62 Chapter 59: The Aftermath Of The Summit

(Van: POV)

As the Milano entered hyperspace I leaned back in the pilot seat, placed my hands behind my head, and kicked up my feet.

"Ah, I love it when a plan come together." I mused.

Saying Hannibals signature line from A-Team.

For it truly applies in this situation.

Not only did three of Sidious greatest supporters end up dead, but that dirty old Sith will never suspect I had a hand in it in the slightest.

He, like everyone else, will probably just assume if was members of Nebula Front, and even if he doesn't then Sidious still won't suspect me.

For that bastard has surrounded himself with just too many oppurtunists who would definitely be willing to try to kill the Sith Lord if they thought they had the chance to get away with it.

Hell, Sidious will suspect his own master at taking a shot at him before me.

So as I said, this plan went off without a hitch.

Oh and as to why I simply didn't try and kill Sidious himself, there were several reasons.

First, if I had actually attempted to assassinate Sidious he might've sensed my intention or foreseen it in in a vision through the Force. Drawing his attention to me, which I do not need at the moment. Second, if by some miracle I had managed to kill Sidious then his master Dammask would've likely vanished or done some along similar lines and I can't have that happening. I will allow neither master or apprentice to escape. I want them together, trying to kill each other like Sith do.

Let's see how those bastards like being part of someone else's plan for a change.

"Statement: Master, I am finally glad you decided to use my skills for something else than running your menial errands. Query: When will we undertake such a mission again? Statement: I am eager to cause mass panic and create casualties among meatbags like that as soon as possible." HK-47 spoke.

The droid of the hour.

Even his usual snark, which I am now sure this bastard does on purpose, can't diminish how happy I am with him right now.

He truly deserves his title as the greatest assassin droid.

I mean I knew he was, but seeing and knowing are two very different things.

And this mission showed me he was.

Once I explained all the details to him, and gave him the targets I wanted eliminated, he came up with a plan in no time at all.

Gathering a number of cleaning droids that serviced Seswenna Hall HK-47 sliced into them and put a small program in their source code which would have the cleaner droids plant explosive charges at specific locations HK-47 gave them.

Then once the the cleaner droids accomplished their intended goal the program HK slices into them with self-delete.

Like it was never there in the first place.

Now as for how the explosive charges were detonated, HK-47 synced up their trigger frequency with the same one Nebula Front used to trigger the security droid that killed the leaders of the Trade Federation Directorate, except for that sniveling coward Gunray.

This in turn emphasized the bombings were all apart of Nebula Front plan.

Truly ingenious.

Which is why I don't care how many times I say it I am so glad HK-47 is on my side.

"Calm your circuits HK, I promise you'll get more missions like that in the future. In fact the two of us are soon going to start having some fun soon. But first I need to take care of a few more things before we do. Though once I do I assure you, you'll get to create some mass casualties of meatbags." I told him.

"Excited Statement: I cannot wait." HK-47 said.

"I'm sure you can't." I replied.

And honestly neither can I.

The trade summit was just the opening act.

Now the real fun is about to begin.

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(3rd Person: POV)

Lying in a hospital bed Sheev Palpatine allowed the medical droids, and the doctor they were assisting, to tend to his wounds.

A thing they had been doing for the past week.

Ever since the attack on the Eriadu Trade Summit.

Concerning Palpatine's injuries he only has flesh wounds on his back.

The man has no other injuries, unfortunately.

Now the same could be said for nearly everyone else that was in attendance at the Trade Summit.

Except for the six members of the Trade Federation Directorate which were gunned down by their own security droid, and the three people killed in the bombings in Sesweena Hall thereafter.

Sate Prestage, Wilhuff Tarkin, and Kinman Doriana.

Three of Palpatine's most loyal and trusted allies, or in the eyes of Palpatine simply pawns, dead.

To say Palpatine was struggling to contain his anger would be an understatement.

He was angry, livid, furious, and any other adjective which described the emotion of anger.

'Whoever did this will pay! They will beg for death! They will wish they were dead when I am through with them!!' Palpatine raged inside his head.

But on the outside he was the picture of perfect calmness.

"There. We are finished senator, your treatment is now complete." The doctor told Palpatine.

For he has been treating his injuries for the past week.

Putting his clothes back on Palpatine turned fo face the doctor and gave the man a kind smile. "Thank you doctor."

"It is no problem Senator." The doctor replied.

Shortly after he rhen left the room, the medical droids accompanying him.

Once Palpatine was sure they were all gone he dropped the smile from his face, and began letting his true emotions leak out.

But he remembered to stay in control and not go intl full rage mode.

Since Eriadu, where he has been ever since the attack, was now swarming with Jedi.

Due to the events at the summit the Republic had gained jurisdiction over the investigation into the matter.

Due to this Judicials and several Jedi had been called to Eriadu as reinforcements.

Not to mention Palpatine himself had been saddled with two Jedi bodyguards.

Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Who were sticking to him like glue.

Given the bombs killed two members of his delegation.

Everyone thought Palpatine's life might be in danger, so they surrounded him with security.

This in turn kept him from acting as he pleased, and would continue to until the matter was resolved.

Once again Palpatine's anger spiked, and he swore revenge against whoever caused this mess.

"I wonder, who did cause this mess?" Palpatine asked himself.

The obvious culprits were Nebula Front.

But Palpatine was not about to rule out the possibility of his master coming after his life.

The Sith had noticed how Dammask had started showing more and more interest in Van Sunrider ever since he mentioned the boy to him.

And although Dammask had not met the boy yet Palpatine knew their meeting would happen.

For his master always got what he wanted.

"No!" Palpatine said. "He will not replace me. I will replace him." He mused.

Thus Palpatine fell into the trap of paranoia, just as Van predicted he would.

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Ignoring the tiredness Maarisa felt she reviewed the reports in front of her on her terminal.

For she was in her office at the ORSF headquarters.

Where she had practically been living ever since the horrid events at Seswenna Hall where the Trade Summit had been hosted.

The place where a man she admired and respected, Wilhuff Tarkin lost his life.

Murdered.

Just thinking about how the beloved lieutenant governer of Eriadu was no more filled Maarisa with rage.

And it wasn't just her alone.

The entire ORSF, the people of Seswenna Sector, and the entire world of Eriadu mourned the loss of Wilhuff Tarkin.

Though none more so than his own family.

His younger brother Gideon Tarkin was in an especially bad state.

For the man was Eriadu Minister of Security. The one in charge for the security of the entire planet.

Yet despite his position he couldn't even protect his own brother's life.

The irony of the situation only made the loss worse for Gideon.

But despite his loss that did not stop him from trying to find out who killed his brother, and getting his hands on them.

Sadly that was not going the way the ORSF and Eriadu wanted.

For the Republic had taken over the investigation into the attack that took place at the Trade Summit.

Given that two people from the Naboo delegation lost their lives in the attack, and their senator was injured.

Maarisa understood the reasons why the Republic claimed juridstiction over the investigation.

But that didn't mean she liked it one bit.

This attack took place on Eriadu, it should be handled by those of Eriadu.

Not outsiders.

Which is ironic for Maarisa to think since she was born on Chandrila, and her husband on Fondor.

But ever since Maarisa graduated from the Anaxes military Academy and came to work for the ORSF years ago she had come to consider Eriadu her home.

The same for her husvand.

Their son Zsinj was even born on Eriadu, making it his home planet.

Eriadu itself was a shining jewel in the galaxy.

Even comparable to the Core Worlds in both power, status, and several other aspects in Maarisa mind.

Yet this time, just like usual, the Republic who was basically run by the Core was looking down on them.

It infuriated Maarisa.

And don't even get her started on the Jedi.

She had never met a bunch of more arrogant bastard in her life.

Despite their claims of not allowing themselves to feel arrogant.

Maarisa called Bantha dung on that.

The Jedi were arrogant, it's just they themselves didn't seem to realize it.

Which is why the admiral was having a hard time getting along with the Jedi who had been sent to Eriadu to assist in the investigation of the events of the Trade Summit.

Sighing Maarisa couldn't help but wish the same Jedi pair she had met years ago, the master Dooku and his young apprentice Van, had been sent to Eriadu to help them with this disaster.

Like they did all those years ago.

Though no matter how much Maarisa wished it that was not the case.

A shame in her eyes.

For if she trusted any Jedi it was those two.

As for the other Jedi and the Republic Maarisa wanted them to go kriff themselves.

Stopping her musings Maarisa got back to work.