Chapter 3 - Naboo
What I am to tell you next I was not there for, however, through other people I have learnt of the events in Naboo while I was in Coruscant, up until the time the Jedi once again succeeded in liberating the Fallen.
King Palpatine sat at a large ornate desk strewn with papers; however, he was not sorting through them. One report had caught his particular attention. As he leant back in his chair, the report in his hand, he appeared to be reading the document, even though he had read it several times. The King's attention was no longer on the letter but far away across the ocean.
The paper that he held was my latest report from Coruscant. I do not think he suspected me, even now after all that had befallen my country. And now that I am once again on the side of the tyrant I do not think he has realised my betrayal.
Palpatine pulled his awareness back to the present. Because of the growing menace of the Spider and Travin's spy games I had yet to hear of the murders in Coruscant. Travin was in Beli'ay and had sent his own report detailing the events of the first Spider murder over the sea. I often wonder what Palpatine made of it all. Did he realise the connection? Did he himself control the Spider? Was he completely unaware?
"Maul," he said. He didn't raise his voice when he called for his Lieutenant because he knew Maul would be waiting and would hear.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Maul asked having appeared at the king's side almost immediately.
"Have you heard of the Spider?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Well?" Palpatine never showed impatience, he merely conveyed a general threat of death that hurried along any conversation more effectively than any show of emotion.
"He's been killing people in the prisons, Sire."
"Yes, and according to a source he has now found his way across to Beli'ay." Palpatine was silent for a moment. Maul waited, knowing his master would need him further. "It's all coming to a head, Maul. I can feel it. Love over hate. Do you know what that means?"
"Yoda."
"Yes, but he is dead. The Jedi and the Spider. I want you to go to Coruscant and find out what happened to my wife. Do it secretly; I don't want Qui-Gon and Travin to know that you are there or your purpose."
Maul nodded.
"Who is in charge of the Spider investigation?" Palpatine asked.
Since the first murder, the NIA had assigned a man to investigate. Palpatine might have welcomed the deaths of the victims, nevertheless he could not appear to do so. Murder was murder even in a staged democracy.
"Simons."
"Is he one of ours?"
"No." Maul didn't need to think about the answer. As Palpatine's Lieutenant he was in charge of the Liberators, the king's personal guard, and ran the king's network of spies in the NIA, Guards and among the people.
"Replace him and tell the new man to take his time and if he does find anything he is to report it directly to me and no one else."
"Yes, Sir."
"You may go."
Maul bowed low and left the King's chamber. Mace Windu watched him go. He was a Liberator, a member of the League and Obi-Wan's friend. He hurried after Maul, hoping to discover where he was going and his purpose.
My Lieutenant is a man named MacLeane. He is a man I believed to be totally devoted to his king and ruthless in the execution of his duty. I was wrong. MacLeane is the Jedi's second in command and a dear friend. A couple of years ago Obi-Wan had decided the League need someone within the NIA. MacLeane volunteered, and by chance he was chosen by me to join the Jedi investigation team and then chosen by Palpatine to be in charge when I was away.
Since the appearance of the Spider, MacLeane has been working to discover his identity for both his country's sake and Obi-Wan's. He had found nothing and even he did not know all that Obi-Wan did. It seems none of us did. Maybe if the Jedi had not been so secretive Obi-Wan might still be with me or perhaps something far worse could have happened.
"Sir?" MacLeane turned to see the Liberator Mace Windu at his shoulder.
"I was only looking." Ordinarily MacLeane would not have to answer to a Guard or a Liberator however he was trespassing on another's investigation. The cell of the latest Spider murder was not for the curious to stare at except MacLeane was not just any passer by and his position granted him a certain amount of leeway. Nonetheless that did not mean he could openly go against a Liberator asking him to leave a crime scene.
"I will walk you out sir."
"I can find my own way, Windu." Unnoticed by those that worked around them MacLeane nodded slightly before leaving.
Night fell over Naboo and the palace grew quiet as many of its daytime workers made their way home. A single candle was lit in my outer office where MacLeane still sat at his desk working.
"Sir, everything all right?" The Liberators patrolled the palace at night since the Jedi's invasion and were far more diligent in their task.
"Yes, thank you."
"Maul's on the prowl. Not just for the Spider but for Lufta Shif Naberrie as well."
"Palpatine's wife?" MacLeane looked up sharply at Mace. "Are you certain?"
"Yes, I saw him leave the King's chambers earlier and had Cleo follow him."
"Damn." MacLeane thumped his fist on his desk. Mace did not know the implications behind Palpatine's sudden interest in his wife's whereabouts but MacLeane understood.
"There is more." The look on Mace's face told MacLeane that there was something more. "He is going to Coruscant."
With no other words Mace slipped back into the corridor to continue his patrol. His path would not bring him back around to my office for an hour but he knew MacLeane would not be there. Indeed MacLeane had already left the office before Mace stepped around a corner.
Later, on a dark street, a man waited. He knew nothing of Maul's whereabouts or MacLeane's involvement in the League. He waited in shadow in a city he was at home in and familiar with in every respect. He knew where every alley led and knew the paths across the rooftops. He was as cunning as the Jedi in his way, however he was spurred on by other motives. Here he ruled. He waited for hours knowing he would be met eventually. Shortly before dawn a man approached him.
"I do not have long if you wish for me to return to Beli'ay on the morning tide."
"You have done what I instructed?" the shadowed man was the Spider.
"Of cause." The other man had once been his lover but now they were comrades in arms opposing a common enemy. "Who's next?" the man from Beli'ay asked.
"He will break soon, I promise you. The League is failing here and now..."
"...now he believes you have followed him to Coruscant and that you stalk his streets just as he stalks mine."
"Yes, the legend is almost defeated, next to be destroyed must be his reason to fight and after that the man himself." The Spider had never told his companion the Jedi's identity for fear of exposing Qui-Gon, nor had he spoken of the reason why he fought the personal war.
"Kill Amidala," he ordered before disappearing into an alleyway. /and then I shall destroy the man by killing his heart./ the Spider fled his co-conspirator and returned to the palace where he spends his days.
Travis stood in the deserted alleyway for a couple of moments before leaving too, so that he could return to Coruscant on the morning tide. Getting back into Coruscant would not be as easy as it had been to leave and killing Amidala would be almost impossible; she had the Skywalkers and Kenobi for protection.
Above him watched another secretive figure. The Jedi had seen and now he knew what it was he must do.
What I am to tell you next I was not there for, however, through other people I have learnt of the events in Naboo while I was in Coruscant, up until the time the Jedi once again succeeded in liberating the Fallen.
King Palpatine sat at a large ornate desk strewn with papers; however, he was not sorting through them. One report had caught his particular attention. As he leant back in his chair, the report in his hand, he appeared to be reading the document, even though he had read it several times. The King's attention was no longer on the letter but far away across the ocean.
The paper that he held was my latest report from Coruscant. I do not think he suspected me, even now after all that had befallen my country. And now that I am once again on the side of the tyrant I do not think he has realised my betrayal.
Palpatine pulled his awareness back to the present. Because of the growing menace of the Spider and Travin's spy games I had yet to hear of the murders in Coruscant. Travin was in Beli'ay and had sent his own report detailing the events of the first Spider murder over the sea. I often wonder what Palpatine made of it all. Did he realise the connection? Did he himself control the Spider? Was he completely unaware?
"Maul," he said. He didn't raise his voice when he called for his Lieutenant because he knew Maul would be waiting and would hear.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Maul asked having appeared at the king's side almost immediately.
"Have you heard of the Spider?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Well?" Palpatine never showed impatience, he merely conveyed a general threat of death that hurried along any conversation more effectively than any show of emotion.
"He's been killing people in the prisons, Sire."
"Yes, and according to a source he has now found his way across to Beli'ay." Palpatine was silent for a moment. Maul waited, knowing his master would need him further. "It's all coming to a head, Maul. I can feel it. Love over hate. Do you know what that means?"
"Yoda."
"Yes, but he is dead. The Jedi and the Spider. I want you to go to Coruscant and find out what happened to my wife. Do it secretly; I don't want Qui-Gon and Travin to know that you are there or your purpose."
Maul nodded.
"Who is in charge of the Spider investigation?" Palpatine asked.
Since the first murder, the NIA had assigned a man to investigate. Palpatine might have welcomed the deaths of the victims, nevertheless he could not appear to do so. Murder was murder even in a staged democracy.
"Simons."
"Is he one of ours?"
"No." Maul didn't need to think about the answer. As Palpatine's Lieutenant he was in charge of the Liberators, the king's personal guard, and ran the king's network of spies in the NIA, Guards and among the people.
"Replace him and tell the new man to take his time and if he does find anything he is to report it directly to me and no one else."
"Yes, Sir."
"You may go."
Maul bowed low and left the King's chamber. Mace Windu watched him go. He was a Liberator, a member of the League and Obi-Wan's friend. He hurried after Maul, hoping to discover where he was going and his purpose.
My Lieutenant is a man named MacLeane. He is a man I believed to be totally devoted to his king and ruthless in the execution of his duty. I was wrong. MacLeane is the Jedi's second in command and a dear friend. A couple of years ago Obi-Wan had decided the League need someone within the NIA. MacLeane volunteered, and by chance he was chosen by me to join the Jedi investigation team and then chosen by Palpatine to be in charge when I was away.
Since the appearance of the Spider, MacLeane has been working to discover his identity for both his country's sake and Obi-Wan's. He had found nothing and even he did not know all that Obi-Wan did. It seems none of us did. Maybe if the Jedi had not been so secretive Obi-Wan might still be with me or perhaps something far worse could have happened.
"Sir?" MacLeane turned to see the Liberator Mace Windu at his shoulder.
"I was only looking." Ordinarily MacLeane would not have to answer to a Guard or a Liberator however he was trespassing on another's investigation. The cell of the latest Spider murder was not for the curious to stare at except MacLeane was not just any passer by and his position granted him a certain amount of leeway. Nonetheless that did not mean he could openly go against a Liberator asking him to leave a crime scene.
"I will walk you out sir."
"I can find my own way, Windu." Unnoticed by those that worked around them MacLeane nodded slightly before leaving.
Night fell over Naboo and the palace grew quiet as many of its daytime workers made their way home. A single candle was lit in my outer office where MacLeane still sat at his desk working.
"Sir, everything all right?" The Liberators patrolled the palace at night since the Jedi's invasion and were far more diligent in their task.
"Yes, thank you."
"Maul's on the prowl. Not just for the Spider but for Lufta Shif Naberrie as well."
"Palpatine's wife?" MacLeane looked up sharply at Mace. "Are you certain?"
"Yes, I saw him leave the King's chambers earlier and had Cleo follow him."
"Damn." MacLeane thumped his fist on his desk. Mace did not know the implications behind Palpatine's sudden interest in his wife's whereabouts but MacLeane understood.
"There is more." The look on Mace's face told MacLeane that there was something more. "He is going to Coruscant."
With no other words Mace slipped back into the corridor to continue his patrol. His path would not bring him back around to my office for an hour but he knew MacLeane would not be there. Indeed MacLeane had already left the office before Mace stepped around a corner.
Later, on a dark street, a man waited. He knew nothing of Maul's whereabouts or MacLeane's involvement in the League. He waited in shadow in a city he was at home in and familiar with in every respect. He knew where every alley led and knew the paths across the rooftops. He was as cunning as the Jedi in his way, however he was spurred on by other motives. Here he ruled. He waited for hours knowing he would be met eventually. Shortly before dawn a man approached him.
"I do not have long if you wish for me to return to Beli'ay on the morning tide."
"You have done what I instructed?" the shadowed man was the Spider.
"Of cause." The other man had once been his lover but now they were comrades in arms opposing a common enemy. "Who's next?" the man from Beli'ay asked.
"He will break soon, I promise you. The League is failing here and now..."
"...now he believes you have followed him to Coruscant and that you stalk his streets just as he stalks mine."
"Yes, the legend is almost defeated, next to be destroyed must be his reason to fight and after that the man himself." The Spider had never told his companion the Jedi's identity for fear of exposing Qui-Gon, nor had he spoken of the reason why he fought the personal war.
"Kill Amidala," he ordered before disappearing into an alleyway. /and then I shall destroy the man by killing his heart./ the Spider fled his co-conspirator and returned to the palace where he spends his days.
Travis stood in the deserted alleyway for a couple of moments before leaving too, so that he could return to Coruscant on the morning tide. Getting back into Coruscant would not be as easy as it had been to leave and killing Amidala would be almost impossible; she had the Skywalkers and Kenobi for protection.
Above him watched another secretive figure. The Jedi had seen and now he knew what it was he must do.