The unique thing about the 'Podium' in the center of the Senate hall was the high sides.
Palpatine could travel on the podium from his personal office to the Senate without ever having to mingle with the Senators. These two factors meant Palpatine could wear his incredibly soft and comfortable slippers during Senate sessions.
When Mace Windu and his lackeys arrived, Palpatine wasn't worried a bit. No one could be while wearing slippers like these. Annoyances, on the other hand, were immune to the slippers' power.
"Mr. Chancellor, please." Senator Amidala called out. "Are these Clone Troopers required in the Hall during this session?"
Palpatine waited for the murmurs of agreement to die down. "Public opinion of the Order is somewhat negative at the moment. The troopers are here to ensure that no unauthorized persons try to enter and sway Senate decisions. You should have deduced this from the mandate forbidding non-Senators from sitting in the pods today." He chided. There was no animosity toward Senator Amidala, but any questions about the Chancellor's decisions in the Senate needed to be shut down immediately; otherwise the Senator's would focus on him instead of the business at hand.
"Mr. Chancellor." McDellum said.
"The chair recognizes Senator McDellum. Be brief, Senator, we have a lot of ground to cover today."
"I request special dispensation for this gentleman beside me. He has traveled a long way to testify today."
"Your guest can stay, however he will not be called unless there is time, understood?"
"Yes, Chancellor."
"Excellent. Jedi Master Mace Windu is here with his advisers to answer for the Jedi Order and speak in her defense. You have the floor, Master Jedi. Speak freely."
"Thank you, Chancellor." Windu began. "Unfortunately, some of the details I need to divulge are too sensitive for civilian ears. I humbly request the live feeds be deactivated for the duration, and recordings and transcripts be classified under military protocol A-3"
Palpatine was surprised no one objected. Apparently, so long as the Senators got to listen, they didn't mind cutting out the rest of the galaxy. "Given the nature of how relevant this is to ongoing war operations, I'll allow this. Senators, keep in mind divulging A rank classified materials carries a charge of treason. Continue, Mr. Windu."
"Beings of the Senate, allow me a moment to touch on the history of the Jedi Order. Through the millennia, the Order has stood as a moral ruler and protector to the Republic. We have defined and upheld justice when no one else could. This Republic has time and time again gone against the advice and actions of the Order; culminating in this most recent incident." Mace said.
Palpatine admired the even, simple cadence Mace spoke in. Windu had clearly studied political oration, the entire Senate was listening quietly for the rest of the speech.
"In the past," Mace continued. "The Order has put up with the abuses of the Republic. We have patiently waited in the shadows, intervening only when invited to. Often, the point of intervention was when the Republic was on the brink of collapse."
"No longer." Mace whispered. Palpatine felt himself straining to hear what Windu was about to say. The man's voice was like a siren, drawing everyone in. Palpatine barely noticed, and managed to pull himself out of the trance. If Windu was using the Force to bend the Senators to his will, he could corrupt the democratic process. Palpatine tried to speak, but couldn't even open his mouth. He may have been strong enough to not be drawn into the trance, but his voice was still locked away.
"No longer!" Mace said, the forcefulness of the bellow seemed to shake the building. The four Jedi with Windu ignited their sabers, Palpatine couldn't remember when they had drawn their weapons.
"The Jedi Order will lead the Republic, there is no more use for Senators."
"Clones." Palpatine croaked, barely above a whisper. "Stop him."
"There is no more use for a Chancellor either." Mace sneered, turning to look at Palpatine, his eyes were now solid blue, cold and unfeeling. "Clones, execute Order 65. Davros, deal with the Chancellor." Mace finished dismissively, turning away from Palpatine.
Davros knew this was coming. Windu had outlined the test; either strike down the Chancellor and prove his loyalty, or refuse and be struck down just like the Chancellor. If he was anyone else, Davros might have hesitated, considered the ethics of what he was about to do. But Davros was a guard, trained from the start to trust his superiors. It wasn't blind obedience that drove Davros to action, but rather faith that Windu knew the whole picture, and revealed only enough for Davros to do his job.
Davros leaped from the Witness Booth to the Chancellors box, balanced on the 'rail' of the podium. He could see the fear and confusion in the Chancellor's eyes. Igniting his saber, Davros swung. A green blade, held by a young and impulsive apprentice, stopped him from his objective.
"Ahsoka, step aside." He said, much calmer than he felt.
"I can't let you do this Master. It isn't right." Ahsoka pleaded.
"A guard follows orders." Davros said, hoping to remind Ahsoka where her loyalties lie. Why would she even try to defend the person singlehandedly pushing anti-Order agenda through the Senate?
Something snapped inside Ahsoka, igniting a spark behind her eyes. "I'm not a guard, I'm a Jedi." Ahsoka countered.
Guards follow Orders. Anyone who tries to stop a Guard from his Orders is an Obstacle. "You're nothing but an obstacle." Davros murmured, remembered the platitude drilled into him from a young age. There was nothing that could be done, Obstacles were to be destroyed, that was the rule. Mental wellness was one thing, but no one interfered with the mission.
Davros shoved Ahsoka off the Podium onto the floor, a larger and more fair surface for dueling, where her dual sabers wouldn't have as much of an advantage. He jumped down after her, cloak billowing behind him.
Davros wasted no time, the second his feet hit the ground, he charged in, utilizing both hands to put maximum strength into his swings. Against someone with dual sabers, power was key, not speed. Despite his aggressive stance, Davros couldn't find an opening in Ahsoka's defense. She may have been young, but Ahsoka was easily within a year or two of promotion to Knight. Being the Padawan of the great Anakin Skywalker wasn't just window dressing, Ahsoka had clearly learned the art of the saber from one of the greatest of the Order. Overhead, Davros was dimly aware of the sounds of clone rifles and sabers cutting through soft bodies.
Davros saw an opening and took it, slicing Ahsoka's shorter saber in half. It came at a cost though, a diagonal slash over one eye of Davros' mask. He wasn't harmed, but there was no way to see out of the left side of the mask. Davros would have to trust the Force to protect him until he could get his helmet off.
Taking advantage of Ahsoka's unwillingness to go on the offensive, Davros slowly undid each clasp as he had time to do so. Ahsoka put all her energy into speed, flitting in and out of range too fast for Davros to land a solid strike.
He made a mistake. Thinking he had time, Davros pulled off his helmet, momentarily blinding himself. Ahsoka saw her opening and stabbed. Davros saw it too late, his dodge only reducing the damage from instant death to the loss of his eye.
His Guard training held. Only the slightest grunt escaped his lips. Davros covered his still smoking socket with his left hand while fending Ahsoka off with his right. Power was useless with a 'bad' side, Davros switched to a high speed technique, saber grasped so tightly the metal nearly bent.
There wasn't time for a safe duel, Davros could feel himself getting lightheaded. Gathering the Force to himself, Davros pulled, dragging Ahsoka towards him, enough to knock her off balance. Pushing through the dizziness, Davros plunged his blade into Ahsoka.
He couldn't help but feel like he had betrayed someone who needed his guidance. Without the heat of battle, the chants of the Guard didn't hold nearly as much sway. Davros cradles Ahsoka as she collapsed to the ground, trying to ignore the gaping hole through her chest.
"I'm sorry, Ahsoka." Davros said. "I failed you, I'm so sorry." Rule 50 echoed through his mind, Guards live to die.
High above him, Davros could hear Windu talking. The Senators and Chancellor must have been dealt with, since the cameras were rolling again.
"Beings of the Republic." Mace began, standing in the former Chancellor's Podium. "What I am about to say will shock you to your very core."
Mace droned on, honeyed words covering black lies. Davros just sat on the ground, holding the body of his former apprentice. It didn't matter who was right or wrong anymore. With Ahsoka's death, Davros had burned the bridge behind him. He was Windu's pawn now, there were no other options.
Davros sat there until Windu finished. "Come on Davros." Mace said. "There will be time to mourn at the Temple."
Like a small child, Davros meekly followed Mace out of the Senate Hall, carrying the body of the one person who had every truly trusted him.
That's it, thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed this little fic. You guys have helped keep me going, and I look forward to publishing the sequel, Senate Dance: The Collapse.
('V')
