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Anakin Skywalker is on the path to become one of the greatest figures on the galactic scene. If you want to read an original story of greatness, you can check my story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.
—
Geonosis
"Lord Tyranus, how are your wounds?"
Dooku blinked, not daring to raise his head. "I have healed well, my master."
"A pity." Sidious' voice turned into a sneer, as if he were addressing a bug. Dooku rose to the air, involuntarily, his windpipe being crushed. He instinctively clawed at his throat, knowing it would do nothing. Not when he couldn't stand up to his master.
"Your weakness has cost us years of work. Neimoidia is blocked, Gunray is captured, and the Hutts will not entertain an alliance, not after your failure."
"The Sorcerer," he gasped. "He is too strong. He appeared out of nowhere."
Sidious dropped him just to hear what he had to say clearly. "Explain."
"The fabric of space broke apart, and he appeared before me. He fired bolts of orange lightning, the likes of which I have never seen before. My lightsaber could only block it partially. The Force was silent until he was standing there."
"Find Gunray while I solve this mess with the hyperspace lanes. If the Trade Federation breaks away, more persuasive measures will have to be taken," he said as Dooku forced himself to kneel on one knee.
He let himself fall as soon as the projection flickered out, trying to regulate his ragged breathing. His shoulder, where the prosthetic connected to the flesh, stung. He felt the ghost of the pain of each tendril burning through his flesh as if it were happening this very moment.
He lay there, plotting, fueling the dark side with his pain and fury.
—
Tatooine
Fort Freedom
"They want to negotiate? That was quick," he said. Barely two and a half weeks after he had blocked the hyperspace lanes connected to Neimoidia, the Trade Federation had reached out to negotiate.
"Yes, but they need to contact Neimoidia for orders. They can't act without the headquarters giving permission," Corlen said, running his palm through his bald, dark head.
He leaned on his fist. "And how are they going to negotiate?"
Ventress brought out her holoprojector, displaying a Neiomidian. "Their representative in the Senate, Lott Dod, is willing to stay with us to ensure the Federation negotiates."
"A hostage? Those cowards?" Qymaen scoffed, swinging his hand backwards. He had mainly dealt with San Hill but had seen enough of his Trade Federation guests to know they were cowards.
There was something more at play; he could feel it.
Corlen nodded. "Yes, we find it difficult to believe too."
"Whoever is controlling Gunray would be a fool to not extend his influence to the likes of Lott Dod as well," Ventress said. Investigations had yielded nothing at all, which actually made it more suspicious. Lott Dod should have plenty of dirty secrets. She refused to believe he was actually clean.
"Which makes him another pawn. Should we even entertain negotiations when we won't give Gunray back?" Anakin asked. Padmé was still questioning the Viceroy, but nothing of substance had come out. As long as there was the promise of profit, Nute Gunray seemed all too willing to follow his master in the shadows.
Even if he didn't know where that path would lead him.
"He doesn't know anything of value. The Queen's tenure is coming to an end soon. She can't hold Gunray as a prisoner without revealing him to the authorities. In which case everyone will know where he is and, most importantly, that there are deep relations between Naboo and Tatooine. Enough for the sorcerer to hand over Nute Gunray to Queen Amidala."
Her words rang true. Queen Amidala had refused the populace and the administration's offer to run for a third term, which was against the constitution. There were wide demonstrations to amend it specifically for her. She had given a speech, thanking the people, but ultimately, she wanted to preserve Naboo's democracy. Though the planet regarded her as a hero, she would never use it to break the core tenets of Naboo.
"Are you saying the queen will let him go?" Qymaen asked, his eyes becoming smaller behind his mask. Exchanging Gunray for credits and materials to support their cause was preferable to letting him be eventually replaced and lose all value as a prisoner.
"Given she can't execute him and the alternative is exposure, she thinks it is for the best. Especially if you can extract heavy concessions from the Trade Federations."
"How about a couple trillion credits as well as some of their manufacturing plants?"
"The Hutts bought the fleet with the wealth they earned from the backs of the people they oppressed. We should demand the return of the full amount the Hutts spent." As far as he was concerned, all the wealth the Hutts had belonged to the people.
"That will be… difficult," Ventress said. The amount exceeded ten trillion credits. Gunray wasn't worth that much. The Trade Federation was smart enough to cut their losses. Forcing the issue through the hyperspace lanes was possible but would likely take too long.
"Neimoidia can rot then." If the Republic could consign Kalee to starvation and isolation, he could do the same to Neimoidia by ending virtually all transstellar trade.
"It's not about them; it's the Republic. The Senate is close to passing a resolution for sanctions against you and everyone affiliated with you," she said, switching the projected image to that of the Senate.
He rolled his eyes, watching the chaotic image of every senator trying to speak at once. "Figures."
"The Queen advises that making peace while you can is important. Of course," she raised her hands to the sides, palms open towards the ceiling, "if you want to fight the Republic, that's a different matter."
"Maybe later," he quipped. He didn't want to go to war with the entire galaxy. Not if it could be avoided.
"We'll handle the details."
"Great. I should go and fix one of the hyperspace lanes then," he said, stretching. The Trellen Trade Route and the Fedalle-Kuat Hyperlane were both cut off at two points to block Neimoidia off. Fortunately, he could open a portal large enough for Strange Tides.
"I'll be back in an hour or so."
—
"Representative Lott Dod. Welcome to Tatooine," Corlen said, tilting his head ever so slightly. Neither side would shake hands, not when the animosity was so high.
"Thank you. It is our hope to put this delicate situation behind us," Lott said, feeling sweat gather on his forehead. The discomfort was nothing compared to what he had to endure ever since Neimoidia was blocked off.
Corlen's lips twitched. "The Sorcerer has already left to lift the restrictions in the hyperlanes. You will be able to contact Neimoidia shortly for the negotiations."
He marveled at how fast Anakin had brought the Trade Federation to the negotiation table. They held all the cards, and the reparations they could extract would be immensely helpful to Freedom First.
"I see," he said, gathering his hands behind his back, his right hand grasping his left wrist. "Have you determined your terms for a more permanent accord?"
He, the representative of the Trade Federation in the Galactic Senate, was brought to this wasteland of a world to negotiate with a group of former slaves.
Or rather, he had come to bow down to their terms. The Federation had no advantage, except for maybe using their position in the Senate, to use in these talks.
"Three trillion credits and two dozen of your mobile manufacturing centers to start. Followed by prohibition of all kinds of trade with the Hutts and all entities affiliated with them. Finally, a written acknowledgement that you did business with the Hutts, going against the laws placed by the Republic," he said, feeling his chest come close to bursting. It felt immensely satisfying to lay out these demands to a figure like Lott Dod.
"I will relay your terms as soon as contact is established," Lott said, his voice almost cracking.
He was saved by his commlink beeping. He answered it, waiting. "Representative Dod, we just received hyperspace communication from the homeworld."
He released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Direct it to my com station immediately," he said. He excused himself, walking back into his ship, accessing the terminal.
Rune Haako, a Settlement Officer and a lieutenant of Viceroy Gunray, appeared through the holoprojector. "Lott Dod, thank the stars. There was an issue with the hyperspace lanes. We could not leave or reach anyone through comms."
"Allow me to explain, Officer Rune," he said, slowly taking his seat.
—
"And they are willing to negotiate? Excellent," Haako said. When the transport ships carrying the latest batch of goods for delivery had suddenly reversed course in hyperspace and ended back on Neimoidia, they were quick to realize what had happened. Two and a half weeks of delayed orders, the lack of imports, and the disappearance of all transstellar communications were crippling.
They were isolated in a far more terrifying manner than whatever the Republic could have done.
"Indeed. I am sending you the list of their written demands for a permanent peace between the Federation and Freedom First," he said, uploading the treaty offered by Freedom First.
"In return for the mentioned material compensation and the declaration regarding the Hutts, they will return Viceroy Gunray, as well as permanently remove the hyperlane blockades."
Rune: "These terms are…" Three trillion credits immediately alone would leave a painful dent in their accounts. Credits that lay in the bank were useless. The Trade Federation always circulated its profits for investments.
What they kept were emergency funds and personal accounts.
Dod poured himself a glass of Neimoidian amber. Combined with the stress brought on by this matter and the lack of access to the homeworld, he was down to his last bottle. "Our losses are too high. I still receive a stream of complaints from our neighbors and customers, urging us to resolve this situation, or they will find a new client. We are all businesspeople. It is time to cut our losses, no matter how severe they might be, and settle this matter. Otherwise, the current numbers will look like small change."
Three hundred billion credits were gone like dust in the solar wind. It would only get worse as the blockade continued. If the Purse Worlds and the remaining manufacturing centers were sanctioned by the Sorcerer as well, the Trade Federation would find itself in a hyperspace storm.
"After all, neither of us is a dwarfnut," he said. Gunray's intentions to work with the Hutts were a risk the entire Federation agreed was worth it. They had simply underestimated the Sorcerer of Tatooine.
They would all be paying for it now.
Rune closed his eyes, hanging his head in defeat. "Tell Freedom First we agree with the terms. In the absence of the Viceroy and my workload in fixing the disrupted supply chains, you have the authority to negotiate and sign the treaty."
"Very well. I shall inform you when it is done."
—
"That was fast," Anakin muttered, reaching across to sign the deal. As technically the leader of Freedom First, it was his task to sign the agreement. Lott Dod had agreed to the deal without even negotiating. He was aware that Tatooine had nothing to lose while they bled credits every second.
"The hyperslanes are open once more. You will have Gunray as soon as the credits and the mobile manufacturing centers are delivered to us," he said. He needed time to wipe Gunray's mind off everything that had taken place after he had arrived on the ship.
Thankfully, the Runes of Kof-Kol would do the trick.
"I will ensure you receive the compensation immediately, Master Sorcerer," he said, taking the copy of the agreement. One human boy, who had not even come to his height, had the power to cripple the entire Trade Federation within hours.
He was too scared to let his hatred show.
He left quickly to carry out his part of the deal lest Lord Sidious be more displeased.
—
Naboo
Theed Royal Palace
"I'm surprised you are willing to let Gunray go. I thought you'd want him judged and imprisoned, even if he didn't know anything of value," he said, taking the offered seat in her study. His hood pulled itself back, revealing his face.
Her face turned stormy at the mention of the Neimoidian, but she schooled herself. "His master has influence in the Senate, and most likely in other institutions as well. I am not willing to risk exposing the relations between Naboo and Tatooine."
"It would also make Naboo a target if this Sith lord wanted Gunray rescued or silenced," she said. Given the losses she had faced during the invasion, it was just another risk she wasn't going to take.
She laid down the datapad in her hand, watching the young man before her. "Since you agreed too, I assume you have the means to make sure he can't talk?"
"I'll wipe his memory clean off everything after Ventress knocked him out on the ship," he said. It would be another surprise for Dooku and the hidden Sith lord.
"Very good. Was there anything else?" she asked.
"Yes. We will receive three trillion credits from the Trade Federation and two dozen mobile manufacturing centers. Given we can't trust them, we want to partner with Naboo to scan the mobile centers." While they would be fools to test him by sabotaging the manufacturing centers, the one behind the scenes might force the issue. Either way, caution is the better part of valor.
"Certainly."
"Also, Tatooine lacks many sectors. Corlen and the others want to invest the credits. I agree, but again, we don't have the proper means to," he said. Drugs, slaves, smuggling, and other less than reputable businesses were the majority on Tatooine.
Naboo was the only proper ally they had for the development of the planet.
She straightened first and then leaned back. She laid her index finger parallel to her lips. "The next queen will most likely be Jamillia. While it is in our best interests to keep these deals we made secret, I do believe I can convince her to have more official relations. Education, governance, infrastructure. Naboo can provide assistance with all those matters. As for weapons, we will have to wait and see."
While there were still months for the election, the polls showed Jamillia to be the favorite. Her rhetoric on Tatooine was similar to hers. Supporting the people in their bid for freedom was non-negotiable.
Jamillia too saw her as a hero and an idol. Not just because of how she had saved Naboo but because their beliefs were the same.
"I also heard that the people offered to amend the law to elect you for a third term," he said. They didn't know each other for long, but he knew her enough. She would never accept it. True to his prediction, she had refused it.
"The laws should not bend for the benefit of a single person. Not even if that person is a hero," she said.
"You know, you are a truly admirable ruler. Naboo is fortunate to have you."
"Thank you."
—
In the next chapter:
He tried not to glare at the senators.
Bail Organa of Alderaan; Orn Free Taa, the only fat Twi'lek Qymaen had ever seen; and Mon Mothma, the Senator of Chandrila, stood before him.
"You are all despised in this world. Your communique didn't offer many details. Yet you are still allowed under the banner of peace," he said. He stayed his hand only because of Queen Amidala's assurances and the understanding that killing those senators would not be worth the trouble.
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