Star Wars: Heir to the Sith (Part 2)

Chapter 10: It had turned the galaxy against itself.

The council chamber of Syreal Prime had seen better days, but even so, if a solution to the crisis couldn't be found, then it would very likely see worse. And very soon too.

Captain Pina hated the responsibility he had forced himself into, yet one look at Commander Duscan, standing nervously beside him, reminded him that he had been right to take command. Duscan had made a mild protest at first, but that had faded rapidly when Pina told him he had a plan.

It was a half lie that had brought him time to think.

A junior officer approached and saluted.

"Captain Nys has reported, sir," he said. "He has just landed."

"She," Pina corrected. "Captain Nys is female, ensign."

The young man, probably not even in his twentieth year, paled slightly, saluted again, and backed away.

There was a shuffling at the entrance to the chamber. A body of middle-aged citizens entered the room and moved forward as a nervous group, watched by half a dozen stormtroopers. Pina was glad they kept their blasters lowered, as he had ordered them to do.

The foremost amongst them stopped across a table from Pina and spoke.

"My name is Councillor Davos." He gestured to the people at his back. "Many of us have been dragged out of our prison cells. We demand to know: are you going to make an example of us?"

Pina studied the man before speaking. His face was worn, his eyes darting and angry. It didn't surprise him. Davos had been kept isolated under Duscan's direct order the day after the Moff had left for the core.

"None of you will be returning to your cells," Pina said quietly.

His words were greeted by a shuddering cry. One woman fell to her knees and burst into tears.

"Then it's true!" Davos shouted. "We are to be executed! And how many after us–"

"There will be no executions," Pina told him. "Not unless you assault us."

Davos's face looked doubtful, but the woman's wails fell silent. Pina felt he had caught their attention. The council had come here expecting death. He had thrown their expectations away. Now, did they dare to hope?

Could he use that to get what he wanted?

"Many of you know the situation," Pina said. "Some of you perhaps don't. So let me explain. Commander Duscan ordered a curfew, and it was defied. Crowds have gathered in all major cities across the planet, demanding Imperial withdrawal, emboldened by Moff Barum's current absence. In some cases, there has been violence, and citizens and Empire forces have been killed. In one example, a detention centre that holds thousands of rebel fighters was attacked, and my forces opened fire on those who attempted to free them. At least a hundred were killed."

He fell silent for a moment and waited for their reactions. None spoke.

"Let me make this abundantly clear," he said. "The Empire will not be leaving Syreal Prime. We will not give up such a vital asset as the ship yards. To do so would plunge us all into greater danger."

"Greater danger than Palpatine's governance?" a voice from the back called. "His taxes have ruined our industries. Before the Empire took over we were a productive world. Now we have to import everything from the Core - just to survive!"

The man's words were greeted by a vocal agreement.

"The economic policies of the last two decades are neither here nor there," Pina replied. "I am more than aware that it was Imperial policy to enrich the Core worlds at the expense of the outlying systems, of the Rim and beyond–"