The topic of cloning had little to no research on the subject which left Palpatine very little to argue with. Palpatine did find a few stray Youth Senators desperate for leadership, so he supposed that was good since they were willing to join his anti-cloning coalition.

Ovirelt already had a dozen cult members added to her "cloning is growing" group. It was the worst catchphrases he had ever heard. Even worse than what the Gungans had come up with for their battle song.

His meager dream team was a few strays: a Mandalorian named Nitch Nock. An Alderaaian named Jeivin Lan. And a Wookie named Floffikrroshtorraschiyahn, his nickname was Floffi.

Said Mandalorian and Wookie were grappling with each other over a Raging Rancor. The Alderaanian Youth Senator was glowering at the Mandalorian. Jaxious was conversing with Palpatine.

The rest of the Senators/mentors were chatting away, talking about the driest topic: politics. They observed their mentees from afar.

The rest of the Youth Senators had ducked out of the Model Galactic Republic. Supposedly the Youth Senator from Kessel had brought some enticing goods.

It was Palpatine and his dream team against Ovirelt's cult of at least a dozen. Her supporters were obviously destined to be the gullible ones to be bribed in politics.

"Palpatine, you have such a limited scope. You're just afraid of change. Cloning could be good for the Republic." Ovirelt insisted. Her cultists nodded behind her.

Palpatine slammed his fist onto the pod. "Key word: could. Do you know what terribleness it could do? So little is known about it, and it should be treated with caution."

"Well, I could say cloning could save people from death." Ovirlet proposed. "For example, let's say that you weren't so lucky yesterday. What would happen if some vital organs of yours failed on you. What—"

Palpatine told her coolly. "Don't bring that into this." He could feel his mentor's gaze trained on him. Palpatine knew very well that his face was only getting redder, but he tried to keep himself composed.

"Don't interrupt me." Ovirelt barked. "As I was saying. Cloning could become healthcare. Cloning could help technology and society grow."

Chancellor Harrow who was watching the debate arched his purple eyebrow at that comment.

Palpatine internally rolled his eyes as her cultists crowed. "Cloning is growing."

Jaxious stepped in. "Erm but Youth Senator Ovirelt wouldn't that healthcare idea create ethical and moral issues?" Jaxious paused as he realized he had the convocation's attention. "Ovirelt you're insinuating that we would be using their organs which would therefore be, uh...killing them."

Palpatine looked to Jaxious. "Yes, Jaxious, good point." He looked back to Ovirelt. "So, you would allow living and breathing beings to die? Beings with feelings?" Palpatine leaned back and steepled his fingers. "That doesn't seem very...respectable to me."

Ovirelt huffed and changed her vantage. "I am for the Republic. I am for the good of our people." She banged her fist on the table. "I declare that Coruscant approves cloning." The cultists behind her shouted their agreements.

Palpatine countered her. "There will be no our, us, you, or Iif clones exist. Our sense of individuality will be foresworn. Could you imagine another Ovirelt running around? Another me?" he pointed to another Senator. "Another of you? No, it's unimaginable. You must consider the uncertainties, Ovirelt."

Ovirelt scoffed at that.

Palpatine banged his fist on the table and announced, "Naboo, Gorrento, Mandalore, Alderaan, and Kashyyyk reject cloning."

Jaxious nodded along hesitantly. Palpatine's other teammates of his dream team perked up at their system names. They yelled or roared their acknowledgements.

Ovirelt laughed. Palpatine asked her drily. "What do you find to be so...amusing, Ovirelt?"

Ovirelt finally stopped and locked eyes with Palpatine. "Well, I'm Coruscant. And you? You're nothing compared to me." she motioned to her allies. "I have the Core Worlds on my side."

Palpatine squared his shoulders and stood up. "Mandalore supplies beskar and fearsome warriors. Alderaan provides spectacular art pieces. Kashyyyk trades rare jungle fauna and also provides skilled warriors. Gorrento is known for its brilliant minds and technological feats." He paused. "And Naboo...has the best wine in the galaxy. You'd be losing...us. Our trade."

Even then he knew that losing their systems wasn't much to lose.

A smirk crossed Ovirelt's face as Palpatine's face was growing steadily redder. "What are you going to do Palpatine? Douse me in wine?" she and her cultists laughed.

"I would certainly like to," Palpatine retorted. "However, Naboo has something better to douse your city in."

"I sincerely doubt that." Ovirelt scoffed.

Palpatine tried to keep his face neutral, resisting a smile. "Have you ever heard of a proton bomb, Youth Senator Ovirelt? Naboo owns quite a few of them."

Chancellor Harrow's HoloMic crackled. His gaze was trained on the Naboo and the Coruscanti. "Excuse me, I believe we're getting slightly side-tracked—"

"Is that a threat, Youth Senator Palpatine?" Ovirelt demanded.

Jaxious was trying to catch Palpatine's gaze to call it off, but Palpatine ignored him. "Oh, no, of course not. I just would like to remind you of that fact." Palpatine paused. "Simply a word of caution."

"A word of caution?" Ovirlet's voice rose. "This a game, Palpatine, a MODEL GALACTIC REPUBLC? What are you doing throwing threats around!"

Playing the game how it should be played.

The Mandalorian, Nock shouted over the shocked murmurs. "MANDALORE IS FORMALLY SANCTIONING ALL TRADING WITH CORUSCANT!" He halted dramatically and whispered to the Wookie, Floffi. Then he turned back to announce. "And guess what, no more Wroshy trees from Kashyyyk for you!"

Ovirelt gave Nock and Floffi a confused look and asked. "Am I supposed to care?" Even Palpatine gave Nock a look.

Jeivin Lan, the Alderaanian stepped in. "Well, Alderaan prohibits Coruscant from...uh, vacationing in Alderaan and getting any more art pieces."

How...underwhelming. Jaxious glanced unsurely at all of the Youth Senators.

"Well, Ovirelt, last chance to change your mind." Palpatine crossed his arms.

"Really, Palpatine? I would like to see you bomb Coruscant. You're insane. It's a game. Calm down." Ovirelt huffed. "You know, fine, bomb it, what do I care? I'm just going to blow you out of the sky either way."

Palpatine coolly stated, "The predicament is, Ovirelt that Coruscant has no army. It's stated the Republic cannot have an army and therefore Coruscant has nothing to counter me with."

Palpatine paused to let that sink in.

He went on. "If Coruscant is bombed you're out of the game and your entire argument falls apart. And I win."

"We win." Jaxious whispered.

"Yes, we win." Palpatine corrected himself with a slight dismissiveness.

Chancellor Harrow found another chance to cut in. "Children, I'm not sure you know how the game works—"

"CORUSCANT DECLARES WAR ON NABOO AND ITS TREACHEROUS ALLIES!" Ovirelt pointed an accusing finger at them and whipped around to her allies. "I NEED ALL THE ARMIES YOU HAVE TO COUNTER THESE IDIOTS!"

Her cultists got suddenly very nervous. The Neimoidian Youth Senator spoke up. "Er, I'm afraid our alliance is better for diplomacy rather than, um, conflict."

The Neimoidian cleared his throat.

"Ovirelt, I thought this was going to be a debate." He glanced over at the red-faced dream team. "...not a full-on war game. And their numbers in armies, uh, far surpass all of us combined." The rest of the cultist planets nodded along with his words. "If I may intrude, I think you're taking this too seriously, Ovire—

Palpatine cut him off, speaking with a frostiness he rarely used. "Ovirelt, it seems you're outmatched." He restrained a smirk. "And I, Naboo destroy Coruscant." Palpatine clasped his hands. "You lose. And as I predicated...I win."

There was a very brief moment of silence. The air brimmed with hate.

Chancellor Harrow laughed nervously, "Well, what a fun exercise, now let's get to the real debate—"

"YOU LOATHSOME LITTLE LOWLIFE!" Ovirlet launched herself from her pod towards Palpatine's pod. Her hands outstretched and her fingernails poised like claws.

Palpatine had the foresight to dodge out of her way. She bumped into the controls. Palpatine stomach began to turn as the pod began to spin wildly out of control. Jaxious luckily swerved out of the way as the pod gained momentum.

Palpatine gripped onto the side of the pod trying to reach for the controls. But Ovirelt, still on the floor, grabbed his ankle and wretched him back.

"Palpatine, look out!" Jaxious yelled. Palpatine whipped around a little too late.

Palpatine had no time to scream but the Neimodian did as their pods collided. The Neimodian was a little green blur as he ricocheted off the pod, into the wall, then into the Chancellor's podium.

Palpatine could barely see due to all the spinning, but he saw the podium start to slant. To his great horror Chancellor Harrow tumbled off.

The Vice Chairman, Jotruse grabbed the Chancellor by the ankle. "HOLD ON, CHANCELLOR!" Vice Chairman Jotruse cried out.

The mentors above rushed around in a frenzy. Jaxious, Floffi, Lan, and Nock were trying to assist the Chancellor and Vice Chairman. The supporters of Ovirelt were shell shocked. Some of them even docked their pods and dashed off.

Palpatine shouted at Ovirelt over all the yelling. "What exactly are you trying to do, Ovirelt? Get us killed?"

Ovirelt ignored his question and shakily stood up. "What are you trying to do, Palpatine? This a debate! Not a game on the HoloNet! This is the Model Galactic Republic for you crying out loud. If you want to become a politician than you better start acting like one!"

Palpatine huffed. "You're distraught because I defeated you. Admit it, Ovirelt."

"You won nothing. This may have been a model debate today but twenty years from now, if you even become a senator, this...cloing debate will become very real. And you will fail." Ovirelt inhaled deeply. "You have such a limited view. Stuck in the past."

"I'm not stuck in the past! I'm thinking of the future! I always am, Ovirelt! And cloning...it will not be good for the future." Palpatine insisted. He sighed deeply, "Now let me stop this pod, Ovirelt or else things are going to end, very, very, badly."

Palpatine moved towards the controls, but Ovirelt shoved him. "NO!" Ovirelt shouted. Palpatine tumbled over but held on to the side.

The dizziness was getting to him, blurs and flashing of the world. Ovirelt's face contorted in horror as she realized Palpatine was hanging on by a thread. But she was thrown back at another jolt unable to assist him.

Palpatine could feel his fingertips slipping. The drop that awaited him promised either a substantial injury or even...death. He closed his eyes as his heart began to race.

No. I will not die today.

Within the deepest corner of his heart, self preservation surged, a will to survive. Palpatine searched within himself willing there to be steadiness.

Palpatine's world shifted, almost imperceptibly but irrevocably.

Palpatine's eyes snapped open when he realized the pod had jolted to a stop, somehow, on its own. He crawled back into the pod to see that Ovirelt hadn't stopped the pod. She was sprawled on the pod flooring but was gathering herself up once more.

"OVIRELT! PALPATINE! COME HERE NOW!"

Ovirlet and Palpatine turned to the voice at the sound of their names. Palpatine's face turned an even greater shade of white when he located the voice. The Vice Chancellor was positively fuming, his blue face flushing purple. The Chancellor stood besides the Vice Chancellor with a similar look.

Oh Fark.

Palpatine began to hesitatingly edging the pod towards the two angry leaders. The pod's screen flashed with: "Strike Two". Palpatine barely noticed it. The remaining pods made way, some throwing loathsome glances. Jaxious gave Palpatine a look of concern.

Palpatine heard Ovirelt whisper in his ear. "Turn this pod around, Palpatine. We got to get out of here...like NOW." Ovirelt was glancing around the room looking for an exit.

Palpatine hissed back. "Take a gander, Ovirelt. We're surrounded." He paused to add a snide comment. "You got yourself into this. Your credits can't save you now." Palpatine huffed.

"Why you—!" Ovirelt fell silent when the pod came to a stop at the Chancellor's and Vice Chairman's feet.

Palpatine and Ovirelt looked up to see the angry leaders. Palpatine glanced back to look at the Convocation and realized just how much damage had occurred. Multiple pods had crashed, the podium was in disarray and the Neimodian was being taken out on a stretcher.

This is terrible. Very terrible. Are they going to revoke my Youth Senatorship?!

The same thoughts appeared to be going through Ovirelt's mind as well. She had the same shocked and terrified look on her face. At the same time Palpatine and Ovirelt tried to speak but Vice Chairman Jotruse held up a hand.

"I don't want to hear it." Jotruse stated grimly. "My office, you two, now."