A propaganda poster from the time of the split
The Morsian exit from the New Republic was an important Morsian event that permanently soured the relations between the Morsian Empire and New Republic shortly into the lifespan of the latter. The split occurred in 15 ABY after a decade of rising tensions within the New Republic Senate stemming mostly from the disarmament policies implemented by the New Republic, which the Morsian Empire vehemently disagreed with. With increasing disagreements within the New Republic Senate between the chancellor and representatives of the Morsian Empire, they gave an ultimatum to the New Republic. Either the Republic would reverse their policies and commit to having a standing military, or the Morsian Empire would leave the New Republic. Their demands were mocked which resulted in the Morsian Empire giving a speech to the New Republic, Admonitio ad Novam Rempublicam, and them exiting the New Republic at the end of the day.
The result of this was split within the Morsian Empire. On the one hand, much of the Morsian Senate was not surprised that the New Republic would continue its policy of disarmament and believed that it would only lead to more war and collapse of the Republic. On the other, however, some were dejected and disappointed that Morsian tenure in a galactic spanning republic was so short lived. Prior to the New Republic, the last galactic government that the Morsian Empire belonged to was the Galactic Republic, which they had been pushed out of some three and a half millennia ago in 3,500 BBY. Nevertheless, the Morsian Empire quickly returned to its life outside of the New Republic, forever vowing to never join a galactic government again.
Background[]
Prelude[]
The Morsian Empire had previous left the Galactic Republic in around 3,500 BBY after a period of declining relations between the two. The Republic was viewing the Morsians as militaristic and dangerous during the period of relative peace in the Inter-Sith Wars period, when tensions were attempting to be lowered and overall militarism across the galaxy was meant to be decreasing. The Morsians, at that point one of the largest standing militaries in the galaxy, were highly against disarming or an armed forces reduction either of themselves or the Republic. Unable to make headway in changing their minds and unwilling to directly kick them from the Republic in fear that they would retaliate with hostility, the Republic instead employed a strategy of making them and outcast within the Republic Senate. The aim of this was to cause the Morsians to consider themselves so disliked that they would leave on their own accord, saving the Republic of the awkwardness of kicking them out. Over several centuries, this was a success and the Morsians eventually left on poor terms, taking themselves and their empire out of the Republic.
Morsian independence from the Republic[]
As an independent power, the Morsians at first struggled. Membership to the Republic had brought many useful things to the Morsians, including their vast trade network across the galaxy. Without this network, the Morsians had to rely on internal trade and whatever separate deals they had managed to create with planets across the galaxy, both inside of and independent from the Republic. The economy initially suffered as a result of a large amount of trade deals either being cancelled or having to be re-negotiated now that the Morsians were independent. Various other things were lost in exiting the Republic, including the intelligence network and shared research and development.
However, after several decades and centuries of creating new trade deals and greatly expanding the Imperial Intelligence Bureau (IIB), the Morsian intelligence network, the Morsian Empire began to get back on its feet. Without Republic bureaucracy to slow them down, or Republic sanctions on how to conduct their deals, the Morsians were able to take control of their trades and create far more favorable deals. They were also not limited on their own laws or conduct, as the Republic no longer had eyes on how the Morsians ran their empire. Also, thanks to the expanded IIB, the Morsians were able to gather their own intelligence on any planet or government they wanted. Research and development was also sorted, as their spies could steal blueprints, designs, and any other technology that they could find as it was being developed, enabling the Morsians to keep up with the ever developing Republic.
For several millennia, the Morsians enjoyed prosperity free from the reigns of the Republic. A happily independent power in the southern end of the galaxy, the Morsians were able to keep their large standing military and intervene with whatever conflicts they wanted. Still largely against the various Sith empires that rose and fell, the Morsians would find themselves fighting alongside the Republic several times throughout the years before peace was achieved in around 1,000 BBY.
Rekindled relations[]
As tensions began to rise again in around 32 BBY onwards, the Republic began to regret having the Morsians outside of their area of influence. Growing dissent within the Galactic Senate saw many senators and worlds threaten to leave the Republic, with potentially violent consequences. During the period of peace, the Republic had demilitarized, relying on the Jedi to keep the peace and prevent war in the galaxy. This would not be enough should open war occur with the rebel senators and worlds. It was around this time that the Republic sought to rekindle its relations with the Morsians, mostly for their large military which they had continued to field and upgrade since leaving the Republic. This large field force would be highly beneficial to the Republic during a war.
However, nothing concrete had been formed by the time the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) seceded from the Republic and the Clone Wars broke out in 22 BBY. The Republic still desperately tried to get the Morsians to rejoin, whilst the Morsians for their part staged some "interventions" to recover technology from both sides as well as gather field intelligence on the CIS and their forces. Over the several years of war, large progress was made towards the Morsians joining the Republic and entering the war on their side. However, Order 66 and the subsequent dissolution of the Republic ended that and the Morsians did not join the Republic before it was reorganized.
Build up to the New Republic[]
Over the time until the Galactic Civil War, the Morsians were split between legitimizing the Galactic Empire as the successor to the Republic or whether they were illegitimate and should be destroyed to restore the Republic. As the Rebel Alliance began to form, their leader Mon Mothma covertly contacted the Morsians and over the years of rebellion established ties to get the Morsians to ally with the Rebel Alliance when they openly declared war on the Empire. Combined with several other factors, the Morsian Empire declared war on the Empire in 0 ABY, siding with the Rebel Alliance which had newly renamed to the Alliance to Restore the Republic (ARR).
New Republic relations[]
When the New Republic was formed in 4 ABY, the Morsian Empire was welcomed in as a member and heroes of the Republic. For several years, relations were high and the Morsian Empire was enjoying the benefits of being a part of the Republic and a galactic government again. They were able to participate in the New Republic Senate and vote on various bills and laws to change the galaxy. The Morsians also aided a lot with rebuilding war-torn planets that had either been affected by conflict or from years of Imperial exploitation and harsh treatment. This gained a large amount of favor with members, especially those who belonged to the planets that the Morsians were aiding.
Decline and exit[]
The major conflicting view between the Morsians and New Republic was the stance on the military. The New Republic, steered by Mon Mothma, was adamant about disarming and destroying the forces of the New Republic. To the Morsians, this was considered suicide and stupidity, as they believed that the demilitarization of the Republic was what led it to fall during the Clone Wars. Having proved that a large standing army was important to the success and stability of a state, chiefly their own but also the success of the ARR in fighting the Empire with their own forces, they were vehemently against the demilitarization of the New Republic.
In just under ten years, the Morsians went from celebrated heroes to despised militarists by nearly all members of the Senate. However, the Morsians had learnt their lesson from when they exited the Republic all those millennia ago, and so were not willing to beg and plead with the New Republic to change their minds or let them remain a part of the government. As tensions continued to rise and build in the New Republic Senate, and the Senate meetings became hostile to the Morsians, they made a decision. Either the New Republic would rescind the Military Disarmament Act and stop reducing the size of their military, or the Morsian Empire would again take their leave of the Republic. The New Republic was openly against the former idea, and so in 15 BBY the Morsian Empire left the New Republic with a warning speech to them. After the speech, they left the Senate chamber and had left the planet by the end of the day.
Legacy[]
The split was initially viewed with disappointment and sadness both in the Morsian Senate and wider populace. It had been a long journey of over 3,000 years for them to gain a place back in the Republic, and it had been destroyed in just over ten. However, once the shock of the exit had been processed, it turned to resentment and resignation. After processing the events, many in the Morsian Senate were not surprised that the Republic had cast them out again, whilst others even viewed it as a blessing, as the Morsian Empire could return to its life of independence.
Exiting the New Republic permanently caused a riff between the New Republic and the Morsian Empire due to the latter swearing to never again join a Galactic Republic in any form, no matter how much the Republic may beg or offer for them to return. The later appearance of the First Order and the destruction of the New Republic capital would only serve to vindicate the Morsian prediction that disarmament of the New Republic would lead to war and their downfall, as the New Republic could have been overrun by the First Order if not for the intervention of both the Morsians in the Morsian-First Order War but also the action of the Resistance which had been founded by princess Leia Organa, one of the few supporters of the Morsian Empire in the New Republic Senate.
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