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Rogue Knight II: RotS

=RK=

Phase 1: A galaxy torn asunder

Part 1

Jedi Temple

Coruscant

Two weeks ago, Obi-Wan Kenobi became the most powerful man in the galaxy.

Eleven days ago, when he was de-canned from a bacta tank, he was appraised of that fact.

It didn't take him long to figure out that his new status was a poisonous fruit.

Billions of soldiers, tens of thousands ships were his to command. In that respect nothing changed – in theory anyway. Obi-Wan still was the supreme commander of the Republic military. He had the authority to save or condemn whole sectors of the galaxy.

Kenobi was in a position for which many would kill for, yet all the former Jedi desired was to go back in time. Just two weeks. Was it so much to ask for?

Obi-Wan sighed. Coming back to the Temple was a mistake. There were ghosts here - friends and acquaintances alike; his brothers and sisters. The only family he knew before Satine. Kenobi wasn't sure if the Jedi Temple was tainted by so many people dying here or if it was just the Force playing tricks on him. The Dark Side reigned unchallenged and its influence was unsettling.

What use was the power he held in his hands when the galaxy was so broken? The Jedi Order was for all intents and purposes gone. The lucky ones managed to flee Coruscant before Yularen's fleet arrived and locked down the whole planet.

Even now, there were whole Clone armies spread all over the planet either maintaining the martial law or hunting down Jedi. Even as GAR's Supreme Commander, Obi-Wan lacked the authority to call off Order 66. He could do anything – condemn or save whole sectors of the galaxy, but only as long as his orders didn't interfere with the hunt for the Jedi.

It was Cody of all people who made that stance crystal clear.

For a thousandth time, Obi-Wan cursed himself for a fool. When he found the Clones on Kamino all those months ago, he should have been even more curious.

"I should have asked better questions..." Kenobi sighed. Even now he was unaware of the full scope of the contingency orders binding his army. Cody told him all he could, though he inferred that there were at least few other orders beside 66 which could be given or stopped only by a dully elected Chancellor.

That was a problem.

"Sir, the Senate is already in session." Lieutenant Nile reported. The young Clone was in charge of Obi-Wan's security detail.

Kenobi looked around the huge and very empty antechamber of the Jedi Temple. There were only his Clones in here and the ghosts of all the Jedi he failed. There wasn't a security detail in existence that could protect Obi-Wan from the intangible shades of the dead.

Power. Obi-Wan frowned at that thought. He would never understand why people seek it. Now that he had it in spades it was more trouble that it was worth. It couldn't give him what he wanted, nor what he needed.

The galaxy was still broken. The Clone Wars were far from over. The Republic itself was ready to tear itself apart.

A pained sigh escaped Obi-Wan's lips. There were too many ghosts here. He doubted he would be visiting again any time soon unless he absolutely had to. Satine was right, coming here was a mistake, yer he couldn't stop himself. He simply had to face his failure.

No matter what the Jedi or the Clones did, Obi-Wan was the supreme commander of the military on that fateful day. It was his responsibility to stop such madness from unfolding – contingency orders or not.

"I'm sorry." Obi-Wan apologized to the dead.

"We understand, sir." Nile whispered. "We'll get the bastards who escaped and avenge our brothers."

Kenobi looked at the lieutenant and an expressionless helmet stared back. Yes. Obi-Wan lost many friends on the day of the coup. Brainwashed or not, the Clones suffered the same. Of the battalion stationed at the Temple, only ten people survived. Most of them would require a lot of replacement limbs and implants if they were to recover.

Obi-Wan felt like weeping. The Sith couldn't have landed a greater blow to the Jedi if they tried. To think that the Council was to blame… even if they were apparently right – Palpatine of all people turned out to be a Sith…

Kenobi wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Logically it was Palpatine who trained Maul and was ultimately responsible for the Naboo Crisis, Qui-Gon's death and this whole war. Obi-Wan wanted to believe that was the case so much it hurt. He needed to believe that the Council had very good reason to destroy the Order and threaten to break up the Republic through their coup.

There simply was no proof! Oh, Palpatine was a Sith all right. The few surviving recorded fragments of his fight with the Jedi and the sheer carnage in his apartments were proof enough.

However there was no proof the Chancellor had knowingly worked against the Republic. On the contrary, there were mountains of evidence surfacing that pointed at the opposite conclusion. For more than a week evidence of monstrous corruption at all levels of the Republic government were coming to light as Palpatine's dead man switches were coming online.

Solid evidence that was impossible to dismiss.

"Let's not make the Senate wait. They're too much trouble at the best of times." Obi-Wan intoned. He gave one last look to the antechamber and turned around to leave.

On his way to the transport, Kenobi's mind went back to the events of the past week. Did Palpatine plan it this way, he wondered. Did the Chancellor intent to throw the Republic into chaos upon his death or was what his recording said true?

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and his mind drifted back to the first data-dump from Palpatine's dead-man's switch…

Part 2

One week after Chancellor Palpatine's assassination, the Holonet was taken over by another message from a deceased man. This time it wasn't a largely unknown if important government official like Director Yle.

A bit younger looking Sheev Palpatineappearedin the homes of trillions all over Republic waved, then leaned forward so he could place his hands on his desk. Behind him a window showed an ordinary evening on Coruscant.

"My fellow citizens, I hope that this recording would serve no other purpose but a historical footnote, while we're all enjoying a better future." Palpatine smiled ruefully. "However, as your Chancellor, it is my solemn duty to the Republic, to each one of you, to make sure some secrets don't die with me if misfortune befalls me."

Palpatine leaned back and his expression sobered.

"At the time this recording is taken, I've been Chancellor for a little over one year. In that time, its been the greatest of previlegies to represent you. Sitting in this chair, seeing firsthand how the Republic works on all levels, it is a unique experience. It was eye opening for me and I've been a Senator representing my homeworld of Naboo for years before being elected to this post. It is my solemn hope that by the time anyone views this recording, the galaxy we live in, the great Republic you elected me to serve, is a better place."

The Chancellor straightened and looked into the camera with bright eyes.

"I hope that none of you had suffered as my homeworld did under after the Trade Federation invaded. I hope that I've been able to make the Senate the institution it is meant to be: a forum where every Republic member could come to address their grievances, come forward with their problems and find a swift and constructive solution." Palpatine sighed sadly. "It is my hope that no more Republic citizens would suffer under an invaders heels. I hope no more worlds like Naboo would be abandoned while the Senate is tied up in procedures and proven useless."

Palpatine looked down in shame.

"If you're watching this recording as anything else but a part of historical holo, then I've failed my duty. I've failed you and I beg for your forgiveness."

The Chancellor paused for a moment. When he looked up, his eyes were haunted.

"I can't in a good conscience let the Republic continue be the inefficient, corrupt mess I've come to know as a Chancellor. Some might say that I do it for vengeance. Because I'm from Naboo and my home was invaded." Palpatine shrugged. "What of it? Naboo is my precious home. A sovereign member of the Republic. It was invaded. It was conquered."

Palpatine stood up and pointed to the floor.

"The Senate ignored the plight of my people. Just like it would ignore yours if the pay-off is big enough." He took a deep breath and visibly struggled to calm down. "It is no baseless accusation I'm making, my fellow citizens. I've uncovered evidence of widespread ongoing corruption within the Senate. I'm not sure exactly whom I could trust in this building, much less the courts. This is why I'm making this recordings and attaching all I've found out so far. If an 'accident' befalls me before justice could be served, then the evidence shouldn't vanish with my death..."

The Chancellor tapped a few buttons on the terminal built into his desk and multiple windows were projected around him. Data began scrolling down each one of them. Recorded conversations, bank statements, assorted paperwork connecting multiple Senators with the Trade Federation. Ironclad proof of bribes and blackmail. Senators and corporations knowingly making deals which weren't in the best interests of either their people or the Republic as a whole in exchange of favors or various personal benefits…

That was simply the first and oldest of Palpatine's dead-man switches. Each year he made a new one cataloging more and more corruption, which in turn proved his fears that simply going to the courts wouldn't be enough.

Their members were more often than not compromised too – either outright bought or appointed by people who were. The revelations were still ongoing. More than enough evidence had been unveiled and confirmed as real to paralyze the Republic and there were still years worth of messages waiting to fire up.

=RK=

Senate Chamber

Senate building

Coruscant

Obi-Wan put his thoughts about Palpatine's shenanigans out of his mind for a moment and walked on the Mandalorian platform to stand beside his wife. Her security detail gave him curt nods of respect and continued to ignore him while looking for anything out of place.

"Are you all right?" Satine activated a privacy field, cutting off the current speaker and the noise made by the rest of the Senators.

"You were right." Obi-Wan admitted.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too." Even here, Kenobi could still feel the ghosts at the Jedi Temple looking accusingly at him. "Any change?"

"Same old." Satine sighed in exasperation.

"Everyone trying to cover their backsides while shoving the blame to their former friends." Obi-Wan sneered in disgust. There was a war going on! The Republic needed Chancellor, however the Senate was too busy pointed fingers at each other to seriously contemplate electing someone to the post. Only at the first session post the coup there were any real attempts to get a new Chancellor in place. However, politics interfered. Bail Organa was tainted thanks to his close association with the Jedi and was gleefully rejected by a solid majority. Kuat's representative, who was the next most likely candidate was shot down by a combination of outrage after his people refused to sent help to Corellia and fear that if he was elected it wouldn't be long before he could rule as a dictator and ignore the Senate.

That was even a reasonable concern, because with Corellia losing most of its industry and the system itself under enemy control, nothing short than a reasonably large alliance could hope to rival Kuat either politically or economically. In retaliation, Senator Danu ensured no one else could get enough votes to become Chancellor. The consequences were plain to see – everyone was busy denying Palpatine's accusations from beyond the grave, when they weren't cursing the man's very name.

"Satine, this can't go on! Until a new Chancellor countermands Order 66, my hands are tied." Obi-Wan admitted. His hands were tied. In retrospect, Yularen had gotten quite lucky with admiral Felix at Corellia. Many of the other Clones were much less reasonable as far as Order 66 was concerned. They knew that their actions were hurting the Republic, regretted the necessity, but weren't bulging. Until the Chancellor called them off, their primary mission was hunting down the Jedi and that was it.

It was, insane, it was frustrating, yet Obi-Wan couldn't find a loophole that all but a handful of Clones would accept. The only bright ray of hope were the various special-operations units ARCs and Commandos alike, who were much more reasonable. Kenobi knew that they had either arrested or extracted various Jedi and were keeping them safe until the dust settled and could be determined who was guilty and who innocent.

"This is your glorious Republic, husband." Came Satine's deadpan response. "Lock them in until they elect a new Chancellor?" She half-joked.

"I'm sorely tempted." Obi-Wan grumbled. "At least Veil isn't here or the circus would be even worse. Any news from our glorious leader?"

"Nothing new. I told you the last thing I heard, which isn't any different from what your people concluded."

"He's gone to ground with a significant part of a Sector fleet and the Separatists are trying to hunt him down with no luck so far."

"He'll turn up eventually."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Obi-Wan admitted.

"How deep did you look into his history, Obi?"

"All the Jedi had."

"Not a good enough answer. Our tales tell of a man who doesn't shy from burning whole worlds or drowning them in blood when he deems it necessary, however he had never done it without a good enough reason." Satine whispered.

"You sound like you want him to come back." Kenobi sounded torn.

"And you're unsure what you'll do when he comes back, aren't you husband? I don't like what he does, Obi-Wan. "However considering all this," Satine waved at the chamber, I'll not only welcome his return but gleefully cheer him. Mandalore is under siege and I we both know that even if a new Chancellor is elected today, they might not give you leave to relieve our home."

"Sad but true. I'll be ordered to remove the Separatists from the Core before using everything in my disposal." Obi-Wan reluctantly agreed. "Any ideas?"

"Nothing you'll find acceptable or even funny."