Senator and Soldier

Burning Fears

Some dialogue from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith was used.

Coruscant: 19 BBY
Senate Apartments
Riyo Chuchi

    Riyo dropped her datapad onto her desk and stood. She'd been working on fundraiser activites all day. It was all she had done since she and Che Amanwe had finished their meeting with Chairman Papanoida.

    She rubbed her eyes and yawned. A moment later, a light began blinking on her transmitter. Riyo groaned before accepting the transmission. A hologram of Mas Amedda appeared.

    "Chancellor Palpatine has called for an emergency senate session. All senators are expected. We will convene in half an hour," he said.

    "I will be there," Riyo promised. The hologram disappeared a moment later. "An emergency session? What for?" She narrowed her eyes. "Maybe we'll be discussing the next steps for the Republic since Master Kenobi has destroyed Grievous."

    She stepped out of her office and entered her room. Delaney was folding clothes and putting them away. "Are you going to get ready for bed, my lady?" Del asked.

    "No, there's an emergency senate meeting. Do I have anything suitable to wear?" Riyo grabbed a brush and began to comb it through her hair.

    Delaney entered her closet and returned momentarily with an outfit. Riyo changed into it, then let Del style her hair and add a headpiece. "Do you know what the session is for?" Delaney asked.

    "I don't. I imagine it'll be about our next steps in ending the war. The remaining Separatist leaders will have to be arrested. I'm certain they're scattering already."

    "You're probably right." Delaney finished and stepped back. "I'll go change so we won't be late." Riyo nodded and Del left the room.

    Several minutes later, Che Amanwe had joined them. They climbed into a speeder with Captain Tere and headed towards the Senate Building. Riyo grimaced and sniffed the air. The faint odor of smoke hung around them.

    Che Amanwe gasped suddenly and pointed. "The Jedi Temple!"

    Riyo followed her outstretched arm. Her eyes widened in shock. Smoke billowed from the Temple and flames licked at several of the windows. Occasional blaster fire lit up the surrounding courtyards.

    "What's happening?" Delaney whispered.

    "I don't know," Riyo admitted. "But I think we're about to find out."

    Captain Tere landed the speeder at her private landing platform. Riyo led the way towards the Pantoran Chair. They took their seats just as Chancellor Palpatine and his advisors appeared.

    Chancellor Palpatine did not wait long to begin his address. "Citizens of the civilized galaxy, on this day we mark a transition. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings. But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took up arms to defend our way of life against the Separatists."

    "In so doing, we never suspected that the greatest threat came from within. The Jedi, and some within our own Senate, had conspired to create the shadow of Separatism using one of their own as the enemy's leader. They had hoped to grind the Republic into ruin. But the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. At last, there came a day when our enemies showed their true natures."

    "The Jedi hoped to unleash their destructive power against the Republic by assassinating the head of government and usurping control of the clone army. But the aims of would-be tyrants were valiantly opposed by those without elitist, dangerous powers. Our loyal clone troopers contained the insurrection within the Jedi Temple and quelled uprisings on a thousand worlds."