Star Wars_ Jedi Trial Part 5

The Chancellor's image smiled sadly. "I do apologize for interrupting your plans like this, Senator."

"No, no, not at all, sir, I am at your disposal. How long do you think we'll be?"

"It could take some time, Senator. I do apologize again."

She hesitated. A member of the powerful Tarkin family, Paige-Tarkin was an unabashed admirer of the Supreme Chancellor, and in her public and private life she described him as the one person who could lead the Republic to victory in this crisis. Now he, who had devoted his entire life to public service, was apologizing for asking her to interrupt an evening at home with friends to deal with important galactic business?

"No bother," she responded, her voice catching with emotion, "but can you give me any idea what it involves?"

"All I can tell you is that a situation has arisen that might have the most serious consequences for the inhabitants of the Seswenna sector, Senator."

Paige-Tarkin's heart skipped a beat-Seswenna was the sector she represented in the Senate. "Where shall we meet?"

"My apartment, as quickly as you can get here. I must-'

"Your apartment, Supreme Chancellor?" she blurted. "Not your office?"

Palpatine shook his head. "This is a matter of the utmost sensitivity-it's best if n.o.body knows about the meeting yet. My security droids are sweeping my apartment even as we speak; it would take longer to a.s.sure the security of my office. Now I must invite some others, so please excuse me." The image vanished before she could ask who the others might be.

Quickly, Paige-Tarkin canceled her engagements, changed, and called for transportation.

Mas Amedda received the next call. As Speaker of the Senate and a loyal follower of the Supreme Chancellor, Amedda was best known for keeping his mouth shut and maintaining order during Senate debates. He had also supported granting Palpatine the emergency powers he believed the Supreme Chancellor needed to deal with the Separatists. Palpatine knew he could count on Amedda in this crisis, and his help would be invaluable when the inevitable debate broke out in the Senate.

Then Palpatine summoned Jannie Ha'Nook of Glithnos, a senior member of the Security and Intelligence Council. Ha'Nook saw everything in terms of profit and loss to herself. Although of a somewhat independent mind, she had also voted to grant Palpatine his emergency powers.

Next on the list was Armand Isard, director of Republic Intelligence, a man who knew much but said little.

Finally, Palpatine called Sate Pestage, controller of the Senate's executive agenda. Pestage was a master of persuasion. Many times since Palpatine's a.s.sumption of emergency powers Pestage had convinced recalcitrant Senators to get behind the Supreme Chancellor.

Thus Supreme Chancellor Palpatine gathered his staunchest allies to deal with his enemies.

Palpatine's apartment was comfortable but not ostentatious, as befit an abstemious public servant in the service of the people. Since not everyone arrived at the same time, he engaged his guests in small talk until they were all present. As soon as everyone was seated, he nodded to Sly Moore, his administrative aide. At his signal she engaged the security system that provided additional a.s.ssurance that no one eavesdropped on their deliberations.

"We may begin, sir," she announced.

"I apologize again for getting you all here on such short notice,"

Palpatine opened as his guests settled in. "I will come straight to the point. A very powerful Separatist force has captured Praesitlyn. A much smaller force-a rogue force, in fact-is opposing the invasion, but the outcome of this opposition is very much in doubt. Armand, give us the facts as we know them."

"A Trade Federation invasion force-we don't know its size or composition but must a.s.sume it is very large and very potent - has taken Praesitlyn.

We must a.s.sume, because all contact has broken off, that they are now holding the Intergalactic Communications Center. We must also a.s.sume that they are preparing to use the planet as a springboard for further incursions into the Core Worlds. We received this information in a message sent by the commander of the force the Supreme Chancellor mentioned, which had been shadowing the invasion fleet for some time."

Paige-Tarkin gasped. "So that's what you meant!" she exclaimed, looking at the Chancellor. "Have they made any move against the Seswenna sector?"

"Not that we know of," Palpatine answered. "But they have some means of blocking transmissions, so anything is possible. We do know that they have invested Sluis Van with another fleet of about one hundred twenty-five s.h.i.+ps of different cla.s.ses, evidently a holding operation, not an outright invasion. We must a.s.sume that once they've consolidated their hold on Praesitlyn, yes, they will move against Seswenna, Senator, either by force or by argument."

"We're making a lot of a.s.sumptions here. How do we know all this?" Jannie Ha'Nook asked, looking first at Palpatine and then at Isard.

The Chancellor nodded at Isard to continue, "We received intelligence of this event from Captain Zozridor Slayke."

"The pirate?" Ha'Nook interjected. She twisted a lock of hair around a forefinger and pursed her lips as she thought.

Palpatine smiled. "Not anymore. I pardoned him."

"And a good thing you did," Isard added, "because right now he and his army-the Sons and Daughters of Freedom, as they call themselves-are all that is opposing the Separatist force on Praesitlyn."

"Who is commanding the invaders?" Ha'Nook asked.

"Through other sources," Isard replied, smiling cryptically, "we think it might be Pors Tonith of the InterGalactic Banking Clan." He glanced over at Palpatine, who nodded that he should proceed. "We don't know much about Tonith, but he is no pushover. As a financier he is known for his ruthlessness, applying almost military precision and determination against his rivals. Apparently he's had some success leading military operations, too. Anyway, the last message we had from Slayke was that he was about to attack."

"How big is his force?" Mas Amedda asked.

"I'm not sure how many capital s.h.i.+ps, but it's estimated he has an army of fifty thousand beings."

"Great b.a.l.l.s of fire!" Paige-Tarkin exclaimed. "And he's going up against a whole Separatist army with a force that size? Unbelievable!" The guests all looked at one another in astonishment.

Palpatine steepled his fingers, carefully placing the tips beneath his nose. "So," he began, "the situation is desperate. As you all know, our deployable forces are all engaged throughout the galaxy. I do not believe that Captain Slayke, despite his obvious qualities of bravery and resourcefulness, will be able to expel the invaders. He can only upset them, delay them, and even if he does succeed in this, no doubt the Trade Federation is planning on sending an overwhelming follow-on force to secure Praesitlyn."

"Why would this Slayke and his army ever undertake such a desperate measure?" Ha'Nook asked.

Palpatine shrugged and smiled before he answered. "Slayke is an idealist, a rare commodity in these times." He smiled again and gestured vaguely, as though saying such people were incomprehensible. He cleared his throat and s.h.i.+fted his position. "Now you see why I called this meeting," he continued. "I do not want to give our citizens the impression of hasty decision making, but we must act swiftly this evening. Also, it s very important our people understand the gravity of what has happened and support us totally in our effort to retake the planet and support Captain Slayke-or rescue him, if that's what is required. I need your help because you are all respected and influential members of the Republic who can convince others to put their support behind me in this. I know, I know, I can dispatch forces at will, I have the power to do that, but we are still a democracy and I don't want later to be accused of exercising dictatorial powers or to have my decisions subjected to the sniping of armchair critics after the fact. I'm relying on you to convince your supporters and const.i.tuents that I have acted in the best interests of the Republic and that we cannot give up our struggle for freedom because of temporary reverses."

"And I would add this," Isard put in. "Slayke's is not a droid or a clone army. His soldiers are all volunteers and highly motivated individuals.

He will give Tonith a run for his credits, no pun intended."

"What forces do we have that we can spare?" Ha'Nook asked.

Palpatine s.h.i.+fted in his chair and stretched his legs. "The garrison force on Centax One, some twenty thousand clones." He shrugged. "We shall have to commit them; they're all we have that are immediately available."

Centax 1, Coruscant's second moon, had been transformed during the early stages of the present emergency to provide a staging base for military operations.

"So that means, Chancellor, that we shall have no reserve left to deal with any other contingency?" Ha'Nook exclaimed. "What if we need troops here on Coruscant? Chancellor," she said, shaking her head gravely, "I think this is a serious strategic mistake."

The Chancellor steepled his ringers again and made no reply for a long moment. The others remained silent. At last, Isard leaned forward to speak, but Palpatine silenced him with a glance. "Senator, consider: once the Separatists have consolidated their foothold on Praesitlyn and reinforced its garrison there, we shall never be able to retake the planet. Instead of it being our eyes on that vital sector, it will be a dagger pointed directly at the heart of our Republic. We have no choice.

We must act and we must do it now."

"Chancellor..." Ha'Nook leaned forward, a forefinger raised to make her point. "If that is the case, then why wasn't Praesit-lyn reinforced earlier?"

Palpatine shrugged. "My mistake. I take full responsibility for not foreseeing this event."

"Tipoca City has promised us a large batch of reinforcements," I sard began.

"When will they be ready?" Ha'Nook snapped.

"Two or three months."

Ha'Nook snorted and sat back in her chair. "I will have to think this over, Chancellor. It may require a full vote of the Senate. After all, we cannot endanger the security of-"

"I was hoping to avoid that, Senator," Palpatine interrupted. "Of course I understand what you are saying. But in times of emergency, decisions have to be made; leaders have to take on the responsibility of their offices and commit themselves boldly-"

"And suffer the consequences of failure?" Ha'Nook shot back.

"And accept the consequences, yes, Senator," Palpatine replied. He had expected this from Ha'Nook. He nodded almost imperceptibly at Sly Moore, who had remained hovering silently in the background during this conversation. Only the Supreme Chancellor saw her smile. He rose. "Shall we sleep on it? Let us talk again in the morning."

"And who shall command this expedition?" Paige-Tarkin asked.

Palpatine straightened, smoothed his robes, turned toward her, and smiled. "A Jedi Master," he said.

Jannie Ha'Nook was half expecting the call that came less than an hour after the meeting at Palpatine's residence broke up. The fact that the caller was using a holoshroud to disguise his image did not surprise her, either. That technique was frequently used on Coruscant when politicians, lobbyists, or informants desired to keep their true ident.i.ties unknown.

"Is that you, Isard?" Ha'Nook asked, laughing.

"I am not Isard, Senator," the caller replied in a deep, gravelly voice as unrecognizable as the image dancing before Ha'Nook's eyes.

"Well, come straight to the point then. I haven't eaten in hours."

"I am your ally, Senator," the image said, "and I wish to help you."

"How?" This could be interesting.

"You have been recognized as a person who is capable of being far more than a pract.i.tioner of base political intrigue. I can use my considerable influence to further your career in ways you cannot even begin to imagine."

There was a compelling, even hypnotic quality to the voice. "Go on."

Jannie twisted a lock of her hair around a forefinger and pursed her lips in thought. The more the mysterious caller talked, the more hair she wrapped around the finger.

"There are great events about to take place in the galaxy. You have just come from a meeting where they were under discussion."

"How did-" But Ha'Nook caught herself immediately. Of course someone had been eavesdropping-despite all of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's measures to prevent spying. It was done all the time on Coruscant, and no one could completely avoid it; total security was never truly possible.

"The invasion of Praesitlyn is but a ripple in a vast wave of history, Senator, and I am about to offer you a ride on that wave."

"Pray continue." Ha'Nook was beginning to enjoy this conversation.

"The events now taking place in the Sluis sector shall be resolved. When they are, someone will be needed to oversee the Republic's interests there. Let me be frank: an appointment as amba.s.sador plenipotentiary can be highly profitable."

"Ah," Ha-Nook gasped.

"Yes," the voice rumbled.

"You can arrange that?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I can. But I need something from you first."

"I thought we'd come to that." Ha'Nook smiled, but she was more than intrigued with the conversation at this point. Her mind was whirring.

Amba.s.sador plenipotentiary? That sounded about right to her. The work of a mere Senator, no matter how influential, could be immensely boring, dealing day m and day out with inanities such as bills for the improvement of the sewer system on Coruscant, or endless discussion of some silly resolution guaranteeing the religious freedom of some primitive species on some far-flung chunk of rock. After enough exposure to the routine business of the Senate in session, even important business failed to challenge or excite anymore. Here was a chance to really be in charge of something big!

"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine asked for your support to dispatch a relief force to Praesitlyn. Can he count on you, Senator?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation. What possible difference could it mean to me, she thought, if the relief expedition fails and the Separatists defeat the Republic? If I cant be an amba.s.sador, I can be an ally. Whichever way this war came out, Jannie Ha'Nook planned to be on the winning side.

"Excellent! Stand fast in your support of the Chancellor, Senator, and I shall stand fast in my promise to reward you." The transceiver went dead.

On the other end Sly Moore sat back and smiled. Time now to send that message to the Jedi Council.

9.

Jedi Nejaa Halcyon had no idea why he had been summoned so suddenly to appear before the Jedi Council. He had already been reprimanded for his failure. Perhaps, after the long period of idleness imposed on him because of the Scarlet Thranta affair, the Jedi Council was ready to reinstate him? He desperately wanted a chance to redeem himself. Perhaps this summons was it.

Nervously, he stood before the entrance to the Council Chamber, smoothing his hair and beard, composing himself. The palms of his hands were sweaty. I'm reacting like a Padawan. The thought made him smile. He straightened his cloak and entered the chamber.

Eleven of the twelve members of the Jedi Council sat in a semicircle just as he remembered from the last time he had stood before them. The huge windows framed a vast panorama reaching all the way to the city, its skyline reduced to miniature size by the Council Tower's soaring height and the distance. Myriad black specks, aircraft of all sorts engaged in the affairs of the vast metropolitan complex that was Coruscant, flitted over the horizon. It was a clear day, and the sun washed brilliantly over the scene. To Halcyon this vista alone was worth a visit to the Council, no matter what message he was about to receive. He relaxed.

"Welcome, Nejaa," Mace Windu said.

Halcyon bowed.

Yoda smiled. "Since we last saw you, a long time it has been," he said.

"Yes, Master, too long."

"You have been well, Nejaa? You are rested?" Adi Gallia asked.

Halcyon bowed again. "I am well."

"We have an a.s.signment for you," Mace Windu said. He gave Halcyon a searching look. "Supreme Chancellor Palpatine himself recommended you for this mission."

Halcyon tried not to show his surprise. "I-I do not know the Chancellor personally, but I am honored he should have such confidence in me, Master. Why did he recommend me?" he stammered.

"You don't know why the Supreme Chancellor recommended you?" Master Windu asked.

"No, I don't."