Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well.
I know I've taken a little while to upload yet again, but it's because I wanted to figure out how to handle this arc of the story. I have the one involving Anakin/Rey/Kylo/Dooku fully fleshed out, but the one with the non-Force Sensitive characters is proving to be a little more of a struggle. I know where I want their narratives to get them, I'm just trying to decide the best way to make them get there, if that makes sense to you.
But I feel satisfied with the way this chapter turned out, and I hope you guys do too. It is lacking in action but I believe it makes up for it in character building, but for those who are hungry for some action don't worry, there's plenty of it coming.
If you have any doubts, comments or suggestions leave a review or PM me!
Without further ado, here's the new chapter!
Chapter 7 : The Queen and the Scoundrels
"What do you mean, my daughter?"
Han frowned as Chewie grunted behind him.
"Yeah, I know, just slipped out!" He murmured as he turned his head to address his furry friend.
Turning his attention back to Padme, he took a deep breath.
"Alright, I guess we didn't start this the right way."
"Maybe telling me where we are would be a good way to do so." She said, still not willing to drop her blaster as the two individuals facing her.
"Look, ma'am, h-"
"You can stop calling me that."
Tilting his head in agreement and annoyance for being interrupted he continued "Padme. Like I'd said, I got no real clue for you. I have a guess though."
She nodded, allowing him to go on.
"Bear with me just a little bit, okay? It's a bit complicated."
Chewie groaned, knowing about what Han would talk about.
"Well, you got any other idea? I'm all ears!"
They stared at each other for a second before the Wookie threw his hands in the air and sat on the ground, crossing his arms and waiting for Han to share his theory.
Looking back at Padme, Han spoke:
"In summary, I'm dead." He paused for a brief moment, avoiding that memory "And back when I was alive you were not."
"I see... Somehow, I know I'm not alive..." Padme still recalled in her mind the last words that left her when she took her last breath.
Obi-Wan... there... is good in him. I know there is... still-
"So if you're dead and I'm too, this means..."
"This is an afterlife?" Han finished the thought for her, and she nodded, a worried expression still planted on her face "It's my guess too, and the most likely one really. Only thing contradicting it is my friend here."
Padme looked over Han's shoulder to look at the Wookie, who although still behaving like a kid that'd gotten a scolding from a parent looked back at her, his eyes invoking a brute yet gentle personality.
"Why don't you think so, Chewr..."
"Chewbacca." Han corrected her before she could mispronounce the name.
"Right. Chewbacca, can you explain it?"
Chewie growled why he didn't agree with Han, making Padme move her gaze back at the man in front of the Wookie.
"You heard him. It's what he remembers anyway."
Chewie grumbled back at Han, annoyed.
"I may be absent-minded but I do remember dying!"
"Just stop bantering like that, alright?" Padme said, feeling like a mother taking care of two delinquent children.
She turned her attention back to Chewie "I mean, the last thing you remember was going to sleep. It's possible that you... Passed away while you were at it."
Chewie pressed his eyebrows, growling loudly. Han nodded, pointing at his friend.
"He's right. If anything's gonna take him down it ain't gonna be sleeping, besides he's still 235 years old, in pretty good shape for a Wookie might I add."
The Wookie barked out, the closest translation being "That's damn right."
Padme stands there, trying to hide hopelessness from her face before continuing. It sure would be hard to handle these two scoundrels.
"I know it's unlikely, but people do die in their sleep due to natural causes. You might have been unlucky and really, there's no evidence saying otherwise."
Chewie was going to reply but realized he indeed had no evidence to back up his claim. He still felt like it wasn't possible he was dead. In fact, he felt more alive than ever, and there was a feeling deep inside of him that said he was right, but he figured arguing wouldn't lead anywhere at the moment. Though he wished his Human friend would know so too.
"It might be possible but not very probable. Wookies live like half a century or so..."
Chewbacca stood up and raised his hand, signaling for Han to stop talking. Han answered by giving him a confused glance.
"Wait, you think we are in an afterlife or not?" Padme asked him
Keeping his confused face Han replied "I'm just lost to be really honest with you."
Padme rolled her eyes, finally putting her pistol back to its holster. She gave them a small grin to imply they too could pick up their blasters.
"Okay, 'wherever' we are, we'll have to stick together to make it through whatever might happen." Padme said, facing the endless desert horizon. The sun blazed atop of them, and she could feel she'd get a few sunburns sooner or later unless they could find some cover soon. Deciding there was no time to waste, she started walking.
Han and Chewie looked at each other, then around, trying to see if there was a better path to follow but everything looked the same in that landscape.
"Are you coming or not?" Padme shouted, already a good distance away from them.
"Right behind you ma- Padme!" Han replied, taking the dust off his DL-44 and also putting it back to its holster.
"Now I know where Leia gets her initiative thinking from." He said. Chewie nodded as they followed, catching up with the woman ahead.
They walked for what seemed like hours, which probably was considering the sun was close to setting. They exchanged few words as they traveled the lifeless terrain, though Padme did get to learn how Chewie and Han met and a few of their earlier adventures. However, whenever the subject got close to mentioning either Luke or Leia, Han would quickly change it.
He still wasn't sure how to bring it up with Padme. Leia had told him about her real mother and how she'd died when she was born, and how strangely he had glimpses of how she was like when alive. After getting more insight into the Jedi when she trained with Luke she deduced those glimpses were due to the Force showing her memories passed on through her birth, though Han thought it was a bunch of nonsense.
Then again, he believed the Force itself was nonsense until he met a farm boy and an old hermit looking for a quick way off Tatooine, so he didn't doubt it that much.
As sunset drew nearer, and no apparent shelter or change in the desert appeared up ahead, they decided they'd spare whatever energy they'd left to go on in the morning.
They sat in a circle, with Padme intentionally staying a bit further away from Han and Chewie. They were standing together, but it didn't mean she completely trusted the two. She still had a question she wanted to make them, more specifically to Han.
"The first thing we gotta focus on is finding water. We're not gonna last long in here if we don't hydrate ourselves." Han explained to them.
Chewie growled, and Han agreed "You're right, we better leave a bit before dawn so we don't get too much of that scorching sun."
Padme gave a nod "It might be better if we keep a watch during the night. We don't know what could be out there. I can take the first hour."
"Are you sure? I can go first if you're-"
"I'm not that tired." It was a lie, but she needed some time for herself while conscious before she could rest "You boys can sleep for now."
Chewbacca didn't complain as he loudly yawned and laid on his back, immediately falling asleep. Han was going to object but he too felt like he'd spent the whole day carrying the Millenium Falcon around, and he needed to close his eyes. He laid down, resting his head on his arm as he drifted into sleep.
Making sure they wouldn't notice her, Padme turned around and grabbed the holodisc she'd woken up with in this place and projected an image of her. She analyzed it with wonder, confusion, awe, and concern. She felt alive, too alive actually. She hadn't felt full of will and life like that in a long time, considering the constant stress she'd been feeling in the last months with politics, the war, and most of all, her personal life.
Her stomach wasn't big as it had been for the past nine months, instead being fit as it usually had been. She remembered having to conceal her pregnancy from everyone she knew so she could not endanger him and their positions within the Jedi Order and the Senate, respectively. She remembered the joy, love, and relief she'd felt when she saw him coming back from rescuing the Chancellor, and sharing the news of their child with him. The worry as he told her about his dream and his desperate reaction to it.
The dread as she saw him becoming someone she couldn't recognize anymore and the dark deeds he'd committed. The sadness that came with the realization that he was gone, and whoever she'd found on Mustafar was a completely different entity.
And finally, the small glimmer of hope as she found out she had given birth to twins, and for the briefest moment before her death, how their presence felt pure and bright with light, and how at that exact moment another light shimmered far away.
And that's how she knew, in her last breath, that there was still good in him.
Tears ran down her cheeks as the memories flashed in her mind, the flux of emotions overwhelming her senses. She gathered herself back together, turning off the holodisc and staring at the horizon, trying to empty her head. But the more she tried, the more it stuck on one question...
"It's been an hour."
She almost sprung up scared, but quickly recomposed her posture. Wiping the tears away, she remained with her back facing Han, who was now afraid he'd disturbed a moment of thought from Padme.
"You can go to sleep, ya know, I'll keep watch now and then I'll wake Chewie u-"
"How is she?"
Han knew who she was asking about but still wasn't sure if he was ready to talk about it.
"I'm sorry, who?"
"My daughter." She turned her head to look at Han "Leia, isn't it?"
Han nodded, thinking "Screw it, was gonna have to address it sometime anyway."
Padme smiled "Tell me about her."
Han sighed and sat beside Padme, noticing the tear trails across her cheeks. Choosing not to point them out, he thought carefully about how to answer her. Deep down, there weren't enough words invented to describe Leia.
"She's something out of this world. She's smart, fierce and headstrong, but above all she's compassionate. She has a heart bigger than the entire Galaxy, and even then she can seem like the most dangerous thing you could ever come across."
Padme chuckled at the last remark, getting Han to smile fondly as he remembered the good times.
"She's disciplined, but never let it hold her back from showing some temper, mostly because she always feels like she has to prove herself. I've told her she doesn't have to, but honestly, that's exactly what makes her so remarkable. She's selfless and really a symbol of hope and light. Her will is unbreakable, I think that's why I fell in love with her."
As he spoke, Padme could feel the tears forming in the back of her eyes, but she didn't care about hiding them anymore. Just hearing about her daughter brought her a feeling of accomplishment and proudness like no other.
"A Princess and a Smuggler, who'd have thought." Han scoffed, playing with his fingers "She really is my home."
"Princess?" Padme asked.
"After you were..." He paused to think of the best way to address it "Gone, she was adopted by the Royal House of Alderaan. Breha and Bail Organa, if I'm not wrong."
Padme let a sob escape unintentionally "Bail, loyal to the end." She looked up, staring at the star-filled sky above "Thank you."
She then turned to face Han "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."
Han gave a smile in return "I do. I may look like another scoundrel, but I do."
Wiping the last tears away, Padme got up and laid down to the spot she'd chosen to sleep in. As she rested her head over her hands, she noticed something different next to her.
A small flower. Tiny and fragile, but standing and full of life. Probably the only colored thing within this infinite desert landscape.
"A symbol of hope." Padme murmured, before closing her eyes and peacefully falling asleep.
There you go! I wanted to tackle the idea of what Padme would think of her children had she somehow lived and witnessed the events of the OT, and this chapter was the perfect opportunity to explore this idea. Don't worry, there will be a reaction of hers concerning Luke too.
It also is a good way to build up the interactions between Han and Padme. I mean, who wouldn't want to have Han Solo as their son-in-law? I hope you guys enjoy their interactions going forward.
Now, for the reviews:
TaitanoRules555: Indeed you're right! Dooku and Kylo share a lot of similarities if you think about it, and I thought the pairing would be quite effective for a detailed character study and dynamic. I hope you like what I have in store for them ;)
Once again, if you want to leave your ideas, criticisms or any questions, leave a review or PM me!
Thank you all for the support and patience you've been giving me, and as always:
May the Force be with you.
Always.
