Star Wars Destiny: Episode VI, Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

For almost exactly a thousand years, the House of Valorum had been hailed throughout history as one of the greatest political families to grace the Galactic Republic.

The earliest known patriarch of the family was Tarsus Valorum, the first non-Jedi Supreme Chancellor in over four hundred years and the architect of the Ruusan Reformations, which helped rebuild the Republic after the New Sith Wars.

Over the next nine centuries, many Valorums would rise to the seat of Supreme Chancellor, including Eixes and Tullius Valorum. Finally, nine hundred and sixty years after the Ruusan Reformations, Finis Valorum ascended the chair of Supreme Chancellor.

And the Old Republic crumbled beneath him.

After he was voted off his seat, Finis Valorum went into hiding, away from the people who had eagerly disposed of him. Ten years later, after the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Valorum came out of hiding and attempted to prove how corrupt his successor, Palpatine, had become.

Days later, Valorum boarded his freighter, planning to distance himself from the Republic, and was killed by an Anzati assassin shortly after. When the freighter then exploded in Coruscant's skies, it was believed that Finis Valorum, heir to an ancient dynasty, was dead.

Those who though so were wrong.

In actuality, Valorum had predicted that Palpatine would try to 'remove' him, and placed a decoy to be killed by the assassin. Valorum then boarded a different freighter and left Coruscant, headed for the Deep Core. It was there that he plotted his return, to overthrow Palpatine, and restore the Republic to its former glory.

With the help of Darth Vorath, that dream had come true. And with the Sith's invasion at hand, Valorum's chance to become the galaxy's ultimate ruler was at hand.

*  *  *

"The Defense Fleet are on their way," Norr reported to Wedge, who stood at the main console of the command center. "The Empire is approaching fast; they've already passed Muscave."

Wedge nodded. "Are the ground forces prepare?"

"Barely," Norr said. "General Calrissian says a lot of our troopers are acting very nervous and twitchy..."

"Can't blame them," Wedge muttered. "Let's just hope that they'll hold their own and last as long as they can."

Nor nodded in agreement. "Shall I have Admiral Madine go ahead and send Rogue Squadron out?"

"Yes," Wedge said, smiling slightly. "I think they deserve to be the first to get a taste of the action."

*  *  *

Admiral Gilad Pellaeon stared out at Coruscant from his position on the Chimaera's bridge. For more than twenty years had the Chimaera been in the Empire's service, having served as Grand Admiral Thrawn's flagship in the last years of the Galactic Empire, and had went on to become Pellaeon's flagship in the Sith's Empire, making him one of the few non-Sith fleet leaders, not counting Admiral Zavos.

And yet, despite all these years, it was only now that Pellaeon was beginning to think about whether this was all worth it. A year ago, shortly before his apparent death, Thrawn had one last debate over the Empire's purpose after Palpatine's death on the second Death Star, and later his betrayal at Coruscant.

Was it worth fighting the Republic, Thrawn had asked. Was it worth trying to take over a galaxy which would only resent its new Empire?

Even with their victory at hand, Pellaeon was not sure that it was a deserved victory. Perhaps the galaxy was better off under a Republic. After all, that's what it had been under for more than twenty-five thousand years. 

The aged admiral soon had to put away his thoughts as the Dark Lord's flagship exited hyperspace, followed by a titanic monstrosity...

*  *  *

Leia took long strides down the corridor which led to 'Chancellor' Valorum's office. Behind her, struggling to keep up, were Senators Kaal Novarl and Ponc Gavrisom.

"Senator Organa, is this truly wise?" Novarl called, stopping to take short breaths. "The Empire is poised to attack and you want to talk with Valorum now? Why?"

"He caused us to lose the Mon Calamari Shipyards," Leia replied, not stopping to look at the plump Senator. "He underestimated the Empire by placing less forces at Mon Cala than we should have! Without the extra ships, the Empire now has the advantage."

"You are right on that, Leia," Gavrisom said. "But why take it up with him now, of all times?"

Leia sighed and paused to look at Gavrisom and Novarl. "I've heard stories of Finis Valorum from my adoptive father, Bail Organa. He failed the Old Republic by letting it fall to corruption. He failed us at Mon Cala. I wouldn't put it pass him to fail again."

Without another word, Leia turned around and walked down faster towards Valorum's office.

*  *  *

Valorum broke his gaze from Coruscant's crowded sky as he heard the door to his office open. He slowly turned around to see former Senator Leia Organa Solo standing in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest.

Valorum smirked beneath his helmet. "Leia Solo. This is certainly a surprise."

Leia made no reply and simply glowered at the self-titled Chancellor.

"I don't think this is a really good time," Valorum went on. "The entire Imperial fleet is hovering overhead. I'm starting to think it would be best that we surrender."

"No," Leia said sharply. "A good leader would never surrender before the battle's even begun."

Valorum chuckled. "Ah, but my dear, in a way, you have already lost. You lost the moment I became head of state."

Leia narrowed her eyes, unhooking her lightsaber from her belt. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that I have been engineering events so that the Republic would fall, and the Empire would take its place once more."

With the sound of a snap-hiss, Leia ignited an blue blade from her lightsaber. "I cannot allow this," she said quietly.

Valorum chuckled again. "I figured you would say that." He reached behind his back and brought out a thin sword made of the lightsaber-resistent materiel cortosis.

The first sounds of battle outside could not muffle the clash of blades.