Okay, getting ever closer to the end. One more mini-arc to go after this one. This one will start the path to resolving a long-lingering loose end. Hope you're still enjoying the story.
THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW:
THE BLACK QUEEN
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: ACE IN THE HOLE
One year had passed since my family's deaths and desecration.
Another year in the reign of the Black Queen.
Naboo had fallen even further under Imperial control, and the Black Queen's throne was secure. The Naberrie' family name had indeed been erased from history, and with it all truth of my actions in life. Now all that remained was the altered version of events, which portrayed me as an inspiration for the much feared and despised Black Queen.
However, there were two members of family left.
Another day in court at the Theed Royal Palace…
"Before we begin the main order of business, are there any matters which need my attention?"
I spoke, calmly but with a low voice that emanated steel.
Two figures stepped forward. One was a male Imperial officer, under the command of the Royal Inquisitor-Sabe' once again stood in the costume, standing ominously by my side. Ever-silent, ever-watchful. The officer gulped upon seeing her, then began his report.
"We have turned over every rock we can think of in our hunt for the Officer Academy Fugitive, Ryoo Nab…Amidala" he began, correcting himself, before he spoke the blacklisted name. "She has been on the run for a year, and her sister reports no attempts have been made to contact her. She is likely to have fallen in with the Resistance if she has not been found by now, so I believe that I should pass this up to the Royal Inquisitor for her personal attention. I have a file right here on this datapad, Royal Inquisitor. With your permission, Your Majesty?" he looked to me for approval. I nodded, and he handed the datapad to the Royal Inquisitor.
"Report on the fugitive" the Royal Inquisitor ordered.
"Ryoo Amidala. Current age is Sixteen Galactic Standard Years Old. Former student at the Imperial Officer's Academy, was in their care following the deaths of her parents along with her sister Pooja. Defiant student-notable record of disobedience across her time. Talented shot, noted as a potential prodigy with a sniper rifle. Can be considered a military trained threat if encountered as part of Resistance due to her Academy tenure." He remained silent upon finishing.
"Thank you, Officer, that will be all." The Royal Inquisitor replied. He saluted, then left the throne room, looking grateful that he had made it out intact-he probably thought that we hadn't noticed. In truth, all of the Angels had noticed too.
The second person stepped forward-another officer. This one was a female redhead, ber hair tucked neatly under her Officer's cap. Her face was gaunt and skull-like.
"Preparations for the Imperial Orphanage have been completed. If I may, your Majesty, I'd like to report the purpose of the establishment." She was trying to use confidence to mask her nerves. I simply waved a gloved hand, and she swallowed before beginning her report.
"The Imperial Orphanage is ready to open its doors, and will forcibly accept all children of citizens executed under the laws of the Imperial reign of Her Majesty the Queen. It will keep these children of dissidents secure and separated from the rest of the citizenry, educating them in how to act according to our new society, where they will be re-introduced into society as loyal Imperial citizens. A secure rehabilitation centre, where orphaned children from terrorist backgrounds are given a second chance at becoming part of a glorious whole…" She was smiling at this declaration.
"And the true purpose of the Orphanage…Report on that." I replied, emotionlessly.
Her eyes turned steely, and she took a deep breath before looking directly at myself and the Inquisitor as we listened to her report.
"The Orphanage is merely a front, as was previously discussed. The facility beneath the Orphanage is ready, and is set up to produce Imperial assassins of the top grade from the orphans. They can then be conditioned and inserted into key positions, and used when needed. This should be a key strategic asset, especially after the first few assassins leave the Orphanage and take up their new identities. We can keep them on Naboo, or send them all over the Empire. Options are endless."
I nodded, however inside-inside the only part of me that was still my own (my mind)-I was very apprehensive about taking vulnerable youths and training them to covertly kill in the name of the Empire. It was truly insidious, and yet there was nothing I could do to stop it. Yet another layer of corruption on my beloved planet-kill the rebellious parents that were brave enough to fight for the Resistance, and then ensnare the children into fighting the very people that their parents were!? It was twisted…and suited the Emperor no problem. The worst part was that I knew that I would likely be using these assassins as the Black Queen. Yet another tool for the Empire to use…
"Excellent. Proceed with the plans…" I simply replied.
The day's court business went smoothly…
After the session, however, I returned to the private quarters. My Angels went with me. Sabe' accompanied as her Handmaiden self, the Royal Inquisitor vanishing into the shadows of the palace. A veiled threat, ready to be summoned at a moment's notice…the fact that nobody knew precisely where she was at some moments only added to her malevolent aura. It also sowed terror into the hearts of the populace, if the reports of informants were anything to go by.
Within the secure confines of the Black Queen's private quarters, I received the message that brought me to the next stage of my downward spiral. A flashing light indicated a priority one message, heavily scrambled. Meant only for the Royal Inquisitor herself…
"PRIORITY ONE FROM SOURCE OMEGA"
I tapped in a command into the comm device to begin work on unscrambling the message. Inside, my heart was pounding. The Royal Inquisitor had a network of informants, given a variety of codenames. The name alone did not jog my memory as to who this was, nor where they had been inserted. Some had been inserted into various locations on Naboo, to ensure that things were going the right way as dictated by the Black Queen. Others were in other establishments, sleeper agents ready to be activated at the opportune time.
The message unscrambled after a few moments, to reveal a coded message.
"RESISTANCE READY TO ACT. PREPARING TO RETRIEVE ASSET NUMBER ONE, DISPLACE THE ENEMY AND RESTORE WHAT WAS LOST. FUGITIVE ASSET WILL BE ON MISSION. MISSION SET TO HAPPEN TONIGHT."
It wasn't hard to decipher the meaning of this message. It was from the key Imperial spy within the Resistance-a well placed agent that had been able to pass out all manner of Resistance secrets. She had ensured that many operations had been scuppered and that many operatives had been captured (and therefore executed). She would need to be extracted soon-they were likely to be on the verge of learning her true allegiances. Still, if this was what I suspected-and feared-it to be, then it would be a major blow to the Resistance if this plan was foiled-perhaps even the beginning of the end…
To go through the message bit by bit, I knew that asset number one could only be Queen Apailana, who was still under Imperial house arrest and had been for a few years. She was a high value target for rescue for the Resistance, as she could rally the people of Naboo to rise up against the Empire against the Black Queen. A rescue attempt could pave the way to a full-scale uprising and a restoration of her place on the throne-which would fit the line 'restore what was lost'. It was all too clear what this Resistance plan was…but the last part of it was the most disturbing part.
"Fugitive asset will be on mission."
That had to mean Ryoo. My niece had joined the Resistance. My heart would have swelled with pride, but instead it filled with dread as I realised the situation that she was in. My own niece had put herself into the crosshairs of an enemy that would not hesitate to use her own aunt to kill her…the thought horrified me and yet I had to concede that it was completely possible. But what part in this operation would Ryoo have? She had been on the run for a year…had they sheltered her all this time? No doubt she had joined because of her parents…and it must have killed her emotionally to have left Pooja behind. Was that a sign that Pooja had been seen as a lost cause for Ryoo, too deeply indoctrinated by Imperial propaganda? Or was Ryoo planning to simply come back for Pooja later? If it was the latter, it would provide an ample opportunity for a trap. I could only hope that I would not be forced to do this course of action…
But I had to face reality…tonight, Ryoo Naberrie' would be taking part in a mission to liberate the Queen of Naboo. And there was nothing they could do to stop what was coming…
As ever, I knelt before the secret holographic messaging projector to commune with the Emperor, and to relay the intelligence gained. My heart shattered when I heard his orders, after delivering my report. I was not surprised by the orders, however-I knew better than that by now.
"Hmm…this could be an ideal opportunity to deal a fatal blow to the Resistance. So, my plaything…play along with the scheme. Let it get to the right position…then wipe them out. All of them…"
My niece Ryoo…soon to join her parents in death it seemed.
And there was nothing in the name of Shiraya I could do to stop it…
