[20 BBY]

[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Outer Asteroid Field, Svivren System, Five Veils Trade Route, Outer Rim Territories]

I sat down across from Braika, the last of the avatars flickering into existence at the table all the way from outside the Hoth system. This was a risk, a one off code securely encrypted hyper-comm off our own systems rather than Republic ones, but as things stood the situation was dire enough, and rapid communications demanded enough, that we called a Board Meeting. Honestly it was most important to me as I was the one likely going to take the blow for this as point-man, and the simple fact of my Force User nature that opened me up to various legal issues not suffered by the others. It was a mess, no matter which way I jumped.

"Well, this is a right mess we've got on our hands..." Hanna's hologram murmured, the spectre drumming fingernails off a far distant table "...you've spoken with others up the chain of command Daron?"

I nodded, though it wasn't good news "Yes...but nothing happening. Krell, as a Jedi and General in the Grand Army, is technically within his rights to deal with criminal activity and what Krell is calling treason. Lodge a complaint, blah, blah..." I gestured with my hand in frustration "...the Tarkins are receptive, I've got legal orders to *resolve* the situation, but the how is not stated. Again, separate chain of command, and claims of me using the Force to manipulate things muddy the matter"

Braika snorted "Kriffing nonsense that, nobody objected to those deals makin'em rich, an' all that 'proof' he's thrown up is fake as fake can be. We ain't going to leave a trail like that, not that unprofessional"

"Yes, but he's trying to draw things out, Krell I mean, talking about investigations..."

Jurdan nodded, interrupting me "Which we can't afford to drag out for usual Senate nonsense speeds...words spread amongst the crews, and we've got enough Twi'leks from that world that we can't just sit here and twiddle our thumbs. Senator Free?"

I let out a breath, rubbing at my chin "Oh he's on board, signed request as legal authorities to restore order...but, well, Krell accusing him of various forms of corruption and the planet in discontent against the Republic because of him..."

It was flimsy as all hell, but the Jedi often got away with it in the past, and reaching out Stass had gotten me a response of she'd talk to the Council and *try resolve* things "...we're at the level of differing levels of the command structure coming into conflict. Krell's technically within his rights, as are we, and..."

"This plays into other matters we've encountered"

I frowned, then nodded slowly at Hanna's words on the Clone chips and all that related to what would eventually become Order 66 "Yes, maybe...but things seemed to have evened out with dealing with the situation on Garn...if they were going to move on us, me, then why not then?"

Braika gave a bitter bark of laughter "Ha! In the middle of our Fleet, surrounded by our army?"

"Jedi"

She paused at my reply, sighing "Point"

"So where are we?" Hanna queried "And what's our response?"

"He's not backing down, and we can't back down..." Jurdan replied coldly "...so we go over to Ryloth, demand he release our Troopers and kriff off back where he belongs"

"Easy for you all to say..." I reminded, calmer than I felt really "...as I'm the one who's going to get it in the neck, along with Braika here, when we come to blows with a General of the Clone Army"

"We're at that stage already Daron. Sometimes you just gotta stand and fight"

I sighed, deeply, at Braika's words "I know, but this is gonna be sithspit this is gonna be a kriffin' disaster even if that idiot rolls over and publically backs down. Sure the Tarkins offer unofficial sanction, and a Senator offers support...but we're going up against a pillar of the Republic here"

Hanna, the human from a Core world nodded calmly "Yes, and that's why we get our story out loudest, and we tell our truth that Krell is a traitor, and corrupt, and whatever this Dark side thing of the Force is"

"We..." I gave her an odd look "...don't have any proof of any of that"

"So?" she retorted just as calmly as a spectral hand came up "Then we find proof, just like the good Jedi Master did for his accusations. If one of us goes down, we all go down Daron. Not when we know what we know, and run risks in this line of business. I vote to deploy your fleet and force him to back down"

Shesagora the former pirate nodded, hand raising "Aye, we need move fast and get our story out and stomp down on Ryloth fer proof...possession by nine tenths of the law"

Braika grinned as she raised hers "Kriffing Jedi, I vote we go over there and this one in his place"

Jurdan's avatar was more stoic, merely nodding as his hand came up "We scream from the rooftops our loyalty to the Republic and throw accusations back. We've the bigger stick this time, and then let them investigate when we're in charge"

"Burn those bridges lads..." the old half-breed Jacques agreed "...we've already notified our Legal teams, so we hit back and tie them up. Do we have an operational plan?"

I closed my eyes a moment, taking a calming breath. Everyone was so eager, and the situation demanded immediate action...as delaying made our position worse. Yet it all probably played into Sidious's plans, maybe, or it was other elements of the Council attempting a more forceful means of dragging me back into the Temple; it could be any number of things. Or it could be resolved by the Council being intelligent and recalling that demented lunatic Krell after ordering him to stand down...

'Yeah right, like we can trust them to do the right thing' I thought sadly opening my eyes, raising my hand to make it unanimous "I do, and it looks like it's time to roll the dice then...since we all seem to be in agreement on the subject"

--

[20 BBY]

[Office of the Chancellor, Senate Buildings, Galactic City, Coruscant]

Sheev Palpatine, Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, was having a problematic week Darth Sidious found to a combination of anger and amusement. Anger in that things were proving problematic to Sidious's own plans rather than Palpatine as Chancellor, and amusement as despite some set back the Jedi Order continued to ram their heads into walls with barely any guidance from him. Oh, in this current 'crisis' that his good friend Orn was exploding with rage over down on the Senate floor was indirectly the result of Darth Tyranus's approaches to Jedi Master Pong Krell.

Krell's accusations was a political firestorm, attacking another Republic General, a respected Senator, and deploying Clones against a 'rebellious' populace. Now the mercenaries had begun to fling their own accusations, in the Core unlike the traitorous Jedi Master, and he himself had only just met with Masters Windu and Yoda who were moving far too slowly on the matter as usual.

A few words on his part, gentle recommendations on handling the Senate, would draw it out a little longer despite the advice being actually rather good...if the Jedi had immediately recalled that imbecile they'd put in charge of Ryloth. But that was an internal Jedi matter, and the Chancellor of the Republic could do little to deal with such things after all?

'Meanwhile the matter will drag on for some days, perhaps weeks, and drag the reputation of the Jedi through the mud...and then, at the end, Master Krell will flee to the Confederacy and reveal himself as a traitor before the Galaxy. Use Clones as instruments of terror, disrupting the war effort...all while the Jedi Council did nothing but talk' he mused to himself, resisting a smile. Instead he maintained Palpatine's serious expression as he watched the speech being given on the Senate floor and he sketched out his own speech for his own session later in the day.

It was bright spot on a series of more problematic matters as the Grand Army of the Republic was driven back yet again. Too be expected, and within the parameters of the long term aspects of the Grand Plan, but it was forcing him to have to deal with all those like Corellia and its allies that were betraying the Republic. All while dealing with a Credit Crisis that was threatening to unravel the Republic's ability to fight the war as Core worlds refused, or at least attempted to avoid, paying their dues after Kuat. He frowned at that; that pirate Toth and the traitor Fett still lived despite two assassination efforts...

'Along with an attempt on my fool of an Apprentice' he reminded himself. It was too easy to dismiss the Jedi because of the possible senility of Yoda, and strange naivety of several their other members, but the Shadows still clearly knew their task. They'd all have to die of course, and it seemed it needed to be sooner rather than later...though the how of that would need to be figured out. Perhaps if he could drive a further wedge between certain Jedi and the Order over Krell's betrayal?

Force some sort of oversight from the Senate so that names could be leaked...

His communicator beeped, and calmly he pushed the button answer to allow the tiny holographic avatar appear showing his Intelligence Chief. Who seemed to be mildly agitated he noted "Yes?"

"Chancellor, we have a serious situation developing over Ryloth"

Palpatine frowned "I was aware of the situation..."

"No Chancellor, I'm afraid the situation has escalated..." Isard stated "...a combined force of Aegis and Ailon Guard ships jumped in-system demanding General Krell and his Clones stand down. Fighting has broken out between the two groups!"

Darth Sidious blinked "What?...sorry, could you repeat that?"

--