THE EARLY DAYS DUET:
BOOK ONE: RESTORING DIPLOMACY
Chapter Four - The Occupation
32 BBY, Five months later
Royal Gardens, Theed, Naboo
"So how has your bonding time been with Padmé?" Rabé asked, her dark eyes sparkling in amusement. I propped myself against a pole on the edge of the garden trellis, quietly sulking as I watched Rabé and Yané play a lethargic game of Theed Quoits.
My session with Padmé ended a while ago, but I wanted to clear my head a bit and do some independent martial training. Only when my frustration had finally subsided did I allow myself to track down Rabé and Yané.
"The usual," I answered. "Prissy and I are getting along better than we used to, but it's still hard for me to put up with the additional lessons in etiquette. And Padmé really doesn't seem to like having to memorize the secret signals that I come up with."
Rabé cast me a look of gentle, mocking scorn.
"Fine. That you came up with," I edited.
Rabé smiled. "Much better."
Out of all of us, Rabé was our best bodyguard. She could come up with code signals at the drop of a hat, which proved invaluable to me, since I could only conjure so many. Padmé, on the other hand, was rather useless at it. Her area of expertise was diplomacy, and she would have much rather spent her time lecturing me on the idiosyncrasies of her trade. I however, could hardly stand putting up with one more lecture on the nuances of political antagonism.
Our practice of mimicry wasn't exactly a favorite activity for either of us. Amidala used her dry, neutral tone strictly when she was the Queen, which, was a persona she used for a majority of her time anyway. Teaching it to me just made her go into overtime with her persona. And speaking it myself? I was on the verge of falling asleep every time I opened my mouth to repeat something.
"I won't deny that we've made significant progress, though." I allowed, continuing my conversation with Rabé.
"That's good," Rabé said, keeping her eyes focused on the game in front of her. It was her move. "Do the two of you think you're ready to handle the job, should the situation arise?"
I shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I've been able to retain everything so far. But I've never really put it to the test. Frankly, I hope I never have to."
Rabé nodded. "I can understand that," she empathized. "I will say that it's a good thing you didn't need to step up to the plate last month when those mercenaries tried to abduct Amidala."
"We were supposed to be undergoing secret negotiations with the Trade Federation in remote space," Yané said. "How those mercenaries managed to lock down on us in such an isolated location, I'll never know. That little adventure caught all of us by surprise."
"It was a close call," I agreed. I gave a sigh, already sick of the conversation. It seemed like decoy preparation was all that suddenly revolved around my life for the past five months. "So who's winning?" I asked, deliberately changing the topic.
"Me, for now," Yané replied. "But it's been a very close game. Rabé and I seem to keep alternating high scores."
"Why does that not surprise me?" I asked. Theed Quoit was a game that demanded both patience and accuracy. It was a calming exercise that helped maintain our mentality of grace under pressure.
It was Yané's turn to make a move. I watched her carefully prepare her shot. In one fluid motion, she released the ball from her palm and sent it flying gently towards the reflective pond in the center of the garden. Her aim proved accurate when the ball slid perfectly into one of the color-coordinated pipes that protruded from the still water.
"Nice shot," I exclaimed, impressed. I was never exactly stellar at this game. Patience was a virtue that I struggled to manifest.
"Would you like to play with us?" Yané offered.
"I'd lose without question."
"Well, you're already late in the game anyway. So losing for you is inevitable," Rabé laughed.
"At least play for enjoyment. Maybe it will take your mind off of legal matters."
"Oh, very well," I consented.
Our quick game turned into a half-hour long rematch. I was starting to get the hang of it, once I stopped getting frustrated about missing the pole all the time. Both Yané and Rabé were good instructors, though. I managed to score six times in the total duration. But I could hardly own up to how much better the other two played consistently. It brought me to shame for my ineptness, but their company was the prime reason I was playing anyway.
"Handmaidens, your presence is requested in the queen's private chamber," a servant walked over and politely interrupted our game.
"Thank you, Asha," Yané said.
The three of us made our way to Amidala's quarters. We were surprised to only find Eirtaé in the room.
"Where is Amidala?" Rabé asked.
"She's still in the throne room with Saché, deliberating with the Advisory Council. I was sent to forward information to the three of you on this new...development."
Rabé, Yané and I all exchanged glances, feeling worry start to strain the dynamic of the room. "Is everything all right?" I asked.
"Frankly, no." Eirtaé sighed, removing her hood from her soft orange gown. She hesitated, as though she were carefully considering how to best approach her next sentence.
"What happened?" Yané prodded gently.
"The Trade Federation has entirely overstepped its bounds," Eirtaé said. "They've blocked our trade routes, and refuse to reach settlement in withdrawing their presence from our orbit. They've also jammed our communications, disallowing us to make contact with the Galactic Senate. Now we have no way to make sense of why no progress has been made on this matter."
I sank into a nearby chair. If the Federation was so keen on keeping us in the dark, it meant that they had something to hide, not only from us, but from the Republic. One swift move like that suddenly changed the course of our interactions with the Federation drastically.
"They mean to invade us," I deduced. It was the only logical explanation. They had insisted that their treaty enabled their actions against us in the blockade was legal. But they decided to shrink away from formally deliberating the issue. That strongly implied that they were not inclined to negotiate. An attack may become inevitable.
"Does Amidala have a solution?" Yané asked gravely.
Eirtaé shook her head. "She's still discussing plausible courses of action with the Advisory Council. Both Governer Bibble and Captain Panaka are insistent that she set up defenses for the planet, but she seems adamant in maintaining reliability on negotiations."
I held back a scoff of affront. I knew Padmé was all for keeping the peace—it was one of the many reasons she was elected in the first place, because of her passion for it. But she crossed a line here. At some point, she had to realize that part of protecting her people, was to literally protect her people. Words don't always manage to solve problems. The Federation certainly didn't seem inclined to use them.
"How can she fail to realize that negotiation is no longer an option?" I demanded. "The reason we're in this mess in the first place, is because the Federation doesn't seem to want any business in discussing this predicament."
Yané agreed, adding, "Jamming us is an aggressive assault on our diplomatic jurisdiction. They must mean to destroy us. There is no other viable explanation."
"What are we going to do?" Rabé asked. Fear began to show behind her dark eyes. Horrible potential futures were beginning to make an assault on our imaginations. We couldn't afford to let it get the better of us.
I looked up at Rabé and merely responded "Protect and serve. By any and all means possible."
Panaka suddenly entered the room, not even bothering to knock. "Sabé," he said tersely.
I looked over to him, dreading and anticipating what I knew he would say next:
"It's time."
Later
Padmé looked like a somber, isolated statue in the vast throne room. She maintained a stoic presence, but her grief was undeniably present.
As predicted, the invasion had indeed taken place. It broke my heart, knowing all the turmoil that was forcing its way through the streets of Naboo. Amidala's hesitance to enforce military protection cost us any thread of hope we had at preserving our planet. The Neimoidians swept through without even breaking so much as a sweat. It was only a matter of time before they breached the Palace.
"Milady," I said softly, standing alongside her. I wouldn't be any help if all I did was bash her for her inadequacy. In the end, it wasn't my government to run, and I had to respect that it was her final decision. I was about to impersonate her. Deviating from her game plan was one of those actions that I was 'ineligible' to make.
Amidala kept her eyes locked at the transparisteel window. I followed her gaze, looking on to the horrific scene of battle droids plowing through Theed Plaza. Citizens were fleeing every which way, terrified of the unexpected violence that had broken out on our peaceful city. I swallowed, hoping to rid the unwanted lump that had formed in the back of my throat.
"If we are to move, we should do so quickly," I said.
Amidala lowered her eyes sadly. "Sabé, whatever happens to us, I need you to understand that I only want what is best for my people. Nute Gunray's stampede through this system is intolerable, and I will not become prey to his illegal insinuations."
I nodded. "Understood."
"Our whole planet is depending on you to ensure that this resolves peacefully, one way or the other."
Tears threatened their way to escape, but I blinked them back. I knew that refusing the Viceroy could potentially threaten my own life. But I needed to remain strong. "I understand." I didn't agree, but I understood, and would follow through.
Padmé bit her lip, concealing the scar of remembrance that was painted there. The unintentional symbolism of her simple action struck an odd chord with me.
"The only way we will be able to endure this is if we are willing to set our bitterness aside," Padmé said. "We have enough enemies as it is. We can't afford to let our trivial animosity with each other get in the way of our imperative. In the end, we still want the same thing: to keep our people safe."
Under the circumstances, I could agree with that statement as well. "Don't worry, Prissy," I reassured her. It was the first time I used my antagonistic nickname for her in a genuinely affectionate manner. "We'll get through this. I still have faith that the Republic will come through."
Padmé redirected her gaze towards me, her eyes soft with thanks. But there was a little bit of doubt behind her brown eyes as well. "Let's hope that they do."
"Your Highness," Panaka called, still standing at his post in at the doorway. He was anxious for us to swap as swiftly as possible.
"On our way," Amidala acknowledged. I flanked her alongside a squadron of palace guards, hastening our way back to her dressing room.
It felt strange having Rabé, Eirtaé, Saché, and Yané apply my hair and make-up. Amidala had removed her regalia and donned my own handmaiden gown. We had decided on having the handmaidens wear gradient shaded dresses, phasing from yellow to burnt orange, symbolizing the quiet rage we had for the invasion that had taken place.
I would be wearing a thick, black, heavy skirted gown with a feathered headdress; mourning for the loss of our planet's reign of peace. The dress was frumpy, to say the least, but the idea was that it would better cloak the difference in physique that Padmé and I had. We didn't look drastically different on a physical level, but we wanted to ensure anonymity as best as possible.
My face and hands were caked with white face paint, and my lashes were framed with dark liner and mascara. My lips had a bold accentuation of red, matching the shade of two red beauty marks that were symmetrically placed on my cheeks, representing the balance of peace and serenity on our planet. Kind of ironic, given our present situation.
By the time they had finished with me, I hardly recognized myself. A stoic, childlike monarch stared coolly back at me through the mirror.
I had become Amidala.
No one had even a single smile to offer in the entirety of my transformation. After my look was completed, we made our way back to the throne room, flanked by Panaka and four other guards.
Saché cried a little bit, which surprised me. She was always so stern and forceful, it was a little jarring for me to see her looking this vulnerable. Padmé hugged each of us in turn, reminding us to be brave. Of that, she didn't have to tell us twice.
When she reached me, she held up a simple looking amulet. "My parents made this for me back when I was a child," she said softly, "as a reminder of the life I led before my political career."
I knew what she was asking of me. "No, Padmé, I couldn't possib—"
"I need you to protect this for me at all costs," she urged me.
"But Padmé, I—"
"Promise me you'll return it to me when this crisis is over," she demanded.
I hesitated before taking the amulet. "I promise," I replied.
She braved a reassuring smile, then turned to Saché and Yané. "If in the event we are to be separated, I need to two of you to stay here on Naboo."
Saché was the first to protest "Milady, with all due respect, our loyalty was pledged strictly to you."
"I know," Padmé replied. "But I hate the idea of leaving my people feeling abandoned by the royal presence when I'm led away. My handmaidens have been identified as an extension of myself. And you two are the strongest diplomatic minds that I know. I trust you will do whatever you can to try and resolve this matter should we have to part ways."
"Yes milady," Saché bowed her head in quiet defeat.
Padmé's tone shifted from urgent to gentle. "We will see this through," she promised us.
"They've breached our entrance," an undercover guard reported on Panaka's comlink. I felt my stomach churn in dread. They were here already?
"What of the Advisory Council?" Panaka asked.
"They've unwillingly presented themselves to the Viceroy. The Governor is being forced to lead them your direction. So far they haven't been able to hack into our short range security transmissions, so some of my men may still have a fighting chance to— " the communication had faltered into white noise.
Turns out the droids managed jam our last resort for communication. My heartbeat began to accelerate. Hope for victory was dwindling ever faster, and Nute Gunray was on his way. To me.
All too soon, a battle droid clanked its way into the throne room, armed with an E-5 blaster rifle. "Lower your weapons," it ordered.
A single droid with a clumsy weapon didn't seem all that threatening. But when twenty other armed droids marched in after it, the situation suddenly became far more terrifying. Governor Bibble was being directed by gunpoint to stand next to Viceroy Gunray and his weasel of a lieutenant, Rune Haako.
"At last we are graced with your presence, Your Highness," Gunray greeted in mock amiability. He phrased that as though it were I who was paying him an unwelcome visit. I was sickened by his pompous attitude. Cowardice almost suited him better. I withheld a grimace at the sight of his swarthy, green dappled skin. Just as slimy as his personality.
I maintained a state of resolute calm, but my heart was feeling anything but. Gunray may be a coward, but he was a coward who was hiding behind an entire army of capable battle droids for added protection.
I kept my expression placid, and attempted to use my neutral-toned mimicry for the first time ever in front of an enemy. "Your intentions for coercion are fiercely misguided, Viceroy," I said drily. My voice sounded just like Amidala. I could only hope that my words would do an equally good job. "Your intervention here will be short lived."
"I beg to differ, Amidala," Gunray disagreed. "I think you'll find my methods of negotiation to be very...persuasive. I'm sure your selfless devotion to your people will prevent them from undergoing any further annihilation."
My blood froze. I had no response to offer. Nute Gunray took my silence as a means to get me to cooperate, and signaled his droids to lead us away at gunpoint. We proceeded from the corridor down the grand marble staircase.
"How will you explain this invasion to the Senate?" Bibble spoke up, coming to my rescue.
Nute responded snidely, "the Naboo and the Federation will forge a treaty that will legitimize our occupation here. I've been assured it will be ratified by the Senate."
That much I knew I could respond to. "I will not cooperate," I objected. My voice was kept steady, and my eyes were downcast. But my stubborn resilience remained ever-present.
"Now, now, Your Highness," Nute Gunray chastised. I hated patronizers with a passion, but not as much I hated this walking piece of bile. "You are not going to like what we have in store for your people." he reminded me. "In time, their suffering will persuade you to see our point of view." He was right about the first part. But it didn't make me inclined to revoke my statement.
Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, Nute Gunray gestured for one of his commanding droids.
"Commander," he said.
The droid approached.
"Process them," he said with a wave of his grimy green hand.
"Yes sir," The droid responded, then turned to its droid counterpart: "Take them to Camp Four."
The other droid nodded in submission to the command. With that, I was led away along with Bibble, Panaka, the four guards, and my fellow handmaidens, unsure of what the coming hours would bring.