Chapter I: Diplomatic Tides

All the good that came from Cal's mouth, went straight out of the door, as soon as Illador spoke. Insinuating that he, Greig, had planned this all along. Anger would overcome him, and strike the Jedi Master down, had he not received the mental training from the Imperial Fists decades ago. He raised his blood soaked hand, and pointed it at Illador. 'Don't you even dare say that. We aren't some pin pot dictatorship. Leadership is respected with in the Empire, not that you would even know anything of Respect. '

"I knew not that my words would offend you. Forgive me, Your Highness. However, I also beg of thee to do as the Chief of State said." The Grand Master fell on his knees.

Grieg sighed, if he had enough blood in his hand, he'd probably face palm as well. "You say I orchestrated the assassination of the Emperor, to start a bloody war. Please tell me how I'm meant to not take offence from something like that?"

(Short post, is Short)

"Not at all," spoke the Grand Master, concealing a witty grin on his face. In a battle of wits, the Regent could never come out victorious. After all, it was a trait seen in the personalities of most of his relatives. "What I specifically said, if you had listened, of course, was that your decision would have led to the death of the Emperor. No one judged whether that possibility was true or not. I then went on to correct myself saying, that is something highly unexpected from a notable Heir such as yourself. Do not make quarrels where there need be none, Emperor. Now, I am on my knees. Do as the Chief of State asks. If not for me, but for the name of your Emperor."

" I will contemplate on the matter, then again he is no fool. He will see threw this trickery. " With that said Grieg, moved over to the Emperor's side, looking over the machinery which read his heartbeat, and such. You can lie to a man all you want, even a Emperor, but machines don't lie. How do you explain someone being in a near fatal coma, to suddenly be alive and well, mere hours later.

He sat down near the Emperor, and simply looked into oblivion. He cared not what anyone said to him, he had more important thoughts to attend to. Everyone else, would just have to wait.


~ ~

Grieg was suddenly awoken from his trance-like state, by a man wearing Urban camouflaged Shock Trooper Armour. Grieg rubbed his eyes, clearing up his sight. " Captain Gare? What is it you wanted. " Grieg asked, but the Officer simply remained quiet, and motioned for the Bothan to look near the entrance of the infirmary. There stood a collection of men and women wearing clothing easily recognisable as Imperial Doctors.

" My God, how is he in such a state? " One of the Doctor's asked, noting that in Grieg's short report the Emperor was possibly near death, now he was no where near such an event.

Grieg could easily tell which of the Doctors and Medics where Imperial Knights, and of course which of them where ISB Agents. They had done a good job of hiding themselves, had Grieg no such training in detecting people like this, they would of walked on by him none-the wiser.

The Bothan approached the lead Doctor who was reading a report sheet. " How did you get past the Federals? and how did you get here so damn fast? " Grieg asked, the Doctor smiled, unsure of what to say.

" Aye, and my team were actually already in Federation space, I was preforming a lecture on Spinal Reconnection Surgery. Then we're told to pack up and head to some Freighter waiting for us. And of course, as you know ISB is everywhere, no doubt the freighter was owned by ISB. But it got us here, so all was fine. Thought the Freighter's captain nearly got us all killed, trying to argue with some nut-ball Federal. But well logic prevailed, and we were allowed entrance. "

" Of course now, the vessel is now flagged as a ISB vessel by the AIA, so I wouldn't be surpised to never see that ship again, heh."

Grieg was confused by the humans words, he spoke very fast not really taking time to pause, and simply went on. " Doctor. Just get him stable, and move him onto the ship. "

" He is stable going by these stats. I wouldn't be too surprised myself to see him simply jump up and do a few cartwheels. Infact Mr. Grieg he is too healthy. What did the Alliance give him. "

" That's something best said behind closed doors."

" Oh. " The Doctor said, he snapped out of his shock and quickly ordered his underlings to transport the Emperor over to the Bulk Freighter -Which was probably a War ship in disguise- " Ny Ny " the Doctor mumbled while he looked over the Bothans hands. " What did you do? Get into a fight with a knife block? I'll get those healed when you return to the ship, see you there. "

Grieg sighed as he watched the Emperor be carted away on his bed. No doubt the Bureaucrats in the Alliance would want that bed back, and compensation for the millions of credits wasted on keeping him alive. Those who would know what happened today would probably hope to any god they had, that war didn't come of this, or well at least the compensation was paid.

Grieg hesitated at first, but quickly conceded and shuck the hand of Cal Omar, more out of formality than out of friendship, for Grieg the Chief of State was an politics enemy who would do anything with in his power to get his own way, making sure his own agenda was filled, before suiting the desires of others. When he finished Grieg made haste towards the air lock, where the Emperor was being loaded onto the ship, of course Illador was already waiting at the air lock, no doubt already orchestrating some kind of plan. What kind of plan? Well he knew not, but at the end of the day Jedi were just Jedi, and Jedi were always up to something. It was in there nature.

Omar gave words of reassurance, which were more like a carefully hidden threat to Grieg before he finally left, away from the mayhem that was the Galactic Alliance. Grieg simply stood still as the air lock slammed shut behind him, sealing it's self off from the station, but it still held a connection. Grieg wasn't in the mood for anything right now, in the past few hours everything he held so close, his ideals, his Emperor had all be violated, some even destroyed. Yet he could not speak of them, only war would come of them if he did. Sometimes being the heir apparent to a Emperor of an Intergalactic Empire had it's bad sides, and they became apparent too often for Grieg's likings.

He remained quiet as made his way threw the ship, following the trail left by the Med-techs, he saw the Emperor hooked up to several machines, most of them simply monitored the man, while others maintain his first, hunger and sleep. He was after all in a medically induced coma, he'd need artificial means to maintain himself. Even though at this point the Emperor was as fit as he could be, he still hated seeing him like this.

His nanites should of stopped the whole thing the first place, people like Eddard don't just fall down and have strokes, not when you have nanites in every part of your body, keeping you at the peak of human health. They would of stopped this poison aswell, so whatever happened was a true mystery. One Grieg would never be able to answer.

Instead of staying by the Emperor's side, he opted to find some place to rest, away from Eddard. He needed rest, and he especially didn't need to be interrupted with thoughts of war all the time. Course' Grieg still had to explain to ISB how it came about that two of the Emperor's personal guard came about their deaths. It would be a long, very long day tomorrow.