A Call to Make
Imperial Center, Coroscant System and Sector, in the Imperial Palace, Year 10 Imperial Order
To many an aide and erstwhile potential pleasure torture subject within the Imperial Palace, few things were as terrifying as the Dark Lord's anger and rage. But they did exist...and most terrifying of all was his pleasure. For one never knew what horrifying act he order next in glee. It was with this knowledge that an aide approached his most august Imperial Majesty as he was enjoying a nice calm evening.
"Excuse my rudeness for interrupting your break, my lord. But news has arrived regarding a major incident on Mandalore"
As the aide spoke, Palpatine's calm appearance was replaced with a scowl as the old man pondered to himself, '
Ah, something to do with Constantine, what has he gotten up to now?'
"It appears that Moff Constantine has fallen performing his duty to the empire. He encountered the Jedi Traitor Darth Maul and moved to engage him. During the fight, due to standing orders in case it was determined needed, his forces performed an orbital bombardment directly on top of the two, completely vaporizing both."
Palpatine was somewhat displeased at first. Maul's last known location had been captive aboard the Tibunal which crashed with most hands on board, with the Jedi Tano believed to have possibly survived as there was evidence in the logs someone had detached a Y-Wing from its dock combined with the graveyard built to honor the dead clones outfront. However....this meant that there was now two lose ends dealt with by that pawn Tarkin without lifting a finger. Now to deal with one more lose end. "I have a call to make."
----
Tarkin could not believe what he was seeing. First Constantine was
dead. His goal had been to humilate him, not kill him. Yet somehow the fool had managed to get himself killed while going after a Jedi who survived Order 66...by being blown up by his own flagship
on his own orders. If Constantine was
somehow still alive, after all that? He may hate the man....but he would absolutely respect the man for the sheer metal it took to willingly do such a plan. If only he was born a Tarkin. He was more than hard enough to be one. Indeed, if he still lives, he might invite him to the family training grounds for a match....had he not a more pressing concerns: The Emperor had just ordered him and multiple other officers to be
executed. Oh, sure, said document said that it had been ordered at the advise of the Senate...which was to say Palpatine gave someone a script to vomit at the senate, the senate approved said vomit, then said vomit was used to justify the Purge the Emperor was going to do regardless. The only ones who voted against it had been "His Imperial Majesty's Loyal Opposition"....the fucking Rebels of all things....
Well then. It was time to make some calls. If the Emperor was going to have him purged regardless of reality, he might as well make the accusations of treasons true. He had nothing left to lose.
And an whole galaxy to gain.
----
Bail looked at his glass. When the vote for the Great Officer Purge as he was already calling it mere hours later was finished, he knew well that the rebellion could no longer spend time preparing. Once the Purge was done, it was likely going to be just a matter of time before the Senate was as well. It may be selfish...but he would admit he prefer to not die himself. Sidious had been too blatant here. Bail figured that the Sith Lord would have at least humored the idea that they run a proper investigation. After all, due to rebel intelligence, many of the officers accused were actually guilty of crimes worthy of being stripped of rank and more than a few of those crimes capital as well. It would have been a moment where the rebellion's desire to sabotage the Imperial Military and the Sith Lord's desire to consolidate power would have been perfectly melded. It could have given them several more months of chaos to prepare. Yet it seems that Sidious feels he is close to total dominance such that he no longer needs any pretense of law beyond a rubber stamp by his fellow senators. Not even the farcical theater of the senate spending weeks or months to make it appear as if the new order was not a royal dictatorship was needed now. Instead, the greatest farce of all occurred: He had defended
Tarkin of all things of the charges as Tarkin had not even had a chance to make a proper defense of himself. The Rebel Alliance had been the last ones to speak out in defense of a man they all hated and his rights.
Yet....Such is reality. For if they truly wish to restore the Galactic Republic, they must be willing to stand in defense of even those they hate if their rights are being ignored. Tarkin deserved his right to defend himself in court. He deserved the right to a proper trial. No one deserves to be ordered to simply be executed simply because he was no longer convenient. Whether Tarkin would understand that, he doubted it. Both him and his father had always been authoritarians at heart. Did he even know that his daughter hated him? Unlikely. But there was one thing Bail was certain of: Tarkin was likely headed to Coruscant to bring in new management. Which was why he was headed for Naboo, where the clone wars had truly began all those years ago when the Sith had invaded that planet using their lackeys in the federation. If only you were still with use Padme Amidala Skywalker....if only you were still with us. Yet...she was not. Dwelling on the past would not change it. And he had a call to make, as he punched in a number. Ashoka, its time.
