"His Excellency the Chancellor, this is the preliminary survey of the Galactic Senate members' inclinations that you requested." Mas Amedda, Vice Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, hunched his imposing body and respectfully presented a document to Sheev Palpatine.
His attitude now was the complete opposite of what it had been when Palpatine had first taken office.
Once, Mas Amedda had also been an exceptionally forceful politician. He had served as Vice Chancellor for roughly two years longer than Palpatine had served as Chancellor.
After two years of maneuvering, when Palpatine ascended to the Chancellor's seat following the Battle of Naboo, Mas Amedda had once hoped to use his greater seniority to influence Palpatine, perhaps even turn him into a puppet.
But Sheev Palpatine had easily defeated him with seasoned political tactics and outstanding political wisdom, seizing evidence against him. From then on, Mas Amedda became Palpatine's first and most loyal dog.
He had always feared Palpatine, and he was one of the very few who knew of Palpatine's other face. After witnessing the terrifying power Palpatine had revealed, whether inadvertently or perhaps deliberately, Mas Amedda could no longer summon even the slightest thought of resistance.
Because of this, he had risen rapidly under Palpatine. Though his position remained that of Vice Chancellor, the authority and resources he now wielded were nothing like before.
Palpatine had always been generous to his loyal dogs. He was never stingy with rewards.
Thus, from such a lofty position, Mas Amedda had personally watched Palpatine gradually turn the Galactic Republic into his private property, then force the Jedi Order into isolation. Such terrifying political maneuvering made Mas Amedda, a politician himself, increasingly fearful.
After Palpatine openly admitted that he was a Sith Lord, Mas Amedda no longer even had the courage to meet his eyes.