The Chosen Apprentice/Chapter 25

From behind his desk Supreme Chancellor Mas Amedda surveyed his guests with a somewhat wearied gaze. Bail Organa, Danta Pela, Mon Mothma, were at the fore front, asking and answering the questions yet there were others with them. Bel Iblis, Bana Bremmu, Chi Eekway who had been siding with the Loyalist Committee for some time. There were some new additions, too. Larell Perenine of Avingnon, Glea Surov of Dio among several others.

As always the proposal they put toward him warranted serious thought, yet that did not meant it was not surprising.

“A full Senate vote?” asked Amedda, his brow furrowing in concentration. “Are you sure this is wise?”

“Provided the vote is taken anonymously,” Mon Mothma said, her face was cool and composed.

“That is not what I am concerned about, Senators,” confessed Amedda, he sighed deeply. “While we cannot predict the outcome of such a vote with complete accuracy,” he paused, letting his words sink in. “This vote will mean the new constitution will be complete and an end of this ‘caretaker’ period.”

“And either Tulil’ya, Jetrivian or another of Stokra’s Variceans will propose the election of a new Supreme Chancellor,” Bail continued, “and if Stokra wins—and he probably will as he has the numbers—we’ll be back to where we were with Palpatine.” He stroked his goatee thoughtfully, his dark eyes reluctant but determined. “But is there any other way out of this deadlock? I cannot see one short of calling off the fight completely, and neither do any of my colleagues here.”

“Thesa Gungans say that thersa honour in knowsing a fight cannot be win,” Danta interjected. “Harder also is to settle, wesa accept that.”

Amedda sighed again, this time with resignation. Even after knowing of Palpatine’s treachery he still fervently believed in democracy and the Republic as much as his predecessor had claimed to. It had been a rude shock to Amedda when he discovered where Palpatine’s loyalties had really lay—with himself.

Yet there still was the mess that Palpatine had left, a mess that he was still cleaning up four years later and the next Chancellor would either continue to do so or go back to Palpatine’s former tactics. It was a losing battle and while he didn’t want to admit it, Amedda felt tired of fighting it.

“How soon are you going to put this forward?” he asked Organa.

“This afternoon’s session,” Bail said. “That way if Stokra finds out he hasn’t got much time to grease his arguments.”

The room’s comm unit buzzed and Amedda’s aide told the Chancellor that his next appointment was here. The Senators made their farewells and left the room quietly confident.

Yet as they left the room they noticed who was waiting to see the Chancellor and it was no small surprise. Stokra was there with Tulil’ya and Jetrivian as well as several others from his coalition. The green-skinned politician gave Organa a cold look that was reminiscent of a venomous reptile.

“Here again, Organa?” Stokra sneered. “Isn’t the Chancellor under the control of your Jedi friends that you have to be here too?”

“I don’t need to control anyone,” Bail returned smugly, “but it’s a tactic you employ all the time, I recall.”

Stokra gave the Alderaanian senator an arch look before entering the Chancellor’s office yet chose to say nothing.