[17 BBY]

[Royal Palace, Theed, Naboo, Naboo System, Chommell Sector, Mid Rim]

Theed wasn't quite a ruin…

'But it is far too close to make a difference' Rahm Kota, a man who was a Jedi Knight at heart, but now had titles like 'Grandmaster' and 'Moff' thrust upon him. The Royal Palace itself had survived reasonably intact, largely due to increased defences and security versus the rest of the city, but that was little comfort for all those who'd lost their homes. The Naboo had suffered greatly, and he could feel their pain even here…especially here perhaps as had been a secured command centre and even now remained mostly empty beyond guards and officials. An eye of calm in a storm of swirling feelings of pain, loss, depression, and anger. Yes, they had won…but victory, as always in this terrible war, felt hollow in the aftermath.

"It is terrible to see" Luminara, Master Unduli, agreed from beside him unhelpfully, voice low, as they stood upon the shielded balcony, taking a moment to survey the ruins before being summoned to the meeting. That and to show strength and solidarity or other such nonsense talk, something about no fear of assassins – when the balcony had its own shield generator!

Luminara also felt the other swirls in the Force approaching by air, lips thinning, sigh "Now it seems all are here Master Kota"

Batlle Meditation…

'Oh Stass, we should have brought you here to have a better attempt at a relationship with our hidden Knight, or Master, if one considers what he hides' he thought nodding absently to Master Unduli's words. Adi Gallia would have been a better representative in many ways, or even Quinlan, but Luminara represented those with certain views amongst his band of exiles, and he'd best have her on his side when matters were decided. Temple politics was something he'd thought he'd long since escaped from, yet here he was doing it in the ruins of a city where people still wept over their dead loves and younglings. Unfortunate that Stass Allie had remained to guard the younglings….but that was politics in its own way considering whose world she and they were sheltering on.

So, all he could do now was attend the meeting as the Force tugged at him "Yes, best we head back inside and see what can be done"

He paused, glanced at her "And, Master Unduli, please do not let Commodore Ventress unbalance you. We must present a strong front here this day. Our Chancellor now understands the value of those of us who wield the Force…and that does not mean those of us who are Jedi by default"

She nodded, and her emotions were calm and serene at least "There shall be no disruption of the meeting, or disturbances of any sort, from I Master Kota, too much is at stake"

Rahm could only nod at that, striding forward with his 'aide' at his side, headed towards the secure command bunker below, passed several security checkpoints. The bright side was the security measures were designed with Sith in mind, as Naboo was where it all began with the reveal of that dark order all those years ago by the now Grandmaster of the Corellian Sect. So, for now, it was a convenient place for the Chancellor to meet with them, before the holo-news, and generally appear the strong, but mindful, leader that…

'That whatever star nation is emerging in the wake of this' Rahm thought, as he knew that the Galactic Republic as it had been…was dead. Daron Stormcrow and Asajj's Battle Meditation had broken what Master Windu would have seen as a Shatterpoint, or perhaps shifted it, changed it. All of them, so close to death…to the echoes and ripples as the Force shifted…had felt something, and Rahm had discussed it with the others, on what they had felt, or seen. Seen in dreams and visions, apparently of their own deaths for some, or perhaps events that might have been in Darker Days as Quinlan put it, but of the death of the Republic. Images and visions of a Sith Empire covering all…

'At least for some' he thought as they approached the final layer of security doors, being let through after a scan of biometrics and by droids for any listening devices. Rahm had not scene his death to Clone Troopers, but visions, flickers, of everything fallen, the Order not just broken, but wiped out. Echoes of what could have been, a warning through the Force. Even Luminara was certain of that now, understanding how precarious the future was, even now, even after this victory. The Republic they served was dead, and something new, something darker, would rise in its place. What that was, and how they mitigated it, shaped it, was now the question.

"Senator Binks, your Majesty" he greeted as they were admitted inside, giving a respectful bow to the gungan and human naboo present "I glad to find you well, and apologise we could do no more than we have to aide your world"

"Mezza thanks yousa. Dozzas alls cans, yessas" the gungan Senator, technically General, replied waving him off with honest feelings of sadness, shame, and gratitude. Senator Binks had been officially in charge of part of the Gungan Grand Army, but had, wisely, and with past experience, left most of the actual planning to more trained and experienced commanders. Currently he was the only accepted Senator from Naboo for Eriadu, and discomfort radiated from the sentient as his people's armies now, de facto, occupied the city and lands of the young human queen beside him.

"Yes, we too share Senator Binks gratitude Moff Kota, Master Unduli" the young queen told them, bowing slightly, clad in some of the less elaborate and more functional wear of her office, though she still had the face-paint immaculate "We have just told such to the Grand Moff and your colleagues, but the presence of the Jedi was most welcome upon this world despite the pain we have suffered. When we have need you, the Jedi have answered, and even though we can offer little, what we can, we do"

"In these dark and troubled times helping each other climb back towards the light is our best hope, and it is good to see" he replied politely as the other Moffs began to enter with their aides, Chancellor Tarkin entering imperiously with his son serving in that capacity. Later this day Rahm knew he would depart to the gungan cities to see their leaders and, probably more importantly, the status of their armies and their plasma production facilities. With the suffering of the people here….it was the only choice available really to a sensible leader, much as Rahm despised such thoughts. There was no emotion, there was peace he reminded himself when think on such indirect horrors of war.

"Everyone, take your seats" the chancellor stated simply, gesturing as he moved to take his own seat in was probably the royal seat if not for their offworld presence "We have limited time, and many operations to engage in to relieve some of the damage done to this world"

Rahm watched as a holo-display brought up Naboo and the fleets in orbit, as well as the great mass of debris and wrecked and surrendered starships. Also, the flashing icons that were still active combat zones planet-side where droid forces were still being hunted down "Aid convoys will soon be arriving, and we must ensure that approach lanes are clear. What is the status on the spaceports?"

"Deysa be big bombad wreckaded Grand Moffa sirs" the gungan senator said with tiredness and sadness, hands on the table looking calm and stoic, though his emotions were distressed at the losses it felt "Wezza noesa droids lefts, an sendins bigsa numbers Grand Armies, but issa not repairins soons"

Chancellor Tarkin nodded, clearly expecting such an answer "That will hinder relief efforts"

He looked at Rahm "Moff Kota, I expect it would be best to place yourself, in both your position and Grandmaster of the Jedi Order to oversee the relief effort owing to such experience your Jedi possess, and relationship with the local population. In cooperation with Senator Binks and Queen Apailana"

Rahm gave a polite, professional, nod "As you command Chancellor, I believe we can attempt to utilise certain flat ground as impromptu landing zones, but transport will be an issue obviously. If we can make use of the army, it would enable us to establish refugee camps to alleviate the situation"

"You will have them, but be aware that time will be limited, and eliminating the remaining droid presence must be achieved urgently in case there are any unknown CIS bases present here. We do not want a repeat of the Blue Shadow incident with sanitation and health services crippled" Chancellor Tarkin stated, nodding at the two local authority figures "As such, Moff Zsinj will provide defence of the system, and oversight of the situation in the orbits, with Moff Kota seeing to the situation on the planet. I must stress these operations may be time limited, so I expect contingency plans prepared in case of need to redeploy, or should the system worsen"

"Sir" Rahm agreed along with Maarisa Zsinj, though Rahm was the one who spoke further. It was clearly an effort to both show the Jedi in service to Eriadu in operation, as well as a chance for Rahm to try restoring some of the Jedi reputation in the aftermath of recent years disastrous failures "Will you be remaining in-system Chancellor, or Moff Stormcrow?"

"Moff Stormcrow will have his own mission, which I will discuss with him after this meeting, and will require his departure from the system once logistics are arranged…" of going on a limited counteroffensive, or more likely for limited raids "…and the First Fleet cannot remain detached from the Central Oversectors for too long, not if the hyperlanes are to remain secure to send supplies"

"Of course, Sir, we will ensure the situation here is stabilised as best as can be" Rahm agreed with a nod, though he truthfully wanted to talk about the Battle Meditation and other, related, matters "Prisoner status?"

"I'll organise prisoner transports" Zsinj interjected after glancing at a data-slate presented by her aid "Those clones are…"

"Dangerous" Rahm agreed, finishing her sentence and getting a nod "Mentally unstable in several cases it feels"

"It is concerning, yes. They will be taken to a secure facility world under maximum security for now. Medical professionals will investigate the matter in detail" the chancellor agreed nodding at both himself and Zsinj "The non-clone organics will be secured locally for now, separate the commanders from the pilots and lower ranks. I shall leave their interrogation in your capable hands Moff Kota"

It wasn't ideal, but it was yet another task that had to be done, and done quick Rahm knew. Naboo, the human part at least, had taken a battering, and all too soon, his own forces would have to depart. First though he would help who he could and try show the galaxy the Jedi were not gone….

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