Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [19]
Even outside the normal skylanes, above the myriad and abysmal canyons that fissured the urbanscape, far from patrols of security soldiers or the prying eyes of Republic spies, Coruscant looked much as it had for as long as Bail had known it. Traffic was as dense as ever, with ships arriving perpetually from all points in the galaxy. New restaurants had opened; more art was being created. Paradoxically, there seemed to be more joviality in the air, and more opportunities than ever for vice. Even with trade disrupted to the Outer Rim, many Coruscanti were living the good life, and many Senators were continuing to avail themselves of the limitless privileges they had enjoyed in the prewar years.
From up here one had to look closely to observe the changes.
In the oval, twin-drive air taxi, for example.
Running in tiny print across the passenger’s-seat display screen was a public service ad extolling the virtues of COMPOR—the Commission for the Protection of the Republic.
NONHUMANS NEED NOT APPLY.
And there, dazzling the sheer face of a towering office building, a piece of late-breaking HoloNet news detailing the Republic’s victory at Cato Neimoidia. Lately it was triumph after triumph, praise for the Grand Army of the Republic, all glory to the clone troopers.
Rarely a mention of the Jedi, save for when one of them was commended by Palpatine in the Senate’s Great Rotunda. Young Anakin Skywalker or some other. Otherwise one rarely saw an adult Jedi on Coruscant any longer. Spread thin throughout the galaxy, they led companies of troopers into battle. The holofeeds were fond of using the phrase aggressive peacekeeping to describe their actions. To the extent that friendships could be forged with them, Bail had come to know a few: Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Mace Windu, Saesee Tiin—the privileged few who also were allowed to meet personally with Palpatine.
Bail stirred in his seat.
Even Palpatine’s harshest critics in the Senate or in the various media couldn’t hold him fully accountable for what Coruscant had become. Though hardly the innocent he sometimes pretended to be, Palpatine was not to blame. His talent for being at once sincere and exacting was what had gotten him elected in the first place. According to Bail Antilles, at any rate, Bail’s predecessor in the Senate.
Thirteen years ago the Senate was interested only in ridding itself of Finis Valorum, Antilles had once told Bail. Valorum, who had believed he could put honesty on the Senate agenda. Even in those days Palpatine had had his share of influential friends.
Still, Bail couldn’t help but wonder who might have succeeded Palpatine as Supreme Chancellor if the Separatist crises on Raxus Prime and Antar 4 had not occurred when they did, just as Palpatine’s term of office was ending. He remembered the arguments that had raged over passage of the Emergency Powers Act; that it was dangerous to “change dewbacks in the middle of a sand dune.” Back then, many Senators felt that the Republic should bide its time and simply allow Count Dooku’s movement to play itself out.
But not after the full extent of the Separatist threat became clear.
Not after some six thousand worlds, lured by the promise of free and unrestricted trade, had seceded from the Republic. Not after heavily armed corporations such as the Commerce Guild and the Techno Union had partnered with Dooku. Not after the entire Rimward leg of the Rimma Trade Route had become inaccessible to Republic shipping.
As a consequence—and by an overwhelming majority—the Senate had voted to amend the Constitution, and to extend Palpatine’s term indefinitely, with the understanding that he would voluntarily step down from office when the crisis was resolved. In short order, however, the likelihood of a quick resolution evaporated. Formerly gracious and unassuming Palpatine was suddenly democracy