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Phase 22: The seeds of an Empire

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Part 7

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Winning the highest ranked officers on Coruscant for the future Empire was deceptively simple. There had been growing discontent and rift between the Republic's armed forces and the various civilian governments of the member states. The surviving high ranking officers of that era are surprisingly thigh lipped about their meeting with Generals Veil and Kenobi hours before the Coruscant Summit began in earnest. What we can conclude however, was that whatever happened during said meeting had a profound effect upon said officers. It would be generations before the Empire enjoyed as fanatical a number of supporters within the highest echelons of the military as the officers who built it forged it during the fires of the Clone Wars.

Rise of an Empire: The Coruscant Summit

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Strategic Planning Amphitheatre

Coruscant

There was a lot of history seeped into the walls of this place and today, Admiral Coburn felt felt that history would be made within it halls again. He wasn't alone in thinking that Kenobi and him and his fellow officers to refine the strategy of the long expected operation to liberate the Core. However, when he arrived and learned of the Supreme Commander's further orders, the Admiral had to rethink his initial impression. Every capable general and admiral on Coruscant were gathered in this room with their executive commanders left to tend the shop, including keeping the whole system safe… and they had to leave their staff and aides outside. Once they entered the meeting room, they began to congregate in small groups clearly showing the various factions within the military. A lot of idle speculation followed, then it was replaced about discussion about the events on Kuat and the political storm they caused.

Soon, Kenobi finally arrived and he wasn't alone – Veil walked right beside him and both wore armour. At least the Supreme Commander's was in the distinct GAR pattern and colours, while their resident Sith was in full Mandalorian regalia.

"At ease. Take your seats. We have some grave issues to discuss." They obeyed almost instantly, eager to learn what this was all about.

Coburn found himself sitting besides General Zelgar – a Duro who still regretted being on Coruscant when his homeworld fell and thus unable to participate in its defence. Ever since then, a manic energy possessed Zelgar and he buried himself in work determined to do his best and then some more to help drive away the enemy. Not too far away, the Admiral could see Valentra sitting besides one of his protegees and vividly discussing something, probably logistics related. If it wasn't fort that man and the superhuman efforts of his staff keeping supplies flowing no matter what, the GAR would have been lost a long time ago.

Moments later a hush fell upon the large room. Obi-Wan was on the raised platform where for thousands of years officers had delivered briefings and speeches during the era of the Old Republic. He looked over everyone and met their eyes before finally speaking.

"We are all military men and women. We know the value of facing harsh truths and acting accordingly. I won't lie to you." Kenobi's voice rang true and held infinite sadness. "Today we need to face another such truth. The Republic we've fought, bled and suffered for, the Republic that many of our friends and comrades died to protect, is dead."

After that declaration, the whole auditorium became utterly silent. Only harsh breathing could be heard. Coburn wanted to say that Kenobi was lying and his heart demanded he protests. Yet, his mind, it knew how true those words were. The mere necessity for Satine Kenobi to become a Chancellor the way she did… That day cracked his trust with the Republic and the consequent actions of the Senate and many local governments managed to shatter it. The tragedy of it was that Kenobi's words were anything but a surprise. Coburn wanted to deny them, yet he simply couldn't. He wasn't blind and as the man currently in charge of all naval forces in the whole system, it was necessary for him to keep monitoring the political pulse of the galactic capitol.

What he saw with his eyes and heard with his own ears didn't fill him with confidence for the future. It was even worse what his colleagues and contacts in the government confided in him.

The systems of the Core were divided like never before. The navy had to watch like hawk hundreds of them when they needed their strength to liberate the rest of the Core. The situation had been untenable for some time and the Republic faced a defeat not on the distant front-lines but right here – at home.

Murmurs broke out, a few exclamations of denial, dull agreements and quiet curses.

"The Republic didn't die in the flames of war. It wasn't the Separatists who brought it low, though they tried their damned best. That much we could prevent in spite of the impossible odds stacked against us." That much was true and something all of them felt a pang of pride into. "It wasn't even the Jedi Coup and the betrayal of our own Intelligence services that brought it so low. No, the Republic died right here, on Coruscant, within the hallowed walls of the Senate itself. It died because of the petty squabbles of petulant children masking as our own governments!"

Coburn's heart stilled. Kenobi couldn't be that desperate or insane even with if Veil lost it… Surely not! He wasn't the only one who stared with wonder, horror or even hungry gleam at the Supreme Commander.

Obi-Wan smiled softly and raised a hand. "Don't worry, I haven't taken leave of my senses. I'm not proposing something so insane as a coup."

That was both relief and oddly… disappointment. At that moment Coburn found out that if Kenobi actually had proposed a coup, he wouldn't have immediately opposed the very idea and that was something that would have been unthinkable not so long ago. For too long the GAR and Republic navy had to fight with insufficient support while most of the System Defence Navies in the Core sat on their assess hoping someone else would do the bleeding and dying, a reason enough to resent them and the politicians who held them back.

"Soon there will be a meeting between the government of our defunct Republic and representatives from the major powers of the Core. The true agenda of this summit will be simple – how to put the pieces back together so we can continue to prosecute this war to a favourable outcome." Kenobi nodded at Veil who took a step forward.

"Let it be no mistake, we were betrayed. While we all fought, our esteemed politicians plotted how to profit from our misery. Our Kuati friends were merely the most blatant of that lot. I know that for a fact. The Mid-Rim Alliance I had to help build so our forces at and around Naboo would receive sufficient support came together not for the Republic, nor its military but for a number of selfish reasons. The same is true for Kuat, Alsakan and many more of the people we'll be meeting tonight." Veil nodded at Kenobi. "Those people have no more interest in preserving the Republic. For days now our Chancellor has been bombarded with demands or even orders that she could not possibly fulfil and the price of failure would be the withdrawn of support for the war effort if not a pull out of the Republic itself."

Veil sounded genuinely angry and offended. Many sullen looks met his thunderous eyes and dark muttering permeated the auditorium. Everything he was saying sounded all too plausible to be dismissed out of hand and Coburn was pretty sure that Veil wouldn't be making such accusation if he lacked at least some evidence to back them with. The most simple answer was that he had recorded at least some of those meetings and while that was useful, it wasn't the kind of thing he would dare make public because the resulting political firestorm would be disastrous. It was just that, the alternative wasn't any better. Still, neither Veil, nor Kenobi were here just to bring bad news, they had a plan or at least he hoped they did.

"Today, we all have a choice to make. The two of us," Another nod towards Kenobi followed, "as well as the Chancellor, made our own. It's not a good one, mind you, however it is the one way we see that might allow us to bring a successful end to the war and restore peace and stability to this ravaged galaxy. What we're here to ask you is to make your own choices. Tonight, we'll have to make a deal with the devil."

Such a tittle certainly suited a lot of politicians Coburn had the misfortune of knowing.

"Tonight, in exchange of the support we need to continue prosecuting the war we'll have to build the foundations of a new order, on where the same governments and politicians who betrayed us would enjoy unprecedented power. They will seek to turn the Chancellor into a figurehead and us into their attack dogs who would ensure their prosperity once the dust settles. In time, they will ask us all to betray our oath, our people and their sacrifices in this war." Veil's was furious at the very idea.

Coburn was too because he suspected where this was going and if he was right, the just the thought of it left sour taste in his mouth.

"Tonight, we will be be given an ultimatum. We will have to bend and be accomplices in fostering an order where a handful of powerful Core governments and corporate entities would call the shots and in the fullness of time they would dispense with even the pretence of democracy."

"Not that it worked anyway." Someone muttered just loud enough to be heard.

"In doing so, they would graciously allow us to receive the support we need to win. What we will ask you is not to betray the oaths we've all given. We don't merely serve the Republic, or its idea. We serve our people! We fight! We bleed! We die to keep our families safe! And if we fail? We avenge them and do our damned best to ensure that no one would suffer again the pain we feel! What we ask you is to help us to turn this abomination that will be forced upon us into something better, a new order we can all be proud of! We ask you to help us usher an era of peace and stability no matter who would profit from continued conflicts! Who stands with us?"

Well, that was unexpected. The way Veil spoke, the conviction he radiated… in spite of himself, Coburn got on his feet and cheered like a freshly graduated cadet.

"It's not an easy thing to ask. This burden we will have to shoulder… We all had to make unpalpatable choices, out of necessity. The Republic we swore to protect, we already had to betray it once in order to preserve her citizens. It shouldn't have been necessary for Chancellor Kenobi to gain her position the way she did. Yet every single one of us either backed her decision or at least accepted it because the alternative was to give the galaxy to the Separatist." Kenobi grimaced. "Tonight we will have to face yet another betrayal. What we spent years fighting against, we will see it when we look in the mirror tomorrow. We have a hard road ahead of us. All we have the right to ask you is to preserve your honour the best you could in the dark days to come, because once we bring the Separatists to justice, we have to avoid becoming the enemy we fought in reality no matter what our political lords and masters believe."

AN: This part includes a slightly altered section by Mangod from the space battles forums – the conversation between Kenobi and Palpatine. Thank you for the great contribution!

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Part 8

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Chancellor's Residence

Senate building

Coruscant

After meeting the highest echelon of the GAR officer corps on Coruscant, Obi-Wan returned to the Senate to prepare for the second and arguably more important meeting for the day. He needed time to bring his spinning thoughts back to order after spending hours in talks with small groups of generals and admirals along with Veil. Their opening speech served them well to crack the door open so to speak and with emotions running high it was easier to plead to their colleagues sense of duty and integrity.

An irrational laughter bubbled in his chest. What did honour matter when they were already traitors if you wanted to follow the letter of the law? They already either supported, accepted or even aided Satine's ascension to power and that despite its broad enough political support was nothing less than a coup. The truth was that many of the officers they spoke with today wanted to be convinced that what they already did and supported was the right thing, that Satine if given a chance and more importantly the tools she needed, could give them what they desired – their homes and families safe, the galaxy brought back to a stable state. As importantly, they promised proper backing for the military in the long run so none of them would find themselves in a situation resembling the current state of affairs again or worse, the opening months of the Clone Wars and this time facing competent enemy.

"It went well enough, I take it?" Palpatine's ghost walked through the door.

Obi-Wan's eyes tracked the newcomer like the turrets of a battle ready warship. "This is all your bloody fault!" He accused, happy to finally have someone he could vent at.

"Started the war? Yes, I did." Palpatine smiled sadly. "However, there is something important that you and your Council overlooked."

"And what would that be?" Obi-Wan bristled at the almost condescending tone the dead man used. What was his game? Was he really trying to justify starting the war? The thought boggled the mind.

"The war was inevitable." Palpatine delivery rang with complete and utter conviction.

Obi-Wan's face twitched. That utter bastard! "Inevitable?!" He scoffed at the obvious lie. "Are you seriously trying to pass the blame for-!"

"Pass the blame?! No!" It was Palpatine's turn to exclaim and he had the gall to sound offended too. "State the truth? Yes. Make no mistake, this 'Clone War' was inevitable; my only is moving up the timetable in an attempt to preserve as much of the galaxy as possible!"

"What?!" Obi-Wan all but roared. Palpatine dared claim this wasn't all his fault the utter bastard. As furious as he was at the sheer gall, words failed the Negotiator.

"I will freely admit, yes, I started the war. Lets there be no mistake about that. I did it. It is my responsibility. What no one asked me was why." Palpatine stared him down. "I was the hand moving both sides of the conflict, but that was only because I believed that with my guidance, I could manipulate the conflict to a quicker and more expedient end than if the war was allowed to run its natural course. You have seen the casualty reports; you know better than almost anyone else what it means to fight a real galaxy spanning war. Only Veil, Zash and those other survivors from the Old Republic have a better idea of what that hell truly means. My attempt was to minimize the damage that would be done, but alas – as you can see, my attempt failed."

The words themselves sounded so reasonable and logical, yet Obi-Wan knew not to trust the source. He had to remind himself who he was talking with and how dangerous his silver tongue could be. This was the man who deceived the whole Jedi Order for decades!

"You- you were trying to create a new Sith Empire!" Obi-Wan accused. What Palpatine said might have even held a grain or two of truths, after all the best lies were often based upon half-truths. However, the Sith couldn't have done what he did to help the galaxy. It was all about power, surely!

"Are you not trying an Empire of your own as we speak?" Palpatine was ready to point out Obi-Wan's own hypocrisy. He smiled sadly now, like a parent preparing to explain the harsh reality to their child. "General Kenobi, the Republic, you've seen it, truly seen it for what it is during these last few months. Deep down within your heart you know the truth – that is what the Republic has always been. And as you yourself and your wife have come to realize, it needed to either change drastically, or be torn down and replaced with something else. I truly believed that I was the only man who could save the galaxy from the fires of war even more destructive than the one you are currently fighting by deliberately keeping both sides of the conflict from going overboard by controlling both sides – it seemed the best option of a bunch of bad ones."

Palpatine paused while Obi-Wan digested his words. Denial and resignation warred within the former Jedi. He wanted, needed to deny the Sith's words, yet… There simply was too much truth in them, no matter how the man twisted it to serve his purposes. He simply couldn't dismiss what he heard out of hand.

Then Palpatine continued speaking and what he said…

"I intended to steer both sides of the conflict, centralize power in my Office as a Chancellor – because the Senate could not, can not be trusted – and once that was achieved, bring the 'defeated' Confederacy back to the negotiating table so we could hammer out a new order for the galaxy, where the very situation that necessitated my actions could not raise ever again. In order to ensure our security and continued stability, the Republic would be reorganized into the First Galactic Empire, all for a safe and secure society. Is this not what you and your friends intend to do now that you've seen the truth of the Republic?"

Obi-Wan shook with impotent anger because for all his twisted lies Palpatine was right. What should have been lies in fact, because his words rang true. They mirrored the very reasons why Satine had to become a dictator and now they reluctantly accepted Veil's proposition to form a new order. The only difference he could see between them and Palpatine was that they didn't start the war in the first place. That and…

"That's monstrous..." Obi-Wan muttered and he didn't know if he spoke about what Palpatine did and planned to do or about what Veil set in motion and he agreed to support to the bitter end.

"Necessity often is." Palpatine said gently.

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Senator Skywalker's office

Senate building

Coruscant

"Anakin, I told you I will come clean with you about everything once you've truly seen the Republic for what it is so you can understand first-hand what drove me." Palpatine spoke sadly. To the young Jedi, his old friend sounded almost scared now that he was about to finally explain everything.

"Do you remember that conversation with your lovely wife you told me about? The one about making people agree with each other?" Palpatine asked.

"I do." Anakin smiled wishfully at how naive he had been. Now he knew better – there was no nice way to make the people running most of the governments in the Core, perhaps the whole galaxy do what was best for the Republic as a whole. He hatted that fact, yet how could he deny it when it stared him in the face? Every day he spent as Padme's bodyguard here on Coruscant he learned more and more of how dirty politics were. The way so many governments and corporations manoeuvred to profit from the war just to earn more bloody credits and power heedless of the suffering and misery their actions or inactions caused… It was sickening, it disgusted him.

After everything the Separatists did to his Padme, Anakin loathed to admit that at their core, they might be right to want to secede and damn the consequences… Nevertheless, he wasn't sure he would be so different in their shoes.

"During the Naboo Crisis my eyes were wide opened about how the Republic really was." Palpatine sighed. "Little did I know then that said tragedy was engineered by the man who taught me all I knew about the Force. You see, he was a Sith, he hated the Republic and the Jedi and his kind had been plotting in the shadows for a thousand years."

All Anakin could do was stare speechless at his friend and mentor.

"I felt betrayed, Anakin, both by my Master and the Republic I strove to better. So I plotted and got closer to him. I learned all he had to teach, his, the Sith's grand plan and in my rage and hubris I decided that I could do better. I murdered him in his sleep for what he did to my home… and I then I facilitated the Sith's plan so I could bring low the ineffectual Republic, unite the galaxy and bring back peace, prosperity and security to all. In my hubris, I worked with Plagues other apprentice, my friend Dooku and we created a situation that should have seen the galaxy saved from petty politicians no matter who won. We wanted the worst of them – corporations, warlords, corrupt politicians to burn in the flames of war, for the corrupt Republic to shatter and then bring a new order and rekindle the golder age that ended before its time. Yet, I lost my way and Dooku fell to the machinations of the Dark Side. What should have been a controlled cleansing fire became a full scale war that even now threatens to doom everything we ever stove to save..."

Anakin listened in rapt attention and didn't know what to believe. Palpatine sounded so sincere and remorseful that it tore at his heart to hear this confession.