CHAPTER ONE: AT THEED PALACE
"Senator Amidala, is there any reason you brought me along and had me to a mind trick on the shuttle guards and that you are going under the name Nyra Bivel?" asked ex-Jedi Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka was still getting used to not being in the order. She had been betrayed by someone she thought was a good friend, Bariss Offee. Offee had snapped and gone anti-war and bombed the Jedi Temple, using an accomplice Leta Turmond, whom she had murdered and tried to frame Ahsoka for her death. Later, Barris had busted Ahsoka out, murdering clone guards to Ahsoka's prison cell, and let Ahsoka take the fall for that too. Ahsoka had contacted Barris for help, but Barris had set her up and attacked her, knocking her into an area with explosives. It looked really bad for her as all the evidence seemed to indite her.
Ironically, it had been an old foe of hers, Assaj Ventress, who had told Anakin that Bariss was involved, allowing Anakin to catch on to Barris and turn her in. Ahsoka, however, had been expelled earlier by the Council as all but Obi-wan had thought her guilty. When they tried to let her back in once she was cleared, she had refused, feeling betrayed and losing confidence in herself.
Also, Governor Tarkin, a real jerk Ahsoka thought personally, had not believed her (she'd hoped that he'd have given her the benefit of the doubt as she'd saved his life once, but apparently not.) He'd used Barris going rogue as an excuse to have the army get more control over the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka knew that Tarkin was power hungry.
Ahsoka noticed that Padmé looked troubled. "What is troubling you Senator Amidala?" she asked.
"It's the man I once thought I could trust, Brock Palpatine. He was my colleague. However, I think he may have used me to get rid of Vallorum. He's been benefiting from all of this chaos really well. Crisis breaks out on Naboo, he becomes Supreme Chancellor. Clone Wars break out, he gets emergency powers. Major crisis during the war: more emergency powers and a stay in office granted to him by the Senate, which even I didn't vote for, till the war was over. Interesting that the war keeps going. And he gets more and more powerful and the central government of the Republican gets bigger and bigger. I get what the Separatists are saying. However, Dooku is bad news. I don't trust him. He's a Sith. Yet Dooku claimed that Sidious was in control of the Senate somehow. It's possible that Palpatine might be a tool for this mysterious Darth Sidious." said Padmé.
Ahsoka was alarmed that Padmé thought that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine might be a pawn of Sidious. "Are we going to try and investigate the Chancellor? Is this what this is about?" asked Ahsoka.
"Are you kidding? With the media praising him as a hero and a lot of the Senate liking him, it would be impossible to get a formal hearing. And he's appointed a lot of shady people to the courts. I don't think they have the best interests of the Republic." said Padmé.
"Senator, should we try and take out the Chancellor? He's really becoming dangerous." asked Ahsoka.
"i'm not one for violence and war, which is what said move would lead to." said Padmé.
"So what do you have in mind? Try and get him impeached?" asked Ahsoka skeptically.
"General Grievous will start handing out lollipops before that will happen!" laughed Padmé. "The Senate is way too corrupt. Some of them have been there for literally 100 years!"
"So then what?" asked Ahsoka.
"We have a convention of the systems. We go around the Senate." said Pamdé. She explained to Ahsoka.
"Brilliant!" said Ahsoka Tano when she was finished. "But why me? Why not Master Yoda to come with?" asked Ahsoka.
"I believe the Chancellor is recording every Jedi Council session and may have monitors in the Temple. I think Tarkin may have done more than just military commandeer the place." said Padmé.
They landed on Naboo. They quickly went into Theed Palace, trying not to attract attention to themselves. They went inside. They talked to the Queen. The Queen agreed with Padmé. There was much debate. Some argued against it.
"It's a con-con. They'll create a whole new Constitution." said Naboo Senator Crillis Esteaga.
"I'd say our Constitution is already under attack." argued back Naboo Senator Scott Balton.
"I'd say the systems need to enforce the Constitution, not amend it." countered Naboo Senator Mitchell Rice.
"They don't even follow the one the Founders of the Republic made. Why should we amend it and expect them to follow it as well?" added Naboo Senator Andrew Biggington.
"The Republic is becoming less like a Republic. They are spending more than we are taking in. Far more. And all of these war powers are awful. What if they won't give them back? It's up to the Senate to demand that the office of the Chancellor give back emergency powers. They've failed with giving back power that they were supposed to have but gave over for emergency reasons. They let it stay as they are of the same party usually as the Chancellor and the others cave." countered Naboo Senator Frankus Maltinus.
"Yes, and these Senators can be bought so easily and controlled to regulate, or not, what the parties with money want. Especially by corporations. Even the Hutt Clan owns a few I've heard." added Naboo Senator Markus Meckle. The room roared with laughter.
There was much debate after this. Padmé wondered if she'd need Ahsoka to do a mind trick or two during coffee break. However, luckily, the final vote had turned in their favor. They had gotten enough votes from the Naboo Senate to file for an application for a convention of the systems. The first application was in.
"Guess I didn't need a mind trick after all." said Padmé.
"If you really need one, I can do the honors." said Ahsoka, smiling. They took a different ship back, for they needed secrecy.
Meanwhile, on Courascant, Galactic Senate member Sifo-Bibble, an advocate for a very strong central government, talked to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, a good friend of his. "Chancellor, the system of Naboo has filed an application for a convention of the systems." he said.
"What the hell?!" shouted Brock Palpatine.
He stormed off to his office. He made a private holo-call. "Lord Tyranus, there has been a snag in our plans!" he shouted.
"My Lord?" said Dooku. "The war is going great."
"Forget the bloody war! Naboo has filed for an application of a convention of the systems. If they get 2/3 of them, a convention will begin. It will be the end of our Empire we're planning! They need the Separatist systems to get 2/3. I want you to spread it about among the Separatists that this is a constitutional convention. They already fear the government. This will keep them from using the only solution that can stop us. Understood Tyranus?" said Sidious.
"Yes my Lord." said Dooku.
"Good. I'll also try and fight back with lies about the convention process on my end, and say that we don't need it. Everything is fine. I'm talk up the Senate and all the wonderful bureaucracy we have. We need everyone dependent on us. Power should only go to the few that are worthy. Those like us. We cannot let the idea be spread that the citizens of the Republic should be allowed to govern themselves! That will ruin our Sith Empire." shouted the evil Chancellor.
He heard footsteps coming and quickly shut off the holo-projector. "Yes?" asked Palpatine innocently.
"We heard you yelling." said a red bodyguard.
"Frustrating call. You get that in politics. I could use a latte to help my nerves." said the Chancellor calmly.
"Yes sir." said the guard. He and the others walked out. The Chancellor, meanwhile stewed in anger.
"Nobody messes with my plans. The Sith will rule the Galaxy! Our Empire shall return!" he vowed softly.