Note 35

Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DETAILED UPDATE. It was very useful, and I am pleased with you for this.

I very much appreciate the recordings you have sent me. I will not forget my promise of your reward, but I am afraid that we will have to wait a little longer for me to distribute it to you. The reason for this is because of your failure in invading Naboo. Because you signed the Queen's treaty, you no longer have any right to Naboo. I do not take failures well…and you will suffer for your error.

However, before you become too concerned, there is another proposition which my next apprentice will present to you. If you take this new offer, your reward will be increased exponentially. As soon as he contacts you (and you will know because he will be another Sith Lord), you are to only maintain contact with him until a later appointed time.

I appreciate your consideration in displaying Darth Maul's performance. Darth Maul failed me as well….in that he did not kill the Jedi apprentice. At least the Jedi have received a tastes of what the Sith are capable of. Hopefully it will instill greater fear within the Jedi Order. This will all be to my advantage.

I assume that you have heard of the outcome of the battle? As I have learned from other sources, Darth Maul was killed in the fight…but not before he killed the Jedi Master. It is unfortunate that he could not have killed the apprentice…but, in a way it saved me from dealing with Maul upon his return to Coruscant.

It is unfortunate for you that she did not sign the treaty, but do not worry. You only lost your chance to control an entire planet yourselves. I have a new plan outlined…and through it you may gain even greater benefits than you would have had the invasion gone as planned. As I said, my new apprentice will provide the details.

You failed in the invasion, and what happens to you now is no longer within my control. You will be sent to the Republic Courts and tried. I will do what I can to aide you, but realize that this may take some time.

Your methods for trying to get the Queen to sign the treaty were inventive, but unfortunately you still failed. You two idiots fell for the decoy scheme by Amidala. But as I said, your failure now no longer matters. We have much work to do.

As for revealing my name…you will pay dearly.

Do reply to this message, but I probably will not reply back for some time….as your main contact will be my apprentice in the coming years. I will give you your reward, as promised, once I accomplish all I need to. Your interaction with one Sith Lord should suffice, though I may change my mind later. We may stay in contact regularly…we will see. What would you like? Would you like to maintain contact with both myself and my new apprentice, or just with my new apprentice? I am leaving the choice up to you.

I assume that the battle should be ending soon. What of the Droid Control Ship? Is it still functioning, or has it been destroyed? You may yet have a chance to wipe out the Gungans and cause the Naboo much grief. After all, they don't need to know about the treaty…yet….after all your people aboard the control ship have probably not yet been informed. If they have, then you can legally do no more damage.

I would not be surprised if a transport from Coruscant arrives to take the two of you away for trials.

Darth Sidious