The funeral pyre quickly gained intensity as the gentle breeze fed the deathly fire that surrounded the now deceased body of Senator Alden Ryder of Alderaan. Those that had gathered watched the funeral in silence, respectful gazes from all shinning on the late senator's body.

The building in which the funeral was being held was filled to the brim with spectators. Fellow senators, staff from the Alderaanian Senate Office, various royal families of Alderaan, and the people themselves had all turned out to pay their final respects to a Senator whom they had so loved and admired. At the front of the crowd, where the Chancellor of the Republic, other senators, and family members were seated was one particular face that everyone kept stealing glances at.

KannaLee Ryder sat in her seat, staring at the yellowish orange flames jumping up and out from the marble pallet upon which her father was placed. Her emotion showed in the liquid running from her eyes and down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying the past week, her cheeks flushed red with the sheer stress and exhaustion of it all. Lately, she didn't realize that she was crying until someone would hand her a tissue to dry her face.

She was quite literally numb.

Her fathers' death had been so senseless. True, he had died to save her, but still…the slaughter of him and others had been utterly senseless. She still hadn't come to grasps with the reasoning of those behind the deal. Of course, she knew what the Dark Jedi were after; the Queen of Naboo. What better time to steal the Queen away than at her inaugural ball, where there were so many ripe people to pick off as though they were cattle? And pick them off they did, one by one. She would have been one of them, if her father hadn't thrown himself in front of the deadly lightning that was aimed at her.

She'd never seen anything so horrible in all her life. Granted, her life had been somewhat sheltered, but never in all her years did she think she would ever be witness to something so heart wrenching and grotesque. Her fathers bones had come to light right before her very eyes. She hadn't been able to rip her eyes from the sight, even though it was all she'd wanted to do at the point in time. She'd been able to catch her father right before his head hit the ground, and she'd watched as he'd taken his last breath. KannaLee had always known that she'd have to watch her father die one day, but never like that. No child should ever have had to witness something like that.

Someone was speaking…

KannaLee returned her attention to the Chancellor of the Republic, who had risen during her memories to give her fathers eulogy. He spoke of how honorably Alden Ryder had served in his seat for Senate, how nobly he had died to protect his daughter. He pointed to KannaLee at this moment and the girl felt all eyes go to her. She was the most uncomfortable she'd ever been. It wasn't the best thing in the world, feeling as though you'd had a hand in your fathers' death.

The ceremony seemed to drone on for hours more than KannaLee thought necessary. There were so many speakers, so many rituals to be performed. And though she knew that proper Alderaanian burials dictated that these things must be seen through, she still felt it was somewhat unnecessary. More than anything now she wanted to return to her home on Coruscant and hide from everyone.

What was she to do now, that her father was dead? She had no job, not one that she could readily do at any rate or that she felt she was ready for. She'd been in private tutoring and academy lessons until she was 16, when she finished with her schooling and worked in her fathers' office, training to be a diplomat. But there was nothing that she could do now that she was ready for. Certainly Alderaan would come to her and ask her to fill her fathers' seat, which, she would do for that was what he would want her to do. That was what he was training and teaching her for.

She supposed she could stay with her mother, but even then she'd still be on her own in a way. Her mother worked in the military on Coruscant and that was all KannaLee had been allowed to know of the woman's career. It kept her incredibly busy most of the time, so busy that KannaLee had only seen her mother ten times in her 18 years of life. Even now, as her husbands body was burning, Leianna Ryder was no where to be found.

She heard rustling around her and snapped back into reality. The service was over. After her fathers' body was finished burning, the aides would incase his remains in a casket and allow him to lie in state for two days in order to let the public and other governmental officials that couldn't be at the funeral to say good-bye and pay their respects. KannaLee stood with them, but instead of filing out with the others, she knew that she was supposed to remain behind for a private meeting with the Chancellor. Why in the world he would want to speak with her was beyond her knowing, but none the less, KannaLee had accepted the invitation to a private conference with the Republics leader. So, she waited patiently until only she, the Chancellor, and his aides and bodyguards were present.

"KannaLee," he greeted, striding up to her, "let me first personally extend my condolences for your fathers' death. It is a sad loss, and an unexpected one at that, especially for you."

"Thank you," she nodded, not knowing what else to say. She was tongue tied at the moment.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you for a conference, so I will come right to the point." He led her away from his aides and guards, signaling that they were not to follow. "I understand that you have many things on your mind at the moment, and I regret that I have to put one more thing there, however…there is a seat open in the Senate now." He remained silent, taking her expression.

"I realize that, Sir…but I thought Alderaan itself would come to me on this matter. Surely you have more important matters to attend to?" she wondered aloud. The Chancellor shook his head. "No, no…Alden was a good friend of mine. This is of a personal matter as well as business. And Alderaan was already set to ask you to take your fathers place. I asked to speak with you myself about the matter."

"That was…very kind of you, Sir." KannaLee took a breath. "Of course, it was my fathers wish that I take a senate seat. I don't think he could be more proud than if I was to take his own. I only hope that I do him half of the justice he did the Republic." When the Chancellor said nothing, she raised her eyebrows. "Is there something wrong, Sir?"

"No, there is nothing wrong, KannaLee. You would be perfect to fill the seat, despite your age. Your intellect is uncanny, your test scores from the diplomatic academy were extremely impressive, and since you were born, your father has been training you for the day when you would become a diplomat. However…" he lingered, searching for the correct wording. "However…if you don't want to take the senate seat, you of course will not be forced to do so. Regardless of what your father wanted you to do, your first duty must be to yourself."

"I don't understand-"

"KannaLee…your loyalty to your fathers' wishes is commendable. I just want to be certain that that is not the only reason you wish to take the Seat." He set his full gaze upon her, and suddenly, KannaLee felt as though she were under the galaxies brightest spotlight. "Alderaan will get along fine without its senator for a while. I want you to take a while to think on this decision, to be certain that it's what you want to do because you want to do it, not because it was your fathers' desire. You've been through a very trying time, and your head is not completely clear at the moment, though you may believe it to be so. Take the month, while the Senate is not in session to contemplate your options. Whatever you decide at the end of it, Alderaan and Coruscant will abide by it, of course."

KannaLee nodded, unable to speak. When she was finally able to have some semblance of a voice, she murmured her thanks.

"Now, what is it that you will do now? Stay on Alderaan? Go to Coruscant?" he began to lead her back towards her fathers' ceremonial mount.

"I was actually going to go back to Naboo on the first transport," she replied, "my father and I still have some of our belongings there, and the Queen has requested that I stay there through the duration of the trip that was supposed to be with my father. He was to have a meeting with her at one point, though I don't know about what. She now wants to meet with me…to express her condolences as well, I suppose," she smiled sadly as she looked up at her father. The fire was still burning its hot light, and would continue to do so until dusk fell on Alderaan.

"You should take her up on that invitation, KannaLee," the Chief of State advised, "on Naboo, death is taken as seriously as it is here on Alderaan. She will want to know if there is anything she can do for you." He smiled at her as one of his aides came up to him.

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we're late for your transport. You must be back on Coruscant to meet with the Bothan ambassador."

"Yes, yes, I'm coming. Tell the transport that we'll arrive in five minutes, no later," he instructed. The aide nodded, running off to give the message to the transport.

"Remember. Take the month. Consider all your options. Figure out what it is you want to do. If you still want the seat at the end of the month, it is yours. If not, we'll have no problem finding another to fill it."

"Thank you again, Sir, for your advice…I will consider your offer seriously," KannaLee said, nodding her thanks and respects to the Republic leader. "That's all I ask," he responded, smiling as he turned away from her. "I will see you soon, KannaLee. Relax, in the mean time."

She watched him, along with his entourage, leave the rotunda like building. And then, she was alone. Her steps echoed on the marble floor of the intricate structure as she walked up the steps leading to her father. She stood on the platform that many would stand on in the coming days to observe her fathers' body. The flames leapt out at her at points, but they mostly stayed at bay, keeping control on their own, as the fire was built to do.

KannaLee knelt slowly to her knees, and then shifted both her legs to one side to sit properly. Her fathers' body was wrapped tightly with thick, gauze like material. She could no longer see his face. She would never again see that face, never feel the warmth of his smile, or see the gentleness in his eyes. She'd never felt so alone in her life.

It was then that she felt a hand lay gently upon her shoulder. She didn't need to look up to see who it was. She melted into the woman's embrace willingly, hoping that her arms would hide her from the world and everything else that could harm her. She heard her name being whispered over and over again, and a hand was smoothing her long, brown hair. KannaLee burrowed deeper as her cries became harder. She too, kept uttering a name, a title, one that she loved as much of her father.

"Mother."