Chapter 1
Queen Amidala and her council were in the throne room in the Palace of Theed. They had just spoken with Viceroy Nute Gunray about the blockade and Gunray had said that he wouldn't have done it if it were not approved by the Senate before ending communications. That had gotten the young Queen thinking, there was another Sith serving as the Senator for Naboo, the last member of House Palpatine. She wasn't sure how a Sith could have allowed for such an act to occur, unless he had turned his back on his planet and on the Sith. That was something that she would definitely question him about.
At that moment a hologram of Palpatine appeared and Sio Bibble began to ask him about what was going on in the Senate. Amidala had other questions for Palpatine but knew that it was dangerous to ask them in front of non-Sith like Bibble. Before Amidala had a chance to ask a question of her own the image became covered with static and then disappeared.
"They've begun jamming our communications," Bibble said. "The first sign of an invasion."
An Invasion would most definitely be an illegal course of action unless the Senate had allowed it, and if they had then Amidala knew for certain that Palpatine had sold them out.
"This blockade has gone on long enough," Queen Amidala said. "It appears we must take our case to the Senate directly."
"How do you propose to do that my Queen?" Bibble asked. "The Trade Federation has the planet surrounded; if you attempt to fly off planet you will be killed."
Amidala fought back her urge to kill Bibble for questioning her, he was right to an extant although Amidala was certain that she or most any other Sith would be able to slip the blockade if given a fast enough ship. But she couldn't afford to reveal herself, not when the Trade Federation was likely watching her every move.
"You are right Governor, if we are to be invaded we must be prepare to surrender," Amidala said. "I don't want any of my people dying needlessly. However I do not intend to surrender."
"What are you going to do?" Bibble asked.
"My handmaidens and I will hide and find a way off planet and get to Coruscant to tell them of our plight," Amidala replied.
Bibble nodded. "I understand, I will remain here then."
Padmé motioned ever so slightly at her handmaidens and they followed her out of the throne room to Amidala's own personal apartment. Once in her apartment they helped Amidala out of the large cumbersome dress she was expected to wear as Queen. That was one thing Amidala intended to change, she detested wearing those ridiculous outfits all the time. She could tolerate it for special occasions and public appearances but all the time was pain.
"Why didn't you threaten the Trade Federation with destruction if they invade us Padmé?" asked Yané, her youngest handmaiden.
Amidala raised her hand and force choked her handmaiden, "You are only to ever call me that in public, in private you are to use Master, Lady or Darth Amidala. Do you understand?"
Amidala released the force choke and her handmaiden fell to the ground gasping for breath.
"Yes Master," Yané replied breathlessly.
The Queen's handmaidens were not just girls who attended to her, but they were also fellow Sith who served as extra protection although all of them were still apprentices and Amidala was their Master.
"So what are we to do Master?" asked Eirtaé another of Amidala's handmaidens and apprentices.
Amidala looked at her apprentice while considering. Eirtaé was different in appearance from the rest, while the others had brown hair and eyes similar to Amidala, Eirtaé had blonde hair and blue eyes and pale alabaster skin and was actually a few years older than Amidala. At first Eirtaé had seemed to be insolent but Amidala soon came to understand her and thought that she perhaps had the most potential of her five handmaidens.
"First I must discuss with the other Sith Lords our course of action," Amidala replied. "No Sith would tolerate an invasion, especially one by these pathetic Neimoidians. But we're not revealing ourselves as Sith, we are the peaceful people of Naboo and we are going to quietly allow this occupation. I need to make sure the other Lords know that they need to supress any attempts at forming a resistance."
By now Amidala was out of the heavy and uncomfortable dress. Her handmaidens began wiping off the makeup she was forced to don each day, that was something else Amidala considered changing but the makeup was more tolerable than the clothing.
"I think perhaps we may have a problem controlling house Veruna, Master," said her Handmaiden Sabé.
Sabé was, along with Eirtaé, her best apprentices. But while Eirtaé had more strength with the force, Sabé was more knowledgeable, not just about the force but in general and all of this in spite of being younger than Eirtaé.
"Why do you say that?" Amidala asked, even though she knew the answer well herself.
"It's quite evident that House Veruna has rogue intentions," Sabé replied. "And they are definitely upset over the death of the previous King. I have heard rumours that they hold you personally responsible."
Amidala smiled at her apprentice, "I have heard the rumours myself. While I would have happily killed Ars Veruna myself I was on planet running to be elected Queen. No if somebody killed Veruna my guess was that it was Palpatine."
"Palpatine?" asked her handmaiden Rabé. "Why would he want Veruna dead?"
Rabé was perhaps the best lightsaber combatant of Amidala's handmaidens, but lacked in all other areas.
"I don't know why Palpatine does anything," Amidala replied. "He has had less and less accountability to Naboo in the past few years and I think he has become our enemy. This deal with the Trade Federation was his idea in the first place, and look at what it has caused. Palpatine is working to achieve his own ends, do not doubt it."
"Perhaps he is looking to gain control over the Senate," said Saché.
Amidala looked at her. Saché was her oldest apprentice at nineteen years old and she was also the wisest. While not particularly strong in the Force Saché had a gift for foresight. Occasionally she would have prophetic visions, which was one of the reasons Amidala had chosen her as an apprentice and handmaiden.
"Are you saying this from one of your visions?" Amidala asked.
"No," Saché replied. "But if he can cause his home planet to be invaded without seeming to be involved it would definitely generate sympathy for him within the Senate and it could also make the Supreme Chancellor look bad at the same time."
"A ploy to become Supreme Chancellor? That's definitely not good for Naboo or the Sith," Amidala commented.
"This could also be his attempt to get revenge for his exile to Coruscant," said Eirtaé.
"Either way Palpatine is definitely involved in this," Sabé agreed.
Amidala slipped into the heavy black robe she had earned upon becoming a Sith Lord.
"I need to speak with the Sith Council about this," Amidala said. "Sabé you are to be my double until I return."
The rest of the handmaidens got started dressing Sabé up in the heavy dress that Amidala had just got out of. Amidala took a secret passage in her room down through several corridors to the speeder bay. The speeder bay was currently unoccupied as all the mechanics had the day off to recover from the coronation celebration, not that anybody being present would have been much of a problem. Amidala hopped on a speeder bike and set out to Dee'ja Peak the remote mountainous town where the Sith Lords held their council.
Once word of her arrival in Dee'ja Peak became known the Sith Lords quickly gathered. News of the invasion had already spread, in fact reports were coming in that the Trade Federation were landing their droid armies in the swamp areas outside the major cities.
Amidala arrived at the Hall of Lords where the Sith Lords held council. The room was a simple circular room with five large black throne-like chairs space equal distances apart in a circle. A large Sith Holocron sat on a pedestal in the middle of the circle. The other four Sith Lords, Lord Marr, Lady Jaga, Lord Vilus and Lord Arctis, were all present already.
"Thank you for coming on short notice," Amidala said as she took her seat.
"You were elected because you said you could end this problem with the Trade Federation," Lord Marr said. "It seem like it's only been escalated."
Amidala looked over at Lord Marr. He was the most senior member of the council, he looked as though he were almost one hundred years old although in truth he was just over seventy.
"Well it appears as though that was never going to be possible," Amidala said. "It would seem that Senator Palpatine has set this all up."
"Do you have any proof of this accusation?" Lord Vilus asked.
Vilus was the second youngest member of the council but he was still forty five years old. His slick black hair was starting to turn grey at the roots giving him a rather distinguished look.
"He is a Sith, he wouldn't leave proof," Amidala said. "But the circumstances all make sense, especially if Palpatine is vying for the position of Supreme Chancellor."
"He would never do that, it would expose us all," Lady Jaga said.
The other female member of the council was a large fat woman; many called her 'Lady Jabba' after the Hutt gangster, but only behind her back.
"Palpatine has been more or less exiled for decades now," said Lord Arctis. "It would make sense that he would not hold his allegiance to his people in high regard after that long."
Lord Arctis was white hair man sixty years of age with cold ice blue eyes.
"My guess is that his plan is to use this invasion to either expose us or wipe us out," Amidala said. "And in the meantime he is able to establish himself as the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic."
"That does sound very Sith-like," Lord Marr admitted. "If this is true it cannot be permitted."
"No, Palpatine has gotten out of control as Senator he will need to be replaced," Lady Jaga agreed.
"First though we must deal with this invasion," Lord Vilus reminded them.
"We cannot come into conflict with the Trade Federation," Amidala said. "We should attempt to surrender peacefully for now. I will travel to Coruscant and deal with Palpatine myself and present our case before the Senate."
"You take a lot of responsibility in doing this," Lord Marr commented.
"I am the Queen," Amidala responded with a thin smile. "I live to serve my people. But we have one other possible concern. House Veruna has been rather… rebellious of late and I fear they may do something that could possibly expose us. Especially since two Jedi are apparently travelling here as arbitrators. I trust that you will be able to keep them under control."
"My house and I will personally ensure there obedience," Lord Arctis said.
Lord Arctis was Horace Shif, the head of House Shif, his non-Sith wife served as Amidala's Education Minister on the Royal Advisory Council and she was the only member of council who knew about Amidala's Sith heritage. Amidala knew that Arctis was loyal and would support her because he cared about his wife, and that was his weak spot. He knew as well as Amidala did that if he displeased her that she could have his wife killed at moment's notice. Amidala was glad of the fortunate situation because it meant she had at least one support on the council, and she knew that Lord Arctis would make good on his promise to control House Veruna. His sons were both skilled Sith Warriors.
With their business concluded the members of the Sith Council left to return to their lives as citizens of Naboo. Amidala returned to Theed sneaking back into the palace. When she arrived in the speeder bay she was met by Eirtaé.
"Master, we've gotten word that the Jedi sent to negotiate escaped an assassination attempt and are now planet side," Eirtaé informed her. "They're likely going to be making their way here."
Amidala smiled, "And they are going to want to get the Queen off planet to bring her before the Senate. This is perfect. The Jedi will be able to get us off planet and we won't have to risk exposure. We'll just pretend to be scared girls until the Jedi arrive."
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