Prologue

Commemoration of the renewed chancellorship still wafted jubilantly throughout the Republic. It
was the wiping away of the old and tired Valorum administration with the swift and decisive hand of
Naboo-born Sheev Palpatine. His victory in not only securing office, but also in dealing a crippling
blow to the Trade Federation’s blockade that had engulfed his home planet was miraculously
reflected in explosive fashion as it ended. That Naboo had merely re-joined the wider galactic
community would be an understatement – their monarch, Queen Padmé Amidala, welcomed the
prospect with outstretched sovereignty and commitment. Trade resumed- no, flourished better than
ever before for Naboo’s refreshed commercial output in the Galactic Republic. Padmé Amidala, who
also served as monarch during the trade blockade crisis, had continued her position as royal
representative of her people. Despite her young age, it was abundantly clear that her dedication to
being a galactic servant had not waned nor diminished since the ghastly ordeal that had taken place
only a short period to her very people.

Albeit not even half of Palpatine’s first term had yet elapsed, when compared to his predecessor, the
differences were astounding. Of all the crises and disasters that had bedevilled the final years of
Valorum’s leadership, it could quite confidently be said that the Republic was in a period of
uninterrupted, however ephemeral or long-lasting that may be, of peace. The weary shoulders of
the people could heave off the weight of past toils and regional conflicts. Irrespective of that,
whosoever was wise enough as to gauge its longevity after everything that had transpired only so
recently? Peacetime was peacetime, and the citizens of the Republic were more than satisfied with
that.

Business as usual was the agenda in the Core and Mid-Rim, all the while the Chancellor’s regular
duties and busy schedules were well underway. Into his office, which had been refurbished within
the last half-decade in accordance with his lavishly informed and connoisseurial design, Palpatine
made his entry purposefully. Though his face flickered a flustered expression, owing to the small
cohort of loyal senators and dutiful advisors that pressed him for responses after a full session of the
Senate, he marched astutely to his chair whose rear was exposed to the ecumenopolis cityscape of
Coruscant. The edges of his robe whipped like silk against the corner of the desk that accompanied
the chair. Sedentary and prepared to make a more private address, Palpatine scanned the yapping
mouths on the faces of half a dozen senators before him. “It was most displeasing to hear the yelps
of the senator from Shili amid a formal address by the Jedi in the arrangements for your tour of the
Mid-Rim”, sparked Ithorian Senator Neelig Voe in reference to renowned Senator Aura Li, an elderly
Togruta female whose historic legacy was not nearly as lost to time as her age. Palpatine calmly
brought together his hands: “While I appreciate your stance on this matter, Senator Li’s indignant
opposition to the recent Zygerrian enslavement of Togruta colonies cannot be left unheard”, he
spoke with assertive amiability.
“A time and a place, though; don’t you agree, Chancellor?” quipped Roctys Gusna, a human male
senator from the Kuat Sector in the Core.
Directing his tranquil countenance at Gusna, “Just as has been the case for the last millennium,
Senator, we all play a part in upholding the presiding fundaments on which the Republic was built –
an unwavering ethos against slavery, along with its constitutional and legal implications, is a core
tenet of our government-”, Palpatine was reminding an icy Gusna, whose rigid gaze preluded a hasty
rebuttal:
“But it must be said, Chancellor: the audacity that Senator Li showed in today’s session was nothing
short of intrusive and belligerent. In fact, I daresay it was downright deserving of some kind of…”
“Pardon me, Senator, to intrude on your soliloquy, but need I offer you further tutelage as to the
principles of our democracy?” Palpatine captured Senator Gusna’s digressive tangent.
“Chancellor, it was quite plainly a violation of our princip-”, a meek retort was all that Gusna could
muster.
“Our principles are those of the Republic, as I’ve already – however needlessly – reminded you. To
recall the words of the late Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh: We are all the Republic. I will not let our
primary values be tarnished by what you call ‘violations’ to Senate proceedings. Senator Li was more
than entitled to express her dismay at the terrible events in the Outer Rim happening to her own
species, no less! We can be thankful that the Jedi representatives were there to hear her outcry,” he
glanced over to the other senators in the room, “which is why I have arranged to liaise with the Jedi
about this incident in the coming days.”
Roctys Gusna conceded with muted posture and resumed his position a couple of steps back from
his notional pulpit. Palpatine eased his shoulders and swivelled gently towards the rest of the
quietened senators. Neelig Voe and the other senators subtly bowed their heads at the Chancellor’s
decision to convene with the Jedi on the Zygerrian incident, marking an end to the matter. Senator
Gusna, now at the back of the group, frowned as it concluded.
“Chancellor, when is it you are scheduled to leave on your tour of the Mid-rim? I apologise, but the
dates have since escaped me owing to the escalation just now during the Session.” enquired Rubeld
Bundrix, a young Besalisk senator new to the political scene on Coruscant for the past year or so. His
four arms scrambled; one hastily reaching for a note pad, another for a stylus with which to write,
one more scratched his head and, finally, the other leaned on the arm of the chair he was in. He
seemed as though he needed a larger seat, but attempted to disguise this lack of comfort with eager
sincerity in his eyes and facial expression.
“Well, the plan is to depart Coruscant at the end of next week. I’ll be travelling to Naboo first and
foremost to meet with Queen Amidala. The drastic uptake in trade there more than deserves some
form of congratulatory recognition; it’s also been quite some time since I visited my home world so it
will be a welcome opportunity to return!” Palpatine replied pleasantly, a warm smile and a brief
jovial laugh accompanied his words. Senator Bundrix hurriedly pencilled the update on his notepad
so as not to forget, returning a shy smile back at Palpatine on hearing the merriment of returning to
his home planet.
“A healthy change of scenery for you I’m sure, Chancellor,” added Neelig Voe, “and after that, if I’m
not mistaken, you are visiting Kashyyyk for talks with one of the clan chieftains?” Voe continued.
“Yes, that’s right. I’m meeting with a Wookie general called Tarfful, or some variation of the name – I
will need to double-check the itinerary beforehand, of course.” Palpatine confirmed, “It’s of the
utmost importance we maintain a good relationship with the inhabitants of Kashyyyk. They have
been loyal to the Senate and Republic at large, so I’m very much looking forward to what exciting
prospects these talks could bring.” he went on. Senator Gusna once again shuddered and contorted
his face at the idea. Palpatine eyed him carefully, before moving his gaze back to the group. Senator
Bundrix was busy writing up more notes, while Neelig Voe and the others stood respectfully silent.
The Chancellor breathed deeply before continuing, “The latter part of the tour is of paramount
importance, however. Many other planets and moons are much less inhabited and are breeding
grounds for criminals and pirates who seek to cause disruption to our Republic outposts and smaller
settlements. An appropriate security detail will be with me, rest assured, not least of all the Jedi
escort that will be travelling alongside”, he calmly raised a palm in an effort to allay any concerns the
senators may raise, “but we must also be mindful of Hutt territory that spans a number of sectors in
the Mid-Rim. Any disruption there must be avoided where possible, otherwise we may find
ourselves engulfed in another crisis akin to that of the Trade Federation on Naboo. We are looking to
make the Republic stronger by forming new bonds and alliances with disenfranchised worlds in that
region of the galaxy, but we equally recognise the risks this might entail as a result. Diplomacy,
communication and peaceful negotiations are the objectives here, senators.” Palpatine stated with
an emboldened sense of duty in his voice. The Republic’s state of affairs when he was first elected
were in disarray, to say the least. The amount of delegated power given to bodies like the Trade
Federation and other such conglomerates was something Palpatine sought to reduce as it generated
and permeated corruption. However, taking sudden action against these giant corporations would
disproportionately disrupt the status quo – it was via diplomacy with independent star systems that
could encourage trade and collaboration with the Republic, if not to entice new worlds to be
represented in the Senate. This would gradually shift the balance of power away from large
corporate entities to actual worlds and populations, as should be the case in the Senate. This
expansionist method had been attempted many times by past Republic leaders, except these plans
were inevitably thwarted by war, coups, criminal uprisings and political corruption.
Nothing more seemed to be on the lips of the senators in Palpatine’s office, so he concluded the
meeting. “Thank you for today’s session, senators. We will not now reconvene until after the Mid-
Rim tour in roughly a month’s time. If there is anything you would like to discuss, please speak with
my secretary. Any urgent matters, I will endeavour to respond to you at my earliest convenience, but
I cannot make any guarantees”, he reminded the cohort in a friendly manner.
“Thank you, Chancellor, we hope your talks go well”, they each said, or similar farewells thereof.

As the senators proceeded to the automatic doors to exit his office, Palpatine stood up and gestured
slightly to Senator Gusna, “Senator, may I have a word?” he asked deeply.
Freezing suddenly where he stood, halfway from Palpatine’s desk to the door, Gusna turned back to
Palpatine, “Of course, Chancellor”, he said. Roctys walked back toward the desk near to where he
stood prior, before proceeding to grasp the back of one of the chairs to sit down. Palpatine, already
seated behind his desk as he was poised before, “Do not sit. You may stand, Senator”, his voice far
sterner now the other senators had exited his office and the doors shut behind them. Gusna, rather
taken aback, reluctantly obliged the command.
“It seems as though you are rather out of sorts of late, Gusna. Not only did you take issue with
Senator Li’s condemnations, but I noticed your grimace when we were discussing my plans to visit
Kashyyyk”, Chancellor Palpatine asserted, the need to enquire as to why Senator Gusna acted in
such a manner now unquestionably redundant. The corner of the senator’s lip twitched slightly, his
eyes now staring past the chancellor, beyond the glass behind him, to the ceaseless air-traffic of
Coruscant; Gusna’s mind now scant of responses. His hand wandered into the pocket of his tunic,
tousling its brocaded design. Palpatine sighed woefully, as his gaze averted to the surface of his desk,
then uttering “How unfortunate you’re unable to explain yourself – you are vocal enough atop your
pod in the Senate, but why not now?”
Whipping back to the Chancellor with eyes and diction, “I was under the impression I had made my
thoughts known in our meeting just now. Further explanation would be repetitive, thus further
wasting our time.” An oratorical zephyr had swept over Gusna’s lips; Palpatine’s patience ran dry.
“I requested you remain here after the other senators had left so we could, perhaps, rectify any
feelings of contempt or opposition. If there’s anything you would like to share with me in
confidence, now is the time”, the Chancellor played on in a bid to coax out an actual response from
Gusna.
“Feelings of contempt? I think you mistake my leanings, Chancellor. I am merely of the opinion that
both the Togruta enslavements and increasing diplomacy with the Wookies are…out of the
Republic’s current reach and, admittedly, not in our current interests. Are we not a democracy with
freedom of expression and thought, after all?” Gusna stated in an attempt to clarify the surprisingly
misunderstood viewpoint he held, or at least what he thought was surprising.
“Then you would do well to ensure you are clear and distinct with your leanings, senator Gusna,
otherwise people may misjudge you,” Palpatine reservedly exacted, “but I thank you for your
honesty on this occasion”.
Gusna breathed a quiet sigh of relief, or confusion? No, he wasn’t sure what it was. A daze of
whirring senses, emotions, and dizziness came over him, causing him to stumble back. His vision
began to blur and shift to the point where it was comparably kaleidoscopic.

“Are you alright, senator?” the Chancellor’s voice echoed in Gusna’s ears, dissonant and discordant.

Not a moment later Roctys Gusna fell to the carpeted floor, unconscious.