"Tipping the balance is." Yoda looked at her. "Tipping, yes. But from troubled times to untroubled, or from bad times to worse?" Windu steepled his fingers in front of his face.

"And what unknown hand is doing the tipping?" Darth Sidious visited Nute Gunray and his advisers by hologram, on the bridge of the Trade Federation freighter Saak'ak, bar bar known, in Basic, as the Profiteer.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Viceroy," the Sith Lord rasped, in a manner that made derision sound like a compliment.

"Thank you, my Lord," Gunray was quick to respond. "We did not imagine, when you said you would convince our compet.i.tors in the directorate, that you would..."

"That I would what, Viceroy? Perhaps you imagined that I would act with greater subtlety, is that it? Now there is no one to stand in your way of acquiring an army or directing the future course of the Trade Federation." Hath Monchar, Rune Haako, and Commander Daultay Dofine looked at Gunray in stark apprehension.

"I meant no offense, my Lord," he stammered.

Sidious was briefly quiet. If only they could see his eyes, they might have had a hint of what he was thinking.

"Soon I will be taking steps to eliminate some of your other compet.i.tors, " he intoned a moment later. "But that does not concern you. Instead, I want you to devote your energies to becoming familiar with the capabilities of your newly acquired toys--your battle droids, and starfighters, and landing craft. Have Baktoid and Haor Chall Engineering been filling your orders on schedule?"

"They have, my Lord," Gunray said. "Though at exorbitant cost."

"Don't try my patience with talk of credits, Viceroy," Sidious warned.

"There is more at stake than the health of your financial accounts."

Gunray was close to trembling. "What would you have us do, my Lord?"

"We are going to put your new army to the test." Gunray and Hath Monchar exchanged fearful glances.

"A test?" Monchar said.

Sidious seemed to gaze at him for an uncomfortably long time. "I suspect that you are hardly thrilled by the senate's sanction of taxation of the trade routes," he said at last.

Gunray nodded. "The senate has no right."

"Of course not. And what better way to demonstrate your displeasure than through a trade blockade."

"Of Eriadu," Gunray said eagerly. "Because of what happened--was "Eriadu would respond with force, Viceroy. We don't want a war. We want an embargo."

"Which world shall it be?" Monchar said.

"I suggest we strike at the homeworld of the senator who was most responsible for championing the taxation bill: Naboo."

"Naboo?" Haako said in genuine bewilderment.

Sidious nodded. "Senator Palpatine is adept at dissembling his real nature. You scarcely realize how much damage he has already caused."

"But would such a blockade be legal?" Gunray asked. "Valorum will never sit still for it."

"I have a surprise in store for feeble-tempered Valorum," Sidious promised. "What's more, the scandal surrounding the Supreme Chancellor has led many senators to rethink the taxation legislation. Few will grumble about a trade embargo of a world so distant from the Core."

Monchar stepped forward. "And what of the Jedi?"

"They are already constrained from interfering."

"But if they do, my Lord?" Gunray said.

"We will not be subtle in dealing with them." Gunray bowed his head.

"Once again, we place ourselves in your hands." Sidious smiled faintly.

"As I told you once before, Viceroy, you serve yourvs best when you serve me."