Chapter Two
The Republic Senate was in an uproar. In the last four months, 15 Senators had been murdered, all in the same brutal fashion. Chancellor Valorum's efforts to catch the culprit were ineffective, the Jedi he sent could find no trace of the killer, no one could determine who was at risk. The Senate wanted to know why couldn't their Supreme Chancellor protect them? Was he even competent to do so? These were the thoughts that made Nero Palpatine smile in the midst of the chaos around him. Valorum's majordomo could yell all he wanted, it would make no difference. Palpatine frowned, everyone was yelling, but no one was yelling the right thing. They were all asking for more skilled Jedi, the assignment of Jedi guards. Nero sighed, he'd have to do it himself; one couldn't trust these blood-sucking leeches to do anything, no matter how much they had been manipulated. Standing up, he surveyed the bedlam masquerading as a government. The Force enhancing his voice, he called out over the voices,
"My fellow Senators, it is clear to me now that Chancellor Valorum can no longer protect us from the vagabonds that threaten our grand Republic. I call for a vote of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorum."
It was as if someone had pressed the mute button on a loud broadcast. The entire room was hushed, the Senators could scarcely believe what they had just heard. Palpatine resolutely surveyed the immense chamber, waiting for one of the leeches to get some boldness.
"Vote now!", yelled Ask Moe of Malastare. He was followed by the Duro Senator, then the Anobis representative. Soon, almost every politician in the room was yelling to take the vote now; Valorum's majordomo yelled "Order!! Order!!" again and again, but he might as well been trying to stop a moon from falling. Palpatine smiled as he saw Valorum's face. The once respected Chancellor was in a daze, unable to process the catastrophe his career had suffered. Palpatine's plan was working, just a little longer and he'd have a shot at the Chancellorship. Then, at that very moment, a 2000- year-old scheme was almost defied.
"Quiet!! Look at the evidence!! The Chancellor has done all he could to stem these attacks. If it was not for his efforts, I have no doubt many more Senators would lay dead!! We must take our protection into our own hands!!", bellowed Osaru Organa of Alderann. This call seemed to have the same effect as Palpatine's own outcry. The Senate again silenced, and again began to bar. This time, however, the wall of noise was split in half; one side calling for the vote, and the other calling to cease the debate. Nero, shook with anger, it took all the discipline he had not kill Organa now. The voice of confidence seemed to grant the power of speech to Valorum.
"This meeting of the Senate is adjourned until tomorrow. At that time, we will....continue to debate this.....this issue." Even though the shaken Chancellor's voice was barely audible , everyone in the immense room seemed to hear it. Palpatine stared at Organa's retreating back with hatred worthy of a Sith Lord. Organa's fate...no, the fate of Organa's entire [i]family[/i] had been decided.
As evening descended over the city-world. A figure in black robes walked to a wall, depressed a certain spot and walked into the newly revealed chamber. Stepping in front of a holoemitter, a mysterious figure appeared in the apparatus. This figure was in strange armor. The armored shape bowed.
"My Lord."
"Jango, it seems we have not killed enough Senators. Your target is the Organa family of Alderann. I want them all dead.", said the black clad figure.
"As you wish, My Lord.", answered the holoimage.
The Republic Senate was in an uproar. In the last four months, 15 Senators had been murdered, all in the same brutal fashion. Chancellor Valorum's efforts to catch the culprit were ineffective, the Jedi he sent could find no trace of the killer, no one could determine who was at risk. The Senate wanted to know why couldn't their Supreme Chancellor protect them? Was he even competent to do so? These were the thoughts that made Nero Palpatine smile in the midst of the chaos around him. Valorum's majordomo could yell all he wanted, it would make no difference. Palpatine frowned, everyone was yelling, but no one was yelling the right thing. They were all asking for more skilled Jedi, the assignment of Jedi guards. Nero sighed, he'd have to do it himself; one couldn't trust these blood-sucking leeches to do anything, no matter how much they had been manipulated. Standing up, he surveyed the bedlam masquerading as a government. The Force enhancing his voice, he called out over the voices,
"My fellow Senators, it is clear to me now that Chancellor Valorum can no longer protect us from the vagabonds that threaten our grand Republic. I call for a vote of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorum."
It was as if someone had pressed the mute button on a loud broadcast. The entire room was hushed, the Senators could scarcely believe what they had just heard. Palpatine resolutely surveyed the immense chamber, waiting for one of the leeches to get some boldness.
"Vote now!", yelled Ask Moe of Malastare. He was followed by the Duro Senator, then the Anobis representative. Soon, almost every politician in the room was yelling to take the vote now; Valorum's majordomo yelled "Order!! Order!!" again and again, but he might as well been trying to stop a moon from falling. Palpatine smiled as he saw Valorum's face. The once respected Chancellor was in a daze, unable to process the catastrophe his career had suffered. Palpatine's plan was working, just a little longer and he'd have a shot at the Chancellorship. Then, at that very moment, a 2000- year-old scheme was almost defied.
"Quiet!! Look at the evidence!! The Chancellor has done all he could to stem these attacks. If it was not for his efforts, I have no doubt many more Senators would lay dead!! We must take our protection into our own hands!!", bellowed Osaru Organa of Alderann. This call seemed to have the same effect as Palpatine's own outcry. The Senate again silenced, and again began to bar. This time, however, the wall of noise was split in half; one side calling for the vote, and the other calling to cease the debate. Nero, shook with anger, it took all the discipline he had not kill Organa now. The voice of confidence seemed to grant the power of speech to Valorum.
"This meeting of the Senate is adjourned until tomorrow. At that time, we will....continue to debate this.....this issue." Even though the shaken Chancellor's voice was barely audible , everyone in the immense room seemed to hear it. Palpatine stared at Organa's retreating back with hatred worthy of a Sith Lord. Organa's fate...no, the fate of Organa's entire [i]family[/i] had been decided.
As evening descended over the city-world. A figure in black robes walked to a wall, depressed a certain spot and walked into the newly revealed chamber. Stepping in front of a holoemitter, a mysterious figure appeared in the apparatus. This figure was in strange armor. The armored shape bowed.
"My Lord."
"Jango, it seems we have not killed enough Senators. Your target is the Organa family of Alderann. I want them all dead.", said the black clad figure.
"As you wish, My Lord.", answered the holoimage.