Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.
A/N: This story is the sequel to Darkness Within the Light. It has Sabé/Obi-wan elements, but the story's main focus is on the relationship between Anakin and Voraté, who is Padmé's decoy and chief security officer.
Chapter 1 - Assassination Attempt
~10 Standard Years after the Battle of Naboo – Coruscant – Voraté Rivan, Senator Amidala's Chief Security Officer
Fog saturated the Coruscanti air as the Naboo delegation descended on the planet. Voraté Rivan stood at attention behind the pilot's helm in the J-type diplomatic barge.
"Status report," She requested.
"The platform is clear, my lady," The pilot reported.
He pointed to the results from the sophisticated scanners that were being used to scan the platform for any abnormalities and odd personnel. Nothing out of the ordinary popped up.
"Good," Voraté murmured.
The death threats against Padmé had put her and her guards on high alert. With the vote for the Military Creation Act fast approaching, it was even more crucial to keep the Senator safe. As Padmé's head of security, Voraté wasn't taking any chances. She had spoken with Queen Jamillia of Naboo about the potential danger Padmé faced and requested an increase of guards to escort the senator to Coruscant. The Queen had agreed with her judgment and personally assigned Gregar Typho, Captain of the Naboo Royal Forces, and an additional security detail to them for the journey. Half of their people were already on Coruscant to ensure there would be no sabotage on the planet when they arrived.
"Padmé? Captain Typho?" Voraté spoke into the open comm. "Do you see anything out of the norm?"
"I don't see anything on the scanners," Padmé's voice crackled over the comm. For her safety, Padmé was flying in one of the escort N-1 starfighters and Voraté would be impersonating her aboard the diplomatic barge.
"I concur," Typho agreed. He was in the other escort starfighter. "And from a visual scan, the platform is clear. Our people on the ground report nothing is awry."
"Commence landing procedures," Voraté nodded to give the pilot permission to land.
"Yes, my lady," The pilot guided the ship down to the platform.
The scanner gave a tiny chirp and Voraté's gaze snapped to it. A red dot momentarily blipped into being before disappearing.
"What was that?" She demanded.
"Nothing to worry about, my lady," The co-pilot assured her. "A reading that small is insignificant. Our people on the ground have confirmed that nothing is amiss."
Voraté wasn't so sure. "Hold our position." She turned to Rabé Taren for advice as the starship ground to a halt and hovered in mid-air. "What do you think?"
"I don't know," Rabé murmured. She closed her eyes as she concentrated. Her affinity with the Force gave her good intuition and had helped them evade lethal traps in the past. Her eyes opened and she looked confused. "I feel a lot of negative intentions, but I can't pinpoint anything. I don't think it has anything to do with the platform. The blip is likely a sensor malfunction."
Voraté pursed her lips. Was that tiny blip nothing? Was it foolish to ignore it? Her cautious side won out.
"Contact Coruscanti air traffic control and request a different landing platform," She ordered.
The co-pilot rushed to comply and soon they were flying to another platform.
"We'll be there in five minutes, my lady," The pilot informed her.
"Scan the platform when we arrive," Voraté directed. "Captain Typho, Padmé, if you two would do the same. Inform me immediately if you see anything out of the ordinary. And I do mean anything."
"Yes, my lady," The pilot and Typho chorused along with Padmé's agreement.
Voraté and Rabé walked into the ship's common area, where a retinue of Naboo security guards was mulling about. Voraté went to the pile of clothing in one of the alcoves. She swung a brown and white embroidered cloak over her security uniform while Rabé attached an elaborate headdress over her head which effectively hid her hair. Naboo custom demanded that Naboo royalty and its senatorial delegates dress a certain way at all times. But Voraté couldn't complain too much. It made installing someone as Padmé's decoy all the more easier and at least as a Senator, Padmé wasn't required to wear the complicated costumes and heavy makeup that she'd worn as Queen.
"We're ready to land, my lady," One of the Naboo guards informed her. "Pilot Merran and Captain Typho have scanned the landing platform and confirmed it's safe to land."
Voraté nodded. "Please ask the pilot to commence landing procedures."
"Yes, my lady," The Naboo guard replied. He spoke into his comm and relayed her instructions to the pilot.
The J-type diplomatic barge dipped slightly as it glided down to the platform. Voraté, Rabé, and the guards walked into the exit bay. The ship rocked slightly as they touched down. The ramp disengaged and unfolded onto the ground. Voraté glanced critically around the platform for any signs of trouble. Typho and Padmé had landed their yellow starfighters thirty feet away and were standing next to each other. Padmé still had her helmet on as she conversed with him.
Seeing nothing amiss, Voraté led the way down the platform, keeping one hand on her blaster under the cloak. They were about halfway down the ramp when she was tackled from behind with no warning. She recognized Rabé's lightweight body at her back and her strong, lithe arms wrapped around her torso. They flew forward and off the ramp as the ship exploded around them. Voraté drew her hands up to protect her head as an orange fireball engulfed them. The flames receded and they smashed onto the ground and Voraté grunted as her forehead exploded in pain.
"Voraté! Rabé!" Padmé's panicked voice called out as she ran towards them.
"Padmé, stay back!" Voraté called out as she shook her head, trying to get rid of the ringing in her ears. Footsteps echoed across the platform as Padmé disregarded her warning and approached the flaming ship. Voraté pushed herself up and shrugged off the ruined cloak and headdress. She flexed her limbs, doing a mental analysis of her body. Nothing seemed to be injured, except for a few singed hairs, minor burns on her hands, and a cut on her forehead. A fair amount of blood was dripping from the cut, but it wasn't life-threatening.
Voraté turned around to thank Rabé for saving her. Her heart stopped as she saw her friend's burnt, unconscious figure. Rabé had taken the brunt of the explosion. Voraté leapt into motion and knelt beside the motionless woman to feel for a pulse. A slow, thick thumping pulsed against her fingers.
"Is Rabé…?" Padmé asked hesitantly as she fell to her knees beside them.
"She's going to be alright," Voraté assured her. "But we need to get her into a bacta tank immediately."
"I shouldn't have come back," Padmé looked despairingly upon Voraté and Rabé's injured figures and the wreckage, where Senate guards and medics were rushing to help the fallen. But it was already too late for them.
"Senator, you are still in danger here. We need to get you inside." Typho insisted as he ran up to them. Padmé ignored him.
"Padmé, there is nothing more you can do," Voraté dragged her up and looked deeply into Padmé's distraught eyes. She too felt distress for their fallen comrades, but they couldn't afford to break down now. "This vote is too important. The Senate needs you."
Padmé breathed deeply and nodded.
"Captain, escort the Senator to safety." Voraté demanded as she covered Rabé with a silver medical sheet.
"Yes, my lady." Typho gently led Padmé to the building entrance while Voraté scooped Rabé into her arms and followed them.
The four of them were the only ones to survive the explosion.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. :)