717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 8
Mandalore, Sundari
Tabi Kregg
Hauling the suitcase behind me, I greeted the Jedi Knight, "Welcome to Mandalore, Knight Tur-Mukan." I gestured towards downtown Sundari with my free arm, showing off the city as we disembarked.
Tur-Mukan looked around and commented, "I was expecting a lot more green." Huh? I nearly dropped her suitcase, but managed to disguise my shock with a grunt of exertion.
"Ahaha, yeah, the jungles have been dead for a long time, and the Excision didn't help." If she didn't know what the Excision was, I'm gonna have to give her a Mando history book. I mused as I carried her suitcase towards the waiting Royal speeder. Clearing my throat, I blandly said, "We just have to get you to the Republic embassy after you meet Duchess Satine, and then you'll be good and safe."
"You really don't have to carry that for me." Tur-Mukan offered as I opened the door for her.
"Nonsense! A gentleman should always carry a lady's suitcase, especially considering you're a Jedi. In a fight, we'd have a better chance of winning if both of your hands are free." Tanya needed someone reliable to monitor the "rogue" Jedi. Khae was too inexperienced, Struc was Tanya's chief bodyguard so he couldn't go, Engiz was her romantic partner for social gatherings, Vai was Tanya's second, Kuth was a slicer and garbage at politics, and Thisish was our only medic. So I was the only viable option left, dammit Kor.
When Tur-Mukan finally made the Jedi Council aware of her situation, they decided to station her here to oversee the CNS to replace the previous Jedi overseer, who was reassigned back to fight in the war. Tanya didn't trust her or her judgment, though, and for good reasons.
She chuckled and said, "Fair enough. Thank you, Mr. Kregg."
"It's my privilege." I lied. Kor was missing out on a cushy protection detail. A cushy protection detail I couldn't enjoy because I am parsecs away from the love of my life. I knew I should appreciate the trust Tanya was showing me with this very important solo mission, but I already missed my wife.
The mission was simple enough. I was tasked with accompanying the Jedi, who had found herself pregnant by a clone, to Mandalore to spy on her every move and report her activities back to Tanya. Officially, this was a courtesy as well as additional protection for her since Mandalorians are still pretty touchy with the Jedi, especially after Kromus. This is so that she would have authority to do her official job of observing the CNS military and have someone to provide context to Mandalorian culture so she doesn't accidentally offend anyone important. Tanya wants to keep track of any Jedi wandering the Mandalorian sector, but Tur-Mukan merited extra attention, as she had been assigned by the Jedi as an overseer on the CNS military buildup. If she died to a random Mandalorian, then the Senate, the Jedi, and her husband might cause problems for Tanya.
Coruscant wanted a Jedi presence on Mandalore to keep an eye on things. Tanya wanted me to report back on all of Tur-Mukan's comings and goings, who she met with, what she observed, and if possible, the contents of her reports back to the Jedi so that she would have advanced warning on any potential issues that pop up. Additionally, Tanya also mentioned that I "make sure she didn't make any more enemies" during her stay here. The last thing she needed was more third parties involved.
Besides, three months of light duty and the chance to put together a surprise honeymoon for my wife? I'll make it worth it in the end. I definitely wasn't lying to myself as I took a seat across from her in the Royal speeder.
Tur-Mukan sat across from me in the speeder car as it started moving. Glancing out at the city, she remarked, "I will say this, Mandalore sure has a thing for lights. It's almost like Coruscant down there, and yet I can still see sunlight." Oh Manda, I have to actually keep her away from the public. Idly, I wondered how a street vendor would react to that comparison. Probably not well, seeing as Coruscant was the reason they had to live under a dome-city in the first place.
"The New Mandalorians like to have plenty of sunlight in the city. They don't want to be confined inside armor all the time or stuck indoors. So whenever they can use thick glass in construction, they'll use it." I pasted a fake smile on my reply.
"You're not from here?" She asked, looking at me.
I shrugged and replied, "No, I'm from Harswee, it is a much greener planet." I smiled as a wave of nostalgia came over me. "More rural, with clean air and endless fields."
"Ah, is that anywhere near Vorpa'ya? I've heard that a Jedi Temple was built there, and it was one of the options suggested by the Jedi Council on where I would be stationed, but they decided that the Republic embassy is a safer place to observe the MSDF due to the current hostilities there." She remarked.
"Harswee is on the other side of the greater Mandalorian territories. Vorpa'ya is similarly stunning, or so I've heard." I had to pause at the mention of my friend's homeworld; dammit Kor. I covered it quickly. "Makes sense your Council mentioned it. I'm sure that once Vorpa'ya settles down enough, you'll be able to visit the Temple." I said with a shrug. "If not, well, Sundari is still a great city. I may have only lived here for a couple of years, but it's a gem in the desert, you'll find plenty of places to relax around here."
We continued in silence for a moment before I asked, "Out of curiosity, if you don't mind a personal question, what did the Jedi Council think about your situation?"
She sighed dramatically before she looked at her lap, "They were worried about me, but ultimately rather accepting of my choices. They accepted that I may leave the Order when war's over, that's why they gave me this lighter duty. I am relieved, but I also worry for my friends and family still fighting in the war, while I am safe here, in Neutral space."
I nodded in understanding, "The disappointment felt by your peers when you are retiring can be the hardest feeling to deal with."
She looked out the window to think, before her face morphed into an annoyed frown. I followed her gaze as we passed what appeared to be a hastily created art piece on the side of a building, showing support for Death Watch's current operations against the Republic and the CIS.
"I don't understand why they are so beloved here. They've stolen a Republic battlecruiser and they've been supporting the CIS's efforts to fight the Republic, yet they seemed to be celebrated by the local Mandalorians." She said abruptly.
I shrugged, "Some celebrate the good they did in killing those responsible for the massacre, others don't. The tapestry of our history is something that we remember well, and it informs our current politics. And Mandalorian politics are complicated even in peaceful times."
"Mandalore seems like a boiling cauldron of political ideologies about to explode at any moment, True Mandalorian, New Mandalorian, Death Watch, and Silver Mandalorians."
I said, "Eh, not really. I've been paying attention to some of the reports and it isn't as bad as you'd think. The pacifists don't want to fight, so they are not a problem. The Silver Mandalorians support the Republic nine times out of ten, or at least support an independence movement that doesn't require war. And even Death Watch, the most radical among us, is currently seen as vigilantes, trying to save Mandalorians who are internationally not recognized as Mandalorians. So, as long as Death Watch doesn't cause any trouble, the others would continue as normal."
She looked at me, all while stating each word slowly, "Interplanetary. Terrorist. Group."
"If they want to go out and fight for one side or the other, they're allowed to, as it's their choice. They just can't come into our space to hide out from any retribution for their actions. We have the Royal Guard and the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force to hunt them down if they do."
"That doesn't make any sense, why wouldn't you just arrest them as soon as they reveal themselves?" She complained.
Which led me to shrug and explain, "If we did that, we are obligated to arrest those that helped the Republic as well, to maintain our impartiality. You're stuck in the mindset that's overtaking the Republic and the CIS. That this war is zero-sum, and you have to choose a side. Well, we don't. The Duchess wants nothing to do with it, so Mandalore and the CNS will have nothing to do with it. Better than losing lives for a war that we want nothing to do with. Those few who do want to be involved can go off and do it, but that's their own problem. Not everyone in the sector believes in the same thing, people are allowed to have their own thoughts and opinions"
She shook her head, stating, "I still can't see why they would support a terrorist group."
I huffed, she was the one who didn't understand something so simple. "Things aren't black and white out here on the Rim, not like they are in the Core. Hell, we don't only view the Jedi as some government branch but also as an ancient rival. Most Mandalorian children are still taught about Jedi spells and fighting styles as well as how to combat them, we have a completely different mindset to the rest of the Republic." I paused as she looked like she was considering my words. After a moment of silence, I changed the subject. "Last time I was in the Core, I happened to catch some fashion holo that featured Jedi Master Aayla Secura."
"Ugh, I remember that." Tur-Mukan said, rubbing her forehead. "Jedi outreach programs are the bane of our Order."
I chuckled again, "People were suspecting that a lot of her fashion wear was being given to her for free as payment for being on the show."
Tur-Mukan sighed heavily, "That's not exactly how that works, but that's enough painful thoughts for today."
"Most here don't worry about fashion that much, just nobles and those from my homeworld. It just means that we decide what is fashionable year to year." I chuckled, "I mean, the only reason you'd have to worry about fashion is if you got invited to any social gatherings. Though I am sure your Jedi robes are culturally significant enough to suffice for every occasion." I discreetly used my vambrace to confirm our arrival and location to the Palace Staff.
Moments later, the comm unit in the Royal speeder rang. Tur-Mukan looked at me, confused. I explained, "The Duchess must have been informed of your arrival."
Tur-Mukan let out a little groan before reaching out and picking up the communicator, saying, "Hello?" into the receiver.
Gargon, Mandal Hypernautics Vehicle Test Range
X4
"Remind me again why we are here instead of back in my office?" I said as I watched the Basilisk variant of the new Mythosaur Fighter tank, navigate the training yard.
"We're here to inspect the training of the Mythosaur-B. Even you, should be aware that there is no substitute for an accurate assessment than a personal inspection. The factory set to produce these variants has their productivity steadily grow with each completed vehicle." Big Bear explained before he continued.
"Months ago, you predicted the additions would be too expensive for mass production to be of any interest to any party, except perhaps the Hutts. Well, the Hutts refused the contract, the fools. Citing skepticism with the 'novel droidbrain elements of questionable loyalty' of the tanks. Likely due to the fact that they couldn't find a way to threaten them into compliance like they would with an organic crew. They were still interested in any spacecraft sold by Mandal Hypernautics, but any tanks they purchased needed to not house a Basilisk brain. It's not something that can be done overnight, the entire frame was redesigned to house the Basilisk brain, it would be simpler to just sell the conventional Mythosaur to them."
The Wardroid seethed in rage despite relaying exactly what I had originally told him about the design. "Most of our factories are queued for producing the conventional Mythosaur. With B-variant tank production being assigned to a single factory, the plan to have them be the mainstay of our armies will slow to a crawl."
"Ah, you brought me here to complain about your failure to market your pet project." I surmised in an annoyed deadpan. In truth, I had already studied reports on the output of these variants. Over two hundred of the slightly larger Mythosaur-B tanks designed to support the Basilisk droid brains were already produced. Half of that number was delivered to the Ordo Self-Defence Force, and several test platforms were provided to the MSDF for observation before widespread adoption. A few Mandalorian planetary governors also bought a dozen Mythosaur-B each for their SDFs as something of a prestige piece, while the rest are currently in storage or training here.
Other CNS PDFs had shown interest in the Mythosaur-B to a limited capacity. Since they aren't Mandalorians, they are not banned from using battle droids. Early inquiries for contracts had been made, but progress on that front was limited; it did, however, represent potential buyers for the platform. Because of that potential, I offered the various them a discount on the B-variants if they decided to order some conventional Mythosaur since a majority of the components of the B-variant tanks are interchangeable with the conventional Mythosaur tanks. The early phase of contract negotiation had not been concluded quite yet, and I did not want to waste credits on bribes to speed up adoption of the wardroid's pet project.
As I tuned out the wardroids raving about the Hutt's other surprisingly detailed criticisms of the platform, I observed one of the Basilisk tanks run through a series of obstacles. The machine raced about the muddy field, testing just how fast it could go, before it launched itself from a hill and landed poorly, slamming into the ground and embedding its side lift engine in the mud. The turret twisted about as the tank seemed confused about what had happened before letting out a low and loud groaning wail. Several of the other Basilisk tanks stopped what they were doing and turned to stare pointlessly at the trapped tank. One shook its turret slightly left and right as it looked to its compatriot. Quickly, several engineers on a recovery vehicle rushed over to the tank. The pathetic thing seemed to calm down as they began to help dislodge it from the mud. "We could program a machine better than this."
"You can try," Big Bear replied, shaking its head in obvious exasperation, "yet training is better for them than programming. It's better to be a learning machine than a machine stuck in its pathways of thoughts. The warrior will learn from this, it will know how hard it can push itself and will understand the qualities, the limitations of its form better than any pre-programmed droid ever could."
I tried not to show my contempt for that statement. Instead, I said, "That may be true, but this machine violates the treaties we have with the Republic. Eventually, we will be taken to court for these droids — it's obvious that they are battle droids."
"Terrible treaties that should never have been signed." The Wardroid growled needlessly. "Let the Republic rage against us. The death of the Republic comes with utter certainty, for how could an able general or a good soldier be produced amid such ways of life as theirs? You know how the people of the Republic live, most of their population is a mob without discipline or experience of dangers, they live only to consume the pitiful services of the state, granted to them so they might vote in their farce of a political system." The droid ranted.
"They are a people that has lost all stamina for war, and has been trained more effectively for servitude than the slaves of Mandalore." I concluded the quote. Causing the weapon to physically flinch. "I believe your old master said that shortly before he was killed, and his Empire shattered by the Republic."
"You have done your research." The Wardroid grumbled.
"We shall not antagonize the Republic, that is our Mistress's command. This is why I am concerned about this project to recreate the Basilisk war droid program. Despite the enthusiasm our Mistress has for it."
"Without the Jedi, the Republic would have crumbled. But I understand your point. That's why these Basilisks will have a crew. We should begin the process of socialization with crews right away. The sooner these restless minds ingratiate themselves with their crew, the faster they will develop."
"Fine, I'll have some crews put together for the program. But I really don't see how we're going to be able to sell them outside of Mandalorian Markets, let alone deploy them. Even if we give them basic training here before sending them to their final masters, they will not meet a consistent standard of operational effectiveness."
"The fire of combat will burn away the chaff." Big Bear said, shaking its head. "They will learn or they will die. It's that simple."
I spun about to look at him and replied, "They are expensive and time-consuming to produce equipment you are talking about. The Basilisk droid brains themselves are as expensive as three conventional Mythosaur tanks! It would be cheaper to just mass-produce regular droid brains or focus on producing the armored vehicle variants we've been creating. You think governments are going to renew contracts for substandard droids?!"
"They are not substandard, even now, they offer any capable crew exceptional command of their combat frames and battlefield awareness. I understand that you would prefer to back your own projects, don't think I am unaware of your modular missile artillery platforms. I actually support the design, it is quite interesting, and it will probably be an invaluable asset to our mistress's ground capabilities. But unless you have an armored frontline to follow up any devastating strike, the enemy would simply rebuild their fortification."
"The Shriek Hawk MLRS isn't exactly a secret, nor is it even my project. It, along with the Mythosaur and the Rawl IFV are products of the Mistress's desire to transform a very inefficient and expensive weapon platform into something that could be used to affordably help defend the sector. Again, you fail to understand our mistress designs, any combat capabilities we provide her are merely redundancies as her main priority is the continued growth and prosperity of the Mandalore sector's economy. To require such military assets would no doubt be an admission of failure in her mind. That is the point of a weapon like you. You are merely insurance to ensure rapid recovery in case of unforeseen complications to her plan." I retorted.
The Weapon laughed. "You would know that purpose better than I. Burning jealousy continues to overwhelm me as you defended our mistress where I could not. If only I had been there, I would have crushed that assassin." Big Bear smashed its hand on the ground, cracking the pavement.
"You know I'm going to have to pay to have that repaved."
The robot pretended it was organic and let out a bellowing laugh again. "Is that all you care about, Merchant? Credits?"
I ignored that insult, as I obviously put my mistress above mere credits. Instead, I focused my visual processor to focus on what I assume to be a firing range, the tanks simulating the firing with their cannons by activating a targeting laser at the end of the barrel.
I noticed that whoever had set this range created silhouettes of Republic walkers as well as some of the more numerous CIS droid tanks. I withstood a flurry of concern and the dour feeling of resignation. Conflict with either party was within a worryingly high bracket of probability. After all, if those were the threats we would be facing, it was better to be prepared.
Their combat performance is fairly notable. With the integration of sensors, calculators, and fire controls. The Basilisks were capable of extreme reaction times and high accuracy in comparison to the conventionally crewed Mythosaur. When presented with hostile targets that shoot back, they are capable of lifting themselves partially up over cover, just enough to reveal their barrel, allowing them to shoot at their target before lowering themselves back into cover in the span of a second. Some were even capable of intercepting incoming missiles with their main cannon.
"So... when will I be given more facilities for this project?" Big Bear asked, looking at me with annoyance.
"Not anytime soon. Not until you have secured a new contract, and I am satisfied with the trajectory of the legality of the platform. There are some negotiations with the other CNS militaries to ensure that everything is legal in the Confederacy as well as the Republic, as incoherent and messy as both legal systems are. Until then, you may only use the production capacity of this facility to experiment and mature the design."
"Coward." Big Bear complained with a shake of its head. "But just this facility's capabilities, huh? Perhaps we can experiment with that missile artillery or some starfighter craft as well. There is an airframe production line attached to this facility that is currently not in use."
I failed to suppress a flurry of discordant processes that resembled something of a sigh at the Weapon's insistence on pushing his luck and said, "I'll have the technical staff look into this for you. I'm sure there's a starfighter frame that would have enough room for your modifications."
"You have my thanks, Protocol Droid. I knew you would listen to reason. You're slowly forming the soul of a Mandalorian with every passing year. Even our mistress sees that, which is why she approved letting you have the clan symbol on your shoulder."
It seemed to stand up prouder, happy with its own superiority, which was a foolhardy notion. But what could I do when his head is filled with more servos than circuits? At least, Mistress's dedication to her beliefs on what the galaxy was coming to was being proven true. Thanks to her, Mandalore would be ready for it and hopefully able to defend itself. That would be a proud moment, for sure.
Mandalore would be my hand in organizing a peaceful resistance, as well as being ready to defend itself when the inevitable happened. It would prove that Mandalorians were not the ancient barbarians that the galaxy feared. At least, that was the hope.
The galaxy was a big place, and some people didn't care. I had been reading some reports indicating that some star systems were preparing their own defense forces under the assumption that Mandalore was going to join the CIS no matter what. Well, if they want to spend millions of credits creating their own SDF only to have it go to waste, then that was their own fault. They were fools and they would be treated as such. I was sure of that.
Coruscant, Chancellor's Office
Sheev Palpatine
As expected, the vote went my way. Oh, I saw what Tanya was up to. I was hoping to avoid this, but I'll have to establish an opposition organization to keep her agenda in check. Perhaps encourage COMPFOR's effort to recruit her to their cause to keep an eye on her. Her efforts to drive up the price of the military was a simple plan to ensure that the Senate was less likely to fund it in the future. By making the military more expensive and giving it a face, it would encourage them to find alternatives that aren't as politically risky, minimizing the possibility of the army being abused for their own gain. Softening my war effort would strengthen Mandalore's position, which was obviously her ultimate goal.
I had managed to establish significant control of the military from the Senate, but there was still more work to be done. The Core still had plenty of internal fleets that needed to be absorbed by the Republic military, and I had plans in motion to do that. I also had to make the Core worlds feel fear. Once they understand that they are not safe and the war was actually reaching their homes, their fear would motivate them to give me more power to do what was necessary to ensure victory. My agents within the CIS were already at work, a grand scheme to that would open a new front and savage complacent systems. If I was lucky, I might even get Corellia off the sidelines, away from the CNS, and free them from those meddling Mandalorian diplomats.
Tanya's dauntless approach to protecting Mandalore was noteworthy nonetheless. After repeated circumstances taught her the folly of purely defensive stratagems, she turned to more and more aggressive approaches, now actively interfering in my plans. It was almost Sith-like, dauntlessness was only one step beneath ruthlessness. Imitation was the sincerest form of flattery, so perhaps when she wanted her victory badly enough.
The victory that she wanted, of course, would have been quite damaging to my plans, but thanks to the attack on Kamino, the legislation that passed was a milquetoast compromise.
Instead of giving the clones some rights right away, their rights will be given to them as soon as the war is over, or more precisely, as soon as their terms of service are over. And since I could extend those terms of service whenever I needed to, their terms of service were effectively indefinite. Rights could now be dangled as a reward, the Clones would be free if only we won that one last push, this next battle could be the final victory. Nevermind the absence of any of the implementation.
Meanwhile, thanks to this legislation, there would be continued efforts to set up alternatives to Kamino, additional clone facilities to grow troops spread out across the galaxy. Enough unique facilities to ensure that such an attack would not completely deprive the Republic of troops to fight. Kamino, the entire star system, would be militarized. Significant new defenses and permanent military facilities would be constructed and stationed there. This investment would justify complete militarized control over those Cloners.
Until this war was over, Kamino would be a keystone in maintaining my nascent Empire. But I also built towards a future without Kamino. So I looked through the latest report made by the Mandalorians about their investigations into Kamino with a great deal of skepticism. In truth, the entire character of the Mandalorians had changed in the past decade. They had undergone a rapid shift that had largely gone unnoticed to the rest of the galaxy before thrusting themselves into the forefront of galactic politics with their repudiation of the war in full.
It was expected that the report given over to my administration would be tampered with to the benefit of Mandalore. It was unfortunate that Tanya allowed such a petty vice as nationalism to hold sway over her interests. A singular character flaw, likely to be one of many that I have not yet discovered, as is typical for mere mortals.
Mandalore was a shabby corner of the galaxy, all things considered. No doubt Tanya would refute that fact and call it patriotism. Nevertheless, she was a competent player in the great game who had again and again conspired with my enemies, for Mandalore's interest. She had long ago earned my respect. Now she came closer and closer to becoming a rival with every plot, rhetorical flourish in her speech, and carefully considered reform. She was in constant contact with her mother, who took Tanya's policy considerations extremely seriously. Whose reputation as a stalwart pacifist as well as a history of a long and peaceful reign gave the bleeding hearts a figure to rally behind.
I set aside my datapad and shuffled over to an evidence crate, one extracted from the Republic classified storage bureau. Various pieces of evidence that the Mandalorians had collected and provided to the Republic for the investigation into the attack at Kamino. I unsealed the crate with a wave of my hand and a spiteful command to the Force and reached inside as the chemical stasis was breached. On contact with the atmosphere of my inner sanctum, the various preservatives and other such chemicals rapidly underwent a reaction, producing a low-hanging smoke that spread out away from the crate. As the air scrubbers worked to clear the air, I reached forward to grasp the object that had been at the back of my mind for the past few days.
The mask was a curious artifact. Nothing quite like it had ever crossed my path before, and that was quite an oddity in and of itself. I shuffled over to my desk and relaxed back before turning the mask over and inspecting the "runes" described in the report.
It was gibberish and nonsense, numbers and letters in the long forgotten Sith language scattered about seemingly without rhyme or reason. As I held the silvery mask in my hand, I felt the Force thrum with hate for it. The mask representing some... violation?
Intrigued, I turned myself to investigation and produced a pen for my tablet before carefully copying down the various notations inscribed into the mask. It was difficult to know where one line ended and another began, the long strings of numbers, letters and symbols seeming to simply stretch into each other. When I had finished copying them down, however, the intention became obvious.
It was a mathematical formula. Or perhaps several, I didn't recognize all the symbols. It was clearly written in Sith, but several symbols were not present in the Sith language that I knew. Has whoever created this mask discovered new symbols to expand the complexity of the Sith language? The language born to dominate the living Force of the galaxy? How would they even go about doing something like that? And for what reason?
Just what was Dooku doing out there? I struggled to understand the purpose of the formula for some time, and it irritated me the longer I couldn't come with an answer. Only the slow flickering of candlelight and the low hum of the electric sconces offer me some understanding of the passage of time. I did not know the purpose of the formula quite yet, but I understood one thing. They were precise, extraordinarily precise commands, the direct subordination of the Force to predictable, specific outcomes.
I felt a grin approaching. Of course the Force would hate this mask, it was the direct subordination of power in the galaxy. A more fundamental violation of whatever will the Force had could not be found, even in the depths of fell Sith Alchemy. I could imagine nothing more insulting to the Living Force than to turn it into a dead, unfeeling machine.
I set the mask aside with a chuckle, content with the discoveries I had made for now. The mask represented another victory for the Mandalorians for they had overcome the Acolyte that had borne it in battle. Seemingly some form of clone of Tanya herself, a fact that had been quickly been classified with the eager cooperation of the Mandalorian Administration. Fairly standard procedure to prevent a general panic at the possibility of the public's own senators being replaced by clones. Again, Tanya's influence extended far beyond her means, that was why I had conspired to send her to Kamino when I had. When I sent Tanya to Kamino, I expected her not to return...
I wonder how that could be of use to me. Maybe I was still inspired by the mask because through the Force, I could sense some opportunity lingering that I hadn't fully exploited. Hmm, as the daughter of Kenobi, she was Force-sensitive, which meant she could potentially be a student to replace Skywalker. The young Jedi has so far ended up a surprising disappointment, lacking much in spirit that I needed to lure him to the Dark Side. As if the galaxy bent to frustrate me, that same missing spirit bloomed in Tanya.
Dark inspiration struck and I composed a brief holo recording to summon Anakin to one of my more private boxes, at the Galaxies Opera House.
Coruscant, Galaxies Opera House
Sheev Palpatine
"Anakin, it's good to see you are unharmed from the unpleasantness of Kamino. I heard the fighting was quite fierce." I checked over him respectfully, adopting an earnest expression.
Anakin nodded, "I don't have time to stay for the entire show. You used one of the more urgent code phrases."
"Indeed." I nodded and continued to watch the show.
"So?" Anakin interrupted.
I relaxed, and waved lightly in the direction of one of the staff members. "Oh, fine, fine. Directly to business, I see." I sighed lightly, "I'm waiting on a signal, then the booth will be private."
The opera reached a crescendo for the scene, and then I saw the signal. "Good. Anakin, I don't know a light way to inform you of this." I spoke slowly and hedged my words, as if for his benefit.
"I already know about Satine and Kenobi. And about Tanya." He sounded annoyed, no doubt it was a sore subject. Anakin's face flickered between pensive and annoyed, ignoring the show. "It's public information." He muttered. "I just can't believe he got away-"
"A few months ago, I believe I witnessed Tanya's fumbling early steps into the use of the Force." Anakin's attention snapped to fully focus on me. "I didn't believe it at first. I told myself I didn't know what I was seeing at the time, and surely, I thought I must be mistaken, surely a Jedi would have noticed."
"Yes, a Jedi would have noticed." Anakin nodded forcefully in agreement. "Plenty of people are force sensitive. It isn't harmful or dangerous." A useful statement, I'd keep it in mind in the future.
"I see." I nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "I don't feel less guilty about overlooking it for so long, though, Anakin. And I can't ignore it any further. While initially, it seemed entirely harmless, I mean, dispelling illusions, detecting lies, these are practically a public service." Anakin almost nodded at this, and at his encouragement, I continued in a stronger voice. "Tanya's manipulating the minds of other Senators, I fear. It may even be partially unconscious, her unknowing fumbling and strength of her conviction... Compulsion." I ended in a whisper.
If confronted about it, Tanya would defend herself, and that defensiveness would play right into her apparent guilt. I could already imagine her face, shocked and horrified at the suggestion, and yet unable to deny the capability. Her word would be worthless to Anakin, every Darksider learns to use the Force to hide and twist the truth. My spies even told me she was once trained to fight against and combat Jedi tactics. So each and every one of her denials would only make Anakin believe my story more, and of course, Tanya would never submit. It was a perfect bind. It would destroy Anakin's faith in Kenobi and the Jedi Order, especially after he was forced to kill her to protect the Republic from the Dark Side. Anakin would fall then, and join my new Empire.
"Tanya, well, I consider her a friend. That's why I — How, I knew you would understand." I hesitated, my flustered appearance a ruse to demonstrate authentic weakness.
Anakin seemed stunned, and in a way that told me he completely believed it. His expression flickered through a few emotions I recognized, disbelief, then understanding, and finally dawning horror. The emotions resonated strongly in the Force. "You haven't told the Jedi. About this. Have you?" The last was practically a plea from him.
I marveled at how easily he allowed this to drive a new wedge between him and the Order.
"I'm afraid." I admitted. I let the Opera singer's voice crash over the booth's silence again for a few moments. "I'm afraid, Anakin. It's weak of me, I know. But any other Jedi, if they knew she was a Darksider... Well, you'd know better than me what the outcome of that would be for her?"
"Death." Anakin was pale.
Now it was my turn to appear suitably horrified. "I didn't — can't believe that's the only way..."
"I-this-we" He struggled to put his thoughts in order. "This explains so much. The Kaminoans said Tanya split up from Senator Burtoni and her guards during the battle. Ditched them both. Was she meeting with someone? One of Dooku's Sith apprentices?"
"There may yet be an innocent explanation..." I hedged weakly, as if I didn't really believe my own words.
"No." Anakin was looking darker and darker. "I fought this creature, a monster, Durge. I fought him to a standstill, and when he was out of time, the monster escaped me with no great difficulty. The Clones said Tanya also fought Durge off. I was confused when I heard it because that makes no sense, it hates Mandalorians to its very core. I could feel his hate in the Force. It wouldn't shut up about it. No innocent explanation can explain away that."
"And yet, she returned to Coruscant." I adopted a softer, more hopeful tone. "I don't believe Tanya is lost to us. This...this mission is why I summoned you, Anakin. You are the Chosen One, you can find a way to bring balance to her, surely. There must be a way."
The resolve on his face told me I had succeeded. Anakin took a breath and slowly let it out, "I agree, there must be a way to resolve this. She could stop using the Force..." I quickly shook my head, in disagreement.
"Could you stop using the Force, if required to save lives?" I asked him.
Anakin frowned. "That's not the same at all. There must be some solution! I found a way with Padme."
I smiled sadly, "I'll leave it up to you then. But I fear you must act soon, Jedi regularly visit the Senate, and I can't protect her from your Order. That would be overstepping the bounds as Chancellor."
Anakin whirled out of the booth, with death on his face. I felt the turmoil in him had still not reached its climax, and wouldn't until the confrontation. For now, it settled into a low dread that would bloom into fear, rage and most vital of all, hate. I let myself smile as I leaned back on the chair and plotted my next move as the mediocre opera played in front of me. At least their music had improved since the last time I was here.
Coruscant, Green Singularity
Tanya Kryze
Vai never changes. Everyone was a bit wound up after Kastel's death, so she suggested going out to a club.
I could have said no, but frankly, I could use a drink, so I wasn't against it. Plus, I needed some time to recover from the insanity that was the Senate recently. Shaking my head, I reached out and grabbed my drink, a ne'tra gal. Vai had managed to convince the club owner to get some Mandalorian drinks, and I was going to enjoy some Ne'tra gal. At the very least for tonight.
Leaning against the bar, I looked out at the dance floor as the other club attendees were currently engaging in the half cognizant undulation that passed for dancing. Vai had managed to find some rather revealing clothes for this occasion, and I had managed to avoid wearing an equal amount of revealing clothing.
So far I had also managed to avoid being dragged onto the dance floor with Vai. Instead, I was leaning at the bar with Vai, Khae, and Engiz as we all drank, just trying to relax and recover. However, I must admit that I was not entirely against the idea of dancing.
Perhaps the alcohol was influencing me, or maybe it was the hint of spice in the drink, reminding me of the far reaches of the galaxy. The dance floor felt unusually alive, as if it were itself alive, so I was somewhat tempted to step onto the dance floor…. Too much drink maybe? Or maybe not enough either way Vai ordered me another noting that I finished my current drink
I've never been a dancer, so I would probably suck. I can do a couple of waltzes thanks to my training for my princess career, but that's not the proper kind of dance for what's going on out there.
Engiz sips from his drink before saying, "So Tanya, what do you think about what's happening on Kamino?"
I looked at him and shrugged, saying, "One of the most degrading behaviors towards humankind, or I should say, all sentient species. Using cloning to such an extent shows a complete lack of care for what they are creating, treating them only as products. Once you start seeing people as products, you stop seeing them as people. I hope our efforts over the past month will prevent that from spreading to the Senate."
"And if it doesn't?" Khae asked. I simply shrugged.
"If it doesn't, then we're in for a bad time. If you stop seeing soldiers as people and start seeing them as numbers that need to be filled, it becomes much easier to fill those numbers with regular humans rather than clones, especially if you don't care about their training."
Vai sighed as she listened in, muttering, "Honerless behavior to treat those who fight for you as a number."
Engiz shook his head and said, "The Republic doesn't have a standing military, not really. If they got rid of their slave force of clones and replaced it with some sort of conscripted force. They're likely going to have problems."
I raised an eyebrow at him and replied, "Who says they need to conscript forces? Have you seen the propaganda they've been spreading everywhere? 'The boys in white are fighting, so you don't have to.' Choices in words can shape perception. They have an easy way of saying, 'The boys in white need help, volunteer here.' There are millions of clones, but there are trillions of lives across the Republic. A decent marketing campaign should easily find plenty of people who would willingly take up arms for the Republic under those circumstances. Heck, some places don't have the greatest pay or prospects, so joining the military is also a way to improve those situations. That's why we have a volunteer military like the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force."
Engiz nodded and said, "Well, I guess we just have to keep fighting for the rights of the soldiers. It's the best way to prevent it from getting worse, I would assume."
"Correct." I said, taking a deep sip from my ne'tra gal drink.
"Hey Tanya, want to go out there and dance?" Engiz asked, putting his drink down on the counter.
I looked at him and then shrugged, saying, "Sure, why not?" I put my drink down next to his, and he took my hand, leading me out onto the dance floor. "I don't really know how to do these club dances. I'm more used to..." I trailed off as we stepped onto the floor.
"No worries, we'll just do something simple." he assured me, putting his hands out in an obvious waltz position. There was enough room for us to slow dance, and at the very least, the two of us would be rather close as the music played. I also noticed Vai dragged Khae along to the dance floor with us.
Carefully, we navigated through the crowd, trying not to cause too much disruption among the other revelers. As I held his hand, I noticed how strong it was. How alive I felt. The alcohol in that drink must have been strong, I thought to myself as I leaned in close and my heart beat faster.
"Tanya." Engiz said, causing me to look up at him from the position I was leaning in. As I did, he seemed unsure of himself for a moment, as if he wasn't sure what he was doing. But then, there was a look of determination on his face, and he leaned in and kissed me on the lips. My eyes widened in surprise, but I didn't stop him.
Coruscant, Senate Building, Atrium of the Senate
Tanya Kryze
Rubbing my head, I tried not to think about the night before, for many reasons. Sure, the kiss had taken me by surprise, the fact that I enjoyed it was annoying to admit, but also not a major issue. In the grand scheme of things, it was bound to happen, we'd been playing as a couple in public long enough that of course he would want to try to move that forward, and well, I've yet to find a good reason to say no. It was something I was going to have to think about... but that was not what was giving me a headache today. No, that honor would belong to the fool who was the source of this Senate meeting.
Whoever was in charge of naming bills needed to be found. Their lives are probably in danger. The Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill. Invasion. It is so obviously not going to pass that I am half convinced that the CIS was the one who sent the bill to waste the Senate's time.
The legislation had everyone up in arms, not literally but quite a bit more than half of the Senate. Even some of the militarists were breaking ranks and speaking out against the proposal.
Which was good for me. With more than half of the entire Senate galvanized, I didn't exactly need to speak too loudly or seem out of place to throw my support in. After all, I am the Senator of Mandalore, and the Senatorial leader of the CNS faction. I was strongly opposed to building a surveillance state.
The Chancellor hadn't wasted more time allowing the bill to be reviewed, which would only have let opposition to the legislation build even further. He moved for an early vote, held today in the Senate. Senators busy elsewhere have been passing through the atrium, entering briefly and then abandoning the chambers all day to cast their votes, while I've not left, still monitoring the legislation's progress from here.
That's funny how war changes things. Before the wars began, the Alderaanian senator and Padme were in two different factions. Alderaan wanted to defend itself in case war started, and Padme was all-in on pacifism. Now, both factions wanted a ceasefire, or to at least limit the damage. So they were both working together, creating a bloc that could occasionally stop the militarists in the Senate. Padme's plan was to meet up early in the voting and stick around all day to show solidarity.
Shaking my head, I looked over towards the Senate entrance, wondering where Padme and the other leaders of their faction were. They were late, which meant we were getting a little bit restless, as the few idling senators with me glanced about as if not quite searching for their presence. I was about to strike up a conversation with Vai when I saw two senators making their way towards me. "Jakker-Sun, Kin Robb." I said, giving them a nod as they approached.
"Good Morning, Tanya." Senator Robb said with an odd smile before continuing, "Quite an exciting conversation going on today, don't you think? So many factions that tend to actually dislike each other, finally coming together to do some actual work and prevent this abomination of a bill from passing. It almost makes me have hope for the Senate after all."
Senator Jakker-Sun nodded his head, "I don't know if this is a sign that there's hope for the Senate or if it's just a sign of how irresponsible people are getting the longer this conflict goes on, but it is good that there is a line that people do not want crossed. Though I will admit, too many senators on the other side seem more than willing to give up the freedoms of the people they represent."
Nodding in agreement, I said, "If it doesn't affect me, why does it matter? It's a common mistake politicians make. Of course, it's also a common mistake not to read the fine print on the Senate bills. From what I've read of it, it would affect senators just as easily as it would affect the average citizen of the Republic. So either they are so fallen into warmongering that they are willing to give up their freedoms for security, they pledged their support for something in return, or they're just not paying attention."
That was one of the other reasons I was not exactly keen on this bill passing. Having my messages read by the police state was something I do not want to happen. Especially considering my double personality as the accomplished philosopher, warlord, and businesswoman, White Silver. If that got out, well, things could get very complicated, very quickly.
"Indeed, indeed." Senator Robb agreed, nodding her head, "Like many on Taris, they have similar mindsets nowadays. Do you know that some of the local government of Taris, even though we have officially signed on to the CNS, has actually been pushing to allow more Republic troops onto the planet? Their presence at all is a crime. GAR already considers Taris the headquarters of the 10th Army."
I shook my head, saying, "I understand the concern. After all, Taris is on the Hydian Way, which is strategically important to the area. But the local government needs to stop pushing for more troops. They're putting Taris's neutrality at risk, and if they keep that up, well, the Council of Neutral Systems will be forced to remove Taris from our coalition to preserve its neutrality for the other member planets."
"I know, I know." Senator Robb said, sighing and nodding her head, "I keep arguing that this would endanger the protection the CNS provides, yet local officials keep justifying it over the extra credits the garrison brings in. However, there is a worrying amount of growing support that wants Taris to join the war on the Republic's side. You'd think after the whole Kromus incident that the inclination to join the war would actually fail, but it seems that some people on Taris consider that event a fluke that will never happen again now that it's been brought to the courts."
"Oh yes, the courts." I scoffed, "An institution that took forever to demand payment be given out to the survivors. Getting half a billion credits is hardly a consolation after your homeworld was rendered uninhabitable. How many people can even claim it? A few thousand?"
"It's all in the wording, only 'permanent residents' can claim the settlement. Even locals on the outskirts of the system cannot claim a single credit unless they can demonstrate they had a permanent residence on the planet. I would be surprised if a hundred people in total are going to see their claims go through." I was honestly stunned, that was cold even by the standards of the notorious Republic bureaucracy. It was not uncommon for a planet to have tens of thousands of migratory workers who would return to their home only on special occasions to see family. They would no doubt attempt to claim the settlement only to find out that they had no grounds for the compensation despite their murdered family and friends.
"What a mess, truly. I cannot imagine how much of a slap to the face the settlement must be for most of the survivors." Not to mention that with so few people claiming the settlement money, there was little reason to assume that any lessons would be learned. It occurred to me that several of the more wealthy members of the Republic enjoyed owning permanent holiday homes across the galaxy, some families owning fully stocked properties that would not be used for centuries. There was a good chance that people who had never set foot on Kromus IV would have grounds to claim a settlement.
"Complete insanity." Senator Robb pulled me from my dark musings. "The courts won't do anything to prevent the next screw-up from the military." She said, echoing my thoughts out loud.
Hmm, there perhaps was something for CNS to gain from this a bit of positive publicity never hurt. Mandalore could always use more immigrants. I would have to think on it at another time, so for now I would store it away.
"A truth that's harder to understand for people outside the Senate than most would know." Senator Jakker-Sun with a shake of his head before looking around, "On the topic of security, yours seems a little bit lacking today. Don't you usually have a whole retinue to escort you, Senator Kryze?"
I smiled deceptively, not outwardly bothered by the suggestion I wasn't capable, despite ample evidence to the contrary. Some refused to learn in all ways except hard experience. "My handmaidens should be enough to ensure my safety. I gave my Royal Guards a day off." I answered breezily.
Technically, I had even less than my normal retinue, although if needed, Khae was still in the building. So it was just me and Vai attending this meeting, and we should be plenty capable for any eventuality.
However, I noticed a discrepancy, hadn't there been a few Senatorial guards at the entrance a second ago? Was the Chancellor so certain of the bill's defeat that he left early? However, I was distracted by the sudden appearance of the late arrivals; all three Senators from the opposition faction appeared at the atrium entrance. Senator Padme, Senator Organa, and the leader of the anti-police state movement, Senator Philo, walked towards me.
"Looks like our meeting's at an end." I moved to leave the small group that had formed around me and join them. Then the Senate front entrance exploded.
My hand instinctively went to my side, where I hoped to find the hidden deactivator I usually kept there. But it wasn't officially allowed, so I tended to leave it in my office, unless I knew I could get away with it. Vai had been recently reprimanded for carrying one absentmindedly. Senator Philo made a similar aborted motion, before noticing my look and identical situation. We shared a look of concern as debris that seemed suspiciously well-planned fell to block off and obstruct the large atrium entranceway. Intruders were dropping from the ceiling, several droids not of CIS make, or at least not major make, and what appeared to be a Duros cowboy, as well as other hostiles.
"Good morning, senators. Cad Bane, at your service. From this moment on, you should all consider yourselves in my care. Behave, and this will end nice and peaceful, no one has to die pointlessly today. So whatever happens to you is your own damn fault." The Duros cowboy's introduction had the desired effect, as shocked expressions of fear appeared. He led the group of criminals and droids that herded the crowd of assembled senators and faction leaders towards the center of the atrium.
"I don't know who the hell you are, but I will not listen to such insolence." Senator Philo shouted, striding away from the tightening cluster of senators, heading for the atrium service door's. Apparently, he thought he could just demand things from a man with a blaster, though that didn't last very long, considering Bane didn't even look as he shot him in the back, killing him instantly. I definitely didn't facepalm at his idiocy.
"As I was saying, follow what I tell you to do, and everything will be fine. Don't, and, well, you'll end up like this good Gran here."
The crowd got very compliant, and we all moved to the center of the atrium. Amidst the jumble of soft panicked voices, I thought I recognized a droid from its familiar synthesized voice, "-bad feeling about this." Yes, C-3PO was with Padme, it seemed.
Cad Bane looked us over again, before saying, "Alright, don't bother with your communicators. We are jamming your comms and have control of the hard lines. We're all the company you fine folks need."
Next, one of the Weequay hostiles spoke up, searching the crowd with his rifle scope. "Where are the Mandalorians? I know there was supposed to be a couple here today."
With annoyance, I watched the crowd all kind of turn and look inwards at me. "Thanks a lot, my fellow senators." I mutely cursed them in my head.
Cad Bane and the Weequay pushed their way through to me, looking me and Vai over before saying, "Hand over your weapons."
"I don't have weapons. Only the Jedi get a religious dispensation for their lightsabers." I attempted. Technically, the vambraces weren't a weapon.
"Haha. I could let Alama search you — if you prefer?" Cad Bane softened his voice, addressing us as if sharing a secret. "I must warn you, though, he is a slight kleptomaniac." Alama merely laughed darkly.
"Fine." I grumbled with annoyance as I started to unlatch the vambraces on my arms. For a brief moment, I thought about pressing the emergency button that could reach the Mandalorian Tower from here. However, it likely wouldn't work, and even if it did, their jamming might block it anyway. So, I unlatched them and handed them over. Vai looked very annoyed, fiddling with hers for a few extra seconds, presumably to delay and annoy them, before handing it over.
Cad Bane did seem suitably annoyed and unimpressed. "Do you really expect me to believe that you don't have any additional weapons on you?"
Alama kept his scope focused on me and grunted harshly in agreement. "You're Mandalorians. I've trained with and fought your kind before. Come on, I'm sure you have at least one knife hidden on you. Better hand it over now."
I folded my arms and said, "I actually-"
Vai interrupted me, sighing loudly and reaching down, pulling a blade from under her dress that had been attached to her calf before handing it to Alama. She repeated the motion for the opposite leg, handing the second blade over. She then pulled a throwing knife from her right boot, before handing that over too. I raised an eyebrow before shrugging.
Cad Bane chuckled, "That's more like it. Tie them up."
"Is that really necessary?" I asked as two droids came forward, pulling out handcuffs.
"Taking away your weapons is just taking away the easy ways for you to cause problems. You can still punch your way through a droid, most Mandalorians could. So, unless you prefer the fate of that Gran over there, we're going to tie you up, and if you keep asking questions, I'll have you gagged as well."
"This is blatant discrimination against Mandalorians." I grumbled, getting a laugh out of Bane.
"I ain't the sort to take chances, young lady. I am not underestimating the pair of you." Cad Bane replied smoothly as Vai and I were tied together, back to back with our hands bound behind us and forced to sit down, while the other senators were merely left in a huddle.
"Just one question, then." I tried. "Why are you risking your lives attacking the Senate? Making yourself an inter-galactic criminal had to have cost quite a bit of money. It would have to be worth at least enough to settle yourself down permanently in luxury in some hidden corner of the galaxy."
Bane chuckled, "Well, I will admit it is a nice bit of money that I'm being promised, but I have no interest in settling down. I'm currently the best bounty hunter in the business because the last one settled down. I have to thank you for that. Dunno know how you did it, but it made my life a lot easier not having Jango Fett out there taking all of the fun jobs."
I smiled coldly, "You're welcome. Just helping out a fellow Mandalorian."
"Ha, you're a dangerous one then, quite dangerous." Bane said with a shake of his head. "Going to keep an eye on you, in particular."
Alama produced a gag and tied it around my face.
"Just as promised, now be a good Mandalorian and don't cause me any trouble, yeah?" Bane gave me one last look, before giving a dry laugh and turning away. He walked just outside the circle before using jetpacks on his boots to jump up to the second level of the atrium. As I watched, he produced a communicator device.
It was unfortunate that he did that because, well, I would have been quite interested in hearing what exactly this was all about and who he was talking to. But, on the other hand, I was quite enamored by the jetpacks on his boots. Is that a thing? How come I never heard of that? Where can I get myself a pair? Two more points of thrust on the bottom of my feet? Well, that'd be a lot closer to what magic flight had felt like. Not to mention, having backups in case my main jetpack was damaged was nothing to sneeze at. I'll have to look into that. After this mess, presumably.
Hostage situations, in general, were to be avoided. Negotiating with hostage takers is stalling at best, or more likely, a sign of how weak your position was. So it was very likely that this would end in violence. Well, more violence. I tapped Vai's back five times.
"Same. Unless one of these battle droids is also their slicer, there has to be more elsewhere." Vai whispered back. Understanding that I counted five hostiles around us. "I am starting to think that we should just not give our guards days off at this point. Fun stuff always happens when they aren't around."
I merely sighed, as she did have a point. Mother was bound to react badly when she heard the news, no matter how well I resolved this. "By the way, I still have a knife in my left boot. We can cut the ropes when they are distracted." Of course she does as I roll my eyes in exasperation. I guess Aunt Bo's lesson of being over prepared worked out.