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Phase 3: Building the future

=RK=

Part 1

Tarkin family estate

Eriadu

Tartkin's home was impressive. Not just because it demonstrated the clan's wealth, which it certainly did. The large complex, because that's what it was, was tasteful. From the architecture – it had a severe, yet majestic feel to it which simply fit into the region where it was laid out, to the various decorations. They were tasteful. The various rooms and corridors own decorations fit seamlessly. There weren't occasions where you would suddenly pass through a door and wonder if you got thrown somewhere else. The various wings of the estate showcased different styles. From the Core centric of the west, complete with pieces ranging from the best from Coruscant to Alderaani, Corellian and Kuati priceless pieces of art to the better parts of notable Mid-and Outer Rim decorations and art respectively in the east and south wings. The north wing, which is where most of the family actually worked and lived when home, was pure Eriadu, which was a pointed statement to all visitors.

We were currently sitting on a large domed balcony overlooking a bay around which the estate was built. Below us stormy waves were clashing into jagged cliffs hiding a secluded beach. Gideon cheerfully pointed out that this was one of handful places on the planet you could actually swim in the ocean without fearing for your health. The systems keeping it that way and private from the local paparazzi cost a small fortune by themselves.

Acid rain sizzled over the dome and shields keeping both beach and estate alike safe from the polluted environment on Eriadu. Forked lighting tore through dark clouds chock full by industrial pollution and all the shite thrown in the air during the CIS invasion.

It was dark and stormy night. Perfect for plotting what many might consider treason. Very stereotypical too – something that Ti wouldn't shut up about.

On the other hand, we were all siting in comfortable armchairs, sipping the best drinks Tarkin's cellar could produce. The balcony was quite well lit too so we weren't sitting in the shadows like stereotypical villains from the newest holodrama.

All together there were three members of the Tarkin family in the meeting. Gideon sat to my left, with his elder brother Wilhuff and his wife Thalassa, nee Motti. Learning that my minion wasn't just married before ending up at Kamino, but to whom, was a very pleasant surprise.

Thalassa was a tall, beautiful woman with rich long brown hair and expressive dark eyes. While the Tarkin family was very powerful here on Eriadu and across the sector, their alliance with the Motti from Phelarion was potentially a game-changer, for many reasons. That family controlled the megonite mining on their homeworld – which was a moss of all things. Moss that was very useful for the creation of certain types of military grade explosives in a relatively cheap way. Between them and their reliable allies, Houses Tarkin and Motti more or less controlled the whole Seswenna sector.

Getting the latter on board would be critical for even more important reasons – their own familiar connections in the Core. The Motti were relatives and allies to House Praji, originally from Kaikielius and more recently Coruscant. They were quite powerful in their own right both politically and fiscally. The Praji had large influence with the Bank of the Core on Coruscant, a lot of allies all over the Core Worlds and one of their own was the First Minister of the Ministry of Ingress for the Republic, which dealt with immigration for the whole Republic and Coruscant in particular, which gave him a lot of both soft and hard power in the government.

Then there were the Praji notable allies among whom were the Draay family. Yes, those Draay as in the Draay Thrust which controlled Adascorp, the Vanjervalis Systems – both of which I knew from back in the day. They were also close allies and major shareholders in the newest installment of the good old Czerka Corporation – Czerka Arms nowadays.

Just being allied with the Tarkin family opened a lot of doors.

However, they weren't the only people at the table. We were meeting with the CEO of Eriadu Manufacturing, the four biggest network executives and representatives from the most important systems in the sector. All told, there were about thirty people on the balcony and all of them either had deals with Palpy or were at least ready to go support him in his quest for power if it meant a working Republic…

"You are going to prove the Council right!" Ti seethed. "This will undermine the Republic! Destroy it!"

"When I'm done, it will." I thought pointedly at the Jedi Master.

Introductions and small talk finally over, it was time to get serious.

"My friends, we've all seen where the Republic is headed to. Many of us hoped that Sheev Palpatine would be the man to change that course." Wilhuff began speaking. "When the Trade Federation invaded Naboo it was a wake up call for us all."

Quiet mutters of affirmation came from the various politicians and CEOs.

"The Senate debated. It prostracated and did nothing." Gideon continued. "We all saw the writing on the wall – the Republic couldn't be counted on to protect us. That's why all of us gathered together for the first time. Tarkin, Motti, Harro..."

I tuned him off while busying myself with a mental exercise that silenced Ti's rambling for the time being. I didn't need the distraction right now.

"Unfortunately, we didn't prove strong enough!" Wilhuff abruptly stood up. "No matter what we did, no matter the valiant defense led by my brother, Eriadu would have fallen if it wasn't for general Veil!" Tarkin pointed at me. "Your own homes would have followed sooner rather than later. We weren't saved by the Republic even if most of the forces who came were from the GAR. We were saved by him, by Mandalore of all people. He was the one who in series of battles shattered more than a complete Separatist Sector Fleet. His actions guaranteed our security for long enough so our new construction could come online."

"That good fortune is of your own making. I merely did what I had to given the situation. It was Gideon who formed the theater fleets. Your combined efforts led to the creation of the ships he led. It was you who trusted him with your navies. And it was Gideon along with your men and women who held the line until we could arrive." I stroked their egos.

On my first pass through the region, I should have paid closer attention and asked more questions, because when we got back on Eriadu two days ago, there were some pleasant surprises waiting for us. Namely, thirty brand new Venator cruisers fresh from the shipyards, with full escorts giving each a nice little battle group as well as nearly a hundred locally built and designed cruisers with their own attending light ships.

Gideon's theater fleets were all up to strength and he had a powerful fleet which was nominally under GAR control crewed by volunteers drawn from across the sector and trained in the best available academies, even if those crews were rather green. On the plus side, they were led by a core of veterans drawn from the available pool of survivors from GAR ships which were crippled or destroyed during the battles across the whole quadrant.

"You're too gracious general." Thalassa smiled charmingly at me. "Be as humble as you like, but it wasn't until your arrival that the Republic Sector Fleet meant to protect us acted. It was your command which allowed the GAR to fight its way to Eriadu. My brother's point stands. You shouldn't have had to do any of that. The Republic should have had enough forces at hand to ensure our security. The fault lies with the Senate on Coruscant. While we support the Republic, fight, die and spent our treasure for her sake, we do recognize when it has failed. Anything less would mean betraying our duties to our own people."

"That's true, general." The Orryxian representative, Leerra hissed. She was a thick, short humanoid feline who resembled a thick furred puma. The woman sipped her 'cat's blood', her home world's famous beverage and smiled at me displaying an impressive amount of razor sharp fangs. "I would like to say we support the Republic out of patriotism. While that's even true for some of our people," she waved a clawed paw to encompass everyone on the balcony, "its not the same for our governments or executive boards. We don't have such luxury. Our relationship with the Republic is a symbiotic one. We pay our taxes, follow the Republic laws and expect certain concessions in return. Security. Fair and free trade within Republic space."

"None of that has been true at some degree for centuries. However it wasn't until the last few decades before the situation slowly began to turn unacceptable. When the war began, the Republic still did more good than harm to us all. If the conflict erupted in just a decade, perhaps two later..." Dzass General-Director shrugged.

"Point well made." I nodded. "While most of you knew Palpatine for longer, I've been talking with him about some of your broad concerns. It won't surprise you to know that many across the Republic share your sentiments." I intoned carefully while using the Force to ensure that anyone looking at me or even a recording of this conversation would conclude I was telling the honest truth. Incidentally, I was using my powers to help me divine what to say for best effect. "I was informed that Palpatine intended to do something about it and began laying the groundwork shortly after becoming Chancellor. Even now, more than a decade since he got the post, he had been unable to fix the issues which allowed Naboo to happen. The same issues that saw the Republic defenses deteriorate and be ripe for the taking. If it wasn't for the Clone Army..." I trailed off.

I didn't need to say more about the military situation. The Clones plugged the gap when the Republic needed it the most. While by themselves they weren't enough to win the war, they ensured it wasn't lost.

"That's correct." Tarkin the elder confirmed. "At one time or another, Palpatine met with most of us or our representatives. We discussed the state of the Republic, the uselessness of the Senate and how we could change that."

"Either a reform or a new way." I smiled. "A new order which could prove what the Republic promised and consistently failed to deliver – security, justice and prosperity for us all, not just select Core Worlds."

Silence met my words. Senators, CEOs, presidents, monarchs and whatever else they called themselves looked at each other and back at me.

"Yess." Leerra spoke for them all. Her whiskers twitched in amusement while her fluffy triangular ears pointed my way as if they were sensor clusters. A pair of golden eyes sparkled with curiosity, while they bore into me.

"Palpatine is gone." The Director-General spoke. "We're cut off from Coruscant and have no idea what the hell is happening over there. Recent events proved we couldn't strike on our own without years, perhaps decades of industrial development focused to ensure we could produce and maintain sufficient fleets to fend off a major galactic power. For a thousand years we enjoyed an age of peace. I'm afraid that this war might be simply a herald of things to come."

"Without Palpatine, even a victorious Republic won't be a guarantee for peace. Unless things change radically the Senate will continue to be useless." Wilhuff stated grimly.

The man was a Palpatine loyalist through and through. The Jedi killing the man who he admired would have made him useful provided I could give him vengeance. After Kamino… well, lets just say I was glad that I bound him to me. With the Confederacy deploying Jedi of their own in strength – damn you Perrion, I couldn't simply dispose of what was left from the Order.

Yesterday, Wilhuff begged me to see the Jedi arrested here on Eriadu when Order 66 came. Jedi Master Hyris-Well Madorin and a handful of Knights had the presence of mind to surrender and were currently in custody. I would be meeting with them tomorrow to decide their fate. Unfortunately for Takin, if I could use them relatively safely I would – a thought that almost made Ti break through my mental defenses so she could continue with her accusations in a way I could hear her.

"That's why we're here." Gideon took off from where his brother left, while the older Tarkin entertained dark thoughts of vengeance. "We represent this sectors. We have allies of the same mind in the whole Western Quadrant." He nodded at his sister in law.

"We aren't alone either. House Motti's relatives and allies in the Core are of similar mind. While many of them find the existence of the Republic profitable and quite useful, this war changes things. Yesterday a House Praji courier," read swift smuggler, "reached my father. We gave you the summary of the situation in the Core. Corellia has fallen. The Clones in the Core are on the brink of mutiny in their zeal to hunt down the Jedi. Without Palpatine the Senate debate. Its been more than two weeks since the Chancellor was murdered, yet there still might be no successor elected. There certainly wasn't a new Chancellor before the courier entered the zone cut off from the holonet a week ago."

"By now I'm sure you all know my past. That I would be unacceptable as a replacement for Palpatine. It's not like I could fill such a great man's shoes if I tried." I smiled disarmingly. "However, we need someone who could do the job properly. Someone who with our support and that of our allies might make the Republic work. We need someone who could push for reforms the likes of which no one has seen in a thousand years or a person who might make Palpatine's hope for a new order a reality."

"You have someone acceptable in mind?" Wilhuff asked.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi." I smiled crookedly. "An accomplished diplomat and general. Someone who the people of the galaxy could trust without reservation. No matter if we talk about reforms or something more radical, he could be the man to lead us through the inevitable turmoil. He'll need advisers to help him either clean up and streamline the Republic government if its still salvageable by the end the war is over or to help him govern if the rot we know its there has spread too far and we have to look into a new direction."

"Will he accept?" Eriadu Manufacturing's CEO asked after everyone took some time to digest my suggestion.

"If our proposal is framed in the right light. The Mandalorian people could certainly get behind Kenobi. He's one of our own and I can get enough of our people on board to preempt any fears of new Mandalorian wars." I said.

"What would you want in exchange?" Wilhuff asked.

"The Mandalorian sector for the Mandalorian people. No discrimination against our culture." I gave them my terms. "For me? I want command of the military. Let my accomplishments be my credentials. I'm one of the few people uniquely qualified for the position."

"You want your old rank back?" Wilhuff inquired. "As far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't have been forced to step down by the Senate. Ryloth and Second Geonosis are proof enough. The battles you fought across this quadrant, eradicating Crimson..."

"There's one question which must be answered first before we support you and Kenobi without major reservations, general. What really happened on Kamino?" Leerra asked.

"A very good question." I glanced at Wilhuff, who looked sadly at his guests.

"We were betrayed..." Tarkin the elder began telling the 'truth'.