717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 9
Raxus Secundus, Mandalore Diplomatic Residence
Korkie Kryze
Acting as a Foreign Diplomatic Observer in the CIS Parliament reminded me of being surrounded by snapjaws back on Breshig, but each snapjaw is more interested in eating each other than myself. Every senator has their own self interests that they pursue to the detriment of everyone else, especially to the detriment of their rivals. This caused most topics to require hours of exhaustive debates and backroom dealings before a decision was made.
The loudest voices were from the so-called War faction and the Peace faction. One seeks the complete dissolution of the Republic to ensure the Confederacy's security, while the other opposes them to pursue a peace treaty with the Republic for a quick end to the war. Of course, it wasn't as black and white as I am making it out to be, but those were the main motivations behind both political parties.
Legislation would be proposed focusing on army appropriations by the War faction, which the peace faction would counter by asking who will be footing the bill. While that debate was going on, the real work happens behind the scenes as both factions use whatever tools in their arsenal to get the votes through, from kickbacks masked as lucrative trade deals or just straight bribery to concessions and helping them hinder their rivals.
The Neutrals themselves were not idle, either. They usually swung their support between the War and Peace factions, depending on whoever had the better offer. While the War faction is larger and has more resources to offer, the Neutrals often played "hard to get" to be offered more in return for their support. This resulted in the War faction spending more of their political capital than the Peace faction, who husbands their capital for important legislation, keeping the Parliament locked in a frightening and vicious balance.
When the Shadowfeed showed the latest Republic atrocity in the Outer Rim, the Peace faction would take center stage with legislation on humanitarian aid. And the cycle repeated, whether the aid actually reached the intended victims was secondary to what each senator stood to gain from it. This was an oversimplification of the situation and overlooked the various nuances of each senator's interests, but it gave an idea of how the Parliament was as cutthroat as a barrel of snapjaws.
In this political arena, I was only an observer. In the war sessions, I was appalled at the blatant calls to violence, but it was the cold indifference to massive statistics of deaths that disturbed me the most. 1.3 billion dead at Kromus, hundreds of millions dead in their homes thanks to "Republic Liberation" on Christophsis, countless more displaced and injured. So often it felt like all I could do was watch, write down what happened, and inform Auntie Satine afterwards. It burned that while there is untold suffering, those that have the resources to help are prioritizing enriching themselves over helping.
Naturally, I gravitated to the Peace faction due to my own moral stance and the CNS's position as a peaceful entity who I am representing. Senator Bonteri has been a great help in informing me on how to navigate the factions in Parliament. One of my conversations with the Senator kept replaying in my head.
"You know, I met your sister years ago back on Coruscant. Back when she was just a Representative and not yet a Senator. You are nothing like her."
"Stars, am I truly that bad?" I deflected, not sure what Senator Bonteri meant by that.
"No, no." She laughed. "You misunderstand. Tanya was so earnest, so serious, so methodical. She's a rare combination in the Senate."
Tanya's intensity, if not her beliefs in White Silver, made more sense to me now. Tanya truly believed that with sufficient willpower and effort, someone could right what was wrong with the galaxy. It was a very Mandalorian way of thinking. And back then, she had wanted to understand Mandalore to fix its problems all along. I didn't agree with her conclusions, but the problems were clear enough to me now.
My initial misgivings on arriving at Raxus seemed like obvious problems in hindsight. I realized nothing of significance to the war effort was ever decided in Parliament after enough sessions in the observer box, despite the constant factional maneuvering. The values of the Bylaws of Independent Systems were cited as justification for decisions, but few Senators seemed motivated by it alone. The military, in theory, was meant to follow the directions of Parliament, but in practice, acted independently at the will of the Executive Separatist Council.
Megacorporations dominated the Executive Council and prioritized their own special interests above the war or peace efforts. Count Dooku was complicit in this, his authority in government went beyond his role as Head of State, relaying his own separate orders to the Executive Council. Given the forces and competing interests in play, there might not be any viable path to peace through Parliament alone. At least not while it didn't control the course of the war.
Feeling tired, I laid back in my chair, looking up at the ceiling. Mandalore had been given a small estate to use as an embassy and office on Raxus. It wasn't an impressive building, only four stories, with a skylight allowing me to look at the night sky or the sun during the day – which was the case currently, as it was sunny. The estate has a nice, wide office which was well-furnished that I am using.
Here, the floors were wood and the walls were made of brick. While everything on Mandalore was made of glass and metal, this more rustic style felt very warm and soothing, compared to the industrialized and cold look that was more common at Mandalore.
I understand that there were multiple reasons the New Mandalorians chose that style from my time in the Royal Academy. Like how wood was a scarce resource after the Excision and not worth the cost of importing. The New Mandalorians wanted more natural light to enter the domes, so glass became a core component of New Mandalorian architecture. This modern style was also a clear break from the more ancient and war-like culture of the past. I wouldn't mind importing some of this design back home just for a change of scenery.
My musing was cut short when my office terminal alerted me of an incoming call from Guard Captain Briyuk. "Yes?"
"Lady Soniee and Lady Natalya have returned from their outing, your highness."
"Thank you, captain. You can let them in." Once the call ended, I got up to brew some tea. I don't know how it happened, but my office has now become our regular hangout spot. It started when Soniee decided to come in to help me organize the various Confederate senators into the faction they were a part of before her visits to help became more frequent. If we finished early, we just talked until dinner time. Sometimes Soniee brought Natalya to help, but she usually left once we were done to "give us some alone time" as she called it.
I had just finished placing a tea bag in each of our cups when the door opened. Soniee entered while carrying a box of electronics, "I'm telling you Raxus has a much wider variety of options than in Mandalore, maybe even better than Coruscant. I even picked up a new Scipion dataslate; a model that is not even available on Coruscant yet."
"Well, that much is obvious but I am just saying that every mall is just the same.. What are you going to use these for?" Natalya stepped in right behind her, also carrying a box. Shared interests in shopping and political theory had made them fast friends.
"I want to see if I can bridge the HoloNet with the Shadowfeed." Soniee said, dropping her large box onto the coffee table. "I also want to see how the Scipion dataslate compares to my MandalTech dataslate. The fact that both use different operating software would be an interesting test."
"Welcome back, so how was your shopping trip?" I asked as I placed Soniee's cup full of steeping tea on the coffee table.
"We bought some souvenirs for Amis and Lagos, got some groceries for the pantry, and this dataslate that I am going to enjoy taking apart later. Overall, a good haul." Soniee immediately activated both of her dataslates to tinker with them.
"What about you, Natalya?"
"You already know how I feel about the rampant commercialism of the megacorporations. So I mainly just kept Soniee company and helped with carrying her items." Natalya answered as she took her cup after taking a seat on the couch opposite of Soniee. She then took out her flask and poured a bit of her vodka into her cup. Natalya apparently knew how to brew her own flavored liquor, and she somehow managed to build her own still in the estate's basement in her spare time as a hobby. The end results were actually pretty good, if a little strong.
However, the more I stayed on Raxus, the more I wondered how Anteevy and the CIS agreed to join forces. The fact that they have more differences than similarities yet were still on the same side was suspicious. The CIS seemed increasingly dependent on growing the economy through force, while Anteevy believed in using droids for the betterment of society. The Workers' Council believed droids were meant for the good of their society, an idea that seemed foreign to both the CIS and the Republic.
When I asked Natalya that question, her answer was that the Workers' Council were aware that they would have to oppose the CIS's megacorporation eventually, yet both of them want the Republic to be defeated first as they are the bigger threat. Thus, for now, since both of their interests aligned, they decided on a temporary alliance.
The cloying feeling of guilt for what we did on Anteevy hasn't diminished. Soniee and I have been dating openly these past few months, and I hope that someday I can confess to her what happened. She deserves that much. Thankfully, Natalya has become more distant lately due to her busy schedule as Anteevy's Diplomat. What free time she does have often was spent with Soniee, which honestly was a relief.
I took a sip of my cup when my comlink buzzed. Ah, that should be Auntie Satine for our monthly call. I walked over to the holo-display and accepted the incoming call. The CIS wasted no time in setting up a Shadowfeed relay to connect to Mandalore which Anteevy helped build, and I was happy to take advantage of it. Auntie Satine appeared, smiling and lighting up the interior of the room with her presence. "Auntie Satine, it is great to hear from you. I've missed you."
She smiled, "It is good to hear from you too, Korkie. How is Mina holding up after everything? I worry about her, most of her circle is still on Coruscant, or busy in the RRM." Senator Mina Bonteri was a friend to Auntie, they met back during the Mandalorian Civil War. There weren't many left who remembered those days.
"About as well as could be expected, considering. Senator Bonteri's proposed ceasefire and peace accords, well, Count Dooku only had to express his doubts about it on the Shadowfeed, and her support basically evaporated."
"Parliament and by extension the Bylaws should be all that matters. Does Count Dooku truly hold so much sway over the Confederacy?" Auntie Satine asked, concerned.
"No, not directly. And Senator Bonteri kept at it — the ceasefire legislation just took longer to leave committee and reach the Parliament floor. But then, the Coruscant bombings happened."
"Hundreds of thousands dead, millions injured." Auntie Satine nodded sadly. "I donated what little supplies we had on hand at the embassy and whatever was available on Coruscant to the relief effort with more substantial donations from the CNS arriving by an Ithorian Herd-ship. The humanitarian toll is catastrophic, medical operations lost power mid-surgery, air traffic went offline and caused countless accidents, some lower levels lost ventilation, so many malfunctions even in the recovery. The Republic is calling it a terrorist attack, they say the Separatists are the only one with the resources to perpetrate it."
"It's not even reported in the news here, not counting the propaganda. The humanitarian crisis on Muunilinst, the destruction of the mining infrastructure on Jabiim is mentioned more often. No one here ever mentions the Core, except as the enemy." I explained. "How's Tanya?" Another reason I needed to talk to my sister, to hear a proper retelling of the events from her side of the story.
"Setting a bad example, it seems like." There was a loud sound coming from Aunt Satine's end. The holo fuzzed and returned with Aunt Bo-Katan in Satine's office.
"So I can't set a bounty on this chakaaryc, but you can send your Jetii boyfriend?" Bo-Katan was shouting.
"Master Kenobi is already investigating the incident. Mercenaries are only going to complicate-"
Bo-Katan seemed only now to realize my holo-presence. "Sorrrrry, Korkie, but my sister and I are going to have a conversation about what it takes to keep our family safe. Again." She clenched her jaw, and the holo cut off abruptly. Well, there goes my chance to catch up with Auntie Satine.
Raxus Secundus, Mandalore Diplomatic Residence
Soniee Carid
Once I familiarized myself with the dataslate's layout, I started adjusting the settings on my new device. Pushing both empty and unopened boxes of electronics and supplies I acquired while shopping with Natalya further back of the wooden table for some space. We had been searching for useful Separatist tech and electronics for my many projects. It needed to be customizable and friendly to slicers, as I wasn't planning on running any approved software packages on them.
Anteevy had apparently received loads of obsolete gear from Techno Union and told how their electronics only talk with other Techno Union products. So Natalya steered me away from the more proprietary and corporate-locked gear, and found me a collection of very tall and intimidating Muun vendors with Scipion gear. Other than the Scipion dataslate, I also bought stacks of electronics, various ports and wires, and half-disassembled droidware. Korkie hadn't uttered a word of complaint at the amount of stuff I bought, but it will all be worth it once I get these working.
The Republic Non-Communication Act turned splicing the protocols from the Shadowfeed and the HoloNet into an actual challenge. Korkie had explained that the law was only meant to stop Republic officials and Senators from providing information to the enemy. But corporations and patriotic slicers had added all kinds of barriers and hacks to prevent the two communication systems from working together.
In only a short time, it had become impossible for a system using the Shadowfeed to even communicate with others on the HoloNet. Anyone on Raxus wanting HoloNet access would need a ship and a working hyperdrive because they'd need to jump to a system with a working HoloNet transmitter. But I think I might have a way around that with some of the new gear Natalya and I had bought and by abusing our access to the new Mandalore relay. Focusing on the dataslate, I added the port converter to its secondary comlink port on the back and connected it to my MandoTech dataslate. I reset the small Shadowfeed antenna I'd modified and plugged it back into the port.
In theory, the Scipion dataslate and the Shadowfeed would send my MandoTech's signal to Mandalore where it would connect with the Mando Holonet that would then bounce the signal to other sections of the Holonet, granting me access to the HoloNet whilst on the CIS capital without revealing that I am on Raxus or Mandalore.
"Is it working?" Korkie looked at me in interest. I forgot where I was for a minute there. I often got tunnel vision when I was working on a problem, so I nodded to hide my blush.
"We should message one of your friends from the Royal Academy to test it out." Natalya suggested.
"There's a Shadowfeed relay there now, so that's not a good test." I explained, the comlink protocol would always use the nearest compatible relay.
"Well, I have been meaning to talk to my sister. Coruscant's pretty far outside Shadowfeed range, right?"
"It can only do direct comms right now, too, so don't expect to go browsing the Jedi Archives." I cautioned, as Korkie walked over and attached a comlink to the link port. This might not work at all, but I had kept at the project after Korkie's praise for the concept. I needed a project to work on because I didn't feel like I deserved to be here. I am not a diplomat or royalty, I am just Korkie's girlfriend.
"She might not even be available. Who knows what time it is there." Natalya said. The small device pulsed white and blue, and then a connection was established.
"It's evening on Coruscant in the diplomatic quarter. This is secure, right?" Korkie asked, and I nodded.
"Hello, Ms. Carid." I heard Tanya's voice from the holo-display, but nothing visible appeared on the device. I tweaked a few of the settings on the receiver, and Tanya appeared, if faintly. It only showed a fuzzy outline of her appearance, tinted blue and white, filled with static. She continued, "It has been a long time since we last spoke, any reason why my communicator thinks you're in the Kashyyyk system?" Because that was where the HoloNet part of this was retransmitting from. Technically, that part was illegal.
"Kashyyyk has the worst defenses against slicers. Or they like their system full of holes. We're still on Raxus Secundus."
"Interesting to know." Tanya's eyes scanned the room, seeing me and giving me a smile. Then, her gaze fell on the third individual in the room, noticing her distinctive uniform, and that smile melted away.
"Oh... I didn't realize you were entertaining communists here, Korkie. I thought this place was the Mandalorian embassy." Tanya always wielded her words like they were weapons, seeking some tactical outcome, which was so different from her brother. Korkie would never manipulate people with his words, he had demonstrated many times he believed his convictions.
Korkie didn't seem bothered though, standing up, and approaching, "Good to see you, Tanya. And yes, it is still a Mandalorian mission. Natalya is Mandalorian too, she sometimes comes by to talk to us. I've been trying to make friends with the factions within the CIS. To accomplish that, I need to learn and understand the Separatist peoples, so we can avoid being drawn into the conflict, and eventually, broker peace. So far, I've only been successful with the people of Anteevy."
"No doubt due to your political visit to their homeworld." Tanya said, not bothering to disguise her loathing as she looked at Natalya.
"Well, I'm just following your example, after all." Tanya never noticed how much Korkie lived in her shadow, and how much he tried to live up to her accomplishments. "You tried to prevent an entire war by tracking down a Mandalorian who was working for Nute Gunray." Korkie replied.
Tanya scoffed to indicate her displeasure at that remark, but she eventually nodded. Her gaze didn't linger on Natalya, in fact, she started ignoring her, turning her attention away from Natalya who was still by the holographic fireplace. I shot her a worried glance, but she didn't seem to care. Natalya was looking into the fire, distracted by something.
"Yes, well, the bounty hunter Jango Fett was a mercenary, a sellsword. Giving him an offer he wouldn't refuse was a reasonable way of defusing the situation. Communists, on the other hand, are different. They're a very ideological lot who would rather follow blind faith in their ideals than logic and reason." She scoffed, and her holo-image flickered into fuzz for a moment at her gesture.
Korkie was unflappable, however. "That may be so. However, I choose to look past those ideologies and see the people within the group. If you look at their situation, it makes sense. They live on a planet that's barely even considered livable, in underground vaults of cities. They need to work together, unite together, or they'll die."
"Strange, unite together, sounds like a clan, and from what I remember, they hate clans. Something about how they are the cause of all problems in the Mandalorian sector and seek to abolish them." Tanya mused.
"Communism transcends the clan system, it replaces the need for the clan structure in our society. Clans are hidebound and traditional, their authority comes from their history, the past, so they are unable to change and adapt to progress." Natalya spoke up, no longer distracted. It was a topic we had discussed often. Both the Carid and Kryze clans had changed significantly after the New Mandalorians ended the Civil War.
"The Workers' Councils are one thing and at least somewhat democratic, but the authority and power the General Secretary wields is too centralized and broad for anything good to come of it. Sooner or later, your glorious leader will lead you into some sort of war." Tanya said, shaking her head.
Natalya just shrugged her shoulders, unconcerned, "Yes, and we're already a part of a war. Our armed forces and droid armies are integrated with the Confederacy Navy and deployed with the rest of the Separatists. There are other Mandalorians here supporting the CIS as well. Mandalorians like the mercenary Spar, and his mercenary company. So the war's already here."
"Yes, and did you possibly sell a protocol droid to the former senator from Mandalore? Tal Merrik had a droid that seemed to originate from Anteevy." She questioned.
Natalya shook her head, saying, "I don't know anything-"
Tanya interjected with annoyance, "Compartmentalization so they don't have any knowledge about the wrongdoings of their government. This is one of the problems with communists."
"She said she doesn't know anything about that." Korkie said. Tanya's personal grudge against Anteevy was such an honest Mandalorian trait, it was just unfortunate she had directed her antipathy to their ideology instead of the actual perpetrators. Communism didn't seem to have any chance of disappearing, with Anteevy's expanding influence in the CIS. "And are you really going to start judging people based on the products they sold? I thought you weren't doing that, considering you are supportive of the White Silver's efforts to help the Republic."
Tanya's fuzzy outline gave off the appearance of irritation, static swirls twisting and turning. "Fine, I won't judge the Communists for the actions of an individual, even if their actions included attempting to kidnap me or attempted murder."
"That agent was dealt with." Natalya spoke up. "She's been sent to the undergrounds to work off her debt to society."
Tanya's response held skepticism, "Hmph, sure. I'll believe that."
Natalya stood up, "Korkie, catch up with your sister. I'll message you before the next meeting, a few Senators have shown interest."
"Oh, let Senator Fonti know I will stop by early, I wanted to discuss some ideas with her." Korkie said to the departing Natalya. She nodded in acknowledgement and closed the door.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, I tapped the table and directed my attention towards Korkie, asking, "So, Korkie, were you going to, you know... bring up the brother-sister issue?" I stumbled over the topic, unsure how to mention it, even though we had discussed it several times, and it clearly bothered Korkie.
Tanya's image fuzzed in and out again, "Let's see. I don't feel a difference in our relationship and we were raised as brother and sister. Yes, we're not biologically siblings, but has an adopted child ever not been a brother or sister to their siblings?"
"Heh. You know, I am so glad we agree on that. I was worried that..." Korkie trailed off.
"That I'd be thinking about trying to steal the crown of Mandalore because I now have a stronger claim to the throne?" Tanya said, her tone light.
"Actually, I was worried you'd want to cut contact with me because I'm not related."
"That's rather short-sighted thinking." Tanya said, shaking her head. "You're far more important to me than just my cousin, Korkie. Besides, you're probably going to be annoyed with me in the next few months anyway."
"Really, why? I'm pretty far removed from the Senate, my diplomatic role on Raxus is a long-term assignment." Korkie said.
Tanya's smirk managed to come through the weak holo signal. "Remember that hostage situation last month? Well, considering that I almost died, I've taken the liberty of asking the Senate for a religious exemption on wearing armor. The Chancellor already approved the idea."
Korkie seemed concerned, though, "So, you're going to represent us in the Senate by wearing armor? I'm not really sure if that's a good idea, Tanya."
She sighed, "I've had two assassination attempts this year. I've got to prioritize my own safety. You should probably do the same."
I furrowed my brows, puzzled. "Why? Korkie brought his Royal Guards with us."
"You heard me. I've had two assassination attempts this year alone, and both times were when my Royal Guards were not present or were minimized. One of them possibly by the CIS. Or at least the CIS were financing troublesome groups within the Mandalore sector that eventually led to an assassination attempt. The same thing could happen to you." She shifted her gaze back to me, meaningfully.
"That wouldn't happen." I said, looking over at Korkie, who seemed concerned and then quickly looked away.
Tanya shook her head, "Believing it won't happen does not guarantee it wouldn't. The only thing that guarantees you'll live is the armor you're wearing. I don't care if it has to be exactly Mandalorian. Just wear something blaster proof under your suit jackets, anything that can help keep you alive."
Korkie sighed and seemed uneasy by the concept of wearing armor, but she wasn't wrong. Worst of all, it really came from a place of concern.
"Alright." Korkie eventually gave out. "I'll contact Auntie Satine about sending me some armor."
Tanya smiled, a genuine warmth in her expression. "Thank you, Korkie. Well, enough about worrying topics. How have you and Soniee been getting along out here? You two are out here all alone, except for the few guards. Have you made any interesting contacts?"
I blushed at the implication, hopefully the HoloNet signal wasn't strong enough for her to notice. I gave a slight cough before I answered, "We've met a few interesting Mandalorians out here. One Mando bounty hunter had some tall tales about his basilisk war droid, but his Gungan friend was strange enough."
Korkie nodded, "Yeah, the CIS is quite popular with mercenaries and privateers, unfortunately. Speaking of which, there's an interesting group of Senators and other high-ranking Separatists who are interested in meaningful reforms to the Confederacy. The Parliamentarians have only met a few times so far, but I'm optimistic."
"Really?" Tanya said, tilting her head. "Tell me more about that."
The Diplomat, Courier-class freighter, en-route Dathomir system
Tanya Kryze
Sighing, I leaned back in my seat, looking over the accommodations of Mandal Hypernautics new Courier class. She's a fine ship, large enough to get me and my retinue where we're needed yet doing so fairly quickly. I hoped this trip to Dathomir would be a minor detour. Representative Kyri was staying behind on Coruscant, but she was informed of the upcoming legislation. She would vote in my stead, but I didn't expect the Senate to be very active while Coruscant was undergoing repairs after the bombings. Where we're going was not somewhere I had expected to be heading at this time of year.
Officially, I am heading back to Mandalore to spend several weeks with family for the end of year holidays, as well as clock in my paid vacation time. As Senator, I also need to coordinate with various constituents and political leaders back home for the sector. Scheduling it during my vacation might label me as a workaholic, but it is better than wasting time going back and forth multiple times. Much more efficient to have just one trip.
X4 recently warned me that since the last time I checked, the election between Almec and Pre Vizsla was taking a rather personal direction. The reconstituted Mandalorian Secret Service investigating Mother's council for corruption was one thing, but recently, they started requesting files on Royal accounts. X4 had long since buried most, if not all, of my ties to White Silver, so I wasn't worried on that front, but it was concerning that they knew to look all the same. Still, the investigation would probably amount to nothing, as Vizsla had an overwhelming lead in popular support.
While I haven't interacted with Governor Vizsla all that much, they gave me an idea of what Governor Vizsla is like. He reminds me of those few competent yet charismatic executives that I've met during business conferences. You only need to see how prosperous Concordia is now compared to when it was decades ago to see how capable Governor Vizsla is at managing a moon. Having someone like him as Prime Minister would only bring good things to the sector. It would be interesting to have such a capable individual as an ally. He could help Aunt Satine keep the Mandalorian sector together while I focus on the CNS as a whole.
This would mean that I would have more opportunities to work alongside Governor Vizsla, while also being capable of spending more time with Aunt Bo. Which would be convenient if we had to discuss something off-the-books or an issue cropped up that might require White Silver intervention. House Kryze was on the brink of consolidating into the foremost political power in Mandalore, but on the other hand, the CNS needed strong Mandalorian backing to hold together. Which was why instead of heading to Mandalore to talk to my mother and investigate what was going on with local politics, I was heading to a planet near the Mandalore sector called Dathomir.
Their system didn't even have a proper planetary authority. Dathomir was populated by various Clans with no bureaucratic government, so there were no shipyards or planetary stations, or void assets of any kind, really. The group that had contacted us represented a group of witches, apparently Force-sensitives who followed local doctrine over Jedi custom. They weren't represented by any galactic authority either, so it made some kind of sense the Jedi ignored them, in a backwards way.
From what I understand, they were close enough to the contested border that they were concerned about an invasion of their homeworld. And truthfully, their fears seemed well-founded. The system was slightly Core-ward of the contested front of the Belsmuth campaign; the Republic was expanding the front to cut off Botajef's vast shipyards from reinforcing the encircled CIS systems in Dentari. So one of their leading witches contacted a rogue merchant, sending the CNS a message about trying to form an alliance to prevent an invasion by the CIS.
Such an uneven alliance was unlikely to be sustainable in the long term. Dathomir could provide a waypoint for some of the systems that were further away from the main body of the CNS, but without any space docks, it wasn't very valuable. Besides, who knows what these "witches" could even offer the CNS. I was only familiar with the term "witch" because it was mentioned in almost every record I could find on the system. The archives mentioned the witches could call upon "dark powers" they had, but without any specifics, but presumably they thought it was significant enough to merit an alliance.
A fascinating thing that I noticed about these Dathomirian witches while skimming the Jedi Archives was that they were often described as wielding "dark powers," but never explicitly stated to be Sith. As far as I could tell, the Jedi didn't seem to consider them the same. Reading between the lines, it suggested that all Sith used "dark powers," but not all users of "dark powers" were Sith.
Personally, I suspected that generations ago, some of these witches had lost a propaganda campaign to the Jedi. I could imagine that there was a possibility of a Civil War going on down there between various tribes and covens of witches — some wanting to join the CIS, others wanting to stay out of it. It was far from unusual for isolated groups to seek outside support during times of strife.
Of course, I wouldn't know for sure until we arrived. It would be in a day or two. It took time to get places, though I wish I had been able to bring more of my staff to this meeting.
Vai and Tabbi were celebrating their delayed honeymoon trip. I had allowed it, even letting them take my Lancer, the Regum, so that they had their own transportation. They were also in the Mandalore sector, visiting Gargon to celebrate. They were going to make full use out of that hotel and resort complex that X4 was operating in White Silver's name. From what I understood, the resort was very profitable, and the credits continue to grow. Even considering our location near the Belsmuth campaign front.
Profits were pretty much on the rise all across Gargon. Not only have we managed to attract the rich and famous with its natural beauty, but a thriving film industry was being developed there. It was also popular with soldiers from the front. It's close enough that they could spend a weekend in what amounted to space Vegas before returning to the front.
That's the life of a soldier, I guess, in an interstellar galactic conflict. It was different from my memories of the Great War, simply because there had never been a Vegas right behind me during the fighting. I guess most of my troops had just enjoyed whatever comforts they could find on the front.
Patriarch Raz Ordo had called a clan summit, so Engiz needed to return, as long as it didn't compromise my security. No word what the summit would be about, but we both thought it was likely related to either the CNS or the war. I agreed to let him go, and lent him my other Lancer, Ultima.
This meant I was down quite a bit of staff, I will admit, but it should be more than enough. X4 was back up and running at full capacity, currently making me a cup of caf. But it was just my personal staff; of course, there were other staff on the ship. The military version of this ship had a crew complement of 80. It was pared down quite a lot for the civilian variant. This ship had a full complement of 28, 20 staff, and up to 8 guest suites. We had a full complement, and my Royal Guards were helping themselves to the amenities in the guest suites, so the ship was in good order.
Not to mention, the Courier-class was quickly becoming popular as a good blockade runner. It was capable of transporting basic resources and selling quite nicely to planets that needed to run resources past the blockade of the Republic and the CIS to the starving population of various planets.
"Here you go, Mistress." X4 said, putting a cup of caf down in front of me.
"Thank you, X4." I said, tasting the caf and savoring its flavor. I activated the desk surface's holo-display, and started reading through the Senate's latest GAR after action reports and Jedi bulletins. The latest reports out of Duro were concerning. The Separatist General of the Confederacy's First Fleet had finally been appointed, and Republic Intelligence had only discovered the fact after the surrender of Duro to General Grievous. The 2nd Sector Army was supposed to be guarding the Corellian Trade Spine, it was a key hyperlane for the Core. According to the after action reports, however, most of the 2nd Sector Army was caught flat-footed at Denon, a sector away.
News was still slowly creeping out about exactly what was going on. Surprisingly, no one was trying to cover up just how bad of a mishap this may be, as whatever forces were under General Grievous's command were pushing heavily up the Corellian Trade Spine.
People either spoke of how badly the war was going or how the news was proof that the Republic was still a free and honorable democracy, depending on who you spoke to.
Sighing, I leaned back in my chair and changed the holoscreen to the Silver Mandalorian show. I was taking a bit more interest in what was going on there because something hilarious had happened on set recently. During the build-up for the climactic show's final battle, the actress posing as White Silver took part in the Mandalorian induction ceremony. Evidently, the cheapest way to actually show such a ceremony was to perform the exact ceremony with the exact rites and everything, which had resulted in the star, Taylor Palatine, becoming a Mandalorian by Creed, technically.
Of course, I was present at the rites disguised as my own double, White Silver, so I could see the ritual for myself. I was looking forward to what would happen when that episode was released.
It would be a very humorous turn of events, which in my mind was a good thing all around, as it will be a good lesson that explains a bit of our culture to the Core. That lesson being that Mandalorians were not a bloodline. We weren't a people. We were a creed, a culture. And the best way to defuse fear about a different population was education. Hopefully, this would result in there being fewer votes on attacking Mandalore the next time someone decided to vote on that.
Raxus Secundus, Dooku's Palace
Count Dooku
Grievous was even more successful than I expected. Duro was captured, and the Republic's 2nd Sector Army was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, not even the expected defensive forces were present due to local corruption sending them elsewhere. I examined the galactic holoview on my desk surface display, making sense of Grievous's latest reports.
On the display, Grievous's efforts at reorganizing the First Confederacy Fleet was shown, the fleet redeploying from Duro. Admiral Trench's forces were also visible on the display, shown commanding the Third Confederacy Fleet. The Third Fleet had split from the combined fleet at the Rimma Trade Route, and was fighting its way up to the Core along that super-hyperlane. Grievous's blitz up the Corellian Trade Spine had proved faster than the Republic anticipated, faster than even I had anticipated, truly.
Grievous captured Jyvus Space City above Duro intact, seizing crucial Republic intelligence which explained the situation and baffling lack of defenses. Local officials had apparently "leased" the Republic's fleet assets, pocketing the profits and leaving behind only a skeleton force. The leased forces ultimately proved too distant to return to defend Duro in time. The city's intact capture also yielded the codes to deactivate the planetary shield. After the shield was disabled, the system surrendered soon after.
With Duro secured, the Confederacy had de facto control of the Corellian Trade Spine, the entire super-hyperlane route. Combat engineers were relocating asteroids, mines, and other bulky space debris into position at the northern end. Grievous was confident that significant enough mass shadows would prevent ships departing from Corellia from traversing down the Spine and becoming a flanking force. Mass shadows did block most safe navigation, smaller ships could navigate asteroid fields and debris of course, but the Republic's fleets were not so nimble.
The Core's density meant astrogation outside charted hyperlanes required powerful navi-computers and skilled astro-cartographers; overall, it was a dangerous proposition. The Republic would be trapped in the Core and unable to strike at the Confederacy's southern flanks, allowing time for us to consolidate our gains in the galactic south.
The new Separatist government of Duro was working quickly to connect to the Shadowfeed and solidify the gains on the Corellian Trade Spine. I moved my hands across the desk, panning the holo-display to examine the rest of the forces deployed along the super-hyperlane route. So far, everything still appeared in line with Darth Sidious's Grand Plan. We've been building up towards Operation Durge's Lance, a strike into the heart of the Republic, for many months now. Only Corellia remained unsecured, the apex of the super-hyperlane, obviously a trap. No doubt, Sidous meant Grievous to discover the missing 2nd Sector Army there, in addition to Corellia's own formidable defenses.
All according to Sidious's Grand Plan. My role was only to orchestrate Grievous's attack, create a threat to the neutral system of Corellia, and drive it into the Republic's grasp. The strike up the Corellian Trade Spine created the perception of an imminent threat to the Republic's Core. Meanwhile, Sidious would use the threat to remake the Republic into his nascent Empire, defeat by defeat, using the military losses as justification for expanding the executive authority of the Chancellor.
Of course, Sidious's plan no longer bound me. The battle of Corellia would not happen; Grievous would receive a signal with permission to advance further into the Core, even to the gates of Coruscant after I announced my new Triumvirate Order. Grievous would then cease any further contact with Sidious; I had no fears from that corner. Grievous's loyalty was single-minded, so long as he had his revenge on the Jedi and the Republic Grievous would be more than happy to follow my commands.
After that day of reckoning, Sidious will no doubt retaliate in force. I have many plans and contingencies in place to distract him. Many of these were now ready to execute, undermining and disrupting his intelligence network across the galaxy. The most major of these was turning Operation Durge's Lance from a puppet threat to a deadly one. Upon my signal, Grievous will bypass Corellia and its formidable defenses, instead appearing hundreds of parsecs behind them.
Sev'rance's unique talent and skill in the Force had allowed her to detect a number of lost hyperlane routes during her campaign through the Core to Sarapin. Most of these lost routes were derelict, unusable. They had collapsed so tightly in on themselves that only small ships could still exploit them. However, a fleet equipped with sufficient S-thread boosters could forcibly expand the narrow hyper-route temporarily, allowing us to navigate the jump. As it so happened, one such derelict route was from the dawn of the Republic, linking a Republic founder world, Humbarine, to its sibling founder world, Duro.
There are enough S-thread boosters in the entire Confederacy to equip only the First Fleet. With them, Grievous could directly emerge and strike at the Humbarine system, on the Trellen Trade Route, before returning to the Hydian Way and striking further into the Core. Coruscant was always the goal, but it was unlikely to succeed on the first attempt; all the Admirals had since been briefed by Sev'rance on how to detect indicators that might identify more lost hyperlane routes. Admiral Trench would take the Third Fleet and search the uncharted western galactic space for a path to Coruscant. If all went to plan, the Republic would lose track of the fleet in uncharted western Core space, in its distraction with the very threatening First Fleet.
Meanwhile, Grievous would fight to regroup with the forces in the north, along the Perlemian. The Republic was already distracted by the siege of Corellia, and would be further distracted when Grievous bypassed Corellia to advance further. Soon, my former master, the Republic, the Jedi, perhaps all the galaxy would be focused far away from the newfound Triumvirate Order. This distraction would grant us the necessary time to establish my new Order, and potentially, a new apprentice along the way. Events will come to pass much more quickly now. Operations that have been worked on in the background for some time would be accelerating to their ultimate purposes.
I imagine this would give me an opportunity to acquire my future apprentice. My spies in the CNS have sent reports that indicate Senator Kryze was on her way to meet with Mother Talzin. After I received confirmation, all that remained was for one of my agents to retrieve the target and move her to a place where her training and tempering in the Force can begin.
Of course, I can't let it be known that I was involved, the process will inhibit and be ruinous to building any trust with her. No, Sev'rance will be her mentor, one of those selected to be part of my Triumvirate Order, which will be announced to the galaxy in a few weeks. In addition, Sev'rance will try to recruit from any of the willing Night Brothers or Night Sisters, although I expect Mother Talzin may interfere in regard to recruiting more of the sisterhood.
The strain of staring at my holo-display for hours on end was beginning to take its toll on me, so I stood up and stretched my legs. Raxus was vibrant and alive from the view in the palace windows. Would it ever be possible to bring Tanya Kryze under my wing completely? Any possibility of trust might have been permanently ruined on Geonosis. So I did worry about that. I would prefer her to join my cause at her own volition, as all other paths were inferior.
However, this situation was rife with uncertainty. There were tools at my disposal I could use to try and force the situation. After all, I already plan to bring Tanya to a Dark Side Nexus to aid in reshaping her understanding of the Force, her connection to the galaxy. Perhaps I should consider more permanent options as well. Shaking my head, I banished those thoughts for the moment. There was still a distinct possibility that the plan would resolve itself satisfactorily. I'm sure Sev'rance will be more than willing to use whatever means necessary to accomplish my goal without my direct involvement.
My secure comlink buzzed, indicating Darth Sidious wanted to meet with me. I moved to my inner sanctum and activated the holo-emitter. Palpatine appeared before me, hiding behind his persona as Darth Sidious. I released any emotions that might give sign of my betrayal into the Force, and drew upon the cold indifference of the Dark Side. Once I was ready, I bowed my head and activated the device, "My master, what brings you to contact me at such a time?"
He paused as if the question amused him, and chuckled darkly, "To congratulate you on your puppet general's successes; the attack in the south, the capture of Duro and the siege of Corellia. He has the Senate running scared, tripping over themselves to agree to my plans for unified military control, as well as an expansion of the sector armies."
"Thank you, master." I said, careful not to utter any falsehoods and tip off Sidious as to my impending betrayal. "I'm simply doing what's necessary to execute the plan."
"Yes, I thought I would reward you for your efforts, Darth Tyranus. I grant you permission to seek out a new apprentice to tutor, with the same restrictions as before. Oh and, do dispose of Ventress before you select a new one." Darth Sidious smiled now, the darkness reaching his eyes.
"A generous gift, thank you, master." I ground out. I had to keep my voice grim to avoid laughing. He told me now, after I had broken with him, to dispose of Ventress? Ridiculous. It only confirmed my decision to abandon the Sith and their ways.
He didn't give any sign of noticing my reaction, however, and continued, "I thought you would like to know that a certain senator is trying to grow the CNS even more. They are becoming too large to ignore. See to it that this operation to grow the CNS fails. We must humble Senator Kryze rather than let it grow too large, as it lacks our guiding hand. The Mandalorians must not acquire the Night Sisters..."
Was he aware of my interest in Tanya, as a potential new student, or was I overthinking this? It could simply be orders he thought I would enjoy. What was he thinking, and what was the implication of his statement? I couldn't say, but I simply nodded my head and said, "I understand, master. What of the senator from Mandalore? Shall she be removed from the board?"
"Remove her from the board if you can. What's important here is to stop the growth of the CNS. It has become large enough to interfere. Do what is necessary to complete your task, Tyranus."
I nodded my head before saying, "Very well, I will see to it, my master. She will be removed from the board if possible. Regarding the Night Sisters, is she going to meet with them?"
"Dathomir, yes." His lips curled in disgust. "Another problem we will have to deal with in the future. I have a feeling that the witches of that planet may move against me in the future. Begin laying the groundwork for cleansing that system, their order must be destroyed if ours is to survive. You understand."
I uttered another terse acknowledgement, and the holoprojector shut off. I was alone with my thoughts in the darkness of my inner sanctum.
Raxus Secundus, Felucia Diplomatic Estate
Lux Bonteri
I know I am not supposed to be here, but I could not stand by and watch Mother work herself to death opposing the corporations and the War Party. It is too late to turn back now, I thought as I tapped heavily on the door. Mother had finally left to visit one of her charity functions, giving me the opportunity to go to this meeting.
Lights were just starting to switch on all over the diplomatic district, banishing the growing twilight darkness. I waited in awkward silence in front of the door before it opened, revealing the small Gossam Senator Fonti of Felucia. She was wearing a red, white, and black gown tonight, which accentuated her light blue skin tone.
"The evening is growing late, I was wondering if you got cold feet, Bonteri. It would be understandable if you had."
I gave her an apologetic smile, "No, no, I was just delayed by a bit of auto-defenestration. You know how my mother can be." Translation, I had to leap from one of the estate windows since she activated the estate's security system on her way out. No more unapproved comings and goings, at least from the doors. Mother was rightfully worried for my safety after she was almost assassinated by someone under the War faction's payroll. It only got worse ever since the Peace Bill failed last month.
Which I understand, as there is a very high chance that we would be killed by Count Dooku once we outlived our usefulness. Of course, I always knew that the Peace Bill had a snowball's chance in Malachor of succeeding in the first place. Especially when those who orchestrated the coup on Onderon that forced us to join them, were in charge.
Senator Fonti invited me in, and I took in the entrance, we were alone. The front room was a sheltered hallway, with wood paneling and wall hangings, which led to another large, imposing door. "There's a few other senators and individuals of note here tonight. People who think, as we do, that Count Dooku may have gone too far with his efforts to secure victory for the CIS. But before I invite you into the room, I need to know for sure that you're not going to change your mind in a few months."
I shook my head, grimly wondering about what Mother would say if she knew I was here. Would she understand, or be disappointed? "I wouldn't do such a thing, Count Dooku and the Executive Council are going to drive us into a failed war and get more people killed at the rate they're going." More people like my father, the thought came unbidden, but I shoved that thought away. Hopefully, we could stop this war and save more people from dying if possible, but it seemed very unlikely while Count Dooku was Head of State.
He recently unleashed a monster into the war effort; General Grievous obviously had grievances with the Republic on levels that many generals that had come before did not. And Count Dooku named General Grievous Supreme Martial Commander of the Confederacy, giving him authority to direct the course of the war however he sees fit. The new Supreme Commander secretly launched what could be best described as a terrorist attack on Coruscant itself. An attack of such a scale hadn't happened on Coruscant in centuries. I only knew as much as I did because at the time, the Republican Senator of Naboo, Padmé Amidala was visiting our estate.
During the attack, Parliament was working through a possible ceasefire deal with Senator Amidala. Only a select group of senators from the Peace faction even knew Amidala was there. She had secretly visited Raxus by smuggling through the border. With her, she also brought Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano as protection, and to my great surprise, we became fast friends. Ahsoka encouraged me to look at the Jedi and Republic in different ways, one of the reasons I was exploring alternate ideas to ending the war.
Meanwhile, Mother had been acting as a proxy for Senator Amidala, collaborating to try and get the CIS to declare a ceasefire with the Republic. All of which fell apart as soon as Grievous unleashed his terror campaign on Coruscant.
Senator Amidala left soon after, returning back across the border. Mother was crushed, despondent for the last week or so. The possibility of ending the war had caused her to smile for a bit. Now? Now she's in a dark mood and drinking more. While she spent time trying to recuperate, I had stepped up to help in any way I could. Granted voting on her behalf in the Senate was a minor thing, what I am about to do, maybe a little bit too major. Prince Korkie Kryze introduced me to the Senator of Felucia, and she had explained that she was a member of a secret group that was also trying to find an end to the war with the least bloodshed.
Of course, the way to end the war and achieve peace was to remove the one pushing this war onwards, Count Dooku.
Senator Fonti tapped a wall sconce which blinked a soft blue now, which I hadn't noticed before now. "State-of-the-art Techno Union lie detectors, we can't be too careful." She moved over to a nearby wooden door and slid it open. Inside was a motley crew of Senators I recognized, as well as some individuals I had not expected. Amongst them was General Trilm, one of the commanders of the personal defense fleet of Raxus. A surprise to say the least, since I heard rumors that she was once in a relationship with the Count. There were also the expected guests, the other members of the Senate representing worlds ravaged by the war.
The estate foyer opened up to a larger communal space occupied by several small high top tables and chairs. Most of the guests were grouped up at these tables, and I tried to catch Prince Korkie's eye. He had invited me to this gathering and was clearly leading the conversation of a group, sitting across from a stunning raven-haired woman in a tight red dress that I didn't recognize and the ancient-looking Senator Navi of Thustra. Behind them, I saw the communal space was a connected enclosed courtyard and well-lit garden with its own seating.
At another table, Senator Razelfiin of Tynna was talking to General Trilm animatedly, almost disturbing a nearby wall-hanging with her dramatic gestures. All over, the walls of the estate were decorated with tapestries and clearly traditional Felucian wall-hangings, given the Gossam and jungle depictions, although not extravagantly so. Senator Fonti walked over to protect the wall-hanging as soon as she noticed the disturbance.
Moving over to join Prince Korkie, he made a welcoming gesture as I took the seat next to him. I didn't know him very well yet, but I became more acquainted with him after he had spoken out of turn in favor of the ceasefire during the debate for mother's legislation in Parliament. Anyway, the raven-haired woman I was unfamiliar with was speaking. "If you look at what we've accomplished in Dentari-"
"What does the Dentari collective have to say about military representation in the Parliament? Pirate captains and warlords have seats in Parliament. They have sway over how the Confederacy Navy is deployed! I joined the Confederacy because I thought the Republic was corrupt. It smells no better here." Senator Razelfiin of Tynna had been chased over by Senator Fonti's intervention. The Tynnans were constantly agitating about switching sides, but never brave enough to follow through. In general, Tynnans didn't wear clothing to cover their fur, although Senator Razelfiin did accent her sleek brown fur with a long navy-blue cape, embossed with the red CIS hex.
From what I could remember of the Tynnan people, they were very meticulous planners, greatly disliking anything even related to mysticism or mythology. There were very few Jedi Tynnans as a result, and their species' preference for risk avoidance was notable. No doubt, the uncertainties of the war were bothering them to no end.
Prince Korkie nodded in concern, "Anteevy has been developing a network of mutual aid with a number of marginalized worlds across the galaxy. The Dentari Collective is almost entirely cut-off from the Confederacy hyperlanes, and yet their people are prospering thanks to their actions."
I finally entered the conversation, interest too great to stay away. "How does any world know if Anteevy's aid isn't just exploitation disguised in flimsi? Anteevy joined the Confederacy as a founding member. Why should we trust anything you have to say?" Onderon was ruled by a Separatist puppet king, thanks to Count Dooku's lies. Anyone who joined the Separatists in the early days without much political pressure doubtless didn't fall in line out of the goodness of their heart.
"True, yet-" The beauty next to Korkie began, but he interrupted.
"It's fine Natalya. As Prince of Mandalore, I think I can provide a more balanced explanation." Korkie said. "Anteevy joined the Confederacy because of Mandalore's neglect. Our people used their world as a prison, a dumping ground for our worst of the worst for generations. Even after Duchess Satine ended the practice, they had no political representation, and few resources. Count Dooku promised Anteevy real autonomy, resources, technology, and protection from Mandalore by joining the CIS." I let an annoyed sigh at his explanation, it made sense, but not completely. It didn't justify the awful things they did in the past for seemingly no purpose.
"So what, Anteevy wants a better deal? Onderon is ruled by Count Dooku's puppet, thanks to the Separatists." I commented from my seat.
"No, we want what we were originally promised, real autonomy!" Senator Razelfiin answered back loudly, making more sweeping arm gestures. "The Bylaws are right there, but Parliament doesn't enforce them. Count Dooku pays lip service to them and then defies them in his next action."
Prince Korkie nodded, "The latest peace effort's failure is more evidence. Count Dooku created the Separatist movement to liberate the Outer Rim, but I've been an observer here for months and haven't seen much of that. It seems more and more like he has a personal vendetta against the Jedi Order and is using the war to carry it out. Winning? Peace? It isn't sufficient for him."
The Jedi had never lifted a finger to help Onderon, but meeting Ahsoka a few weeks ago had changed things somewhat, so I wasn't sure how to feel about this idea. At least one of the Jedi wasn't entirely corrupt.
"Count Dooku and the Executive Council are all tyrants, but the rest of that sounds like some Bothan conspiracy." I said.
"Count Dooku has the Confederacy Navy chasing some strange priorities." General Trilm spoke for the first time that I could recall. The standing white-haired General, tall and imperious in her prim Seronnian uniform, was a striking contrast to the seated smiling Natalya, with her thin dress and low neckline. "Promoting his 'acolytes' into unearned positions of authority in the military, regularly usurping the chain of command. We lost Sarapin and the Decimators designs early in the war because Count Dooku had the rest of the navy scouring the far reaches of the Outer Rim for a mythical lost Darksider superweapon. General Tann barely escaped."
"Do you just want Count Dooku replaced so that the war can be fought on your terms? I suppose you'd be happy with a more competent military dictatorship." I poked at her statements in suspicion, daring to look up into her gray eyes. I didn't trust the military much, they were the ones carrying out the atrocities.
She sneered, almost baring her teeth. "Of course I would. I have realistic expectations, unlike some in this room."
The conversation seemed to lull for a moment, but then Senator Fonti walked over with a fresh drink in her hand. "I'm not well-informed on military matters, but the Confederacy is a new government. It's supposed to be a rule-based order, with laws and justice, but that's not being enforced. We need merely to gather evidence and ensure it reaches the right people. That's why this organization exists." Prince Korkie was nodding in agreement at this, but I found myself staring at Natalya again.
I scoffed at the end of her statement, and the entire general idea. "Impossible."
Natalya chuckled at my reaction, and it did interesting things to her dress. "Well, if we don't reform the CIS through democratic means, then I suppose that means you want your own dictatorship too."
"That's not what I meant!" I spluttered, uncertain how to respond.
"What do you want to replace Count Dooku with, then?" Prince Korkie asked, with genuine interest it seemed.
I didn't have a good answer, and had to pause to think.
When the moment stretched, Senator Fonti spoke up, and the conversation moved on. "Well, I heard something of interest to this group, Prince Korkie. A very interesting story, we've been fortifying Felucia, and the special forces caught a spy. They were leaking military intelligence to the Republic. A Geonosian. You know how many Geonosian traitors there are in the galaxy? One, now, apparently." Weren't Geonosians all fanatically loyal to their hives on their homeworld? It seemed unlikely for one to go rogue.
Natalya said, "Anteevy has access to the military's logistics and cargo to fulfill our droid quotas and obligations. I've been paying attention to some of the cargo listings coming out of some of the more high-tech foundries producing droids for the Trade Federation. A lot of the cargo going to systems that produce their droids is listed as live cargo."
Prince Korkie seemed upset at this, but General Trilm spoke up first. "The Trade Federation is forcibly colonizing worlds with Geonosians to work as a slave labor force? Might explain some of the odd fleet movements that have been ordered."
The conversation went on from there for some time, discussing similar situations and ongoing crises. I was mostly content as an observer, for now, but listened as they shared knowledge on other situations throughout the galaxy. However, when the conversation shifted back to the peace conference, I was able to provide more accurate details of what went down during the peace talks. Although, I left out key details, like about Senator Amidala and Padawan Ahsoka's secret visit to Onderon. Ahsoka said they were technically breaking the law, at least one of the laws back in the Republic, to visit Mother.
As the meeting ended, I made sure to exchange comlink codes with the Anteevian Representative, Natalya. It was a good thing Prince Korkie was loyal to his girlfriend, Soniee, so many potential misunderstandings were avoided.
Raxus Secundus, Count Dooku's Palace
Sev'rance Tann
"Count Dooku, I come as you commanded." I said, giving a sharp bow as I entered the room.
The Count was looking out his window, appearing to be deep in thought, before turning to face me with a smile. "Sev'rance, how are your Arkanian prostheses? The Arkanians are much more skilled at such devices; the Neutral Systems are convenient merchants. Related to that, I have an interesting challenge for you." It would be useful to climb into Dooku's trusted circle again, outside of working on the new Order, he shared little, and only then with Ventress and Grievous. Infuriating, given that I lost my trusted position while recovering.
I lifted one of the new legs, the only external modification from my original appearance was an increase in my height. The Akanian prosthetic was covered in artificial skin which matched with my own DNA, appearing nearly identical to the original limbs. "The Arkanian work is satisfactory, yes. What is this challenge?"
Count Dooku stroked his beard and nodded. "It will be a significant undertaking, and I see no path for a perfect outcome. But there will be great rewards for success, you understand." He paused, and the room was bathed in the twilight colors of the Raxus sun as it began to sink below the horizon. "I must recruit Tanya Kryze, Senator of Mandalore, for the Triumvirate Order. Expose her to the Dark Side if necessary to make her see reason."
My peers were a reticent group, by nature our existence was anathema to the Jedi, so the only gossip between us was little more than bragging. After all, only the secretive among Darksiders survived, at least until they joined with the Count for his protection. However, even I had taken notice of Dooku's fixation with this particular Mandolarian. That clone was odd enough.
"Your feelings betray you, Sev'rance." Dooku smirked condescendingly, "One of those rewards could be techniques on how to mask your desires effectively in the Force. Tanya Kryze is the daughter of my first disciple's Padawan, the inheritor of my esteemed disciple, Qui-Gon Jinn." Dooku explained, as if teaching a lecture. "She is no mere politician, she represents the nexus between the Jedi, the Sith, and our new Order." Letting go of my doubts, I focused on how we might succeed.
"Mandalorians tend to be resistant when it comes to the Force. Our chances of success are minimal at best in this operation. But with enough time and proper resources, success in anything is possible. However, I see no way to avoid exposure of this situation, certainly the Republic at least will notice one of their Senators has gone missing. Even if she is turned completely, there will be no way to hide her abduction."
"Unfortunately, the die is cast on this, and she must be brought to our side if we are to be successful in ending this war. What other issues have you identified?" Dooku asked.
I cleared my throat, "This will interrupt my work on resolving the supply situation in the Dentari Enclave. Thustra and Aquaris have been subordinating the fleet reinforcements we've sent to patrol and protect blockade runners along the Hydian Way. Thustra is the ringleader, and they've joined with several nearby systems to form the 'Dentari Collective'. A political coalition which is now choosing to ignore military authority and procedures. The Shadowfeed has collapsed out there, all they have is their local infrastructure, but their priorities seem to have shifted from military matters to more corrupt activities. I fear nothing less than a show of force will prevent a complete collapse in the chain of command in those systems."
Dooku stepped towards his desk, searching for a datapad. "If I ensure the Executive Council grants you complete authority, military or otherwise, over the Dentari region for the duration of this emergency, does that resolve your concerns?"
I shook my head quickly, "No, I suspect nothing less than one of the Navy Fleets will have an effect. If I'm unable to command in person, we'll need at least three Recusants to compute a safe jump through the blockade, and the Recusants will require a fleet to protect them. The hyperlanes are certainly blockaded now, if not against us, then against the Republic forces. Usurping their authority directly will only turn their disobedience into open rebellion. We must not close our fist on them unless we are certain they are in our grasp."
"Unfortunately, none of the fleets can be spared. Not at this time. What are these disloyal fools up to?" Dooku started examining several documents on his datapad.
"Our intelligence assets report that the majority of the fleet and droid forces are engaged in various construction projects. Civilian construction projects. Resource extraction, infrastructure and public housing, mostly." I clarified, as building orbital weapon platforms and fixed defenses was sometimes a sound decision.
"Truly? How droll." Dooku found a comlink from inside his desk, attached it to the datapad, then after a moment, removed it and tossed it towards me.
I pulled it towards me and caught it easily. "What's this?"
"That is a comlink to a high-ranking asset we have on Alzar. A backwater world in the Mandalorian sector. General Sludd has laid the groundwork for a rebellion to support secession from the Republic, and he's selected a new government that is willing to join the Confederacy. However, that was all put on hold with the formation of the Council of Neutral Systems. Smuggle the supplies and droids he needs to start his rebellion, and be sure to take materials out of those marked for Dentari. Make it clear where those supplies came from."
"Hmm, yes, a false flag operation could work." I began, thinking aloud. "Even if the Alzar rebellion fails, it will be impossible for Thustra or any of their allies in the Dentari Collective to prove their innocence without revealing the scope of their betrayal to the rest of the Confederacy." A conflict between the Neutral Systems, Alzar, and possibly the other Dentari worlds would discredit their leadership. A prolonged conflict would deplete both sides of their stockpiles and ships. While the Republic and CNS would have one less front to worry about, it would still take time for them to replenish themselves back to combat readiness to be re-deployed elsewhere.
"Either the Thustra leadership comes begging for aid for the Confederacy to rescue them, and we restore our authority over the region, or the Dentari collective miraculously defeats the CNS, and we gain Alzar and a foothold into the south for a pittance." Dooku explained. A foothold that the Confederacy would control in name only, but that was still an improvement from their current neutral status.
I nodded in acknowledgement. "Anything else, sir?"
"One more thing. You must have some idea how you're going to break Senator Kryze's defenses. Otherwise, you would deny the possibility of this working. What is your plan?"
There had been a troubling number of incidents involving leaked intelligence and Republic spies. "For information security, I think it would be better not to discuss all the details. Just know that I will be taking her to a planet within Republic space that should rip those defenses away with enough work."
Count Dooku didn't seem upset by the omission, instead he nodded sagely. "Republic space?"
"Far away from the border, so nowhere patrols would be," I said with a smirk. "A planet only known to the historically astute and interested, or the occasional brave smuggler. I've already begun constructing a facility on it. You know the old saying: 'the closer you are to the enemy, the further away you are from danger.' What better place to build something that you wouldn't want them to find than in a place they would never look?"
"A very bold strategy." Count Dooku said with a nod of his head.
"To win a war like this, boldness is a necessity. More resources are also a requirement if we're going to be able to pull off your next plan after this one. We need more installations to train recruits for our Order."
"Agreed. I've already put some work into creating a few more myself." Dooku said, shaking his head.
"Gather your ships and get to work as fast as possible. This operation will be a dangerous game, especially with what parties will be awakened by it."
"My Lord?" I asked, not sure what he meant.
He smiled sadly, "This war is about to become more dangerous for people like us. When I announce our new Order to the galaxy, the Jedi won't accept our existence. No more concessions to their sole authority over the Force."
"Our survival will be at stake." I agreed, but he was definitely keeping something a secret, which I do not have the context to decipher. It worried me, especially since Ventress acted like she did know something. Information that I wasn't privy to but aware existed felt as dangerous as blind reckoning around a black hole.
In addition, Mandalorians were notoriously difficult to break, even harder to awake Force sensitivity, let alone turn to the Dark Side. The fact that the Jedi had managed to recruit any Mandalorians at all was a miracle, as far as I was concerned. And that was a one-in-a-thousand-years thing from what I found in my investigations. Yet that was my task, and I must complete it to return to the Count's favor.
To turn one to the Dark Side would be difficult. I couldn't help but worry that the reason that Count Dooku was pursuing this foolish action was due to Dark Side visions of grandeur. I had been doing my own research into the Ancient Sith ever since I started learning their techniques from the Count. The Dark Side was indeed powerful, but it did not seem to distinguish between providing control and the illusion of control. Everything has a price after all, and there had to be a price for all that easily accessible power.
My research uncovered little in the way of techniques to call my own, but the histories told their own story; the Sith rose and fell in cycles. The pattern seemed clear enough. The power of the Dark Side led to greater and greater accomplishments, encouraging one to overextend and clouding one's ability to accurately judge events.
Historically, the Sith fell to their own disastrous errors and hubris more often than from enemy action. If our new Order was to avoid the pattern of the Sith and tap into the full potential of the Force, including the Dark Side, we would need to study the negative consequences. Most Darksiders were too arrogant or paranoid to develop countermeasures to the effects of the Dark Side, but that could be overcome with sufficient skill and will. Anything, even the vastness of space, could be understood and mastered if properly studied and analyzed.
That such research had not been conducted before spoke poorly of previous Dark Side adherents throughout history. It was slowly becoming clear that only I possessed the vision and the capability to fully cast aside the mysteries of the Dark Side.
I had so much work to do.