Star Wars: The Mask of Fear (Reign of the Empire) (Star Wars: Reign of the Empire Book 1)

by Alexander Freed

But somehow everything seemed more fragile now. Where would the system hold, and where would it break?

“Nulvolio called you a contingency,” she said. “I am a ghost raised to haunt the living.”

“Does the Emperor believe any of it?” she asked. “All the talk about peace and order and reform—is it all just a way for him to dominate, or does he believe even a little?” The vizier furrowed his brow, apparently thinking this through. After a while he smiled. “The remarkable thing,” he said, “is that I never thought to ask.”

That’s a tip for you, Lud. If you ever need to drum up support for a bill, get yourself killed, or at least maimed. It does wonders for polling.”

I say give him a few hours and don’t hope for too much.” “You’re becoming a cynic.” “Aren’t we all?” Bail asked,

“Democracy is a principle,” Saw said, “and people don’t fight for principles, no matter what they say. They fight for land, for resources, for their lives.

You can’t fight evil with compromise.” “Perhaps not,” Mon said. “But you can’t build anything lasting without it.”

In the morning, she would remain Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila. That would have to suffice to save them all, for it was all she had to give.