SYNOPSIS
Somewhere in space Bail Organa's cruiser is under attack by a group of Confederacy pirates. Both he and a pair of Senate Guards, including Isaru Omin are repelling boarders while Adi Gallia and Plo Koon, and their squads of Jedi Starfighters and Clone V-19 Torrents engage the pirate vessels. The pirate captain, seeing things are not going his way, decides to retreat, leaving the wounded Republic Cruiser to limp back to Coruscant.

Senator Mon Mothma greets Bail on the landing platform, mentioning she had heard he was killed. They talk of the war and their dissatisfaction with the way some Senators are handling it. More and more power is being shunted from the Senate to the Jedi or worse, the Chancellor. They hope to get a report from the Jedi on Aargonar.

In the Senate, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Anakin Skywalker present information from the outer rim. Chancellor Palpatine thanks Anakin for his role in the events and manages to again embarrass the youth with his high praise.

Bail attempts to raise a question about Jabiim and asks Skywalker for a clarification, but Mas Amedda quickly interrupts him and changes the topic. Bail and Mon Mothma are distressed that more information is not making it to the Senate about the state of the war. Bail thinks he will try to speak with the Chancellor privately later.

At the Chancellor's office, Ki-Adi-Mundi is explaining that he is to take charge of Anakin, due to Obi-Wan's death. Palpatine tries to comfort Anakin, saying that he cannot understand the Jedi's lack of emotion regarding the passing of such a good friend, and wishes he could share the detachment that Ki-Adi has.

Later that night at Bail's apartment in 500 Republica, he is visited by an old friend, the former Supreme Chancellor, Finis Valorum. Valorum is bitter about the way he was framed and forced to step down as Chancellor. He is also upset at the rights that the Senate seems to be giving up without contest. Rights that will never be returned.

Valorum is certain that it was Palpatine that framed him, just as he is sure that Palpatine had the pirate vessels attack Bail's ship. He cannot prove it, but he has a strong feeling that he is right. It only makes sense, he adds, since the attack is being used to push through a new security and enforcement act. Bail is shocked. He believed that resolution to be tabled, but Finis tells him it is alive and well. He gives his friend a final warning, not to fall victim to the system, before he leaves. Neither man notices the hidden camera on a floor buffing droid, as they finish their discussions.

The next day, Bail visits Palpatine's office to confront the Supreme Chancellor about the lack of discussion on the events of Jabiim, and the fact that he is being used to help reintroduce the security bill. Palpatine placates the Senator with the fact that he had no choice in the matter. Bail's friends in the Senate insisted that the matter be reintroduced. When Bail informs the Chancellor, in no uncertain terms that he will now oppose the bill, Palpatine warns Bail that he shouldn't continue seeing Finis Valorum, as dirt rubs off easily.

Bail is shocked how gently and kindly he was threatened, and is actually questioning if he is crazy, and that everything is actually going fine. Mon Mothma invites him to the Jedi Temple to see the answer to his questions.

Inside the Council chamber, a braided Jedi is recounting his tale of the Battle of Parcelus Minor. He speaks of his loses, both on the ground and in space, as the Separatist ships decided to bombard the planet from orbit, igniting the tzeotine resin, turning the battlefield into a raging inferno.

The Gran Senator, Ask Aak, makes a big speech to the assembled Jedi and Senators about the folly of the Jedi, and their lack of commitment to get the job done and actually defeat Dooku. He feels cornered by Mon Mothma, and refuses to assist her in bringing matters such as this or Jabiim into the Senate. Bail decides it is time to try one last ally.

At a Coruscant spaceport, Bail attempts to convince Finis not to leave. He is now convinced that the former Chancellor's allegations are true, but Valorum feels he must leave; that he is in fact, tainted. He promises to report information he finds out on his travels back to Bail so that he may enlighten the Senate and help stop Palpatine from whatever machinations he is up to.

As Finis's transport The Star of Iskin departs, Mon Mothma is trying to convince Bail that he needs to stand up and be heard in the Senate, when suddenly the transport explodes in a fiery ball, raining down on the citizenry of the planet.

The next day in the Senate, Ask Aak is demanding the passage of the new Security act. Palpatine does not wish to burden himself with more responsibility but will do so if that's what the Senate wishes.

Bail interrupts and gives a grand speech about the freedoms that the Senate chooses to give up and the responsibilities that all sentients need face. He urges that they vote 'No' on the security resolution.

Outside the Senate hall later, a dejected Bail Organa is greeted by Palpatine, who congratulates him on a very passionate speech, even though it did not sway the Senators. Mon Mothma reminds him that this is but one battle, and Bail agrees. The Jedi must wage their battles in space, while his battlefield is the Senate.