Chapter 5. Coruscant

At the center of the Republic was Coruscant a shining beacon for the Galactic Republic. The planet wide metropolis was no stranger to intrigue, scandal, murder, and crime. One might think that these things couldn't happen on Coruscant especially with the Jedi Council and their temple, but it was not so. The latest scandal involved Sing, the trade federation, and the incident on Valor VI.

Coruscant was buzzing with the news of the scandal, it was on all the holo-networks. As the security shuttle landed hundreds of holo-reporters human, alien, and droid stood on the deck of the landing platform ready to get a holo-pic of the former viceroy of the trade federation. The flashes flickered as the once proud Neimodian exited the star shuttle with his hands in binders. His lawyer a Quarren worked for Tin'sar Demask whispered into his ear as they were lead to a sky speeder. The questions from the reporters were ignored as the speeder made its way to the courthouse.

"Where are you taking me…" Sing asked as they took him through the holding area and out the side to another speeder car. As soon as Sing was inside it sped off to the Core one maximum detention center. The warden greeted the speeder and he led them through the lower facility to the interrogation room. The whole time sing demanded that he be told what was going on, but they never answered him a word.

When the door opened Sing gasped, because sitting at the table was Tin'sar Demask with a man dressed in gold armor. The security team made Sing sit in the chair and then Demask dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Tin'sar Demask… Are you here to silence me?"

"In a manner of speaking…"

"The holo-cams…"

Plagueis cut him off, "Were disabled when I entered the building… and before you make claims about arrangements if anything happens to you… those friends of yours are on my payroll…" Plagueis took a lot of pleasure in his dumbfounded look. "Your lawyer is on my payroll as well…" Plagueis reached into his robe and placed a pad on the table. "I wanted to reveal my true self to you and show my power…" with a flick of his finger the pad slid across the table.

"How did you do that? Are you a Jedi?"

Plagueis laughed, "I am no Jedi I am greater than a Jedi… I am a sith lord… I am Darth Plagueis…"

"The sith are a myth…" The words stopped in his mouth as he watched Plagueis' eyes turn yellow.

"I am the Lord of Sith… Now sign it… or I will take my pound flesh from your family…"

With a shaky hand he signed the pad, "Now what?"

"Now you die…" He raised a clawed hand and as Sing choked the cape on his back twisted into a noose around his neck. As the body was hoisted into the air there was a resounding crack. Plagueis sat there watching the body dangle for the next six minutes before he got up and left for a nomination party at the senate building. It was being hosted by Senator Palem.

"Now your first real test is coming remember what I taught you…" Plagueis said whispering to Mantus. The state room was filled with dignitaries, senators, and monarchs. Mantus flinched when he saw Grand Jedi Master Yoda along with a few other members of the council, but he quickly recovered.

Yoda and the other Masters were speaking with Senator Palem and a Neimodian named Coad Beno. Plagueis guessed that the Jedi were pledging their endorsement for Coad. He pointed this out to Mantus just as the Gunry family arrived. When they arrived the whispers tripled when Chief Magister Tin'sar Demask made his way to Barto Gunry's side.

"Quit the turn out Senator Palem…" Jedi Master Ahroki said.

"Thank you master jedi…"

The Neimodian Beno pointed towards Gunry, "Who invited Barto…"

"No doubt Magister Demask is behind that…" Another Jedi Master said.

"If he endorses Barto my chances as Viceroy of the trade federation are slim to none…"

"Perhaps we should be asking why the chief magister is backing such a low ranking member of the Trade Federation…" They turned to face the new comer Derjon Wells. The Barabel was dressed in gold ceremonial armor with his brown jedi robes over them.

"Senator Palem may I introduce Jedi Wells…" Yoda said.

"We are well met Jedi Wells your reputation precedes you…"

"Senator… you honor thiz one…"

The time for the announcements came and when it was Barto's turn many people doubted he would get any support, but when Tin'sar Demask endorsed him the doubts were laid to rest.

"Chief Magister… If this one may have a moment of your time…"

Plagueis smiled from behind his false aura he was projecting, "I always have time for a Jedi…"

"What can you tell uz about the packet the Federation received to fund itz creation…"

"Nothing that isn't common knowledge…"

"It just seemz circumspect that your company Demask Holdings was granted allocation of the loans and no one can tell where the credits came from…"

"The circle voted on the issue and placed my company in charge of the loans… Nothing suspicious about that… We know the credits originate from the banking clan… A large sum was stolen and wound up in the hands of the Neimodian Ambassador…"

"You chose Gurn as the first viceroy…"

"Yes and when he retired he suggested Sing as his replacement… a mistake on my part… Is there a point to this line of questioning master jedi…"

"Apologiez… There are several thingz that haz happened and some of them point to the trade federation…"

"Do you think I am involved master jedi…"

"No this one was searching for something, but I guezz we were mistaken… One last question… Iz the banking clan still investigating the theft of the credits…"

"Yes and no… We believe it was someone on the inside as high up as the circle of nine…"

"Can the Jedi offer assistance in the matter…"

"No and I have said to much already… My title as Chief Magister allows me to say as much as did, I hope you are discreet and keep what was said to yourself…"

"Of course…"

Plagueis and Mantus spent the next few days on Coruscant during which time Sing's suicide was widely publicized. Then there was the senate hearing to vote on the new viceroy of the trade federation. To keep suspicion down Plagueis only used fifty percent of his contacts for Barto to win.

After Barto addressed the Senate he immediately left for Geonosis to convince the insect race to join the Republic they agreed. Then the new shadow government of Valor VI joined stating that they were impressed by Barto's ability to convince the Geonosians to join the republic. These two things made Barto's career skyrocket.