Star Wars: How to Become a Galactic Emperor

Chapter 20 | The Lost Nineteen

Despite memorizing the layout of the Youth Senator Ship Academy Complex, Palpatine still found it a bewildering place to be in. Jaxious guided him along as they had similar schedules.

His classes currently were: Public Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Leadership & Ethics, History of the Galactic Republic, Diversity & Equality, Power & Corruption, HoloNet/Media Literacy, four language classes, and of course, Sith Mythology. Today, he only had seven classes.

Diversity & Equality was by far his least favorite. It was a class required to be taken by sectors with either different species or a planet divided by different cultures. All in all, it meant that Palpatine had to speak in excruciating detail with the Youth Gungan Representative, Moran Lamro. No matter how many problems the Naboo and the Gungans had with it each it did not compare to half of the other systems in that class. Two fist fights broke out within minutes of the class beginning and it ended with a teacher holding an icepack on two of his twelve eyes.

Yes, it was quite the morning. Palpatine's face hurt from the strain of wearing a wide smile all day. He had a terrible headache from the traumatic encounter. At least in Public Administration he was able to calm down by having a screaming match with Ovirelt.

Palpatine and Jaxious sat towards the back of the lecture hall. The hall was more crowded than he had anticipated. Practically all of the seats were full. The hall also was incredibly dim, the shades on the windows drawn close, and it had a chilly air to it.

There was a small disorderly desk at the front, a HoloBoard set against the wall, and bookshelves lining the walls in an unorganized fashion.

"So, this is the Sith Mythology lecture hall?" Palpatine remarked. "What was the reason this is a class?" he asked Jaxious.

Jaxious shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she'll tell us." Palpatine turned to see an Arkanian woman entered the room. The Arkanian had colorless hair, solid white eyes, and clawed four fingered hands. Her face was drawn into a grim expression and her stride had a certain aloof quality.

Palpatine had the Diversity & Equality class only ten minutes ago, but he already felt on edge with the Arkanian in the room. The Arkanians were known to be reserved but one couldn't help but hear those terrible rumors about them. Tales of mad Arkanian scientists and unspeakable experiments, especially ones with cloning occurring on their home world for the sake of knowledge.

Palpatine leaned his head towards Jaxious slightly and spoke quietly. "Is that the apostate Jedi Master?"

"Yes." Jaxious whispered back.

The Arkanian dropped a pile of dusty books on her desk and placed a small green box atop the pile. She snatched up a HoloPen and scrawled her name in the top left corner of the HoloBoard in faint blue glowing letters.

"I will be your Sith Mythology teacher for this semester." The Arkanian drew away from the HoloBoard and faced the audience. "My name is Ms. Murda."

The Arkanian glanced at a mindless Bothan who was scrolling on his HoloPad in the first row. The Arkanian sniffed indignantly. She outstretched her arm, an invisible Force wretched the HoloPad from his hand and flew into hers.

"Hey!" the Bothan protested.

Ms. Murda went on with a frostiness in her voice. "I have a strict no HoloNet devices policy. If you are discovered using such devices, I will confiscate them, and you will be not able to retrieve them until the school day ends. No exceptions." The Bothan was about to speak but Ms. Murda cut him off. "I said...no exceptions."

The Bothan huffed and crossed his arms. Palpatine heard his fellow classmate grumble and complain quietly to each other. Unlike many of his classmates including Jaxious, Palpatine did not shut off his HoloBand.