Star Wars: Infinities – The Apprentice

Chapter 2

By: Christopher W. Blaine (darth_yoshi@yahoo.com)

DISCLAIMER: The characters and situations contained in this story are used without permission for non-profit entertainment purposes only and are ©2002 by George Lucas. This story (pertaining to this chapter and all subsequent chapters) is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in any form, except hard printouts for personal enjoyment, without the express permission of the author.

"Chancellor Palpatine, thank you for seeing me," Senator Padme Neberrie said as she entered the spacious office of the elected leader of the Republic. The former queen had come to discuss her opposition to the creation of a national military.

Over the past decade since the Battle of Naboo, there had been a growing movement for a break-up of the Republic. The Separatists were gaining power and the Loyalists, led by the Chancellor, wanted to form a standing army and navy to force the union of planets and systems.

A profound pacifist, Padme had come here to Coruscant to speak directly with her predecessor. She had hesitated; she loathed coming to the city-world because of the memories it dragged up. The deaths of her Jedi protectors and the subsequent removal of Anakin from Naboo had hurt her deeply. All of her efforts to contact the boy had proven fruitless, as he seemed to have disappeared. Inquiries to the Jedi Council were never fully answered.

The crimson-robed guards stepped away to allow her entry into the office proper, where the Chancellor had a warm smile and hug for her. "Thank the stars that you are alive," he commented. Only an hour before, Padme's body double, a security precaution from her days as the elected queen of the Naboo people, had been killed in an explosion obviously meant for the senator. There had been rumors that she would be targeted by the more extreme Loyalist factions for her pacifistic views. "I feared the worst when I heard; I am most relieved to see that the old security measures are still in place."

"After the war with the Trade Federation, Panaka felt that all high ranking government personnel should maintain doubles just as a precaution. You of course remember his personal outrage when the Trade Federation was barely prosecuted by the senate…"

"Yes, regretful, but necessary to maintain the greater peace," Palpatine offered as he led her to some couches. There were several plates of refreshments set out. "Order is so hard to maintain that one must sometimes make deals that are very undesirable. Remember, my own personal estates suffered under the Trade Federation."

Padme nodded and accepted a small glass of mineral water. "Indeed; I always found it somewhat ironic that the only property that was completely devastated was your own, as if they were trying to gain your wraith."

Palpatine fixed his robes and watched as a serving droid poured him some wine. "Believe me, senator, I am the last person the Trade Federation wants to anger."

"Especially with your plans for expanding the Security Forces into a full-fledged military," she added. "Chancellor, surely you can see that by nationalizing a military, increasing it beyond the minimum required, you will become exactly what the Separatists say you are." He said nothing but maintained an even stare as she spoke, looking both attentive and sympathetic at the same time. "I have to ask: even if you were able to push through your measures, would the Republic be able to afford it, or will taxes have to be raised?"

He took in a breath. "As you well know, the Republic does not have any national shipyards, but I have been assured by many private contractors that they can accommodate us if we request. On the subject of troops, however…"

"Ah, I see your problem and it just supports my argument. How would you draw troops? From what worlds? How would systems react to having their taxes used to support troops from a rival planet or system? It would take years just to train such forces."

Palpatine nodded. "Alas, you are correct, but you only bring up the same arguments that your fellow senators have also brought before me. I say to you, however, that maintaining order and peace is the ultimate responsibility of this government. As chancellor, I would be remiss if I didn't do everything in my power to ensuring that peace endures."

"Even if it leads to war?" she asked.

"War, my dear, is the price that must be paid in order to have peace. A sad truth, but a truth nevertheless. I would think that after the invasion by the Trade Federation you would have a different outlook." He sniffed his wine and then sipped at it.

"The Trade Federation was beaten back by our own forces, not a national army or navy. In any event, it would have been impossible for me to get any aid. Even if there were this military you envision, it would take the Force itself to get it anywhere while debates raged in the senate chamber." She took a few seconds to calm herself. Her dislike of the process of government, with all of its rules and regulations that seemed to prevent any type of action, was legendary. When the Trade Federation had blockaded the planet of Naboo, Padme had appeared before the Senate to beg for help and received only empty promises of possible future action. "You say that war is the price for peace, Chancellor, but I disagree. Intelligent beings will not always see eye to eye, but it does not have to lead to war. The reason that the Republic has been free of war for the past 1000 years is because there is no military to tempt people such as you to use it. Instead, the process of diplomacy continues, as inefficient as it is."

Palpatine's face took on a mournful look. "That is only true if all of the parties agree not to employ force. I happen to have information relating to…" He stopped as he noticed his guest looking sorrowfully out the window towards the sky. There were no clear skies on Coruscant, as thousands of air and space vehicles rotated around the planet like electrons around a nucleus. "I'm sorry my dear; after all that has happened today, you must be exhausted."

She turned back to him and smiled. "I confess that I was hoping to get in to see you and convince you of the error of your position and then leave quickly but after what happened…"

He leaned forward and put his wine down and then put a fatherly hand on her leg. "To keep a sense of humor is important in our line of work, but it is also important to grieve so that we remember who we represent." He stood up and offered her his hand. "I will have one of my assistants direct you to your quarters and I will make sure that a secure channel is set up to Theed. I'm sure that you will want to inform your double's family."

"My gratitude to you, Chancellor," she said as they moved towards the exit.

"Not at all. However, I would hope that you would allow me to perhaps ask the Jedi Council to look into the assassination attempt. They have more experience at such things than my own security personnel."

She shook her head. "I am uninterested in Jedi aid…"

"Of course, my apologies again," the Chancellor commented as the door opened. Two Naboo security men stood there next to a small astromech droid. "A strange servant to be sure."

"Artoo is a friend; I was holding him for Anakin," she said. Suddenly, she had a thought. "Chancellor, could I ask a favor of you?"

"Anything," he said.

"You do remember Anakin Skywalker, don't you?"

He closed his eyes for a moment as he appeared to search his memory. "The young Jedi pilot?"

"He wasn't a Jedi, at least not yet anyway. We were forced to return him to the Council after his master was slain on Theed."

Palpatine shook a finger at her. "Yes! I assume that the boy was trained at the Temple?"

"That's the problem, the Jedi informed me that he wasn't trained but was instead turned over to an orphanage. From there, the trail goes cold and the Jedi seem uninterested in pursuing the matter."

Palpatine pulled out his datapad and a stylus and wrote a note on it. "I am not surprised. While the Jedi do much good, I'm afraid that they are rather predatory in the way they guard their internal secrets. While I am quite confident that nothing untoward happened to the lad, their unwillingness to aid you is unacceptable."

"Thank you, Chancellor, I am forever in your debt," Padme responded as the door closed.

"Can you explain to me, Master Yoda, how it is that the Council of Jedi have lost track of one little boy?" Chancellor Palpatine asked. Seated before him, Mace Windu squirmed slightly at the tone of the question, while Yoda seemed unaffected. "You were entrusted with the care of Anakin Skywalker and yet you cannot account for his current whereabouts."

"Turned over to the proper authorities he was, for training he was refused," the Jedi Master offered.

"The institution he was placed in is one of the best on record," Mace added.

"Indeed it is, as my advisors have indicated," the Chancellor said as he looked at his terminal screen. "Yet, they have no record of Anakin Skywalker being accepted there at any time, let alone ten years ago."

"I took him there myself," Mace offered, straining to maintain his composure.

"It is strange, Master Windu," Palpatine said, shaking his head. "There are no adoption records?"

"Records there are not of Skywalker anywhere. Jedi researchers have looked for any trace of the boy, but find none they did." Yoda sighed. "Adopted he most likely was."

"Granted, but I have an official request from a member of the senate which was seconded by Senator Binks," Palpatine said as he leaned forward. "As Chancellor of the New Republic, I am obligated to look into this matter with all diligence."

"We can conduct our own investigations," Mace replied. He never liked Palpatine, though he failed to ever understand why. If anything, the man had done more to unite the Republic than any other chancellor before him. The former senator from Naboo seemed to be most adept at cutting through red tape and getting down to the core issues of any problem, from economic woes to the current military debates. Were he a Jedi, he would sure have been a powerful one, judging by his natural charisma.

"Forgive me if I appear rude, but the Jedi have had ten years to investigate this matter and have done nothing about it. I'm afraid your assurances are not enough." Palpatine pressed a button on his desk and the door to the office opened with a hydraulic woosh. "Ah, Commander Zsinj, please come in."

Both Jedi turned to see a man dressed in the uniform of the Coruscant Defense Force. The man possessed a steely gaze and almost regal military bearing, giving the impression that he expected everyone in the room to be thankful that he was there. "Reporting as ordered, Chancellor," Zsinj said as he stopped next to Mace.

"Gentlemen, Commander Zsinj has been chosen to head up the investigation into the disappearance of Anakin Skywalker." Palpatine's face was as impassive as ever.

Zsinj turned to regard the two Jedi masters. He nodded to them both, but Mace caught a minute look of contempt when the officer looked at Master Yoda. He reached out through the Force to get a read on the man's emotions but got nothing but cold neutrality. "Chancellor, with all due respect, I think this is carrying things a little too far."

Zsinj responded to Mace's concerns. "And with all due respect to you, Master Windu, the disappearance of a Republic citizen is not the responsibility of the Jedi Council, but falls under the jurisdiction of local security forces."

"Not a citizen was he, came from world outside Republic influence," Yoda countered.

Zsinj shook his head and his tone was that of a father scolding a disobedient child. "Once your Jedi master secured the boy's release from slavery and transported him here, he de facto became the boy's guardian. As such, under the Citizenship Act Provisions enacted over 700 years ago, Anakin Skywalker became a Republic citizen."

Yoda closed his eyes. "Find the boy we will."

"Master Yoda, you must understand that such a thing is no longer an option. If the press were to get a hold of this, it could be disastrous for the Jedi," Palpatine offered. "The Separatist already claim that you are devils that steal children in the night."

"I assure you that my investigation will be as unobtrusive as possible," Zsinj said with a polite smile. Mace eyed Yoda who seemed to turn a shade darker in color. "However, the investigation will go on with or without your cooperation."

Mace waited for the Chancellor to correct the commander for it was a severe breach of etiquette for him to speak to the Jedi masters so. The Chancellor only nodded and raised his eyebrows when Mace regarded him. It was then that the Jedi realized that this situation was more serious than he had first thought. "What will you require of us?"

Zsinj handed over a datapad. "A list of the materials I require is here, but the broken down version is that I need basic biographical data on each member of your order, broken down by species. Then we will look for individuals that may have had reason to do harm to the boy or even if the boy is among you and he is being hidden."

"Why in the name of the Force would we do that?" Mace asked, his gaze becoming menacing. He didn't like this military officer with the false politeness. He was the proverbial longcat in nerf's clothing.

"Is not the official story that both Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi were killed by a dark Jedi? A Jedi you have never been able to locate? Is it not possible that this Jedi is in your midst?" Zsinj waited for a reply and saw that Yoda was squeezing his eyes shut and for a moment, he felt a burning sensation at the back of his mind, but it was soon put out by something else.

Yoda opened his eyes and he looked tired. "Comply we will; the information will be made available."

"I am so happy to see that we all agree," Palpatine said as he leaned back. He threw a cautious glance to Zsinj, who nodded acknowledgement.