Before - Legends Denouement~ OCs, Second Proverbs Challenge

Title: Denouement
Genre: General/Tragedy
Timeframe: Old Republic Era
Summary: Decisions have the most profound of impacts and their consequences are to be ignored at their peril.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: The title for this piece refers to diminishment, a fitting title given the subject matter. The additional prompt in this case was a location: the Duros homeworld. I hope that this is consistent and is a joy to read.

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[color=royalblue]When the last tree is cut, the last river poisoned, and the last fish dead, we will discover that we can?t eat money. Canadian saying
[/color]

Like many man-made disasters, this one started out from the best of intentions. A population explosion had caused the need and the Duros debated amongst themselves for solution to the problem. They thought, debated, and sought to justify the various solutions to the massive rise in population on their homeworld. They debated emigration, population controls, and the use of technology. In the end, the canny and technically minded Duros opted for the use of technology.

?What we need is an immediate but long-lasting solution.? The chairman of the High House declared, hoping to set out what he thought was the solution to the problem.

?We cannot turn to emigration as a solution, truly. Given the roving nature of we Duros, it would happen whether we enforced it as a political solution or not. Population controls: we would likely find ourselves found in contempt by a suit before the High Galactic Court, subject to fines and ridicule all over the civilized galaxy for daring to violate the natural sentient rights of our people. So, we are naturally left with only one choice. One choice that we should undertake and see as a Gods sent solution- the perfect solution for we Duros.?

The others at the table took a few moments to look at the chairman before they began to fill the board room with excited discussion. This was the glorious solution to their crunched space and the rapid rise in population, which could effectively ruin them if something wasn?t done. It could even lead to greater wealth and prosperity for them all if they played their cards right.

And play their cards they would.

***
The High House immediately authorised the construction of hundreds of food processing plants across the surface of Duro. Forests were uprooted, animals driven into exile from their former habitats, and the skies began to colour unnaturally brightly with increased pollutants that began to pump into the atmosphere. But the food was fantastic.

And there was so much of it...more than they could eat themselves. Which in the end, lead to exports to other systems and more food processing plants on the surface of the planet. And more destruction on a scale that few could ever have imagined.

There was little care on the part of most. The people had long since ascended to life in the glittering orbital cities that surrounded the planet above. They were made fabulously wealthy from the export of the food that their processing plants produced. But there were some who did notice and were deeply concerned. They feared what might come if they did not turn their minds to undoing the damage that was being wrought on their world.

?We must do something before all is lost. Remember the old proverb: [color=royalblue]When the last tree is cut, the last river poisoned, and the last fish dead, we will discover that we can?t eat money.[/color] For that is the road down which we are headed if we do nothing.? They would say to all who would listen.

But their pleas fell upon deaf ears. Others called them crazy, saying that their world was strong enough to take it and adapt. Some felt that they were engaging in conspiracy theory drivel that was damaging their lucrative commerce. Most though, were ambivalent to what they heard and went about their business. After all, they couldn?t see all of that damage from their glittering orbital cities. It was out of sight, out of mind.

The years ticked by and the damage escalated. And it seemed to still go unnoticed- to a

 

A great use of the quote to show the destruction of a planet habitat.

Excellent viggie

 

Ah, political and socio-economic commentary... This is my type of fic! XD

 

Sounds like the Duros only discovered the inconvenient truth when it was too late... great response and vignette! I'm all for politics and commentary in fics!

 

Great fic--reminds me a little bit of a Dr. Seuss movie clip I watched once about a little country that did something similar and ruined everything. I loved how you fit it into Star Wars and gave Duros its story. Great response to the challenge!

 

Really nice vignette! It really paints the decline of Duros as a quiet tragedy.

 

Thanks. Glad you liked.

 

Thanks...they can be really great and intensely amusing (see Canadian political satire like Royal Canadian Air Farce or This Hour Has 22 Mintues to see how good it can be), so I definitely enjoy it even if what I do goes along the darker, more serious side of things.

 

Definitely didn't and thank you. Question would be, how do you do that with Jabba the Hutt...I drew that additional prompt in my next one.

 

Ohh...I think that I've seen that one too but I can't remember the name of it. They were doing it for lumber or something if I remember correctly. To be honest, I wasn't even consciously thinking of that when I wrote this. I was thinking more of the Alberta oil sands...but thanks!

 

Thanks! Glad you liked it and that was what I was going for.

 

Upping in hopes of inspiring more interest in the challenge...and offering another chance to read.