Penultimate part, I believe. I'm not too sure about this one. Maybe I'm burnt out-what do you reckon?
Anyway, one more part to go and then I might take a break before the next story in the saga.
Those who have commented, thank you. Keep them coming...
THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW:
THE BLACK QUEEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: THE QUEEN IS DEAD
The plan was executed with a deadly simplicity.
In my guise as the Royal Inquisitor, I met up with Omega Source. It was a risk, but with a curfew recently installed (a year back), and rigidly defended by an army of Stormtroopers, there was little chance of being overheard. The Royal Inquisitor also had quite the air of fear and hatred among the populace, meaning that few desired to even meet her helmeted gaze, let alone spend any period of time in her sinister presence. All of this also meant that nobody heard what was about to happen…
"Is all prepared, Omega?" I asked, my harsh metallic voice changer disguising my normal tones.
Omega nodded.
"The assassin is ready, and is also willing. It wasn't too difficult to find a good sniper for this mission. I can give her the equipment when it is time, and the rifle should operate as designated by the plan. The various Resistance cells are already in position for their part of the operation, which is an organised tactical coup once the Black Queen is confirmed dead. At which point, my part of the mission is complete…" she concluded.
"And you shall enjoy a long and successful career at the ISB. Good work, Omega. Now, hand over the information that I need, and we can finally close the trap on this resistance…" I told her, holding out my leather gloved hand.
The mole within the Resistance handed over a datapad, and I retreated back into the shadows, to allow Omega Source time to escape. As she vanished into the darkness, I thought over the plan that I was powerless to resist. The audacity was off the scale, but it would undoubtedly lead to the end of all resistance on Naboo. I also spared a thought for the assassin that had been designated as my would-be killer. I knew who it would be…I could only hope that I was wrong.
Freedom would become just a word-utterly devoid of meaning.
The plan was to take place a few days later. It was the anniversary of the Black Queen's coronation, and she-that is, I-was to make a speech from the balcony of the Theed Royal Palace. The plan was quite insidious…and would be the death knell for freedom on Naboo.
The Resistance was to assassinate the Black Queen.
A sniper was positioned in a nearby nest, ready to take her moment and score the shot that would lead to a Resistance plan to take back Theed, and with it hopefully set the ball rolling on a planetwide revolution that would see the planet throw off the shackles of its Imperial oppressors and put power back into the hands of the people of Naboo. It was a cause that many would fight and die for-a worthy cause, a good day to die some might say. Few could know that they were being instead led to the slaughter…that this was the final play in a demented game that nobody even realised that they were playing, let alone that they had already lost.
And in the pit of my stomach, I knew who the designated sniper would be. Of course, it had to be Ryoo. The last time we had met had confirmed to me that if she was offered a shot at the Black Queen, she would take it. And now, Palpatine (through Omega Source, as well as myself) had given her that shot as part of his deadly game. She was completely and utterly doomed…that much was clear. As was the resistance as a whole.
I felt my heart tearing with pain and sorrow as I walked up to the balcony. Once again in my regalia as the Black Queen, long black dress and suitable mask that covered my face. Flanked by my Shadow Angels in their handmaiden outfits, I was ready to take my position…
The worst part of it was that I knew that the shot would not kill me.
If the shot were to kill me, that would be setting me free at this point. And there was absolutely NO WAY that the Emperor would ever allow me that luxury at this point, not when there was so much more death and despair that he could force me to spread throughout the galaxy.
"People of Naboo…" I began my speech.
I never got any further than that.
A blaster bolt from a sniper rifle rang through the air, striking me in the masked head. I felt a very nasty headache, but I knew that I would survive due to the rifle supplied by Omega Source. It was deliberately underpowered, so the sniper would not be able to kill me. Even so, the shot was painful and very convincing. I collapsed onto the ground, forced to pantomime death throes…
The serum stopped my body completely, giving the impression of a death. Sabe', in her hooded handmaiden robes, leaned over and injected me with a shot of a drug that would combine with the serum to give the impression of death. It would put me out for several hours-completely unnecessary, but nonetheless used-probably another means of torture.
My world faded to black…
A few hours later, I woke up in a secret room deep beneath the palace.
I felt a shiver of revulsion as I saw the one occupant of the room with me.
The Emperor himself.
"Hello, my servant…welcome to the rest of your life."
There was a knot in my stomach, and I felt a shudder of terror as I considered what was about to happen. The plan had been successful…if the Emperor was here, it had no doubt come to fruition. But what the hell was he doing here…? Had he been on his way all this time, timing his arrival secretly so that he could extract me from the planet with nobody being any the wiser?
I looked down, and saw that I was now clad in a basic Imperial jumpsuit, accompanied by a standard pair of black boots and gloves. I wanted to touch my face, to make sure that it was not covered with a mask, but my conditioning forbade it. In any case, the Emperor seemed to sense my thoughts.
"You are no longer clad in your Black Queen regalia, my slave…but you may speak freely." The Emperor informed me. Upon hearing this, my reply was simple. "Why?"
The Emperor cackled.
"Because you will soon be required to attend a special session in the Throne Room. The Royal Inquisitor will be addressing the planet. Sabe' will be taking her permanent place as the Royal Inquisitor, and you will be taking her place as handmaiden for the moment. And, believe me, my servant…you will not want to miss this session."
His evil smile told of nothing but malice.
Not long after, I stood wearing a mask, black gloves and boots, and the black handmaiden robes of the Black Queen's handmaidens, accompanied by the other Shadow Angels. Their heads were bowed, so I was forced to do the same by my serum and the Emperor's will. I was forcibly silenced by the same powers-I was to be an observer to these events, but not an active participant.
The Royal Inquisitor strode forward, her cape swishing in the night air. She walked out onto the balcony, where a number of Scout Troopers stood with sniper rifles ready…just in case. I took my position behind the Royal Inquisitor, as she spoke her address to the people. This time, nothing would happen…
"People of Naboo…I, the Royal Inquisitor, address you with grim tidings…"
She paused, to allow time for the tension to build.
"The Black Queen is dead."
There were gasps of shock from the crowd-some were in utter disbelief. There had been a persistent belief that the Black Queen was some horror from beyond, that it wasn't possible for her to die. Some had been praying to Shiraya that this day would come, but had never actually believed that it would. Needless to say, everybody was having trouble taking this news…
"It will therefore be necessary for me, as her closest confidante, to take over and act as Regent on this planet until the next ruler can be chosen to rule. While that will take some time, and there will be a customary period of mourning, I can reveal that the assassin responsible has been apprehended and will be subjected to the new Queen's judgement upon her coronation. As for the rest of the Resistance, I will personally see to it that they are all summarily executed. The important thing is that thanks to a loyal Imperial agent within the Resistance, we were able to expose and apprehend every last Resistance fighter on Naboo. The Resistance on Naboo is at an end!"
There was a cheer at this. I felt sick…
The regime on Naboo had turned from idyllic to dystopian as it had transformed from a valued world in the Republic to another world within the iron grip of the Empire. I had dragged my home planet into this nightmare…and they were cheering it! How could this have happened…?
I also wondered who the next Queen would be…who could possibly replace the nightmare figure that had been the Black Queen? And what would be my niece Ryoo's fate? Could Pooja ever be brought back from her loyalty to the Empire?
And what was to be my fate going forward?
