On the morning of Galactic Standard Calendar 4, November 18, after leaving behind a ten-person working group, the rest of the Bespin delegation boarded the Cloud City as a group and began their return trip to Bespin.
"Chancellor, this isn't your fault. You're a genuinely good man—capital-G Good. Me personally, and the Bespin delegation as well, we're grateful for the kindness you've shown us."
On the bridge of the Cloud City, Max Vizsla was taking his leave of Chancellor Palpatine via hologram call.
"But first there was that 'misunderstanding' at the Jedi Temple, and then there was the law enforcement department's… well, let's call it a misunderstanding too. To avoid more misunderstandings, I figure it's best for us Outer Rim backwoods types to leave Coruscant sooner rather than later."
"Lord Vizsla, I'm truly sorry." Chancellor Palpatine's brows knit tightly, looking pained to the core. "Ah—these, these really were just misunderstandings. If you stayed a little longer, you'd see that the Jedi Order, and the Coruscant government as well… they're, they're still very good, truly."
"Very good—so good that Outer Rim backwoods types like us simply don't have the fortune to enjoy it."
Trying to out-act Palpatine, Max had no confidence at all. Thankfully, pulling a sour face and speaking in thinly veiled sarcasm wasn't exactly difficult.
"Lord Vizsla, for you to arrive in high spirits and leave in disappointment—ultimately, that's on me." Palpatine's kindly face was filled with guilt. "Once I'm through this year-end and new-year stretch, I'll personally go to Bespin and apologize to you."
("Whoa—no, no, please don't. Absolutely do not.") Max bent into a deep bow. "Not at all. You're far too gracious. Cloud City will be honored to receive you at any time!"
After ending the hologram call, Max turned to his temporary little secretary. "Lisa—pour me a cold drink."
"Got it, brother."
Max's irritation wasn't entirely an act. Right before departure, the Jedi managed to stoke his temper again—because of that tabloid piece on the HoloNet news the day before yesterday, the Jedi High Council had kept his mentor "on hold."
Lisa came over carrying two iced sodas and handed one to Max.
"Here—ice-cold cola."
"Thanks."
Max took it and chugged it down in a few gulps. Dank farrik—the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Jedi Council Masters can have five wives, but they clamp down this hard on young Jedi below them? The double standard was unreal.2
Bang—Max slammed the empty cup down hard on the table.
"Brother, I'll top you up."
Taking the cup and turning away, Lisa's smile brightened. Whatever Max thought, Lisa had already decided that Twi'lek woman—who dressed even more revealingly than she did—was a rival.
"Boss, Intelligence Bureau on the line."
"Give it to me." Max took the cola cup from Lisa. "Route it to Conference Room Three. I'll be there in a minute."
"Boss, 'Unhappy' is in position. Ready to initiate at any time."1
"Priority is extracting 'Jango.' Putting 'Pharaoh' under is a secondary objective. How you execute is up to the on-site commander—no need to ask me again." Max's tone was flat and final.
"Yes, boss."
Codename "Unhappy" referred to the Intelligence Bureau operative playing Jango Fett; codename "Jango" referred to the Silman envoy being held by the Pyke Syndicate; codename "Pharaoh" referred to the assassination target—Lom Pyke, the Pyke Syndicate's leader.2
For Max, if the attempt on Lom Pyke failed, it was Jango Fett's face that would be lost anyway—so it didn't matter. Getting the Silman envoy back, keeping the subsequent "plot" developments within something he could control—or at least tolerate—did matter.
If he stirred things up like this, the impact on later "plot" events would probably be anything but small. In that case, would Darth Maul still be able, later on, to integrate Black Sun, the Pyke Syndicate, and the Hutt pirates, and form the Shadow Collective?
At this point in time, Darth Maul seemed like he'd still be out in the Outer Rim on Lotho Minor (star chart coordinate: I-17) scavenging junk, right? How many legs had he saved up by now, anyway?4
In the Star Wars galaxy, in terms of raw power, methods, and organizational leadership, Maul was top-tier. So… should he try to recruit him? But if he lacked that "kingly aura" and couldn't make Maul bow his head—would Maul just cut him down instead?
While he was thinking, the Cloud City cleared Coruscant's gravity well and jumped into the Corellian Run hyperspace lane.
...
At noon on Galactic Standard Calendar 4, November 21, the Cloud City dropped out of hyperspace and arrived near Corellia.
"This is… member-state treatment?" Max stared at the memorandum of cooperation in his hands, genuinely surprised. "Not an overseas colony?"
In the Memorandum of Cooperation Regarding the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory Joining the Corellian Republic, signed by Lord Figg and the Diktat of Corellia, it was explicitly stated that the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would join the federation as a member state, enjoying equal political status with Corellia, Drall, Selonia, Talus, and Tralus.1
"Mm. That's exactly it." Lord Figg looked extremely pleased with himself. "The head of state even promised me personally that he'll turn Bespin into a model project."
"A model project?" Max echoed.
"Right. Those were his exact words." Lord Figg nodded with certainty. "You know it—Corellia has a tradition of engineers serving as Diktat."
Once you had a model project, the next step was replication and rollout. Facing this era of chaos, Diktat—so you've got ambitions of your own, do you?
"Only you could pull this off, my lord. You handled it beautifully." Max hooked an arm around Figg's shoulder and started laying it on thick.
Adaptation note: the original uses a very Chinese slang phrase meaning "shameless flattery"; I rendered it as natural English while keeping the intent.
"Oh, come on—come on. It was nothing, nothing worth mentioning!" Figg waved his hands, trying to play it cool, but grinning so wide he couldn't close his mouth.
"Brother Claude, your timing couldn't be better. The Corellian Republic is forming a civil-military inspection delegation, preparing to conduct an official visit and assessment of Bespin. Stay a few more days in Coronet City (Crown City)—you can head back with the delegation."
.........................
PS: Jedi High Council member Master Ki-Adi-Mundi has one primary wife and four secondary wives. In truth, it isn't that he was throwing his weight around or abusing privilege—it was a responsibility he had no choice but to bear.5
Ki-Adi-Mundi is a Cerean. Cereans have an extremely low birthrate; by the late Galactic Republic era, the species was already on the brink of extinction. As a rare male Cerean, Ki-Adi-Mundi had to become, effectively, a "breeding machine," shouldering the duty of continuing his people.
Before Ki-Adi-Mundi died, he had already become the father of seven daughters.2
PPS: In 312 BBY, the then King of Corellia abolished Corellia's monarchy. From that point on, the head of state and head of government of the Corellian Republic was titled Diktat.
PPPS: Although the Corellian Republic (Kingdom) is one of the founding members of the Galactic Republic, it has always had a tradition of independence. Over its long history, it has attempted more than once to break away from the union.1
The Corellian Republic is extremely wealthy and can afford its own fleet and security forces. During the Galactic Republic era, its law enforcement did not fall under the Galactic Senate's interference. Even in the Galactic Empire era, the Corellian Republic still retained a high degree of autonomy.
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🛡️🔥🌌 STAR WARS: THE RISE OF MANDALORE 🌌🔥🛡️
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The clans are stirring.
The armor remembers.
And Mandalore will rise again.
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⚔️ Mandalorian warriors🔥 Clan warfare🚀 Galactic conflict🌌 Star Wars worldbuilding👑 Power & leadership💥 Massive battles🛡️ The resurgence of Mandalore
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🔥 A people forged in war can rise from the ashes.
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