Star Wars, a Dark Lord of a different kind

by dhalpin3

Takes place during the clone wars.

8. Chapter 8

Star Wars

A Dark Lord of a Different Kind

Author's note: Side note, I find writing combat scenes to be difficult. The prior chapter explained the fighting styles of the Jedi, but what about Illyana's fighting style? Thankfully my training in FMA (Filipino martial arts, my Guru teaches the form known as Arnis) gives me some tools to try to plan out a combat sequence and the moves.

In the comics Illyana is shown to be quite skilled with dagger, one and two sword combat styles, and less frequently hand to hand. When fighting with one sword her dominant style in the comics, she typically uses a long sword with a one and two handed fighting style; and when wielding just one sword she is shown sometimes using her right hand, sometimes her left. In comic canon her training came from multiple teachers, Illyana spent two years in the wilderness with Cat, Illyana's age was eight to nine at the time. Cat trained Illyana in hand to hand and blade combat (knife and sword) as well as continual physical training and survival skills (and after two years Illyana was very nasty with a knife). With the X-Men she likely received training by Wolverine and others, I figure that involved more hand to hand combat, additional blade work, and firearms (although only after she showed her abilities, before that time she concealed just how good she was with edged weapons). Then Illyana died.

Twenty plus years later, Marvel brought her back, aged her a few years (her undocumented journey) and she came back showing high level proficiency in various combat arts. In my stories about that journey she receives additional training from a resurrected Cat (the story Cat's cradle), Chinese combat skills (Pride, Prejudice, Illyana, and Zombies) and a few other sources.

Now Cat in Limbo received all of her training from an alternate Wolverine so Cat was likely a Ninja (sometimes I swear one out of ten people in the Marvel universe is a Ninja), but Ninjutsu is rather overrated as a combat skill as Ninjas are mostly about being sneaky. I figure the combat art that most closely describes Illyana's fighting style is Arnis (gee, what a coincidence). So… what is Arnis? For a more complete description you can Google it and/or go to Wikipedia and lookup Filipino martial arts and some youtube I suppose. Here are some words from Wikipedia.

After the Spanish colonized the Philippines, a decree was set that prohibited civilians from carrying full-sized swords. Despite this, the practitioners found ways to maintain and keep their martial arts alive, using sticks made out of rattan rather than swords, as well as small knives wielded like swords. This became known as FMA.

What separates Filipino Martial Arts from other weapon-based martial arts such as Japanese Kendo & Kenjuso, European Fencing and traditional Chinese Martial arts is that FMA teaches weapon use that is practical today: how to use and deal with weapons that one can actually encounter in the streets and how to turn ordinary items into improvised weapons. No one walks around with sabers, katanas or Jians swords anymore, but knives, machetes, clubs and clothing, (called Sarongs), are still among commonly encountered weapons on the street and in the field, thus making FMA very practical and geared towards military and street fighting.

Filipino martial artists are noted for their ability to fight with weapons or empty hands interchangeably and their ability to turn ordinary household items into lethal weapons. Weapons training takes precedence because they give an edge in real fights, gears students to psychologically face armed opponents, and any object that can be picked up can be used as a weapon using FMA techniques. Many of the empty hand training techniques are variations of the use of the Daga (dagger) or Baston (stick).

The triangle is one of the strongest geometrical structures and stands for strength, applications of the triangle are found in FMA defensive and offensive tactical strategies, including footwork, stances, blocking and disarms.

Also, FMA is known for fighting 'dirty'. Strikes on the knee, feet, fingers, hands, wrist, elbow, eyes are all part of the art; combined with a variety of styles, empty hand, single stick/knife, double stick/knife, and the same with sword variants, and quarter staff. FMA teaches that almost everything can be used as a weapon.

Oh, LordGrise asked if he could contribute to this chapter on a draft I sent him, the answer was yes, so you will see some of his writing style and content (for example he really likes S'ym as he has played the character in roll playing games for decades). He helped punch up the visual descriptions and of course added content.

So… on to the battle. Oh, and the reviewer Mark pointed out that I started using the wrong name for Ventress in this chapter (Ventress had somehow crept in). Fixed

Part8a: Melee round 1

S=Skywalker, A=Ahsoka, O=Obi-Wan, I=Illyana, D=Dooku, V=Ventress

The Jedi faced her in a line of defense and the two Sith stood silently watching from the wings.

A

O…I

S

A narrowing of the eyes was all the emotion the blonde showed as she and the Jedi exchanged assessing looks. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan each made small hand gestures as she stabbed her black lightsaber into the rock floor, slightly to the right side of her right foot, causing the rock to begin to glow red and melt (it was not lost on the Jedi that the heat did not appear to cause her any discomfort). As this occurred, scattered rocky rubble behind her, from where the severed arm of the statue lay, silently rose and flew at her, flung by the two Jedi, using the Force. Straight and true the rocks flew as they narrowed from a broad pattering into a cone at Illyana's back, at the speed of shotgun pellets or shrapnel; only for the stones to shatter as they impacted some kind of shield behind her to then fall to the ground.

A wicked half grin from the blonde, and the tiniest shake of the head as her blue eyes ignited from within, becoming iris-less glowing eyes of yellow with tiny yellow little flames. One instant for the three Jedi to notice the unsettling change in her appearance, and what it might portend, and then with a flick of her black lightsaber, the small growing pool of molten rock was flung at the three Jedi like a miniature pyroclastic flow. Which was in turn deflected by Ahsoka using the Force as Anakin and Obi-Wan ceased their telekinetic Force attack of rocks.

Her new appearance, and malevolent look, was answered by resolute expressions from the three Jedi. No… it wasn't going to be that easy was the internal conclusion by both parties, but for some reason the blonde did not look discouraged, in fact, she looked slightly pleased. The next moment a drop of blood from Obi-Wan's clothing fell upon the black stone floor. A flash of incarnadine light traversed the breadth and width of the entire floor, leaving but the dimmest crimson traces glowing upon the floor… traces that hinted at some vast diagram.

This was of concern to the Jedi, but too late as with that the blonde began to run directly at Obi-Wan, the center pillar in the Jedi line. The Jedi raised their light sabers and braced for the impact as Obi-Wan whispered "Triangle…" The Jedi shifted smoothly into a triangle formation, each point of the triangle looking in the direction of that point, allowing the Jedi to support each other from the flanks as they could now observe in all directions.

A

….O...I

S

Meanwhile Dooku murmured to the Ventress as fight unfolded. "Clearly, the Jedi have done some prior planning on possible tactics… A wise move as it is generally very difficult for one to fight many, especially on the offense, if those you are fighting are not meat for the grinder. That the woman is willing to do so suggests a great many things. These Jedi are some of the Order's most skilled lightsaber wielders, such skills are not to be lightly dismissed."

Above them, in the stygian darkness of the temple, unsensed and unseen by Jedi or Sith, there was a small set of very hard to see bleachers due to the angle and black on black on black is hard to make out. Up there, the demon S'ym (Illyana's right hand demon) and a baker's dozen hellhounds were seated. Ordinarily, the hellhounds would be slavering at the scent of fresh, hot blood… but they were all currently well-fed, and they, as S'ym were not stupid enough to set so much as one claw-tip into the dark workings even now starting to spin up in the arena below.

Below, a blaze of strikes sparked and flared as Obi-Wan focused on defense against whatever it is he faced. He fell back a step while the two other Jedi rotated in an attempt to both out flank the blonde and to create opportunities to attack from more angles then could be defended against by one person.

….A

..O...I

….S

However, Illyana had not stood her ground as the Jedi's tactic was one of the standard counters. She accepted the natural end of the lightsaber exchange with Obi-Wan as she used her momentum to sift to her right, and backed up a step or two so as to avoid the beginning encirclement. This brought her into range of the youngest of the Jedi, and emerald splashed and danced against the ebon as Illyana exchanged blows with Ahsoka with one sword while cerulean hissed and spat against cobalt, blocking the repeated aggressive strikes from Anakin while her retrieve prevented Obi-Wan's thrust from connecting.

….A..I

..O…S

Illyana rotated slightly further to her left while continuing to withdraw, seeking to reduce the angles of attack and bring her opponents closer together. But Anakin countered this tactic, continuing to lengthen the angle to maintain two fronts of attack against their foe. Obi-Wan moved forward into the cleft to maintain the pressure and resume three on one.

…..A...I

…..O….S

Illyana was now fully defensive as she continued to move backwards as the triangle tried to envelope and out flank her. The Jedi noted the shift to full defense and thought the tide of the battle was turning in their favor.

….A

….O...I

….S

The tactics demonstrating that one on many is very difficult for the one if the many maintain formation and defend as a group; as well as strike as a group. The Jedi were well trained, the proof being that you fight as you train, so train as you would fight, and the Jedi fought well, even without Force insight. One supposes that if this was a film then there would be a dramatic soundtrack playing as the ballet of multi colored blades clashed with the usual vooms and crackles of clashing lightsabers as the blonde is forced back and back. There are tiny cuts on her person, likewise for the three Jedi as…

A white disk appeared beneath their enemy's feet and the blonde vanished.

.A

….O

.S

All three had been facing Illyana when she portalled out, and thus both Ahsoka and Ahsoka instantly rotated to resume their triangle formation. This proved a wise stratagem as the blonde reappeared at a location that would have put her behind Anakin. His doing so allowed him to perform a two handed block of her black lightsaber as she struck at Anakin's temple. The instant that attack failed, but Illyana had committed to a second attack with her cobalt weapon, a low strike at his right knee.

A…

….O

I..S

That strike was blocked downward by Ahsoka, causing the blue blade to carve a molten streak into the floor. As Anakin forced her blade back because his block was a force on force block and he was the stronger, only to then reverse and slash at the blonde's head while Ahsoka's blade rose up, as a strike from below, in an attempt at a disemboweling move. Illyana's cobalt blade rose right under and in contact with Ahsoka's blade, forcing it off the attack line, while she retreated a step and leaned to the side, which allowed her to avoid Anakin's strike. It passed just short of head, severing and incinerating some few strands of her hair, and then her black blade completed the orbit around her head to strike again at Anakin from the other side. He barely avoided her attack by stepping back, blocking Obi-Wan from attacking as he did so, as his blade blocked her strike. Only to be forced to block again as her blade bounced off of his block and did a clockwise rotation over her head to strike again at Anakin right side as she stepped to her right to retreat further away from Ahsoka who had pressed her attack, using her blue blade defensively as Ahsoka thrust. It was a strike that Anakin almost fully deflected with another two handed block.

Almost…

The blonde vanished in another portal flash while Anakin grimaced at the ruin of his left pinkie bled freely as the Jedi reset back into the triangle formation. The floor's red glowing lines increased in intensity as Anakin's blood splashed upon it, and more red lines lit up on the floor, and now there was a feint vibration in the air.

A

….O

S

The blade of a lightsaber was not sharp in any traditional sense, but was rather a baton shaped forced plasma field whose field surface bled heat and radiant energies into anything that came in contact with it, from the densest armor alloys to the simple fragility of living flesh, and a trained Jedi was able to use the Force to deflect the heat generated by the blade if it was busy melting something. As such, lightsaber wounds always 'cut' into whoever they touched, as the plasma field surface instantly disintegrated whatever flesh came in physical contact with it. Simultaneously, the nimbus of that contact patch would incinerate those tissues in the immediate vicinity of the disintegration zone. The transferred heat and radiative damage from that then burned, and flash cooked, what tissues lay just beyond that, resulting in the trademark cauterized wound of a lightsaber blade.

But Anakin's ruined smallest finger wasn't burned in the slightest. There was a great deal of it missing, and no cauterization whatsoever which meant he was bleeding freely from the wound which looked almost as if it had been torn or bitten away along the length! Anakin swiftly used the Force to stop the bleeding, which stopped more of his blood from falling into the whatever they were standing upon…

The last of his spilled drops of his blood touched the floor, and another flare of incarnadine glow traversed the breadth and width of the entire floor, slower and more intense. Sigils were now dimly glowing in the floor… no longer mere traces that hinted at things. Now they were clearly within some vast malign intaglio design.

Vitae. The concept skittered across Anakin's mind simultaneously with the haemological affixation of blood with whatever the heck was going on. Vitae was not just blood, although that was the essential physical component of the whole, it was one's essence. The alien concept was monstrous, and implied entire definitions of appetite beyond any he was familiar with.

Where did that - come from…! Was Anakin's concerned thought as to the source of the sudden insight. The faint pulsating vibration in the air, mostly subsonic, and slow, slow… but not for long, Anakin was suddenly certain.

Ahsoka spoke with certainty. "I got her. A slice on her left side!"

A quick glance at the floor showed it was once again clear of blood, and somehow… the ebon stone of the floor was more abysmally present, and less mere dark polished reflective rock. The three swiftly scanned their surroundings as they reset… as the two Sith continued to just observe.

Part8b: Melee round 2

For his part above, S'ym looked around and was unsurprised to note that the bleachers… were not as empty as they had once been. A great many spirits had fallen in this world and more then a few remained… and the black magic being worked was rousing them. He smiled and drew deep upon his cigar, dismissing the inconsequential shades, and settled in to watch the proceedings as the Boss returned as a light disk blazed into existence, again some distance from the Jedi and the Sith.

S

….A…..I

O

She was bleeding on her left side. Ahsoka muttered, unaware she spoke audibly as she whispered to herself "I did get her." Then swallowed as blonde, burning yellow eyes clearly visible, nodded to her in recognition of that touch. Then Illyana smiled, showing incisors that were clearly longer than before. A sinuously long, spade-tipped tail flicked into view, whipping behind her, while two red horns grew upon her forehead while she heightened several inches as her legs grew an extra joint, as her feet became hooves. And that crown of Kyber crystals on her head was glowing brighter. Yet, if you could see her reflections in the shiny parts of the black floor, a duality would confront you as her reflection remained human, uncrowned.

The no longer remotely human-appearing creature, all three Jedi independently named it 'The Darkchilde' in their own minds, as she began to charge towards Ahsoka. She now moved faster than she had previously, the extra length of her legs and the extra joint aiding, but her changed form was faster and the Jedi were to find, stronger then her human form. Even as the three Jedi formed up, the Darkchilde vanished into another flash of actinic light, but her reversed reflection in the floor proceeded another three steps before fading away.

One second passed… two… three, just enough for Ahsoka to privately begin to second-guess their strategy, for Anakin glance about at the red glow, for Obi-Wan to wonder what the never-to-be-sufficiently-damned Sith were waiting for, and for all three to realize they no longer cast reflections in the black floor beneath them.

The Darkchilde reappeared, another actinic white portal forming sideways rather then on the floor, right in front of Ahsoka.Her reflection appeared in the depths below and between Obi-Wan and Anakin, who both defended by reflex as they lacked any Force insight, buying a moment in which the Darkchilde was one on one against the least experienced of the three. A surprise move of a sort, but not as much as she might have hoped for.

S

….A..I

O

Ahsoka's blade had been raised so as to enable either a block or a strike. As the portal flashed into being, Ahsoka struck hummingly fast, not at her opponent, but at where the portal would deposit her. The Darkchilde used the cobalt lightsaber in her left hand to deflect Ahsoka's two handed slashing strike, sparks splashing, while thrusting with the black bladed lightsaber in her right hand, which narrowly missed Ahsoka as she dodged with the inhuman dexterity that was her birthright as a Togruta, even if her Force vision was absent. There followed a lightning quick exchange of blows between the two as Illyana stood her ground, before the black blade, its tip pointing downward, flicked up with a jerk of the Darkchilde's right wrist, and sliced off Ahsoka's left wrist.

Ahsoka's mouth opened in a silent scream, of pain, but also of anguish and horror as the growing spell repaid the claiming of her wrist, and her blood, with a thought flooding her mind, the partial nature of the place coming to her even as it had Anakin. Her gaze locked upon her severed wrist, blood jetting out, and her hand forever lost as it fell. As this happened, Anakin and Obi-Wan finally rotated their positions, reversed the triangle, and struck at the Darkchilde in support of their own.

…..S

….A..I

…..O

Illyana had stood her ground on attacking Ahsoka, which meant that she'd had hindered her defensive. Again the blonde vanished in a flash of light, but not before leaving a shriek of agony, likewise half of her tail, one of her horns, and a great deal of blood.

A shriek echoed by the cry from Ahsoka as she stumbled to her knees, yet she kept her grip on her lightsaber with her right hand as blood flowed from her severed wrist.

A shout from Anakin. "Ahsoka!"

As the two Sith continued to just observe from the wings.

Part8c: Intermission

Frantic looks from Anakin and Obi-Wan as Ahsoka stumbled back to her feet, and turned to resume her place in the triangle formation.

….S

A

….O

Ahsoka's blood that had splashed about the floor was being absorbed, and the lines were glowing even brighter as the vibration in the air rose in intensity. If you were able to look down upon the floor of the chamber you would see a vast red five star pentagram, plus many strange glyphs in a circle around the pentagram. There was a circle within the diagram, which held a smaller pentagram and five circles at the points of the smaller pentagram. At the center of the smaller pentagram was the triangle formation of the three Jedi.

"This doesn't make sense!" Hissed Obi-Wan. "She was reckless on that last attack. Stupidly careless."

"Almost like a certain somebody charging at her." Is Anakin's ironic observation about a certain Obi-Wan, some humorous witty banter in this time of stress as the two liked to do. But Anakin was most concerned about Ahsoka, yet they could not break formation.

A slight roll of the eyes from Obi-Wan, just has he expected, Anakin was not going to let him forget that rare impulsive act. "I already apologized Anakin. That was most… indelicate of me. Almost reminds me of the impulsive actions of certain somebodies I know."

A hiss of pain from Ahsoka as she resumed a one handed on guard posture while using her Force abilities to squeeze off the flow of blood from her left wrist.

Left...

Left?

"Left…" Mutters Ahsoka as she fights the pain. "My vision had my… right hand as robotic."

"Force visions are not always correct. The future is always in flux." Snarls Anakin in anger at Ahsoka's injury and pain.

A shake of the head from Obi-Wan. "Ahsoka's right… Something's off. There is no Force power coming off of her. Just that black blade of hers, which… which she did not have in my vision. And that crown."

"There are no… creatures aiding in her attack." Added Ahsoka.

"Whereas her attack on the Jedi Library did have such creatures." Observes Anakin as he reflects upon events.

"In the library, she took down a whole group of Jedi." Mused Obi-Wan. "Without a scratch."

"Only when the Jedi… attacked her." Observes Ahsoka. That… that as a clue about something. An idea at the edge of her mind.

"So what's different now?" Rhetorically asks an angry Anakin. Angry that Ahsoka had been so harmed. Angry that he was fighting to kill because the Jedi Council said go kill. Angry that they were in danger for their lives. Angry from the vision about his Mother. Angry because… because…

Ahsoka beat him to it. "Master Kenobi… Did the Jedi Council share with you exactly what they meant then they said the Jedi would be destroyed?"

"No, I did not think to inquire as to the… particulars." Obi-Wan paused as he reflected upon that now noteworthy lack of clarification. And how he had been assigned this duty directly from Yoda and not the Council.

"Now…" Whispers Dooku to Ventress as the two of them suddenly sprinted at the Jedi. "Do not attack the blonde."

"As you command Master." Was Ventress's answer.

Part8d: Melee round 3

The two Sith attacked the Jedi triangle, confronting the side of Obi-Wan and Anakin and engaged both Anakin and Obi-Wan.

….S

A...V

….O...D

The blonde was gone and that meant Force insight was back!

Flashing of blades. Two by Ventress, one by Dooku.

Obi-Wan and Anakin forced to face the two Sith head on

Strike and counter strike between the Sith and the Jedi. The spark and crackle of blades trying to override each other.

Dooku and Ventress engaged with Obi-Wan and Anakin in the exchange of strikes and blocks. Perfect attacks by both sides combined with perfect defense, a return to the stalemate as Ahsoka guarded the rear.

It was fight as you train, train as you fight, the Sith and Jedi trained with Force vision. Which resulted in a simple mistake, Anakin and Obi-Wan took just a few steps forward, just a few as they forced back the Sith. A widening of the triangle on one side. But that was okay, the Force was with them, it was all part of Force insight when fighting and as Jedi they were trained since the very first time they took up a lightsaber to fight in sync with the Force. But… Illyana was not part of the Force, and in the stress of combat the Jedi had momentary forgotten due the Force insight returning and the attack of the Sith.

And then ruin as Force insight vanished for all as the bleeding blonde returned with a flash of light. But this time she was inside the triangle formation! Seen out of the corners of the eye by all three Jedi. She was facing toward the Sith, at the back of Obi-Wan and Anakin. Just as Dooku had guessed that she would do if the Sith attacked the Jedi.

….S

A.I...V

….O...D

From within the Jedi triangle, she struck. The black blade sliced just above Obi-Wan's right knee, severing his leg. The blue blade stabbing Anakin in his right shoulder as Ahsoka twirled to her left and struck at the blonde, only to be blocked by the red blade of a triumphant Dooku as his plans reached…

That's when Ventress betrayed Dooku, in this zone of no Force vision. She stuck with her left blade and instead of striking Obi-Wan she cut through Dooku's right arm while stabbing the blonde in chest with her right blade.

A slowed down moment of time

Dooku stumbles to his left away from Ventress…

Illyana collapses as she drops both of her blades…

Obi-Wan falls to his right, away from Ventress and towards Dooku…

Anakin turns to his left as he stumbles…

Ahsoka striking at Ventress…

Ventress moving to block Ahsoka with her left blade as her right blade withdraws and rises to…

Dooku using the Force to impale the Ventress with Illyana's falling lightsabers…

While a collapsed Obi-Wan flings his lightsaber, cutting off the back side of Ventress's head…

Blood was everywhere, from everyone, and that's when it began. The point of this whole exercise.

Part 8e: Office of the Supreme Chancellor (part 1)

Meanwhile…

It was a late afternoon meeting, part working lunch, part social interaction. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Amidela were the only two present in the Supreme Chancellor's office. But he Chancellor was not behind his desk, instead the two were seated off to the side at a table.

"After all these years I still can't believe you drink this." Grimaced Padme after a sip of tea.

"It's my favorite. Considered quite the delicacy by some in Nabo." Was the teasing reply from Palpatine. "I rarely get to share it with anybody as so few…"

"Can stand it." Finishes Padme as she puts down her tea cup while sticking out her tongue in distress.

"And yet each time you accept my offer." Leans back Palpatine after refilling his cup and taking another satisfying sip.

"It's called diplomacy." Replied Padme as she reached for a second cup and a second tea pot holding a brew she much preferred.

"Ah… another example of your ability to deal with unpleasant political realities?"

"No… just my ability to be gracious. Plus you always have the best nibbles." Was Padme's answer as she reached for another of the just mentioned tasty nibbles.

"One of the better perks of this office." Was Palpatine's somewhat resigned sigh. "A delight but…" As he pats his belly. "Not good for the waistline."

"Don't be silly, you look fine."

"Only because of these robes, it's amazing just how much you can conceal with a well tailored robe."

Another nibble is snatched by Padme. "Hmmm, I've always wanted to ask. Why are almost all meetings with the Jedi in your office and not at the temple?"

"Have you eaten the food at the Jedi Temple?" Asks Palpatine with a bit of a grimace.

"Um… no actually." Was her confession.

"There is much the Jedi are good at, but fine cooking and desserts are not one of those things." Was Palpatine's somewhat sad observation as he recounted a most unfortunate meal at the Jedi Temple and the sad pathetic thing they called a dessert.

"My condolences…" States a laughing Padme once the story was done.

"You don't know the half of it." Playfully taunts Palpatine. "So… we are in agreement as to Bill 8917a?"

"Yes… if you agree to the submittal of the amendments for a full formal vote."

"Agreed. Ah… I do so admire the killer instinct for politics you have Senator. You were exquisite as Nabo's Queen and even better as a Senator. Few are so bold to corner the Supreme Chancellor in his own office and treat him with such harshness until he surrendered."

An ironic grin from Padme. "Odd, I seem to recall an invitation."

An echoing grin back from Palpatine. "Yes… which brings up the real reason I wished to converse. Although 8917a is important."

Padme swiped yet another nibble. "Go on…:

"This war will end at some point, sooner rather then later I so dearly hope. And in that ending the powers that the Chancellery has been granted need to be addressed. No peace time Chancellor should wield the authority that this office now possesses. This will need to be done carefully and the Senate may wish that the Chancellor continue to exercise certain responsibilities. Therefore I wish to create, unofficially at this point, a group of respected and influential Senators to meet and work upon this."

Padme chewed upon her nibble, and what the Chancellor had just said. Democracy is messy, filled with differing ideas and constituencies. Padme was of the political wing that did not like the vast powers that the Senate had granted the Chancellor due to the needs to fight the war and the Senate's inability to function in a timely manner; but she understood while not fully agreeing. In the best of times the Senate took forever to accomplish anything, and the last few years had not been the best of times. Her response was careful.

"And you want me to…?"

"Be part of the group, the first member in fact. I grow old my Lady, and my time in this office will end, in fact must end once this war is done. We do not always see eye to eye on issues, which is as it should be as uniformity of belief is not the way of democracy. The very nature of the group I wish to form must not be unified as they must reflect the differing constituencies, but they must posses sufficient moral fortitude to do what is right rather then what is politically convenient. The future is what is at stake, not the day-to-day exercise of power as so many focus upon."

"I'm… honored that you think so well of me Chancellor. May I… think upon this?

A pleased smile from Palpatine. "Of course my lady, of course, and… some suggestions as to who else you might think should be members would be appreciated."

And that should keep her occupied for a while was Palpatine's thought. Manipulating the various Senate factions was time consuming but so… simple. Childs play really, just create yet another committee to study something to death, all with the best of intentions. No need to even interfere as…

A sudden comms call made Palpatine frown in annoyance. The transformation of his expression was always somewhat of a surprise to Padme as the private kindly uncle relationship that they had was instantly replaced by the persona of the Supreme Chancellor and the tone of annoyance as he answered.

"Yes? I directed that the Senator and I were not to be disturbed."

It was the voice of his chief of staff. "Apologies Supreme Chancellor, but the Jedi are most instant."

A surprised expression on Palpatine's face as he inquires. "Jedi?"

"Yes Supreme Chancellor, Grand Master Yoda and Master Windu."

The briefest look of indecision, then a questioning glance at Senator Amidala who states "It's okay by me."

"Send them in." Was Palpatine's reply, and then a smirk at Padme. "Oh… and send for more of my favorite tea for the Jedi."

A look from Padme that communicated that Palpatine was being mean, and that she thought it funny.