A/N: I started this a looong time ago, almost forgot about it, then happened upon it a while ago when cleaning out my harddrive. Somehow it was saved from the Recycle Bin and I decided to revamp it and perhaps finish it? Hm, not unknown to happen... Anyway, please read and review.
Chapter One
She stood in shocked silence, her heart's rapid beating the only sound in the room. It wasn't possible, it just wasn't. But the tally was right before her, proclaiming the motion carried. Her own vote, the votes of countless other champions of democracy, hadn't mattered in the least. The Republic was lost.
And they hadn't even see it coming.
Mon Mothma's arms wrapped around herself, a feeble attempt to ward off the icy feeling of captivity. Palpatine- the *emperor*, she thought spitefully- was the supreme ruler of the galaxy, and she was exactly that: a captive.
She knew captivity, had tasted it as a mere girl before the revolution of Chandrila, when her family had been imprisoned by the despot who had ruled the planet. But then the revolution had come; they were set free, and she had hoped she would never feel the chains binding her, had trusted the Republic to ward off those chains. Her trust had been betrayed.
Mon looked up, her blue eyes sweeping the room. They held no hint of weakness, no sign of the incredible pain that enveloped her. To the thousands of senators in the room, she was merely shocked, slightly angry. But they knew as well as she did that there was nothing she could do. She'd spoken out against the motion when it was proposed, voted against it, and that was all anyone could do in a Republic.
She lowered her eyes demurely. In a Empire, there was more.
*
Bail Organa felt like raging. He felt like ripping the senatorial insignia from his robe and stomping on it, spitting on it, erasing all trace that he had ever belonged to such a stupid body of people.
He did none of these things. He was a general of the Republic- the Empire- and he would conduct himself accordingly- and wait until he got home to tear the insignia from his robe and stomp on it.
A fine tremor was running through him, from shock more than anger. He never thought it would pass. How could it? But it had, and his pragmatic nature was immediately moving on to the next step, damage control for the brainless organization that had just turned over supreme power to one man, a corrupt man at that.
The Chancellor-turned-Emperor was speaking; Bail forced himself to listen. "The confidence placed in me by this august body will not be betrayed. A strong hand is needed to banish the radicals who would tear this empire apart. I will provide this strong hand."
He tuned out the rest of the speech, striving to look interested and approving. Palpatine finished with a flourish, and the Senate erupted into cheers. The chamber began to empty, senators breaking off into groups or heading for their homes. Bail himself knew that as a member of the Loyalist party- stanch supporters of Palpatine all- he would be expected at the Emperor's side. But his stomach was churning, his hands shaking, and he really didn't want to go.
He went, moving through the hallway with an unaffected elegance. The Emperor's office was above the senate hall. The symbolism of that didn't go unnoticed by him as he entered the turbolift.
There were other senator's crushed into the lift; some he knew and others he barely recognized. The girl pressed up against his side was of the latter group. She seemed vaguely familiar, but she looked far too young to be a member of the Senate, if her dress hadn't indicated otherwise. Her dark hair was pulled back into a thick braid, leaving her striking blue eyes completely clear. They stared up at him, burning into his eyes.
"We request your presence for dinner, Senator," she whispered and he felt her warm hand in his.
He broke eye contact and looked down. A small paper had passed from her hand to his own. He tightened his grip around it, then slipped it into the pocket of his jacket. "If I am able, your request will be granted," he replied, at a loss of what else to say.
The girl didn't smile, just bobbed her head, as if she'd expected that answer. "I'll see you tonight," she said softly. The turbolift opened and somehow she managed to be the first one off. He watched her retreating back until she got lost in the crowd, realizing he still had no idea who she was.
Chapter One
She stood in shocked silence, her heart's rapid beating the only sound in the room. It wasn't possible, it just wasn't. But the tally was right before her, proclaiming the motion carried. Her own vote, the votes of countless other champions of democracy, hadn't mattered in the least. The Republic was lost.
And they hadn't even see it coming.
Mon Mothma's arms wrapped around herself, a feeble attempt to ward off the icy feeling of captivity. Palpatine- the *emperor*, she thought spitefully- was the supreme ruler of the galaxy, and she was exactly that: a captive.
She knew captivity, had tasted it as a mere girl before the revolution of Chandrila, when her family had been imprisoned by the despot who had ruled the planet. But then the revolution had come; they were set free, and she had hoped she would never feel the chains binding her, had trusted the Republic to ward off those chains. Her trust had been betrayed.
Mon looked up, her blue eyes sweeping the room. They held no hint of weakness, no sign of the incredible pain that enveloped her. To the thousands of senators in the room, she was merely shocked, slightly angry. But they knew as well as she did that there was nothing she could do. She'd spoken out against the motion when it was proposed, voted against it, and that was all anyone could do in a Republic.
She lowered her eyes demurely. In a Empire, there was more.
*
Bail Organa felt like raging. He felt like ripping the senatorial insignia from his robe and stomping on it, spitting on it, erasing all trace that he had ever belonged to such a stupid body of people.
He did none of these things. He was a general of the Republic- the Empire- and he would conduct himself accordingly- and wait until he got home to tear the insignia from his robe and stomp on it.
A fine tremor was running through him, from shock more than anger. He never thought it would pass. How could it? But it had, and his pragmatic nature was immediately moving on to the next step, damage control for the brainless organization that had just turned over supreme power to one man, a corrupt man at that.
The Chancellor-turned-Emperor was speaking; Bail forced himself to listen. "The confidence placed in me by this august body will not be betrayed. A strong hand is needed to banish the radicals who would tear this empire apart. I will provide this strong hand."
He tuned out the rest of the speech, striving to look interested and approving. Palpatine finished with a flourish, and the Senate erupted into cheers. The chamber began to empty, senators breaking off into groups or heading for their homes. Bail himself knew that as a member of the Loyalist party- stanch supporters of Palpatine all- he would be expected at the Emperor's side. But his stomach was churning, his hands shaking, and he really didn't want to go.
He went, moving through the hallway with an unaffected elegance. The Emperor's office was above the senate hall. The symbolism of that didn't go unnoticed by him as he entered the turbolift.
There were other senator's crushed into the lift; some he knew and others he barely recognized. The girl pressed up against his side was of the latter group. She seemed vaguely familiar, but she looked far too young to be a member of the Senate, if her dress hadn't indicated otherwise. Her dark hair was pulled back into a thick braid, leaving her striking blue eyes completely clear. They stared up at him, burning into his eyes.
"We request your presence for dinner, Senator," she whispered and he felt her warm hand in his.
He broke eye contact and looked down. A small paper had passed from her hand to his own. He tightened his grip around it, then slipped it into the pocket of his jacket. "If I am able, your request will be granted," he replied, at a loss of what else to say.
The girl didn't smile, just bobbed her head, as if she'd expected that answer. "I'll see you tonight," she said softly. The turbolift opened and somehow she managed to be the first one off. He watched her retreating back until she got lost in the crowd, realizing he still had no idea who she was.