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Clone Wars Reign Chapter 11 Coup Part 2
"So, than I have your support"? Catharine asked. "Jarl Mino".
Jarl Mino nodded with a graceful salute. Mino was an old man but a member of the Military High Command. He commanded the northern Districts armed forces.
"As you always have had", he said. "My lady".
Mino had ambitions of grandeur as the next Commander-in-Chief of the Ranni armed forces. Perhaps even making his own grandson the next King my marrying his daughter to Catharine's son Pascel. But these thoughts was in the future after the establishment of a new Monarch.
Obviously they were both using each other for power but... who would be quickest to act.
"That fills me with joy", Catharine smiled. "But there is a requirement to have General Nomo and Vanda under our wing. That will give us a stronger ground of forces".
"I don't know about that", Mino said.
He looked towards the sun.
Catharine glanced questionably at him.
"You'd have to turn the truth around to get the grunts to move against her majesty", he continued.
Catharine smiled.
"Don't worry about that Jarl, she'll be dead with nothing to say", Catharine assured. "But I have already put a plan in motion".
Mino cocked his eyebrows.
"Let's just say, assuming Rae dies Maya isn't going to be the next Queen after the next bottle of water", she implied.
Aha, poison, Mino thought. "An old classic".
Behind a corner the young orange skinned Twi'lek servant girl Mila mistakenly heard it all. The queen had saved her from being punished from something she hadn't done just before falling ill. Mila didn't spare any time and rushed towards the princess's chamber.
Praetorians are curious why she's running as if the underworld was chasing her. The call goes around to keep an eye of the Twi'lek servant.
Mila runs faster than her legs have ever done before. She turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks. The princess's chamber doors were open and the guards had rushed inside. Mila slowly, step by step approached the doors. She could only think of the worst reason for them to run inside. When she were outside she heard voices.
"Call doctor Parish"! A commanding voice echoed.
Mila dropped to her knees.
No, oh god no please no.
Carthage Prime Orbit, Resolute
In the briefing room Obi-wan, Anakin and Padme listened to the hologram of the Supreme Chancellor. Master Windu were present as a holographic image and represented the jedi Council. Ahsoka watched in the background as she waited quietly.
"The senate would prefer all knowledge on this matter before any voting could take place", Palpatine surmised.
"Of, what do you speak chancellor"? Obi-wan asked. "Specifically"?
"Specifically"… Palpatine continued. "The Ushani Diplomat Gechajak". He turned to Padme. "If you could put an end to these rumors".
"I assume you refer to the rumors from the Ushani"? Padme asked.
Palpatine nodded.
"That Senator Gechajak have been detained and tortured by Ranni authorities", he explained.
Windu gazed at the Chancellor.
"The Republic cannot condone this action", he spoke. "If, it is true".
"It could simply be an attempt of the Ushani to gain support from other systems in a campaign to retake the Chak system", Obi-wan suggested.
Anakin turned to Ahsoka.
"What do you think Ahsoka"? He asked.
Ahsoka flinched.
"What"? She asked. "You're asking me"?
Obi-wan scratching his beard with a nod of understanding.
"You are on a friendly basis with her highness after all", he said.
Windu raised his eyebrow with interest. "Indeed"? He cleared his throat. "What is your understanding of Ranni internal politics padawan Tano? Do you think Queen Rae could torture a diplomat"?
Ahsoka considered it. To be perfectly honest so did Ranni internal politics give her a headache. Wherever you turned there were a potential murderer out for your head. A potential assassin around every corner, wanting the power and wealth you have. It would take a lifetime to figure it all out. Considering Rae herself. Ruling and growing up in that environment couldn't be good for anyone. The fact that she have might indicate she have taken a few brutal solutions to solve certain problems. Ahsoka could actually see Rae, in one of her outbursts of rage, do something in that way of torture.
"I'm afraid that I think she might be capable of most", Ahsoka decided. "With a blindly loyal guard force she could most likely have carried torture as a mean to regain the advantage".
Obi-wan nodded.
"Troubling", he agreed. "Perhaps in a state of rage, she is up for anything".
"Thus, don't forget the advantage they received during the Chak system invasion", Windu added.
Captain Rex stepped into the room. He silently waited for the generals to finish the meeting before approaching them.
Carthage Prime, Royal Palace
Kael and Salazar are in the Command Center inside the palace. All around men and women sit by monitors, doing their job in a calm manner. They had no idea what's going on elsewhere in the palace.
Salazar's eyes scout the room for a specific person. His eyes stopped and he nodded towards him. He and Kael headed down a pair of three stairs. Salazar did a standard military salute which were responded to by another older man, bold, a grey mustache and a figure like a giant. He was built two heads taller than both of them and twice as large and muscular then them.
He wore a standard Ranni, green commanding officers uniform. Commendations on his chest speak to the rank of a general. General Morthas Hathaway isn't just a general though. Except Rae he is the Commander-in-Chief of the entire Ranni military. That was the position Jarl Milo had his eyes on.
"Salazar, Jarl Kael", Hathaway nodded courtly. "What can I do for you"?
Kael and Salazar exchanged a glance.
"We'll be blunt with you general", Salazar said coldly. "We are confident that there will be a coup".
The room grew silent and everyone stopped what they're doing and turned towards the three men. Hathaway frowned deeply.
"Is this a joke"? He demanded.
"A better question", Salazar continued. "Where do your loyalties lie"?
"Her majesty… Lady Catharine or lord Hedwig"? Kael asked more carefully.
Hathaway glanced around the quiet room. He turned back to the two and glared at them.
He pointed rudely at Salazar. But Salazar couldn't tell if he was angry for being questioned on his loyalties by a noble and a general he commanded over, or if perhaps he supported either Catharine or Hedwig.
"How dare you question my loyalty"! He barked. "If it was up to me everyone under my command would take the same damn oath as the Praetorians".
Salazar's lips curved into a smile. He sighed thankfully.
"A coup you said", Hathaway readdressed. "What would you have me do"?
"Mobilize the military", Salazar explained.
Hathaway looked amused.
"The entire military"? He chuckled. "Are you insane"?
Salazar shook his head.
"We have to keep the power where it is supposed to be", Kael explained.
"Even so, I cannot authorizes anything without the authorization of king, queen or current regent", Hathaway said.
"Lady Keyla", Salazar said. "Yes I know, but as her adviser I already spoken with her and have her approval".
Hathaway looked at the two men. They must be mad. All this sounded idiotic.