“Uval was your ancestor. You are the first born.” Amidala nodded in understanding.
“Yes Your Highness. I am the last of my line. I have no siblings, no cousins left. I am the last bearer of the Uval heirloom, the Et’rairu sword.”
“Then I can sleep soundly now. I know now what and who protects me. Thank you.” Amidala embraced Aluva. The Emberlene handmaiden hesitantly returned the embrace.
“Barely an hour left Your Highness, use it well.” Aluva smiled as she return the sword on the box and draped the queen with the sheets. She waited for the queen to fall asleep before she went inside the hidden exit. As the marble slid shut silently, Aluva held out the sword from the box and stood there unmoving, hearing every beat of the queen’s heart, every peaceful heave of her chest. Not a soul stirred but the sleeping queen and the soft breeze by the window curtains. Aluva D’asima felt something dark and ominous but it was a sense of dread nowhere near her queen. Gripping her sword, she waited… and waited.
* * *
Outside the office of the Supreme Chancellor, Master Sifo-Dyas was waiting in the hallway. Senator Palpatine acknowledges the Jedi and together they walked towards the empty corridor, “What is it my friend.” Palpatine asked.
“I have been thinking a lot lately.” Sifo-Dyas sighed, unsure how to begin.
“Thinking about what I said to you the last time?” Palpatine glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot.
“Yes. In there, when they mentioned the alarmingly growing droid army of the Trade Federation, it got me thinking again. The treat in Ynchorr, all those Jedi that perished including Master Micah Giiett and now this conflict in Anzat, it all involved massive numbers of army… putting two and two together, I am beginning to see your point. If these threats decided to direct their forces at the Republic itself instead of internal planetary conflicts, our Republic Navy will not be enough to protect our worlds, not even with the Jedi helping.” Sifo-Dyas slowly stated.
“My friend, I am sorry if my words have caused you distress. It was not my intention for you to be this… troubled.” Palpatine placed his hands on the Jedi’s shoulder and looked at him in the eye.
“Don’t be sorry. You were right. I have spoken to Lama Su and he has offered a way to save the Republic from this growing threat. But I do not have the authority or the credits to get it started. I wanted to speak of this to Master Dooku or to the council…” Sifo-Dyas sighed heavily.
“Wait a minute. Lama Su, Prime Minister Lama Su of Kamino?” Palpatine’s eyes widened.
“Yes.” Sifo-Dyas nodded.
“The Kaminoans are cloners, what do you have in mind?” Palpatine whispered.
Sifo-Dyas looked around before answering, “Back in our meeting at the Perlemian Orbital Facility, Hego Damask gave this suggestion, that I contact the Prime Minister of Kamino and…”
Sate Pestage suddenly came and approached them, “Forgive me for the interruption, but the Senate session will now begin.” He said.
“Thank you.” Palpatine nodded then tapped the Jedi’s shoulder. “I gather you have placed the order then?” he asked casually.
“Yes but…” Sifo-Dyas nodded hesitantly.
“Don’t worry, Hego Damask is my friend, he will handle the funding.” Palpatine smiled and left him.
“But I haven’t heard of him for a year now…” Sifo-Dyas muttered.
When they were on the entrance to his platform, Palpatine activated his portable holocomm, “Lord Tyranus, the order has been placed. Begin your search for the template.” Palpatine said and ended the communication.
He nodded at Sate Pestage and together they climbed the platform, the Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum was already speaking, “You seemed happy Senator.” Sate Pestage grinned knowingly.
“Of course I am. Everything is proceeding as planned.” Palpatine smiled deviously.
Chapter 9: Naberrie Fields
Ryoo Thule stood by the door looking at her youngest granddaughter being readied by a contingent of Royal Handmaidens. She beamed with pride and fear for her granddaughter knowing all too well how many times her life had been repeatedly placed in danger the moment she was elected to succeed the late King Veruna.
Jobal Naberrie came to stand beside her mother and smiled.
“She is so beautiful.” Ryoo said to her daughter.
“She takes after you.” Jobal nodded.
“So do you.” Ryoo agreed then another Naberrie joined them.
“Hey don’t forget about me. I’m beautiful too!” Sola teased the two older women.
“Of course you are my dear.” Ryoo embraced her older granddaughter. It’s been a while since she last saw them. In fact the last time was when Padmé became Princess of Theed.
And now her granddaughter is the Queen of Naboo.
She felt warm tears running down her cheeks.
“Grandma, don’t cry you’ll make me cry too.” Padmé spoke still facing on the mirror before her but her eyes were on their reflections.
“And you’ll ruin her make-up!” Ruwee Naberrie strode in and kissed Ryoo and Sola in the cheek and his wife on the lips and then walked past them to stand behind his daughter as the handmaidens continue to fix her hair and make-up.
“Hello dad, I heard the Governor appointed you to be his Advisor, how’s your meeting with the Council?” Padmé asked. Aluva crouched before her and applied red paint on her lips and cheeks.
“The appointment is rather temporary, just a few months of bureaucratic duties. Reports from Raid Squadron on Rori indicated an encounter with a Trade Federation control ship that is believed to be under Hath Monchar. The ship has been destroyed with the Neimoidian. Governor Bibble is now trying to contact the viceroy to confront him of this obvious direct violation of our trade rights.” Ruwee explained to her.
“Ruwee if you are going to ruin this moment with matters of the state then I will have to throw you out of the room.” Jobal chided and pulled her husband away from Padmé who were starting to laugh at her quip.
“I’m innocent!” Ruwee jokingly protested as he was ushered back to the doorway.
“Now you young lady should stop laughing. I hear the delegates from the capital will be arriving shortly, you must be ready by then.” Jobal smiled at Padmé.
“Aluva?” Padmé glanced at her bodyguard.
“We’re almost done Your Highness.” Aluva bowed.
“Darred has arrived!” Sola announced after answering her boyfriend’s call on her comlink.
“Who’s Darred?” Ryoo frowned.
“Darred Janren, Sola’s boyfriend.” Ruwee answered.
“You’re getting married now?” Ryoo gasped, Ruwee rolled his eyes.
“Mother, she’s just dating him, it’s not that serious… yet.” Jobal said and winked at her eldest daughter.
Aluva interrupted them, “Her Highness, the Queen of Naboo is ready.”
Ryoo, Jobal, Ruwee and Sola stopped and turn to look at Padmé and were stunned.
Padmé Naberrie stood regally in her flowing red royal gown with hand-stitched golden embroidery from her chest and downward with shed potolli fur cuffs. Six illuminated sein jewel were equally placed at the lowest part of her gown, rimed around the edges was a wide gown flare that completely hides her feet. Her hair was tightly combed back with the rest of her hair hidden in a bun behind. Her face was of white make-up based from Naboo’s ancient customs. Each cheek has a stylized beauty mark that symbolizes symmetry and her upper lip was of crimson and her lower lip was of white with a single red mark in the center representing the Scar of Remembrance, a reminder of Naboo’s time of suffering before the Great Time of Peace.
“By the Force! You’re so…” Ryoo gasped.
Jobal was at a loss of words, Ruwee nodded with approval at his youngest daughter and engulfed his wife in a tight embrace.
Sola was teary eyed and pressed her hands together smiling at her sister.
“You’re a goddess Padmé!” Sola exclaimed.
/> “Oh, Sola.” Padmé smiled.
Governor Sio Bibble arrived with Darred Janren.
The governor formally bowed, “Your Majesty, the ship from Coruscant has arrived.”
“Oh my, Padmé… I mean, Your Highness, you are so radiant!” Darred awkwardly bowed at her.
“Thank you Darred.” Padmé chuckled then turn to her family, “Grandma, dad, mom, Sola, I will take my leave, I’ll see you at the ceremony, I love you all.” Padmé said to them, she wanted to run to her parents and embrace them and kiss them but she held herself back, right this moment she is the Queen and have a lot of duty to attend to. She can be mushy later tonight in the privacy of her chambers when they were alone with each other.
Governor Sio Bibble led Padmé down the hallways and was joined by Captain Magneta, Lieutenant Panaka and the Advisory Council, trailing behind her was her Royal Handmaidens led by Aluva.
“Ruwee, Jobal.” Darred shook hands with Sola’s parents as they watch Padmé and her companions leave.
Sola introduced him to her grandmother, “Darred, this is my grandma Ryoo.”
“I am honored to finally meet you, now I see where Sola and her mother’s beauty came from.” Darred took her hand and kissed it.
“I like him already.” Ryoo raised an eyebrow at Jobal and Sola.
“Well Darred, I must say I am really glad to have you with us here. Between us, I kind of needed another male around here, with all these pretty ladies joining forces against me.” Ruwee placed an arm over Darred’s shoulder.
“Well if that was the case then we really shouldn’t let that happen!” Darred grinned.
“We still outnumber you.” Sola countered as they all started to walk out of the palace to the reception area by the garden.
Sola were in charge of the festivities for the Queen’s Coronation, and she divided her duties to Reception, Entertainment and Cuisine. Her father is a great cook so she assigned him to oversee the preparations for the foods. Her mother has a nice taste for music so she put her on entertainment which Jobal was very grateful. Sola was more of a people person so she handled reception.
Grandma Ryoo joined her daughter while Darred gladly assisted Sola on checking on the number of seats and tables and coordinating with Lieutenant Panaka for security details.
Sola went to the garden entrance to make sure the reception committee was in good order. The tables were set and the security lines were ready. She approached Junior Palace Guard Gregar Typho, nephew of Lieutenant Panaka and introduced Darred to him. She left the two men discussing security details while she went to review the VIP list on the data card of one of the members of the reception committee.
Another staff approached her.
“Sola, we need your help on the table for the Jedi Council, some of our men were unsure about the physiology of our Jedi because…”
“We start with Master Yoda’s chair…” Sola rushed with him to the VIP section.
* * *
“Keren Hotel, the best in all of Chommell Sector, fifth among the Best One Thousand Outer Rim Hotels in HoloNet….”
“Lake Side Hotel and Resort, the official Galactic Senate retreat…”
“The Seven Sisters Villa Retreat offers the best view to Theed Palace…”
“Thank you, maybe next time…” Sarc smiled at the throng of hotel agents littered at the spaceport. She was about to make a turn on the left exit when she spotted HoloNet news crew and other Sector media groups so she veered to the right.
A Spaceport guard motioned for her to the Weapons Scanner, then to the Bio-Chemical Scanner and finally to the physical check-point.
Sarc flashed her I.D. card chip and the supervising inspector let her through and called a speederlimo for her.
“Where to milady?” the driver asked as he carried her luggage and placed it on the back compartment.
“Theed Royal Palace, Office of the Governor.” She said nonchalantly.
“The driver coughed once then gave a good look at her. You from the Capital?” he asked as he started the speeder through the thickening traffic.
“More or less.” She said with finality. The driver took the hint and asked no more throughout their short trip.
* * *
The Supervising Inspector watched the beautiful Countess leave then turn his attention back to the arriving guests and tourists.
A surprisingly tall and huge Ithorian lumbered through the Scanners and came out clean. The Inspector went to personally check the visitor and looked at the I.D. card.
“Mogus Ogden the Head Xeno-Horticulturist from Obroa-Skai. Can I see your documentations?” he asked him.
The Ithorian answered through his dual mouth. A stand-by protocol droid stepped forward and began the translation.
“Professor Ogden says he has been chosen to represent the Obroa-Skai University to witness the coronation and to start a detailed study of Naboo’s vast variety of floral and herbal wildlife.”
“May I ask a personal question, I do not wish to offend, just mere curiosity.” the Inspector said.
The Ithorian made a seemingly strange sound and issued a longer reply.
“Professor Ogden says he has a very good idea of what you are about to ask and that his answer was that his mother was a subject of genetic experimentation by an illegal drug company that was long disbanded and jailed by the Jedi in the Kathol Sector. He says he was a product of abnormal growth cellular tampering.”
“Oh. I’m sorry for that, welcome to Naboo.” the Inspector smiled and let him through.
Another speederlimo but larger than the others pulled over and the Ithorian managed to get inside as the driver placed his baggage at the back.
“Do you have it?” the driver asked at once as he started the speederlimo.
“The process of acquiring issa somewhat difficult…” the Ithorian answered suddenly not sounding anything of his specie’s vocabulary capacity at all.
“I don’t freaking care Gantu, just answer the freaking question.” The driver scoffed.
Gantu Onu Raltos removed his specialized Ithorian head and wiped perspiration on his face, neck and ears.
“Youssa watch youssa mouth puny human before Issa load youssa on the cannon messaself!” the huge Gungan growled angrily at him.
“You do that and you’re dead, I’m your only arrangement to get off this freaking planet. Now answer the freaking question, I’m not gonna ask again, sheesh, what’s wrong with you people?” the driver pointed a blaster at him.
“Messa have it.” Gantu crossed his arms glaring at the nozzle of the driver’s blaster.
“Now that’s more like it. Next time you answer right away and stop wasting our time.”
Gantu rolled his one good eye and his mechanical eye.
* * *
Trade Federation Compound, Cato Neimoidia.
“The full weight of the Jedi Order will bear down upon you and your Neimoidian masters once they found out about this!” the Bith Jedi Master growled at his captor.
“You can’t expect to hold us here forever can you?” his apprentice, the human Padawan Vaed Illomerg spat at her.
“What makes you think that both or either of you can even get out of this room alive?” the pale skinned hairless humanoid female laughed.
“Bounty hunter you are no match to either of us!” the younger Jedi shouted.
“Correct and wrong, Vaed. I am indeed a bounty hunter, but I am more than a match to even ten of you.” the woman snarled and ignited her crimson lightsaber.
“Dark Jedi!” the Bith hissed.
“I prefer bounty hunter! I grew tired of your Jedi hypocrisy! I am Aurra Sing and before the hour ends I shall have my kill!” the humanoid cried out and stab her blade deep through the leg of the padawan.
Vaed screamed in excruciating pain as Aurra Sing twisted her lightsaber while it was still inside his flesh. The padawan fainted from shock as she remove her blade, shuts it off and clipped it back on her utility belt.
“
I’ll savor every moment of this.” Aurra Sing whispered in his ears, “We have all day long, Jedi.” she put every weight of disgust and hatred on her last word and resumed torturing the two captive.
* * *
Lieutenant Hoff Siege has bathed and dressed up for the occasion and was now heading for the Flight Office for a final briefing with Captain Ric Olié. Artoo Detoo, fresh from an oil bath trailed after him.
“Take your time off Artoo then meet me back at the hangar in an hour.” Siege said and tossed a comlink to the astromech droid.
Artoo caught the comlink and beeped an affirmative and paused to look around, unsure what to do for the time being and where to go.
Then his auditory pick up detected faint music. Curiosity, an odd trait even for a modified R2 unit, compelled him to head off to where the sound was originating. After a few turns here and there Artoo found himself looking at a vast garden filled with flags, hanging decorations, lanterns, banners, tables and chairs and darting people.
A stage was set at the farthest side of the garden right by the cliff but it was high enough for even those seated near at the entrance to easily see it.
Up in the stage were off world musicians… and several droids whose make and model were not found in Artoo’s programmed archives.
Artoo started to roll and accidentally bumped onto two conversing males.
Artoo beeped an apology and rolled onward.
Typho and Darred regarded the droid with mild amusement then resume conversing.
“Artoo! Artoo! Mom, look it’s Artoo Detoo!” a child’s voice caught the attention of Artoo as he was about to duck over a passing men carrying a huge roasted beast on a bamboo pole. The droid rotated his dome and focused her photoreceptor on the source of the voice.
It was the kid Rinn Olié with his mother Thea.
Artoo was relieved to see a familiar face and hurriedly rolled towards them.
“Mom will sing for the Queen, isn’t that wonderful?” Rinn proudly stated.
Artoo chirped a compliment at Thea Olié.
“Thank you Artoo.” Thea smiled then a middle aged lady approached them and spoke to her.
“Thea Olié?” asked the older lady.
“Yes mam?” Thea nodded.
“I’m Ryoo, Jobal’s mother. She says your final rehearsal is about to begin, follow me.” Ryoo said then left at once.
“Who is she?” Rinn asked.
“Jobal is the Queens mother so she’s the grandma of the Queen.” Thea answered then turn to regard Artoo.