Part 8
Leia says, "Senator… I mean Padme, can I get a picture of you quickly, to send to Naboo's current Senator, so she can find you easier in the soon to be massive crowd?"
Padme explains to Leia, "Where I was, hidden in the far Outer Rim, it was hard to get info on the New Republic. Who is the Senator for Naboo? I got a partly corrupted holonet broadcast that said the Senator's name started with P, but the transmission was corrupted after that point, and by the time the static ended, the broadcast was over."
"The Senator is your niece, and my cousin, Pooja Naberrie." Padme's jaw drops. Never had she thought that her little niece would have become the New Republic Senator, after all the attempts on her life as an Imperial Senator for Naboo.
"Sure. I'd love to see her again. It's hard to believe you two are all grown up. I still remember seeing her during the Clone Wars, just after First Genoisis. Maybe we should swap stories at some point." Leia takes a picture with her comlink, and sends it to Pooja. Pooja sends a reply, saying thanks. Now that all the tables and place setting are done, the entry doors open up and a bunch of Senators file in. Leia shows Han, Chewbacca, Ahsoka, Padme and a bunch of other people where to sit. The dinner begins peacefully, as everyone digs in to their first course. Everyone is dining peacefully, with Leia giving formal dining tips to Anakin, Ahsoka and Luke through the Force and reminding Han and Chewbacca by signaling them to dine appropriately.
Then, Leia and Anakin get a funny feeling in the Force. Leia sends a message to Anakin through the Force.
I felt something funny in the Force. I mean the the 'there might be something bad happening' vibe. I can't figure out any more then that, do you know anything?
Anakin sends a message back, through the Force, I felt it too.
Luke replies, Nope, didn't sense anything.
Ahsoka replies, Yep, I sensed that as well.
Leia replies, What should we do? The force isn't giving us any other clues.
Anakin and Luke send back, Let's just stay alert and deal with it when it comes. Leia, listen to the Force to see if you sense more danger or anymore clues.
Leia replies, Okay, sounds great.
Everyone keeps eating dinner peacefully, and Leia tries to hide her uncannily gut feelings that she knows are the Force speaking to her. She has known that even since Luke told her about her parentage on Endor, right before he went off to off the two Sith Lords. After the dinner part finishes, Mon Mothma starts the award ceremony for the Senate.
Mon Mothma is dressed in a fancy white dress at the podium, with the list of names in her hand, and the medals in a box. The screen displays an images collage of many of the Alliance personnel who died. From Yavin 4 to Endor, and beyond, many died. Even using countless small images, hidden and stored over all the years of war, some names still weren't listed. Those names were remembered in people's hearts, just like the ones on the big screen.
Mon Mothma whistles into the microphone once to ensure it's working, then orates, "Tonight, at this celebration, we honor the memories of all the Alliance personnel who didn't make it. I will read off a few of those names tonight. May the Force be with us all, especially, Biggs Darklighter, Raymus Antilles, Jek Porkins and Jan Dodonna. To those who I don't mention, may the force be with you. We still remember you. Thank you."
Mon pauses for a second to honor the fallen Alliance personnel, then continues, "As for the medal recipients in the Senate, Third Place: Best Diplomatic Aid Mission since the end of the Imperial Senate, is Stacie Fung, for her mission. to Lona, in the Outer Rim's Darca Sector. Second Place, for the same award is, Ayyn'mesh, for her mission to Kalia in the Abrion Sector of the Inner Rim. And… First Place for this one… Is Pooja Naberrie, for her mission to the Sakua System, in the Dromea Sector of Wild Space!" The Senators came up on stage and got their medals handled to them by Mon Mothma. The reporters were snapping a lot of holophotos and taking a bunch of holovids for the Senate special edition of their news outlets.
"The next award tonight is Best Bill. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Senate award system, this one is awarded to a Senator or group of Senators who wrote the best bill. This past six months, there's been a lot of good bills, and I had to work with the Loyalist Committee to help me pick. Thank you to all those amazing Senators on that committee, you were a huge help to getting this one done in time, and keeping it secret. This one goes to Senator Ailyn Gunger, for her bill that creates a trade route tariff reduction for worlds that join a certain group. It's also known as Bill 54218 and can be located at the Senate Archives, should anyone want to examine it." The crowd cheers for Senator Gunger, as she accepts her medal. She smiles for the holo cams, then walks off the stage, back to her seat.
Mon continues, "The next award is: Craziest Mission conducted by a Senator at the time of the mission, with the person still alive to celebrate with us tonight, on this special night. I had to pick this one by myself, and it came down to these two missions: Geonosis or Scarif." The crowd looks confused, as they haven't been informed of Padme's survival. The screen changes to a overview of both of the missions, with a photo of Padme at the arena during the battle of Geonosis on the left, and Leia at Yavin 4, after the epic battle, on the right.
Mon continues, "Also, Senator Amidala is alive and with us ton-" The rest of her message is cut off by the crowd's cheers and claps. After five long minutes, the crowd's cheering dies down enough that Mon is able to continue speaking and not be drowned out by the cheering.
"To celebrate, we made this music video of Auld Lang Syne. Feel free to sing along as a welcome back message for Senator Amidala. Senator Amidala, please come on stage for the press to get some photos." Padme walks on stage and stands by Mon Mothma with a smile on her face. Embracing each other, the two then pose, smiling, and with an arm around each other.
The music starts, "Should old acquaintance be forgot. And never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot. And auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear. For auld lang syne. We'll take a cup of kindness yet. For auld lang syne." As images of Padme's career, from her time as Naboo's queen to Naboo Senator, to the Clone Wars, and somehow, a very few photos of her as an Intel Agent, hidden in the far Outer Rim, show up on the big screen, people start singing.
After the music is over, Mon says, "It was hard for me to pick this one. Both were very risky, but I eventually settled on Scarif. Leia had less backup and had to deal with a Grand Moff and a Sith Lord even more powerful then Dooku, as well as hide where she ended up hiding the Death Star plans. As her mentor, I couldn't have been prouder of her skills. Your highness, please come up to the stage." Leia walks up on stage, smiling. Mon places the small golden medal around her neck, then the two pose. The force then, without warning, sends Leia a message of danger. Leia puts her right hand on her training lightsaber, which is in a pocket on her dress. While it can deflect blaster bolts, it can't cut things, as a way of making it safer for Leia to learn to use a lightsaber with.