded in cajoling Parliament; a vote of no confidence was called. Reilly gave an impassioned defence of his administration before Parliament, but was nevertheless voted out by the slimmest of margins. 297 votes to 304, including Grouman's. Reilly was removed from office, and immediately placed under house arrest, much as Tessa Montor had been.