The Great Clone War
By Jon Evans (Noggins)
Based on characters and situations created by George Lucas and owned by Lucasfilm Ltd.
Prologue
Phineas Phoxx knew exactly why he was here. He stood in a darkened room, his eyes constantly fixed, unwavering on a spot in the centre of the room where very soon a holographic projection of his mysterious employer would appear to advise him. He'd been here for five minutes now and was beginning to feel tempted to walk out. This was the first time that he'd been forced to wait this long... something must be wrong.
Despite wanting to leave, Phineas stayed. The mission was too important to be disrupted by his lack of patience, and anyway soon everything he had ever dreamed of would come to pass. The galaxy that he wanted to live in would be brought into existence because of the one man he was about to speak to.
It seemed like a long time since he had followed his parents' path and becoming an assistant to the senator of Alderaan. He had grown up knowing more about politics than anyone his age and it seemed almost natural when, at the age of twenty he took his father's place aiding Senator Jek Astor. Things would have been wonderful if it wasn't for the fact that he could see the Republic decaying around him and it genuinely seemed to him that he was the only person who could set it all right.
The first problems began when the easily pliable Astor retired only to be replaced by a young diplomat named Bail Organa. Phineas knew from the moment that he laid eyes on him that this man would not be a pushover and worse still he appeared unaware of what was happening deep in the bowels of the Republic. Only he did. Only he could solve it but it seemed as if everyone was trying to stop him. A conspiracy. That's what it was.
For Phineas, hope seemed to arrive in the form of Palpatine. Maybe he would be able to change things and put the galaxy back on track, return it to the glory days. For the first time in over a decade, he felt that there was a real chance. He was wrong. Under the new Supreme Chancellor not much changed at all and Phineas' displeasure had reached the point that he had to do something. No longer would he be on the sidelines.
Rumours had begun to spring up of a group who were working with several systems and were planning to secede from the Republic, to create its own government and to force change. Phineas spent over a year tracking people down who he thought were linked to it and when he did it came as quite a surprise to find that a former Jedi was in charge.
Although the Jedi had existed for millennia and were as much a part of the galaxy as the stars that filled it, Phineas never cared much about them. He didn't dislike them but they had never done anything for him so they didn't really warrant a second thought and so to find that Master Dooku, supposedly a revered member of the order had left (causing much uproar although it must have passed him by) to form a new political movement shocked the Alderaanian minister.
Upon meeting Dooku, who had now taken on the title of Count (of what, the old man never mentioned), Phineas found him to be quite the charmer. No doubt it was his charismatic manner that allowed him to convince so many systems to consider leaving the Republic and now, Dooku had managed to talk him into joining the Confederacy.
Phineas announced his early retirement to the Senate and there was much sadness, although he felt that some of it was false. A lot of senators feared him, accusing him of being too radical for the Republic. As they celebrated his career and appeared to mourn his departure, Phineas had already begun to plan things out as to how he and Dooku would make the Republic the working institution it was meant to be... through war if necessary - something that had indeed come to pass after the events that had taken place on Geonosis only months previously.
His mind came back to the present as a flickering blue shape took form in the centre of the room. He blinked several time before he could focus again and saw a hologram of Count Dooku facing him. "You were successful I take it?"
"Yes my lord. The Duros were certainly tempted by your offer. I do fear it may create conflict with the Neimoidians. They have never been close to their... cousins."
"I will be able to settle that, Minister Phoxx," Dooku replied. "However, there are more pressing matters at hand?" Phineas looked at him inquisitively and the old man continued. "Something is about to happen on the planet Anax, something that may change the course of this conflict."
"And you wish for me to be there?"
The former Jedi shook his head. "No, no. There is no need for that. I have ensured that things are already in place there. You, my friend, are going to do something far, far more important.
Phineas waited expectantly for his next orders.
By Jon Evans (Noggins)
Based on characters and situations created by George Lucas and owned by Lucasfilm Ltd.
Prologue
Phineas Phoxx knew exactly why he was here. He stood in a darkened room, his eyes constantly fixed, unwavering on a spot in the centre of the room where very soon a holographic projection of his mysterious employer would appear to advise him. He'd been here for five minutes now and was beginning to feel tempted to walk out. This was the first time that he'd been forced to wait this long... something must be wrong.
Despite wanting to leave, Phineas stayed. The mission was too important to be disrupted by his lack of patience, and anyway soon everything he had ever dreamed of would come to pass. The galaxy that he wanted to live in would be brought into existence because of the one man he was about to speak to.
It seemed like a long time since he had followed his parents' path and becoming an assistant to the senator of Alderaan. He had grown up knowing more about politics than anyone his age and it seemed almost natural when, at the age of twenty he took his father's place aiding Senator Jek Astor. Things would have been wonderful if it wasn't for the fact that he could see the Republic decaying around him and it genuinely seemed to him that he was the only person who could set it all right.
The first problems began when the easily pliable Astor retired only to be replaced by a young diplomat named Bail Organa. Phineas knew from the moment that he laid eyes on him that this man would not be a pushover and worse still he appeared unaware of what was happening deep in the bowels of the Republic. Only he did. Only he could solve it but it seemed as if everyone was trying to stop him. A conspiracy. That's what it was.
For Phineas, hope seemed to arrive in the form of Palpatine. Maybe he would be able to change things and put the galaxy back on track, return it to the glory days. For the first time in over a decade, he felt that there was a real chance. He was wrong. Under the new Supreme Chancellor not much changed at all and Phineas' displeasure had reached the point that he had to do something. No longer would he be on the sidelines.
Rumours had begun to spring up of a group who were working with several systems and were planning to secede from the Republic, to create its own government and to force change. Phineas spent over a year tracking people down who he thought were linked to it and when he did it came as quite a surprise to find that a former Jedi was in charge.
Although the Jedi had existed for millennia and were as much a part of the galaxy as the stars that filled it, Phineas never cared much about them. He didn't dislike them but they had never done anything for him so they didn't really warrant a second thought and so to find that Master Dooku, supposedly a revered member of the order had left (causing much uproar although it must have passed him by) to form a new political movement shocked the Alderaanian minister.
Upon meeting Dooku, who had now taken on the title of Count (of what, the old man never mentioned), Phineas found him to be quite the charmer. No doubt it was his charismatic manner that allowed him to convince so many systems to consider leaving the Republic and now, Dooku had managed to talk him into joining the Confederacy.
Phineas announced his early retirement to the Senate and there was much sadness, although he felt that some of it was false. A lot of senators feared him, accusing him of being too radical for the Republic. As they celebrated his career and appeared to mourn his departure, Phineas had already begun to plan things out as to how he and Dooku would make the Republic the working institution it was meant to be... through war if necessary - something that had indeed come to pass after the events that had taken place on Geonosis only months previously.
His mind came back to the present as a flickering blue shape took form in the centre of the room. He blinked several time before he could focus again and saw a hologram of Count Dooku facing him. "You were successful I take it?"
"Yes my lord. The Duros were certainly tempted by your offer. I do fear it may create conflict with the Neimoidians. They have never been close to their... cousins."
"I will be able to settle that, Minister Phoxx," Dooku replied. "However, there are more pressing matters at hand?" Phineas looked at him inquisitively and the old man continued. "Something is about to happen on the planet Anax, something that may change the course of this conflict."
"And you wish for me to be there?"
The former Jedi shook his head. "No, no. There is no need for that. I have ensured that things are already in place there. You, my friend, are going to do something far, far more important.
Phineas waited expectantly for his next orders.