| abstract | - In the windowed chamber high above Coruscant, the Jedi Council sat in silence. Normally when the Council was convened they were engaged in debate, but now the Jedi Masters sat in thought save Renust Nju who had not arrived yet. Mace Windu stared at the floor, trying to comprehend, trying to accept what was going on. Even if the war managed to be stopped, there would be consequences to deal with and changes that would have to be accepted. He glanced at Yoda but the diminutive Jedi Master only offered a non-committal shrug. At that moment Renust Nju entered the room, from the urgency in his walk bad news was apparent. All eyes were focused on him. “Danta Pela has been found,” Nju said, taking his seat next to Ki-Adi-Mundi. “But reports state that Senator Nalanda has arrived on Imbroglio.” “Ignored our warnings, she has,” Yoda noted, there was a murmur of agreement. “I trust that Padmé and young Skywalker are with her?” Mace asked. “That doesn’t seem to be the case,” Nju replied, “the senator travelled with only one female aide.” If Kuan Yin was startled by this news it went unnoticed. At this inopportune moment Mace Windu’s comlink buzzed, with an annoyed expression he answered it. “Yes?” He knew that he would not have been contacted while the Council was in session if the call was not important, but it was a distraction. “Master Windu, this is Temple Communications,” said a female voice, “I am receiving a message from Master Kenobi, he says it is urgent.” The surprise was noticeable among the Council, even with the fact they were Jedi. “Master Windu, I can tell him to wait,” she continued “No, relay it to here,” Mace said, deactivating the comlink. Within a few minutes the blue holographic form of Obi-Wan appeared in the middle of the chamber. “Masters, my time is limited but I must inform you that the summit at Imbroglio is nothing more than a trap,” Obi-Wan began, his image flickering in and out. “I don’t have specifics of the plans, but Count Dooku intends to start a war with the Republic if action is not taken.” “Hear this from where did you Obi-Wan?” Yoda asked. “Dooku told me himself,” Obi-Wan replied, “I doubted it, but Anakin confirmed it.” “Skywalker is with you?” Nju asked but Mace put up a hand to silence him. “Obi-Wan, a decision to act is out of our hands,” the dark-skinned Master said. “We will take this to Chancellor Palpatine. You will need to return here so we are not accused of any unauthorised action.” “We are on our way back, Masters,” Obi-Wan replied. When the communication ended, there was silence again. Expressions were graver and faces were longer when Obi-Wan’s message was replayed before Chancellor Palpatine. When the hologram was finished, Palpatine was silent for a long time. “It appears, my friends, that we have been played for fools all along,” he said sadly. “We have failed, failed before we have even started. There will be no deferring the vote now.” The three Jedi, Mace Windu, Yoda and Kuan Yin were expressionless, yet at the sounds of a disturbance from the door Mace and Kuan Yin moved instinctively in front of the Chancellor. “Apologies for mesa lateness,” said Danta Pela as he opened the door. His face was paler and thinner, but his gaze was alert and direct. “Danta, what a pleasure this is,” Palpatine stepped forward to receive him. “I trust you are unhurt.” “No time for thees,” Danta replied dismissively. “Cannot be allowed thees, mesa thinks. We need to act.” The Speaker for the Senate, Mas Amedda had been standing silent until then, he now stepped forward. “This is a crisis,” he said in his deep voice. “The Senate must give the Chancellor immediate emergency powers, he can then approve the creation of an army.” “But what senator would propose such a radical amendment?” Palpatine asked. “If only Senator Nalanda were here,” said Mas Amedda. At this Yoda’s gaze turned on Danta Pela, wondering if the Gungan would speak. When morning broke on Caldera, Nalanda stood at the window watching the mist clearing. Even in her ornate red and gold senatorial robes she felt nervous. Would she be able to do anything? Or would all her actions in the past months prove for nothing? “Take heart, Senator.” Nalanda smiled to see Padmé stand beside her, her dark hair just emerging from the crimson hood. “Many will admire you for being one of the few to stand against this storm.” “Will those still admire me if I fail?” Nalanda asked. “That no one can tell,” Padmé replied. “But the Jedi have great respect for you, even if all you do is try.” “But I don’t want to try,” Nalanda said fiercely. “I need to do more than that.” The long silence that followed was broken by the chrono on the wall striking the hour. “It’s time,” Nalanda said, moving towards the door. The Loyalists convened in a dull red antechamber, light conversation was made but there was a general air of trepidation. The exception was Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth who was only there to further his own influence and looked as pompous as ever. “My friends,” Kanesh emerged from behind thick, black doors with a purple sash over one shoulder, “I am pleased to announce that Count Dooku and Viceroy Gunray have arrived. They shall be with us shortly.” In the applause that followed Padmé and Nalanda exchanged significant glances. The Jedi had noticed the senator stiffen at the sound of Gunray’s name, had she really expected that she would encounter the one who was once determined to destroy her world? Bail Organa noticed it too. “It’ll be all right,” he reassured, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’re not alone.” “Thank you,” Nalanda replied, but she kept her gaze lowered. “Senator Nalanda approached thesa Separatists intending to make peace,” Danta proclaimed, his voice echoing through the vast Senate chamber. “Instead theysa betray, theysa want to frighten us.” There was applause at this point, Danta paused until it subsided. “Senators, dellow felegates…in response to these direct threat to the Republic, mesa propose that the Senate gives immediately emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor.” There was a moment of silence as Danta held his breath. Would they listen? Would they agree with him? It was the Anx senator who started the chant that slowly reverberated through the Senate until all the delegates were on their feet, shouting: “Palpatine! Palpatine!” “Order!” bellowed Mas Amedda. “We shall have order!” “It is with great reluctance,” Palpatine said, his lips white, “and with deep humility that I agree to this calling.” After a generous amount of applause he continued. “I love democracy, I love the Republic.” The applause grew louder and Palpatine had to raise his voice. “The power you give me here I will lay down the moment this crisis has abated. And,” he added, pausing for effect, “as my first act under this new authority I will create the Grand Army of the Republic to counter the increased threat of the Separatists.” There was applause again, but for Yoda and Mace Windu who watched the proceedings behind the empty Mamphra pod, there was only a significant glance exchanged. “It is done then,” the dark skinned Jedi said, there was deep reluctance in his tone but he still had to accept what had happened. “Hmm,” Yoda murmured, still deep in thought. “I will go with what Jedi we have to Imbroglio and free the Loyalists,” Mace said, there was still the reluctance in his voice, yet it was all they could do. “Visit I will the cloners on Kamino,” Yoda told him, “and see this army they have created for the Republic.”
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