Chapter One
HistoryMinor
Well-known member
Chapter One
Officially there never was a Clone Rebellion on Kamino. Unofficially...
Officially there never was a Clone Rebellion on Kamino. Unofficially...
It was always raining on Kamino. The short miserable walk from the off ramp of the lambda shuttle to the entrance of the administrative facility left newly appointed Moff Ortasil drenched by the time he made it inside the building. Struggling to ignore the tight wet uniform clinging to his skin, Ortasil eyed his surroundings; overly bright and overly sterile, it seemed obvious it was designed for outworlders by a race unaccustomed to prolonged visitation.
A door slid open. Of all the alien species Ortasil had been forced to encounter during the war, Kaminoans were by far the most unnerving. More than one culture still told stories of spindly beings with bulbous heads abducting men for the purposes of an unknown science. The frail yet towering physiques of these creatures seemed unreal to Ortasil, as if the creators of the clones were themselves the result of some unseen artificial conception. Or perhaps the cunning hidden behind their large calculating eyes hinted at the all to natural predatory origins of their race.
The thing that really bothered Ortasil was the Kaminoan sense of politeness.
"The Prime Minister will see you now"
a female voice said in a sing song way, slightly bowing her long neck with a formality that only drew more attention to how she loomed over her guest. They walked together silently, the Kaminoan lanking forward with the poise of a spectre, Ortasil with his arms wrapped around his chest and squinting into winding corridors bathed in much more light than his anyone in the fleet was used to.
Ortasil and the Kaminian reached the Prime Minister's office. Straightening himself, Ortasil strode past her and into the room.
"Minister Lama Su, Regional Moff Ortasil is here to see you" the female Kaminoan said.
"Thank you, Taun We" said the Prime Minister.
The Moff made no attempt to acknowledge her dismissal as he tried to settle into the pod shaped seating provided to him. Unmoved by Ortasil's discourtesy, Taun We bowed again and departed.
"Welcome, Governor, we are honored by your visit."
The room was quiet. Ortasil looked at Lama Su, who smiled back, politely waiting for him to be the first to speak. Blasted alien Ortasil thought. The Kaminoan wasn’t the first person that day to use old titles, and by extension fail to acknowledge the great changes that had just swept through the galaxy. What he'd give to do away with the subtle duplicities that hid behind the cordiality of statesmen. Their formalities frustrated him. The Prime Minister for example was making a point of being on his best behavior, but not once had the stupid amphibian offered Ortasil a towel. The Moff sullenly came to terms with the puddles of cold water sloshing in his boots.
Ortasil took a deep breath and looked up at the strange creature he was stuck ruling in the name of the Empire.
“I trust that you are monitoring the progress of Operation Knightfall,” he said while trying to ignore the water dripping from him onto the seat.
A hint of increased pride seemed to show in the Kaminoan’s demeanor.
“Kill ratios currently exceed projections, Order 66 proceeds with no discernible complications.
Ortasil leaned forward in his chair.
“Discernible?”
Lama Su contemplated whether he should call for refreshments. The discussion of statistics was a common pastime for his kind.
“There is always a margin for error in these things unfortunately, but as things stand the confidence integer remains at 95%.“
"Fortune is as nebulous as the will of the Force, Kaminoan." Ortasil scoffed, "I am interested in success, not mathematics.”
Lama Su smiled, which was his way of projecting a sense of approachability humans seemed to need in order to finish a transaction.
"I see that you are a busy man, we will make sure aggregated demand forecasts are fixed to the boosted commodity value of next quarter trooper types by - “
“Enough!”
Ortasil stood and began to pace in front of the confused Kaminoan, a habit that both men had seen used for the purposes of intimidating raw subordinates.
“Do you think I am here for a sales pitch, minister?" Ozy asked dryly.
Lama Su tilted his head quizzically.
"Are you not here to increase production?" Hesitation had crept into the minister's voice. This crack in the Kaminoan's facade made Ortasil smile. Ortasil cut him off with a gesture.
" I am here, cloner, because your blatant war profiteering has drawn my attention. I am here because the institutions of the galaxy, including your precious military industrial complex, have grown too compartmentalized and self-serving to root out graft and sedition without firm guidance. Experts from Spartii Industries will audit your methods until I can determine how they might be streamlined."
Lama Su's smile disappeared. "That hardly seems necessary, Moff Ortasil. If my people had done something wrong, I am sure the Supreme Chancellor would have brought this to my attention directly."
"The Emperor" Ortasill said pointedly, “does not have time to micromanage every system in the outer rim. That is why he has appointed men like me to govern the edges of the universe in his stead. In all honesty, minister, limiting our source of manpower to one location has never seemed wise to me, You are lucky that I don’t charge you for the defense platforms hovering above your head, I haven't forgotten how your planet had the gall to increase its fees when the war efforts chances looked bleak.
"But that is the past. As long as you obey the Empire and follow my directives to the letter your services will be fairly rewarded." Pleased with himself, Ortasil left the room before the Kaminoan could react.
~~~~~
Can a Moff do this?" An emergency meeting had been called as soon as Ortasil returned to his ship. Granting Sparti free reign over the cloning facility was unacceptable. They were Kamino's chief industrial competitor and were soon going to be given direct access to secrets the kaminoans had carefully guarded for centuries. Everyone knew the rigid conformity beaten into each clone trooper at a genetic level would be the ideal template for Spaarti's flash memory process.
"In a word, yes."
Halle Burtoni, chief ambassador and first ever Kaminoan member of the Senate was holding herself up with a cane. A muted holorecording of Palpatine's Declaration of A New Order issued a few standard hours ago played on a loop to her side.
“Moffs were granted extraordinary powers over their sectors well before today. After reviewing the new Imperial Charter, I have determined their authority to be near absolute."
The Prime Minister slumped in his pod. "We are still in good standing with Palpatine. Why not petition him directly?"
"Our new Emperor likely approves of Ortasil's plan, if it has even been deemed worthy of his attention. Reliance on speciest leadership now seems to be state policy. The Verpine already obey a cadre of human 'advisors'. The status of Cransaoc leadership within Sparti Creations is as yet unknown."
Burtoni rapped her cane. "There's more, my lord. Before liquidation, Advanced Recon Commando Eight Four Seven Niner Five returned to us with information that can only be described as startling.”
Burtoni's withered hands motioned to Taun We. The graceful Kaminoan handed Lama Su a datapad filled with a stream of energy readings centered on a massive object of unknown spheroid design. The Prime Minister perked up.
"The asset had been conducting unsanctioned flight training exercises in and around Geonosis before stumbling onto radio silent v wing patrols in the nearby asteroid fields. From there 8-4-7-9-5 monitored their movements until they arrived at what he believed to be a massive Separatist installation."
"Impossible. Our Occupation Forces would have noticed if the foundries were being repurposed for such an undertaking."
"Scans showed no major droid presence in the installation."
Lama Su was stunned. "Something of this scale is impossible, Palpatine doesn't have the manpower necessary to even consider committing to such an undertaking without our expertise. Unless..."
Ambassador Burtoni finished the thought. "Unless the Empire is using Spaarti to quick-clone expendable laborers."
More was at stake than intellectual propery. A superweapon threatened to make the very idea of conventional armies obsolete.
"This is an outrage! Our armies may have been bred to be the Chancellor's slaves, but we weren't. Palpatine is a fool if he thinks-"
“Excuse me milord” Taun We interjected.
Taun We had spoken out of turn. Luckily no one in the room was in the mood to chastice her. Lama Su simply turned in her direction and sagged his long neck, the Kaminoan equivalent of an annoyed sigh.
"Excuse me, milord, but our armies were bred to serve the office of the CHANCELLOR. Palpatine abolished that position when he declared himself Emperor.”
Lama Su pursed his lips. “An interesting thought, but irrelevant unless Palpatine has violated his constitution."
Burtoni’s eyes widened. “That constitution has been replaced by the Charter.”
"If Palpatine has abandoned the old laws…”
"He is no longer protected by them."
The three Kaminoans looked down at the holorecording still playing on a loop below them. The cackling old man who had fashioned himself master of all now seemed so foolish. His deformed image sputtered out, replaced by a face shared by billions of identical soldiers stationed across the galaxy. Their loyalty was unquestionable, and now to be forever uprooted by the utterance of a simple phrase.
"Execute Order One"
****************************
Master Shaak Ti fell dead. Remaining calm while other Jedi gave into panic, her majestic running battle with the 501st had spiralled away from the Temple and deep into the lower levels of Coruscant. Lord Vader had found her playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the outclassed squads sent to execute her. The narrow pathways and densely packed squalor she sped through gave Shaakti ample means to sidestep the brute force being thrown her way. Lord Vader could sense the cold precision guiding her attacks. He could also sense the compassion for nearby civilians that barred Shaakti from wreaking total havok on her pursuers.
Shaakti's compassion was an easy thing to exploit. Ripping congested platforms from their foundations and firing randomly into crowds whenever the Jedi Master temporarily slipped away was enough to make Shaakti turn and face the newest member of the Sith head on. The Togruta fought valiently but was eventually slaughtered like all the rest.
Shaakti hadn't been the most difficult adversary to put down during the 28 violence filled hours since Vader's new master issued Order 66. That distinction had gone to the red headed Jedi Knight trying to herd young padawans onto a starship operated by the Agriculture Corps. Gira pled for mercy when Vader approached him with his weapon drawn. If Vader let the children go Gira swore he'd submit to Sith rule.
Vader gave no response. The desperation that then swelled in Gira's eyes reminded Vader of how he felt when he first foresaw Padme's death. It was obvious both men were capable of doing terrible things for the sake of those they loved. Gira swung wildly at Vader. Unfortunately for Gira, his ferocity burned out when the clones shot down the escaping starship. With the Padawans dead Gira had no reason to protect himself.
Shaakti had been the final straggler. Lord Vader had obeyed his master: every last Jedi at the Temple had been slain without mercy or hesitation. Palpatine would no doubt want to bask in Vader's success, but that could wait for a later time. There was something far more important Vader needed to attend to.
A LAAT circled overhead. It touched down, offloading a group of clones wearing the distinctive blue striped armor of Vader's fist, the 501st. Their captain stood at attention. "New orders, General Skywalker."
"Not now, Rex." Vader punched a few numbers into his wrist comms. "Take me to these coordinates."
"Negatory, sir, that district is on lock down. You've been ordered to report to Admiral Palleon on the double." Vader resisted the urge to snap at his subordinate. Their relationship had slowly begun to fade in the waning days of the war, especially after the former jedi acquiesced to regimen and forced his commander to submit the 501st to regular inhibitor chip inspections. Like many other clones with a sense of individuality, Rex's mind had fallen into a stupor since Order 66, as though his personality had been sapped alongside his free will. It seemed Captain Rex had reverted to the rigid military discipline Skywalker had taught him to skirt during the past three years of conflict. He was just a number now, one of countless expendable soldiers barely above the clankers.
"Disregard standard procedure, CT-7567. I operate under the sole authority of the Emperor."
Rex exchanged looks with his fellow clones. "General, per contingency orders 1, 5, and 118, Former Chancellor Palpatine has been removed from office."
"What?!"
The Dark Side can be like a sickness. In one moment there is only fever clouding the mind. In the next, all sensation becomes hypersensitive and painful. He spread his awareness beyond the vindictive fury he had unleashed upon the world city. To his surprise, the entire ecumenopolus had entered a state of bedlam. The clones noticed none of this.
" You and other vetted members of high command are to convene with Admiral Palle- Ack!"
Rex and the others were hoisted into the air by a force choke.
Vader was fuming. "You will take me to the coordinates I gave you, trooper."
Delirious, Rex barely struggled to breath.
"Good Soldiers follow orders...right, Fives?"
His neck snapped. So too did the neck of the LAAT's pilot. Vader left the bodies with those of their brothers he left dismembered in his wake.
More treachery? Vader turned on the Transport's holonet receiver. The channels were jammed, and either static or playing on loop the emergency broadcast blared during Grievious’ attack. The planet once again looked like a warzone. Smoke could be seen rising from the Chancellor’s chambers, and worse, from the Senate Building.
In minutes he arrived at his destination. More blue striped clones stood in his way.
"The Senate Residences are a restricted area, milord." After cutting the soldiers down, Vader entered the Residences.
His heart dropped. The bodies of clones, and Naboo Security Forces were everywhere. Captain Panaka had died in the hallway, as had quite a few police droids judging by the scrap littering the floor. Padme's room was in shambles; it was obvious from the scorch marks on the walls that a firefight had taken place there as well. Mixed in with the dead were the blue cloaks of the Senate Guard, and the ceremonial red of those honored to serve the leader of the galaxy.
All the pain and hate that had been giving Vader strength was now tearing into him, making it hard to breath.
"Where is she?" he asked the familiar figure lurking in the shadows.
The Emperor stepped forward. "She is under my protection."
"Can I see her?"
Darth Sidious spelled out his words carefully. "Not. Yet."
A wave of frustration collapsed one of the apartment’s walls. Annoyed by the outburst, Darth Sidious ground his teeth. The New Order Sith had been carefully preparing for almost two thousand years hadn't lasted a day. His enforcer was equally unstable.
His aura reeked of rage and petulance, those vices all that was keeping the new apprentice’s psyche from total collapse.
"Nothing makes sense anymore!” he fumed. “Everyone's betrayed me: the Clones, the Jedi...you"
The Dark Lord of the Sith warily eyed his new apprentice.
"You betrayed my trust from the start. You used me!"
What was left of Anakin Skywalker strode forward in seething rage. His fury was no match for the force lightning that threw him against the blasterbolt pocked wall.
"It is your emotions that betray you, my apprentice" Sidious hissed. Gone was the aura of triumph that had filled the Sith Lord after Master Windu was struck down. Now his emotions were as tumultuous as the gullible fool convulsing beneath him. "I have commanded all remaining Separatist forces to converge on the source of this rebellion." Anakin wailed, the full impact of Sidious' double dealings finally crushing his spirit. He was hit by another volley of lightning.
"You and I shall personally see to the success of this final task, Lord Vader, or your wife...will die."