Chapter Twenty-Five

"Can I count on your vote of 'no confidence' in the morning?"

Senator Kalyn Preet of Alderaan and current vice chair of the Galactic Senate choked on his swallow of Coruscanti claret following General Wilhuff Tarkin's bold request. Sputtering, he favored the general with a dubious look while he reached for a nearby clothe to blot his lips and embroidered overcoat. He wasn't shocked by the question itself, however, but merely taken aback that Tarkin was ready to execute their plan so soon.

Like Tarkin, Kalyn Preet was no fan of Bail Organa. He was a young, diplomatic upstart who had snatched the Alderaanian senatorial seat away from him in a stunning win, an aspiration that Preet had held for more than a decade, simply due to his marital connection to Queen Breha. Organa had possessed pathetically little political acumen when he took office, but he was charismatic and handsome and clearly adored by the queen. That had been his call to success, and that had been enough for the citizens of Alderaan. Preet despised the man for that alone.

Besides being a political idealist, Bail Organa was also a nauseating moralizer and a puritan. He thought himself to be better than his peers, far beyond the stain of corruption and greed that so often ensnared his colleagues. But he was a glorified puppet of the Jedi, or more specifically, Anakin Skywalker. Though everyone knew who truly maintained order in the galaxy, including most of the senatorial body and Organa's staunchest supporters, no one would dare to voice such concerns out loud. After all, Bail Organa had pulled the Republic back from the brink of total collapse. He had prevented the galaxy from descending into chaotic madness. Who would dare to speak against him?

But the incongruency was obvious even to his most loyal supporters. Officially, the GFCA was obligated to answer to the Supreme Chancellor, but everyone knew that the agency answered to no one except Skywalker. The former Jedi was the one who wielded the true authority. And due to Organa's weak, ineffectual leadership in that regard, it was truly the Jedi and the clones who controlled the galaxy rather than the Galactic Senate.

As far as Preet was concerned that needed to change. Not only did he want that ancient, religious cult relegated to the shadows where it belonged, but he also wanted Bail Organa removed from his seat as Supreme Chancellor. In short, Kalyn Preet wanted to replace him. He had the experience and the ambition. He had also found a likeminded ally in Wilhuff Tarkin.

Unfortunately, getting most of the Senate to see his point of view where it concerned their current chancellor was a more challenging endeavor. Under Organa's leadership, it could be argued that the galaxy was experiencing relative peace and prosperity. Intergalactic crime was at an all-time low. A peaceful alliance had been formed with the former Separatist planets so that there were relatively few systems that remained independent of the Republic. Commerce was booming. Public confidence in the galactic government had never been stronger.

Most planetary systems welcomed the GFCA's presence and protection and since the agency had been Bail Organa's brainchild, he received all the glory for its success. He was loved by the people and, therefore, he was backed by the senators who wished to please their constituents. And while there were some who chafed at his leadership for the same reasons that Preet did, they wouldn't dare oppose him in the Senate for fear of losing favor with their supporters.

For that reason, Preet recognized that he was playing a long game. If he was going to acquire the seat of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, and that was his greatest aspiration, then he would need to wait for an opportunity to present itself and then exploit it. As far as Preet was aware, that opportunity had not yet been manifested. Wilhuff Tarkin, on the other hand, seemed to have a different perspective on the matter.

"Don't you think you're being a bit rash?" he cautioned Tarkin, stroking his neatly trimmed beard, "Such a motion would never pass in the Senate! He has far too much support. You know this already."

"Have you switched on your HoloNet recently?" Tarkin asked him, "I believe that fact may change relatively soon."

Preet had no interest in watching the HoloNet. What he wanted was to enjoy his claret, read a book and nestle beneath the covers of his electronically warmed bed. But he also knew that Wilhuff Tarkin had not paid him a visit this late in the evening as a mere social call. If Tarkin was suggesting that he watch the HoloNet then certainly it was for a reason.

Gamely then, he switched on his HoloNet. They were mid-report in an account of an attack that had taken place in the Rishi system within a day of the Coruscant attack. He listened with growing disgust as the commentators detailed the horrifying brutality that had occurred. The longer he watched, the more unnerved he became as several other similar incidents were referenced as well. He turned to regard Tarkin with an aghast expression.

He passed a shaking hand through his elegantly coiffed, white hair. "My word, man! What have you done?" he gasped.

Tarkin scoffed. "I haven't done a thing! I've warned you from the beginning that these clones were dangerous, and this is the proof! They have no place in civilized society!"

"Yes, but I was certain your viewpoint on that was largely biased," Preet mumbled, "I never imagined they'd be capable of this sort of senseless carnage."

"And you were wrong," Tarkin replied stiffly, "The time has come for us to act!"

"It's too soon for a vote of no confidence!" Preet reiterated stridently, "Even these reports, as appalling as they are, will not diminish Organa's public support!"

"Not if you raise a motion to place all clones into temporary custody until we can determine if these recent events are the actions of a few rogues or if something more sinister is at play," Tarkin suggested, "Frame it as a measure of public protection."

"That will never pass!" Preet exploded with a wild wave of his hand, "Clones are everywhere, and they are viewed as productive members of society! They are teachers! Secretaries! Engineers! Medical personnel! They are agents in the GFCA for Star's sake! No one will condone condemning them all for the actions of a few! You're asking for a public outcry!"

"Not if you remind the Senate of what occurred during Order 66," Tarkin reminded him in a silky whisper, "Remember, the in-fighting that took place, how they turned on one another like mindless beasts? It went unchecked until Organa rescinded the order, but it was clear the clones had no control over their actions. If they could do that to their fellow soldiers, then what could they do to us? It's a valid question considering all that has happened, don't you think?"

"According to the Jedi, that was an aberration in their programming, put there by Chancellor Palpatine, and it has been resolved."

"Yes, that is what the Jedi say and yet look at what is happening now."

Preet shut off the HoloNet feed and turned to face Tarkin, setting aside his glass entirely. "You still believe the Jedi conspired to have Chancellor Palpatine murdered?"

"Absolutely. And my conviction on that front grows by the day."

"So, all that business about him being a Sith and orchestrating the war…you don't believe it?"

"Whether he was Sith or not means little to me. The Chancellor was my friend. He knew the Jedi were conspiring against him. He mentioned it to me on multiple occasions," Tarkin spat, "I never imagined that they would use the boy against him!"

"He was very fond of Skywalker then?"

"He spoke very highly of him, loved him like a son…and that was his undoing," Tarkin recounted tightly, "Chancellor Palpatine was betrayed and murdered. Worse yet, in death, he has had his reputation and good name smeared by the Jedi. They made him a convenient scapegoat for a war they instigated! The clone army was theirs! I will not rest until all the guilty have been made to answer for their crimes!"

"Alright," Preet sighed in concession, "I will raise your motion in the Senate first thing tomorrow."

"Very good."

"Don't be disappointed if it fails, my friend," Preet warned him, "because it most certainly will."

"Oh, I know very well that it will fail."

Preet frowned at him in irritated confusion. "Then why do this at all if it's merely an exercise in futility?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet? We're planting a seed, my dear Preet," Tarkin murmured, "and afterwards we will see what grows."

In hindsight Anakin considered that he may have benefitted from bringing in some backup. Then again, he hadn't expected to arrive on Malastare and discover that a secret military base was being constructed on the backs of enslaved Dugs. In his mind, Anakin had imagined he would engage Maul and his ragtag band of warriors as they were secretly plotting their next attack. He had never anticipated stumbling onto a full-fledged covert military operation. Clearly, Maul wasn't just preparing for some penultimate battle with the Jedi. This was beyond settling a score with Obi-Wan. The Sith lord was readying himself for war.

Anakin lowered his electrobinoculars with a woeful sigh. "This is going to be bad," he muttered.

Beside him, Artoo whirred his succinct agreement with that assessment followed by several toots of sharp reproval. "Yes Artoo, I do realize now that I probably shouldn't have come here alone," Anakin replied dryly, "Thank you so much for that shrewd observation." His sarcasm wasn't lost on the droid and more beeping admonishments followed. He scowled at the astromech. "Seriously! You're not helping!"

Despite his grumbling, however, Anakin knew that Artoo was right. He couldn't just barrel in there swinging his lightsaber. Though the idea was tempting, it wasn't at all prudent. He needed to carefully consider his next move. This wasn't going to be a straightforward matter of facing off with Maul and his allies and singlehandedly bringing their brief reign of terror to a quick and decisive end. Maul had plans that stretched beyond revenge against Obi-Wan and control of Mandalore. He had obviously set his sights on something larger. Before Anakin could make a move, he needed to determine exactly what that something was, and that would require a bit of reconnaissance on his part.

"I'm going to move in for a closer look," he told Artoo, "Wait here until I return."

Artoo warbled his staunch disagreement with that plan.

"I know what I'm doing," Anakin insisted.

More toots, whistles and beeps quickly followed. Anakin checked the impulse to roll his eyes. "We have this conversation every time! I do not need you to keep me out of trouble," he protested.

Artoo rattled off his list of proof. That time when he blew up Korriban. The fire fight with Hutt gangsters on Yavin. That time he fell into a gundark's nest on Vanqor. When they were trapped in the wild space nebula and the ship was almost torn apart by a space monster. Another time on Felucia when he was nearly swallowed whole by a man-eating plant. And, most recently, when he got himself taken captive to Nal Hutta.

"Alright, alright! Enough!" Anakin groused before he could continue, "You've made your point! But you don't have to worry. I'm only scouting the area. Nothing more. I'll be in and out of there so fast that you won't even miss me. Trust me, Artoo. I've got this."

After allaying Artoo's fears and promising to keep himself out of trouble, Anakin crept closer to the build site, careful to keep himself low to the ground. When he was certain he had found a good spot to keep himself concealed, Anakin flattened himself to the ground and peered through his electrobinoculars once more. He immediately took note of the several Pykes standing on the parameter of the build site along with half a dozen Mandalorian warriors that he recognized instantly as Death Watch agents. From what he could discern, they seemed to be alternately patrolling the area and serving as overseers to keep the Dugs on schedule. They were such an unlikely group that Anakin felt compelled to snag several digital captures of them and the site itself.

Construction on the facility seemed to be progressing quickly, no doubt helped along by the enforced labor. Anakin couldn't be sure when they had started but three quarters of the structure had already been erected. There was a large silo situated just on the edge of the site, which appeared to be a collection bin for fuel being siphoned from below ground. In addition, they had amassed a surplus of ships and cargo. There were repulsolift convoys on site filled with heavy machine artillery and weapons. Anakin snapped several more images, making sure to zoom in particularly close on the various weapons piled high onto the convoys and the suspects who were offloading them.

He sensed the presence behind him long before he felt the cold barrel of the blaster pressed against the back of his skull. A hissing voice filled with threatening menace sounded above him. "Can I help you, friend?"

Anakin had less than a second to decide how he should react. In one fluid move, he flipped onto his back and swiftly jerked his unsuspecting assailant down against him with a Force pull, simultaneously driving his ignited lightsaber though the Pyke's chest as he did. "No thanks," he quickly when his would-be attacker slumped against him without another sound, "I'm good, friend." It wasn't until after he'd shoved the corpse aside that Anakin recognized how shortsighted his instinctive decision to kill the Pyke had been.

"Great," he muttered to himself, "Artoo is never going to let me live this down."

Although it was unlikely the Pyke had been on patrol in the area when he'd stumbled upon Anakin's hiding spot because it was much too far from the construction site, Anakin didn't doubt that the Pyke would be missed if he didn't return to his assigned post soon. It would only be a matter of time before his companions sent out a search party to look for him when he failed to return to camp. And when they found him, or his body as it were, the hunt for Anakin wasn't going to be too far behind. Anakin knew that if he had any hope of preserving the evidence he'd discovered and wanted to avoid being captured, he would need to call in reinforcements as soon as possible and get off the planet before his presence became known.

His mind racing with both prospects, Anakin quickly sent a comm transmission Bail Organa. He was careful to keep keenly aware of his surroundings as the chancellor's glowing blue image illuminated over his commlink device. When the chancellor came into full view, it was evident that Anakin had caught him at a bad time. He had already retired to bed for the night.

"Director Skywalker, I'm surprised to hear from you at this hour," Bail said, "It's very late here on Coruscant."

"Chancellor, unfortunately, I don't have time for apologies or formalities," Anakin informed him quickly, "I'm uploading several encrypted files to your personal databank. You should receive them shortly. There is a secret military base being built on Malastare using enslaved Dug labor. It's being overseen by Death Watch and the Pyke Syndicate. You need to dispatch the GAR to Malastare right away!"

"Mobilizing the army will take some time and—,"

"—No, you don't understand," Anakin interrupted impatiently, "You need to do this now! Right now! If you wait too long, they'll be gone by the time the army gets here and those Dugs will be dead!"

That dire warning roused him into instant wakefulness. "Can you hold them off until reinforcements arrive?" Bail asked.

"Negative, sir! There's me and there's Artoo here. I'm good, but I'm not that good, Chancellor!"

"I'll see what I can do for you."

"I'd appreciate that."

"And Anakin?" Bail added before he could end the transmission, "If you don't have backup, you and Artoo should probably get yourselves to a safer position relatively soon."

"Don't worry, my lord. I plan to make that my next order business."

As soon as the communication winked out, Anakin promptly finished sending the encrypted files as promised. Once that was complete, he started to roll to his feet and sprint back to where he'd left Artoo and his ship but then Obi-Wan suddenly began pinging his commlink before he could make a move. For a moment Anakin considered ignoring it, but when he noted the telltale red flashing on his communication device, he knew that the message was urgent. Left with little choice in the matter then, he answered the transmission with a low growl.

"Has anyone ever told you that your timing is really lousy, Obi-Wan?" Anakin hissed in irritation, "Can you make this quick?"

Obi-Wan frowned, trying to discern exactly why it looked as if Anakin was hunkered behind a large rock right then. "Where are you right now?"

"On Malastare, trying not to get captured! What do you need?"

"There are two problems that require our immediate attention," Obi-Wan told him, "First, I just received an urgent message from Satine. She's asked us to return to Mandalore immediately."

Anakin stiffened. "What? Why? Is it Maul?"

"I'm not sure, but she seemed rather frantic. How soon can you meet us there?"

"I can be there by tomorrow afternoon," Anakin sighed, "What's the second problem?"

"It's not as pressing, but still concerning. The Kaminoans never suspended their clone program."

"What are you talking about? That went defunct years ago."

"Apparently not. Ahsoka and I were just there and saw with our own eyes. It is most certainly not defunct, Anakin."

"But why? Who would be in the market for clone soldiers? What would the Kaminoans have to gain? Who's their benefactor?"

"All very good questions. Unfortunately, I don't have the answers yet."

Because he didn't have the time to bat around a mystery as he knew his window for getting off Malastare without being discovered was rapidly closing, Anakin said, "Send what you have to Rex, Obi-Wan. We'll discuss it more when I get to Mandalore."

"Will do. Stay safe, my friend."

Before darting back to the Twilight, Anakin took a few extra minutes to conceal the Pyke's body with the hope that making him harder to find would allow the GAR more time to mobilize and intercept the operation before they could pack up and run. After he was done, Anakin dashed back to his ship, ordering his devoted astromech to follow suit him as he ran past. Artoo motored behind him, giving Anakin an earful about having obviously found trouble after all. Ten minutes later, they were back on board the Twilight and headed for deep space, their navigation course set for Mandalore.

"May I assist you with something, milady?"

Padmé straightened with a guilty start over having been caught peeking into the guestroom that served as the GFCA agents' private quarters. Her mother had graciously provided the security detail with several rooms during their stay on Naboo. For convenience's sake, the agents decided to bunk four to a room so as not to overburden her mother, which was the reason Padmé found it surprising that the room was completely empty. It was a rare occasion when at least one agent wasn't milling about.

She pivoted to find Agent Penn eyeing her curiously. "Hello, Agent Penn. I was just looking for Agent Tup," she said, "Do you know where he's gone off to this morning?"

"He and the others are conducting a parameter sweep of the property," Penn replied, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"It's not anything urgent," Padmé sighed, feeling chagrined for bothering them when they were obviously preoccupied with more important matters, "I'm just tired of being cooped up in this house. I thought I might take Luke to the lake country for a swim today. It seems like a good day for an outing."

Padmé felt a small measure of shame over making the frivolous request, but she couldn't bring herself to call it back. The past month had been so emotionally taxing that she was desperate for a reprieve. After spending countless days mourning her father, continually missing her husband, feeling as if she was living every day on house arrest and, most recently, enduring the loss of a dear friend, Padmé very much needed to get out of her own head for a while. If something as simple as splashing around in the lake with her son could lift her spirits, then she wanted to grab on to those tiny moments of happiness whenever she could.

"I would be honored to accompany you, milady," Penn volunteered.

"That's not necessary, Agent Penn," she protested, "I wouldn't want to distract you from your duties. I can wait for a more convenient time when Agent Tup is available."

"This is part of my duties. Director Skywalker never intended for you to live as a prisoner."

Padmé nibbled her lower lip in uncertainty. "You're sure it wouldn't be a bother to you?"

"Of course not, milady. I imagine swimming would be a very good time for young master Luke, especially here on Naboo where the water is so clean and refreshing."

"Do you like to swim, Agent Penn?"

"I do, but I'm afraid that I'm not very good at it. You and your son are quite exceptional, however. Master Luke is a very capable swimmer for someone so young."

"I was raised around water, and Luke has spent much of his life here on Naboo as well. It's easy to become a strong swimmer in that kind of environment. Besides that, Luke is very much like his father. He and Anakin can learn and adapt very quickly. I anticipate our daughter will be the same way. I think it must have something to do with being so attuned to the Force."

"It must be that. I grew up around water too, milady," Penn laughed, "and I have no natural ability whatsoever."

"Well, perhaps one day when I'm not under constant guard, I can give you a few pointers."

"I should like that very much, milady. Shall we be on our way then?"

"Absolutely! Let me grab Luke and pack a few things for lunch later and then we can leave immediately after," Padmé said, her pretty features wreathed with a wide, excited smile, "I really appreciate this, Agent Penn!"

Almost as if she was somehow sensing her mother's delight, Leia abruptly began thumping around so exuberantly that Padmé laughed out loud over her daughter's sudden and unusual amount of activity. The baby unleashed a flurry of movement that was so unprecedented and volatile that Padmé stumbled back several steps with the force. She pressed her hand against her shuddering abdomen as the baby's wild flutter of kicks continued.

"Seems I'm not the only one who's eager for a day at the lake," she chuckled, "I have a very good feeling that we're going to have an exceptional time. Thank you so much, Agent Penn!"

"You're very welcome, milady," Penn murmured as she darted off to retrieve her son, "I'm here to serve."

"Lord Maul, I just received word that the GAR has been dispatched to Malastare. Their fleets will be arriving within the hour."

Griz delivered the news with cringing dread. Though that wasn't the only update he had for Maul, he thought it wiser to lead with his bad news first. Still, that didn't keep him from being filled with trepidation over Maul's possibly explosive reaction. He had been acquainted with the Sith lord only a short time but in that span of time he had learned that Maul was as impatient as he was unpredictable. Which was the reason why Griz couldn't quite mask his incredulity when, instead of the explosion of anger he'd been anticipating, Maul favored him with a speculative smile instead.

"Is that so? Are they sending many ships?"

"They are sending a fleet, sir," Griz emphasized, frowning at that lack of urgency in Maul's tone, "We do not have the manpower to withstand an assault of that magnitude."

"Do you imagine there will be many clone soldiers with them?" Maul considered with an almost airy detachment, "I've heard that they make up at least 30% of the army's forces."

"You don't seem to understand what I'm telling you, my lord. We are facing imminent attack! This is going to be bad," Griz predicted, "What are your orders? Should they evacuate Malastare?"

"Not at all," Maul replied, his lack of alarm strangely chilling, "The men should complete construction on the base just as originally planned. I will not countenance any further delays."

"But the Republic army…"

"Let them come. In fact, I welcome it."

Though Griz wanted to question his flippancy and demand an explanation for why he was willing to leave his own men to the mercy of the GAR, he thought better of voicing his dissent aloud. It was clear that Maul had no loyalty to anyone besides himself, and perhaps his brother. Furthermore, questioning him would only result in a quick and brutal reprisal and Griz was uninterested in dying that day. Wisely then, he stood there, fists and jaw clenched tight, and kept his thoughts to himself.

Maul regarded him with calm expectation, as if he could discern those silent thoughts. "Was there something more, Commander Griz?"

"Yes, Lord Maul. We've located Bo-Katan Kryze. She's on Mandalore." He paused a beat before adding, "So is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Maul leaned back into the cushions of his throne with a throaty laugh of pure delight. "My two great enemies together in one place and the Republic army within my grasp as well," he chuckled to himself, "Is this not a glorious day, Commander Griz?"

"For what, my lord?"

"For revenge, of course," Maul replied, "Prepare our ships to leave Oba Diah immediately. We're going to Mandalore."