Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [27]
Anakin swallowed nervously. “Will you tell her … will you tell her hello from me?”
“Of course I will.”
An ensuing silence lingered an instant too long.
“Anakin, I will somehow see to it that you return from the Outer Rim soon,” Palpatine said. “But we cannot rest until those responsible for this war have been held accountable for their crimes and eliminated as a threat to lasting peace. Do you understand?”
“I’ll do my part, sir.”
“Yes, my boy. I know you will.”
In the reception area of the holding office, Bail Organa paced restlessly. He was preparing to vent his exasperation on Palpatine’s appointments secretary when the door to the Supreme Chancellor’s office opened once again, and his advisers began to file out between the imposing, red-cowled guards that flanked the opening.
Advisers Sim Aloo and Janus Greejatus; director of Intelligence Armand Isard; senior member of the Security and Intelligence Council, Jannie Ha’Nook of Glithnos; Chagrian Speaker of the Senate Mas Amedda; and staff aide Sly Moore, tall and ethereal looking in her Umbaran shadowcloak. Last to exit was Pestage.
“Senators, you’re still here, I see.”
“We’re nothing if not patient,” Bail said.
“Good to know, since the Supreme Chancellor still has much to attend to.”
Just then Palpatine himself appeared, glancing at Bail and the others, then at Pestage.
“Senator Organa, Senator Amidala—all of you. What a delight to find you here.”
“Supreme Chancellor,” Bail said, “we were under the impression we had an appointment with you.”
Palpatine lifted an eyebrow. “Indeed? Why wasn’t I informed of this?” he asked Pestage.
“Your schedule is so full, I didn’t want to overburden you.”
Palpatine frowned. “My day is never so full that I can’t take time to confer with members of the Loyalist Committee. Leave us, Sate, and don’t allow us to be disturbed. I’ll call for you when you’re needed.”
Stepping aside, he gestured Bail and the others into the circular office. C-3PO was last to cross the threshold, twisting his head to regard both of the motionless guards.
Bail took a seat directly across from Palpatine’s high-backed chair, which was said to house some sort of shield generator—necessary for his protection, as were the guards, though something that would have been unheard of three years earlier. Saturated in red, the windowless, carpeted office contained several singular pieces of statuary, as did Palpatine’s chambers in the Senate Office Building, and his suite in the crown of 500 Republica. Rumored to work for days on end without sleeping, Palpatine seemed alert, curious, somewhat imperious.
“So, what matters have brought you here on such a glorious Coruscant afternoon?” he said from his chair. “I can’t help but sense a certain urgency …”
“We’ll come directly to the point, Supreme Chancellor,” Bail said. “Now that the Confederacy has been chased from the Core and Inner Rim, we wish to discuss the abrogation of some of the measures that were enacted in the name of public safety.”
Palpatine gazed at Bail over steepled fingers. “Our recent victories have made you feel so secure?”
“They have, Supreme Chancellor,” Padmé said.
“The Enhanced Security and Enforcement Act in particular,” Bail continued. “Specifically those measures that permit the unrestricted use of observation droids, and searches and seizures without the need for warrants or due process.”
“I see,” Palpatine said slowly. “Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that the war is far from won, and I, for one, am not entirely satisfied that traitors and terrorists are not a continued threat to public safety. Oh, I realize that our victories give all appearances of a quick resolution to the war, but as of this morning I was informed that the Separatists still hold many key worlds in the Outer Rim, and that our sieges there could go on indefinitely.”
“Indefinitely?” Eekway said.
“Why not consider ceding some of those worlds,