Chapter Three
He couldn't get those eyes out of his head. It was irrational, unreasonable, and completely insane, but even after everything she'd told him, all she'd revealed about Palpatine, the empire, the corruption his thoughts had only brushed the surface of, all he could think about were her eyes. They were clear and intelligent, bright burning in the dim cavernous chamber.
She was nineteen now, elected at seventeen- the youngest Senator in history. She hadn't given him the information, but it wasn't hard to find out once he'd gotten her name: Mon Mothma. He remembered her now, or rather remembered mentions of her in Senate transcripts he'd received while he was fighting in the first of the Clone Wars. She was a fiery speaker, uninhibited and completely blunt.
And her eyes were like the morning sky.
Bail blinked and swallowed, demanding his mind to focus on the debate at hand. Orn Free Taa was going on about finance and taxes, and seeing as though he was the minister of the committee in question, he figured listening was in order. "The Refugee Relief Movement is a senseless misuse of funds. In the midst of such a crisis, we have no credits to allot to such a cause, no matter how worthy it may be! A better use would be to create more troops, more soldiers to beat back this menace!"
"The Emperor recognizes Imperial Senator Mon Mothma, of the system of Chandrila."
Her platform glided out, and she launched at once into her speech. "How can we call ourselves civilized if, as Senator Taa put it, we find the saving of lives to be a 'senseless misuse of funds'? The Wars are displacing so many. One by one, as planets fall to the Separatists, citizens loyal to the *Republic* are forced to flee. There is no time for them to collect their savings or barter for a transport! People such as these require our assistance. Surely their *lives* are worth more than a new influx of clones!"
Even though at the moment, he found himself unable to care less, he signaled and was recognized. "The new influx of clones will save more lives by holding back the Separatist threat. To just ignore the need of the Empire for the sake of a few…"
It was according to her own plan, but she still looked angry at being argued with. "Well, I don't suppose you would understand the refugee's plight, Senator, having never been one." She took a deep breath and changed tactics, "The army we have is one *million* strong. The Kaminoans have been helpful in eradicating the Separatists, yes, but-"
Bail didn't let her get much further. "But? We have stopped the first wave of insurrections. The next will not be far behind."
"You don't know that!"
"Neither do you."
Her eyes were burning but her voice was calm, collected. "I oppose Senator Taa's motion for the destruction of the Refugee Relief Movement." She turned to Palpatine and said in a strong voice, "People are more important than puppets." Her platform glided back, her eyes deliberately averted.
Bail followed suit, falling back among the rest of Palpatine's pawns, his heart strangled and hungry for the cool honesty of her eyes.
He couldn't get those eyes out of his head. It was irrational, unreasonable, and completely insane, but even after everything she'd told him, all she'd revealed about Palpatine, the empire, the corruption his thoughts had only brushed the surface of, all he could think about were her eyes. They were clear and intelligent, bright burning in the dim cavernous chamber.
She was nineteen now, elected at seventeen- the youngest Senator in history. She hadn't given him the information, but it wasn't hard to find out once he'd gotten her name: Mon Mothma. He remembered her now, or rather remembered mentions of her in Senate transcripts he'd received while he was fighting in the first of the Clone Wars. She was a fiery speaker, uninhibited and completely blunt.
And her eyes were like the morning sky.
Bail blinked and swallowed, demanding his mind to focus on the debate at hand. Orn Free Taa was going on about finance and taxes, and seeing as though he was the minister of the committee in question, he figured listening was in order. "The Refugee Relief Movement is a senseless misuse of funds. In the midst of such a crisis, we have no credits to allot to such a cause, no matter how worthy it may be! A better use would be to create more troops, more soldiers to beat back this menace!"
"The Emperor recognizes Imperial Senator Mon Mothma, of the system of Chandrila."
Her platform glided out, and she launched at once into her speech. "How can we call ourselves civilized if, as Senator Taa put it, we find the saving of lives to be a 'senseless misuse of funds'? The Wars are displacing so many. One by one, as planets fall to the Separatists, citizens loyal to the *Republic* are forced to flee. There is no time for them to collect their savings or barter for a transport! People such as these require our assistance. Surely their *lives* are worth more than a new influx of clones!"
Even though at the moment, he found himself unable to care less, he signaled and was recognized. "The new influx of clones will save more lives by holding back the Separatist threat. To just ignore the need of the Empire for the sake of a few…"
It was according to her own plan, but she still looked angry at being argued with. "Well, I don't suppose you would understand the refugee's plight, Senator, having never been one." She took a deep breath and changed tactics, "The army we have is one *million* strong. The Kaminoans have been helpful in eradicating the Separatists, yes, but-"
Bail didn't let her get much further. "But? We have stopped the first wave of insurrections. The next will not be far behind."
"You don't know that!"
"Neither do you."
Her eyes were burning but her voice was calm, collected. "I oppose Senator Taa's motion for the destruction of the Refugee Relief Movement." She turned to Palpatine and said in a strong voice, "People are more important than puppets." Her platform glided back, her eyes deliberately averted.
Bail followed suit, falling back among the rest of Palpatine's pawns, his heart strangled and hungry for the cool honesty of her eyes.