Leia was tired.
Not in need of sleep tired.
Just tired.
As she glanced around the room she felt she could understand why Han was so disparaging of some of her Senate colleagues. She felt as though they had achieved nothing in the past few days.
Senators brought their petitions and those not upheld simply came back with an amendment to their original, the outcome of which would basically be the same. Mon Mothma had asked her to be patient; the fledgling Government would take time to establish itself.
But for Leia, she felt time was running out. She'd never been one to enjoy inactivity. And she didn't plan to start enjoying it now.
"Gentlemen." Leia interrupted the delegate from the planet Thosa. "Ladies. Sentients. If I may take a moment of your time."
"The Chair recognises Senator Organa of Alderaan." Mon Mothma said, looking puzzled.
"I appreciate these are early days for the Republic and what I am sure we all hope will one day become a fully established and legally binding New Republic." Leia said, careful to ensure her speech be translated accurately. "But I feel we must address a number of issues before this Council can hope to form an honest and stable Government."
A number of the Senators voiced their objection, clearly disapproving of Leia's interruption.
Mon Mothma too appeared uncomfortable with her course of action.
Undeterred, Leia continued. "Senator Marsune, you return to this Council with the same petition you placed yesterday."
"Madam Chair, I simply must protest!" Marsune almost exploded.
"You are not alone Marsune," Leia continued, ignoring the fact that his comment was not aimed at her. "Every day there are repeated petitions, amended by a nuance here an alteration of wording there. But essentially the same petition presented and denied then presented and denied again."
"So we are to give up?" Marsune asked. "I come here to beg for water for my people and because you, you who have never had to sacrifice your whole life..."
"Sacrifice!" Leia glared. "You speak to me of sacrifice? Do you not recall the fate of my home planet, Alderaan? Of it's people? Of the millions of lives lost in the blink of an eye at the hands of the Empire we all fought so hard to defeat?"
"My apologies." Marsune said, unable to meet her eye. "But, it seems to me you have used the demise of your homeworld to great advantage over the years."
"So now I am a martyr, is that what you are saying Marsune?" Leia asked coldly.
"I am saying, perhaps you should no longer throw Alderaan in our faces." Defiantly he looked up at her. "It is not just Alderaan that suffered at the hands of the Empire. We all did. Many of us are suffering still now. We come here to state our case, to ask for your support. But you are so wrapped up in the grief of your past that you are unable to serve this Senate as it should be served."
Leia rose slowly, controlling her anger. "Then I feel, Madam Chair, that my further presence here would be a distraction at these proceedings and an insult to my fellow delegates."
Leia took her leave as graciously as she could and hurried back to her quarters.
On the Millennium Falcon Han scratched his head and in the absence of an idea how to fix the problem, hit the control panel with his fist. Three lights winked on. And then off again.
"Dammit!" He snarled, hitting the panel again but harder this time.
The lights flickered back on. And stayed on.
"That's my girl." Han cooed and gently stroked the panel. If Chewie hadn't been watching he would have kissed it too! "Okay, Chewie, let's get this bird fired up and ready to go."
Chewie yarled a question and Han considered. "Nah, Coruscant will have to wait. I need to give the Falcon some t.l.c. We'll find somewhere to put down, get the repairs done and then return to the cluster once this beauty is fixed up. I should never have trusted Lando to do a half decent repair job in the first place. My own fault really. You found us somewhere to land yet Chewie?"
Chewie growled that he didn't know he was supposed to be looking.
"Well look now! Do I gotta go everything myself?" Han shook his head.
After a few minutes, Chewie yelped for Han to look at his screen. "Yeah, that looks okay. Let's get moving, the sooner we land, the sooner we get the Falcon fixed and the sooner we can get home."
Chewie yowled a response.
"Okay, I know it's not really 'home' to either of us. But it's the closest we've gotten to a home in a long time. What's the planet called so I can let 'home' know where we are?" Han queried.
Chewie barked his reply.
"Naboo. Never heard of it." Han said, shrugging his shoulders.
Leia was pacing her quarters like a caged narglatch.
The Jedi calming techniques Luke had taught her were working. Slowly.
She had again felt Luke reach out and try to soothe her but this time she had shrugged him off, not wanting him to feel the depth of her anger. Or her bitter resentment.
She was still pacing when Winter arrived home.
"I heard that Senate was dissolved. What happened?" Winter asked, concerned.
"It was still in session when I left." Leia said.
"Your Highness?" Winter queried.
"Senator Marsune!" Leia spat. "Bated me and I fell straight into his trap!"
"Marsune?" Winter pressed.
"Accused me of using Alderaan as a shield and then as good as told me to get over myself! I'd like to see him watch his home...his people...his family...everything he'd ever held dear..." Gulping back a great sob Leia slumped into a sofa. "And the worst of it is, he was right!"
"No, Your Highness." Winter said, sitting beside her and taking hold of her hand.
"Not about Alderaan. At least not the way he made it sound. What happened to Alderaan should serve as a warning. A warning of what could happen again if we allow another Empire to succeed." Leia shook her head sadly. "He was right about me though. He said I was too full of grief and I am."
"Leia." Winter whispered and tenderly wrapped an arm around Leia's shoulders.
"I grieve for the loss of life. I grieve for the destruction of such a peaceful and beautiful planet. I grieve for my father. Or at least I grieve for the only man I will ever consider to be my father." Leia allowed herself the comfort of her friend's cradling arms. Winter too had lost all she had known and loved when the Empire destroyed their homeworld. She knew only too well the sense of grief haunting Leia.
Without warning, See Threepio blundered into the quarters followed by Mon Mothma. Leia rose and Winter stood blocking her ensuring she had sufficient time to compose herself before either Threepio or Mon Mothma saw her.
"Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear." Threepio warbled.
"Threepio, would you assist Winter with some tea?" Leia asked.
"Tea Your Highness?" Threepio asked, surprised.
"Yes Threepio. Tea." Leia said, firmly.
"I will make the tea Threepio, you need only help me carry it through" Winter explained. "I have..er...a sore finger."
Winter hustled Threepio through to the catering annex leaving Leia to face Mon Mothma.
Leia considered dispensing with the usual formalities, however, whatever may have been said she was a Princess. And there were standards!
She dropped to one knee before Mon Mothma, taking the older woman's hands and pressing them to her forehead as was customary.
Mon Mothma, as always, smiled and urged Leia to rise.
"My child." She soothed. "I have dissolved the Senate for today."
"I heard. Winter told me. Madam Chief, I apologise unreservedly for my outburst." Leia said, eyes downcast.
Mon Mothma raised Leia's chin to look into her eyes.
"You have nothing to apologise for." Mon Mothma stated. "Senator Marsune has been disciplined for his discourtesy and, since he has refused to apologise to you, he has been sent home to Mairne in disgrace."
"But he's right, I'm not serving the Senate as it should be served." Leia said hastily. "And I would like to request a leave of absence."
"Leia?" Mon Mothma's voice was filled with concern.
"There has been no time to grieve. I have not had time to grieve. Not properly. Han has often berated me for being a Senator first and a woman second. Well, this woman needs some time to get over her sorrows. So I ask again, for a leave of absence." Leia begged.
Mon Mothma considered before answering. "Leave granted."
Leia sighed with relief. Had she been refused she had planned to resign.
"But Leia." Mon Mothma continued. "Please don't take too long. The Senate needs you."
Winter and Threepio returned, Threepio precariously holding a tray of tea things whilst Winter carried a jug of water.
"There was no need for refreshments Winter." Mon Mothma insisted. "I really must take my leave. But first, I actually came here with a message."
"Oh." Leia said, surprised. "You weren't here about this morning..."
"No, no. Not at all." Mon Mothma cut her off. "A message was received from General Solo. It seems he encountered a slight problem whilst mapping our innocent star cluster and has had to seek refuge for repairs to his ship."
"Really? You do surprise me!" Leia said, indicating she was anything but surprised.
"He regrets he will not now be returning as soon as he had wished, said something about hoping you were not missing his scintillating company and not to worry, both he and Chewbacca were putting down on Naboo." Mon Mothma advised.
The water jug Winter had been carrying crashed to the floor, splintering on the marble.
"Threepio!" Winter exclaimed, looking from the shattered remains of the jug and pool of water at her feet, up at the obviously confused droid.
Threepio looked from Winter to the floor, to Leia, to the floor, to Mon Mothma, to the floor, to Winter and back to the floor.
"You really need to be more careful!" Winter admonished.
Threepio didn't understand. He had been nowhere near the jug. Surely he wasn't being accused of breaking it.
Mon Mothma's forehead furrowed. She'd always believed droids had their place. Just not in the home.
"I must go." She said. "Oh, one last thing. Commander Skywalker is en route to Coruscant. Perhaps he, with his Jedi skills, can help you with your dilemma." She said quietly to Leia then made her exit.
"Naboo!" Leia whispered. "Of all the planets Han had to land on..."
"Perhaps this is what you need Your Highness." Winter suggested. "You and Luke should go to Naboo. Learn about your past. It may well help you prepare for your future."
Leia considered. Was she truly ready for what she might discover. Then again, there might not be another opportunity.
"Come with me Winter. I need you there. I need your support." Leia said, her mind made up.
Winter nodded her agreement and sending Threepio to start packing, began clearing away the broken jug.
