Bec Lawise

The Siniteen species claimed Bec Lawise as one of their own, his origins tracing back to the celestial body known as Mileva, their homeworld. As the Galactic Republic neared its end, a crisis unfolded as a significant number of Galactic Senate members chose to break away, seeking an escape from what they perceived as a corrupt and self-serving governing body. Primarily brought together by Count Dooku of Serenno, these worlds united to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a newly formed alternative to the established Republic. Lawise, a seasoned politician, was among those who joined the Confederacy, serving as a representative in the Separatist Senate and eventually becoming the Separatist Congress Leader with the title of Speaker. Lawise presided over the Separatist Congress alongside Dooku, the Head of State of the Confederacy, in the city of Raxulon on Raxus Secundus.

The Separatist congress was mainly established to provide mutual defense for its constituents and to mediate conflicts between planets, free from the archaic regulations and protocols they believed fostered corruption in the Republic Senate. Speaker Lawise, celebrated for his honorable character, led the congress with a gentle approach, maintaining order among the ideologically diverse group by emphasizing core beliefs like minimal taxation, trade deregulation, and greater control over individual territory than what would be permitted under the Republic. As 22 BBY approached, the Confederacy's continued growth and rapid expansion sparked discussions of war with the Republic, leading both sides to amass substantial armies. Full-scale war erupted with the First Battle of Geonosis, rapidly escalating into a galactic-wide conflict. Despite his opposition to the Galactic Republic, Lawise harbored no personal animosity towards his Republic counterparts and remained on friendly terms with many across enemy lines.

In 21 BBY, Confederate Senator Mina Bonteri of the Japrael sector and Republic Senator Padmé Amidala engaged in private negotiations, resulting in an initiative aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution to the war between the Confederacy and Republic. Bonteri presented the peace initiative before the Separatist congress. Lawise was present in the gallery of the Senate chamber, observing Bonteri's advocacy for the bill. While Bonteri argued that both the Confederacy and Republic could coexist, Senator Voe Atell of the Corporate Alliance opposed this idea. Unlike Bonteri, who belonged to the Confederate Senate's Peace Faction, Atell was affiliated with the War Faction and believed that the Republic needed to be destroyed for the Confederacy to achieve peace. When Atell stated that the Corporate Alliance would not support the bill, Senator Kerch Kushi countered by asserting that, unlike the Republic, corporations did not control the Confederacy, directly challenging Atell's position.

The Senate erupted in debate, but Dooku, participating remotely via hologram, brought the chamber to order. Dooku called for a voice vote on the motion, as required by the Bylaws of Independent Systems. Lawise, along with many enthusiastic senators, rose from his seat to voice his support for the bill, applauding as he did so. After hearing from the opposition, Dooku declared the supporters of the peace initiative as the victors. Although the Separatist Senate approved the peace initiative and reached out to the Republic, Senator Amidala faced greater challenges in persuading the Galactic Senate on Coruscant to support the motion. While the Senate was voting on the bill, Confederate General Grievous launched an attack on Coruscant's power grid. The bill was immediately retracted as the senate went into lockdown. Similarly, the Separatist Congress rescinded its vote for the initiative following an alleged Republic attack that resulted in the death of Senator Bonteri.

Despite the failure of Senator Bonteri and Senator Amidala's earlier peace negotiations, the Confederacy and Republic engaged in negotiations once again in 20 BBY. The inaugural peace conference between the two was authorized by both governments, with the neutral planet Mandalore selected to host the delicate meetings. Speaker Lawise was among the three Confederate delegates chosen to represent the Confederacy during these meetings, alongside Voe Atell and Senator Amita Fonti. The Republic's delegation included Senator Amidala, as well as Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, all long-time advocates for peace. The conference took place in the throne room of the Mandalorian ruler, Duchess Satine Kryze, who served as the mediator, in the capital city of Sundari. While Kryze had strict rules regarding weaponry within the city, both delegations were permitted a small security contingent, with the Separatist diplomats escorted by BX-series droid commandos. Additionally, the Republic delegates were accompanied by Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano.

Tensions were high during the conference, as the Republic delegates seemed hesitant to formally recognize the Confederacy as a legitimate state. Senator Atell demanded that Senator Amidala do so, with Lawise and Fonti in agreement. Before Amidala could respond, Lux Bonteri, the son of the late Mina, interrupted, stating that he had something to say about the legitimacy of the Separatists. Lawise scoffed at Bonteri's presence, and Atell questioned his purpose at the meeting. While the two delegations engaged in private discussions about Bonteri's sudden appearance, the young man approached Duchess Kryze and bowed, receiving her permission to speak. Bonteri stepped up to a podium before the conference and, after introducing himself and mentioning his mother, turned to the Confederate delegation, accusing Count Dooku of murdering his mother. Lawise immediately stood up and exclaimed that Bonteri was lying, ordering the commando droids to arrest him.

As the droids seized Bonteri, Duchess Satine intervened, demanding that they stop. Senator Atell respectfully asked Kryze to refrain from interfering, and the duchess complied. Bonteri was escorted out of the throne room, warning the Confederate delegates that they were being deceived and would eventually be betrayed by Dooku, just as his mother had been. With Bonteri gone, Lawise reconvened with the Republic delegates, apologizing for the interruption and requesting that they continue with the meeting. Although Lawise, Atell, and Fonti were satisfied that the matter was resolved, Senator Amidala discreetly authorized Padawan Tano to rescue Bonteri. However, as Tano freed Bonteri, a firefight broke out between the Confederate and Republic forces stationed outside Sundari. With both sides now openly hostile and Tano and Bonteri fleeing the planet, the peace conference quickly collapsed, and the delegates hastily departed Mandalore shortly thereafter.

In 19 BBY, concerns mounted within both the Confederacy and Republic regarding the InterGalactic Banking Clan, a powerful commerce guild that provided funding to both governments on neutral terms. Before the Battle of Geonosis, the Banking Clan had forged an alliance with the emerging Confederacy, but by the war's final year, the banks had become unstable, and their assets faced increased scrutiny. Given that both governments relied on debt during wartime, they heavily depended on the Banking Clan for essential funds. An investigation into the Banking Clan's reserve capital by the Republic's Senator Amidala and a former Republic senator-turned-Separatist ally, Baron Rush Clovis, revealed that the bank was on the brink of bankruptcy, with limited credits in its vaults. Following further investigation and a hearing before the Republic Senate, the leaders of the Banking Clan, the Core Five, were arrested on corruption charges. Clovis, secretly collaborating with Dooku in a plan to seize control of the banks, was endorsed by both the Republic and Confederacy to replace the Core Five, a decision that was quickly adopted.

To oversee this crucial transfer of power, the Confederacy dispatched Congress Leader Lawise to Scipio, the headquarters of the Banking Clan. Similarly, the Republic sent Senator Amidala to monitor the proceedings. Lawise arrived at Scipio before Senator Amidala, who was traveling with Clovis, and met with a dignitary from the Banking Clan while awaiting their arrival. Once the two landed outside the neutral zone of the Main Vault fortress, Lawise and his security approached the unloading ramp to greet them. Lawise welcomed Clovis back to Scipio, expressing the Separatist government's high hopes for him. Clovis thanked the senator and then explained to both Lawise and Amidala his plans for the transfer of power. Only Lawise and Amidala were permitted inside the neutral zone of the city, with their respective forces remaining stationed outside. Both senators agreed to these conditions, and the party proceeded toward the city entrance.

Clovis led Lawise and Amidala to the Main Vault, where the Core Five were being formally sentenced by the Muun government. The five former leaders were charged with embezzlement and led away for imprisonment. Once they had been escorted out, Clovis, flanked by Lawise and Amidala, approached the center of the room to address the panel. Before the dignitaries, Clovis stated that his aim was not merely to control the banks and the flow of commerce but to restore them to their former glory. Clovis's remarks were met with applause, and Lawise approached Amidala, asking if she believed he was up to the task. Amidala responded that she knew few men as dedicated to a cause as Clovis and that he would not rest until he had achieved his goals. Lawise replied that he hoped she was right for everyone's sake and joined in the applause for the newly confirmed leader.

Despite Clovis's reliance on Dooku's behind-the-scenes support to ascend to the leadership of the banks, he had no intention of allowing Dooku to use that to absolve the Confederacy's debts. Upon learning of this, Dooku threatened Clovis's position by declaring that the Confederacy would not pay the interest on its loans, which would lead to the Banking Clan's collapse. With the fate of the banks hanging in the balance, Clovis had no choice but to immediately raise the interest rates on the Republic's loans to maintain stability. Since Lawise and Amidala had not yet left Scipio, they were invited to the Main Vault to hear this verdict from Clovis. Lawise and Amidala, both unaware of Dooku's deceitful tactic, were caught off guard by the announcement and exchanged shocked glances. Senator Amidala protested and attempted to respond to Clovis, but he and his fellow leaders departed, leaving Lawise and Amidala alone to process the news.

In his next move to seize control of the banks, Dooku personally arrived at Scipio with an armada to occupy the planet. He dispatched a fleet of gunships to destroy Senator Amidala's forces stationed outside the city, then entered the neutral zone with his occupational forces once the Republic troops were defeated. Lawise was brought to Clovis's office to meet with him and Dooku, where the speaker tensely discussed the sudden turn of events with Clovis. Suddenly, two of Dooku's droids brought Amidala into the room and threw her to the ground as Lawise and Clovis watched in horror. Amidala demanded to know what was happening, but Clovis could only respond that he had not wanted this to happen. Hearing this, Dooku stood from his seat and told Clovis to explain how he had risen to power, implying that it was his doing. Although Clovis protested, Dooku rhetorically asked if Amidala had joined the Separatist cause, given her role in aiding Clovis's nomination in the Republic Senate.

When Amidala responded angrily, Dooku unilaterally declared that if she was not with the Separatists, she was against them, then ordered his droids to arrest her. Incensed by Dooku's actions, Lawise attempted to intervene on her behalf, telling Dooku that they could not arrest her. Lawise added that such an act would never gain the support or approval of the Separatist Senate, a statement that visibly irritated Dooku, who glared at Lawise. Seeing Dooku distracted by Lawise, Amidala grabbed a blaster from one of the battle droids beside her and aimed the weapon at the count. Without a word, Dooku used the Force to take control of Amidala's movements and redirected her blaster towards Speaker Lawise, who cried out in vain for Dooku to stop. As Dooku looked away, he forced Amidala to shoot Lawise twice in the chest, killing him.

As Lux Bonteri had once predicted, Speaker Lawise was deceived and betrayed by Dooku, just as the late Mina Bonteri had been. Once Lawise's body hit the floor, Amidala fell to her knees in horror, while Clovis exclaimed to Dooku that his death was not part of their agreement. With Lawise dead, it appeared that the Confederacy would proceed with its takeover of the Banking Clan. However, a Republic fleet invaded the planet to drive the Confederacy away, but before they arrived, Dooku and his armada left the planet, leaving their droids stationed in the city behind. During the ensuing battle, Clovis committed suicide to save Senator Amidala, and the Republic occupied Scipio.

In the aftermath of the chaos, the Muun government dissolved the Banking Clan and ceded control of its remaining assets to the Republic, which promised that the banks would return to their former standing once the war ended. Speaker Lawise was deeply mourned in the Separatist Congress. In contrast to Lawise, who had been known for maintaining relationships with his Republic counterparts, many in the Separatist Senate developed a deeper animosity towards Amidala and the Republic, blaming them for his death, despite Dooku's secret role in the assassination.

Bec Lawise, a Siniteen male of ample build, stood at 1.74 meters (5 feet, 9 inches) tall, with yellow eyes and pale pink skin. Lawise was recognized for his honorable and affable demeanor as a politician, capable not only of maintaining order in the Separatist Senate but also of fostering close relationships with senators on the opposing side in the Republic. Despite this, Lawise was committed to the Separatist cause and sought to secure legitimacy and recognition for the Confederacy as a separate entity from the Republic. While he could govern his senate with a gentle touch, Lawise was not hesitant to oppose his fellow Separatists and condemn transgressive members, such as Lux Bonteri, for actions such as treason. Lawise swiftly defended Count Dooku against Bonteri's accusations of murder and had the young man arrested for disrupting the peace conference on Mandalore.

Like many, Lawise believed that groups such as the InterGalactic Banking Clan should remain neutral, and, along with Senator Amidala, he held the view that maintaining the banks' integrity was crucial. Lawise had high hopes for Rush Clovis's promise to restructure the banks and respected Amidala's opinion of him as well. Lawise opposed Dooku's scheme to seize control of the Banking Clan, a stance that provoked the Head of State's ire. Lawise attempted to dissuade Dooku, warning that the Separatist Senate, under his leadership, would not support his actions, a principled position that would ultimately lead to his murder.

Bec Lawise made his debut in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series during the third season episode "Heroes on Both Sides." His name was first revealed in the accompanying episode guide on StarWars.com. Lawise had a speaking role in the fourth season episode "A Friend in Need," where he was voiced by Corey Burton. Burton reprised the role in the sixth season episode "Crisis at the Heart."