Raid on Ziro's Palace

"*Is anybody home?*"

The **Raid on Ziro's Palace** was a Republic mission by the Coruscant Guard to rescue Senator Padmé Amidala after she was captured by the Ziro the Hutt at his Palace while she investigated his role in the galactic tensions of the Clone War. The mission was successful and ended in Ziro's arrest.

## Prelude

#### Previous: Battle of Teth

In the outbreak of the Clone War, the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems set out to secure resources and alliances within the Outer Rim to gain an advantage in the war efforts. The Hutt Cartel was a leading power in the Outer Rim Territories, making them a valuable ally. Count Dooku orchestrated a plan to kidnap the son of Jabba the Hutt, framing the Jedi for the crime only to then return him to the crime lord and disguise the act as goodwill by the Separatists, buying them favor from the Hutts during the war. After the successful kidnapping, Jabba called out for help across the galaxy. The Galactic Republic raced to find Rotta to buy routes through the Outer Rim. Unknown to the Republic, Dooku had used information provided by Ziro the Hutt to locate Rotta. The Republic Jedi were able to locate the Huttlet and began a journey to take him back to Jabba on Tatooine.

On Coruscant, Senator Padmé Amidala heard word of the failed negotiations with the Hutts which placed Anakin in danger. Chancellor Palpatine exploited her feelings for Anakin, having used his force abilities to discern their secret romantic relationship, feeding her information that Anakin was in peril. In desperation to end the discourse, Amidala volunteered herself to travel to old downtown district of Coruscant where Jabba's uncle Ziro had a Palace. She went as a representative of the Senate to try and reopen negotiations between the Republic and Jabba. As Padmé arrived, Ziro had only just sent away his previously most trusted assassin KRONOS-327 for dismemberment after he failed him on a mission to Yout. Padmé approached Ziro's dias, introducing herself as a representative of the Galactic Congress. She made her plea for them to work together to forge a treaty. Ziro said this was impossible, blaming the Republic for the kidnapping of Rotta. Padmé persisted, but was eventually thrown out of the palace. The Senator broke free of her escort, working her way back to the main room of the Palace where she overheard conversation between Ziro with Count Dooku, discussing the next steps of their plans. Count Dooku told Ziro that if Senator Amidala continued her investigation, he must stage an accident with extreme prejudice to befall the Senator. She was discovered by Ziro's IG palace guards. They took her prisoner and locked her in the dungeon. While contained, a call from across her holo-disk from C-3PO. She cried out for help before the call was cut short by one of the guards.

## Recount

#### The Raid

The following day, Ziro prepared to execute the Senator. He was confident that his allies in the Senate would cover for his crimes. C-3PO arrived at Ziro's Palace outside aboard Padmé Amidala ship, alongside Clone Commander Fox, leader of the Coruscant Guard. As Ziro prepared to send Amidala away for execution, the clones detonated a charge on the door to Ziro's Palace, entering and destroying several of the droid guards. The clones came rushing into Ziro's palace, firing on the guards and beginning a fire fight. Ziro made a run for the escape, but was cut off by Fox's men and Amidala. Once they had detained the Hutt, Senator Amidala gave the order for Ziro's arrest despite his pleas of defense, claiming that Dooku threatened the Hutt with death if he did not aid their plan. Senator Amidala sent a transmission to Jabba the Hutt, revealing the plot and Ziro's part in it. When Ziro confessed Jabba ordered for a treaty to be made between the Republic and the Hutts. He ended hostilities with the Jedi, allowing them to move through his territories.

## Aftermath

#### Next: ...

Ziro was taken away to the Judiciary Central Detention Center, where he plotted revenge against Senator Amidala. Amidala's actions allowed for the treaty between the Republic and Hutts to be made, earning the Republic a valuable victory.

## Event Chronology

* C-3PO leads the Coruscant Guard to Ziro's Palace.
* The Coruscant Guard arrest Ziro the Hutt.
* Ziro the Hutt confesses his crimes to Jabba the Hutt.