The Weaving Force: Chapter 64 (Patreon)

Chapter 64:

Alexandria:

“ORDER!!! I WILL HAVE ORDER IN THESE CHAMBERS!!!”

Even though the thunderous voice of Mas Amedda was roaring through the speakers, and despite multiple platforms having their sound equipment silenced, the din and clamor of sheer… pandemonium didn’t seem to abate in the least, with senators nearly screaming at each other across the rotunda.

“This is madness.” She heard Cadera mutter somewhere behind her. Given the general atmosphere, he absolutely refused to leave Satine’s side, regardless of how having the head of her guard, armed and armored, at her back made her look. He had told Satine flatly:

“Duchess, if you don’t want me present, you’ll have to fire me.”

And so here he was.

She almost wished to respond with a quip of how ‘This is politics’ to his dismayed statement, but even she felt it wasn’t the time.

Panic didn’t quite encompass the feeling that was burning through the Core like an out of control wildfire. The economy had gone into a straight nose dive almost overnight, most non-essential shipping and traffic had evaporated in an eyeblink, news coverage was surrounding the attack almost twenty-four seven ever since it initially broke, and even now there were always bits and pieces of information that were slipping through as breaking news.

The latest? The Trade Federation, or at the very least a sizable portion of it, along with the Corporate Alliance, the InterGalactic Banking Clan, the Communication’s Cartel, the Commerce Guild, the Quarren League, The Techno Union, and the Retail Caucus were officially declaring their intention, and the intention of the planets under their… protection, to separate formally from the Galactic Republic and form the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Looking at the numbers at least, they had the power to do it. Those corporations alone represented significant cornerstones of the galactic economy.

Together? Well… the amount of damage they were already doing just with their declaration could hardly be quantified. Let alone when they moved officially onto a war footing or worse, got desperate during the fighting.

No doubt they were hoping the Republic would capitulate swiftly. The Senate’s corruption for all things involving credits, and their history of bending over backwards to please the corporations so their own pocket books weren’t affected was well documented and well known.

But that’s not how this will play out…

Her eyes were fixed down below, towards the central dais of the Chancellor.

No. Not at all.

Once more, she had to… admire Sheev Palpatine’s mind, his sheer skill.

All these years and she still couldn’t fully read the man.

Simply because everything was a mask. You didn’t know where the truth began and the facade ended. Or, if it was all a facade. Or truth.

It made things… difficult.

He was calm in this moment. Confident. But was it a confidence born of self assuredness, or because he knew something others didn’t? Was it calmness because he’d expected this attack, somehow? Or because he was one of those people who thrived under pressure?

She didn’t know, and it was frustrating. Given her previous experience with someone she couldn’t read, she might even say it was frightening.

But it was also… challenging. A welcome challenge, truth be told.

“I WILL EJECT ALL OF YOU FROM THIS CHAMBER IF ORDER IS NOT RESTORED!!!” Amedda threatened once more. “SECURITY!!!”

That last shout seemed to have broken through the pandemonium finally, letting the Senator from Corellia, Garm Bel Iblis, move forward on his dais, his condemnation of the actions of the Trade Federation and calls for disciplinary actions against them carrying venom in his voice, with an equally venomous look on his face. If looks could kill, the Trade Federation representatives would be little more than slimy cinders on their dais.

Then he turned that venomous look towards the Mandalorian delegation, and she realized that ‘they’ wasn’t exclusive to the Trade Federation.

“We have every right to be present at these procedin-”

She ignored the blubbering of the Trade Federation representative, Lott Dod, tossing a look once more to the Chancellor’s dais.

Palpatine was staring straight at her, a challenging smile tugging at his lips.

Not a slip. Deliberate. He wanted her to know. He wanted to see how she’d handle this.

She stood from her seat, marching forward towards the microphone. It had been a long, drawn out series of arguments with Satine on why Alexandria should lead the discussion. Satine could be charismatic and intelligent, but she was the Duchess, contesting accusations against her by herself gave them weight. Merit.

And she, by the trappings of her station, couldn’t be quite as ruthless as Alexandria even if she wanted to.

And right now, they needed ruthlessness.

“Be quiet.”

It was the first time she’d spoken within the Senate Chamber, her soft voice carrying through the sound system to every senator and holovid. Many startled, shocked that there was a voice they didn’t recognize, and it made the Neimoidian representative stumble as he looked around.

The Mandalorian dais descended to join him, taking the floor, so to speak.

Lott Dod spluttered. “Such disrespect! You will have your turn to speak, I have my time no-”

“No.” Her voice was like ice, and her glare promised far worse if he didn’t obey. “You will be silent.”

She’d read the Neimoidians were a cowardly species, an offshoot of the Duro, and had hastily studied up on ways to intimidate them specifically; small, innocuous genetic memory cues. Like how humans were afraid of the dark.

It worked.

The Neimoidian seemed to wilt under her stare, casting hasty looks around him and finally towards the Chancellor, who sat passively at his seat.

Was that because he expected support? If he did, why? Because he expected Palpatine to enforce decorum? Or something deeper?

She turned her eyes away from the two, addressing instead Senator Iblis.

“Senator.” She nodded. “I won’t insult you by pretending to understand your anger and outrage.” Though, ironically, she was likely one of the few who could.

São Paulo, Jakarta, Moscow, Johannesburg, New York, Madrid, Kyushu, Brockton Bay. The cities she’d seen destroyed and being powerless to stop it… well… she understood.

Iblis snorted, not bothering to hide his disdain or his incredulity as his dais finally descended to join them on the floor, arrayed before the Chancellor.

She continued, uncaring towards his incredulity. “The Government of Mandalore disavows those Mandalorians who participated in this atrocity in the strongest of terms.” She said, her posture straight as she stared at the Corellian, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. “The organized terrorist group they were members to, known as the Death Watch, has a long history in our world, and are known opponents to Duchess Satine.; tThey are our enemies as well, Ssenator.”

“Enemies you’ve done nothing to reign in!” He barked. “You’ve sat in your world, letting them run free, and now my world is paying for it!”

She could almost feel Satine bristling at her back. The Duchess had made every conceivable effort, in her mind at least, to stamp out the Death Watch and others like them ever since her reign began.

To have it called into question must rankle, Alexandria understood.

Luckily, she could remain more distant.

“Our efforts clearly have not been firm enough, you are right;” she conceded, it was an easy concession to make. “As of this moment, all Mandalorians found to be members of the Death Watch shall have their citizenship and their Clan names removed.”

That last part, she knew would be the blow that struck the hardest.

“True Mandalorians” as they called themselves, wouldn’t care about something like ‘Citizenship’

But to have their name struck from them. To have other Mandalorians call them faceless and clanless.

That would scare them.

“Additionally-” She continued. “Mandalore is prepared to extradite all captured Death Watch members from this point on to Corellian Jurisdiction for your government to have them tried and convicted under Corellian laws.”

That set tongues to wagging. It was a major concession.

It was one thing to submit criminals to republic law, but that of a completely different world? That wasn’t normally done and for good reason. Entirely different cultures, species, biology, sociology, political status and pride prevented it most days.

But- she’d been ready to slow walk things as long as needed, she had time to do that.

The Deathwatch had made that impossible now.

Like it or not, Mandalore was not ready for the Republic to cast them aside, which she knew Palpatine was ready to do at first sign of it being convenient.

It was up to her to make that inconvenient instead.

Senator Iblis stared her down, a sneer curling his lip.

“Pretty words.” He snarled. “But fires are still burning on Coronet City as we speak. Where are your Death Watch prisoners now? Can I expect months or years of them being oh so elusive to your planet’s enforcement agencies before I see a single prisoner? If I see one at all!?”

“You can take your first today.” She shrugged.

That made most people start in surprise.

When the holo image of Tal Merick appeared between herself and the Senator the chamber erupted again into a clamoring mess.

“The attack upon Corellia-” She explained over the noise “Could only have been facilitated and kept secret by offices with extremely high clearance. After a thorough investigation by the Mandalorian Royal guard, we were able to determine beyond any doubt- the active cooperation of Senator Tal Merrik in his function as a representative of ours within this estimable body.”

Iblis gaped staring at the screen, disbelieving that this high profile a figure was just being handed to him. Literally.

Alexandria pressed a button over her screen. “The evidence files are being forwarded to you Senator. Our only request is that you proceed to hand the traitorous Tal Merrik the highest available penalty under your laws.

It took Mas Ameda several more minutes to calm everyone down again.

She took the moment to toss a look towards the Chancellor, finding the barest hints of genuine surprise bleeding through his expression.

He hadn’t expected this.

Cameras flashed, holo drones circled them in a frenzy

Finally as the room was once again brought to some semblance of order, she felt herself stiffen as Palpatine stood.

The Chancellor’s robes made the man seem so much larger than he was. Grand and imposing in a way.

“It is clear, that Mandalore and its government dedicated towards peace-” He began “Is moving above and beyond any measure of recrimination and are eager to cooperate fully to bring these terrorists to justice.”

“We are.” She cut in, unwilling to let him gain momentum. “As I said, we disavow any and all Mandalorians that are members of Deathwatch. They are Mandalorians no longer.”

A muscle on Palpatine’s features twitched, it could have been annoyance, it could have been a smile.

“Be that- as it may.” He continued, his face the picture of reluctant sorrow. “Such a high breach in security-” He shook his head. “I am afraid that for the security of this body and other planets a full audit and investigation must be undertaken through the Mandalorian cabinet.”

Ahhh, she saw the game now. She had to give him credit. Surprised or not, he thought on his feet.

“That would mean suspending our representation in the Senate.” She surmised.

One step closer to fully and painlessly removing them from the Republic entirely, leaving them hanging out to dry.

He nodded, and this time, that twitch was a smile that he let her catch before he controlled it. “It is regrettable, but we must take all precautions in light of this unprecedented attack. Please, I pray you understand its necessity.”

Her mind moved quickly- rapidfire considerations taken up and discarded just as quickly.

Then she nodded.

“We would be willing to undergo a full audit-”

A twitch, another surprise.

“However, given the extent of the breach in security as you’ve correctly pointed out Chancelor- I feel obliged to point out the need to expand such an inquiry to the Trade Federation and its cabinet of representatives.”

“WHAT!? ABSURD!” The Nemoidian barked.

“Why not?” She asked, not even bothering to look at him. “We have been honest and forthcoming with our information. What have you volunteered Nemoidian?” She challenged.

“Not a damn thing.” Senator Iblis snarled at the… corporate entity. “You’ve been stonewalling and shoveling a load of bantha shit across the whole Senate for three days!” He leaned forward. “I move that All representatives of not only the Trade Federation, but the Techno Union and Banking Clans and their blood sucking partners also fall under formal investigation  immediately!”

“If you are interested, Chancellor-” She fought down her own smirk now. “Our investigators have provided a list of planets and systems that played host to parts of that fleet of Lucrehulks just before the attack. Security failures clearly extended there so perhaps they might be placed under audit as well?” She suggested… innocently.

If he wanted rid of them, then he could do it- over the corpse of his legitimacy, reputation and his ability to govern the republic itself

The room exploded.

‘Your move’.

There was no hope for Order to be restored this time, she and Palpatine stared at one another, and again, he allowed the faintest smirk to slip through the facade. Nodding in her direction, much the same way she’d done towards him when he manipulated the situation to his advantage all those years ago.

‘Well played,’ his expression read. ‘Well played.’

—

Satine walked ahead of her, entering her rooms with the galactic equivalent of a door slamming open, if the doors here could slam when they slid into walls.

The Duchess made a direct bee line towards the liquor cabinet as Alexandria walked in behind her and Cadera behind Alexandria.

In truth, the Vizier could hardly blame the duchess for the need to drink right now.

She herself would have been tempted if it would have had any effect.

She and Cadera held their silence as the Duchess swallowed a generous gulp of what Alexandria guessed was an aged Alderaanian brandy, judging by the color and smell.

Finally, the blonde set down the glass with a clink, rubbing at her forehead before reaching up and pulling off the ornate headdress to let her hair fall freely.

“Am I reading the situation correctly?” Satine asked. “Or did we come a hairs breadth away from losing our senate seat?”

“More like a few finger-widths away really.” She answered somewhat glibly.

“He would do that now?” Satine demanded. “At a time like this!”

“What better time?” Alexandria shrugged, stepping further into the room to plant herself on one of the seats. “Eliminating us removes several problems outright for him, and will likely even cause issues towards the rebellious corporations.”

Satine eyed her, the gears in her mind turning.

She took another gulp.

“The anti-slavery coalition.” She concluded. “He wants to break it up.”

“With what is effectively a slave army now entering full service to defend the republic- (and wasn’t that a… convenient coincidence. It seems Jedi pre-cogs were better than most research gave them credit for) “-the existence of our anti-slavery messaging and our Coalition’s political stance is going to become increasingly impossible to ignore. He either has to eliminate us or we will eventually destabilize his military security when people reach the natural conclusion regarding clones and join our side.”

“That doesn’t explain why you believe ousting us will weaken the techno union and their allies.” Cadera cut in, turning his helmeted head to look at Alexandria. “We have no dealings with them. Do we?” He asked Satine more than her.

“Not a one.” Satine’s lips pursed, glaring at Alexandria. “Unless you’re keeping something else from me? Something else like Merrik?”

It was so very good that they had much much bigger problems right now, otherwise Alexandria might just find herself out of a job, and a planet.

“No. But think about it.” She prodded, quickly breezing past the subject of Merrik before Satine remembered exactly how furious she should still be.. “What’s the other side of the equation to our slavery stance?”

Neither of them offered an answer.

“The Hutts.” Alex told them.

Satine blinked and as furiously as she was thinking about it, she was coming up short. “The Hutts?”

“The Trade Federation is hoping the Republic capitulates quickly.” She explained. “The fact is, the economy -unless the Senate acts very quickly which they’re not known to do, and acts in very specific ways; which they’re also not known for doing- is going to take a hit. It's likely going to outright crash. Which would normally be bad news for corporations, especially when they’re suddenly cut off from trade across a good chunk of their usual clients and partners due to war time measures and are funding an army and a war. None of those are cheap.”

“But they’re banking on the economics affecting the Republic more than-” Cadera stopped, the answer hitting him like a ten ton train.

Satine reached the same conclusion a moment later, judging by the widening of her eyes. “It would be mutually assured economic collapse.” She  breathed. “Unless-”

“They had a lifeline.” Alexandria nodded. “Something that doesn’t use Republic credits as currency and is built from the bottom up under a completely different infrastructure.”

“The Hutts are going to help bankroll this war.” The Duchess almost fell into her chair.

Suddenly; that generous helping of brandy was looking a mite insufficient no doubt.

Alexandria nodded. “If Palpatine eliminated Mandalore from the republic… well… we’d be isolated. Politically and Militarily. And the Hutts would have little reason to fund a proxy war when simply overwhelming one planet is much much cheaper.

“Sithspit-” Cadera cursed. “Hells… I’d be willing to cut us off for those benefits.” The man admitted grimly before turning to Alexandria again. “How long before he tries again?”

Good question.

Alex shrugged. “Luckily, Corellia was a member of our alliance against slavery, so we still have ties there, and they have the sympathy of the Galaxy right now.” She nodded. “If we keep playing nice with them, Palpatine will have to play nice with us. It helps his image.”

“Even so we’ll have to start preparing.” Satine was almost mumbling to herself rather than them, leaning back in her seat, one hand cradling half her face. “Contingencies. Fallback options. We need to have a solid foundation of allies to deter him or to act as the support for Mandalore if the republic pulls away entirely..

“You’re right.” Alexandria nodded; considering.

She shrugged. “Still, it doesn’t hurt to get more precise information.” She said, standing up and beginning to walk out the door.

“Where are you going?” Cadera called.

“To get some information.” She answered blithely.

It was true, though she was fairly certain both of them would have physically tried to restrain her if she bothered to give specifics.

—

She’d been in this office before, years and years ago.

It was… off putting… she’d even say disconcerting.

Her perfect memory could recall every detail of this place.

And in nearly ten years time to the day- almost nothing had changed.

Absolutely… nothing.

That wasn’t normal.

And yet, as she entered, admitted by the secretary, his smile was completely normal. Completely natural on his face, as if he meant it. As if he was genuinely pleased to see her here.

She couldn’t read an ounce of deception.

So… was it genuine?

Or was he getting somehow better at hiding from her?

Where did the mask end?

Where did the real man begin?

“My lady Alexandria.” Her name sounded like a herald declaring a triumph when he said it, he stared at her and then turned to his two advisors Ameda and Moore.

“Leave us.” He demanded.

Ameda bowed, the tall, towering man saying nothing before turning and marching past her; staring straight ahead, ignoring Alexandria’s existence utterly beyond the need to walk around her Moore offered a similar bow but as she passed her pale, ghoulish eyes lingered over Alexandria’s form before she too walked past.

The door hissed shut behind them- and she and the Chancelor were alone.

Palpatine’s hands rested on the armrests of his large, plush chair, almost settling in, languid as a cat.

“I must say-” He began. “That was quite the show you put on in the rotunda my dear.”

“One of us was giving a show, certainly.” She answered.

“You give yourself too little credit.” His smile was all sharp teeth and dancing eyes. His hand rose from the armrest to gesture to the seat. “Please. Have a seat. You must be tired from your… quick work… extricating Senator Merrik from his place of guilt.”

She didn’t have an answer to that.

She’d hoped to keep her abilities hidden, but she could hardly allow Merrik to get away.

And yet now, he knew. He’d seen it somehow.

Irritating.

She marched closer, into the room and settled slowly onto her seat.

“You know why I’m here.” She finally said, hoping he’d give something away. He was always so eager to gloat. So eager to show his intelligence.

That made people sloppy.

No such luck.

“I’m afraid not.” He answered amicably. “There are so many many things to keep track of- well, I’m afraid your particular reason has slipped my mind. I do apologize.”

Once again, his face morphed, becoming the picture of genuine regret.

It was so believable it was eerie.

Even so, the message was clear enough. He had multiple ways and plans in motion to eventually get his way. To screw them over on the political or military stage.

She could believe that. She doubted it was empty boasting.

The Chaos and necessities of war presented so many opportunities after all.

She was familiar with that form of thinking too, after a fashion

Even so, she felt almost… compelled, to say the next part. One bit of warning learned the hard way.

“It doesn’t account for everything, you know?”

The question was rhetorical, she didn’t expect an answer.

She saw him raise an eyebrow

Whatever power, whatever skill he had that was clearly beyond the realm of normal human, be it cybernetic, or genetic enhancements or hypno conditioning- whatever leg up he had- “It isn’t full proof.” She said.

His smile didn’t slip, but his expression did shift, calculating now, his head tilting.

He leaned forward in his seat, arms resting over his desk.

“And where-” He said “Would the fun be in something like that?”

The mask slipped- No. Not slipped. Was pulled off and she read it there on his face. The vision of a man who knew he danced on a knife edge…

But that’s where he liked to be.

Where he thrived.

The danger of him wasn’t in the fact that he couldn’t fail.

But rather that he could.

And he enjoyed finding ways out of it. Those moments where failure should have happened but didn’t because he was just that good.

Arrogance.

She could use that.

But then again-

That’s why he’d let her see it.

She snorted.

Laughed really.

“One of us is being overconfident,” She noted.

“But-” He held up one hand, a single finger held up as he smiled from ear to ear. “-Just one of us.”

The smile- twisted.

He let himself be read again, or at least she assumed so. This smile was… unique. It was the smile of a predator, confident and assured of its place at the very top of the food chain. It was cutting as a blade and promised… ruin.

A threat, and a challenge, all in one.

She was his opponent on this chess board.

And he let her see that he was looking forward to it.

In spite of herself, she couldn’t stop her own smile from tugging at her lip.

She had a better idea of what she was fighting now.

“Challenge accepted… Chancellor.”

(X)(X)(X)

Diving into the guts of the politics for a spell is always fun :3

I remember as we were heading into this *everyone* saying that the there was no way the trade federation would be as strong as they were in canon, that they'd completely misstepped and they couldn't claim that it was only a small section of them that had gone rogue, that they'd collapse under economic sanctions and a lot of other things.

And everyone conveniently forgot that the Hutts have become rather more active because of a certain slave running time stopped in this continuation and that they have more than enough money to rival the republic bankroll on their end.

Just because I don't plan things out, doesn't mean I don't try to have things make sense guys :p

Anywho, next chapter we return to our girls and kids on Corellia leading up to their return to Corruscant and a pretty significant event that will take place there.

Looking forward to it with all of you guys :D

Also, later in the week or possibly early next week look forward to a bit of a status update on the page and on content going forward.

All that being said have a great day and I'll catch you all in the next one :)