Most of the worlds along the Rimma support the Nebula Front to one degree or another.
Recruits, funding, intelligence… The Rimma worlds supply these and more." Adi regarded him for a long moment. "Qui-Gon, suppose I could arrange for you to meet with Chancellor Valorum, so you could apprise him of these matters personally?" Qui-Gon nodded. "All right." "Then it's settled. I'm on my way to meet with him now, and there's no time like the present." "I couldn't have put it better." In his chambers beneath the senate rotunda, Valorum reclined in his chair, exhaling wearily as he stretched his arms over his head. Finished with the morning's business, he now had to face those delegates who hadn't been able to secure appointments and were undoubtedly lingering outside his office, anxious for a moment of his time.
"What's on the agenda for this afternoon?" he asked Sei Taria as she came through the office's tall, ornate door.
The young human woman glanced at her wrist comm screen. "You have a meeting with Adi Gallia, then a follow-up meeting with Bail Antilles and Horox Ryyder. After that, you are meeting with the representatives of the Corporate Alliance and the trade delegation from Ord Mantell. Then-was "Enough,"
Valorum said, holding up his hands and shutting his eyes. He gestured to the door and the corridors beyond. "How bad are things out there?" "As crowded as I've ever seen it, sir," she said.
"But I'm afraid that that's not the half of it." Valorum stood up and reached for his cloak.
"Tell me the rest." "The plaza is swarming with demonstrators. Some are calling for the breakup of the Trade Federation, others are denouncing your stand on taxation. Security recommends that we leave by way of the rooftop platforms." "No," Valorum said firmly. "This was to be expected, and now is hardly the time for me to avoid my critics." Sei smiled approvingly. "I told security you would say that. They said that if you insisted on exiting through the plaza, they would be tripling the guard." "Very well." Valorum squared his shoulders. "Are you ready?" Sei went to the door. "After you, sir." No sooner did Valorum enter the anteroom than two tall Senate Guards stepped in to flank him. They wore long dark — blue robes and gloves, and double-crested helmet cowls that left visible only the eyes and mouth. Over their right shoulders, the guards carried long, cumbersome rifles that were more ceremonial than practical.
By the time Valorum had passed into the front offices, more guards had fallen in before and behind him.
Short of the public corridors another pair joined the group, and yet two more the moment Valorum emerged in the corridor.
Wide as it was, the walkway was crammed with beings, who had been forced to stand shoulder to shoulder along both walls behind hastily erected barricades.
The guards in front of Valorum closed ranks in a wedge formation, thrusting through a forest of outstretched arms. Still, some hands managed to get through, bearing messages meant for the deep pockets of Valorum's cloaks but more often than not ending up trampled underfoot on the polished stone floor.
The corridor was loud with voices, as well, most of them entreating Valorum to attend to one urgent matter or another.
"Supreme Chancellor, about the terms of the peace negotiation…"
"Supreme Chancellor, regarding the recent devaluation of the Bothan credit…"
"Supreme Chancellor, your promise to respond to accusations of corruption leveled against Senator Maxim…" Valorum recognized some of the voices and many of the faces. Crushed against the left wall he noticed the delegate from New Bornalex. Behind him, Senator Gre9ps and his trio of large-eyed, puddle- footed delegates from Brodo Asogi.
Off to the right, straining to reach to the front of the crowd in time for Valorum's passing, stood Malastare delegate Aks Moe.
As they neared the exit to the plaza, the voices in the corridor were overwhelmed by the chants and bellows of crowds of demonstrators massed along the Avenue of the Core Founders, with its towering statues and sunken sitting areas.
The Senate Guards pressed closer still, all but lifting Valorum off his feet and spiriting him outside the building on their shoulders.
The chief of the guard detail swung to Valorum.
"Sir, we'll be proceeding directly to the north hover platform. Your personal shuttle is already waiting. There will be no stopping along the way to respond to reporters or protestors. In the event of any untoward activity, you will submit to our custody and do as we say. Any questions, sir?" "No questions," Valorum said by rote. "But let's at least attempt to appear cordial, Captain." "You didn't mention you were inviting me to a political rally," Qui-Gon said, as he and Adi Gallia arrived at the expansive plaza that fronted the senate.
"I didn't know," Adi said, plainly astonished by the sight.
Mixed-species crowds extended from the pedestaled building itself, clear to the terminus of the Avenue of the Core Founders. The balconies there overlooked a sprawl of spired buildings, their close-set summits rising below the plaza.
"Where are you supposed to meet him?" Qui-Gon said loudly enough to be heard over the periodic chants and general clamor.
"Outside the north entrance," she answered, close to his ear.
Tall enough to see over the heads of many in the crowd, Qui — Gon gazed toward the senate dome. "There'll be no getting to him-not if I know the Senate Guard." "Let's try, anyway," Adi said.
"Otherwise, we'll go to his private office in the Presidential Tower."
Qui-Gon took Adi's hand and began to edge into the crowd. This far from the building, there was no telling the pro-Valorum from the anti-Valorum protestors.
Qui-Gon stretched out with his feelings.
Beneath the current of anger and dissent, something else was in the air.
Coruscant's usual howl was charged with menace. He sensed danger-not the vague sort that might emanate from any gathering of this nature, but specific and targeted. He closed his eyes momentarily and allowed the Force to guide him.
His opened eyes found a Bith, standing at the leading edge of one gathering. The Force bade Qui-Gon look to his left, to two Rodians, lurking near the tall base of one of the statues. Closer to the senate's north exit stood two Twi'leks and a Bothan.
Qui-Gon raised his gaze to the ceaseless traffic flow above the plaza's north end. A green air taxi caught his eye. Disk — shaped and open-topped, with a semicircle of stabilizers below, it was no different from most of the other taxis that filled Corus — cant's sky. But the fact that it was riding outside the denned corridor of the autonavigation lane told Qui-Gon that the pilot- another Rodian-knew the skylanes well enough to have been granted a free-travel permit.