Darth Vader: Hero of Naboo

Chapter 13

"I was rather hoping you'd seek a meeting with me, Your Highness."

Padme could practically smell the distaste radiating from Panaka towards the speaker as they walked leisurely through the building while the senate was in recess. Granted, the feeling was more directed at what, or rather who this man represented. "I trust that you are allowed to speak on behalf of both planets, Duke Brumel?" Padme inquired in a level tone

The Duke of Dargul gave a refined chuckle at her comment. He was a tall human of middling age, with the uncommon facial feature of narrowed, angular eyes and a partially balding head with the black hair in the back worn in a short and neat ponytail. Dressed in finely made but loose clothes, he stood with a strange mixture of grace and greed about him. "I represent the Darglum System in its entirety, Queen Amidala, both Dargul and Umgul. Given the symbiotic relationship of our sister-worlds, they trust us to have our best interest in the political arena," he assured.

Padme mentally grimaced. Umgul was a place with an unsavory reputation on Naboo. The entire planet was essentially one giant den of gambling, to the point where cheating in a game was punishable by death. Before Tattoine, it was Padme's model for an unsavory planet, now demoted to merely being unpleasant in her mind. Fortunately AND Unfortunately, it was a hot spot for traveling from all ends of the galaxy. Unfortunate that all that wealth and income made it unlikely for the Republic to do anything about its death penalty law, fortunate that Darglum's Mulgard sector and Naboo's Chommel sector were practically neighbors.

"Forgive me, Duke Brumel, but isn't the Trade Federation a boon to a planet such as Umgul?" Padme asked in legitimate interest.

He nodded sagely, apparently expecting this. "To an outsider, yes, it would appear so. Secure, safer routes to and from our system with a promised discount on various goods from them. But the cost of the arrangement is all too visible to us: The Trade Federation has a habit of taxing the hyperspace lanes and planets under their control, which would decrease our number of visitors and make dealings with other worlds all the harder," he explained patiently. It went without saying that the criminal elements coming to Umgul to spend or gamble credits would also plummet with Federation "protection".

"By greed my planet comes under siege, by greed another comes to my aid," Padme mused idly.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Your Highness," the Duke corrected, his shoulders sagging as if an extra decade just fell on his shoulders. "Even just outside of their influence, a economically inclined entity of such an overwhelming size would have no problem using taxes and tariffs to slowly bleed our profits and leverage for the legal take over of our planets," he elaborated with a sympathetic look meeting the hidden surprise in her eyes. "Credits is the weapon for Umgul, and Dargul to a lesser extent. We know that, in this battle, their armory is much greater than ours."

Padme nodded slowly as she now understood the plight of this man's system being much like her own, only that they could foresee its approach. "So, Duke Brumel, how do you intend to aid Naboo?" she asked curiously.

"Indirectly, of course," he answered with a small smirk as they stopped before a private meeting room. "After all, success sometimes relies less on the merits of individuals and more on a sponsor to arrange meetings of an unlikely alliance."

Padme quirked a regal brow as the door slid opened and rather quickly lost all her stoicism as surprise overtook her features.

Meanwhile

There was a heavy but patient silence as the two dark lords sat in the room, one contemplating and the other waiting. Vader had entertained the idea of allying with Plagueis since he discovered that, without doubt, he was still alive at this time. But nothing the Sidious of the previous timeline said of his old master could have prepared Vader to meet a Sith like Plagueis. So earnest, so pragmatic, so truly calm. Not like Sidious, faking his calm to hide the endless hate and sadism. Oh, there was hate in this Dark Lord, but it was long cooled and tempered. Like adrenaline, it was something not easily warranted without a certain need. Plagueis, in many ways, was as close to a Jedi as one could get while still being truly and undeniably a Sith Lord. And in that respect, it made him all the more dangerous, even before considering his power and skill.