RIGHTS OF A DROID – A Stars Ablaze Story

Skyriver Galaxy
Inner Rim
Corusca Sector
Coruscant System
Coruscant
Chancellor's Office

Palpatine looked over the report sent to him by Panaka. "Excellent work, Captain. I assume the Queen has been informed."

"Yes, Chancellor." The holographic image of Panaka nodded. "She has expressed a deep concern over this matter. She believes the Trade Federation's franchise must be revoked immediately following Viceroy Gunray's trial."

"We are working as best as we can. The Trade Federation has already been ordered to disband its droid armies, but it has launched a formal complaint against the United Federation from the other galaxy." Palpatine said calmly.

"The Queen has already launched a protest to their complaint, my lord. They are just trying to cover their humiliation. Perhaps this new battle droid technology is them trying to prevent such a loss ever again." Panaka informed.

"Yes, I know." Palpatine nodded. "You must trust the courts to do their job."

"Yes, Supreme Chancellor." Panaka nodded before the transmission ended.

Palpatine closed the log and put down the pad device as he stood up and walked to the window, allowing him to observe the sun setting in the distance, casting a beautiful glow on the endless city that was the capital of the Republic. Truly unexpected that such an event would happen in his time during the war that would lead to the completion of the Grand Plan that had been at work for the last thousand years started by Darth Bane. A single discovery that presented a wild card just as the plan was coming into the first stage in which with a single stroke, he would exact a thousand years of revenge against the Jedi and the Republic for the defeat and near destruction of the Sith at the time of the Old Republic.

He had been prepared for the possibility of a few unexpected problems but nothing that would slow his plan in the long term. He had influenced thousands upon thousands of beings in both the Republic and the Separatists and he was slowly directing them all to a single end that he and his predecessors had been working for.

And yet a single discovery presented a possible threat that not even he could have considered.

An entire galaxy with no Sith or Jedi, not seemingly influenced by the Force that he barely knew anything about with almost no known way to counter them. He had been as shocked as the Jedi as when he tried to feel these beings through the Force, he found he could not read their minds as they were naturally able to block any attempt to probe them. How such a thing was possible was beyond him and not even Master Yoda or the Jedi Council were able to make sense of it. The Milky Way Galaxy had figuratively speaking poked the hornet's nest and he didn't know whether to be thankful or annoyed but so as long as they were causing distractions he had more room and time to work with what he had.

Now that he had handled things on the Naboo end it was time to check in on his Neimodian…friends. The Trade Federation was still useful to him, even after its humiliating defeat at Naboo at the hands of the Enterprise. Even if the commandos had gotten away with the plans for a new form of advanced battle droids it mattered very little.

Except of course for the astromech droid R2-D2.

Naboo was clamoring for Federation membership while still wanting to keep a seat in the Senate and the Queen had submitted to him a full report of what happened in the other galaxy.

Including how the droid R2 had been upgraded to a level of advanced sophistication beyond anything ever thought for a droid.

The Trade Federation would give the illusion it is disbanding its droid armies but in secret will be expanding them while eliminating the weaknesses that were obviously and embarrassingly exposed at Naboo. They would need to remove the dependency of a command signal for their battle droids but retain a shutdown signal which would be easy. The Trade Federation along with their business partners had felt humiliated over how easily their droids had been disabled by just a mere musical as Panaka had said. Though the Starfleeters had seemingly worked out a way to overload the central control computer on the Neimodian ships R2 had assisted them, and he had shown a shocking ability to manipulate matter and energy around him as he made his repairs.

That made him an invaluable target.

But he needed a way to reach the droid.

There was the matter of Starfleeters working to create a permanent form of passage into their galaxy. Naboo and several other planets had expressed interest from membership to trading with them.

Perhaps the remedy to the matter was simplicity itself.

Cato Nemoidia
Gunray's Estate

Nute Gunray slowly walked into his office, followed by Rune Haako. "Is the room secure?"

"We checked five times over." Haako answered.

'That might not be enough.' Gunray thought but said nothing as he saw the holotransmitter picking up an incoming call from…him.

The debacle at Naboo had left him squandering to make sure no one knew the truth, including those meddlers from the other galaxy. He had managed to survive the first couple of trials he had been subjected to upon being taken to Coruscant and knew Lord Sidious made sure he was not convicted, meaning he was still useful.

He hoped so.

The windows were closed and the lights dimmed as the image of Darth Sidious appeared before him. "Good evening, Viceroy. I trust you are enjoying the freedom you have been given, instead of rotting in a Republic prison."

"Y-Yes, my lord." Gunray bowed his head. "I-I said nothing of your involvement."

"Good. You have reaffirmed my faith in your loyalty and saved me the trouble of killing you." Sidious said harshly to which Gunray flinched. "Were it not for the fact that you were foiled by an unknown entity I would consider this debacle a complete failure on your part. Fortunately, I am not without reason and recognize this could not have been foreseen."

Gunray sighed in relief but then felt a pressure on his throat.

"However, I should reaffirm my point that my tolerance for failure has its limits." Sidious said, his fingers twitching ever so slightly before releasing Gunray. "Failure on account from these interlopers will not be tolerated for very long and your trial is not over. Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Amidala will be adamant that you face the Supreme Court again and again until justice is served. Each time you are not to reveal anything regarding my involvement. I would leave you to rot but this new presence has convinced me to remind you."

"Y-Yes, my lord." Gunray coughed.

"In the meantime, the Trade Federation is keep its battle droid armies at its current level but to be kept hidden. The Senate will demand you to reduce your armies but that will only be done in illusion. In reality, you will keep them hidden until you are given the clearance to rebuild." Sidious instructed.

"As you wish." Gunray complied.

"Good. Until then, you are not to make any decisions until I have contacted you again." Sidious said before ending the call.

When the transmission was cut off, Gunray fell to his knees, slightly trembling from the fact he was still trapped.

Coruscant

Good.

Now that he had ensured Gunray's silence, he could focus on more immediate concerns.

The advanced R2 droid.

Given what he had been told by Captain Panaka, the droid was modified by an intelligence more advanced than anything ever seen in both galaxies. The had applied for asylum with the Federation and was apparently stationed on the Enterprise for the time being.

Now he needed to focus on another matter.

Deep Space

Across the void of space, a single ship with what looked like sail of some type, drifted through in between the stars with no clear destination in mind. On board the ship, its single occupant aside from the droid piloting the ship left the cockpit and entered his private quarters just in time to accept a holographic transmission from his master.

He immediately bowed in greetings. "Master."

"Lord Tyrannus, an urgent matter has arisen that must interrupt your training. The Bando Gora has become a dangerous parasite. It must be eradicated. I believe you once had the opportunity to eliminate its leader." Sidious stated. "Why did you not take it?"

"As an experiment." The man known Tyrannus answered.

"The experiment has failed." Sidious said harshly. "This deranged former Jedi has no place in my vision for the future. I expect you to correct this error."

"As you wish." Tyrannus nodded. "And what of your plan for the clone army?"

"Our cloners require a host. You must find an ideal specimen. Perhaps among the galaxy's most dangerous mercenaries." Sidious suggested.

"I shall accomplish both tasks with a single stroke, Master." Tyrannus stated confidently.

"Yes, yes." Sidious grinned. "I look forward to completing your training, my friend."

"And what of the Milky Way Galaxy?" Tyrannus asked, changing the subject.

"Even if they share little trinkets they would not intervene if war was to break out. Their Prime Directive forbids them. Still, we must be cautious as they have shown themselves to be highly advanced and knowledgeable." Sidious answered. "We will have to make some modifications to the plan such as advancing our opposing army while still ensuring our clone army will meet them on equal ground. As of now they are confined to their galaxy with only a few ships making contact with the Outer Rim. We must ensure they do not realize the scope of our plans but at the same time prepare for the possibility that they might become involved."

"I understand, Master. I will make certain that no one from any galaxy discovers a trace of our plans." Tyrannus assured his lord. "Our benefactors will be made aware of the possible threat and adjust themselves accordingly."

"Good. I will see to the same on my end, Lord Tyrannus. And we shall see what the future holds for both galaxies." Sidious said before ending the call.

Coruscant

Sidious checked another chore off his mental list.

With his new apprentice working on a way to eliminate the Bando Gora cult and securing a suitable donor for the clone army, the last thing he needed for now was a way to acquire the R2 unit currently on the Enterprise.

He noted that Captain Panaka had seemed…annoyed by the droid seeking political asylum on the Enterprise.

Perhaps that was something he could use.

After all, he knew better than anyone that not everything had to be done…dirty.