The Chosen Apprentice/Chapter 5

A special session of the Senate had been called and Bail Organa was running late. His speeder had been caught in air traffic and he arrived just as Dekau Fedan, the Ithorian Vice-Chair, was calling the chamber to order. Ithorians were equipped with four throats, and combined together they reached quite a volume.

“Did I miss anything?” he asked his aide Sheltray Retrac, fortunately she had arrived there before him.

“No, it’s just starting,” she said.

As for the reason for the special session, that was made apparent without further ceremony.

“I have been advised that Viceroy Nute Gunray has now been found and is being held in custody,” Mas Amedda explained.

Bail was stunned for a moment; Gunray was the last of the Separatists to be rounded up. His trial would be no small event.

“Apparently he was hiding in the Corporate Sector, on Etti IV,” the Chancellor continued.

There were murmurings for a moment before the Corellia box was put forward into the arena, quickly it was recognised. “Corellia respectfully asks the Corporate Sector why they did not inform this body that Viceroy Gunray was hiding there,” decreed Garm Bel Iblis in a tone that warranted a challenge.

A challenge that was well met by Triev Stokra of the Corporate Sector. “The Corporate Sector respectfully informs Corellia that we would not hide such information if we knew it existed.” There were shouts of dissent but Stokra continued. “And I ask the chair why Jedi were sent to our dominions without prior consent or even warning.” More shouts this time, it was a sore issue with the Senate the role of the Jedi ever since the coalition formed by Kuat, Bothawui and many others including the Corporate Sector against the Jedi’s constant interventionist role. They named themselves the Varicean Committee after Stokra’s homeworld of Varicea in the Corporate Sector. And there were lines that they were not afraid of taking; Stokra had even gone public once and declared that Palpatine had been murdered.

Bail felt it was time to step in.

“Alderaan wishes to remind the senator from the Corporate Sector that we all as a body agreed that bringing the former Separatist leaders to justice was a high priority,” Bail began, and when he heard shouts of support he continued. “Surely the fact that now this search is at an end must outweigh any petty grievances of not being informed prior to the event?”

It was rare, but there were some moments that Bail felt satisfied in his role as Senator for Alderaan and now was one of them. Not only had he shifted the focus back onto Gunray, as it should have been, but he had done so in a way to completely upstage Stokra. And not just upstage him, but discredit him as well.

Stokra, on the other hand, was willing to deal out blow for blow. “We are all aware of Alderaan’s affiliations with the Jedi,” he said in an acid voice. “Tell me, can it be excused if a Jedi evaded local judicial authority causing not only distress to our security but at the expense of others?” He winked at Organa, his red eyes gleamed triumphantly on his green-skinned face.

At this the Senate chamber erupted, Vice-Chair Dekau raised her voice—or rather voices—and silence once again reigned.

“Need I remind the senator from the Corporate Sector that the purpose of this session for the purpose of the news of the capture of Nute Gunray and the repercussions this will have,” Amedda explained. “His trial will no doubt be an end to the aftermath of the war which we are still feeling. Hopefully,” he said, eying Stokra and Organa in turn, “we can put aside such differences in lieu of the larger matter at hand.”

Yet, when Bail caught Stokra’s eye, he didn’t feel as optimistic as the Chancellor.



“That’s why we can’t do anything yet,” Bail explained to Mon Mothma as they walked through the forest of pillars after the session had finished. “Stokra’s putting himself at the head of that coalition he formed along with Jetrivian and Tulil’ya and if there’s an election he’ll be among those nominated.” Bail sighed. “And he certainly knows how to get support: by listening to fears and then responding to them.

“The last thing we need is another Palpatine,” Mon Mothma agreed. She was thoughtful for a moment. “You know, that morning three years ago when you called me telling me you had something I thought everything would change.”

“Everything did change,” Bail pointed out, “it’s just not everyone has changed with it.”