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Phase 22: The seeds of an Empire

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Part 3

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Senate building

Coruscant

Anakin had mixed feelings about the situation – both the one he found himself in and that of the Republic as a whole. On a personal level, he resented the fact that he was excluded from many of the meetings Padme held nowadays. It was yet another reminder of the fact that his judgement was suspect and people didn't trust him. On the other hand, having to personally deal with the politics that were his wife's bread and butter would have driven him insane in a short order.

It didn't help that the Chancellor's security detail watched him like hungry birds of prey. They didn't trust him either.

On another level, while Anakin knew that what happened to Kuat was tragedy, he couldn't help but think that they had it coming. It was a public secret that Kuat betrayed the Republic by refusing to send aid to Corellia. Their government was directly responsible for the dire straits the galaxy was in and shared the blame with the madmen of the Jedi Council. The only reason he resented if not hated the Council outright more than Kuat was that it was the Jedi who murdered his friend and mentor.

Well, not quite. It was hard to consider Palpatine really dead, when his ghostly form had been haunting him for weeks now. The conversations they held were enlightening.

Speaking about Palpatine, the former Chancellor emerged through the closed door of the Chancellor's office and shook his head. He had a glum expression on his face, which was a message enough.

"I see." Anakin sent through the odd Force Bonds they began to share lately. It's greatest benefit was that he no longer needed to speak aloud for Palpatine to hear him, which was great because Padme already caught him twice talking to himself. Obviously, she had been very concerned and he was barely able to beg off a mental evaluation.

"Do you really, my friend?" Palpatine seethed. "To think that I wasted decades of my life trying to help those fools!"

"That bad?" Anakin knew that the Skyfall lit up a fire under everyone's feet, however he has been mostly out of the loop. Ever since the crisis began, Padme barely had time to exchange a few words with him and during the few minutes they spent alone she definitely didn't want to think about politics. She made great arguments about not doing it, the kind he wholeheartedly agreed with.

"You know, I knew Padme since she was a slip of a girl no higher than my knee. I don't need these images of her in my head." Palpatine chided.

It was hard for Anakin to keep his bored expression on instead of blushing. "What has you so angry this time?"

"Besides not needing to know what you do with your wife when you two are alone?" Palpatine grumbled. "Everything is falling apart. Satine Kenobi lacks the contacts and alliances needed to keep the Republic's divisions form tearing it from within. I'll grant her this much – it should have been close to impossible to keep things together after the Jedi Coup and the stunts Kuat pulled, yet she somehow did it."

"Your advice helped."

"Of course it did." Palpatine scoffed. "It's still not enough. The fools are once again letting their petty grievances and ambitions get into the way of what's best for the Republic and the whole galaxy!" He spat.

"Someone needs to keep them in line." That was a conclusion Anakin reached months ago.

"The Chancellor's hands are tied, hers even more than mine were."

"There must be a way to make them listen!" Anakin fumed too.

"Perhaps there is my friend. Perhaps there is..."

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Officer quarters

Republic cruiser Victory

hyperspace

For the first time since the Dark Side pulled a fast one on me, I felt somewhat relaxed. The reason was clear – as if I needed a reminder of the warm, naked body pressed in my side. It wasn't until a few hours ago that we finally found some time for ourselves and what followed was a rough fucking to make us forget for a bit everything but ourselves.

It worked too, but now as I laid in bed with Bo sleeping beside me, everything began surfacing again. The way the Dark Side pulled a fast one and made me forget myself… or actually remember who I was… I owed Aria a big one for saving me from becoming exactly what I hated.

I kept telling myself that it wasn't all bad. With the help of the Force and modern medical science I was back more or less in one piece even if there were some internal injuries that would take the rest of the week to heal unless I got a swim in Bacta - which was out of the question with all medical supplies that we could spare needed back on Kuat. Zash was recovering nicely too… and even in my mind I was dancing around the real issues.

A few brief chats with a harried Obi-Wan made it crystal clear that the political situation at Coruscant was unravelling. Unless something drastic happened, by this time next week there might not be anything of the Republic left but the GAR left hanging without the support structure it needed. Luckily, Onara Kuat survived and was all too glad to follow a few suggestion from Zash before my former master ended up on the operating table to patch up her messed up chest.

That's why even now we were racing towards Coruscant with Onara, the Kuati Prime Minister and one of their Admirals on board. I smiled at that thought – who would have believed that Panka would have a use. Both the Admiral and Prime Minister would follow Onara's lead. Panka wasn't going to be an issue, after all if he ever had an original thought in his head I would be very surprised. The Prime Minister, well he would back anything that would keep Kuat safe or at least wouldn't hurt his homeworld. More importantly, he would be able to help sell the plans I was still busy formulating to his government and the Kuati citizens.

Said plans were something of a long shot. I would be overstepping any and all authority I had by a lot and the consequences of failure were simply unacceptable. I've known that the Republic was a lost cause ever since my return from Mandalore. What I never expected was that I would need to engage into Empire building this early. At least Tarkin's stunt with the Mid-Rim Alliance was going to come in very useful once we got back to Coruscant. It was another question what I would need to do to keep said alliance happy with me once they learned what I was about to do in their name even if some of its members claimed to be on board with replacing the Republic with something that would serve our collective interests better.

One of the first things I would be doing after arrival would be speaking with Satine – to figure out exactly how deep a hole we found ourselves into and then Palpy in order to milk him for more of his plans for establishing the Empire, co-opt them and promise the powers that be that Satine would be a figurehead answering to them. Not that I had any intention of leaving those pains in my ass with a say how the galaxy was ran for any longer than absolutely necessary but they didn't need to know that. What I really needed was to buy time to stabilize the military situation so we could spent some time unkriffing the political one. At least I did know how the deal with some of our current military problems and if my vague plans panned out, ruining the Confederacy's year might just be in the cards.

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Part 4

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Many people of all stripes all over the galaxy aided the birth of the Empire. A number of them pushed for policies and had agendas that ultimately led to strengthening of central authority within the Republic with the Satine Regime serving as both a justification and inspiration.

Movements of all kinds, with the Commission for the Protection of the Republic (COMPOR) being a prime example sprouted overnight once the Clone Wars began. What many of them had in common was the goal – strengthen the Republic, especially its central authority through the Office of the Chancellor, support the war effort and keep keep morale up. To that effect COMPOR and its rival organizations engaged in creation and spread of propaganda all over the galaxy. COMPOR itself was particularly supportive of Sheev Palpatine as a wartime Chancellor and many of its members believed that the Jedi murdered the last, best hope for the Republic with his assassination.

For months, the Commission was left floundering, a state made worse by key members being wounded, missing or dead during the various clashes coinciding with the Senate ended up locked up in inaction. Initially, COMPOR offered Chancellor Kenobi cool welcome – few believed that she could fill Palpatine's shoes, a frankly impossible task. Yet, as weeks passed and she did her best to keep the Republic together and prosecute the war, more and more Commission members began to change their tunes. That shift started within the Republic military itself, which perhaps should have been expected considering that the Chancellor's husband was the Supreme Commander and by all accounts he was doing a great job in spite the monumental task in front of him.

It was primary through her husband's efforts that Chancellor Kenobi found her foot in with COMPOR. Notably, the Commission was one of the few organizations that hailed the Clone soldiers as elite guardians of the Republic. That would ultimately gave them mixed results when a number of Clone units refused to accept the Kenobi Regime as legitimate… However, it should be kept in mind that certain members of the Commission were gleeful supporters of the new regime since its inception, though their connection with key players within it discredited their efforts to bring its power to bear in its support earlier. A notable such member was Senator Orn Free Taa from Ryloth. He owed the liberation of his homeworld and the salvation of hundreds of thousands if not millions of his people from slavery to General Veil before he even became Mandalore...

On the other hand, many a COMPOR members saw Chancellor Kenobi wield her power as effectively as she was allowed and agitated for the Senate and the various local governments to untie her hands so she could lead the Republic to victory – that was the same freedom they wanted Palpatine to enjoy. It is by no means an understatement to say that high ranking Commission members played key roles during the Coruscant Summit. One such man was Byno Doubton, a native of Eriadu and a friend of Admiral, now Moff, Wilhuff Tarkin. He was a founding member of COMPOR and amongst the first to agitate for support of the Satine Regime. Doubton was a key person behind COMPOR's propaganda campaigns and thus his support was invaluable in laying down the foundations for public support of the future Empire…

One thing about COMPOR that is understated often is the influence that various famous artists, holonet celebrities – reporters, actors and even bloggers had. Those were people who the regular citizens followed, sometimes even religiously and helped shape and direct public perception with their support and propaganda, yet many still concentrate upon the powerful military and political figures who are members of COMPOR forgetting that there are different kinds of useful influence...

Rise of an Empire: COMPOR to COMPNOR,

from preserving the Republic to establishing the New Order

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Chancellor Residence

Senate building

Coruscant

"I'm not sure if congratulations or condolences are in order." I smirked at Obi-Wan. A moment of levity felt appropriate considering the monumental task we had in front of us. Besides, we couldn't really start before the Chancellor finished throwing up in the fresher with Bo hovering protectively over her sister.

Kenobi's only response was only a dirty look sent my way.

Soon though, both of them came back and my wife dropped on the sofa beside me while Satine went to curl next to Obi-Wan. A moment of uncomfortable silence followed before the Chancellor cleared her throat.

"I may be damned for even thinking about it, however we're willing to listen." Satine looked and sounded as if she was on her last legs even if her dress looked ready for a gala. Even her hair was beyond reproach, yet that only reinforced how knackered her drawn face appeared in comparison with her outfit. Obi-Wan on the other hand looked as if he came out of a week of combat with the only respite being a shower and a fresh set of deep green uniform.

If that was the consequence of a few days dealing with the latest galactic crisis, it simply reinforced why I didn't want to be the one actually running the bloody galaxy. I had to keep a smirk from surfacing – my conscience might be back with a vengeance, yet I still was a selfish bloody bastard and didn't want the job. My… friends I guess weren't going to thank me for what I was about to drop in their laps.

"Everything you've told me," Not to mention a short chat with Palpy's ghost and the Skywalkers confirmed it, "points to a simple conclusion. The Republic is done for."

"I know." Satine growled at me. It was cute really, she looked like a rather furious royal kitten at that moment. Obi-Wan slipped a hand around her waist and then squeezed her hand.

"All I had to do the last few days to keep the illusion going meant hammering another nail in its coffin and it still isn't enough!" She fumed.

Well, Satine was the Chancellor even if she didn't take the post to help preserve the Republic. It was just what Mandalore needed. It was too bad or perhaps opportune if we managed to pull off our crazy scheme, that it was close to an impossible task.

At least Zash should be on her feet tomorrow evening for when the meetings began. Ahsoka was mending well too and should be back to her troops, something she was very relieved of when I saw her in Vicky's med bay before we reached Coruscant.

I got my thoughts back into order and again thought on how to best handle this. Those two weren't going to thank me for it.

"We don't waste any more time with a lost cause besides keeping appearance for the general public." I began.

Obi-Wan was the first to get a clue what I was on about and he narrowed his eyes dangerously at me. It took Satine longer, probably due to how exhausted she was combined with her pregnancy.

"We take steps to formalize your position as a dictator and in the fullness of time make it official. In the process we give our allies exactly what they want but could never get if a proper democratic Republic is restored in the future."

"You're talking about an Empire – precisely what the Council accused you of pursuing in the first place." Obi-Wan accused.

"And it was in no small part due to their actions we're in this mess with no good options left. Empress and Emperor Kenobi, it has nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"No one would accept this!" Satine protested.

"Not unless they believe you to be merely a figurehead facilitating their desires and greed. Kuat is on board. Mandalore too, not to mention the Mid-Rim Alliance."

Now, Obi-Wan understood and I marvelled on his self-control. I was pretty sure that if Satine wasn't right here, pregnant with his kid too, he might have drawn his lightsabre with me.

"That's why you helped build that alliance!" Obi-Wan snapped.

His fury was very much un-Jedi like and Satine wasn't far behind.

"Well, the politicians I met on Naboo were there to gain favour with Palpatine, in no small part because they saw him as someone who had to become a dictator to keep things in line and thus as someone who could have actually addressed their grievances by sidestepping the Senate if given the right incentives." Needless to say, one of the pinnacles of said alliance was pursuing a new order more friendly to their interests. It was the same deal we were going to give the major powers in the Core – that would be the carrot. The stick – perceived full Mandalorian support backing the GAR which was still dominated by Clones who would follow legitimate orders and of course the spectre of the Confederacy war-crimes. Soon that would be changing and we would all be busy earning the allegiance of the volunteer army groups and fresh fleet elements but that was a concern for a later time.

It was a dangerous plan, one that if mishandled would see us fighting a second civil war. In a hindsight it was a good think that my people had a few boltholes prepared if everything went really wrong.

I pushed such thoughts away. I couldn't afford to run – this mess needed straightening out.

"This is what Mandalore needs, sister." Bo finally decided to be helpful.

"This can doom us all!" Satine countered. "Even if I for some insane reason wanted to entertain this insanity, how do we even convince the right people to back it?!" She snapped at me.

"It very well might. If, when the Republic finally flies apart, we're kriffed anyway." I said aloud the obvious truth we all knew. "This place is as secure as it could be so lets put all cards on the table." I did make sure of it while Satine was busy hurling in the fresher. "Palpatine was the Sith Lord behind the war. He laid the foundations of an Empire and with his death and kriff you all contingencies, the Republic for all intents and purposes died. We pick up the pieces and put them back together as well as we can. Deals, promises, blackmail, outright threats – whatever it takes. The price to pay for sure is that for the time being, you my dear sister-in-law will be a figurehead reigning at the whims of fools I won't trust with burned down empty warehouse. You'll have to keep the powers of the Core more or less in line until we can resolve the Clone Wars. Once that is done and we can consolidate power, I can assure you, we'll do everything we have to make sure you'll rule, not reign."

"Because none of us trusts the idiots who created this mess in the first place to run the galaxy if we have any choice at all." Bo helpfully pointed out.

Surprisingly enough, Obi-Wan didn't take the revelation that Palpy was a Sith, the one behind the war in the first place in fact, all too well, though he surely had to suspect. At least even in death he was ready, eager even to ensure that the Republic that was such a pain in the ass in life would end, replaced by an Empire no less. I was sure he still hoped to get back to the top once we helped him get a new body, though needless to say none of us really had an intention to allow him the opportunity to become even more of a threat. Then again, if mishandled, such a transfer could cut someone's raw power in the force by at least a half so that was a thought too. I continued to ponder while the Kenobis were busy processing the bombshell I just dropped in their laps.