Star Wars: How to Become a Galactic Emperor

Chapter 1 | Dark Tidings

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

The Future Galactic Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, sat in the Galactic Senate he would one day rule forty-seven years from now. His future held a quest to become the most powerful being in the Galaxy. For now he was still young and callow.

Palpatine drummed his fingers on the Senate pod. He was representing Naboo in the Model Galactic Republic as a Youth Senator.

"Chancellor Harrow will be along shortly. A pressing matter has demanded his attention." A frantic Twi'lek, Vice Chairman Jotruse, was addressing the tens of thousands of restless Youth Senators.

Palpatine sighed deeply. Many of his fellow Youth Senators expressed their disappointment at the delay by shaking their fists and loudly complaining.

"Yet another hour wasted..." Palpatine grumbled. He turned around to see if the sliding door behind him had opened. The young Youth Senator shook his head and crossed his arms. "And my mentor has yet to arrive." He glanced down at his HoloPad. "Senator Formidas..." he read aloud. Palpatine knew very little of the Senator. Only that she was "well-liked enough", whatever that meant.

I wonder why none of the mentors have arrived yet.

He received his answer.

BOOM!

The Senate Building shook. Palpatine lurched forward. He whipped around to his bodyguard, Nuvan Girris, who stood patiently at the door. He was a muscular blue Mikkian with an angular face. "What was that Girris?" Palpatine demanded.

"No idea, sir." Girris shrugged nonchalantly. Palpatine turned around to see the rest of the Youth Senators sharing his confusion. Many were whispering to one another and looking around warily.

"Well, don't just stand there. Go find out!" Palpatine waved his hand at Girris. Girris nodded curtly and the doors slid behind him as he exited.

Another BOOM!

This time Palpatine held steadily onto his chair when the impact came. "I have a bad feeling about this." He murmured to himself.

The same announcer, Jotruse returned very flustered, his blue cheeks darkening to a purple. "Erm...it appears the pressing matters of Chancellor Harrow have become explosive..."

Before the Chairman could finish his sentence, the Grand Convocation Chamber was in an uproar.

"Please, remain calm! Evacuate to Atrium of the Senate. Senate Guards and Jedi Knights await you there." Vice Chairman Jotruse instructed but no one was listening, many fleeing in a rush.

Palpatine rushed through the sliding doors. The halls were overflowing with Youth Senators all in a frenzy heading to the Atrium of the Senate. Unimpressed by the unruly crowd, Palpatine had other plans.

Palpatine discreetly slipped into a conference room. He withdrew a HoloComm and activated it. An image of Girris flickered to life. "What have you discovered, Girris?"

Girris's motile head-tendrils jousted in a brisk wind. His head turned to the side, looking at something off camera. "The Senate is being attacked by masked terrorists. Their armor is marked with the symbol of a—" A shot came from off camera and hit Girris's in the shoulder. Girris doubled over in pain.

Palpatine's mouth hung agape, "Girris! Girris, what's happening?!" Girris was about to answer when the HoloGram was cut short. The door to the conference room slid open behind Palpatine. Palpatine ended the HoloGram swiftly without glancing back to see the intruder.

"What are you doing in here?" a voice behind him asked. Palpatine spun on his heel to meet the kind gaze of a fellow Youth Senator. He was tall, had thick dark hair, and warm brown eyes. The intruder raised his eyebrow as Palpatine stuffed the HoloComm into a pocket of his senatorial robe.