The Separatists
Maul sat stiffly upright in his chair at the head of the table as the leaders of the various factions of the Separatists entered the briefing room onboard the Menace. He disliked the communal nature of these meetings. He preferred to work alone, it was crucial to remaining enigmatic to those who served him. What was unknown, after all, was feared, and Maul thrived on fear.
As the other leaders arrived he did not rise from his chair, or acknowledge their presence in any way save to track them with his burning yellow eyes as they each crossed the room to take their seats. He let Tarkin handle the niceties, which the trusted colonel did admirably, greeting each leader in turn. Soon, each chair around the table was filled, and Tarkin called the meeting to order.
"Our victory at Geonosis was decisive and has proved that with the addition of the new clone troopers, our forces are all but unstoppable," Tarkin said, still standing, but leaning on the table for an added degree of emphasis. "The Republic's Outer Rim fleet was destroyed. The Core Fleet is spread thin, with only a small remnant left to guard Coruscant. The Republic has become complacent, they believe their capital is too deep in the Core to be threatened by our forces. They are wrong."
There was a thick silence in the room as the realization of what Tarkin's words meant began to dawn on each of them in turn. Nute Gunray, head of the Separatists from Neimoidia, finally asked the question forming in everyone's mind.
"You propose to attack Coruscant?" He asked, his confusion evident even through his thick accent. "But, the population on that world is so large, even if we take it we'll never hold it. We have no way to control the populace."
"We aren't going to take Coruscant. We are going to take the Senate," Tarkin said, leaning back from the table.
"What?" Gunray's eyes went wide. He wasn't the only one shocked by the suggestion. Maul could feel the confusion and disbelief building.
"The Senators and the Chancellor control the Republic's military," Tarkin explained. "A few in their ranks are noble, self-sacrificing civil servants, but most will bend easily when threatened."
"You mean we will hold them hostage?" General Grievous asked, leaning in, his long arms and clawlike fingers spreading out over the table's reflective surface.
"Precisely." Tarkin nodded. Grievous leaned back again, shaking his large insect-like head.
"The Republic ships will return to Coruscant and attack us," Grievous said, immediately dismissive of the plan.
"Yes, they will, but we need only hold the Senate complex." Tarkin brought up a schematic of the Senate building on the holoprojector at the table's center. "We have the forces to do it. The building is already well fortified, the only way to route us would be for them to destroy it utterly."
"The Republic officers would never do that," Gunray sputtered.
"Exactly," Tarkin replied with a small smile, his cheekbones reflecting the glare of the lights above.
"And even if they agree to terms, what will make them keep their promises?" Grievous asked, still incredulous.
"Fear," Maul said, joining the conversation for the first time.
"Fear of what?" Asked Admiral Ningihb, the elderly leader of the Separatist group from Mon Cala. The Mon Calamari were divided on the issue of secession, but Ningihb was a naval hero and commanded a sizable force in Maul's fleet. Maul disliked the Admiral for his lack of flexibility, but understood his value. The Mon Calamari navy was unparalleled in the whole galaxy.
"Fear of an enemy who is unafraid to do what must be done to secure victory," Tarkin clarified. "The war drags on because those in power have felt little of its effects. When the fighting is brought home, they will see reason."
"I cannot condone this action," Ningihb said, slamming a flipper on the table. "To attack the Senate itself, a civilian governmental body, would be no more than an act of terrorism."
"If terror is what it takes…" Grievous said with a shrug. He clearly did not share the Admiral's moral qualms.
"We should limit our attacks to military targets. We won't gain any support from this kind of extremism," Ningihb insisted.
"This isn't about gaining supporters. It is about crushing the Republic, once and for all." The Geonosian Archduke Poggle joined the fray in a series of clicks, rendered into Basic for the group by his translator droid.
"Think of the cause, Admiral. Freedom from the constraints of the Republic is what we all want. We will never achieve it while the Senators and the Chancellor sit safe on Coruscant." San Hill, the representative of the Banking Clan tried to assuage the Mon Calamari's fears.
"It will never work. Have you forgotten the Jedi?" Gunray asked.
"The Jedi will be dealt with," Maul said quietly.
"They will not be easily disposed of," Grievous said, acknowledging the difficulty.
"I agree, the Jedi could pose a serious threat," San Hill said, nodding his large head.
"Leave that to me," Maul said.
"What can one man do against the entire Jedi Order?" Gunray asked, skeptical.
"The relationship between the Republic and the Jedi has been strained for decades," Tarkin answered on Maul's behalf. "That is why all Republic clone troopers were implanted with an emergency protocol." The confusion in the room was palpable.
"What? What are you talking about?" Admiral Ningihb demanded to know.
"There is a code. A fail safe. If it is sent through the proper channels, the Republic clone troopers will turn on the Jedi," Tarkin explained.
"That's impossible!" Grievous exclaimed.
"I assure you, it is real," Tarkin said forcefully.
"Who gave you this information? What if it is false?" Nute Gunray demanded.
"It's a trap. It must be," Captain Ackbar, Ningihb's second-in-command, said in disbelief.
"It isn't. It has already been tested. At Geonosis." Tarkin let the news sink in. The stunned silence didn't last long, however. The admiral from Mon Cala was still not satisfied.
"This is madness, all of it." Ningihb rose from his chair. "If this is your chosen course, you will embark upon it without my ships."
"You're self-righteous protests will not win this war, Admiral. You would be wise to maintain your loyalty." Tarkin's voice dropped to a lower register, thick with threat. But Ningihb ignored him, turning his attention instead to the Sith Lord at the head of the table. Maul turned his gaze to the fuming Mon Calamari as the admiral jabbed an accusatory flipper in his direction.
"You have brought our movement to this. You let Tarkin be your mouthpiece, but this is your scheme in the end. You have twisted our fight for freedom into something else!" Maul said nothing, but rose from his seat, moving to stand toe-to-toe with the admiral.
He loomed silently over the Mon Calamari admiral, glowering down with his yellow eyes. He could sense that Ningihb would never be swayed, and if that was the case, his usefulness had run out. Maul knew what had to be done.
There was a snap-hiss and a terrible sizzling sound as a blade of red light emerged from Maul's hand and ran through the torso of Admiral Ningihb.
There were several gasps, as the Mon Calamari's body dropped to the floor at the feet of his second-in-command. Ackbar, mouth agape, looked at his dead comrade, then up at Maul. For a moment he seemed to want to attack the Sith Lord, but he remained seated, his large eyes blinking in disbelief at what had just occurred.
No one spoke. The glowing blade of Maul's lightsaber disappeared back into its long metallic hilt and Maul returned to his seat, reveling in the shock and fear that now permeated the room. A flicker of something passed over Tarkin's face, but otherwise he betrayed no sign of emotion.
"If there are no other objections," Tarkin said, gesturing for two of the guards to drag the body out of the room, "the time has come to vote. All in favor of commencing with the invasion of Coruscant?"
One by one each of the leaders raised their hands. The decision to invade was unanimous. Maul allowed himself a small smile. The Jedi's day of reckoning was at hand.
The Separatist leaders filed out, many still shaking from the terror of watching Maul cut down one of their own. Tarkin clenched his jaw as he watched them go. He was barely controlling his fury. Maul's abilities made him valuable, but he was beginning to wonder if having the Sith Lord around was worth the trouble. As Maul made to exit the room, Tarkin called to him. "Lord Maul, a moment." Maul turned back, his face unreadable. Tarkin knew he should be afraid of Maul, but he had to make his point. Maul had gone too far this time.
"Sir, the Mon Calamari forces are essential the success of this invasion," Tarkin said, careful to keep his words from sounding like a reprimand.
"Yes, and I have ensured that now they will be part of it," Maul replied stiffly. Tarkin's temper flared at Maul's absurd assurance.
"All you have ensured, my Lord, is that Ackbar will return to his fleet and take his ships back to Mon Cala." Tarkin hated calling Maul his Lord, but he'd added the honorific to try to distract from his insubordinate comment. Maul, however, did not seem to share his concern.
"Then see to it that Ackbar does not return to his fleet," Maul replied casually, turning to go. "I leave this in your capable hands, Colonel," Maul said, and swept from the room, leaving Tarkin to fume alone. Tarkin jabbed a button on the comm and hailed his security officer.
"Arrest Captain Ackbar before he boards his shuttle and take him to the brig," he instructed the lieutenant. "Inform the Mon Calamari fleet that their admiral and Captain Ackbar have taken ill and will remain on the Menace for the duration of the invasion." It would have to do as a temporary solution. But how long before the Mon Calamari figured out they'd been lied to? And how long before Maul proved to be the destruction of them all?
In the small confines of her cell, Sola paced from end to end, trying to focus her mind. It was not easy. She had briefly tried to meditate, but it was a practice she had abandoned so many years ago that trying to sit in stillness and silence only left her mind more frantic. She needed movement. And so she walked, striding from one side of the cell to the other, focusing on the rhythmic sound of her boots against the floor.
She made a list of what she knew. Anakin was alive. She had tried to reach out to him through the Force, but he felt very far away. There was nothing more she could do for him right now. She knew she was on Alderaan. She'd figured that much out when she'd been transferred from the cruiser that had assaulted the outpost to this larger ship. If the ship remained grounded she might actually have a shot at escaping. Once the ship launched back into space, escape would become more difficult.
There was a hiss at the far end of the prison block as a door opened, followed by the sounds of a scuffle as two guards dragged in a young male Mon Calamari. They threw him unceremoniously into the cell across from Sola. She saw a captain's insignia on his uniform, and the emblem of the Separatists.
The guards activated the force-field of the cell and returned to their posts, leaving the new prisoner to collect himself. He picked himself up off the floor and sat on the hard bench at the back of his cell, rubbing his arm. As the guards moved out of earshot, Sola drifted to the edge of her cell, trying to get the new arrival's attention.
"Pssst!" He looked up, seeing her for the first time.
"What do you want?" he asked sullenly, still holding his arm.
"You're a Separatist captain, aren't you?"
"I was, before they threw me in here." His voice was thick with resentment.
"What's your name?" She asked, trying to ease in with a simple question. She had to get some information if she was going to figure out a way to escape this place.
"Ackbar," he said after a moment. "Yours?"
"Sola Skywalker," she replied, giving him her full name in the hope of building trust. "What did you do to land in here?"
"It's not what I did, it's what I saw," Ackbar said with a shiver of fear.
"What do you mean?" Sola asked.
"Maul killed my commanding officer. I can only assume he doesn't want me reporting that fact to the rest of my fleet. Not with the invasion about to start."
"Invasion?" Sola looked at him questioningly. "Do you mean we'll be leaving Alderaan?" Ackbar opened his mouth to respond, but before he could reply one of the guards banged his baton against the side of Sola's cell.
"Hey! Enough of that! Get back, no consorting with other prisoners."
Sola put her hands up and backed away, retreating to the bench at the back of her cell. The imprisoned officer did the same, laying down on his bench and staring at the ceiling. Invasion almost certainly meant the fleet would soon be leaving Alderaan. Her window for escape was closing rapidly. If only she could get out of this cell, she was willing to bet that Ackbar would know the best way off the ship.
She tugged at the electrified collar around her neck. She wasn't going to get away as long as the guards could shock her into submission. She tried once more to settle into meditation to clear her mind. She needed to think of a plan soon, or it would be too late. If she failed to get out of here, her old master would have his revenge, but Sola Skywalker had no intention of going down without a fight.
