edited for errors 2/22/16
A/N: We've finally reached the Phantom Menace! Let me know what you think. There's a good amount of retelling of the movie from Sabé's point of view in the next few chapters, and, while I'm trying to keep it interesting, let me know if it starts to drag on a bit, so I can change the other chapters up and make it better. Also, the first tiniest bits of AU will be coming up soon. However, the AU parts are tiny and ignorable if you don't like them. Anyway, thanks everyone for the reviews and, please, keep them coming!
To Save the Queen
Chapter #9: Queen
"Are you sure about this, Sabé? It's—you don't have to do this," Padmé whispered, her face white and anxious.
I gave her a trembling smile, trying to reassure her.
We had spent months planning for this, preparing for exactly this eventuality. I had spent hours perfecting the Queen's walk, mannerisms, and voice. We had spent weeks collaborating on a secret code (after deciding that me simply asking my handmaidens their opinion was too obvious, we had settled on a slightly less obvious code that included a lot of coughing and Padmé being clumsy) and entire days practicing the ruse. Padmé had learned how to shoot a blaster, disarm an opponent, and had gotten herself beaten up by Panaka just as often as we had. She learned to talk like me and walk like me and not draw attention to herself. We, along with Rabé, Saché, Eirtaé, and Yané, had even researched and eventually learned how to obscure our force signatures after I'd woken up one night in a sweat, not remembering anything about my nightmare, but knowing that we had to learn to fool force sensitives. All of that work was coming down to this one moment.
My Queen's life was in danger. I wasn't about to back out now.
"Yes, I do, milady," I told her softly, but firmly. "Now go get changed; we don't have a lot of time."
Padmé gave me one last long, searching look. Whatever she found in my face made her nod and walk swiftly toward the fresher, clutching my handmaiden flame dress.
I turned back around to see Saché, Rabé, Yané and Eirtaé looking at me solemnly.
"Come on, Sabé, we've got to get you dressed," Rabé said gently.
I nodded jerkily and walked over to them in the white underdress and black stockings I'd seen Padmé wear so many times.
"I—Sabé, what goes on next?" Saché asked, her voice shaking.
I walked over to the pile of clothes Wicaté had given me the moment she heard that the Trade Federation had invaded ("Red is not the right color for the Queen right now. The planet has been invaded and her people are dying. She is in mourning. To make the starkness of the Queen's dress more clear, have all the handmaidens wear the flame dresses, which will also symbolize the fire that burns in the heart of the Naboo," Wicaté had instructed, as if she wasn't the slightest bit worried about the fact that the Trade Federation would probably kill the Queen no matter how dramatic her outfit was) and looked through it.
After dressing Queen Amidala for the past eight months, I easily picked out the order they were to be put on without even glancing at Wicaté's instructions.
"Oh," Saché said quietly.
And, silently, she and Yané began to help me get into it. Then, I mutely let Eirtaé put the Queen's white make-up on me and Rabé secure my hair into an intricate braided bun before sliding a black feathered headdress down over my head.
I stood up and slid into the delicate black slippers that had come with the dress.
I looked up and, in the mirror, I met the gaze of Queen Amidala.
"You look just like her," Yané whispered. "No one will ever know the difference."
"Let us hope," Padmé's voice, only higher pitched and less rounded, came from the fresher.
I slowly turned around to see her staring out at me from under a hood, for all the world only one of the Queen's many handmaidens.
"Hey, you look just like me," I joked, giving her a feeble grin.
Padmé laughed sadly. "And you look just like me. Are you ready?"
I nodded resolutely. "Of course, milady. What are your orders?"
"Do not leave Naboo. My place is here, with my people. Do not do anything that will give the Trade Federation any stronger foothold here. Do not give into their demands. Do not start unnecessary fights. Preserve as much life as you can without compromising our situation," Padmé ordered, her voice hard. "And, Sabé? Don't die."
I gave her a faint smile. "I wasn't planning on it."
I didn't think I'd ever been so nervous in my entire life. However, looking at Padmé and the others, and knowing how much everything was counting on me being perfect and giving the performance of a lifetime, I closed my eyes. I would be no good to anyone if I couldn't control my nerves. I took a couple of deep breaths, imagining myself sitting on the stone railing a thousand feet above anything, my feet swinging free. Gathering up those feeling of serenity and safety and rightness, I took one more deep breath and opened my eyes, slipping into the role of Queen Amidala of the Naboo.
"Come. Let us go," I said, my voice as low and as rich as Padmé's was at her most regal.
And then, my head held high, I swept out of the dressing room, letting Eirtaé usher the others into their proper places behind me.
Yané opened the door to the hallways of the palace for me and we saw Captain Panaka waiting for us with a small troop of royal guards.
"Your highness," Panaka bowed.
"Captain," I acknowledged. "What is Theed's status?"
"It has been completely overtaken. The droids are in the palace, your highness. They will be up here in minutes," Captain Panaka replied briskly.
"Thank you, Captain," I nodded at him majestically. "Where is the Governor?"
"He is waiting for you in meeting room 22A," answered Panaka.
I nodded shortly and once again took off, heading toward Governor Bibble. This part had been discussed by Amidala, the governor, and her advisors before we had made the switch. As the most important people in Theed, the governor and I were to meet up and we would attempt (and most likely fail—Padme had stood watching the window as troop after troop after troop of droids had marched into Theed unheeded and stoically reported that our capture was almost inevitable) to leave Theed and relocate to another, hopefully less densely occupied, city. From there, we were to attempt negotiations with the Federation as well as try to reach the Senate.
Failing that, there wasn't really much of a plan.
Finally, after walking for what seemed forever but couldn't have been more than two minutes, we reached meeting room 22A. The doors opened and I glided in. Then I stopped dead.
Standing there, guarding Governor Bibble, whose ten guards were lying dead at his feet, were at least 15 droids.
"This is an outrage!" Governor Bibble blustered, glaring at the droids.
"You're under arrest," a droid told me.
"Lay down your weapons," another mechanic voice ordered. I turned around to see 20 or more droids at our backs, their guns all leveled on my guards.
My guards turned their gazes to Captain Panaka who was showing no sign of letting his weapon go. But there was no way we could win. We would all die, just like Governor Bibble's guards, without putting even a dent in the droids' number.
"Captain," I said sharply, my court voice projecting clearly. "Lay down your weapons."
"But, your highness—" Captain Panaka protested, his gaze slipping to Padmé who was meeting his eyes levelly.
"Lay down your weapons," I repeated, my gaze sharp and unwavering.
Captain Panaka slowly, reluctantly, let his power cell clatter to the floor before dropping his blaster. The rest of my guards followed his lead.
"Enter the room," the first droid, his markings indicating that he was a Commander, ordered.
With as much dignity as I could, I walked forward to allow the rest of my now captured entourage into meeting room 22A.
"What are you going to do with us now?" Governor Bibble demanded, sounding as contrary and impatient as ever.
"Stay here," the droid ordered, completely ignoring Bibble's question "Captain, guard them. I will tell the viceroy."
"Roger, roger," the second droid agreed.
One of my guards swore under his breath. I felt like kicking something really hard but managed to keep my face perfectly blank instead. Under the surface, I was seething.
The Naboo were not solely responsible for the new taxes on the Trade Federation. The Naboo had never even done anything to directly hurt the Federation. We had accepted their blockade and went about dealing with it through all of the proper, legal channels. It was not our fault that the Senate wanted the Federation to come to a diplomatic solution. It was not our fault that they had been ordered to settle. It was definitely not our fault that they somehow lost the Chancellor's ambassadors. We were only trying to protect ourselves and not starve to death.
It was entirely unfair for them to illegally invade us, kill some of us, and then capture our Queen!
"Here, your highness," said Governor Bibble with a small, courtly bow. "Please sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'm sure the Viceroy will be keeping us waiting." Governor Bibble graciously pulled out the chair at the head of the meeting table for me.
"Thank you, Governor," I said gravely, as I gracefully sunk into the proffered seat. I nearly slumped, but stopped myself just in time, sternly reminding myself that the Queen always had perfect posture.
Together, the guards, the handmaidens, the hidden Queen, Governor Bibble, the droids and myself waited in silence. I stared straight ahead, repeating to myself of all the things I needed to do (Sit up straight, Do not slouch, Do not fidget, Look alert, Do not look bored, Do not glare at the droids, Do not speak unless spoken to, Do not look at Padmé, Ignore Saché's anxious glances, Ignore the swearing guards, Ignore Panaka's glares, Look regal, Don't…).
After what could have been a lifetime, the Viceroy and another Neimoidian walked into the meeting room.
"Your highness. Governor." The Viceroy acknowledged us in a slippery, mockingly polite tone.
I looked up at him and met his gaze squarely. He could not do the same and quickly looked at Governor Bibble.
"We have many things to discuss. Governor, your Highness, if you and your guards would please come walk with me, it would be much appreciated," Viceroy Nute Gunray continued in that same slippery way. "Captain, follow us with four of your best droids," he ordered the droid Captain.
"Roger, roger," the droid Captain affirmed.
"Your highness," Governor Bibble bowed to me again as I stood up from the chair as elegantly as I could. Together, we walked forward toward the Viceroy and began to leave the room. The handmaidens, Panaka, and his men fell in behind us while the droids surrounded us, holding their guns across their chests.
I briefly watched with a flicker of amusement as Eirtaé and Panaka had a staring contest over who would follow directly behind the Governor and myself, in line with the other Neimoidian. Panaka, much to Eirtaé's obvious displeasure, won.
The Viceroy fell in line with the Governor and I walked a single step ahead of them, keeping my face blank and looking straight ahead as we left meeting room 22A. We continued past the lake mural in silence and began to descend the stairs, passing the droids who were stationed there.
I kept the silence, refusing to give the Viceroy the satisfaction of making me speak, while simultaneously avoiding more chances for someone to realize that I wasn't really the Queen, just a handmaiden pretending.
Unfortunately, Governor Bibble hadn't caught onto the plan.
"How will you explain this invasion to the Senate?" he asked.
Silently, I cursed him.
"The Queen and I will sign a treaty that will legitimize our occupation here. I've been assured it will be ratified by the Senate," Viceroy Gunray answered, still sounding impossibly polite.
Since I had been mentioned and the Viceroy had assumed I would do something that would go directly against the true Queen's orders, I figured I had to say something. Stifling my urge to kill both Bibble and Gunray, I quickly cast my mind around for something to say.
"I will not cooperate," I responded, doing my best to sound firm and calm. I wasn't really sure how well I succeeded, but, I thought optimistically, at least I didn't sound terrified or furious, which was something.
"Now, now, your Highness. In time, the suffering of your people will persuade you to see our point of view." I could feel the Viceroy looking at me as he casually made this threat.
I stubbornly refused to look at him in what Eirtaé had assured us, just last week, was an insult of the highest degree. For once, I fervently hoped that everyone around us was familiar with the etiquette of Naboo. The more I could insult people without saying anything or appearing outwardly rude, the happier I'd be.
Unfortunately, by looking straight ahead, I also noticed the droid heading right toward us.
"Commander." Gunray also noticed the droid.
"Yes sir?" It was the same droid from upstairs
"Process them." And for the first time, he sounded cruel.
Had I been merely Sabé instead of the Queen, I would have sent them all very dirty looks to show that I wasn't afraid. As it was, I just kept walking.