Chapter 24: The Shipyards of Kuat

Anakin's fleet stopped cold in hyperspace. The stars stopped swirling and a green and blue planet appeared in front of them, Kuat. Around it floated and artificial ring, which was a space station that constructed ships. After a few moments the bridge comm buzzed, Anakin looked to the comm officer.

"Sir, the administrator of the shipyards is requesting contact." The comm officer said.

"Put him through."

"Yes sir."

Anakin did not flinch as a hologram of a tall man sprang up. He was dressed in an orange rebel pilot suit which had a number of grease stains on it. His hair was long, dark browm, and matted down with at least a gallon of styling grease. He had five o'clock shadow that Anakin suspected he wore purposefully. His face looked as though it was carved out of stone, every feature very defined to his thin eyebrows and straight nose.

"Hello Lord Skywalker. I am administrator Thrajj of the Kuat shipyards. If I may step out of the formality for a moment… WHAT HAPPENED AT CORUSCANT! It has been all over the Holo, The Emperor is back and he attacked?"

"Its complicated." Anakin replied. "I have come here because I need reinforcements. Can you provide?"

"Yes, anything you need."

"More capitol ships and TIE fighters, some gamma assault shuttles would be good."

"Would it be better if I called the entire Navy here?"

"NO! In fact send the everyone a direct order from me to stay guarding the planet they are currently at. If they leaves then there are just more vulnerable planets of the Emperor. Now can you provide me with ships? Time is short and I am irritated, I really don't want to have to snap your neck."

"Yeah, yeah, I can provide you with ships. Lets see, all ones with crew… I can give you seven new Imperial class star destroyers. And if my math is right and my radar is functioning correctly that gives you twenty two capitol ships."

"The Emperor has thirty."

"I think I can match it up, I think. Uh, lets see, I can give you three victory class cruisers. Twenty five that is, and also we have just started production on Mon Calamari cruisers and we have a lot finished, they were sent in from Mon Calamari almost done when their shipyards were destroyed and we finished 'em. Alright I can give you five, and sadly that's all we have. But that makes thirty so at least you and the Emperor are evenly matched."

"Yes, that is a good thing since a lot of his are Tartan patrol cruisers, we'll take them out quickly. Do you have anything else?"

"I can provide you with two hundred brand new gamma assault shuttles, I can completely refill all ships missing TIE fighters and I can provide you with seven hundred TIE interceptors."

"Excellent. We don't have a lot of time. Get them up here and we'll see about where they need to be docked."

"Understood, Thrajj out."

XxX

Gorgon Bridge

Sidious sensed the presence of Mon Mothma and Aurra Sing behind him. He turned and an evil smile spread across his face. He revealed all his teeth to Mon Mothma and she cringed, he had been alive for nine months and already they were black and yellow.

"Welcome Chancellor Mothma." Sidious said. "It seems that this is the second time you find yourself him my custody."

Mon Mothma scowled at him, made a gurgling noise in her throat and hurled a glob of saliva at him through her lips. It landed above the hem of his robes. He scowled down at them. Aurra Sing, standing behind Mon Mothma stepped up beside her, extended one of her clawed hands and brought it down scratching five bloody lines onto Mon Mothma's smooth face. She winced in pain. Aurra raised her other hand but Sidious extended his own and Force pushed her the length of the bridge.

"Aurra! Do not let your anger cloud your judgment. There is no reasonable reason to harm her so do not do it! Use your anger to empower yourself, do not waste it on people who are no threat to you."

"Well spoken." Traya said from the shadow in the corner of the bridge.

"I hope that is not sarcasm in your voice."

"Do not mistake my tone I was not faulting your choice of words. Far from it, I respect them, you truly comprehend the way of the Sith."

"Well…"

"Say nothing. But I must ask for permission to interrogate Mon Mothma."

Daala and the crew looked to Sidious to see if he would give it to her and Traya stepped out of the shadows.

"Traitor!" Mon Mothma spat.

Traya looked at her. "Know that there was once a Darth Traya, and that she cast aside that role, but there must always be a Darth Traya, one who holds the knowledge of betrayal. Who has been betrayed in her heart and who will betray in turn."

"That makes me feel so much better." Mon Mothma replied.

"It is not supposed to make you feel better. It is supposed to make you understand. There must always be a Darth Traya and if it will not be her than I must assume the role and bring about the betrayal of Jedi." And Sith. She added in her mind and glanced at Sidious perceiving him through the Force.

"And there must always be a Chancellor and it will not be him." Mon Mothma began casting a dirty look at Sidious. "Than I must assume that role which means you have to let me go."

"No." Sidious replied simply. "Take her away, and yes Lady Traya, you may interrogate her."

XxX

Cell

The two storm troopers with Mon Mothma tossed her into a cell and when Traya stepped in the door slammed shut. Mon Mothma stood up, chin held high, defiant.

"Sit." Traya said.

"No."

"Do not test my patience. Sit."

Mon Mothma was about to refuse but some invisible pair of arms pushed her onto the cold hard cell's bench. Traya stepped closer to her.

"Now tell me where Padmé Amidala Skywalker is. She would have given the information to you. You became friends when the Emperor was defeated, is that not true?"

"It is, and I do know where she is but I will not tell."

"Then don't. I haven't the patience to try and verbally extract the information from you so I will do so mentally."

"What are you ahh! Get out of my head!" Mon Mothma screamed, in pain. But it was like no pain she had ever experienced before. It was as though little fingers were poking her mind. Pressing and digging, pulling away the layers.

"Hmm, you keep the thought more guarded than I would have guessed, I thought I could tap into it when it surfaced upon… wait… there. Stop struggling! Let me follow the current, deep, deeper into its source…. Naboo, a mansion on the lake country. Hmm, I would not have expected you to know that much. Your thoughts betray you, just as I betrayed the Republic."

The probing fingers stopped and Mon Mothma looked down in shame.

Next Chapter: Chancellor in Peril