Darth Vader: Hero of Naboo

Chapter 29

Things were not going well for Nute Gunray.

Darth Sidious hadn't made contact with him recently, nor was he answering any of Gunray's own attempts. And that was the problem.

"I thought I told you! All communication from outside Naboo is supposed to be cut off for the time being!" Gunray reminded sternly.

"We have, Sir, we have," Captain Daultay Dofine answered via a hologram. "Some of our officers have found ways to pick up transmissions. Personal relays or hacking the transmitter. They are scared and wanting to know what is going on."

Gunray blustered to himself. "We should have just brought droids for this operation," he muttered.

Dofine watched him carefully. "Sir, there is talk of some disaster on Coruscant-"

"I have no desire to converse of these conspiracy theories!" Gunray denied forcefully.

Dofine paused, letting the director calm himself some. "I only wanted to know if Lott Dod is still well."

Gunray paused. Yes, that was an important question. Did they still have their representative in the Senate to manipulate things to the Trade Federation's desire? "I have received no word from him. I am sure there is a senate session currently in progress."

"Of course, Viceroy," Dofine accepted neutrally. "I will do my best to end all attempts to break the communication blackout."

With that, the hologram flickered off.

"This cannot continue forever."

Gunray leveled his ire on Rune Haako, his right hand in this mess. "Obviously. If too many hear that a disaster has befallen Coruscant, our officers may begin to question why we're bothering to hold this blockade."

Rune tilted his head. "We both know that's not why you're really taking these measures."

Gunray stiffened, practically shriveling into himself a bit. There were moments when he forgot that Rune was fully aware that they were working with Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord, and all the plots that were intertwined with such a person. "Are you any more willing to risk his wrath?" he countered in a cold voice. Not of anger, but of fear.

His fellow Neimoidian shared his expression and shook his head. "No, no I am not. If he's alive."

Gunray all but leered at him now. "Do you really believe a fluke storm would be enough to do in someone like that? No, Sidious is alive," he insisted, for he could not believe that man was truly dead. He had felt the Sith's power, felt the man reach across time and space to strangle his throat when they first conversed. He had seen Sidious's schemes come to fruition, leading to the Neimoidians monopolizing control of the Trade Federation, with Gunray himself as its leader.

No, Sidious was too skilled a schemer to be dead now.

"If he has abandoned us to rot then?" Rune countered. "The previous administration didn't exactly have a peaceful end."

Yes, the Eriadu Summit. How Gunray found himself leading the Trade Federation. He had no idea what was going to happen at that time, but finding all rivals to his power removed made it obvious who was truly behind that little incident. "He has complete control of the Trade Federation through us," Gunray countered. "Replacing us would gain him nothing."

"Sir, I know it is not something you wish to entertain, but have you considered that this was his objective?" Rune stated with a worried tone. At Gunray's confused look, he elaborated. "That this has been all nothing more than a ploy to destroy the Trade Federation from the inside?"

"...No, no, that couldn't be true," Gunray said, almost sounding unconvinced himself. "Enough of this. We shall continue to wait for a message from Sidious, or until we receive the queen."