Star Wars: The Rogue Knight

Senate Building

Coruscant

The aftermath of bringing Dooku in was underwhelming. He was stuck into a cell within the Jedi Temple and was awaiting a trial. Surprise, surprise, the courts were dragging their legs for weeks. Nothing unexpected with Sidious being the Chancellor. I got a lot of praise and was stuck in front of reporters more times than I cared about. I had to use all the skills I learned and rely heavily on the Force in order to leave a positive impression with the media all the while giving vague answers about my origins. Somehow people didn't know yet who and what I really was and I was determined to keep that going for as long as practical.

Sidious had me sidelined by using me for propaganda purposes until my new command was being assembled. That was a slow and nerve racking process without the efficiency of the Empire to which I was accustomed. Yet it was understandable. GAR High Command had no idea where did I came from and the Jedi in the chain of command didn't trust me at all for obvious reasons. At least they weren't spreading my origin to anyone who asked so they might not be all bad and wasn't that an unreal thought?

All that left me bored out of my mind with necessary paperwork, which thankfully consisted of no actual paper and mountains of electronic memos and forms that needed my attention and signatures. Meanwhile, the war was going on.

The capture or death of some of the CIS's most prominent leaders did little to deter the enemy. Their overwhelming numbers allowed them to carry on with their offensives all across the galaxy. It wasn't all bad – without Dooku and Grievous, the Confederate war machine was running out of steam, though I doubted it would be for long. Without their best commanders, the Separatists were suffering punishing loses and soon would have to stop and consolidate their forces. Figure out who must be in charge too. If the strategic projections were correct and with my new access to raw intelligence data I had no reason to doubt them, the enemy advance would have to stop by the time my fleet was assembled. Just in time for me to participate in the planned counter-offensive.

While I was cooling my heels on Coruscant, the Jedi I was familiar with were busy getting into trouble. Ahsoka, who had rejoined her master citing need for couple of calm weeks after my stunt on Florrum, was currently missing along with Skywalker and Aayla Secura. Anakin and the kid went to relieve the Twi'lek Jedi Master whose fleet was under heavy separatist attack. They managed to get her away from her burning flagship but Skywalker got wounded in the process. To make matters worse, the Chosen One's luck struck again. The frigate on which the Jedi were evacuating was damaged and made a blind hyperspace jump. The Navy was still searching for them. If my memory was still accurate and the changes I've already made did not affect the outcome of their flight, the Jedi should be found safe and sound. Eventually.

Kenobi was stuck on some Ice moon where the locals were at odds with the members of the species living on a nearby planet, who were a Republic member. For once the Senate had voted swiftly, probably because the Chancellor was too busy "arranging" the trials of the CIS leaders we had in custody.

And finally Shaak Ti was sent to Knossos, was it? Something sounding like that, where the clankers were crushing the locals. So despite the butterflies I made things were not changed too much from "canon" yet. Not that meant much, here where it was all real and not a movie you could watch from bed while munching on popcorn. That was something I figured out the hard way when I ended up in the Empire. The galaxy was inconcieveably large and what movies, games and books showed was merely scratching the surface.

I knew this was merely the calm before a storm that would shake the whole galaxy. The war was going to escalate. I had to make sure of it or Sidious would keep holding an usumournable advantage. At that time little did I know that I was playing a different game than the one I thought was going on. At least it wasn't all bad – the time I spent on Coruscant engaged in publicity stunts and buried under mountains of paperwork gave me a breather that I solely needed. After losing everything I knew, everything I spent decades working for, I needed that time to screw my head more or less right. The Dark Side's whispers were getting more and more tempting as of late. Without the calm period post Florrum I might have willingly given in and done something regrettable. On the plus side I got time to plot, straighten up my goals and set up some short term plans.

Little did I know they were all be thrown askew very soon.

I had no idea what monumental mess I would need to clean up shortly. I was making my way towards the Chancellor's office and wondered what went to hell this time. I only knew that I was called there for an emergency meeting – never a good sign unless it was a part of one of your plots. Needless to say, whatever shenanigans were going this time, they weren't of my doing even if they might be an unintended consequence of my meddling.

I wasn't alone. Two men followed me and none of them were Jedi. With the relentless onslaught the CIS was throwing against the Republic after the loss of their military leaders, the Council no longer had the luxury of keeping a Jedi Master as my babysitter. For the moment they were content to let me deal with the Republic media, which was a kriffing pain in the ass! Those vultures were not diligently trained like our own Imperial ones. I am sure that more than one Jedi laughed off their asses on my expense, the bastards! That's why one of the shenanigans I planed was to use the media to turn public opinion against the Jedi if the opportunity presented itself – doing so would be a lance in their credibility if they ever tried to move against me.

The lack of a Jedi breathing in my neck made the irritating stuff I had to deal with lately more or less worth it. Getting my face shown to the masses as the man responsible for the greatest coup against the Separatist since the start of the war won me a lot of points and gave me some security that the Council would have serious problems with removing me without a very good cause. And even then it might be with GAR High Command kicking and screaming all the way, even if they didn't trust me. Most of the brass loved me for delivering Dooku and Grievous in their l.a.p.s. They were content to use my skills as long as played ball and many of them wouldn't appreciate Jedi meddling.

It should not be surprising. The Jedi of this era were not particularly good in the PR department and that was one the main reason why almost no one bat an eye when Sidious executed Order 66. The very fact that they let me show my face to the media without a concerned campaign to discredit me was proof of that.

But that is a topic for another time.

I was walking towards the Chancellor's office accompanied by my aide Piett, whose skills were invaluable for dealing with the unholy mess that was assembling a new fleet and attached army group from scratch. With us was the newest talent I managed to grab. It was a certain lieutenant Maximillian Veers. I had arranged his transfer from the militia unit on his home world he was serving with to my command. I had noticed that he had requested multiple times to be sent to a walker unit but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears. So I drew few strings at GAR headquarters and the tall officer was sent a one way ticket to Coruscant. He arrived at my office fifteen minute before I was called to see Palpatine. We had just met after I finished with most of the daily paperwork and had a time for a long chat with the man.

During our talk he presented me with some novel ideas about the use of walkers of all types as well as more conventional armor. So I decided to take him with me and continue our interview on our way to meed the Chancellor. If he was any flaws I could find in such short time, it was that Veers was too enamoured with walkers to the expense of anything else. That was something I would be discouraging.

On the bright side, he had prior experience with infantry where he had spent his carrier so far. With careful management, he could become a splendid and well-rounded ground forces commander – something that I currently lacked. There was a reason I did not want clones in overall command of any branch of the forces on my disposal. It was the same one I was pushing for the promotion of Pellaeon to commodore and my naval XO. I still did not know how good the control Sidious had over the Clones was. The various rumours I remembered from my universe were not something I could afford to take for granted.

=RK=

Chancellor's Office

Senate Building

Coruscant

Something unusual was happening, that's for certain. I found Yoda and Windu talking with Palpatine. They were saying that the Jedi were spread too thin. With Skywalker and Secura missing that was probably true. To make it even funnier (at least from my point of view) the newest hot spot was Naboo – that planet had to be cursed. It was a major point of embarrassment when the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order had to tell the Chancellor that there were no Jedi available to go help his home world.

Little did I know that I should savour that great moment while I had the opportunity.

Well, I did so anyway.

Palpatine was glaring at the Masters to my utter delight. The only thing I regretted was that I was not wearing my helmet which was being upgraded by few trustworthy engineers in HQ. So no recording of this show. It was a pity that Piett and Veers were waiting outside and missed it.

"Am I to understand that you couldn't spare a single Jedi to go to Naboo?" Palpatine asked quietly. The sheer betrayed incredulity he could put in his disbelieving voice was worth a reward by itself. Every time I met Sidious I had to marvel how good an actor he was. It also reinforced my belief that playing the political game against a man like him would be suicide even if he didn't have a few decades worth a head start.

"Unfortunate, it is." nodded Yoda. He was a picture of regret.

Sidious glared. It was not a Sith patented one but it was good enough. When it became clear that the Jedi had nothing to add I cleared my throat.

"I am sorry to interrupt but it appears that I am out of the loop. What is the problem, sir?" I inquired with just the right amount of deference to my nominal commander in chief.

"Separatists presence was located on Naboo. When it became clear that we would be unable to send any meaningful forces there, queen Neeyutnee requested Jedi help. However, at the moment our Jedi friends," he spat in a bitter, betrayed tone, "are unable to send anyone but few untrained Padawans, which is out of the question."

I was tempted to point out that there were a pair of obviously free Jedi in front of me. But perhaps Naboo was too backwater for the esteemed Council members to go there personally. I am sure that Palpatine had similar thoughts. Even if he wasn't a Sith it would have occurred to him that two of the most powerful Jedi in existence weren't willing to go help his home-world even when they were obviously free. That had to grate. With him being well Sidious, I was sure that the Chancellor would find a way to use this as an opportunity to tarnish the Jedi's image. Perhaps a few careful leaks to the media...

I wondered what his game was. I remembered that something important was to happen on Naboo around this time but the details eluded me. Was there some kind of research facility hidden there?

The comm built in Palpatine's desk beeped. When he answered, I saw Padme Amidala, Jar-Jar Binks of all beings and an opulently dressed woman whose face was covered with white and red make-up. I knew that this was no coincidence. The Force was attempting to influence things around and I just knew it was towards something that I would not enjoy. I've learned to recognize the signs. In this universe it was true that there were seldom consequences but there most certainly were a lot of Force related shenanigans. Heh. That thought was probably the understatement of the decade. At least.

"Chancellor. Masters." The Queen gave them a small bow. "We attempted to contact the Jedi Council but were told that they were speaking with you." She spoke in a regal confident voice.

"How can I help you my dear?" Palpatine smiled at his former and current Queen. He was the perfect picture of a sweet and helpful old man. Say what else you will about the man but he was a superb actor who might have gotten in the wrong vocation if it wasn't the little issue of him being a Sith.

"We managed to retrieve some data from a damaged tactical droid." said Amidala.

"Please enlighten us, Senator." Windu intoned in a tone showing sudden interest.

"The Separatists have some kind of research facility in the eastern swamps. The droid mentioned something about a virus." Amidala explained in concerned tone.

"They plan to attack us. It's the only explanation." added Captain Typho after stepping into the holo-projector's range.

"Delicate the situation is. Jedi to send I wish..." said Yoda and was promptly interrupted by Amidala.

"I am recommending Generals Kenobi and Skywalker. Our relationship with the Gungans are strained at present but they trust General Kenobi."

"Neither of them is available at present." explained Windu.

"Hmm. Senator. Stretched thin the Order is." Yoda continued with his Emperor cursed butchering of Basic. This wasn't the fist nor the last time I wished to strangle the little troll because of it.

"Then General Veil should make do." said Palpatine. "I am sure that the Order will send a Jedi as soon as possible." he added.

The Jedi Masters looked from the Chancellor to me and back. It was obvious that they expected that I would be tied up on Coruscant until my fleet was ready and by then they would have an agent ready to continue breathing at my back.

Now they had a problem. It was obviously that they did not want to let me go without supervision. However, they had spent I don't know how long telling to Palpatine that there were no Jedi free to go before I arrived. They could not free someone to watch me now. The Jedi were in a bind. A week ago Palpatine finally put his leg down and told them that he "trusted" me and he won't condone such a waste of resources when I had not shown in any way my animosity to the Republic. He went as far as to outright say that he had no time for some kind of conflict between me and the Jedi. Not when I had done so much for the Republic since my appearance. If Sidious suspected that I was a Sith he was keeping that information to himself. My only surprise was that the Jedi did not spill the beans about what I truly was.

Even better, the Jedi shot themselves in the foot this time. It would look very bad for them if they could release someone to come to Naboo to be my minder but not do that in the first place to solve the locals problem. This was an opportunity to make myself even more popular and reinforce my reputation for competence and getting results.

"I'll assemble a Task Force and head to Naboo ASAP, sir. By your leave?" I declared.

Palpatine gave me a grave nod.

"Please do so my friend."

"Chancellor, Master Yoda, Master Windu." I gave them a small bow of respect which I did not feel and exited the office.

"Walk with me." I said to Piett and Veers. "We have a fire to put down. There is a Separatists presence on Naboo and at the moment the cupboard is rather empty. We'll be heading there right after a battle group is assembled and we have at least a regiment that is ready for action loaded on the sh.i.p.s."

"That's a tall order, sir." Piett sighed.

"I am aware of that. We have our work cut off for us. And Veers, welcome to the Eleventh corps."