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This author's site is presently unavailable due to difficulties with the server. To that end, this author has elected to make Part IV of "Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Life and Times of Palpatine the Undying" available here, covering Palpatine of Naboo's service as Supreme Chancellor/President of the Galactic Republic from 3 - 13 GR. As always, any questions, comments, suggestions, &c. are welcome and encouraged.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, PART IV: SUPREME CHANCELLOR OF THE GALACTIC REPUBLIC

First Term

When Palpatine assumed office as Supreme Chancellor (or President) of the Galactic Republic in 3 GR, he was in the unique position of having no real enemies (with the prominent exception of Senator Mon Mothma (Chandrila), who hated Palpatine so much that she is said by Arhul Hextrophon in the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, Second Edition to have begun talking of "Revolution" as soon as it became clear that she could not prevent his election). A compromise candidate – and a dark horse, to boot – Palpatine was not tied to any particular faction of the Senate, and had few if any obligations or electoral promises to keep. He essentially had a free hand in the government, owing his election to no backers or party loyalists, relying on no backbenchers for support and not needing to keep to any manifestos or to toe any party line. He had managed to secure the office of Supreme Chancellor without actually having to commit to any definite policies; he had not made a single Wahlkapitulation, offering only empty generalities about restoring peace and prosperity. Probably this is what is meant when the First Saga of the Journal of the Whills (as quoted in Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker) remarks that he had "promised to reunite the disaffected among the people and to restore the remembered glory of the Republic”; certainly this is what Palpatine himself referred to in his meditation in Return of the Jedi when he remembered how he had risen to power "through fraud, clever promises, and astute political maneuvering." Palpatine’s election was that of a dark horse in more than one sense; he had come into office without any clearly defined politics.

The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition states that Palpatine introduced the New Order during his term as President/Supreme Chancellor, even while his "power and popularity grew," and while Senators like Bail Prestor Organa (Alderaan) and Mon Mothma (Chandrila) only "suspected his true motives were less than noble" – well before the final metamorphosis from Republic to Empire. The Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook even refers to "Palpatine and his New Order" during his days as Senator for Naboo, before "his election as President of the Republic." The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition closely ties the New Order with what Voren Na'al – Director of Council Research for the New Republic – calls his "program of sweeping changes" and revitalization of the Republic Government, and one therefore supposes that, like many politicians before him, Palpatine packaged his legislative agenda and domestic policies under an appealing 'brand name'; the New Order would remain throughout the rest of his career as the ideology of the Imperial State, and even after his death would be championed by hardline Palpatinists in the Imperialist remnants and neo-Palpatinists throughout the galaxy. Aside from Palpatine's insistence on increasing government efficiency and reducing bureaucratic 'red tape' (mentioned by Na'al and exemplified by Palpatine's creation of the Red Guard, which, as noted, he justified on the grounds that it was "an efficient streamlining of cumbersome bureaucracy"; Palpatine himself referred to "the inefficiencies of the Republic" as "the focus of my Chancellery" in "Palpatine to Separatists: Let's Talk"), the New Order is known to have included at this time pro-business policies (Na'al writes that "the president reached out to trade guilds and corporations, building bonds of unity and cooperation") and a strong anti-corruption stance (Na'al writes that his "program of sweeping changes" was designed to put "an end to corruption").

There are not many clear details on the composition of Palpatine's official 'family' of aides and assistants during his first term as Supreme Chancellor. It can generally be assumed that his trio of administrative assistants – Sate Pestage, Ars Dangor, and Kinman Doriana – continued to serve on his staff throughout this period, and Mas Amedda is known from Revenge of the Sith to have continued to serve as Speaker of the Senate as late as Palpatine's acclamation in 16 GR; according to "Ask the Master: A Star Wars Time Warp," Amedda "does know ancient Sith history" and is "a well-versed antiquarian" who "used the limitless wealth and influence to scour the galaxy for ancient Sith relics to bring back to Sidious' {sic} lair on Coruscant and elsewhere," which probably explains why Palpatine arranged for his selection as Speaker/Vice Chair after the Eriadu Trade Summit fiasco. Core World trillionaire Tannon Praji was appointed First Minister of the Coruscant Ministry of Ingress "early in Palpatine's chancellery" according to the Official Site's Databank: "Tannon Praji" (strangely, however, Minister Zelebitha Effhod was mentioned in connection to the CMoI in "Coruscant Restricts Immigration"). It is not clear when Sly Moore – a female Umbaran whom "Ask the Master: A Star Wars Time Warp" describes as having "the ability to influence others" via "psycho-chemical" means rather than the Force – began service as his chief of staff ("Staff Aide," according to Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary), but she is known to have served as such as of 13 GR. By that time, he was also assisted by Uv Gizen (as a sort of legislative aide), according to Attack of the Clones. It is not clear when precisely Republic Measures & Standards Bureau (RM&S) Chair Keelen Ma was appointed, but Ma held office as late as 13:2:28 ("RM&S Debates Calendar Reform"), while Coruscant Health Office (CHO) Medxec Harribore Onuta held office as late as 13:4:11 ("Port Crowding Increases Virus Risks").

In "Bloodlines," Master Jedi Ronhar Kim recalls that when he returned from a six-month assignment "shortly after Palpatine was named Supreme Chancellor" – the election had taken place during his absence, as Palpatine remarks "You leave me alone for a little while and look at the trouble I get into!" – , his old friend told him that he'd "been trying to initiate some reforms but there have been many who object"; Senator Viento interrupted the two old friends to tell him that Palpatine had made "some enemies with {his} proposed reforms" and that "there is going to be an attempt on {his} life." Palpatine protested that the Senate Guard provided sufficient security, but Viento insisted that "there are those of us who think you need your own private guard," as he was "too important – " at that point Palpatine's escort of two Senate Guardsmen attempted to kill him, and only the intervention of Ronhar Kim saved Palpatine (prompting Viento to insist that Palpatine "must allow yourself your own private guards"); when Kim attempted to interrogate one of the Guardsmen, he killed himself with a sort of suicide syringe, which Kim recognized as being the same type used by the assassin who'd killed his father, Senator Vidar Kim (Naboo), Palpatine's own predecessor in office (Palpatine and Ronhar Kim first met during Vidar Kim's wake). The assassination attempt – probably staged by Palpatine himself, or, more accurately, by his Sithian alter ego – proved to be the first catalyst for overt change.

After this assassination attempt, Palpatine's official family of aides and staff members pressured him to increase security measures, and Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary explains that he accepted "a special chair of office that affords him secret shielding and cunning protection," made of "ultra-dense lanthanide alloy armor" and containing a hidden shield generator, as well as providing "direct, secure communication with Palpatine's aides and with the Red Guard." More aggressive a response than Palpatine's chair, the Red Guard was a special bodyguard created specifically to protect the Supreme Chancellor, under his direct and personal authority (the Senate Guard, henceforth called the "Blue Guard," was overseen by Senate committee); Palpatine called this setup "an efficient streamlining of cumbersome bureaucracy," but which critics called "an illegal personal bodyguard," and Senator Bail Prestor Organa (Alderaan) regarded it as an "illegal cadre of red-robed personal bodyguards" in Labyrinth of Evil. Palpatine "kept the details of the Red Guard's training secret, citing security concerns," so that "no one seems to know where this protection force and its trappings come from" (Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary says that he "picked its members from non-clone military units"). Incidentally the Red Guard is another manifestation of Palpatine's fascination with Ulic Qel-Droma and the Mandalorians, as The Essential Guide to Characters mentions that the uniforms were "based partially on the uniforms of the Mandalore system's Death Watch and the Sun Guards of the Thyrsus system” (“Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties” mentions that the Thyrsian Sun Guards were a Sithic cult of mercenaries whose services Sidious had retained as assassins and guards; he eventually had Darth Tyranus’s pet Asajj Ventress murder most of them, but “more than a few of the most fanatical Sun Guards found their way into Chancellor Palpatine’s Red Guard”). One should also notice that, as usual, Palpatine did not overtly advocate increasing his personal security measures or creating a special bodyguard for himself; rather, in classically caesarean fashion, he manipulated circumstances so that others would insist on it, leaving him to 'reluctantly' acquiesce.

In general, only a handful of details are available on Palpatine's first term of office. The New Essential Guide to Droids states that he awarded an enormously profitable contract to Arakyd Industries to supply the Republic Explorational Corps with Prowler probots for mapping expeditions in the Deep Core, and in 4 GR he sent half the Jedi High Council to Malastare to assist in peace talks between the Lannik and the terrorist Red Iaro organization in "Emissaries to Malastare," and that he initiated legal action against the Trade Federation for its illegal invasion and occupation of Naboo of 3:4:14; having seen Naboo liberated from the TradeFed's army of battle 'droids – a situation he himself had engineered – , Palpatine spent the next three years in battle with its even more resourceful army of lawyers, to the point that Nute Gunray remained in office years later as Commanding Viceroy of the Trade Federation despite being brought to trial before the Supreme Court no less than four times, according to Attack of the Clones. According to "Palpatine's Triumphs: A Celebration", on 5:3:13 his "political text" The Paths to Power "tops the best-seller lists." Finally, Rogue Planet reveals that in 6 GR, Palpatine "finally forced a stand-down over the Naboo incident," as a result of which the TradeFed's security forces would be disbanded and, as Palpatine's acquaintance Commander Wilhuff Tarkin – who had resigned as Lieutenant Governor of Seswenna Sector and reactivated his commission with the Republic Outland Regions Security Force – put it, those forces would be "assimilated into Republic forces and placed at the disposal of the senate" (presumably Tarkin refers to the distribution of these security forces among the various Security Forces, as the Republic Government had no centrally-controlled armed forces during this period). Apparently it took more than a year to fully implement this settlement, because "Baktoid Closes Down Five More Plants" mentions legislation passed by the Senate in 7 GR that "forced the disbanding of the Trade Federation's security forces," and the imposition of additional licensing restrictions on the sale of battle 'droids. Unfortunately, Rogue Planet reveals that this victory was a Pyrrhic one, as the galactic economy had sunk into recession, and while the TradeFed was embattled in the courts, "a veritable swarm of petty villains" bypassed the TradeFed and its contested shipping franchise and simply "moved in with their old freighters to run the most lucrative goods illegally between systems," prompting Tarkin to point out that "the Trade Federation has suffered from this economic downturn as much as the Republic has"; indeed, the recession was such that it even discouraged Tarkin's classmate Riath Sienar, the brilliant chief executive officer (CEO) of Republic Sienar Systems, who was himself an acquaintance of Palpatine, albeit in his Sithian guise of Darth Sidious (Rogue Planet and Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections make clear that Sienar's subsidiary Sienar Design Systems created Darth Maul's Scimitar; Sienar himself never learned the name of his "very secretive customer," but thought of him as "a buyer whose name it is death to even whisper"). Furthermore, unintended consequences of the Senate's laws of 7 GR contributed further to the downturn; the dissolution of the TradeFed's mechanical armies deprived Baktoid Armor Workshop of its largest customer, and the new licensing restrictions made battle 'droids "prohibitively expensive for most of Baktoid's clientele," according to "Baktoid Closes Down Five More Plants."

Tarkin himself provides a subtle indicator of the economic conditions in the Core Worlds Region at the time. The Rebellion Era Sourcebook states that the patrician Tarkin family "had been at the forefront of the galactic cultural elite for much of the Republic's history, producing many great military commanders, engineers, politicians, writers, and artists." Tarkin himself was said to be a gifted philosopher, poet, engineer, tactician, and xenobiologist; his charisma, his pedigree, and his ruthlessness won him the office of Lieutenant Governor of Seswenna Sector, the office he occupied in 3 GR in "Darth Maul: Saboteur" and Cloak of Deception. In the latter, his mansion on Eriadu was described as "an ostentatious blend of Core Classic and Mid Rim Ornate," with "domed enclosures, gilded columns, and stone floors polished to a liquid sheen," "great, high-ceilinged rooms and stately colonnades," and "costly furnishings and framed artwork," with its grounds featuring "parapets" and even "offshore waters." Tellingly, Tarkin once remarked to Supreme Chancellor Valorum that he thought of Coruscant as "something of a prison," and mused that "should duty ever call for me to be confined to one place, I will at least demand that I have ample space around me." Nevertheless, three years later he had assumed residence on Coruscant in a private apartment that Rogue Planet describes as "small but choice, high on the residential level of Prime Senate Spire, two kilometers higher than most of the city" (Sienar reflected that "space was at a premium all over Coruscant, and even now, in the economic downturn, Tarkin's quarters, while high over the city, were much less spacious and certainly less well-appointed than Sienar's own"). Tarkin and Sienar were involved in a plot to acquire organic technology from rogue planet Zonoma Sekot in 6 GR in Rogue Planet, but failed; in order to redeem himself, Tarkin presented Palpatine with Sienar's plans for an Expeditionary Battle Planetoid, claiming them for himself.

Jedi Quest: The Path to Truth shows that in 7 GR, Palpatine requested that Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, escort a Colicoid diplomatic mission traveling an area of space known to be frequented by pirates (the pirate leader, Krayn, also happened to be a slaver that had figured into Skywalker's past, making it quite likely that Palpatine was already playing with the young Jedi's emotions); Skywalker ended up killing the pirate and putting an end to the slave ring, drawing personal congratulations from Palpatine himself (for his part, Kenobi was plagued by unease, as he was not entirely certain that Skywalker hadn't simply murdered Krayn; it was not the first time someone strongly disliked by Skywalker had ended up dead, as seen the previous year in Rogue Planet). Palpatine's first four-year term of office (3 - 7 GR) as Supreme Chancellor/President of the Galactic Republic expired that same year. There are no known details about the election of 7 GG; it is not even known if any candidates ran against the incumbent seeking reelection, but it is unlikely that any serious challenge was raised (particularly given Darth Sidious's known penchant for assassinating key Senators prior to elections, mentioned in "Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties"). In the event, Palpatine evidently won reelection, whether he was unopposed or not.

Second Term

Details on Palpatine's second four-year term of office (7 - 11 GR) are equally sparse. "Palpatine's Triumphs: A Celebration" states that he was reelected on 7:10:05, probably due to his increasing reputation as a surprisingly strong leader. The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition says that he "restarted the government, and proved to be an efficient leader," and that the Senate, "preoccupied with internecine feuding, turned more and more power over to him," with the result that he "seemed to be the only person capable of getting anything done"; as he became more powerful, he had "popularity to match." In the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook, Na'al writes that Palpatine "promised an end to the corruption with a program of sweeping changes," and that his "flowery speeches and drastic policies cut through much of the red tape," to the extent that "even his most vocal opponents {...} had to admit that he had succeeded in revitalizing a government that had been stagnant for far too long." In the Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition, it is said that he "began the wheels of government turning again after too long a delay," "restoring many of the policies which had lapsed during the waning years"; in agreement with The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition's remark that the Senate abdicated more and more of its responsibility to him, the Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition mentions that "more and more government functions were given over to Palpatine," and "the senators of each faction found themselves establishing political debts" to him. He was growing steadily more powerful and more popular, with the complicity of many in the Senate. There was, of course, another side to this steady increase in Palpatine's personal authority; The Complete Visual Dictionary mentions that "in ages past, safeguards limited the power of the Supreme Chancellor – but Palpatine calls them impediments to effective leadership and may soon overturn them, with substantial support."

A year after his reelection, Palpatine approved "measure 4213.0410" on 8:2:11, sponsoring the Outbound Flight Project, according to "Palpatine's Triumphs: A Celebration." First mentioned in Heir to the Empire, the Outbound Flight Project was a long-range extragalactic exploratory mission including six Jedi Masters – including Palpatine's former chaplain, Master Jedi Jorus C'baoth – departing Yaga Minor "to pierce the Unknown Regions and the galactic barrier." Unable to resist the opportunity to destroy six Jedi Masters without arousing any suspicion – if contact were lost with the Outbound Flight, relatively little could be done – Palpatine arranged for an assault force of what Admiral Voss Parck called "handpicked units of Palpatine's own private army, equipped with fifteen top-line combat ships" in Vision of the Future under the command of his aide, Kinman Doriana (Doriana's involvement probably indicates that this 'private army' were Sith assets, possibly from Thule, as "Hero of Cartao" revealed that Doriana incorrectly thought himself an agent-in-place of Darth Sidious within Palpatine's official family). Although Crahsystor (i.e., Force Commander) Mitth'raw'nuruodo – later known by his "core name," Thrawn – of the Chiss Expansionary Defense destroyed Doriana's forces, Doriana apparently managed to convince the Chiss commander to destroy the Outbound Flight anyway, as he "was able to impress upon Thrawn the inherent threat of the Outbound Flight project" and "also spoke highly of the order instilled by Palpatine," "appealing to Chiss sensibilities" as "The University of Sanbra Guide to Intelligent Life: The Chiss" puts it (it is easy to see why Palpatinism would appeal to Thrawn, coming as he did from a totalitarian communist society, theorized by the University of Sanbra to "seek to impose order on what they see as a chaotic and barbaric region," and therefore easily compatible with the authoritarianism and statism of the fully-developed New Order; years later, according to the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook, Thrawn regarded Palpatine as his "beloved Emperor").

In 11 GR, the former Master Jedi Dooku of Serenno reappeared on Raxus Prime after an eight-year absence from public life; he had become numbered among the so-called "Lost Twenty" when he resigned his commission as a Jedi Knight in 3 GR and assumed his hereditary title of Count of Serenno – and his hereditary fortune, said by Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary to be one of the greatest in the galaxy – shortly after his former Padawan Apprentice, Master Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, was killed in a duel with Sidious's Apprentice, Darth Maul. According to "Dooku Spotted in Gree Enclave," Serenno's sudden reappearance on Raxus Prime was marked by "fiery rhetoric lambasting the Senate and the Jedi order's complacency in the visible erosion of morals and ideals of the Republic," and thence he set about "fomenting secession and leading a popular movement that soon developed an alarming cohesion" throughout the disaffected Outer Rim. Although the rapidly growing Separatist movement seemed a spontaneous, grassroots movement, it was in fact a deliberately designed tragicomedy, as Serenno was in truth in cahoots with Palpatine – eight years before, after leaving the Jedi Order in 3 GR, Serenno had murdered his old friend Master Jedi Sifo-Dyas and was united to the Sith Order as Darth Tyranus, Darth Maul's successor as Sith Apprentice to Darth Sidious (i.e., Palpatine himself). Revenge of the Sith reveals that Tyranus believed that the Separatist charade was designed to destabilize the galaxy and set the stage for the destruction of the Senate and the Jedi Order, transforming the Republic into an "Empire of Man" served by a Jedi Order itself transformed into a "Sith Army" in order to serve as "the Fist of the Empire," drawing its membership not only from the Jedi, but also from indigenous cults on Hapes, Haruun Kal, Kiffu, Dathomir, and elsewhere. Subsequent events revealed that Tyranus, like so many others, was misled and had a not entirely accurate understanding of Sidious's true intentions.

Palpatine's popularity continued to grow even as he drew closer to the expiration of his term. Though he had enemies now — some of them quite vocal — none of them had the clout or galaxywide recognition necessary to be a credible challenger, as indicated by the ease of his reelection and by the absence of any real campaign to succeed him (Labyrinth of Evil mentions that Senate insider and conservative party leader Senator Prince Bail Prestor of Organa, Prince Consort of Alderaan (Alderaan), "couldn't help but wonder who might have succeeded Palpatine"). Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary notes that Palpatine"revived the old tradition of appearing before the masses to accept their applause and vocal support." Some of his colleagues began to doubt his leadership, especially the fact that he "has consistently increased his own power," but "the support of the great Jedi reassures many who might otherwise doubt the Chancellor's motives." With the rise of the Separatist movement and rumors of "secret armies," Palpatine's reputation as a principled leader and the absence of any clear candidate to succeed him led to arguments that it would be dangerous to "change dewbacks in the middle of a sand dune," according to Labyrinth of Evil. In consequence, the Senate passed the Emergency Powers Act of 11 GR, amending the Constitution "by an overwhelming majority" so as to "extend Palpatine's term indefinitely, with the understanding that he would voluntarily step down from office when the crisis was resolved." Decades later, in 71 GR, the Historical Council would lamely comment on "the measure's clear unconstitutionality," a partisan attempt to undermine the legitimacy of Palpatine's continuation in office despite the fact that unconstitutionality was not an issue because the Constitution had in fact been expressly amended to permit it. Palpatine had managed to transmogrify himself from the ivory-towered intellectual known only among the politically and academically savvy into the indispensable man, regarded by many as being "integral to the well-being of the galaxy."

Extended Indefinitely

Palpatine's election back in 3 GR had been on a basis of populism and 'common man' appeal (the fact that Palpatine himself was an aristocratic intellectual of noble birth notwithstanding), and the New Order socio-economic reform program had long relied on simplification of procedure and elimination of bureaucratic red tape; it was the success of the New Order that had propelled him to his second term, and Palpatine was smart enough to stick to what worked. Jedi Quest: The False Peace mentions that around 11 GR, his pet project was the establishment of the All Planets Relief Fund, which would enable any planet in the Republic to petition the Senate directly for relief funds to be disbursed through a single central account (whereas prior to the establishment of this fund, a planet would have to petition the Senate Committee for Relief, which would refer the matter to an investigative committee, and so forth; as per his usual modus operandi, Palpatine justified this on the basis that it would "stop the bureaucratic slowdown for relief to troubled worlds"). Applying his considerable parliamentarian and political skills to the task, Palpatine had spent years pushing the Fund through the bureaucratic process, and managed to convince every member of the Senate to donate crystalline vertex to the Fund, to be deposited with Bank of the Core (BotC, it may be remembered, was a member of the Galactic Corporate Policy League, and had illegal and unethical ties to Palpatine and the New Order dating back before his election as Supreme Chancellor).

At around the same time that the Fund was nearing formal unveiling, Jedi Quest: The False Peace shows that anti-Jedi sentiment was on the rise in the Senate, led by Senator Bog Divinian (Nuralee). Divinian brought Roy Teda, the recently-deposed dictator of Romin, to Coruscant, where formal hearings were begun into the Jedi Order's involvement in the coup d'état that had brought down Teda's régime in Jedi Quest: The Changing of the Guard. Palpatine offered his sympathy for the Jedi, but did little to stop Divinian's kangaroo court of a Senate committee from running roughshod over any semblance of impartiality (when Senator Prince Bail Prestor of Organa pointedly objected that Teda had no evidence of his allegations, he was told that a subcommittee would be formed as per rule 729900, subsection B38 of the subcommittee rules, which were at that time being revised by a committee chaired by Senator Sano Sauro (Eeropha), another noted enemy of the Jedi). Even while Obi-Wan Kenobi was ensnared in the Senate hearings, Palpatine seized the opportunity to take Anakin Skywalker under his wing, explaining that the recent surge of anti-Jedi sentiment required that the Jedi acknowledge that their power inherently politicized their activities and take steps to defend themselves politically; he offered to teach Skywalker about politics, so as to provide the Jedi with a strong and able defender. Instead of reporting a recommendation to the Senate, Divinian's committee reported a motion to ban Jedi involvement in any Senate business, only to be parried by Prince Bail, who invoked a clause allowing an appeal directly to the Supreme Chancellor in "a separate closed-door session," and entered a motion supported by 200 Senators to open an investigation of charges of undue bias in Divinian's committee (which would of course table the committee's motion). In the brief closed-door conference with Prince Bail and Divinian – with Skywalker in attendance as his personal protégé – Palpatine ruled in Divinian's favor, permitting his motion to be considered by the full Senate in session the next day, after the ceremony inaugurating the All Planets Relief Fund.

Divinian's motion was actually part and parcel of an elaborate plot by his puppeteer Sano Sauro to propel himself to the Supreme Chancellor's podium. It was intended that the motion should pass, and then Palpatine should be immediately assassinated by the wily criminal mastermind Granta Omega (secretly an agent of Darth Tyranus, Omega was the son of Xanatos, Obi-Wan Kenobi's predecessor as Master Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan Apprentice); part of the plot involved a diversionary theft of the crystalline vertex earmarked for the All Planets Relief Fund, which would have had the additional effect of deeply embarrassing the Jedi Order if successful. The plot was dressed so that the theft of the vertex appeared to be the main objective, with a vote of no confidence in the Palpatine Government to follow (leaving aside the question of whether or not Palpatine could even be brought down by such a vote, seeing that he'd been continued in office indefinitely by Constitutional amendment). The plot is interesting in that it reveals several things about the political climate of the time. First, it reveals that there were still political rivals to Palpatine active in the Senate, even if no one had been able to oppose him successfully for reelection in 7 GR or to block the Emergency Powers Act of 11 GR (other known rivals include Senator Seti Ashgad, the so-called "Golden Tempter" who was regarded as Palpatine's "old rival for Senatorial power" in Planet of Twilight). Sauro's political base is unusual in that details of its composition are available; the extremely knowledgeable Svivreni political analyst and parliamentarian Tyro Caladian described him as controlling "the Viga alliance, and the planets in the Commerce Guild," and was confident that he could count on support from "several systems in the Mid-Rim" (Palpatine's home turf, no less), but doubted that Sauro had the clout to threaten Palpatine directly (although powerful, Sauro lacked Palpatine's gift for making few enemies, and faced strong opposition from Prince Bail's Core Worlds conservatives). Third, it establishes that Palpatine's most likely adversary lacked the votes to carry a vote of no confidence, and that the Supreme Chancellor was "too powerful and too skilled to be outmaneuvered"; short of an acute embarrassment like the theft of the Fund's funds (or an abrupt termination of incumbency by way of assassination), Palpatine was more or less politically invincible, thanks in large part to the fact that he was "tremendously popular" – and his rivals were not.

In the event, the plot was foiled by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who'd been obsessively chasing after Granta Omega for some time. It had not been a bloodless victory, however; Jedi Quest: The False Peace shows that the plot resulted in the deaths of 21 Senators, 14 aides, and 10 Senate Guards (presumably Blue Guards rather than Palpatine's personal cadre of Red Guards). Palpatine's sangfroid calm during the attack – he had not taken cover, nor even been rattled – led to a massive surge in his personal popularity, leaving him "more powerful than ever." Jedi Quest: The False Peace does mention that Tyro Caladian had discovered "great evil" at "the highest level" – although it is not explicitly stated, it is almost certain that it was connected to Palpatine himself, seeing that when he was shot during the attack Caladian "looked beyond Obi-Wan's shoulder, behind him" (where Palpatine was standing) and "fear flickered in his eyes"; the fact that Caladian was one of those killed during the attack may hint that Darth Sidious may have had a hand in planning the 'assassination attempt' (the seeker 'droid that had killed Caladian was specifically programmed to track and kill him, not Palpatine). The motion to ban the Jedi from Senate business was voted down by a sound majority (including Sauro), and Bog Divinian was left in disgrace, facing recall. In the aftermath, Palpatine appointed Sauro as Deputy Chancellor, surprising many; as Palpatine explained to Skywalker, he'd actually offered Sauro the post before Divinian's motion went before the Senate, knowing that Sauro would not be able to resist and would abandon Divinian for the Deputy Chancellorship, and in the process inextricably tied Sauro's fortunes to his own – a classic example of keeping an enemy close so as to keep an eye on him. In the meantime, he had also begun to forge a closer relationship with Skywalker, inviting him to come visit him "from time to time" and offering to continue their mentor/protégé relationship; he also began to gently point out the inequitable treatment Skywalker was receiving from the Jedi High Council.

Sauro's abrupt conversion from potential challenger to close associate bears especial consideration. In fixing Sauro's fortunes to his own coattails, Palpatine had accomplished more than to simply keep his enemy close where he could keep an eye on him. In fact, he had obtained a new and powerful playing piece, more than a pawn, with his own network of allies, clients, and supporters. As Palpatine's Deputy Chancellor, Sauro had a vested interest in seeing an increase in the Palpatine Government's power and prestige, and in pushing Palpatine's legislative program; as part of the team, legislative and political defeats to Palpatine would now reflect upon Sauro as well. The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web makes very clear that Sauro had taken to protecting his new position with gusto: "Behind the scenes, he had bribed, punished, flattered, and manipulated," all on Palpatine's behalf, and even came to consider himself "the unseen power behind Palpatine," becoming one of the most powerful members in his inner circle. Although Sauro was one of many who underestimated Palpatine and thought himself to be playing puppeteer without seeing the strings attached to himself, in many ways he represents a sort of 'Little Palpatine': Sano Sauro was a talented, intelligent, and ambitious man who constantly schemed to use his network of agents, intermediaries, and dupes to enhance his own power, who did not shy from underhanded chicanery and outright murder to further his agenda, and who entertained a cordial hatred for the Jedi Order. It is particularly noteworthy that one of Sauro's protégés had been his own pet dark Jedi: Xanatos, who had been Master Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn's second Padawan Apprentice before falling to the dark side of the Force. Jinn, of course, had discovered young Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine in 3 GR in The Phantom Menace, and thereby brought the boy to Palpatine's attention. Sano Sauro may be regarded as what Palpatine/Darth Sidious might have been had he been restricted to a more mundane existence.

The Military Creation Bill

Although it took some time, Palpatine managed to calm nerves in the Senate after the assassination plot, no doubt greatly aided by the fact that Granta Omega himself was killed shortly afterward by Kenobi, ending that particular threat. It was not long, however, before yet another contentious bill was introduced, the deeply divisive Military Creation Bill, which would authorize the establishment of a permanent Army and Navy for defense of the integrity of the galactic union. "Palpatine Sets Army Vote Date" establishes that the bill was first introduced in 11 GR. It immediately set off a political firestorm. "Palpatine Sets Army Vote Date" indicates that over the course of the two years of procedural maneuvering that followed the introduction of the bill, Palpatine indicated his opposition to the bill, but several years later in Labyrinth of Evil Prince Bail suspected that Palpatine's opposition had been disingenuous, and that he hadn't needed to support the bill overtly: "he left that to others – the Senate's nominal Sand Panthers." The Military Creation Bill – invariably referred to as the Military Creation Act, even before it was put to the vote (cf. references to the "Financial Reform Act," which was tabled and thus never passed into law) – proved to be one of the most contentious pieces of legislation of Palpatine's lengthy tenure as Supreme Chancellor. His successor as Galactic Senator for Naboo and the Chommell Sector, Padmé Naberrie, Lady Amidala – formerly Amidala, Elected Queen of the Naboo – became the leader of the Campaign against Republic Militarization, which brought her into conflict with the Stark Veteran Assembly, as seen in "Stark Veterans Blast Amidala." A number of other influential and respected Senators opposed the bill on principle, including Senator Eeshrin Ot'Hyne (Caamas), whose column arguing against the bill was published in HoloNet News' "Point/Counterpoint: Military Creation Act," Senator Horox Ryyder (Gravlex Med), who retired on 13:3:20 according to "Senator Horox Ryyder Retires," but nevertheless appointed former Gravlex Med President Zo Howler and his Secondary, Fo Kuna, to assume office on 13:3:30 and continue his opposition to the bill, and Senator Tendau Bendon (Ithor), mentioned in "Palpatine Sets Army Vote Date." Others, like Senator Garm Bel Iblis (Corellia), opposed the bill on more pragmatic grounds; in "Palpatine Sets Army Vote Date," Bel Iblis was quoted as saying that "the Corellian people are not going to pay for both CorSec and this Republic Army." Prominent supporters of the bill included Senator Aks Moe (Malastare), the influential free-marketeer who'd made Valorum look ineffectual in a Senate session in 3 GR in The Phantom Menace and whose enthusiasm for the bill was made clear in both "Palpatine Sets Army Vote Date" and "Palpatine forms Loyalist Committee," Palpatine's man in the Judicial Department Terrinald Screed, whose column arguing in favor of the bill was published in HoloNet News' "Point/Counterpoint: Military Creation Act," and Senator Onaconda Farr (Rodia), an outspoken critic of the Palpatine Government suspicious of Palpatine's every move while the bill was pending, as seen in "Palpatine forms Loyalist Committee."

Major legislation soon followed, most notably the anti-corruption Financial Reform Bill, detailed in "Honor and Duty." Senator Jheramahd Greyshade (Vorzyd V), who controlled cardinal swing-votes from the Commonality, was murdered shortly before the bill came up for vote in 12 GR, and Palpatine arranged for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to be assigned as bodyguards for Greyshade's successor, his cousin Simon Greyshade (who first appeared in "The Empire Strikes!"). Greyshade was actually in league with Venco Autem, the anti-Republic militant who had arranged for the assassination of Jheramahd Greyshade in exchange for voting as Autem wished, but he grew to like being a Senator and decided to renege on their deal once he was in office. After several attempts on Greyshade's life were foiled, Autem attacked him on the Senate floor during the vote itself, and was killed by his own brother, Senate Guardsman Sagoro Autem. The disruption of the Senate's vote caused the session to be closed and the bill was tabled, never to be taken up again. Dissatisfaction with corruption in the Republic and the failure of the bill to be brought to a vote caused a wave of secessions by disaffected worlds. Nevertheless, HoloNet News shows that Palpatine's influence was enough that he was named CHRONO Sentient of the Sidereal for 12 GR (the Sentient of the Sidereal issue was on sale in early 13 GR, thus requiring it to be awarded for 12).

Even while the Senate wrangled over the bill, tensions were on the rise, and it was only a matter of time before violence broke out. In the New Year Fête Week of 13 GR, Roshu Sune guerilleros – radical militants splintered from the Gotal Assembly for Separation – launched a wave of violence against the Antarian Rangers (Jedi auxiliaries described by the Hero's Guide as "a unique paramilitary organization of non-Force-users who {...} actively assist them whenever possible") and declared the secession of Antar IV from the Republic; the subsequent intervention by the Antarian Rangers and the Jedi Order resulted in fierce fighting with heavy casualties on both sides, and ultimately led to the use of an electromagnetic pulse to overwhelm Roshu Sune resistance. Although the weapon successfully pacified the planet, it incapacitated many of the planet's native Gotals, leading to widespread resentment against the Jedi throughout the galaxy in general and on Antar IV in particular. (Note that the Historical Council, whose document The New Essential Chronology is the source for the specific details of the incident, claims that it took place in "22.5 B.B.Y." (i.e., 13:6); the contemporary HoloNet News article "Gotal Guerillas Hijack Commuter Hopper, Take Hostages" specifically places the Battle of Antar IV in the New Year Fête.) For their part, the Jedi High Council loudly insisted that the Count of Serenno had nothing to do with the bloodshed, denying that he had any responsibility for Separatist violence ("Dooku Spotted in Gree Enclave"). Four months later in 13:4, five Roshu Sune terrorists hijacked an atmospheric commuter on Atzerri and took 25 passengers hostage, including Gotal Emissary Nathanjo Nirrelz, demanding that Articles of Secession be filed for Antar IV; once again Jedi intervention resulted in bloodshed and renewed accusations of Jedi arrogance ("Gotal Guerillas Hijack Commuter Hopper, Take Hostages" and "Gotal Standoff Ends Violently"). Before the Battle of Antar IV, the Historical Council claims that "over a thousand worlds" had formally seceded from the Republic and allied together to form a Separatist Union; secession increased rapidly in the aftermath of the bloodbath.

According to the appropriately named article "Ando, Sy Myrth Secede," Ando and Sy Myrth seceded from the Republic on 13:2:28; the Historical Council notes that "the two worlds and their sector fiefdoms brought the total of Separatist planets to more than six thousand." The departure of these two worlds was no great surprise; the Aqualish of Ando had long resented Republic interference in their affairs, and in particular regarded the consideration of the Military Creation Bill as "just another in a long line of insults to the Aqualish people," and First Minister Daragi Hoba made a point of excoriating "the rampant hypocrisy of Palpatine's Republic" (Palpatine himself had served on the Ando Demilitarization Observation Group from 8BrS:8 to 7BrS:7). For her part, Senator Toonbuck Toora (Sy Myrth) — who had in fact been present at the seminal meeting in the Coruscant Opera House in Cloak of Deception that had led to the creation of Orn Free Taa's tertium quid and ultimately to Palpatine's election in The Phantom Menace — was a longtime ally of corporate interests in the Senate, having sided with the TradeFed against Valorum's proposed taxation of trade routes in Cloak of Deception and again during the Naboo Crisis in The Phantom Menace, and was noted as "a vocal critic of the Republic's efforts to regulate Commerce Guild operations in the Outer Rim." It is tempting to see the hand of Darth Sidious in virtually any fortuitous development, but one must take care not to attribute responsibility for the vagaries of outrageous fortune; nevertheless, one must readily acknowledge that the secession of Ando and Sy Myrth completely silenced the voices of two of his more prominent opponents, Toora and Senator Po Nudo (Ando) — who shared Toora's corporate sympathies and had also opposed Valorum's BR-0371 (ghostwritten by Palpatine himself); Nudo is unusual in that he is one of the few Separatists to attack Palpatine directly and personally for the Republic's corruption. Secession brought with it population dislocations and further political splintering; "Andoan Free Colonies Criticize Aqualish Separatists" mentions that the Andoan Free Colonies, an 80-year-old corporation of 15 Aqualish colonies in the Mid-Rim Region, rejected Andoan secession and pledged its allegiance to the Republic, and "Mass Aqualish Exodus Expected" mentions that most of Coruscant's 145 million Aqualish and 15 million Sy Myrthians were expected to repatriate.

Meanwhile, the economy continued to feel the pinch. Baktoid Armor Workshop continued to suffer, and waves of plant closings ensued; in 13:3, Baktoid executive Wat Tambor — double-hatted as Techno Union Foreman — announced the closing of five more plants, on Foundry, Ord Cestus, Telti, Balmorra, and Ord Lithone, resulting in the laying off of 12.5 million employees ("Baktoid Closes Down Five More Plants"). (Baktoid continued to purchase the same amount of raw materials, however, and shipped them to secret manufactures in the Outer Rim, where they were used to secretly construct new mechanical armies for the Count of Serenno's Separatists, in preparation for the Clone War.) In 13:3, the General Ministry announced more budget cuts for Fiscal Year 14, cutting funding for the Republic's prestigious General Ministry Institutes by as much as 60%, according to "Funding Slashed for General Ministry Institutes." The 800-year-old Mrlsst Center for Linguistic Studies (CoLS) was forced to rely more and more on charitable contributions, while the Fondor Academy of Engineering and Desiign was subsidized by "generous donations" from Kuat Drive Yards (a member of the Galactic Corporate Policy League) and the Techno Union, private for-profit corporations which eagerly snapped up the Academy's alumni. More whimsical Institutes like the ExGal Society were harder hit, and ExGal was forced to close most of its offices and rely on long-term 'droid observation. Only a grant from Republic Sienar Systems in 13:4 permitted the Ministry of Science to continue funding research into "translational hypermatter energy applications" at the Magrody Institute of Programmable Intelligence, according to "Ministry of Science Continues Hypermatter Studies" (here one does suspect the finger of Darth Sidious; Raith Sienar had spoken in Rogue Planet of certain advances in hypermatter application necessary for the operation of the Expeditionary Battle Planetoid, which would eventually be transmogrified into Wilhuff Tarkin's Death Star). The General Ministry Communications Agency announced on 13:3:20 that budgetary restructuring meant that the proposed Outer Rim HoloNet Expansion would be delayed until Fiscal Year 14 at the earliest, leaving more than 250,000 worlds in the Portmoak, Arkanis, Parmic, Quence, and Kathol Sectors without primary HoloNet conduits and continued reliance on subspace relay networks for intersector communications, according to "Outer Rim HoloNet Expansion Delayed."

At the same time, profiteering was rampant. The InterGalactic Banking Clan (IBC) — which Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds says functioned as the Republic's central bank — seized the opportunity to promote its currency exchange technology and infrastructure, and posted 18 straight quarters of increasing profits; according to "Currency Upheavals Deliver Profits to IBC," by 13:3 the IBC had reduced the time required to establish a state's own currency from two years and 14 filings to less than 30 minutes, "with a basic threshold and exclusivity agreement," and was registering new currencies at a rate of 20 per day, as well as receiving "a modest transaction fee" for all transactions conducted using their InterGalactic Currency Exchange System. Because many of these currencies were rapidly devalued in the wake of secession from the Republic, the IBC's shameless pandering to chauvinist pride was actually encouraging a rapid upswing in inflation. The Commerce Guild also benefitted handsomely from Separatist successes; "Antitrust Suits Dropped in Light of Separation" notes that more than 2,000 antitrust suits against the Guild, some dating as far back as 7 GR, were dropped in 13:5 because the plaintiffs were no longer citizens of the Republic and had no grounds for suit. The Judicial Department's Fourth Assistant Attorney General Kevzod Stenir observed that secession meant that the Republic no longer had jurisdiction or the ability to prevent unfair business practices, such as the Commerce Guild's invasion and conquest of Tyed Kant (Commerce Guild President Shu Mai claimed that Stenir was exaggerating things and insisted that the Commerce Guild was not profiteering or harboring "any orchestrated plans to take over private ventures in Separatist territories").

Vote Date Set

On 13:3:6, Palpatine convened the Senate and announced that the vote on the Military Creation Bill would take place on 13:5:16, according to "Palpatine Sets Army Vote Date." The announcement drew praise from the Sand Panthers like Aks Moe and lamentations from pacifists like Tendau Bendon and pragmatists like Garm Bel Iblis. One of Palpatine's most outspoken critics, Senator Tikkes (Calamari) took the opportunity to belittle the entire bureaucratic process: "By the time we determine which sector and planetary forces will contribute to the military, there may not be any systems left in the Republic. {...} If Palpatine thinks this issue will go away with this vote, he's more naive than I thought." "Army Vote Prompts Chandrilan Public Safety Walk-out" indicates that in response to the Supreme Chancellor's announcement, the 575 employees of the Public Safety Commission of Hanna City, Chandrila, staged a 48-hour walk-out in protest, claiming that "handing over homeland security to the Republic will result in depersonalized services here at home, as tax revenues earmarked for local forces are instead funneled to support the Army of the Republic."

"Corellia Closes Borders" details how on 13:3:13, while Palpatine was attending a finance conference on the major banking planet of Aargau (Zug III), Garm Bel Iblis emerged from a week of confidential meetings with Corellian Diktat Shyla Merricope to announce that Corellia was invoking its Constitutional right to Contemplanys Hermi (olys Corellisi for "Meditative Solitude"), an obscure article in the Constitution that permitted Corellia and its associated states to "unilaterally withdraw from Senate duties for the duration of the contention," permitting only Corellian citizens to travel to and from the Corellian Sector without special permits from the Corellian Security Force (CorSec), prohibiting interstellar shipping within the Sector by ships not operated by Corellian Merchant Guild (CMG) members, and giving preferential treatment to CMG member businesses. As usual, Palpatine was quite mild in his criticism, saying only that he was "disheartened to hear that one of our closest brothers lacks such faith in democracy." As usual, however, he did not need to be more explicit, as Orn Free Taa and Senator Ister Paddie (Sermeria) took up where he left off, lambasting Corellia and Bel Iblis for "self-serving hypocrisy" and "selfishness." Corellia's invocation of Contemplanys Hermi seriously undermined Bel Iblis's credibility and clout in the Senate, as many saw it as little different from outright secession. It need hardly be noted that, as the well-respected chief representative of a wealthy, influential, and powerful Sector, Bel Iblis was one of the few who may have been able to seriously challenge Palpatine's political dominance. Just as Toonbuck Toora and Po Nudo had, Bel Iblis had succeeded in silencing himself so that Palpatine didn't have to.

According to "Palpatine to Separatists: Let's Talk," Palpatine released on 13:3:21 a 12-minute address from the Executive Office on all government channels and 90% of private feeds on the HoloNet, in which he invited the Count of Serenno to join him in a conference on a neutral world (possibly Bothawui) to discuss the state of the Republic and how to restore it, pointing to his own record of reform and saying that "the solution lies not in insurrection, but rather reform," adding that "the system will work, and together we will make it work." Orn Free Taa, leader of the tertium quid that had gotten Palpatine nominated and elected to the Supreme Chancellor's podium in the first place, applauded the initiative, while Onaconda Farr scornfully accused him of groveling to "that mind-wizard" and trying to foolishly derail the Military Creation Bill, calling the appeal for parley "a cowardly misstep" and comparing Palpatine's conciliatory approach to "trying to outtalk a fire consuming our worlds, or negotiate a dam from bursting." Perhaps most perceptively, Senator R'shinnos Sh'neel (Genassa) merely observed that "the Chancellor may be meek, but he is an intelligent man {...} He's up to something, I can promise you that." When no response was forthcoming, Palpatine announced on 13:3:28 "in anticipation of future negotiations with the Separatists as well as to assist in the general handling of the crisis" the gathering of "some of the most trusted, skilled and intelligent minds that the Republic has to offer" into the Loyalist Committee, a think-tank of 10 powerful and respected Senators who would "serve in diplomatic and strategic capacity, developing a six-month action plan to engage Separatist elements, negotiate, and settle disputes." As detailed in "Palpatine forms Loyalist Committee," Palpatine had deftly cut across partisan and demographic lines, tapping Senator Prince Bail Prestor of Organa, Prince Consort of Alderaan (Alderaan) of the Core Worlds, Senator Havriso Looruya (Yir Tangee) of the Colonies, Senator Senator Ronet Coorr (Iseno) of the Inner Rim, Senator Ister Paddie (Sermeria) of the Expansion Region, Senator Aks Moe (Malastare), Senator Darsana (Glee Anselm), Senator Padmé Naberrie, Lady Amidala (Naboo), and Senator Lexi Dio (Uyter) of the Mid Rim, and Senator Orn Free Taa (Ryloth) and Acting Senator Zo Howler (Gravlex Med) of the Outer Rim; by including both Lady Amidala and Moe, Palpatine successfully straddled the debate over Republic militarization, as the leaders of both sides of the debate were in the Committee. Onaconda Farr nevertheless seized the opportunity to attack Palpatine again, accusing him of using "the guise of unity" to consolidate political allies "in an attempt to water down the Military Creation Act, or subvert the vote altogether," while Senator Tashrikam (Grizmallt) considered the Loyalist Committee more of a face-saving gesture "after the embarrassment of last week's plea to Dooku," and opined that Palpatine was "finally getting some real direction by turning to those more proactive than he" (a strange remark, given that it had been Palpatine's surprising performance as an effective leader that had gotten him reelected and then continued in office indefinitely).

At the same time that Palpatine was announcing the formation of his steering committee, Senator Corlissi Ludar (Sluis Van), who had been absent from the Senate Rotunda since 13:2, submitted Articles of Secession for the Sluis Sector (which included the Intergalactic Communications Cente, "a major HoloNet and subspace communications hub"), the latest in a wave of secessions traveling Coreward up the Rimma Trade Route following an appearance in the Metharan Nebula Territories, having already produced the secession of Elrood, Danjar, and Tantra Sectors, according to "Sluis Sector Secedes; Seswenna Restates Loyalty." Senator Shayla Paige-Tarkin (Eriadu) adamantly asserted Eriadu's and Seswenna Sector's loyalty to the Republic, while Senator Dodra F'ass (Clak'dor VII) declined to comment on Mayagil Sector's loyalties. (Note that although the contemporary HoloNet News reports that the Rimward led of the Rimma Trade Route was closed off to Republic shipping in the early months of 13 GR and the Historical Council's The New Essential Chronology in 71 GR claims that the secession of Ando and Sy Myrth brought the Separatist Union to some six thousand worlds, Prince Bail is quite specific in Labyrinth of Evil in 16 GR that "some six thousand worlds, lured by the promise of free and unrestricted trade, had seceded from the Republic" and that "the entire Rimward leg of the Rimma Trade Route had become inaccessible to Republic shipping" before the passage of the Emergency Powers Act of 11 GR, and had indeed directly led to that amendment to the Constitution.) Perhaps in response to this wave of secessions, Sanya, Baroness Tagge, the head of the House of Tagge and chairwoman of the Tagge Company (one of the largest conglomerates in the galaxy, with significant interests in nearly every aspect of the economy, and a member of Palpatine's secret cabal, the Galactic Corporate Policy League) pledged the allegiance of the House of Tagge, its throneworld Tepasi, and its corporate holdings to the Republic in late 13:3, as described in "House of Tagge Sides with Loyalists."

In late 13:3 and early 13:4, the Loyalist Committee's first public act was to authorize Armand Isard, Director, Senate Bureau of Intelligence, to undertake a major overhaul of SBI's organization in response to increased security concerns; according to "Isard Spearheads Republic Intelligence Reform," Isard immediately established a Crisis Branch and placed it under the direction of a committee of subdirectors handpicked from planetary bureaux throughout the Core Worlds Region, and the newly-established Crisis Branch proceeded to fire the subdirectors of 32 offices throughout the Mid-Rim Region. Some, like Onaconda Farr, condemned the decision, calling it proof that the Loyalist Committee was simply "a front to increase the Supreme Chancellor's powers," and it was predicted that Isard's intelligence reforms would soon be extended to the Republic Security Organization, the Interstellar Consortium on Technology, and the Special Acquisitions Branch of the Library of the Republic. In reality, the situation in the intelligence community was far more sinister than it otherwise appeared. The Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition contains a report to the ISB Central Office (dated 35 GR), which details how the directors of the four agencies of the intelligence community had met secretly in order to address the sorry condition of galactic security. These secret talks revealed that the intelligence community leaders had abandoned the last vestiges of belief in democracy, and felt that the Republic needed to be replaced by "a strong central government." Finding themselves in complete agreement to support "Palpatine and his New Order," the leaders decided to a quiet and unofficial merger of their organizations, and formed a secret society called the Ubiqtorate to control the entire intelligence community. Thus, Farr and others were right to suspect something untoward in Isard's aggressive reform of the SBI, but completely failed to realize that the fight for control of the intelligence community was over; the Republic had already lost, and its galactic security apparatus was in the hands of crypto-authoritarians hostile to the principles of liberal democracy and completely in the pocket of the Supreme Chancellor. But the troubling developments in the intelligence community were quickly overshadowed.

HoloNet News reported in "Senator Moe Killed in Blast" that at 0824 standard time on 13:4:4, Senator Aks Moe — one of the most powerful floor leaders in the Senate, de facto leader of the Sand Panthers and a key member of the Loyalist Committee — , his traveling companion, and two Dug servants were killed by the explosion of his staff speeder whil en route to the Commodities Exchange Cathedral in New Escrow, Aargau (Zug III); he had been on a state visit to the key banking planet to explore possible funding options for the proposed militarization of the Republic. In response, Palpatine suspended the Senate for the fifth time that year. The session hadn't been going well by that point, anyway; "Lahara Sector Secedes" mentions that early that same day Senator Tyreca Bremack of Lahara Sector presented Articles of Secession for her Outer Rim Sector, taking with it 245 settled worlds, most of them major agricultural producers (the Historical Council adds that among the assets departing from the Republic were Agamar, Oorn Tchis, and the Mirgoshir hyperspace crossroads). If that weren't enough, the Senate had also been rocked by disclosure by Jurisconsult Temlet Dodann that investigation had revealed that Senator Tikkes (Calamari), Senator Bufus Ritsomas (Till Chorios), Senator Danry Ledwellow (Er'kit) and Senator Wuja Wojaine (Pydyr) were each receiving kickbacks from Thalassian slavers in the Outer Rim in exchange for turning a blind eye to their activities, according to "Senators Implicated in Slave Ring"; all four were suspended from office and arraignment hearings were scheduled (for his part, Tikkes, a vocal critic of Palpatine, did not wait; he escaped house arrest and fled the Republic by 13:4:11, according to "Senator Tikkes Jumps Bail" — like Nudo, Toora, and Bel Iblis before him, he had silenced himself so that Palpatine didn't have to).

Onaconda Farr wasn't the only person to harbor suspicions about the Loyalist Committee; according to "Boon Calls Loyalists a Shadow Government," later that month Sy Myrthian com-host Brookish Boon alleged that the Loyalist Committee was in fact "a shadow government that is running things outside the control of the Senate." Palpatine's longtime aide Kinman Doriana — Darth Sidious's agent-in-place in the Supreme Chancellor's official family, who had been responsible for the destruction of the Outbound Flight Project — appeared on rival morning show Amberdawn and dismissed Boon's allegation as baseless, joking that "it's not much of a shadow government if someone as myopic as Mr. Boon can find it." The unpleasant month only continued to get worse; on 13:4:11, Senator Nemrileo irm-Drocubac (Tanjay IV) was killed by an aircar collision on S-93 in Bindai District, Coruscant, according to HoloNet News' article "Tanjay IV Representative Dead in Crash," which noted that Palpatine was expected to attend the memorial service on the 12th (not to be outdone, the Coruscant News Network, quoted in The Approaching Storm, reported that "a grieving Chancellor Palpatine is scheduled to deliver the eulogy," although the latter claims irm-Drocubac was Senator for Tanjay VI). On 13:4:18, Senator Esu Rotsino (Abrion Major) filed Articles of Secession for Abrion Sector, and more than 200 agri-worlds left the Republic for the Separatist Union, according to "Abrion Sector Secedes; Separatists Get Agri-Worlds" (the Historical Council claims that Abrion Sector joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, but this is a clear case of poor historical research; the CIS did not exist yet). The departure of the Lahara and Abrion Sectors prompted the introduction of emergency subsidy packages for the Republic's remaining agricultural Sectors. According to "Hunger Pangs Start to Hit The Colonies," the Palpatine Government awarded the Salliche Ag Corporation numerous tax incentives to service the Core Worlds affected by the secession of Abrion Sector. At the same time, the Military Academy at Carida and the government of Carida openly endorsed the Military Creation Bill, donating billions of credits to regional campaigning efforts supporting the bill's passage, according to "Carida Backs Military Creation Act." Palpatine's ally Lady Amidala condemned the cynicism and self-interest of the Caridans, while his mouthpiece in the Judicial Department, Terrinald Screed, applauded their loyalty and that of similar institutions on Raithal and Corulag.

Interestingly, HoloNet News carried the story "SBI Officer Warns of Conspiracy" in its Coco District Edition of 13:4:18's feed. Senior SBI official Vyn Narcassan — originally appearing in Solo Command — announced in a regular media briefing that increased surveillance of anti-Republic factions had revealed the existence of a communications channel directly bypassing "even the most highly classified detection procedures," and that "not even the Supreme Chancellor could order a line that silent," prompting Narcassan's statement that "someone in the Republic government is going to great lengths to hide something." Solo Command reveals that Narcassan, a seasoned veteran of more than 100 covert operations, had learned a number of secrets over the course of his 20 years with SBI, and that he arranged his own disappearance after failing to prevent Palpatine's rise to power; it is very likely, therefore, that the secret communications channel he'd discovered was connected to Darth Sidious and his plot to subvert the Galactic Republic.

On 13:4:18, Palpatine's longtime right-hand man and senior advisor Sate Pestage publicly addressed rumors about Palpatine's health, insisting that he was in "great health" and denying that he had any plans to take an extended vacation prior to the scheduled 13:5:16 vote on the Military Creation Bill, according to "Palpatine Health Rumors Denied." A week later, Palpatine, the Loyalist Committee, Techno Union Foreman Wat Tambor, Corporate Alliance Magistrate Passel Argente, and TradeFed Commanding Viceroy Nute Gunray, and many more of "the biggest names in politics and business" attended a charity dinner in Xenvaer, Alsakan, to raise funds for the Refugee Relief Movement (RRM) at 1,000 credits per plate, raising 75 million credits in one night. According to "RRM Fundraiser a Huge Success," Palpatine left shortly after dinner, though his chief of staff Sly Moore and aide Kinman Doriana remained for the aftermeal entertainment. This relative success was quickly followed by scandal; on 13:5:1, Onaconda Farr interrupted the tabling of an unrelated bond issue in the Senate and announced, "I have here in my datapad a list of 245 Senators and Judicials with known an proven ties to Separatists and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the Republic." According to "Rodian Senator Uncovers Loyalist-Separatist Ties," Farr announced that he had uncovered evidence of illegal funds transfers from Loyalist Committee member Havriso Looruya to Separatist territories on Ando, Sy Myrth, and Sluis Van, and refused to yield the floor until he was given an appointment with the SBI, claiming that the SBI was controlled by the Loyalist Committee and this was the only way to bring his evidence to light. A day later, SBI official Nels Bulson announced that investigation had confirmed Farr's accusation vis-à-vis Looruya, and Farr told the holomedia, "Perhaps our Supreme Chancellor had a lapse of judgment in picking those closest to the heart of the Republic's affairs. I would propose that the Loyalist Committee would benefit from Rodian vigilance among its ranks." Six days later, Speaker of the Senate Mas Amedda announced the appointment of Farr, one of Palpatine's most outspoken critics, to the Loyalist Committee, to fill the vacancy created by the censure of Havriso Looruya, according to "Senator Farr Named to Loyalist Committee"; by that time the SBI had made another 12 arrests using information provided by Farr. The Rodian's appointment to Palpatine's think tank was, like the appointment of Deputy Chancellor Sano Sauro, a shrewd move to secure a major enemy to Palpatine's coattails, neutralizing him as a potential threat with his own connivance.

Last Minute Scrambling

With the vote on the Military Creation Bill only two weeks away, events seemed to be picking up speed. On 13:5:2, Senator Daggibus Scoritoles (Yag'Dhul) filed Articles of Secession for the Collected Domain and Range of the Givin People after the ruling Body Calculus mathematically calculated that "the threats of remaining are greater than or equal to the threats of secession," according to "Yag'Dhul Secedes." Although Prince Bail stressed that the Loyalist Committee had nothing but respect for the decisions of the Givin mathematocracy, Senator Ask Aak (Malastare) — Aks Moe's successor in the Senate and the Loyalist Committee, who presented his credentials on 13:4:25, according to "Senator Aak Officially Appointed" — criticized Givin cowardice, and took advantage of the opportunity to add an insult to Corellian selfishness, as well. Also on 13:5:2, Terrinald Screed confirmed that Captain Zozridor Slayke, Commanding Officer, RJC Scarlet Thranta, had led his crew in mutinying against the Judicial Department and forming a radical militia called Freedom's Sons (first mentioned in Han Solo at Stars' End and then again in Wraith Squadron), dedicated to fighting Separatist threats to the Republic, according to "Vigilante Task Force Departs to Engage Separatists." A week later on 13:5:9, Screed confirmed that a task force of 12 Jedi Knights and 30 Judicial marshals had left Coruscant that morning at 0400 on board RJC Plooriod Bodkin to intercept Slayke and put an end to their "unauthorized campaign in Separatist space" (by that time, the Sluis Sector government had posted a 45,000 cr bounty for Slayke's capture), according to "Jedi Taskforce Dispatched to Reel in Thranta." One week after that, "Sluis Van Offer Met with Doubt" describes how the Sluissi Khedive, Candobar Inglet, announced that his government would be willing to assist any Judicial incursions into the Sluis Sector to assist in the pursuit of Freedom's Sons, but Screed declined to comment to the holomedia; insider sources reported that the Judicial Department suspected that the offer was a trap.

In late 13:4 and early 13:5, Kenobi and Skywalker had been sent by the Jedi High Council (along with Master Jedi Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Apprentice, Barriss Offee) to intervene on Ansion, to prevent that world's secession; a series of Byzantine alliances in the Mid-Rim Region (such as the Malarian Alliance and the Keitumite Mutual Military Treaty) would have caused a significant number of other "key Mid Rim worlds" to secede along with Ansion had Separatist on the Commerce Guild's payroll been successful. In the event, The Approaching Storm and "Jedi Settle Ansion Dispute" show that the Jedi Knights were successful, and they returned to Coruscant. This diplomatic success was set against a background of heavy campaigning in the Mid-Rim Region over the Military Creation Bill, only days away on the 16th. Lady Amidala stumped throughout Chommell Sector in opposition, while Senator Yudrish Sedran (Chalacta) adopted an anti-militarization stance after consulting the Chalactan Temple of Illumination; Senator Jollin Resbin (Sneeve) took the opposite stance, rallying support for the bill and drawing retired Podracing legend Boles Roor into the campaign, according to "Campaigning Reports from the Mid Rim." The split between supporters and opponents of the bill in the Mid-Rim was mirrored elsewhere, notably in Palpatine's own Loyalist Committee, where Lady Amidala, Zo Howler, and Lexi Dio were marked as committed opponents, Ask Aak, Onaconda Farr, and Ronet Coorr enthusiastic supporters, with Prince Bail a somewhat reluctant backer ("Loyalist Committee Split on Vote" adds that Orn Free Taa was expected to vote in favor of the bill, but also to carefully "veto any military funding pulled from of {sic} his Appropriations Committee budget"). On the literal eve of the vote — 13:5:15 — Palpatine gave his Address to the Republic, in which "Palpatine Confident in Negotiations" says he "expressed renewed confidence in a peaceful solution to the Separatist crisis and commitment to negotiation efforts," and in which he alluded to the likely 'yes' vote on the bill:

Regardless of the outcome of the Military Creation Act Vote, the primary path that this administration will adhere to is one of civility and intelligent discourse. If the constituents decide that a Grand Army of the Republic is indeed essential to the safety of our citizenry, we will erect a formidable force to assist our Jedi in maintaining the peace, not starting a war. {...} I assure the families of the Republic that hostilies will only be engaged in retaliation or in the protection of Republic soil, or in response to brazen acts of warfare brought on by the Separatists. It is not this office's desire to incite war. {...} On election day, we will demonstrate the strength of democracy as thousands of delegates make their voices heard in the Senate. It is this cherished freedom we must protect, at all costs. The days and months ahead call for clear, rational thinking. It is only as a last resort that arms will replace words as the means of settling this dispute.

Attack of the Clones shows that the very next day, 13:5:16, Lady Amidala's J-type Naboo Royal Cruiser was blown up after landing on Coruscant, killing at least seven people. Less than an hour later, Palpatine, visibly shaken, announced to the Senate that Lady Amidala had been assassinated, saying, "We will mourn her as a relentless champion of freedom. And as a dear friend." Ask Aak and Orn Free Taa demanded that the vote continue, and Darsana demanded why the Jedi had not prevented the attack. At that time Lady Amidala entered the Senate Rotunda — her chief of security Captain Typho had anticipated an attempt on her life, and she had flown instead in one of the Royal Cruiser's N1 starfighter escorts. When she insisted that the bill be voted down, Taa realized that her moral authority, now considerably enhanced by the assassination attempt, might derail the bill, and moved that the vote (scheduled to take place at 0800) be postponed. Palpatine ended the session, and was immediately accused of partisanship by supporters of the bill. "Amidala Alive" includes complaint by Senator Candabrine Bu (Lansono) that Palpatine had been ready to postpone the vote when he'd thought Lady Amidala was dead, and when it turned out she wasn't, postponed it anyway, clearly displaying his lack of support for the bill. He was accused of overstepping his authority in postponing the bill, the fact that the motion accomplishing this had been proposed by Orn Free Taa with support from Darsana and Ask Aak notwithstanding.

Palpatine subsequently met in his office in the Senate Executive Office Building with the Jedi High Council's senior members, Master Jedi Mace Windu and Master Jedi Yoda, to discuss the situation. He admitted that he was deliberately postponing the vote, and wondered aloud whether it would truly come to war. The arrival of the Loyalist Committee, Lady Amidala among them, prompted him to ask the Jedi to assign Kenobi to protect her, knowing fully well that this would place Skywalker in close vicinity to the young lady and knowing that his close relationship with Lady Amidala would enable him to treat her "as would an overprotective father," something which she would not have tolerated from any other man. When she made clear that she intended to continue working against the bill even after another assassination attempt, Skywalker spoke to Palpatine directly and he promised to order her to return to Naboo, where she could be more easily protected. She reluctantly acquiesced, and Skywalker went with her while Kenobi went to investigate the assassins, the trail leading him to distant Kamino beyond the Outer Rim. There, he discovered the clone army that Darth Tyranus had ordered ten years before, ostensibly on behalf of the Jedi Order using the guise of his murdered friend Master Jedi Sifo-Dyas, and reported this to the High Council before following bounty hunter Jango Fett to Geonosis, where he stumbled upon evidence that the Count of Serenno was meeting with the most important Separatist leaders as well as the heads of the TradeFed, Commerce Guild, IBC, Techno Union, and Corporate Alliance. The intention was to forge the Separatist Union into a powerful Confederacy of Independent Systems, backed by an enormous army of battle 'droids and combat automata.

On Coruscant, Palpatine met with the Loyalist Committee and the Jedi High Council to deliberate on the crisis at hand. Ask Aak declared the necessity for the Senate to approve the use of the clone army, but Prince Bail pointed out that the Senate would never sanction the use of force unless attacked first. Mas Amedda pointed out that if the Senate voted an emergency powers resolution, Palpatine himself would have the authority to approve the deployment of military force without recourse to a vote of the Senate, but Prince Bail objected that the two most powerful floor leaders in the Committee, himself and Aak, were too well established as advocates of decisive action, and if either called for such a resolution, it would be seen as mere alarmism. To that end, Lady Amidala's chargé d'affaires, General (Retired) Jar Jar Binks, war hero of the Naboo Crisis and now a member of the Galactic Representative Commission, offered to enter the motion to grant Palpatine emergency powers. Binks's action would be particularly persuasive, seeing that he was Lady Amidala's deputy, and it was tacitly understood that he spoke on her behalf, creating the impression that she herself, the leader of the anti-militarization movement, supported the resolution. Palpatine called the Senate into special session, and the evidence was presented. Binks moved the grant of emergency powers, and the motion was passed by voice vote. Palpatine made a very brief acceptance speech: "It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. I love democracy, I love the Republic. The power you give me, I will lay down when this crisis has abated. And as my first act with this new authority, I will create a Grand Army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the Separatists." Windu collected 200 Jedi Knights and headed to Geonosis to assist Kenobi, who'd been captured by Separatists, while Yoda traveled to Kamino to take charge of the clone army.

Meanwhile, Lady Amidala and Skywalker had traveled to Geonosis as well in an ill-fated attempt to rescue Kenobi; in the event, both were captured by the Geonosians, and were sentenced to die in the Execution Arena, fed to wild beasts. Windu's strike team arrived in time to rescue them, but Windu's exceptionally poor leadership and their lack of a coherent plan led to a slaughter as the Jedi were faced with Geonosian soldiers and thousands of B1 battle 'droids; of the 100 Jedi Knights in Windu's strike team in the Arena itself, more than three quarters were killed before the rescuers were themselves rescued by the arrival of Yoda and the newly-commissioned Grand Army of the Republic. The arrogance of the Jedi had led to a bloodbath, and the Battle of Geonosis was a strategic failure. The Count of Serenno and the other leaders of the newly-established Confederacy of Independent Systems escaped, and the stage was set for one of the fiercest wars in galactic history, as the Republic's clones faced off against the Confederacy's 'droids, with the Jedi and dark Jedi leading the armies on both sides. On Coruscant, Darth Tyranus met secretly with Darth Sidious, to report that the Clone War had begun. Palpatine of Naboo had good reason to be pleased as he observed the millions of clones parading on Coruscant as they boarded the Republic's new Acclamator class trans-galactic military transport ships for deployment to the war front. He had already secured a Constitutional amendment to remain Supreme Chancellor for life, if he so chose. Now, with the eager support of the Senate, he had been appointed dictator of the free galaxy. Everything was proceeding according to plan.

Interesting article Publius. One question (not sure if you addressed it before): Was there any unofficial funding allocated to building the Grand Army and the possible date of the investment? Or did Dooku finance it with his own funds or the Jedi's funds?

Good show as always. However, I thought the "Labyrinth of Evil" declared that Sifo-Dyas himself ordered the Clone Army, and was only killed afterwards by Dooku, who assumed his role later.

Kenobi asks Yoda directly if Sifo-Dyas ordered the clone army. Yoda does not answer directly, but does say that "contacted the Kaminoans, he did," without his knowledge, but "exists, a record of his initial contact." He quickly adds that Sifo-Dyas was murdered before Jango Fett arrived on Kamino. However, the fact that the Kaminoans never knew what Sifo-Dyas looked like casts doubt even on Yoda's claims. What record could have existed of the initial contact? The Kaminoans never saw Sifo-Dyas, so it obviously is not a video recording. The best the Jedi could have is a receipt of some sort documenting that a call was placed at such and such time to Kamino by someone claiming to be Sifo-Dyas. Furthermore, even if Sifo-Dyas contacted the Kaminoans, contacting a service provider is not the same thing as contracting for services.

The Jedi Order's budget is allocated by the Senate and controlled by the Judicial Department (in "People's Inquest Demand Jedi Budget Reports," Judicial Department Information Director Laddinare Torbin, who would later become Palpatine's first and only Grand Inquisitor, denied requests for access to these records). The Jedi had no funds of their own and no independent authority to act on behalf of the Republic; the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook specifically states that "the Republic and the Jedi are not the same, and the Jedi hold no authority in the Republic," that they "serve when asked and stand aside at all other times," and that the Order "receives its funds from the Republic Senate, in return for which the Jedi make their services available to the Supreme Chancellor." The idea that Sifo-Dyas placed the initial order is untenable; he had no authority to make such a decision and no way to finance it even if he did.

As far as paying for the clone army, Labyrinth of Evil does establish that the payments came from Darth Tyranus, and that the Republic learned this from Taun We and Ko Sai after the Battle of Kamino. Yoda's investigators traced these payments to Bogg IV, where Fett had been recruited by Tyranus, but from there the trail led to "a maze of deception." Elsewhere in the same book, Tyranus recalls that he had "arranged for payments to be made to the cloners through circuitous routes." Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary says the Count of Serenno is "master of his family's fortune and one of the wealthiest men in the galaxy," adding that "he could field an army on his own resources," and in Revenge of the Sith he reflects that he had "used all the great power of his family fortune" in pursuing Darth Sidious's plan. Yoda: Dark Rendezvous is even more explicit, in which Tyranus tells Sidious, "I have paid for your war with my time, my riches, and my honor." It seems reasonable, therefore, to conclude that although Palpatine was certainly rich enough to have paid for the clone army out of his own pocket, he was content to leave Tyranus to foot the bill instead.

I love reading your stuff Publius. You are fucking awesome.

Why did Mothma initially despise Palpy?

@Publius:

Yes, but in LoE Dooku also thinks about his turn to the Dark Side and there we learn, that Sifo-Dias gave the order for the clone-army, that Sidious learned about it and tasked Tyranus to kill Sifo-Dias.

of the 100 Jedi Knights in Windu's strike team

100 Jedi Knights?

Otherwise excellent article as always.

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Why did Mothma initially despise Palpy?

Wiz she no dating Augie at one time? I often entertained the notion that he wanted tae pump her arse and she wiz appalled.

Or a might have mixed that up with wan ay Publius' fiction pieces.

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Why did Mothma initially despise Palpy?

The source of Mothma's hatred for Palpatine remains unknown. The Dark Empire Sourcebook says that she "fought the rise of Palpatine with every tool at her command," and that she was motivated by "a responsibility to the ideals of the Republic, which was crumbling around her." This is all well and good once Palpatine's true colors stood revealed, but Maj. Arhul Hextrophon, the Executive Secretary and Master Historian, Alliance High Command, writes in the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook that "despite their differences, Mothma and Organa worked closely together to keep Senator Palpatine from becoming President of the Republic," and "when it became obvious that they would fail, Mothma began to discuss Revolution," clearly demonstrating a pathological hatred for a man who at that point had an immaculate record of conscientious (if unremarkable) service.

Mothma herself gave a speech on Agamar in The Farlander Papers, in which she mentions that "many of the most honest and ethical senators backed him because he promised unity and had never joined among the most corrupt," but points out that "even so, I soon saw this man for the monster he was." In Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi Lieut. Voren Na'al (the Assistant Historian, Alliance High Command) writes that that "Mon Mothma and a few others saw through him, but they were unable to convince the other senators of the quiet, mild Palpatine's evil intentions," as the Senate was "torn, divided, and corrupt, easy prety to Palpatine's manipulations, and unwilling to listen to 'prophets of doom' like Mothma."

At first one merely suspects hagiographical flattery in the assertions of 'official historians' Hextrophon and Na'al in the repeated statements that Mothma realized Palpatine's true nature even then, but Mothma's candid admission that she had advocated revolution even as early as the events of The Phantom Menace makes it quite likely that this was not mere propaganda, seeing that it makes clear that her hatred of Palpatine was so fierce that she was willing to commit treason even before he had taken office.

Danny Bhoy wrote:Wiz she no dating Augie at one time? I often entertained the notion that he wanted tae pump her arse and she wiz appalled.

Or a might have mixed that up with wan ay Publius' fiction pieces.

The idea that they had dated is from this author's completely unofficial short story "The President's War Room." It has no basis in canonical fact.

Is it that you have not read Betrayal, or that you do not believe the sequence of events described in it to be accurate?

The Legacy of the Force novel? Haven't read anything set later than Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, to be perfectly honest.

Hmm...maybe Mon Mothma was a crazy bitch who hated most of the Senate, most of the Senate that also backed Palpy.

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Hmm...maybe Mon Mothma was a crazy bitch who hated most of the Senate, most of the Senate that also backed Palpy.

Which is why Bail and a few others in RoTS trusted her so much, and her bizarre quest to restore the Republic, instead of pronoucing herself as Empress of the Alliance.......

For once think for three seconds before spilling a fleeting thought from your head to the keyboard.

Do we know, if Mon Mothma was even a senator at the time of TPM or even AotC? According to the RotS:VD she was the youngest person ever to become senator before Leia Organa and we don't see her in TPM, AotC and I also don't remember her from CoD.

FTeik wrote:Do we know, if Mon Mothma was even a senator at the time of TPM or even AotC? According to the RotS:VD she was the youngest person ever to become senator before Leia Organa and we don't see her in TPM, AotC and I also don't remember her from CoD.

The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook includes a transcript of a debate between Mon Mothma and Prince Bail Organa during a session presided by a female Speaker, which means that she was in the Senate prior to the appointment of Mas Amedda in 3 GR (Cloak of Deception), and furthermore the statement in the same sourcebook that she worked with Organa to prevent Palpatine's election requires that she have been in the Senate before that (she mentions the same thing in The Farlander Papers). She was indeed young in 3 GR, at that point the youngest Senator in the Republic's history, but here one should remember that Palpatine had broken with tradition because he had not "left public service at the accepted age of twenty." The fact is that she's simply aged well, and wasn't in any prominent stories set before the Clone War.

Ghost Rider wrote:Which is why Bail and a few others in RoTS trusted her so much, and her bizarre quest to restore the Republic, instead of pronoucing herself as Empress of the Alliance.......

For once think for three seconds before spilling a fleeting thought from your head to the keyboard.

Fine, let me rephrase that.

Mothma's this woman everyone else considers to be a crazy bitch, because she hates practically all of the Senate. Why? Because they're the corrupt shits they are. And because, somehow, Palpy's managed to get the collective approval of their corrupt asses, that makes him the manifestation of this shitness which pissess of Mothma to extreme levels.

And maybe she held on to this belief fanatically. And she got vindicated when Palpy declared himself Master of the Universe.

Publius wrote:The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook includes a transcript of a debate between Mon Mothma and Prince Bail Organa during a session presided by a female Speaker, which means that she was in the Senate prior to the appointment of Mas Amedda in 3 GR (Cloak of Deception), and furthermore the statement in the same sourcebook that she worked with Organa to prevent Palpatine's election requires that she have been in the Senate before that (she mentions the same thing in The Farlander Papers). She was indeed young in 3 GR, at that point the youngest Senator in the Republic's history, but here one should remember that Palpatine had broken with tradition because he had not "left public service at the accepted age of twenty." The fact is that she's simply aged well, and wasn't in any prominent stories set before the Clone War.

Doesn't that present a problem, though? Wasn't Bail Antilles senator of the Alderaan Sector in 3?

Shroom Man 777 wrote:

Ghost Rider wrote:Which is why Bail and a few others in RoTS trusted her so much, and her bizarre quest to restore the Republic, instead of pronoucing herself as Empress of the Alliance.......

For once think for three seconds before spilling a fleeting thought from your head to the keyboard.

Fine, let me rephrase that.

Mothma's this woman everyone else considers to be a crazy bitch, because she hates practically all of the Senate. Why? Because they're the corrupt shits they are. And because, somehow, Palpy's managed to get the collective approval of their corrupt asses, that makes him the manifestation of this shitness which pissess of Mothma to extreme levels.

And maybe she held on to this belief fanatically. And she got vindicated when Palpy declared himself Master of the Universe.

You really didn't watch the fucking movies, did you?

She hates Palpatine...it does not translate as she hating the entire Senate and having this vendetta to take it all down. She isn't considered a crazy bitch, unless Bail by proxy and Amidala are considered crazy morons for even listening to her.

So literally you're pulling out delusional rants from reading Publius' works and making some extraordinary leaps of logic.

Wasn't the majority of the Senate corrupt? She could've hated them for that. It really doesn't make sense for her to hate Palpatine for nothing - hating him because he's got the support of all those powerful and corrupt Senators and politicians, thus making him the most powerful and most corrupt politician, would be far more believable.

It wouldn't make Bail and Amidala crazy morons. It'd make them smart for actually realizing that the guy who's got the support of all those corrupt people was himself corrupt.

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Wasn't the majority of the Senate corrupt? She could've hated them for that. It really doesn't make sense for her to hate Palpatine for nothing - hating him because he's got the support of all those powerful and corrupt Senators and politicians, thus making him the most powerful and most corrupt politician, would be far more believable.

You really aren't fucking getting it.

DO YOU HAVE PROOF OF HER HATING THE SENATE AND NOT PALPATINE?

You say it makes no sense, but you offer nothing to the contrary...at all. She was rabidly against Palpatine and by that his most ardent supporters. For what reason? It is never given why she despises Palpatine. But you've converted this thought into adding the Senate by proxy, and throwing up unresolved allusions to go "It could, might, kinda.". So present proof of your ideas or seriously shut the fuck up.

It wouldn't make Bail and Amidala crazy morons. It'd make them smart for actually realizing that the guy who's got the support of all those corrupt people was himself corrupt.

You still haven't fucking provided something that makes Mothma a crazy bitch as you so succiently put it except your own leaps of logic.

000 wrote:Doesn't that present a problem, though? Wasn't Bail Antilles senator of the Alderaan Sector in 3?

Yes, and he'd evidently retired from public office some time before 13 GR, as he and his successor Prince Bail Prestor of Organa both attended the retirement ceremony for Senator Horox Ryyder in HoloNet News' article "Senator Horox Ryyder Retires." There is not, however, any contradiction there, because it is not known how long before 3 the debate presided by the female Speaker was. It may well have been many years before that; Organa and Mothma are both from wealthy families, so it is no surprise that their age does not show as much as it might on others.

Evidently, then, Prince Bail Organa was Alderaan's Senator for some time, during which time there was a female Speaker of the Senate and he was a 'friendly rival' to Senator Mon Mothma. He then left the Senate and was replaced by Prince Bail Antilles, who served in the Senate for some time and was leader of the conservative Core Worlds caucus, was nominated for the Supreme Chancellor's podium, and was defeated by Senator Palpatine of Naboo (it was during this election that Mothma and Organa worked together to prevent Palpatine's election). Antilles left the Senate and was replaced by his predecessor, Organa.

Incidentally, an accompanying illustration to this article is available here.

Yeah, I'm being a dick, I guess I'll shut up now. Sorry, guys.

Publius wrote:The Legacy of the Force novel? Haven't read anything set later than Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, to be perfectly honest.

you might want to hit a library then. The end chunk deals with the revelation that is relevent to your timeline.