Chapter Seven
Not Exactly Planned
This had to stop.
Her hands were shaking, her stomach was churning, her limbs felt like they were tied to lead weights, but her mind was worse; her thoughts jumbled and warped in a crazed orchestra of twisted thoughts.
And Padmé could afford none of it.
She was to be the portrait of everlasting serenity; the galaxy's fearless leader and pillar of strength against the darkness that lurked outside the protective borders of the Republic, under beds, and in man's heart. She was the one to hold the Emperor's influence at bay, beat him back, all without a hair out of place.
Yet, who was to be her protector? Who was the one to tell her that everything was fine, dandy, and that she wasn't just drowning herself in work because her life had fallen apart and she couldn't deal with the consequences?
"…the question isn't what 'enhanced interrogation techniques' are. The question is 'why are they allowed at all?'"
Padmé took a shaky breath and forced herself to focus. Someone may not be standing over her with an axe, that was true, but she was a big girl. She didn't need her mother or father to tell her that the monsters under the bed weren't real.
"Under the Articles of Military Power and Rights, Section B-4 Clause Eight strictly prohibits the use of torture. This, of course, brings the question: is 'enhanced interrogation' torture?"
She had someone else to protect from the monsters.
Leia's speech, Padmé noted absentmindedly, still staring blankly ahead, was going well. The intricacies of politics and law were evidently not lost on her - she had yet to name any specific names of groups or people but the laws she was citing. For anyone else, the lack of examples would have been a critical failure of the speech, but Leia's magnetism and cleverness in making a compelling speech that didn't automatically alienate her from certain political factions was impressive. Her speech - about how enhanced interrogation techniques were unlawful and inhumane - not only contained a legal standing, a scientific approach to the victims' mental health state, but also an appeal to the ethical rightness of torture for information or punishment.
A controversial subject, but a noncontroversial approach to tackling it. Smart girl.
Her smart girl. Padmé could not suppress the bubbling feeling of nearly manic, overwhelming joy that nearly eclipsed her fear (how could she protect her? she could not loose her again, oh no, not again!).
As Leia finished, she was greeted with tumultuous applause from the entire Senate. With them, the Chancellor rose and gave a soft smattering of applause as well, a beatific smile blooming on her face.
Yes - her girl.
Ahsoka cursed.
Of course the Jedi Temple would be barricaded; what had she been thinking? It had been barricaded for nearly thirteen years. Why had she been expecting that to change?
Ahsoka cast an eye around her surroundings. Coruscant was bustling, as usual, but the Jedi Temple remained as silent as a grave. She stood out of the way, next to a small corner shop, leaning against the wall and scowling. It was a comic tragedy that she could see the rising, sparkling lights of the Coruscanti elite from where she was against the dirty hovel of a store. In her plain clothes and brown cloak, she looked like any other small-world beggar.
Hopefully, Ahsoka thought sourly, I don't look like a Jedi.
Kitster had been unexpectedly helpful, pointing her to Coruscant and giving her information on how exactly he had faked Luke's files. Once Ahsoka got to Coruscant, though, and attempted to look for Luke…well. Expectedly, Luke had not been helpful.
Ahsoka looked around regretfully. She had hoped to seek out Luke first, alone, to try and get him to…well, she hadn't exactly thought that part out yet. Seeing as she couldn't find him, she was thinking the best thing to do was to go back to the Jedi.
Ahsoka's scowl got deeper as she pulled her cloak tighter around herself. She had never thought she would dream of going back to the Jedi, but, out of all the people in the world, the Jedi were the best for Luke.
(And, maybe…just maybe…the best for her as well. But she shushed that little voice in her head.)
Of course, that was next to useless now - she had no way to get to the Jedi.
Ahsoka watched laconically as a pickpocket ran past her, goods clutched to his chest, ducked into an alleyway, and then - into a sewer?
Ahsoka sat up, puzzled, as the thief pulled the manhole of the sewer back over the hole after he had lowered himself into the hole.
Ahsoka eyed it carefully. Perhaps there was one other way to get to the Jedi…
Leia spun around the guest room in giddy glee.
I did it! I did it!
Leia muffled a laugh as she skipped over to the window, grinning at the Coruscanti moons that were hanging in the grey sky. Doing another little, very clumsy twirl, Leia giggled as she tripped over her suitcase and went tumbling down onto her bed.
Leia pulled a pillow over her face and gave a delighted laugh again.
There was a knock at the door.
"Princess?" the aide called.
Leia sat up very quickly, brushing her hair into place. Right, she was Princess Leia. Most definitely very composed and very dignified - she didn't spin in circles or anything silly like that.
"Come in," she called. The aide hesitantly opened the door.
"Senator Arris wishes you to see the report on the holonet," the aide said, nervously rubbing his hands against his breeches. "Now."
Leia frowned as she stood. The media ran a constant stream of analysis on the Candidates' Competitions both before and after the Competitions on at least thirteen different stations, but that wasn't something Leia was supposed to be watching. Senator Arris knew that.
Leia followed the aide into the sitting room, where Senator Arris paused the holonet and immediately stood.
"Your Highness," he said seriously, "I think this will be of importance to you."
Leia sat nervously, playing with the hem of her sleeve as Senator Arris pressed play.
A news anchor immediately began speaking. "As the Competitions wind to a close, there is another person who has come to celebrate…Phantom has come to Coruscant."
Leia buried her head in her hands, suddenly finding it very hard to breathe.
Not again.
If Leia had been getting attention at the Competitions before now, whatever that had been could not, at all, compare.
The flashes of holocams and the roaring of the Senate chamber was both deafening and blinding her, and it was not a pleasant experience.
The Senate and the press, it seemed, had completely abandoned the cordiality of the Candidates' Competitions for mass, bloody chaos. Somehow, Leia was not terribly surprised. The minute she had entered the repulsorpod and the pod had started gravitating towards the Chancellor's podium the ruckus had started up and had yet to die down, even after the Chancellor had stood.
That didn't seem like a very good idea, in Leia's humble opinion, because the look on Her Excellency's face was something fierce.
"I welcome you," the Chancellor's voice cut across the mess. "To the third and final day of the Candidates' Competitions. Today, we have the ultimate test of the candidates' strengths: keeping them, even under pressure…"
Leia tuned the rest of the speech out as she nervously glanced around the Senate Chamber. The mock press conference would destroy her, she was sure of it. Leia had been wary of the reactions she would receive for her speech, but now that Phantom was back…
Leia forced herself not to squeeze her eyes shut. Of course Phantom had come back. Of course he had decided to show up and ruin her life again, even after Leia had done her best to pay recompense and put it all back in order; become someone her parents and aunts could be proud of.
Leia gazed around the chamber. The lights really were blinding, she thought.
And now, with Phantom back and the mock press conference ahead of her, she had to stand up straight and tall. It seemed that all of her fear and endless worrying had been sapped out of her, along with all of her strength, and all she could do is sit there and think 'wow, these lights are bright' while she thought about what it would have been like to have a light on that cold, dark night…or at least a little bit of common sense.
Leia jerked back with a little shock as the repulsorpod started gravitating toward the center. She swallowed nervously. She had been chosen first, hadn't she? And she hadn't even noticed…this would not end well.
Leia stood as the parliamentarian read off the rules of the press conference; she didn't pay any attention.
My career's already down the drain, she thought hollowly, Too much controversy. Might as well just keep the ending smooth.
Nevertheless, she couldn't help but nervously smooth the linen of her dress as one of the Senators' repulsorpods drifted forward - Dantooine, if she remembered correctly.
"Candidate Crown Princess Organa," the Senator said, "how does your encounter with Phantom shape your views on 'enhanced interrogation' techniques?"
Leia stared.
What was she doing?
She wasn't about to give up her dream job just because some thief who had finally crawled out of the gutters had sauntered onto Coruscant. She was stronger than that. She hadn't let Phantom destroy her last time, and damn it all if Crown Princess Leia Breha Organa of Alderaan was going to let this get her down.
"Senator," Leia answered confidently, "I can most definitely tell you that my encounter with Phantom has only driven me to seek peaceful solutions. Even regarding the notorious criminal, I would not wish torture upon him."
Well, Leia thought ashamedly, not anymore.
"Oh?" replied another Senator. "Phantom is the galaxy's most feared criminal. If information from Phantom was needed to save hundreds of lives, how else would we obtain it?"
"If Phantom has information needed to save hundreds of lives, Phantom is not a thief anymore. And," Leia added, feeling a bit cocky, "I daresay that there are many more people besides us who would be after Phantom then."
A slight laugh rippled through the crowd as a different Senator came forward. Leia couldn't remember his name, but could recognize his face - one of the Emperor's men.
"That is a very non-pacifistic solution from a self-proclaimed pacifist," the man observed. "To what would your father say?"
"I preach pacifism in every aspect of my life," Leia said strongly. "But I approach the world with pragmatism, as my father taught me. As much as my father and I promote pacifism throughout the entire galaxy, the entire galaxy does not agree with us. Taking into account Phantom's reputation, it seems likely that there are others who would approach Phantom before ourselves."
"And your approach to pacifism," another Senator chimed in. Another Emperor's agent, Leia thought. "Comes from where?"
Leia hid her grimace. Now they were diving into deep, personal subjects.
"My father has always taught me pacifism," Leia answered. "But for the longest time, a spoiled princess that I was, I did not wholeheartedly believe him. After my encounter with Phantom, I realized that there are places in the world that people like himself come from - bloody, violent, and unforgiving. I realized that my father had been right all along - that the more peace there is, the less there will be people like himself."
Of course, that's not the whole story…Leia banished the thought.
"Now," a different Senator continued, "What is your stance on the recent trade embargoes on Najiba?"
Yes, Leia thought. I can do this.
"I can't do this," Leia panicked, "I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't - "
"Are you ready to leave, Your Highness?"
"Just a moment, thank you!" Leia called as she hurriedly sorted through her things. "I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this - oh, there it is!"
Leia stuffed the embroidered handkerchief up her sleeve and nearly tripped over a pair of shoes lying on the ground in her haste to get to the door.
As she swung it open, the aide was there waiting.
"I'm ready," Leia said, looking around. "Where is Senator Arris?"
"He will becoming shortly, Your Highness," the aide said, looking oddly uncomfortable. "He had an urgent call to take. This way, if you please."
Leia gave the apartment a last look, bewildered, as the aide hurried her out the door.
By the time they had gotten to the Senate, Leia's interest in Senator Arris had worn off and panic had set in again. She compulsively smoothed her hair, straightened her crown, and tugged at the hems of her sleeves as she chewed on her lip. And then, of course, had a little bit of freak out when she realized she might be messing up her makeup.
Deep breaths, Leia reminded herself as she took the seat at the front of the repulsorpod. Senator Arris still hadn't shown up yet.
Leia people-watched as the rest of the Senate filed in, idly chatting or checking their comlinks before it struck eight and the Chancellor's podium. The other candidates were filing in, too, looking just as nervous as Leia as they took their seats. In some bizarre way, that was a great relief and comfort to Leia.
It was the closing ceremony of the Candidates' Competitions, which meant that all of the candidates' names would be announced again, the Chancellor would make a speech, and then the apprentice would be announced. After that, a large dinner would be held in the Senate itself. (Thankfully, it was planned to not be too long - probably anticipating the flood of tears that would come from the other forty-nine candidates.)
Leia bit the inside of her cheek. How was she not going to burst into tears when the apprenticeship was announced?
"Your Highness," Leia blinked and sat up as Senator Arris entered the repulsorpod. "I apologize for my - "
Senator Arris was quickly cut off by the Chancellor's podium ascending rapidly. He took his seat next to Leia, who was now sitting on her hands in an attempt to stop herself from chewing on her nails.
As the Chancellor's podium came to a halt, everyone in the Senate Chamber stood before the Chancellor gave her customary, "Please, be seated; may the candidates stay risen."
Leia tried not to shake like a leaf as Senator Arris and his aide sat down.
It will all be fine, one way or another, Leia told herself, even being in the Candidates' Competitions is enough to secure a spot in the Galactic Senate. Your parents will be proud of you either way.
The cycling through of the candidates lulled Leia into a false sense of security, seeing as she was one of the first to be reintroduced in order of planet, and all she had to do was stand there and listen dumbly to names as images were projected.
Leia stood stockstill as the reintroduction came to a close and the Chancellor stood.
"Welcome, beings of the galaxy," announced the Chancellor, "welcome to the ending ceremony of the Candidates' Competitions! I hope you have enjoyed great intellectual discussions of these fifty outstanding young beings as I have. However, all good things must come to a close. As these fifty leave the Senate Chamber today, but one will be the apprentice, but all will honored and remembered as brightest stars of the generation, ever-reaching and ever-lasting in their intellect and their mission to help others. It has truly been a honor to meet all of these prosperous young beings."
Deep breaths, Leia chanted, hysterical, as her stomach churned with anticipation.
"But there is one youngling who will leave today the Apprentice of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. This young lady," the Chancellor announced, making Leia's heart jump into her throat, "has showcased her wit, her cleverness, and her ability to keep her diplomatic state of mind under any type of pressure. This young lady has overcome any and all odds, challengers, and challenges to compete here today and succeed in all areas tested and more. May I announce to you Apprentice…"
Was it just her, or was the Chancellor purposely slowing her words? Leia kicked that thought out of her mind. Deep breaths! Deep breaths!
"Crown Princess - "
No. Way.
" - Leia Organa of Alderaan."
No…way!
And Apprentice Crown Princess Leia Breha Organa of Alderaan couldn't help the wide grin that broke out on her face.
Disclaimer: I don't any Star Wars material.
Thank you, thank you, thank you SO SO SO much for all the support and favorites, follows, and reviews! I know this is WAY too late an update, but I hope that it makes up for the (huge) break. Real life caught me in its claws, I'm afraid, as did writer's block.
Please feel free to comment, ask questions, and correct! I will respond to all and any.
