Umbrous - Shadow of the Force

Part 1 - Awakening of Shadow


Chapter 1

"And finally, who can name me the main members of the Separatist Alliance and their leaders?" asked the teacher droid, looking out over the class of university students before them. The whole class looked bored and tired at the end of the day.

They seemed to be waiting for someone to respond, and even the droid, programmed to be impartial, could predict with 70.56% certainty that the answer would come from...

"The Trade Federation, led by the Neimoidian Nute Gunray, the Techno Union led by the Skakoan Wat Tambor, the Inter Galactic Banking Clan led by the human Rush Clovis – no, sorry, the Muun San Hill…"

A vaguely interested voice from the second row snorted. If the droid had eyeballs, they would have rolled them, as they turned to look at Kaan Pritcher, the student who had interrupted the droid's equivalent of a reverie.

The other students had either begun chuckling to themselves, or were looking around in confusion, wondering what was so funny about Rush Clovis. Kaan continued,

"That was meant to be funny because as we all know, Clovis saw the error of his ways before aiding the Republic, and died in a heroic sacrifice. That is, right after Dooku had him increase the interest rates on the Republic so the Separatists wouldn't have to pay him back," filling in for his classmates, his tone drier than sand.

"He didn't aid the Republic, he aided Senator Padmé Amidala, in more ways than one, and I probably would have too!" called an Ukian student from the back, followed by a wave of chuckles and snorts.

Kaan continued, smirking but otherwise ignoring the comment,

"Then there was the Commerce Guild led by the Gossam Shu Mai, the Corporate Alliance led by the Koorivar Passel Argente, the Retail Caucus led by the Kerkoiden Marimi Schlopsam, the Stalgasin Geonosians led by Archduke Poggle the Lesser, and lastly, but definitely not least, the Jedi Order, led by Count Dooku." he finished, looking around the classroom discreetly.

Even the droid, programmed to believe and teach the official version of events, had to admit that the truth around this particular topic was heavily edited and taboo to talk about, even in a political history class such as this one.

While it was true that the Jedi were remembered for having done some good in the galaxy, everyone had seen the infamous security footage of the Jedi storming into then-Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's office. The only frame that had been available after the attempted takeover being of the evil Mace Windu, his face contorted in rage, pointing his amethyst-bladed lightsaber at the soon-to-be Emperor's throat, and using his Force powers to distort His Majesty's face into the wrinkled monstrosity it was today.

There was no end of conspiracy theories surrounding the event, as well as surrounding the Jedi themselves, and it had been the droid's job to dispel such theories during the first few months of the class.

Such nonsense as the rumour that the return of the Sith was anything more than a lie created by the Jedi to separate themselves from Count Dooku, allowing them to seem like the protectors of peace and justice, while he furthered their agenda by waging a war that weakened the Republic for their eventual takeover, or the plainly stupid rumour that the Emperor was not just Force-sensitive, but a fully-fledged Sith lord, who had orchestrated the Clone Wars in order to gain power.

The bell rang, and the class was officially dismissed, meaning the mandatory hour of talking and gossiping amongst themselves had unofficially commenced.