V.2-C.92│Mortis II│

Instead of reminiscing more about the history of the Mortis Gods and their strange mythology, powers and, or personalities. It would be best to take a look at other things, more specifically looking towards some developments within the Galactic Republic.

The Galactic Senate.

The Galactic Senate was a place where all the Republic's elected and appointed senators and representatives from the farthest reaches of the galaxy would discuss major problems and come to decisions.

The Galactic Constitution invested the Senate with the power to regulate trade, maintain maps of the galaxy's hyperspace routes, and to maintain the Republic's military. It was still a relatively weak body at the end of the Old Sith Wars.

Following the Ruusan Reformation, a large amount of power was removed from the Supreme Chancellor and granted to the Senate, which although resulting in greater regional involvement in galactic politics, also resulted in increased gridlock and corruption.

One of the privileges a Supreme Chancellor still possessed was his or her ability to call an Extraordinary Session.

Originally the Senate was Planetary and welcomed any planet with a large enough population until the Core was occupied by the early Republic.

Then the Republic was politically divided into sectors containing up to 50 inhabited systems, small enough so that they wouldn't expand into separatist empires; the Senate then was apartised by sectorial Senators, representing the planetary Senators.

After the First Alsakan Conflict roughly 17000 years ago, the Senate was composed of seated Senators with full rights of address, and unseated Senators, who had to petition for such rights. That made the Senate viable but bred corruption since unseated Senators traded most of their votes.

The Senate's role changed somewhat over the centuries. As of the Old Sith Wars it played a slightly more passive role regarding internal affairs. While recognized as the central government of the Republic and deferred to in matters of galactic policy, the Senate's power over many members was more that of a mediator than a ruling body.

Negotiation and coercion were staples of its activities.

The terrorist organization known as The Flail attempted to overthrow the Senate in a year prior to Anakin joining the Jedi Order, accusing it of corruption; but Chancellor Finis Valorum's forces disbanded The Flail.

Before the start of the Clone Wars, the Senate suffered a shutdown, with corporations controlling it. The majority of the senators around the time of the Invasion of Naboo became corrupt, changing their affiliations based on their own interests.

Eventually, through a series of various organizational reforms in response to the Separatist threat, the charismatic Palpatine took control of the Senate. During the Clone Wars, Sate Pestage was in charge of the Senate's executive agenda.

The charismatic Palpatine that was in control was now starting to lose his support, even with the organizational reforms that had taken place, it wouldn't do well for him to start ordering people around to do things the way he wants. Not until he could ensure the people would be loyal to him.

Loyalty to him, they were not.

The Senate was led by a Supreme Chancellor, elected by a vote of the Senate from amongst its delegates. He had little real authority over the Senate other than prerogative to call for a special session and could be removed by a vote of no confidence.

The Vice Chair, also elected and removed by the Senate, wielded far more power being empowered to open, close and moderate debate on each motion, which allowed him to control agenda within the Senate.

The Galactic Senate was made up of over 2,000 congressmen: governor-delegates, referred to as senators, and representatives, representing sectors, systems, individual planets, or even Corporations or Guilds.

Some were elected directly, while others were appointed by a planet's ruler, or even were the planet's ruler. Diplomats, religious figures, local political leaders, and other prominent people could also address the Senate as part of a senatorial delegation.

Senators, however, were the only members with voting power, with the Representatives organized into the Galactic Representative Commission, although they could be appointed by their absent Senators as their temporary substitute, and still could have a minor voice in Senate business.

The full Senate convened on a regular basis, although the meetings were unscheduled in advance, and could sometimes even reach up to one hundred full assemblies per year. The order of the day was composed of a series of day-long meetings in committees and subcommittees in formal and informal situations.

Most of the negotiation and diplomacy, however, happened behind the scenes, in the ambassadorial offices behind the Senate platforms. Before the invasion of Naboo, Republic-member worlds could join or become signatories to various federations or groups.

Often, smaller worlds would give their voting power over to these Federations in exchange for lucrative trade deals. This allowed various corporations, guilds, federations, and businesses to gain extra power in the Senate.

It was truly a corrupt system.

In the end, its various changes, shifts in power and all around continuous bureaucracy would be its downfall, whether orchestrated by Palpatine or not.

"Today, we have gathered here within this august body, to discuss the actions the Separatists have taken recently, in combination with the Supreme Chancellors current granted emergency powers." A voice announced to everyone within, as they were joined here to talk about many things.

Factions were starting to form within the Republic, just as they always did and it was always going to be for the benefit of themselves. Not necessarily a bad notion to have. To look out for oneself could certainly be fine, but what those in power had over those that were ordinary could be considered excessive.

An excessive abuse of power and a greediness that was unappealing to those that watched.

"So the Separatists have done something important, have they?"

"No, the Separatists have done nothing at all. It is as if they have gone quiet, off of the tracks so to speak and this could only mean they are planning something of great importance."

"Thank the Empyrean's Emperor for his droids, otherwise we may have already been taking over by the Separatists already, and would have had to give up alot of what the Republic stands for."

"Right!"

Numerous voices were discussing numerous things and there were even those within the senate that seemed to be supportive of the Empyrean. Or more specifically the Empyrean's Emperor, Anakin and this was something that Palpatine was getting annoyed by.

That they would so readily accept someone else that very clearly didn't seem to care for their needs. He was only profiting off of their desperation, and Palpatine could only applaud Anakin for that.

"Then what are we supposed to do then? We cant exactly be spending more resources then we already have been doing. It already costs us more than enough to continuing supplying the Kaminoans, but to also buy the droids..."

"We have to make some sort of sacrifice. It is obvious that in the long run the clones would be better, but who is to say that they would be finished in time for the war? What if this conflict ends earlier than what is suspected?"

"That is true. We have no idea when this could end, but preferably it should be as soon as possible."

"Is there any word on what exactly the Separatists want to negotiate on? We have not really heard what exactly they want..."

Again, mistrust was brewing from within as the senators looked at each other, assessing who is and who isn't their foes and allies. The life of a politician was definitely not something to be admired, especially when it came to the Galactic Republic, where corruption was very, very prominent.

Choosing ones own leaders is already hard enough when there are only ten of you, but when it starts to get into the hundreds, to hundreds of thousands, to millions of billions, to trillions...

One can only start to rely on the knowledge that the people you choose best to represent you are true to what they say. Which most of the time, they aren't and that is also usually because of money or power.

Money grants power, and power corrupts, while absolute power corrupts absolutely.

At least that is what most would think, or they wouldn't because what normal person has the time to worry about what those higher up within the governmental hierarchy worry about. The common person is usually worried about the common things they do, and that is completely natural.

"I think that we should come to some form of negotiation with the Separatists." Palpatine suddenly added, and this seemed to create some sort of confusion and silence within the hall, as they all were surprised by what Palpatine had just said.

Even his aides didn't know what to think because Palpatine had just suggested something they had never believed he would ever suggest. Not when it was paramount to his plans that they were to take over the Republic by using the Separatists to their advantage... well, to Palpatine's advantage.

"The Separatists... as detestable as they may be, are people just as everyone else here is." Palpatine said with such passion, that everyone here was being swayed by his words, or at least the people that liked what he was saying as it would either benefit them or otherwise follow some peoples principles and philosophies.

"They were a part of the Republic once. Just as we all here are a part of the Republic ourselves, and surely we all must know of what is to come if we continue as we are..."

"We are on the losing side, even with the additions provided to us so graciously by the Empyreans Emperor... But! I must say that I feel as if we were being taken advantage of! As we payed the Emperor, he was off gallivanting and while doing something commendable!" Palpatine was starting to speak more and more with fervor.

"He has taken advantage of the Republic and this august body should not bend to the will of a tyrant that only cares for his own, while taking from us! The Republic!" Palpatine's proclamation had some support while there were some that were not liking where this was going.

It was a foreboding to something important.

"I declare that we first make this meeting secret, and then we conclude the war with the Separatists through peaceful resolution, then we must but a stop to all trade between the Galactic Republic and the Empyrean! For I, no, WE! The Republic shall not be taken advantage of by the tyrant from a foreign empire!" Palpatine was really worked up in this instance, as if this was his real emotions being on display.

Not that anyone would be able to tell, whether his worlds were true or not, whether his feelings and passion was actually of any worth.

[]

Arriving at the destination that the coordinates that have been set, Anakin gets up and looks out into space as Jabitha communicates to him.

'Papa? This place feels strange...' Jabitha sent this message through to him, and Anakin could say that, yes, it does feel strange.

"Its ok. There is nothing to fear." Anakin said to calm her down. "Lets continue to look around for a bit, and the direction we should head in, is there." Anakin gestured with his hands, which was something Jabitha could easily tell.

Right now, Anakin was piloting because Jabitha, in combination with himself could increase and go at speeds that were really, really fast.

After a while, others came out from their rooms since they were starting to feel the strangeness themselves. At first they didn't feel anything, but soon enough they were able to identify what they were looking for.

"Ani? I feel drawn to something within the Force." Ahsoka said as she came up from behind him.

The others were similarly feeling strange, and they were also expecting this but it was still something strange. While not quite as drawing to them as Anakin is to them, but it was like it was something important to them.

To all of them.

"I think-" Padme was about to speak before being interrupted as Jabitha started to shut down. "Wait! What's happening!"

"Don't worry. Jabitha is fine." Anakin said, as this was happening because they were close, they just could not see what they are looking for yet.

"What do you mean-" Aayla was concerned for Jabitha and was about to ask, but Jabitha replied to all of them.

'I feel sleepy.' Jabitha sent this to all of them.

"See, perfectly not fine, but will be fine after a minute. Why dont you all come see this." Anakin said and then pointed out to something in the distance.

A large spatial object. It was shaped like a octahedron, and it was colored black with red lines spreading out on the surface of the object.

"What is that?" Barriss asked as the others remained silent.

"That is the place we will be going into." As Anakin said this they started to become drawn inwards by a suctioning force.

'Papa? Should I resist?' Jabitha asked, but Anakin wanted to go in, not escape what he is here to do.

"No." Anakin said as Jabitha didn't do anything, not resisting and not going inwards as well, just letting whatever was pulling them be in full control.

As they went close and closer, the octahedron opened up at the middle and there was a white light that was being released. It was something that showed nothing and didn't let away what they were going to see, leaving everything as a surprise.

Closer and closer and closer.

The white light was starting to get so bright that they were all unable to properly see anymore. Even more so since their perception was enhanced. Whether that be Anakin being able to see more, further and more colors to the rest of them, enhanced through the Super Serum.

"Well... This better be good Skyguy, since this doesn't feel like it will be all that fun." Ahsoka said before they went fully into the light.