A/N: The time has come— Maul and Count Dooku fight to determine who the true Dark Lord of the Sith is. This chapter is gonna have a surprising twist at the end that will send chills down your spine, I guarantee it!
(Coruscant)
Within the Senate Building, senators and Republic military officers were gathered at the behest of Chancellor Amidala. Though it had been weeks since Master Wen and the Lotus Battalion were dispatched to Mandalore, word of the slaughter had finally reached the ears of the Republic and throughout the galaxy.
"How could the Mandalorian pacifists wipe out an entire clone battalion and their Jedi general?"
"We have now started a war with the galaxy's most powerful warrior culture!"
"Because of this fiasco, star systems that are neutral will never look to join us because of what transpired on Mandalore!"
Padmé, seated on the Chancellor's Podium, looked at Jar Jar Binks and Sabé, two of her most trusted cabinet members before rising to address the senators. "Members of the Senate, here me!" The senators momentarily ceased their worries and looked to their new chancellor. "I decided to send our troops and Jedi Master Wen to Mandalore, and they paid a terrible price. But they were sent not to declare war on Mandalore, rather, they were sent to oust a Sith Lord by the name of Maul and the remnants of Death Watch off of the planet."
"Your intentions may have been pure, Madam Chancellor, but the fact remains, the Republic has declared war with Mandalore because of the violation of the treaty we have established with them."
Looking to her right, Padmé's lip curled at the sight of Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin, along with Admiral Rampart and Commander Krennic. These Republic officers were known for their fierce loyalty to Palpatine, and since his absence, they have been hellbent on not only strengthening the Republic's military might by whatever means, but they were also conducting business that didn't sit well with Padmé or her vision for the galaxy.
"Admiral Tarkin. I wasn't expecting to see you here at this gathering," narrowing her eyes at Tarkin and his companions, Padmé reassured him of his worries. "I will speak with whoever speaks on behest of Mandalore and tell them that what happened—"
"—was a poor, uncalculated, split-second decision on your behalf, all because you caved into the whims of a pouting Mandalorian boy. Yes, I couldn't agree more," Tarkin said with distaste. "Madam Chancellor, forgive me for not having more faith in you, but you do not know what it takes to win a war. According to the reports of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi during his last, unauthorized trip to Mandalore, Duchess Satine was killed and Prime Minister Almec, who was imprisoned is now the public ruler of Mandalore. After sending an entire battalion of troops to their deaths, I doubt any reassurances you give to the Mandalorian people will not be heard. Nor will any neutral systems that could've been valuable allies to us will not want to join the Republic because of these events."
"Admiral Tarkin, rest assured, I take full responsibility for my actions, and I will not be so hasty to move into action the next time a threat presents itself," Padmé said firmly.
"For your sake, Madam Chancellor, let us hope that is true. With the war progressing, we cannot afford to lose entire battalions of troops at this time. Not only do we find ourselves with the Separatist traitors but now this rogue element— The Shadow Collective believes they can strike at us without repercussions? We must teach these criminals that such brashness cannot go unpunished." Tarkin's words caused most of the senators to roar and bark in agreement, demanding that action would take place.
"As far as we know, this Shadow Collective consists of the galaxy's most powerful criminal syndicates— Black Sun, the Pykes, and the Hutt Cartel. Any action we take must calculated and well planned," Bail Organa spoke up, silencing the uproar. "We have been informed that the Jedi have their task force to put an end to this criminal coalition and bring its leaders to justice, in the meantime, we must focus on ending the Clone Wars."
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Darth Maul: A New Dawn (A Swtcw Fanfiction)
FanfictionDuring the Clone Wars, the return of Darth Maul and his rise to power affected the galaxy, Jedi Order, and the Dark Lord of the Sith, Sidious. Sensing his former apprentice's rise in power, Sidious ventures to Mandalore to dispatch of Maul and his b...
