The Star Wars Republic Senate Qui-Gon's sharp blue eyes fixed on the battleship as if to see what waited within. The Republic's taxation of the trade-routes between the star systems had been in dispute since its inception, but until now all the Trade Federation had done in response was to complain. The blockade of Naboo was the first act of outright defiance, and while the Federation was a powerful body, equipped with its own battle fleet and army of droids, its action here was atypical. The Neimoidians were entrepreneurs, not fighters. They lacked the backbone necessary to undertake a challenge to the Republic. It bothered Qui-Gon that he could not explain how. He shifted his weight as the cruiser moved slowly into the gap in the Trade Federation flagship's outer wheel toward the hangar bay. Tractor beams took hold, guiding the cruiser inside where magnetic clamps locked the ship in place. The blockadehad been in effect now for almost a month. The Republic Senate continued to debate the action, searching for an amicable way to resolve the dispute. But no progress had been made, and at last the supreme chancellor had secretly notified the Jedi Council that he had sent two Jedi directly to the ostensible initiators of the blockade, the Neimoidians, in an effort to resolve the matter more directly. It was a bold move. In theory, the Jedi Knights served the supreme chancellor, responding on his direction to life-threatening situations. But any interference in the internal politics of the Senate's member bodies, particularly where an armed conflict between worlds was involved, required Senate approval. The supreme chancellor was skirting the edges of his authority in this case. At best, this was a covert action and would spark heated debate in the Senate at a later date. The Jedi Master sighed. While none of this was his concern, he could not ignore the implications of what it meant if he failed. The Jedi Knights were peacemakers; that was the nature of their order and the dictate of their creed. For thousands of years they had served the Republic, a constant source of stability and order in a changing universe. Founded as a theological and philosophical study group so far back that its origins were the stuff of myth, the Jedi had only gradually become aware of the presence of the Force. Years had been spent in its study, in contemplation of its meaning, in mastery of its power. Slowly the order had evolved, abandoning its practice of and belief in a life of isolated meditation in favour of a more outward-looking commitment to social responsibility. Understanding the Force sufficiently to master its power required more than private study. It required service to the greater community and implementation of a system of laws that would guarantee equal justice for all. That battle was not yet won. It probably never would be. But the Jedi Knights would not see it lost for lack of their trying. The Empire Before it was called the Old Republic. No recorded memory of the Old Republic's inceptions existed, nor was any needed. It's founders had faded into the dust of history. They had built the only galactic community ever known, a community that had always served its citizens well and faithfully. New worlds came to share its beneficial guidance as the centuries passed. Planets, which found themselves in jeopardy due to natural disaster or rebellious uprising, could turn to their neighbours for help. All races, all sentient species, all peoples were equal under the law and lived their lives with rights that guaranteed both opportunity and freedom The guardians of this Republic were the Jedi Knights, a bold and fearless Order that, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, served to defend and protect the people of the Republic. Their wisdom, bravery and strength had become a legend. Drawing their common strength from the Force, the Jedi maintained peace through out the galaxy for generation upon generation, and passed their ways along to those who had proven themselves both capable and worthy of knighthood. By banding together, the Old Republic had made itself impervious to any outside attack. No other known galactic powers dared move against them for to do so meant certain failure. The people of the Old Republic slept securely in their beds, safe within their political walls. Attack did come, however. But, as with many democratic societies, it came not by outside force, but from within. Decay finally set in as more and more worlds joined the Old Republic. Local officials became susceptible to influence and bribery, bowing most often to the wishes of those involved in the dealings of interstellar commerce. The Senate, weakened by so many centuries of peace and complacency, became dangerously careless. Political overthrow was unthinkable, but inevitable. An ambitious and unscrupulous senator named Palpatine rose quickly and geometrically to power, aided by those in the lower regions of the Senate who began to crave more power and authority for themselves. Promising to clean up the galaxy and return the Republic to the excitement of its more vital and ambitious days, Palpatine was elected President of the Republic, and surrounded himself with these greedy and power-hungry officials, who had swept him into power. What they did not know was that Palpatine drew his power and charisma form the dark side of he Force. He had far greater ambitions than the mere office of President would allow him, and those who had redden his coattails onto the upper places of the political power were soon to find themselves left behind, imprisoned, or crushed beneath the heavy hand of Palpatine as he ruthlessly sought his ultimate goal. Under Palpatine's orders, the new Empire began a military build-up unlike any in recorded galactic history. Immense vessels with incredible fire power sprang from the drawing boards and into existence seemingly overnight. The resulting technological boom brought about the creation of a whole new science of war. The core systems were the first to fall. their planetary governments were forcibly disbanded as martial law swept form world to world. Secure in his position, surrounded by a military core that feared him, Palpatine declared himself Emperor. For the first time in uncounted centuries, the worlds of the Old Republic found themselves ruled by one man. All personal rights became subject to the whims of the Emperor, and early uprisings against Palpatine were wiped out almost before they began. The Jedi were systematically hunted down and summarily executed. The Jedi found themselves being abandoned, betrayed and even murdered by those whom they had protected for so long The puppet Senatethat had been kept in place was permanently disbanded, and direct rule was given to those regional governor's appointed by Palpatine. The creation of a terrible weapon, one capable of destroying an entire planet with a single blast, kept the terrified leaders of each world in line under pain of annihilation. This Death Star was Palpatine's last word- the final assurance of his stronghold over the billions that he ruled. The Rebel Alliance When Palpatine's empire rose to power, a group of citizens from all across the galaxy quietly and slowly began to organise themselves into a Rebel force. The Rebels have a single goal: The destruction of the Empire and a return to the democratic ways of the past. At first unknown to this brave group, they had allies in the Senate. These planetary Senators saw and understood the extreme danger in Palpatine's rapid gain in power, and they plotted in secret to overthrow him in a pre-emptive move that would focus the selling tide of resistance into a force that would secure freedom for all the people of the Old Republic. Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila secretly put together a plan that, it was hoped, would stop Palpatine from defeat his way into the Senatorial Presidency. Their covert attempt failed, for Palpatine's rise in to full power occurred literally overnight once his foundation of corrupt politicians had been put into place. At a meeting in Organa's home in Imperial City, Cantham House, Monthma called for a general revolution against Palpatine and his growing forces. Organa resisted, fearing that such a move would not only destroy Palpatine but the very governmental fabric they were fighting to save, as well. Organa had devoted his entire life to the Old Republic's democratic, senatorial system and believed that anarchy, once put into motion to stop Palpatine, could not be contained. Then, a small planet in the Sern Sector, near the Core Worlds, became the first to feel the military wrath of Palpatine. The Massacre at Ghorman resulted when the Ghormanese planetary governor refused to bow to Palpatine. The citizens of his world, defying an Imperial increase in taxation, staged a peaceful protest at the planet's primary spaceport and blocked the landing pads used by Palpatine's naval vessels, Dozens were killed and hundreds more seriously injured when a warship, commanded by Captain (later Grand Moff) Tarkin, intentionally landed on top of the protesters when it arrived to collect the new taxes. This event graphically signalled the death of the Old Republic, and many other worlds at that point realised that the democratic ways they had known were utterly gone. Bail Organ, horrified that such a monstrosity could occur, began helping Mothma to divert both funds and weaponry into the hands of the brave souls who formed what quickly coalesced into pockets of organised resistance. More Importantly, perhaps, Organa and his small band of Rebel sympathisers in the Senate funnelled highly classified information to the Rebel leaders as well, allowing them to plan surprise strikes against Imperial shipments and troops. The many isolated resistance groups spread across the galaxy caused Palpatine little concern. Their leadership was poor, their forces largely disorganised. They had few weapons, and certainly nothing that could stand up to the Imperial forces assigned to eliminate them. Many resistance units were scattered or completely destroyed, and their home systems were placed under martial law. Mothma's involvement in the Rebellion was discovered by the Imperial secret police, but before she could be apprehended, a friendly tip in the ear of Bail Organa allowed her to leave the Imperial capital. She eluded capture and, dedicating herself to the destruction of the Empire, became Chief of State of the Rebel Alliance. Working the organise an Alliance of Rebel Planets, her first success came at a secret conference in the Corellian system. As Mothma showed the many leaders of the scattered resistance movement how center leadership would lead to improved communications, greater access to critical funds, supplies, vessels and weaponry, the three main resistance groups agreed to join together into a cohesive unit. This Corellian Treaty formed the foundation of the Alliance, which quickly grew in strength through its new-found unity. The Declaration of Rebellion, ratified at that very conference, defied Palpatine directly and even addressed him personally. It stated in part: You have disbanded the Senate, the voice of the People. You have instituted a policy of blatant racism and genocide against the non-human peoples of the galaxy. You have overthrown the chosen rulers of planets, replacing them with Moffs and Governors of your choice. You have raised taxes without the consent of those taxed. you have murdered and imprisoned millions without benefit of trial. You have expanded the military for beyond what is necessary and prudent, for the sole purpose of oppressing your subjects. We, the Rebel Alliance, do therefore in the name, and by the authority, of the free beings of the galaxy, solemnly publish and declare our intentions: To fight and oppose you and your forces, by any and all means at our disposal. To refuse any Imperial law contrary to the rights of free beings. To bring about your destruction and the destruction of the Galactic Empire. To make forever free all beings in the galaxy. To these ends, we pledge our property, or honour and our lives. Worlds across space joined in the fight against the tyranny of Palpatine and his Empire. Prejudices that had once existed between races and species fell by the wayside as the common desire for freedom became the overriding focus of their lives. Star-pilots crossed vast interstellar distances, often in tiny fighters, risking Imperial detection and Imprisonment in order to join the Rebellion.

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