Chapter 5

The Trade Federation attacked a sovereign member of the Republic! Is this a sign of the Eternal Galactic Dominion declaration of war against the Republic?!

-Republic News Network

Is the Trade Federation acting under the will of Empress Shmi Skywalker and Supreme Leader Vader?

-Republic Insider News

Chancellor Valorum: We mustn't go into war or else we are all doomed to be blockaded! We should have never sent the Judicial forces to begin with!

-Galactic Republic Times

Chancellor Valorum is a senile fool! Those who follow him are even worse! How long before the next planet is exactly in the Core?! How long before bolder attacks are sent against us?! Those local defense fleets must be called back to Coruscant if we have any chance of survival! Hopefully, Sheev Palpatine would do the right thing and not stand by Valorum's inaction!

-Statement by Coruscanti civilian

It was truly amusing at how far the Republic fell in the last many years. At this point, the Dominion may actually prove somewhat of a use.

Regardless, if the sniveling worm managed to succeed in getting the Queen to sign the treaty, or if the Viceroy failed and they took over: it would be inconsequential.

Bribes, convincing words, and favors could lead to Sheev Palpatine easily sustaining his support. The Dominion was a problem, but there were plenty of assets within the Core and Mid-Rim who, as long as Sidious carefully sustained and managed well, would be at his pocket.

Sidious always planned a political takeover. His original plan was for the Federation to blockade Naboo, then invade and force Amidala to sign a treaty. This would leave the Senate in total shock and disarray, the Sith would call for a vote of no confidence in Valorum, and more than likely be elected because of the sympathy vote - he would have evidence of the illegal occupation of Naboo in the treaty that had been signed and would use it as an example of Valorum's weakness.

Then there would be his favorite Muun. He never would consider Plagueis to be anything else than a teacher, and soon the Muun would pay for his arrogance...

Unless he was willing to directly confront Plagueis and kill him or get him to lower his defenses and dispose of him, he would have to take note of the research Plagueis had.

Vader provided a very interesting opportunity. A legendary figure. That presented an outcome to divide and fracture the Jedi order if handled correctly. Considering also the contradiction he was, the Jedi's stagnant codes would eventually consume them, and drive them to the end of the Supreme Leader's swords, causing what he could imagine would be a deliciously devastating battle that would turn the Jedi against themselves, and perhaps even public opinion, even without a planned war. The only problem was...

They had announced themselves to the Jedi. The Jedi would be looking for a Master and an Apprentice. With Vader's power, that heavily risked Sidious's cover. He had time to adjust himself, pushing back the plans by four long years. If the Jedi dealt with this "bug", well Sidious wouldn't have to worry about them gaining any sort of suspicions.

Palpatine walked to the front of the Senate building, sensing the presence of Jedi Master Yoda and Windu. He folded his hands in his robes and began to speak, doing his best to tinge apprehension and concern.

"Master Jedi, have you heard back from my people?" Sheev inquired.

"No, Senator," Master Windu responded, bowing his head to the ground. "You have only our backing that we have sent a Jedi task force to arrest Gunray."

Sheev nodded. "Then we'll have to settle for that as of now. Gunray is an active threat that must be brought down. Are you going to do anything about it?"

He stiffened. "With respect, sir, we are not an assassination team for the Republic."

"Oh, forgive me if I offend you, Master Jedi," not, Sidious added mentally. "However, there have been many complications as of late. Now, you'll have to testify in front of the Senate."

"Comply, we will." the green toad deduced. Ah speaking of which, Sidious would have to do something about Yoda.

If he didn't die before the rise of his Empire, Sidious thought darkly.

They made their way through the halls of the Senate building, receiving many looks from those within the corridors.

Unseen from the eyes of the Jedi, the man touched a comlink under his rob. Soon, Valorum's "corruption" would be shown to the eyes of the public.

"I do fear because the Trade Federation swore itself to the Eternal Galactic Dominion a few years back," Sheev began to his kind Jedi friends, "the Senate in general may feel we are too feeble in terms of our military." Sheev forced a shiver. "My Queen may have ended up in those tyrants treacherous grip."

"We trust Master Jinn, Gallia, and their former Padawans to be guarding your Queen and the Naboo party," Master Windu replied as stoically as possible. "We'd sent them due to their past connections and ability to work together perfectly."

They entered into the Senate Chamber and immediately felt the outcries of many systems still loyal to the Republic from many different species. They entered Naboo's pod and waited for the remaining ones within the chambers to gather up to their places.

When Sidious looked at Valorum, he grinned slightly. Soon enough, it would be him in that position and although he would have a lot of work cut out for him after remaining in the shadows longer than originally intended, he already had the trust of the Senate and main population. At least, where it counted.

"Order!" Amedda roared. "I will have silence! The Senate is now in session!"

His attempt failed at least at first, for very few could hear Valorum. The Chancellor raised his voice:

"We are here today because a travesty has occurred as you all know! A sovereign planet of the Republic has been invaded! Senator Sheev Palpatine would be allowed to speak!"

Sidious activated the pod and it soon rose across from Valorum.

"Given the lack of communications from the Lieutenant and his force sent, we must assume the worst! Those vermins must have resisted arrest! I see now that we have to establish the military around the Core. Local defense fleets are no longer able to protect us!" Valorum leveled to Palpatine a subdued disappointment. "Here is the Grandmaster and Master of the Order to speak on our behalf."

He nodded to the Jedi, and Master Windu took the stand. "We have been trying to contact the Jedi who we have sent and have yet heard back. We have to fear the worst at this point in time, I'm afraid. We are still hoping for a peaceful solution to present itself."

"Look around us! How long before we continue to allow the heart of this system to be attacked by these tyrants?! Now, they have targeted the Jedi Order, those who are centered on protecting us!" Palpatine exclaimed, slamming his fists down to declare his feelings on the matter of the situation.

Many cried out in agreement. They were following his bandwagon more than he expected. The problematic Democrats would have to be dealt with eventually, but at this point, as long as Sidious was here, the Naboo Sith would have many options.

A Trade Federation sympathizer - someone who possibly made deals with the Federation and still managed to keep his job in the Senate - spoke up.

"I apologize for your fear, Senator." The human began. "But there is a lack of evidence. For all we knew, the Jedi could have flown into a black hole." Inwardly, even Sidious had to be amused at that proposition, inconceivable as it was. "We can form yet another task force to go and question the Viceroy. Perhaps we can settle this without conflict. What if the Trade Federation had been threatened by the Supreme Leader and his Dominion sent another pawn to invade another peaceful world?"

Some considered that possibility. The Democrats especially had been on board trying to negotiate. Those who were cautious and warmongering immediately protested.

When the Senate was relatively silent again, the Chancellor spoke. "We would have to allow cooler heads to prevail before we take any further force."

Usually, Sheev Palpatine would reinforce Valorum's government. This time, however, was different...

Palpatine snapped. "Kriff karking negotiations and waiting for more! It is time for action! We have been silent for too long! You are causing many of the problems within this Republic as we speak, Chancellor!"

Many stared in shock silence at the Senator's uncharacteristic temper. Albeit it was understandable for sure, that had done a major blow to Valorum's reputation.

"Unfortunately, there is no other option," Valorum replied, disappointed. "We are a democracy."

"Are you doing this because you are attempting to find a peaceful resolution... or because it is you who works with the Trade Federation?" Palpatine continued sadly, his eyes closed.

Valorum's face became cold as ice. "I would never-"

Palpatine sighed, giving off the air of a regretful man. "It's not a mere accusation. There is proof."

Valorum gasped, struggling to find words, deliciously surprised by his "betrayal". "I swore an oath to the Republic! I would never!"

"Those are some troubling accusations, Senator Palpatine," a voice shouted from the crowd of many senators. Even Sidious couldn't pinpoint the one responsible.

Palpatine gave a glare to the Chancellor, speaking. "An individual who wishes to remain anonymous approached me earlier. He was among the Trade Federation who believed that this invasion went too far. I never once imagined that Valorum would have done this!"

Files appeared all over cameras across the galaxy, various different documents that have been sliced carefully. Various different dealings...

They were all labeled under one name.

Fimis Valorum.

Passcodes and all.

The ultimate puppeteer...

Darth Plagueis.

All from Muunilinst, the heart of the Banking Clans, where the Muun frequently operated.

The Jedi's surprise was palpable.

Sidious cackled, and Palpatine had a hard time not doing so as well. He paid the slicer well to make Valorum look like another one who had been swayed by the Dominion. It was times like this where Sidious had planned to implement contingencies to ensure that he wouldn't be buried politically speaking at the very least. The Jedi interrogators would be colored pink when they find false information about Plagueis in Valorum's mind.

The extremists shouted out words at Valorum such as "traitor" and "monster".

Even the Democrats turned their anger on Valorum.

"No! That's not true! I- I don't know where these came fr..." Valorum's voice got stuck in his throat.

Palpatine fed off those emotions like a leash, allowing his pleasure to peak, not enough for the Jedi to detect. The last he needed was for Windu and Yoda to stab him through.

"Ah, the excuses. We have heard them all before." Sheev spoke. "There is but one thing, my friends, if Chancellor Valorum knew about this attack beforehand, that means he is a sham to the Republic who he represents. He's been allowed to stay in office for far too long! I supported him but I thought that was for the betterment of the Republic!" He settled for, "This body has made it clear time and time again no one is above the law! If a Chancellor is to remain in office, he must put the well-being of the people over his greed! I have worked with him for so long, and yet he betrays my people, MY PEOPLE, for his own gain!"

Cheers and boos intertwined as Valorum looked utterly outmatched. Sidious was not above that he had some bitter respect for the man. He was in charge of a Republic ripe with corruption—dead from the inside like Geonosian brainworms. By the end of his term, Chancellor Valorum was surrounded by self-centered politicians. He just didn't have the ability to exert any real leadership on the Senate so he seemed weak and combined with the fact that he was facing allegations of corruption it was no surprise he would be replaced.

Sate Pestage spoke as well. "In light of this utter corruption of this leader who clearly lacks the best interests of the Republic, we have little options. We must impeach Chancellor Finis Valorum from office so he has the immunity that would prevent him from being arrested."

Everyone waited.

"...I believe that we should issue a Vote of No Confidence against Valorum!" Palpatine's announcement rang across the Senate chamber, receiving agreements from all.

That hadn't been it.

As things were thrown at Valorum, Palpatine had a hard time containing his glee. This was perfect. It made him look even more like a tragic figure. Valorum covered his head and body as pods approached and people swung at his direction. Senate guards were ushered in to break off the fight while leading the ashamed Chancellor - and soon to be former - away.

Not long afterwards, he would be placed under arrest.

Valorum did his job well, allowing Sidious to remain in the shadows to adjust. Now he could kill two Fambaas with one stone, all the while making the credibility for the Jedi to burn.

He turned to face the Jedi, seeing Master Windu doing well to maintain his barely contained composure. More notably, Yoda's ears flattened against his head, his hands wrapped around his staff.

"Now, Master Jedi," Sidious declared, holding his hands out in front of them, "the Republic would have a chance to recover." The Jedi were pensively silent. "My friends, is something wrong?"

All the while laughing gleefully internally...

The much controversial Chancellor Valorum true colors are exposed! His interests weren't to the Republic he was elected to serve but traitors to continue funding Chancellorship! The Republic now lacks a leader in office! Who will come forward and save it?!

-HoloNet News

Is this really surprising considering Valorum's history?

-Republic News Network

Valorum was said to be a friend of Master Adi Gallia of the Jedi Council! As it turned out, she was also sent to migrate the conflict! Is it possible that the Jedi are compromised by Valorum's backstabbing nature as well?!

-Republic Insider News

An investigation is being launched into Valorum's dealings! Many sources of corruption have been discovered!

-Galactic Republic Times

Eleven of the Twelve Jedi Masters making up the High Council sat in their chairs. Their fellow Master, Adi Gallia, was sent to Naboo to resolve the crisis and none of them heard back from her yet.

At the place of honor facing the exit rested Yoda, the Grandmaster and simultaneous individual who was viewed as the leader of the Council. However, that was a common misinterpretation. He merely held the position of High Master, which was more commonly known as the Grandmaster of the Council.

The one who was in charge of the Council himself was Mace Windu. The dark-skinned Jedi was considered a traditionalist and held the rank of Master of the Order multiple times.

It was a position that Yoda maintained many times throughout the past centuries and was one of the primary reasons he was viewed as Grandmaster.

Jedi Master Plo Koon needed no introduction. The Kel Dor was regarded as one of the most compassionate of them all, viewed in positive light by many Jedi throughout the Temple and those who ever met him. He was also one of the few who had been known to rival Master Yoda in battle, something that the Grandmaster admitted with great pride.

Master Mundi was an odd one. The Jedi Master was one of the few allowed to married and bred children, but that was due to the low population of his species. Throughout it all, he remained more or less detached with his families and remained loyal to the Jedi Order as a whole.

The tallest being in the room sat next to the two friends. His name was Yarael Poof and thanks to his Quermian origins he towered far above everyone else. He was not the standard Jedi one would expect. Often times, he was found playing pranks on members of the Order, earning many scowls and outright scoldings from both Yoda and Windu themselves. Despite this, this didn't led him to get kicked off of the Council as that joking nature typically could fade into a cool and disciplinarian mask.

Shaak Ti was brought on to the Council a few years ago. The Togruta was known as extremely calm and serene. A great warrior in combat, close to that of Master Windu. Her Togruta senses served her well.

Not much needed to be said about Eeth Koth. An Iridonian Zabrak from Nar Shaddaa, he was a determined warrior with a deep, spiritual connection to the Force. One would have thought he and Saesee Tiin would have been the same, but in fact they were polar opposites. Master Saesee Tiin was even more of a conservative than Windu and arguably Mundi. The man believed attachments of any sort was detrimental to the Jedi, that Padawans and Masters growing any sort of attachment required immediate separation and re-education. The Iktotchi took the regard of the Dominion's presence as a sign of corruption spreading in the galaxy and believed that the Jedi should do something about it. He was one of the few who followed the Jedi Code in all its aspects to the point of obsession which left some uneasiness.

Master Yaddle was yet another one. She was one of the few Jedi who shared Yoda's species. Different from the Grandmaster in many ways, she trained Oppo Rancisis himself, along with multiple Jedi in the past years. She was known as one who been tempted by the Dark Side out of tortured and resisted the alluring calls. Many even debated about if she would one day claim Yoda's seat as Grandmaster.

Yan Christopher Dooku was an odd one. While many theorized that he would leave the Jedi Order a few years back due to different views, his interpretations one day shifted to the ideals of the Jedi yet again. He was allowed a role on the Council due to his close connection with Yoda after his public benevolence that was beloved by the Jedi. He held no resentment to his fellow Jedi any longer.

Jedi Master Depa Billaba was extremely sympathetic and one of the few people who could get through to her Master, Mace Windu. He took the girl on when she was a child, and although the relationship was professional, the Korun always had a soft spot for her. She had been one of the Masters who believed that the Republic and its affairs were meaningless and that they should be guides to the galaxy as a whole, including the Outer Rim.

Things were growing dark rapidly. The Dark Side of the Force was growing stronger, testing possibly every Jedi and their resolve. Times would come and pass with the Younglings awaking from what should be blissful dreams. The future generations would have much challenges if they were to keep this golden age that the Ruusan Reformation left behind.

There was some threat out there. The Supreme Leader? If he was planning to conquer the Republic, he could do so, especially since he had been left to his own devices through much reluctance. The fact that he organized the Trade Federation to attack a sovereign member of the Republic meant that there may be more possible attacks. This could just be the beginning.

And now this Darth Plagueis?...

"What are we going to do about this Darth Plagueis?!" Evan Piell exclaimed. "We all know about the Sith and their... corruption over the Force."

The Cerean breathed out a sigh. "The Sith are extinct! They have been for nearly a millennium."

Mace consented that. The last the Sith were of any power, they had an entire Empire and would attack with a lack of subtlety to say the least. In the days of the Old Republic there would be entire armies of Sith Lords engaging in combat with entire armies of Jedi. To summarize the Sith war machine was an outright other can of worms, but blatantly Sith controlled with thousands of Sith joining the standard Imperial operatives in Galactic Civil War going on at the time.

"What about Vader?" Dooku pointed out reasonably, putting his hand on his chin in thought.

And at last, the thorn in the room made itself known.

Mace didn't know how to describe Vader. Unless the man crossed some useful Sith Holocrons which weren't destroyed by the Jedi or locked in their Vault for them to explore, at best he could be referred as another average Force user who they would take on when given the chance. He was powerful for sure, but assuming he was a Sith as many have already done was unwise in his own opinion.

Additionally, Vader's movements weren't against the Jedi nor the Republic, at least not yet. It was against slavers, something Windu had to begrudgingly admit he could understand.

"According to our agents," Depa started, gaining the attention of everyone in the room, "Vader's last known operation was settling a dispute that got out of hand under the order of the Empress."

"That information is unreliable, I'm afraid," Master Oppo Rancisis said tersely. He had been yet another extremist who took the presence of Vader with disdain and believing that neutralizing him and the forces he summoned up would be a wise idea.

"Vader had plenty of time to gather up his forces and become a long-term problem," Plo Koon addressed the elder Jedi's statements at last. "We cannot assume that they are connected without evidence."

"Hard to see, the Dark Side is. We must investigate further before drawing a conclusion to the identity of this adversary." Yoda spoke at last, allowing a silence to pass through the room.

At that moment, a comm beeped, interrupting any more words. Master Windu picked into his robes and pulled it out.

"What is it?"

"There's an anonymous source who claims to be working with a Darth Plagueis for some time. He merely assumed it was his first and last name." The voice answered on the other side. "He provided us with the location of him here on Coruscant. According to him, he has been stuck in that facility for quite some time."

The location had been sent. While Dark Jedi or Sith fanatics weren't typically dangerous, they would have to act carefully to apprehend this Darth Plagueis and bring him to the Jedi Temple for questioning.

Stunned silence passed through the chambers.

This fanatic would have a lot to answer for.

Arthur's note: I know Dooku's first name is often Yan, but in honor of Christopher Lee, I decided to give him the middle name Christopher. He was just so cool. R.I.P you awesome legend.

May the Force be with you all always.