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Xarine: I'll try!
Enjoy!
Palpatine is pacing as Captain Panaka enters. Eirtae and Rabe stand to one side.
"…the Republic is not what it once was." Palpatine says. "The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates who are only looking out for themselves and their home systems. There is no interest in the common good, no civility, only politics… it's disgusting. I must be frank, Your Majesty, there is little chance the Senate will act on this invasion."
"Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope." Queen Amidala replies.
"If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power… he is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption. A manufactured scandal surrounds him. The bureaucrats are in charge now."
"What options do we have?"
"Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor. One who will take control of the bureaucrats, enforces the laws, and gives us justice. You could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum."
"He has been our strongest supporter. Is there any other way?"
"Our only other choice would be to submit a plea to the courts…"
"There's no time for that. The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate. Our people are dying, Senator… more and more each day. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation."
"To be realistic, Your Highness, I'd say we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being."
"That is something I cannot do."
Qui-Gon stands in a tall stately room. Twelve Jedi sit in a semi-circle. Obi-Wan stands behind Qui-Gon in the center of the room.
The Senior Jedi is Mace Windu. To his left is an alien Jedi named Ki-Adi-Mundi, and to his right, the Jedi Master, Yoda.
"…my only conclusion can be that the Federation is alliance with a Sith Lord." Qui-Gon told the council.
"A Sith Lord?!" Mace Windu asked.
"Impossible!" said a Cerean Jedi Master named Ki-Adi-Mundi. "The sith have been extinct for over a millennium."
"The very republic is threatened, if involved the sith are." Master Yoda, the oldest and wisest Jedi said.
"I do not believe they could have returned without us knowing." Argued a certain Mace Windu.
"Hard to see, the dark side is. Discover who this sith is, we must."
"I sense he will reveal himself in time." Master Ki-Adi-Mundi shared his prespective.
"With this Naboo queen you must stay, Qui-Gon. Protect her."
"We will use all our resources here to unravel this mystery and discover the identity of the sith… May the Force be with you." Master Windu told Qui-Gon.
"May the force be with you."
Obi-Wan turns to leave, and Qui-Gon follows.
A large, distinctive looking domed building stands out amid the cityscape of Coruscant.
The Senate chambers are huge. Thousands of Senators and their Aides sit in the circular assembly area. Chancellor Valorum sits in an elevated area in the center. Hundreds of Aides and Droids hurry about. Senator Palpatine, Queen Amidala, Eirta, Rabe, and Captain Panaka sit in the Naboo congressional box, which is actually a floating platform. Palpatine leans over to the Queen.
"If the Federation moves to defer this motion… Your Majesty, I beg of you to ask for a resolution to end this congressional session." Palpatine told her.
"I wish I had your confidence in this, Senator." Amidala replied.
"You must force a new election for Supreme Chancellor… I promise you there are many who will support us… it is our best chance… Your Majesty, our only, chance."
"You truly believe Chancellor Valorum will not bring our motion to a vote?"
"He is distracted… he is afraid. He will be of no help."
"The Chair recognizes the Senator from the sovereign system of Naboo." Valorum boomed.
The Naboo congressional box floats into the center.
"Supreme Chancellor, delegates of the Senate. A tragedy has occurred on our peaceful system of Naboo. We have become caught in a dispute you're all well aware of, which began right here with the taxation of trade routes, and has now engulfed our entire planet in the oppression of the Trade Federation."
A second box rushes into the center of the Senate. It is filled with Federation trade barons led by Lott Dod, the Senator for the Federation.
"This is outrageous!" Yells Lott Dod. "I object to the Senator's statements!"
"The chair does not recognize the Senator from the Trade Federation at this time. Please return to your station." Commanded Valorum.
Lott Dod reluctantly moves back to his place.
"To state our allegations, I present Queen Amidala, the recently elected ruler of Naboo, to speak on our behalf."
Without anyone noticing, Lott Dod brings out a comm and contacts Darth Sidious.
"Lord Sidious, we have found the Queen." He tells Sidious.
Queen Amidala stands and addresses the assembly. There is some applause.
"Honorable representatives of the Republic, distinguished delegates, and Your Honor Supreme Chancellor Valorum, I come to you under the gravest of circumstances." She begins. "The Naboo system has been invaded by force. Invaded… against all the laws of the Republic by the Droid Armies of the Trade…"
"I object! There is no proof. This is incredible. We recommend a commission be sent to Naboo to ascertain the truth."
"Overruled." States Valorum.
"Your Honor, you cannot allow us to be condemned without reasonable observation. It's against all the rules of procedure."
A third box representing Malastare moves into the center of the room. Aks Moe, the Ambassador, addresses the convention.
"The Congress of Malastare concurs with the honorable delegate from the Trade Federation." Aks states. "A commission must be appointed… that is the law."
"The point…"
Valorum confers with several of his aides and Vice Chairman Mas Amedda. Palpatine whispers something to the Queen.
"Enter the bureaucrats, the true rulers of the Republic, and on the payroll of the Trade Federation, I might add." He tells her. "This is where Chancellor Valorum's strength will disappear."
"The point is conceded… Section 523A take precedence here. Queen Amidala of the Naboo, will you defer your motion to allow a commission to explode the validity of your accusations?"
Queen Amidala is angry but remains composed.
"I will not defer… I have come before you to resolve this attack on our sovereignty now." Amidala states angrily. "I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee. If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed. I move for a 'vote of no confidence'… in Chancellor Valorum's leadership."
"What?...No!"
This causes a great stir in the assembly. A loud mumur cresendos into a roar of approval and jeers. Chancellor Valorum is stunned and stands speechless. His Vice Chair, Mas Amedda, takes over.
"Order!" Mas yells. "We shall have order…"
Things settle down a little. The Federation box settles next to Amidala. Prince Bail Organa moves his box into the arena.
"Alderaan seconds the motion for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum." Bail states.
"The motion has been seconded by Bail Organa of Alderaan."
Mas Amedda turns to the confused Valorum, and whispers something to him.
"There must be no delays. The motion is on the floor and must be voted upon in this session."
"The Trade Federation moves the motion be sent to the procedures committee for study." Lott Dod says.
The assembly begins to chant. Valorum talks to Mas Amedda.
"Vote now!" the Assembly roars. "Vote now! Vote now!"
Palpatine stands next to Amidala.
"You see, Your Majesty, the tide is with us…" Palpatine tells her. "Valorum will be voted out, I assure you, and they will elect in a new Chancellor, a strong Chancellor, one who will not let our tragedy continue…"
"The Supreme Chancellor requests a recess." Mas Amedda tells the assembly. "Tomorrow we will begin the vote."
The Federation delegation is furious. Valorum turns to Palpatine.
"Palpatine, I thought you were my ally… my friend." Valorum tells the Senator pointedly. "You have betrayed me! How could you do this?"
See you later!
