Friends of the Republic

"By extension, they have served the Republic. And for all I know, I'm not the only one they've helped."

- Senator Bail Organa to Obi-Wan Kenobi

The Friends of the Republic were a group of individuals dedicated to the preservation of the ideals of the Galactic Republic, which many believed had begun to crumble in the wake of the Clone Wars.

Alderaanian Negotions with Chandrila
One year prior to the Battle of Geonisis, the Friends of the Republic contacted Senator Bail Organa when the government of Alderaan had entered negotions with Chandrila for a joint mining venture on Aridus. Bail's wife, Breha Antilles Organa, had several connections with the Corporate Sector via her family, and some of those connections were involved in the project, which it appeared would have been successful. The information provided by the Friends of the Republic helped avert a diplomatic and humanitarian disaster that would have engulfed not only Alderaan and Chandrila, but the rest of the Republic, as well.

The negotiations that followed occurred on such a lofty political scale that not even the Jedi Order was informed of the proceedings.

Assault on Bothawui
When the android General Grievous planned an attack on the world of Bothawui, which lies in a location vital to Republic shipping routes, through various contacts, the Friends of the Republic informed Senator Bail Organa of this vital intelligence. Bail Organa then relayed this information to Obi-Wan Kenobi who convinced the Jedi Council to send a battle group, led by Anakin Skywalker to ambush Grievous.

Contact and Communication
In order to preserve their secret status, the Friends of the Republic possessed a complex and cautious method of conveying information to their contacts. Contacts were provided with a small comlink that they were to keep on their person at all times. When the Friends wished to reach an individual possessing one of their comlinks, they simply contacted them through that comlink. The relayed message was channeled through a worn and battered datareader, internally fitted with extremely advanced communication equipment. The message is then run through the datareader, and the receiever uses a code, which they have committed to memory, to translate the transmission.

Connection to the GenoHaradan
There is a possiblity that the Friends of the Republic may have some connection to the GenoHaradan of the early Old Republic, who served as assassins and subverters in the highest reaches of government, working tenatively with the Exchange.

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars: Wild Space