Senate hostage crisis/Legends

"Let's let the scavengers clean this up. Our business is on Coruscant."

- Cad Bane, shortly after the death of Davtokk

Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane organized and led a raid on the Republic Executive Building, on the galactic capital of Coruscant, in 22 BBY. Employed by Hutt crime lord Ziro Desilijic Tiure, Bane sought to force Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to issue a pardon for the Hutt, who had been arrested and imprisoned by the Coruscant Guard for his role in incarcerating Senator Padmé Amidala and the Confederacy kidnapping of his great-nephew Rotta.

Bane was contacted to arrange Ziro's rescue from the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center. Bane gathered together a team of bounty hunters, including Jedi hunter Aurra Sing, the Weequay Shahan Alama, and the piscine technician Robonino. The team was backed up by several Confederacy droid commandos and sentinel droids. After arranging a "test" for his team, in the form of combating fellow bounty hunter Davtokk, the Duros deemed his team ready for their mission.

The Duros and his team of bounty hunters infiltrated the Executive Building on Coruscant and disposed of multiple Senate Commando guards. The team captured several senators during a conference regarding the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill, a piece of Galactic Senate legislation. After Robonino shut off the power in the Executive Building, trapping Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Orn Free Taa in Palpatine's office, Bane issued an ultimatum to Palpatine: Ziro was to be released, or the senators would be executed. Unbeknownst to Bane, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker had been in the dome at the time, visiting his secret wife, Senator Padmé Amidala. However, the Jedi was unarmed, and the bounty hunters learned this by examination of a sentinel droid destroyed by Skywalker. After a struggle, Sing, Robonino and Alama knocked out and captured the Jedi Knight.

Bane stated the terms to the Chancellor: Senator Taa would take a pardon disc to the prison to release the Hutt; after Ziro was freed, the senators would be released. Taa reluctantly obeyed, and sentinel droid 3D escorted the Twi'lek to the prison and returned with the Hutt. Bane and his team set up a web of laser-triggered explosives around Skywalker and the senators, as final leverage in case the bounty hunters were apprehended before leaving Coruscant. As the team tried to escape, they were met by clone troopers of the Coruscant Guard. Bane revealed the trapped senators, and his team and Ziro were able to escape Coruscant without pursuit. Once they were a safe distance away, Bane activated the bombs; however, a revived Skywalker was able to save the senators before their certain doom.

Capture of Ziro
"Stop, Ziro! Stop right where you are!"

- Padmé Amidala, as Ziro the Hutt is cornered



During the Clone Wars, the galaxy-wide conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Hutt crime lord Ziro Desilijic Tiure, uncle to Jabba Desilijic Tiure, hoped to gain control of his nephew's criminal empire and so entered into an agreement with Sith Lord and Confederacy Head of State Count Dooku. The Confederacy sought access to hyperspace lanes that ran through Hutt-controlled space, and believed that the kidnapping of Jabba's son, Rotta, and the framing of the Jedi for the crime, would remove Jabba as an obstacle, as Jabba would take rash actions to punish the Jedi and would be arrested. Ziro provided information to Dooku and his apprentice, Asajj Ventress, on the whereabouts of Jabba's son, and Ventress traveled to Jabba's home planet of Tatooine to capture the infant. Ventress took Rotta to the planet Teth. There, Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, under the pretense that they were rescuing Rotta for the Jabba's favor toward the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order, attacked the Confederacy forces.

Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano were able to rescue the Huttlet. However, Dooku and Ventress framed the Jedi by using the protocol droid 4A-7 to transmit a holorecording of the two Jedi putting the Huttlet into a backpack. To contact Jabba and convince him otherwise, Skywalker's wife, Senator Padmé Amidala, sought the help of Ziro, who resided in a palace on the galactic capital of Coruscant. Ziro, fearful of being discovered, imprisoned Amidala within his palace, on the advice of Count Dooku. To Ziro's chagrin, the senator was able to send a message to her protocol droid, C-3PO, who in turn contacted the Coruscant Guard, a squad of clone troopers based on Coruscant. Under the command of Commander Fox, the troopers raided Ziro's palace, and captured the crime lord with the aid of the freed Senator Amidala.

Ziro was incarcerated in the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center on Coruscant. To rescue him, the renowned Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane was contacted to break him out of prison. Bane himself had risen to fame, following the death of Jango Fett&mdash;the bounty hunter considered to be the galaxy's best&mdash;during the opening battle of the war. After Bane was recruited, the Duros began to assemble a team of bounty hunters, including the Jedi hunter Aurra Sing, the Weequay Shahan Alama, and Robonino, a piscine technician of an unknown species. The team was backed up by several Confederacy BX-series droid commandos and IG-86 sentinel droids.

Bane's test


As the organic members of Bane's team usually worked alone, Bane organized a test for them. Bane set up a trap for bounty hunter Davtokk on the planet Keyorin under the pretense that Bane was seeking recruits, knowing that Davtokk would attempt to kill him for the bounty placed on his head. Upon Davtokk's arrival, Bane deceived the bounty hunter by setting up a battle droid doppelganger of himself within an explosive-wired building. Robobino detonated the explosives, forcing Davtokk outside, where he was caught in a razor net by Shahan Alama. Davtokk easily cut his way out, and evaded the onrushing Shahan Alama with a flash grenade, but was shot through the knees by sniper fire from Aurra Sing. The three hunters surrounded Davtokk, and Bane revealed himself, explaining to Davtokk that he had merely been a test for his colleagues. After Davtokk had been disposed of, Bane and his team proceeded to Coruscant to execute their mission.

A secret meeting
"I have to bring this bill before the Senate. It's important." "Uh-huh. More important than the way you feel about me?"

- Anakin Skywalker teases Senator Padmé Amidala



While he was supposed to be on a "meditative retreat," Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker visited his secret wife, Senator Padmé Amidala, in her office in the Republic Executive Building. Skywalker suggested that they go on vacation, desiring to be able to truly act as husband and wife. However, Amidala was set on finishing a bill to bring before the Galactic Senate, the legislative branch of the Republic, and was reluctant to leave. Skywalker asserted that there was nothing more important to him than his love for her, and "proved" it to Amidala by giving her his lightsaber, his weapon and one of his most prized possessions. After Amidala suggested that he leave if he only wanted to make fun of her, Skywalker refused and kissed her. However, during the passionate moment, Amidala hastened to leave the lightsaber on her desk, which would later put multiple lives at risk.

Senator Bail Organa, followed by Amidala's protocol droid, C-3PO, entered the room, seeking Amidala's presence for a meeting to discuss a piece of Senate legislation, the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill. Skywalker hid behind Amidala's desk, while Amidala herself hastened to hide his lightsaber in her sleeves. Organa told Amidala that Senator Philo had arranged the meeting in the lobby, before the vote on the bill. Amidala followed Organa to the meeting; as she was unable to return Skywalker's lightsaber to him, she took it with her to the meeting.

Entering and taking hostages
"Morning, Senators. You should all consider yourselves to be in my power. As long as everybody behaves, this will be quick and painless. Do nothing, and it will all be over soon."

- Cad Bane, to the senators



Arriving on Coruscant, Bane's team split up to gain entrance to the Senate Building. Cad Bane, Shahan Alama, two droid commandos, and a sentinel droid arrived at the building in an airspeeder, where they were confronted by a squad of Senate Commandos, a detachment withing the guards of the Senate. From an adjacent tower, Aurra Sing provided a distraction with covering sniper fire, allowing the team to neutralize all of the guards. The commando droids cleared the platform of bodies and dressed up in the Senate Guards' armor, while Sing, Robonino and two more sentinel droids arrived at the scene in the second airspeeder. Leaving both BX units outside, the team of bounty hunters made their way inside the complex.

The team entered and took control of the power control room, destroying the power room's guard, along with an assistant droid, a protocol droid, a WED unit and an R5 unit in the process. The technician Robonino began sabotaging the building's power distribution network, while the rest of the team headed to the meeting of senators, intending to take them hostage.

On the way to the East Wing of the building where the senators were gathered, Bane wiped out most of the Senate Commandos in the building, by tossing a thermal detonator into their barracks when both shifts were assembled there. The group entered the atrium filled with senators, surrounding and taking prisoner Senators Organa, Amidala, Dantum Roohd, Zinn Paulness, a female senator, blue-skinned Gran Philo, Rodian Onaconda Farr, Pantoran Riyo Chuchi, Ithorian Jakker-Sun, and a Christophsian senator, as well as protocol droid C-3PO. When Senator Philo objected to being taken hostage, trying to leave while refusing to "listen to insolence," Bane shot him in the back, and ordered the senators to remove any communication devices.



Capturing Skywalker and freeing the Hutt
"So here's what you're going to do. First, you're going to make a pardon disc. You can give it to your friend there. My ship will come and pick him up and take him to the prison. Once Ziro has been released and is handed over to me, then your associate will be released, understand?" "Oh, I do. But I feel it is my duty to warn you that you will end up paying for this outrage." "I can live with that."

- Cad Bane and Palpatine

Bane made contact with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in his office and demanded him to release Ziro Desilijic Tiure from the detention center; after Palpatine objected, Robonino shut down all power in the building and activated the emergency lockdown, leaving Palpatine and Twi'lek Senator Orn Free Taa trapped in the office. However, Bane was unaware that Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was still inside the building.

Skywalker, noticing that the red backup lights had activated, was unaware of what was happening. Upon arriving above the atrium, he noticed the bounty hunters surrounding the senators, and spied on them. When Bane spotted the Jedi Knight above the lobby, he fired at the man, and Skywalker ran; Bane set Shahan Alama and a sentinel droid after him. The Jedi Knight attempted to plug his comlink into a communications output, and was able to make contact with Chancellor Palpatine. Skywalker learned that the bounty hunters had sealed the entire building, with no one able to enter or leave; it was up to him to turn the power back on himself.

As Alama and the droid approached the room where Skywalker was speaking with Palpatine, Skywalker quickly unplugged his comlink and hid, just as the Weequay and the sentinel droid entered the room. The Jedi Knight managed to use a mind trick to get the two off of his trail. As Alama and the droid separated, Skywalker sneaked up on the droid and attacked it. Without a lightsaber, Skywalker was forced to engage it in close combat, and he destroyed the droid and escaped shortly before Alama came back. However, by examining the droid's remains, Alama deduced that the Jedi was unarmed.

After reporting this to Bane, Alama continued the hunt with the aid of Aurra Sing. Skywalker stumbled upon Robonino, and the technician quickly retreated back into the power control room. Alama found Skywalker trying to break into the room; Skywalker pulled Alama's blaster out of his hand with the Force, but Sing shot the blaster out of Skywalker's hand. With Skywalker backed against the door of the power control room, Robonino joined the fray and shocked the Jedi, and the Jedi Knight was brought to Bane in handcuffs.

Bane instructed Palpatine to make a pardon disc and to give it to Senator Orn Free Taa, who would deliver the disc to the prison so that the Hutt could be released. Sentinel droid 3D escorted the senator to the landing platform, where a speeder was parked, with a transport attached for the large Hutt. Upon arrival at the detention center, Ziro was released, and was taken by 3D back to the Senate Building. Senator Taa remained in the safety of the Coruscant Guard at the prison.



A "parting gift"
In the atrium, Bane's team set up their "parting gifts" around the senators: a system of laser-triggered bombs that would activate upon the slightest touch. The bounty hunters sought to use the hostages as final leverage, if Chancellor Palpatine attempted to apprehend the bounty hunters while they were still on Coruscant. Bane wished the senators a "most respectful farewell," and left the building with his team. Meanwhile, on orders from Senator Taa, clone troopers smashed through the window of Palpatine's office and ensured that he was safe.

On the landing platform, a pair of LAAT/i gunships arrived, and clone troopers of the Coruscant Guard piled out and cornered the bounty hunters. Palpatine contacted Bane, and ordered him to surrender. Bane revealed the trapped senators, and Palpatine reluctantly allowed Bane to leave, in order to keep the senators safe.

Back in the East Wing, Skywalker awoke. Amidala faked that she had found his lightsaber when he "dropped it," and cut Skywalker's binders off. Bane remotely activated the explosives as payback for the "horrors" Ziro had gone through in prison. Just in time, Skywalker was able to cut a hole in the floor around the senators, allowing all of them to drop into the room below, seconds before the explosives went off.



Aftermath
"Congratulations on a job well done, bounty hunter." "Time to pay up, Hutt. I don't work for free." "Hmm."

- Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane

Many of the Senate Commandos throughout the Senate Building had perished because of the bounty hunters, but none of the senators lost their lives, aside from Senator Philo. The East Wing of the Executive Building was left damaged in multiple places because of the explosives; additionally, the power control room had been left sabotaged. Ziro the Hutt was free once more, and Cad Bane had garnered a successful mission to add to his reputation.

Behind the scenes
The raid was featured in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series' first season finale, "Hostage Crisis", and it allowed for the debut of bounty hunters in the television series to take place. The episode itself garnered the highest ratings since the series' premiere, "Ambush".

The raid notably featured the debut of bounty hunters in the series, as well one of the first appearances of Cad Bane, a bounty hunter who will be appearing more throughout the series' second season. The raid also revealed Bane's ruthlessness, for in planting the laser-activated explosives, the bounty hunter revealed that he never took prisoners.

The Clone Wars web comic Invitation Only depicted Bane's "test" of his team against Davtokk, which led into the raid. The events of Ziro's capture were featured in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film, and were mentioned in its novelization.

While it is implied that either Count Dooku or the crime lord himself contacted Bane to break Ziro out of prison, it is never explicitly stated as to who actually hired Bane. Additionally, it is interesting to note that Padmé Amidala played both a role in the capture of Ziro, and in his release, as one of the hostages used to secure his freedom.