Chancellor **Palpatine** sank wearily into his chair.
A long—more than seventeen hours—extraordinary session of the Senate had just ended. After much wrangling, the senators had finally agreed to allocate funds for the purchase of an additional batch of clones.
There had been loud arguments, endless speeches, and the usual attempts by senators to secure advantages for their own sectors.
As always.
Yet the senators could be understood.
**One trillion eight hundred billion credits** was not a figure anyone could treat lightly.
For Palpatine, however—who had already spent nearly **five hundred times more** behind the scenes—it was little more than a drop in the ocean.
In addition, nearly **five hundred million credits** from his personal accounts had quietly been transferred to the Kaminoans as compensation for their recent losses.
A routine expense.
The war demanded ever greater investments.
The Separatists, nurtured by **Count Dooku**, had proven somewhat stronger than Sidious had initially expected.
He had underestimated the cowardly cunning of **Nute Gunray**, the financial ingenuity of the Muun bankers of the **InterGalactic Banking Clan**, and the cold calculations of the Skakoan engineers of the **Techno Union**.
The Separatist leadership constantly quarreled behind closed doors. Only their fear of **Darth Sidious** prevented those disputes from escalating into open conflict.
For now.
As a result, the Separatist fleet currently rivaled—and in many sectors exceeded—the strength of the Republic Navy.
The **droid army** overwhelmed its enemies through sheer numbers, though it still lagged in quality.
And the **Jedi**…
Palpatine's expression darkened slightly.
They had proven to be worse commanders than even he had expected.
Only a handful truly deserved their positions.
Palpatine hated the Jedi with every fiber of his being.
Yet even he acknowledged that among them were individuals of remarkable talent.
Some possessed rare strategic insight.
Others possessed exceptional mastery of the **Force**.
Oh yes…
This war served many purposes.
Among them—though not the primary one—was the forging of his future apprentice.
**Anakin Skywalker**.
War would shape him.
It would teach him power and powerlessness… loyalty and betrayal… victory and loss.
And when the moment came—
He would be ready.
---
The Chancellor's thoughts were interrupted by a soft chime.
"What is it?" Palpatine asked calmly.
A **Rodian secretary** appeared in the doorway and bowed.
"Sir, Director **Armand Isard** requests an immediate audience."
Palpatine frowned slightly.
"What is the urgency? I believe his report was scheduled for tomorrow."
"Yes, sir," the Rodian replied nervously. "But he claims the information concerns the Separatists and cannot be delayed."
Palpatine folded his hands.
"Send him in."
He straightened slightly, the mask of the kind and patient Chancellor settling perfectly over his features.
---
Isard entered moments later and bowed deeply.
"Chancellor."
"What have you discovered, Director?"
Isard stepped forward.
"We have received information from a reliable source that **massive deposits of valuable ores** have been discovered on the planet **Jabiim**, located in the Phelleem sector of the Outer Rim."
Palpatine's eyes sharpened.
"Which ores?"
"Carvanium, lommite, neutronium, partia, zersia, carbon, millenium—and significant quantities of **bronzium**."
That immediately caught the Chancellor's attention.
"Is the planet under Separatist control?"
"Yes. The local leader—**Alto Stratus**—has signed contracts with the **Trade Federation** and the **Banking Clan** to develop the deposits."
Isard placed an infocrystal onto the Chancellor's desk.
"The **Techno Union** has also expressed interest. The CIS has already begun providing Stratus with weapons, food, medicine, and significant financial support."
Palpatine leaned forward.
"Where did this information come from?"
Isard hesitated briefly under the Chancellor's piercing gaze.
"It was provided by **Baron Papanoida**."
"Hmm."
Palpatine leaned back.
"You may go, Director."
Isard bowed again but paused.
Reaching into his coat, he produced a second infocrystal.
"And here is the information regarding the Jedi you requested."
"Excellent."
Palpatine pressed a button on his desk.
"Has **Mace Windu** left the Senate building yet?"
The secretary's voice replied through the comm.
"No, Chancellor."
"Good. Inform him that I request his presence immediately. Also establish communication with the Jedi Council."
He paused.
"And one more thing."
"Senator **Padmé Amidala** is still in the Senate complex, correct?"
"Yes, Chancellor."
"Please inform her that I wish to speak with her as well."
Something told Palpatine that the help of this former queen might prove… useful.
---
Palpatine activated the holoprojector and began examining the Jabiim data.
Durasteel.
That was the key.
All those ores, combined in proper proportions, produced **durasteel**—the backbone of warships and droids.
Bronzium, meanwhile, reinforced battle droid armor.
If the CIS gained full access to those mines, their production losses after **Kamino** could be replenished quickly.
Worse still, Jabiim lay dangerously close to several critical Separatist shipbuilding worlds.
Particularly **Dac**, whose shipyards supplied a large portion of the Separatist fleet.
Allowing the CIS to secure Jabiim could destabilize the entire war.
But allowing the **Republic** to exploit those resources too early also carried risks.
The balance of the war was delicate.
Too delicate.
And Jabiim itself was a nightmare battlefield.
Endless torrential rains.
Violent **ion storms** that disabled aircraft and repulsorcraft.
And a population of nearly one hundred million—most of whom now supported Stratus.
Small wonder.
For years the Republic had ignored their suffering.
Trandoshan raids.
Disease outbreaks.
Famine.
Yet the planet had continued paying its taxes, hoping the Republic would eventually help.
It never had.
Only the Separatists had offered aid.
Even if that aid came at a price.
---
A voice from the intercom interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, Master Windu and Senator Amidala have arrived."
"Excellent," Palpatine said.
"Send them in."
---
Moments later the doors opened.
**Mace Windu** entered first, his expression calm but serious.
Behind him walked **Padmé Amidala**, graceful and composed.
"Chancellor," Windu said, bowing slightly.
Amidala inclined her head respectfully.
"What is the urgency?"
Palpatine opened his mouth to respond—
But suddenly a chime echoed through the office.
The holoprojector activated automatically.
A **Holonet emergency broadcast** appeared.
---
Flames filled the projection.
Massive warships burned in orbit above a green world.
The announcer spoke excitedly.
"Breaking news from the Outer Rim!"
"The Republic fleet has successfully broken the **Separatist blockade of Kashyyyk**!"
The projection showed Republic ships tearing through the enemy fleet.
The massive silhouette of the **Terminus-class Star Destroyer** dominated the battle.
"Sources confirm that the victory was led by a mysterious Republic commander now being called a new hero of the war—**Starkiller**."
The broadcast shifted to ground footage.
Wookiee warriors fighting through burning forests.
Republic gunships blasting droid columns.
And finally—
A towering Wookiee embracing two figures.
One was clearly **Ahsoka Tano**.
The other…
Padmé's eyes widened slightly.
"That's—"
Windu's gaze hardened.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"General Dagon."
On the broadcast, **Tarfful** lifted the armored warrior in a massive Wookiee hug while Kashyyyk burned in the background.
The announcer continued:
"Wookiee chieftain Tarfful personally thanked the mysterious commander for liberating the world. Reports indicate Republic forces destroyed the entire CIS blockade and routed Trandoshan slavers across the planet."
Padmé smiled faintly.
"He saved them."
Windu crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"Impressive tactics."
Palpatine watched the broadcast silently.
Inside, however…
Darth Sidious smiled.
So.
The galaxy had begun to notice him.
Starkiller.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The broadcast ended.
Palpatine folded his hands calmly.
"Master Windu," he said gently.
"I have important news for you…"