Terrorist attack of 14:9:19

The assassination of Finis Valorum occurred on Coruscant in 21 BBY. Palpatine secretly orchestrated the attack under the guise of Darth Sidious. The attack was later publicly attributed to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Finis Valorum had been the Supreme Chancellor before Palpatine.

Prelude
Palpatine wanted to get rid of Valorum because Valorum had been talking to Senator Bail Organa about Palpatine's political maneuverings. Around 21 BBY, Finis Valorum reappeared in politics following his retirement after being replaced by Palpatine. Valorum had observed Palpatine's activities, both public and private, from a distance, especially how the chancellor's opponents had a habit of disappearing. The most noteworthy of these disappearances was that of Seti Ashgad who disappeared following his opposition to cam droids. Possibly the Enforcement Act had been the last straw in a string of offenses which forced Valorum into action. But Palpatine had ears everywhere, even in custodial droids working in Bail Organa's residence at Cantham House, so when Valorum came to visit Organa there, it was not long before comments like this reached the Chancellor's desk:

"The Senate barters away fundamental rights upon which the Republic was built! You trust that the tyrant you are creating will give them back to you when the crisis is over? Palpatine will give back nothing! No one who seeks power the way that he does ever surrenders it willingly!&hellip; Palpatine will make sure that any individual or group that opposes him or is in his way is removed! Look what happened to King Veruna! Look what happened to me! I know it was Palpatine who had me framed. I was forced to resign as Chancellor so he could ascend to it! Just as I am certain he arranged for those pirates to attack your transport!&hellip; I have no more proof of that than I do that he masterminded my fall. If I did have it, Palpatine would be in chains this moment."

- Finis Valorum to Bail Organa

What Palpatine thought of Valorum's words is unknown, but they clearly buttressed Organa's courage, so the next morning he appeared at the Chancellor's Suite to insist that under no circumstances would he support the Enforcement Act, and that in fact he would oppose Palpatine on it. The Chancellor said nothing about it, but he did see fit to make to Organa one cryptic comment:

"Might I give you a small warning? It would not be wise for you to see Finis Valorum again. Dirt rubs off so easily, and can tarnish those who would otherwise seem clean."

- Palpatine to Bail Organa

Orchestration
Approximately sixteen months after the Battle of Geonosis, shortly after the Battle of Jabiim, Saljé Tasha, and Anzat assassin was hired by fallen Jedi Sora Bulq and Senator Viento, borth subordinates of Darth Sidious, to assassinate former Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum. Valorum boarded the freighter Star of Iskin, and Tasha followed and killed him, drinking his "soup". Tasha planted a bomb on the Star and presumably exited before the ship lifted off. The Star of Iskin was destroyed to cover her tracks. All aboard died, and the burning wreck killed thousands on the surface when it crashed.

Aftereffects
The information of how Tasha had been contacted would later be utilized by Quinlan Vos in his hunt for the Sith, though it would lead him to believe that Viento, and later Bulq, was the elusive "Second Sith" whom Dooku had mentioned to Obi-Wan Kenobi on Geonosis three years before. Originally tabled,the Enforcement Act was brought back to discussion following a pirate attack on the ship of Bail Prestor Organa aswell as the destruction of the Star of Iskin carrying Finis Valorum. The bill was ultimately passed and later replaced with the Security Act. The Enforcement Act gave some of the Senate's powers to the Chancellor, and also gave away some fundamental rights of citizens to the central government, something that was never intended to be done. Among other things, the Act allowed for searches and seizures to be conducted without warrants or due process, and permitted the unrestricted use of observation droids. It also dealt harsh penalties for captured pirates, resulting in them preferring to fight to the death than to surrender. Palpatine, who had orchestrated both the assassination of Finis Valorum as well as the pirate attack on Bail Organa, benefited tremendously because he was given more power as a result of his machinations as Darth Sidious. The Finis Valorum Memorial was constructed on Coruscant to honor the last being who served as Chancellor before Palpatine's rise to power. Only 200 people attended the opening ceremony. Future generations, however, would look more kindly on him.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Republic 61: Dead Ends