MOS ESPA, TATOOINE
The royal sloop of the queen of Naboo was inspected through a pair of magnoculars, where it was landed a mile or so outside of town, partially hidden by the surrounding dunes. The crew moving around the ship were zoomed in and scanned one by one.
"Well, what do you know" the duros bounty-hunter holding the magnoculars said as he lowered the device. "The queen is here on Tatooine after all. Who would have guessed."
The small hovering probe-droid, that had spotted the naboo ship for its master, let out a strange series of noises where it floated in midair next to the duros.
"No, too risky" the duros said, his face hidden from the twin suns by a large hat. "Apparently, the queen is protected by two jedi. I'm not too keen on dying today."
The duros returned to his speeder-bike and drove off, the probe-droid following as best it could, relying on its own hover-engines. Driving straight through the town of Mos Espa, the duros found his own ship at the small spaceport of the settlement, a rugged and battleworn D5-Mantis patrol craft that showed several signs of having seen combat. Once onboard, he activated the ships communication-systems. Soon enough, a neimoidian appeared over the holographic transmission.
"This is Rune Haako" the transmission said. "Have you found something, bounty-hunter?"
"The name's Cad Bane" the duros said, "and I have found your missing naboo queen."
This obviously gained the neimoidians interest. "Where?"
"First things first" Bane said with a sinister smirk on his lips. "Full payment... Up front."
"How do I know that you are not lying, bounty-hunter?" the Lord Commerce wondered.
"I am transmitting a recording of her ship and crew" Bane said as he pressed a series of switches on his communication-console, "taken just a few minutes ago."
The hologram of Rune Haako indicated clearly that the neimoidian turned his head to look at something other than the holographic transmission of the bounty-hunter. "Looks promising" the neimoidian eventually admitted. "Payment will be arranged."
Cad Bane turned into a serious frown. "Do no bother scanning for my location. I am not new to this line of work, Haako. You will not find the queen without my help."
Rune Haako, seeing as his plan had been foiled before it had even been set in motion, grunted. "The transaction will be completed shortly."
"Perfect" Cad Bane said and grinned visciously. "As soon as I have my credits, you will have the location of your little queen."
MUSTAFAR
Mustafar was a volcanic world, with mountain-ranges made up of volcanoes, rives and lakes made from lava and snow replaced by ash that fell from the skies to cover the land in shades of gray. It was a profitable world with a massive export of ore and minerals, a cornerstone as it were for the Falleen economy.
A massive factory was being built and was currently halfway finished. The deal surrounding the factory had made Falleen wealthy and its ruler, King Haxim, a popular regent. In turn, the Trade Federation could errect this factory to tap into the rich resources of the planet for their personal use. A lucrative deal for everyone involved.
But all of this was currently of little concern to Dooku Serenno as he studied a holographic display, containing various bits of information available on the planet of Tatooine.
"I give this assignment to you, lord Maul" Dooku then said and turned to his silent apprentice. "Make contact with this Cad Bane and find the queen. Bring her back to Naboo alive, and kill all the others."
Darth Maul bowed before his lord and master and turned to leave the chambers. He walked through the corridors of the not yet finished factory-complex, passing droids hard at work as well as crew in the service of both Falleen and the Federation as they helped out in assembling the massive building and all its interior functions. Stepping outside, he found the landingplatform he had headed for and the Fury-class interceptor, the Scimitar. Within minutes, the ship was airborne and on its way to Tatooine.
Dooku watched as Darth Maul flew off towards space, and when he could no longer follow the ship with his eyes, he turned to the members of the Trade Federation joining him.
"Get work back on schedule" Dooku demanded of them. "We need this facility fully operational in time, if we are to build our army of battledroids."
"Then we need more men, mylord" one of the Federation officials, a cerean, said. "A bitter requirement, I fear. It is a matter of simple arithmatic."
Dooku gave the cerean a most hateful look. "You shall have them" he then said and left the room with a frown.
The former jedi headed down some corridors, ongoing construction evident all around him. He eventually entered a room that offered an impressive view of a finished part of the factory; a section that was already in use and producing droids designed for combat. Thick armour combined with deadly weaponry. The three representatives of the Commerce Guild turned to face Dooku, having studied the factory at length.
"Forgive the interruption" Dooku said, "it was a matter of some urgency."
"That much was clear" a female human said, speaking on behalf of the Guild. "It is an impressive installation you have here. And these battledroids, I believe they are the most recent model from the Corporate Alliance, correct?"
"Indeed" Dooku admitted and joined his guests by the window overlooking the assembly-area. "The Federation has more than fifty factories such as this one, all of them producing battledroids and weapons."
"Are they preparing for war?" the woman inquired, eyes narrow as her face turned stern indeed.
"They are preparing for uncertain times" was Dookus response. "As should you, and the rest of the members of the Commerce Guild."
"Why?"
Dooku turned to look the woman in the eyes. "There are strong indications that the Sentient Representation Act will be voted through in a few years time."
The Commerce Guild representative sneered. "Ridiculous" she said and shook her head. "No guild will support it. It will never happen."
"As I'm sure you said about the tax reform" Dooku countered and it had the impact he had intended.
The Guild representative glanced at the factory and droids being built, before turning her attention back at Dooku. "Why do you care?" she then said. "What will you gain from all of this?"
"A more secure Republic" Dooku replied to the question. "Thousands of new senators will mean a thousand more reasons for tension, for border disputes; aggression and hatred will spread." The man sighed and shook his head at the thought. "If we are not prepared, it will all turn to chaos. Only strength will maintain the peace now. The Federation realizes this and are preparing to defend their interests, when the day comes. I am now asking the Commerce Guild to do the same."
"Oh, we will" the woman said, as serious as ever. "If the Federation is strengthening its military, then so must we. We have to, if we are to defend ourselves from these battledroids."
"The Federation is not the enemy" Dooku assured the representatives of the Commerce Guild. "The enemy are the politicans that are currently gaining popularity in the senate, with the support of the jedi I might add. New taxes, more senators... Less stability and more infringement on guilds abilities to act. If you do not prepare now, it will be too late."
"And how do you suggest we prepare?" the woman wondered.
"Ships" Dooku said, a simple answer and to the point. "Upgrade your fleet is my advice. With a state of the art merchant-fleet, supported by the best escort-vessels available, you will secure your position as a permanent power in the Republic. You will have nothing to fear from the Federation, you will have nothing to fear from new senators and you will have nothing to fear from pirates, hutts or jedi."
The woman gave it some thought before she gave her reply. "Can you prove that the Representation Act will be voted through in the near future?"
"As you know, I am a former jedi" Dooku pointed out. "It is through the Force that I have forseen it."
The Guild representative nodded. "I shall arrange so that you may meet with the ruling council of the Commerce Guild. If there is about to be an arms-race within the Republic, they will be most interested in listening to your advice."
Dooku bowed out of gratitude. "For the good of the galaxy, I hope they will listen to reason."
THE HYLANDS, NABOO
Dash sat in tears and on his knees next to the open grave. Eadan Vrill and Dash Rendar had been partners for years, done more jobs together than Dash could count and had relied on each other to remain alive from one end of the galaxy to the other. And now the nautilan was lying in a grave, dead from wounds inflicted by the Trade Federation. Dash could not believe it, yet there the proof was, right infront of him. Eadan Vrill, dead and in a grave.
"To old friends" Dash eventually said and drank from a bottle of strong naboo liquor. "May the Force be with you."
Dash got up on his feet and slowly left the grave behind him, leaving it to Leebo to fill it in with dirt and soil. Outrider had landed at a remote location up in a mountain-range, a region known as the Hylands and a barony in its own right; the barony of Veru. Here, at this secluded place, the nabooans intent on fighting the Federation had gathered to combine their forces and coordinate their attacks.
It was a ragtag and adhoc force to say the least. Villagers, farmers, fishermen and hunters had joined with household troops and their lords and ladies to form the resemblance of a resistance. Sitting around a campfire were several key members of the growing rebellion.
"The attack on Dulac sure caught Geldas attention" Baron Sio said with a grin. "Troops have already been relocated to his barony to maintain peace and stability."
"Relocated from where?" Sola Amidala asked, arm and leg dressed in bacta-turnicates after the escape from Dulac.
"Barony of Foss" Sio said. "One of Geldas closest allies in all of this."
"So that is were we will strike next?" captain Goldarynn of House Narmele said.
Sola nodded. "Yes. We should begin right away to find what allies we may have at Foss."
"With such a heavy Federation presence, it shouldn't be a problem finding allies amongst the civilians" Baron Sio concluded.
At that point, Lady Veruna joined the others together with a patched up and limping lieutenant Typho. "Make some room" Veruna said, "I believe this soldier could use a drink."
Goldarynn offered a mug of ale to Typho whom gladly took a swipe from the alcohol.
"All seems quiet" Veruna said as she sat down by the fire. "My contacts in Veru says that the steward, my uncle, has no intel on our presence here."
"Most reasuring" Olivar Sio nodded. "I can't believe that your uncle would side with..."
"Please" Veruna cut in before the baron of the Flatlands had time to finish the sentence. "My father may have been the former king, but we all know what kind of king he was. Without my father and his greed, the hutts would never have been the problem they are today. The deals he made... He should never have been king, and you know this. You were his strongest opponent, lord Sio. His brother, my uncle, is no different. Together, they made many poor decisions."
"Forgive me, my lady" Sio said and bowed. "I meant no disrespect."
"House Veruna is not alone to be blamed" Cosin Palpatine said, the former steward of House Palpatine and the Lake Country slowly shook his head. "My brother worked so hard to have Ares Veruna voted king by the nobility. We both did, and we succeeded. That is our shame."
"Your brother wanted to be senator" Lady Veruna pointed out. "In return for House Palpatines support, my father made your brothers wish come true." The former baroness of Veru drank some more from her mug of alcohol. "But, to your brothers credit, when my father died, he fought tooth and nail to install Baroness Amidala as the next regent. At the time, I thought he only did it because she was young and inexperienced, someone who would not interfere with Baron Palpatines life on Coruscant. Now I realize that your brother saw strength and passion in the young baroness. And for that, in this time of crisis, all nabooans are greatful."
"For the queen" lieutenant Typho said and raised a mug of ale in a toast and everyone else joined in.
"For the queen" they all said in unison and drank.
The phrase made Sola Amidala, the queens sister, brielfy pause to think; to think about her options, her choices, to think about the uncertainty of what the future might bring. It all terrified her.
They all looked up as Lady Naberrié walked over to them, together with Dash Rendar. The presence of the smuggler made them all a bit uneasy, seeing as he some hours before had tried to trade in Sola and Typho for a reward from the Trade Federation.
"My lords, my ladies" Jobal Naberrié said. "I found this man over by the cliffs. He has just lost a friend and could use our help to focus on something other than his grief."
"Forgive me, my lady" baron Sio said, "but we are fighting a war, not running a sanctuary."
"My point exactly" Naberrié said.
Dash took a step forward and handed over a small container to captain Goldarynn. The aging captain could not believe his eyes as he realized what the object contained.
"This is baradium" Goldarynn said, almost with a gasp.
"I have a crate full of it on my ship" Dash said and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder back at the Outrider. "I figured that if you are serious about taking the fight to the Federation, you might need to blow some stuff up."
Sola got up on her feet and stepped over to the smuggler. "Why?" she asked. "Why help us? Not long ago you were prepared to sell me for a few crates of spice."
Dash looked the young woman straight in the eyes. "It's simple... Revenge."