**Chapter 631**
**Scene 1**
**Coruscant – Senate Building, Chancellor's Office**
**Chancellor Palpatine POV**
Sheev Palpatine sat behind his grand desk, fingers steepled, his face a mask of calculated calm. Inside, however, fury boiled like molten lava beneath the surface. He had been taught by his late Master Plagueis to channel anger into power, to remain composed even as rage threatened to consume him. And yet, the reports streaming in from across the galaxy tested even his iron will.
Furious. Angry. But remain calm.
It was at least enjoyable watching the Jedi fracture like this — their precious Council dissolving, Masters abandoning their posts, Yoda stepping down. The good news was that the two CIS leaders with enough sense to start an uprising against Dooku were dead: Shu Mai and Passel Argente, the poor obedient fools, had served their purpose and been discarded.
The peace talks had been planned as a stalling tactic — to buy time for the CIS to prepare for a major offensive that would transfer even more emergency powers to him. But only if it worked. However, Yoda — the ancient Jedi Master — had now escaped to Mandalore, aligning the warrior world with the Jedi in a way that complicated everything.
Palpatine remembered the ancient struggles between Sith, Jedi, and Mandalorians. Now they were united, stronger than ever. Perhaps he needed the CIS to actually attack — an attack so devastating it would demand the entire subjugation of the Separatists and complete military control under his authority.
He leaned back, a faint, cold smile touching his lips. The game was far from over. Dagon Marek was becoming a problem — but problems could be turned into opportunities. The Senate was divided, the Jedi fractured, and the Republic teetered on the edge of chaos. All he needed was one well-timed spark.
**Scene 2**
**Coruscant – Airspeeder, En Route to Spaceport**
**Bail Organa POV**
The airspeeder's windows flashed past the most ordinary views of Coruscant, but the passengers seated in its luxurious seats would hardly have noticed if these dreary urban structures had been replaced by panoramas of some resort on a pristine planet, or even the jungles of Kashyyyk.
Officially, Senator Bail Organa, along with Senators Mon Mothma and Garm Bel Iblis, were escorting two other senators — Meena Tills and Tundra Domeya — to the spaceport, from where they were scheduled to depart for Dac, also known as Mon Cala. But upon closer inspection, it was clear that the speeder's route had been designed to maximize flight time — even though it was literally a straight line from the Senate to the Galactic Spaceport.
However, what the passengers needed was time to talk without any problems. Iblis, leaning back on the sofa, asked Organa, who was sitting opposite him: "That's all interesting, Bail, but why isn't Amidala with us? I thought she was one of the driving forces behind our…"
"That's true. But perhaps she shouldn't know everything," the Alderaanian replied. "It's important both for her safety and, I won't deny, for the effectiveness of our operations. She sometimes has strong doubts — but ultimately acts decisively."
"Perhaps you're right," the Corellian replied. "Then let's talk business. How are you doing, Garm?" Mon Mothma inquired.
"Better than expected. The Corellian Engineering Corporation's Advanced Research Division has been developing advanced ship designs for several months now, drawing on military experience."
Iblis pulled a data crystal from his pocket and inserted it into the portable projector. An image of a ship appeared above the man's palm — a typical Corellian design. A massive rear section, distinct hull blocks, and a hammerhead-shaped prow.
"So, here it is — the ZD-9300, a Corellian Star Destroyer. Eight hundred meters long, a Class 0.75 hyperdrive, a crew of six thousand, and a landing force of one hundred and fifty infantry. Armament: thirty-six turbolaser batteries with two cannons each, thirty quad laser cannons in turrets, and sixteen heavy ion cannons. True, all the turbolasers are medium, but that's all we have — the crystals suitable for heavy turbolasers are reserved for shipment to Kuat. Besides, the designers could only fit two squadrons of fighters and three shuttles. In a battle, that's not so important — but even so, it will still need an escort of two or three corvettes or frigates for air defense at other times."
"And how much will it cost us?" Bail asked.
"Fifty million. However, we won't be able to begin mass production for at least three months."
"Slightly cheaper than a Venator-class Destroyer," Bail stated. "On the one hand, it's inferior in firepower, but, judging by its parameters, it's superior in armor. I expected nothing less from you, Garm."
"Flattery is out of place here, Organa," Iblis replied dryly. "As for the rest, we are ramping up production of corvettes and frigates of all types. Some of them are intended for secret transfer to Alliance members."
"That's excellent news," Mon Mothma concluded. "I hope our friends on Dac return with good news."
The Mon Calamari and the Quarren exchanged glances, after which Tills said, "The Mon Calamari have begun converting fifty-six passenger liners into battlecruisers at the Mon Cala shipyards. They won't offer much firepower, but it's better than nothing. However, they will be able to carry many of our fighters, which have long been in production not only on Dac, but throughout the sector. All that remains is to ramp up production. However, we're still not talking about producing warships. Yes, we have MC-15 frigates, but they're long outdated. New ships are needed, but their development takes time. Besides, you understand that Mon Calamari are needed to operate such ships. Other races have difficulty navigating our controls…"
"I see," Bail was slightly disappointed, but tried not to show it. "However, as you said, we could use all the help we can get. And yes, what about the Quarren?"
"Unfortunately, all our shipyards are now under CIS control, and we can't produce anything larger than a corvette — but we don't have the equipment or materials for that either," Domeya replied. "We'll only be able to provide more precise information after we speak with the Quarren and Mon Calamari leaders."
"We understand your difficulties," Mon Mothma smiled solicitously. "However… the liberation of your planets currently depends on the advancement of the Republic Army. Taking Felucia could significantly contribute to this — but, as you know, the Jedi suffered a defeat there. And Saleucami alone is not enough, especially since the planet is now effectively behind Separatist lines, making it unsuitable as a staging area for further advancement."
"Let's hope that everything will change soon," the Quarren looked out the window. "It seems we're arriving at the spaceport…"