𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙞𝙩 - 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧𝘧𝘦

9 - 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸

𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭

𝟐𝟒 𝐁𝐁𝐘

It had been 8 years since the showdown on Naboo, since Dooku was pronounced dead and Count Dooku had risen, since Qui-Gon was pronounced dead, and since the peace.

When 24-year-old Thea Black found out about the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the leadership of Count Dooku, she had been furious. With him for abandoning her and being accused of such horrific things and for the Jedi council for lying to her about his death. Nonetheless, Senate meetings continued and as the years went by, more and more delegations and planetary systems were tempted to join the Confederacy. Leaving Chancellor Palpatine with a new set of problems and Thea Black with a lot more negotiating to do.

On her way back from a long day negotiating with the InterGalactic Banking Clan representative Chairman San Hill, she had not noticed the shadow that followed her back from his office. Thea Black rubbed her temples in frustration and exhaustion when one of her guards was shot. The other guards pulled her down and started to shoot at an unknown source while trying to get her out of harm's way. Thea grabbed one of the blasters given to her and checked the pulse of her guard who's white tunic soaked blood from the wound. Several Senate guards had found them and taken them to safety in the Chancellor's office, where the threat did not diminish.

"Sheev, I'm alright, it's my bodyguard I am worried about," explained Thea Black to the Chancellor of the Senate, Sheev Palpatine.

"My dear, you had been the target of a near assassination. We are still not able to find the culprit so I beg you to take my advice and stay safe. Cancel your meetings, please. I will have someone else take over." the Chancellor pleaded to her.

"And so someone else will take a shot that is meant for me? What if this was because of my meetings to persuade delegations to not join the Confederacy? I won't cower and I won't hide!" Thea argued to her mentor.

"If you keep getting targeted I need to at least provide you with more protection!" he argued back.

"Then more protection is what I'll have. I will not hide Chancellor," she concluded.

Thea stormed out of the office, giving the Chancellor no time to reply.

«»

"I understand your choice but the Republic is not corrupt." Senator Black told Wat Tambor, the foreman on the Techno Union.

"Yet the Republic pays little to no attention to its wealthiest and most prestigious worlds." he countered.

"Things aren't that easy, there are thousands of planets, we cannot possibly divert our attention to only the wealthy ones. That is corruption," she told him.

"What of Naboo then? They had an invasion and they elected their Senator to be Chancellor," he told her.

"There was an invasion, an illegal invasion that caused death and destruction. It was against the accords of Naboo. There were 3 nominated Senators to exceed Chancellor Valorum but majority of the Senate voted for Palpatine. That is not something that you can control or change, he and the Senate are doing everything we can to keep planets wealthy, stable, and just. Again, we cannot simply focus on the wealthier. It's against the principles of democracy." she finished her argument strongly.

Wat Tambor looked at the girl in thought, considering the benefits and downfalls of leaving the Republic to join the Confederacy.

"I will discuss with the leadership of my people, then I will have an answer for you," he concluded and left his office.