Chapter 4: 'Rumours of War'
Nute Gunray, dressed in splendid purple robes and wearing the crown of the Trade Federation Supreme Executive Viceroy, entered his private chamber aboard his flagship, the Golden Ambition. He kneeled, bowing his head, as the hologram projector before him flickered into life. The pale blue holgram cast eerie shadows around the darkened room. It consisted of an enormous head, magnifyed many times from its true size. It was the head of an old man, hooded. The shadow of the hoos fell across hi face obscuring everything but the hooked nose, chin and a gleam from his eyes.
"You wished to see me, Lord Sidious?"
"Viceroy Gunray. Our time has come. The Jedi have launched an squadron of fighters against us. they will be here soon."
Nute Gunray's head snapped up. He could not look even a hologram of this man directly in the eyes, such was the intensity of his gaze. When he had met Sidious before, Gunray had felt as though the old man could see through him, see inside his head, even what he was he was thinking...
"The Jedi? How is this possible, the Senate would never sanction it! I have bribed all the parties concerned..."
"Silence! Did I not warn you that the Jedi are reckless? They will stop at nothing to destroy any threat to their power."
"Our plans, Lord Sidious, what of our plans? We're finished!"
"Calm yourself, Viceroy." Sidious's voice was intoxicating, reassuring, deadly. "Soon the Jedi Master that leads the attack group will be under my control. We have nothing to fear."
"But..but.." Gunray was stammering now, out of his depth. "But how could you do such a thing? I've heard the Jedi can control your mind! Make you their puppet! They can.."
"Fool! I am more powerful than any Jedi. Come, come. This is a set back, that is all. My apprentice, Darth Maul, will be joining you shortly. With him at your side, and if your droids are as good as you claim, you will be unstoppable. This is our hour! Begin the attack at once!"
"If it is your wish, my Lord."
"Take the city. Burn all who resist. Do not stop the attack until Theed is yours. But do not kill the Queen. I will hold you personally responsible if she is harmed in any way. Darth maul will take good care of her, and of the other Jedi that travel with the squadron. Now go!"
"We will wipe them out, my Lord. Naboo will be ours by sundown..."
With that, Nute Gunray bowed once more, and retreated from the room, walking awkwardly backwards. Sidious leered horribly, the hologram flickered, and went out.
Two hours later Nute Gunray was on the planet surface. He stood atop the raised platform in the heart of the swamp, and surveyed the crowd below him. He looked with distaste at the creatures gathered there. Gungans.
Stupid, filthy breed….should all be wiped out…
He needed these, things, for the sheer weight of numbers they could provide. At least, he needed them until the next batch of his battle droids arrived on Naboo. As had happened so many times in the last few weeks, Gunray was lost in his dreams.
…endless droids, marching, marching, marching….Lord Gunray at their head…
"Excuse me, Sir…"
…Lord Gunray, the saviour of the Galaxy…rich beyond measure…
"Sir?" Gunray snapped out of his reverie.
"Yes, yes, the speech?"
"I think they're ready now, sir." Squeaked the small Gungan by his side.
Nute Gunray stepped up to the edge of the platform, and surveyed the now hushed Gungan crowd imperiously. Today was his day, and he had swayed the entire Senate before. This bunch of animals would be easy…
"My friends!" his voice boomed out into the clearing, even those stood at the far end could hear him,
"Friends, this is it! Your hour has come, at last! For too long your people have hidden in the marsh, in the darkness. Today you step into the light! Too long the corrupt people of Theed have kept your race under foot; suppression ends today! Today, by the grace of my master, you have a new army by your side. Let the warriors among you take up their weapons…we march, to war!!"
The last word Nute roared, and the crowd responded. Leaping and screeching, a frenzy began. At a shout from their enormous leader the athletic beings surged forward, around the pillar upon which Nute Gunray stood, gloating. They charged forward to the stockpiles of their crude weapons, some were even given blasters by Gunray's Federation officers. Nute watched them move out from the trees into the open ground, yelling heir war cries, while over his head there came down enormous, hulking ships.
…my hour at last…I'll take what is mine…and there will be more…
The ships lighted on the plain, and from their bellies came columns of battle droids, marching, marching to the beat of the Gungan war drums.
…it begins today.
On Coruscant, Mace Windu was pacing the empty Council chamber. He paused, and looked up as the door slid open. With a quiet humming venerable Master Yoda entered on his hoverseat. The little Jedi came to stop facing Widnu across the chamber.
"Well?" demanded Windu after a moment of silence. "What are we to do?"
"Do?" replied Yoda, "There is no do. At times like this, there is only…patience."
"I know you would advocate patience, as ever!" cried Windu, frustration boiling over in his voice. His whole person seemed to be taught, tense. He turned aimlessly and leaned on a chair, gripping it tight. The force was strong in him, and Yoda felt its power flowing from him now, recognised the waves that could so swiftly turn to anger…
…the road to the dark side. I've lost one Master, I'll not lose another…
"What would you have the Council do?" enquired Yoda.
"Dooku's gone too far this time!" retorted Windu, turning to face Yoda once again, "More than too far! He's directly disobeyed the will of the Council, he's involved himself in an aggressive military venture! What's more, he's taken two more Jedi with him, one a Padawan! I'm beginning to wonder if the Jedi Code means anything to him at all…"
"Resented the Code, Dooku has, ever since his training."
Windu glanced into Yoda's eyes, then looked away. He stared out of the window, at the busy Coruscant sky, a hub of activity…
…the centre of corruption…Dooku believes it…I cannot…I will not.
"Do you blame yourself, Master Yoda. How can a Jedi trained so personally by yourself believe what he believes?"
Yoda sighed, and bowed his head.
"Sometimes…sometimes. Head strong he was, always. Master Jinn, a better Jedi he could be! Look to him we must, to calm his Master's agitation."
"You do not believe Dooku is lost, then? A Jedi has not mustered an army for attack in a thousand years! Only defence, that is the Code!"
Master Yoda raised his claw to his forehead, lined with ancient wisdom and years of learning. He closed his eyes in concentration, then they snapped open again.
"The consequences of this crisis, far reaching will be. See the conclusion, I cannot. Patience we must practice…patience, and diplomacy."
Mace Windu was not satisfied, but he held more respect for grand Master Yoda than for anyone of anything else in the galaxy, and trusted his judgement on all things. Many times he would have followed his reactions and used force, if it were not for the calming influence of the little old Jedi who sat before him now. Yoda had not been wrong yet. Windu was extremely fond of Yoda, and saw in him the embodiment of the Code.
"Very well. We will see how Dooku's adventure pans out. I will send Master Koon to watch over the other two, and keep up to date with events on Naboo. In the mean time, let us watch, and wait, as you would have it Master Yoda."
Master Windu bowed low to the Grand Master, then swiftly left the room. When he was gone, Yoda turned to face the window. He sighed, then entered a deep meditation.
In these days of peace, and old age, he meditated far more than he had once, in his youth. More and more he saw the value of patience and calm appraisal of situation over anything else. Yet he was troubled at heart. Something had entered his conciousness, and it came from the Force. At times during meditation yoda could feel the living Force pulsing through the entire galaxy, such were his powers of connection with it. It seemed to him now that there were before him two balls of power. One was wrapped in the Force, obscured, anonymous, dark. The other appeared as a burning ball of brilliant light, the very force itself bursting forth from it…
…the time is close at hand…the Chosen One is coming…