The year is 25 BBY. War is brewing between the Galactic Republic and the League of Sovereign Planets. Our saga begins on Coruscant, with Senator Bail Organa entering the office of Chancellor Antior.

Antior has called Bail to his presence in order to request the Senator's support in a new law requiring the internment of non-Humans throughout the Republic on the suspicion that they may be collaborating with the League. Bail is outraged by the racist measure and, after some heated argument with Antior, storms out of the office, tossing aside his senatorial brooch as a sign of his resignation of the senatorial position.

Bail realizes that all-out war is imminent because of the extreme measures being resorted to on both sides of the issue. He realizes that his capacity as a Republic Senator is no longer useful...so he would rather be with his wife Breha on Alderaan when the unthinkable (but inevitable) happens. Bail makes his way to a bar in the nether-regions of Coruscant, where his friend Ben Cortel can provide passage to Alderaan, bypassing the planetary blockade...