The street leading to the Convocation Center on Cassander is lined with flags and stalls as the sun shines brightly and crowds mill about the exhibitions. Rigla Laszlo and Carmuitor Veidt walk through the crowd, their escorts clad in Imperial Army Trooper armor now painted dark blue with golden highlights. The Governor, or “Rigla”, as he was now called, adopting the historic Cassander title after winning the planetary elections, was dressed in a dark green vest with a bright blue cape lined with black patterned fur, atop his head he wore a short patterned cap with a feather standing a full foot tall atop it. His aide, or “Carmuitor” Veidt was dressed more modestly, yet still with the bright colors that were visible all around them in the population. Some of the people wore new outfits in the style of the old Cassander culture, while others wore the outfits of their parents and grandfathers that had been hidden in closets to keep them from the Empire.

They pass stalls selling traditional foods from across the galaxy, with visitors from many worlds buying and tasting the food. At every stall, a poster stands prominently. “75% of all profits will go to restoring cultures destroyed or suppressed by the Empire” With the FSF logo below it.

“What is this delightful smell?” Laszlo asks with a smile as he approaches a booth.

“Zygerrian Marble Steaks, you will never find better meat in the Outer Rim! A Sample for you sir?”

“Of course, oh this is incredible! Veidit! You must try it! And the men too!” He orders, dropping a large pile of credits onto the table. “Some for all of us!”

No sooner does their party leave the stall, than another one waves them down, a local selling golden leaf rolls. “Rigla! I thought you were becoming a local, and here you are cavorting with foreign food.”

The Laszlo laughs. “Well friend, you must forgive me, I’m trying, but the allure of all this…” He spreads his hands dramatically.

“You can regain the faith of the people, with these, I guarantee!” The vendor offers, handing Laszlo one of the rolls on a disposable plate. “On the house.”

“Normally I wouldn’t reject your generosity.” He replies taking the plate and dropping credits on the counter. “But this a cause I want to fund!”

The interior of the Convocation Center is a hive of activity, music plays across the PA system from the stage where a group of musicians from Serrano plays a lively tune. Some stalls have art displays, like a sculpture from Ferrix of bricks woven together by starship parts, a drawing in a sand circle constantly being drawn by a Mirialan woman, as the hem of her dress smooths out the places she’s already drawn and leaves it a blank canvass. Some stalls have displays showing local history or products, a digital display showing the history of Listehol plays out, a pair of Lothal farmers stand proudly behind fruit grown on their farms, a man wearing ceremonial Vandelhelm armor answers questions, and a trio of Phindians do a traditional dance.

Laszlo walks up to the stage as the musicians finish their song, the Rigla tapping on the mic as a crowd gathers and several other people walk up on stage.

“Good Day! My friends! Good Day!” He announces. “I am Rigla, or Governor, Laszlo! Now some of you might know I used to work for the Empire, and when I first heard about Cassander and my deployment here, I thought, it was just another planet. And I was right, because that is what the Empire wanted it to be, just another planet. Yet today, we have torn away that cowl of the Empire and Cassander is not just another planet, but a majestic beacon of color and light!” The crowd claps. “And our guests, so many have come despite the danger, to show us a galaxy no longer muted by the gray shades of the Empire! It is my honor, therefore, to announce our first speakers, the FSF has been instrumental in putting this event on, and want you to welcome, Senators Varriss Of Ovee, Arrack Vandel, Yavorish Tint, and Bron Dooku!”

“Thank you Rigla Laszlo! It is an honor to be here where I see Cassander blooms with art and culture again! I am Varriss Of Ovee, I had the honor of visiting this wonderful world before the Clone Wars, and seeing the cold grip of the Empire be torn away and it restored to its former glory is fantastic! As Rigla Laszlo proves, culture is an idea, one may not have been born into the culture yet still adopt it, and culture, though it may be suppressed, can rise again if only given a chance. This galaxy is filled with thousands of unique cultures, some are similar, and some are very different, but this galaxy has room for them all so long as we remember what allows these cultures to coexist, and that is the belief that we are not wise enough to tell everyone how to live their lives or know what is best for everyone. The Empire wanted to see everyone as if they were the same, just numbers on a spreadsheet that could be given the same treatment as any other, they did not see people as individuals with lives, hopes, dreams, and environments as diverse as this galaxy itself, they crushed those who departed from their template. As we enter a New Era, we must fight to ensure that this New Republic is not allowed to make the same mistake. I would now like to present my friend and colleague, Arrack Vandel,”

The crowd cheers as Senator Vandel steps forward.

"Thank you! Seven Years ago, I would not have called myself a man of Culture. War was the art I studied and life was its teacher. But that changed when I had to flee my home world, because of the Empire.

Vandelhelm is old, very old, its ancient Monarchy has been in my family since before the High Republic, and it is the heart of our system. That heart was ripped from the beating chest of Vandelhelm by the Emperor, And slowly, Our culture started to stagnate and be dominated by Coreworld influences. Instead of Vandelian Waltz, Jizz was popular, Instead of the deep greens and black brocades woven from the rocks, Imperial Gray was worn.

And instead of being led by the Venerated one, they were being led by a Guildmaster puppet in the hands of the Empire.

Now, the Empire has fallen, my Niece is once again on her rightful throne as the Venerated one, And Vandelhelm is rising. Now, I am a man of culture, because I know that culture is what saves a planet, not war.”

“Good day! I am Yavorish Tint, when the Empire came into power my planet Corsin was already being occupied by the Old Republic merely as a staging ground, to wage their war. The Empire transformed my world from a laid back peaceful people with an absolute respect for our lush forests, gigantic mountains, spectacular bodies of water, and colorful architecture into slaves cutting and burning down our forests. They made us violate our mountains by mining them up for newly discovered metal deposits not caring for their beauty. They polluted our oceans with chemicals leaking from their ships and excess trash, and made our infrastructure gray and dull. Now that the reign of the Empire has come to an end our culture has finally started to bounce back so I invite you to take part in just a slice of my planet's tropical paradise.”

“Welcome Friends to the Free Sectors Cultural exhibition! I'm Bron Dooku and I’m not much for long speeches but I’ll be here at our exhibition to talk to you all about Serenno's wonderful culture that the Galactic Empire unfortunately oppressed. The Beauty Of Serenno was defaced and defiled by Imperial Pillaging, but today we start to rebuild the Galaxy system by system!”

As the applause dies down Rigla Laszlo retakes the stage. “Powerful words! Thank you so much for coming here today! We shall have more speeches in an hour! So, please! Sit, listen, learn, and enjoy it all! I certainly am!”