*A/N I do not own Star Wars, or any of its characters. I only own my original takes on characters and OCs. Story contains spoilers for the movies.

ARC 1: Attack of the Clones

It was an unusually cloudy day on Coruscant, the great capital planet that was best known as the planet that never sleeps.

Thick fog-like clouds encompassed the towering skyscrapers, making traffic even more unbearable than usual in the bustling city. Perhaps it was because of this but the Naboo ship that had been scheduled to arrive that afternoon was running late. However, this possibility did little to ease the nerves of the small group of people waiting on the edge of the oval landing platform outside the Naboo embassy building. There was far too much at risk and the chance that it was the weather causing the delay was too small in their minds to provide much comfort. The Naboo Senator was arriving on the ship and there had already been too many whispers of danger for anyone to feel anything but worry as they waited with growing impatience and strained eyes and ears for the smallest sign of the Senator's arrival.

At last, however, their patience was rewarded.

The small welcoming party straightened and a few relieved sighs were released as the familiar, sleek silver ship came into view from around one of the nearby buildings. Two bright yellow fighters flew in ahead of the Naboo cruiser, landing on the smaller pads to each side of the main landing zone where the cruiser was settling down onto.

Sabé Tsabin Lorennie's eyes drifted toward the yellow fighters, her eyes resting briefly on the slim and rather unusually short guard who was just disembarking from their fighter without removing their helmet while a familiar blue and white R2 unit slid down from the back. She moved her eyes swiftly over to the other fighter where the familiar figure of Captain Typho was also disembarking from his own fighter, before Sabé refocused her attention on the Naboo cruiser that had just landed safely in the center of the landing platform.

She watched with growing relief as the cruiser's ramp lowered, revealing a young woman dressed in a white robe with elegant black accents and her hair pulled back and up in a traditional Naboo headpiece. The woman was surrounded by guards dressed in the typical dark maroon Naboo uniforms and not far behind her was one other handmaiden dressed in a black, traditional Naboo hooded robe. Both women were being protected quite tightly by the guards as the apparent Senator made her way regally down the ramp and toward the welcoming party, her appearance flawless.

Beside her, Sabé felt Dormé relax minutely as it appeared they had all worried for nothing and the Senator had safely made it to Coruscant. Sabé was tempted to do the same but a sudden icy feeling washed over her that made her freeze. She had felt a similar feeling only once before, ten years ago to be precise. Her eyes lifted and flitted about the cloudy sky, her stomach tightening anxiously although she wasn't sure why.

Dormé sensed her friend's sudden tension and she glanced questioningly at her fellow handmaiden.

"What is it?" Dormé asked in a whisper low enough that they were certain no-one else could have heard.

Sabé was about to shake her head unsurely when suddenly, right before their eyes, there was a blinding flash of light before the Naboo cruiser exploded. Even from their relative distance, Sabé felt herself being thrown back by the hot air caused by the blast before she crashed in a painful heap on the tarmac.

A flaming piece of metal skid passed where she lay, brushing briefly against her hand where she had thrown it out in a vain attempt at catching herself before hitting the ground. Sabé grimaced at the pain, automatically jerking her hand away from the metal. She could feel the burn already but she ignored it for now - there was something far more important than her body.

Sabé quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position and, ignoring the ringing in her head from the explosion, she turned toward the burning cruiser ship. Her heart quickly sank at the sight that met her eyes.

The landing platform was now littered with burning ship debris and bodies. One of the guards' bodies was also alight with fire while a couple more were already only charred remains - they must have been the ones at the back, closest to the explosion, Sabé realized. But most importantly, Versé lay in a crumpled heap, her black-clad figure unmoving, and nearby was an equally singed and unmoving white-clad figure.

"Oh no." Sabé whispered.

Dormé, having also pushed herself up to face the scene, covered her mouth with her hands in horror while Sabé hurriedly got to her feet and ran toward her fallen comrades. The helmeted fighter pilot was doing the same from the other side of the landing platform and Captain Typho, weapons raised now in fierce defense, hurried to follow the short pilot.

They were closer to the blast site although they had been better shielded (having been to the side rather than in front of the explosion), so Sabé arrived after the pilot had fallen to her knees beside the mortally injured woman and removed her helmet. Long brown locks spilled out at the movement, falling to frame a delicately beautiful face - a face that looked eerily similar to Sabé's.

Sabé stopped behind Senator Padmé Amidala just as the young Senator pulled her white-clad decoy into her arms, gasping out, "Cordé."

Padmé's tone was pleading as she begged her handmaiden for something that Sabé saw at once was impossible. Versé was already dead and it was painfully obvious that Cordé did not have much longer left as Cordé's eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at Padmé's face with unfocused eyes.

"My lady..." Cordé whispered, her voice weak and failing fast. "I'm so sorry… I have failed you, Senator."

Padmé shook her head, although whether it was in denial of Cordé's words or fear for the decoy's life was uncertain.

"No-" Padmé began in a trembling voice, but it was too late.

Sabé lowered her head in mourning as Cordé's eyes slid shut and the tiny amount of tension left in her body fell limp. Dormé - who had arrived behind them - also lowered her head, hiding the tears that shone in her eyes at the loss of her friends. Padmé remained motionless, staring sorrowfully down into Cordé's bloodied and bruised face.

It was Captain Typho who interrupted their brief mourning as he came up beside Sabé and knelt down to gently touch Padmé's shoulder.

"My lady, you're still in danger here." He murmured anxiously.

The Captain's words were enough to shake Sabé and Dormé into action, and Sabé pulled out her own gun (which she had successfully managed to do without for ten years) protectively while Dormé moved to shield Padmé. When the young brunette didn't immediately move, still staring at her dead decoy's face, Dormé whispered, "My lady, we must move."

At last, Padmé let go of Cordé's body, gently placing her down before standing shakily up on her feet.

"I shouldn't have come back." Padmé whispered numbly.

"This vote is very important." Captain Typho refuted firmly. "You did your duty; Cordé did hers. Now come."

Padmé didn't move immediately and in the younger woman's stricken face, Sabé saw for a moment the lingering remains of the child that had existed even behind the face of the once Queen. Padmé was strong, few knew it quite as well as Sabé, the only one left of the inner circle from Padmé's time as Queen, did. But similarly, few knew better than Sabé did that Padmé was, at the end of the day, human. Despite the strict exterior she often exuded as Queen and now Senator, Padmé was a young woman with emotions greater than the range of a teaspoon and she had moments of vulnerability.

But now could not be such a time. And so, as much as she wished there could be another way, Sabé murmured softly, "My lady."

At her call, Padmé finally nodded. With one more long look at Cordé, Padmé at last turned and quickly followed Captain Typho as the Captain quickly took the Senator away from the landing platform. Sabé and Dormé were right behind them, covering Padmé's back while R2-D2 rolled along behind them.

At the droid's beeping, Sabé sighed.

"You're right, R2 - this is definitely not the way we pictured our return."

Ten years ago

Coruscant

The private landing platform was a hive of unexpected activity as the Nabooians who had arrived merely days earlier rushed about to prepare the Naboo cruiser for takeoff. Their stay in Coruscant had been far shorter than any of them had anticipated but the order had been given and a firm one it had been. The Queen was returning home. And returning to danger.

Because of this, Sabé was once again disguised as Queen Amidala with her face painted in the perfect mask as they approached the Naboo cruiser and her hair and body draped in regal cloth. Beside her, Rabé and Eirtaé flanked her while Padmé followed not far behind with the R2 unit that had saved the ship during their escape from Naboo rolling beside her. All four women had grim expressions, although Sabé's was mostly hidden beneath the heavy make-up and the carefully crafted neutral expression that Amidala usually wore, as they headed grimly into the unknown once more.

But what they had not expected was to be in for an early surprise when they walked out onto the landing platform.

Sabé noticed the familiar brunette head with a long, thin braid trailing down one shoulder immediately. Obi-Wan turned as soon as Sabé's eyes fell on him, as if sensing her gaze, and he straightened minutely at her arrival. With him turned the tall and broad figure of Qui-Gon Jinn and beside him the short blond boy who had come to the Queen's quarters a few days prior, looking for Padmé. Sabé saw the way Anakin perked up happily when he spotted Padmé amongst the Queen's handmaidens but she focused her attention back on Qui-Gon as the Jedi Master stepped up to greet her.

"Your Majesty, it is our pleasure to continue to serve and protect you." The Jedi Master's tone was as sincere as always.

In truth, Sabé was a bit surprised to see the Jedi again but she was certainly not going to pretend she wasn't relieved that they were going to continue to help protect their Queen. That said, she was careful to mute the true depth of her gratitude as she said in Amidala's controlled voice, "I welcome your help. Senator Palpatine fears that the Federation means to destroy me."

"I assure you I will not allow that to happen." Qui-Gon promised and despite herself, Sabé trusted the man.

This was the man who had come to rescue the Queen from Naboo, who had been pivotal in their successful escape, who had protected the Queen during their time on Tatooine (although he likely had no idea he had) and who had (no matter the asinine risk he had taken in doing so) won them the parts that they needed to leave Tatooine and reach Coruscant in the first place. If there was anyone Sabé would trust to protect the real Queen Amidala, it was this man. Well, this man and...

"Thank you, Master Jedi." Sabé said as she walked up the ramp into the ship. Before turning to walk further down toward the Queen's private quarters, however, she stopped to look at Qui-Gon and then Obi-Wan. "Thank you both."

Qui-Gon appraised her again but Obi-Wan just nodded and, in that kind voice Sabé had found unending comfort in, replied, "It is our honour, your highness, to see your safe return to Naboo."

Sabé wished to smile at him as she would have done if it was just them, alone in the dim lights as they had been several times while trapped on Tatooine. But she was Amidala now and could show no emotions and - more importantly - no weakness. So she kept her face extremely blank as she turned on her heel and continued to walk to the Queen's room.

It was only as the doors slid shut that Sabé inhaled deeply. Somehow, there was something very final about the sound and she suddenly had a feeling she wouldn't be back on Coruscant for a very long time. She could only hope that she would survive to make the trip again one day - and hope that the next time she did, it would be under much better circumstances.

Present

Sabé was just finished with unpacking Padmé's spare robes from storage and opening the newly purchased clothing to replace the ones that had been lost in the explosion, when said Senator returned to her quarters in a huff.

"May I venture a guess and say that the negotiations did not go well, then?" Sabé observed, watching as Padmé stalked over to the other side of her bed from where Sabé was unpacking.

"You would guess correctly." Padmé grumbled discontentedly, pacing up and down beside her bed. "I just don't understand how so many within the Senate can even consider a path that can only lead us to war. Further, they don't even seem to realize that that is what they are doing."

"They might." Sabé reasoned calmly even as she smoothed out a particularly gorgeous pastel yellow and pink dress that she had picked up for Padmé during her shopping spree. It was not a dress Padmé would likely wear as a Senator (it was too informal for meetings and too casual for official parties) but Sabé just knew it would suit her friend too well for her to pass up on the purchase. Perhaps Padmé could wear it casually when - or rather, if - she took a short vacation, like on one of the Naboo beaches.

"However," Sabé went on as she put the dress and her fond thoughts for it aside to focus back on Padmé. "Fear is a dangerous ally to those with ill intent. And the attack on your life earlier today probably did little to help convince those who are more conflicted about the vote than you are."

"Than we are." Padmé corrected sternly, glancing at Sabé. "We at least have to present a unified stand."

"Yes, yes, than we are." Sabé corrected with a faint hint of an amused smile. "I was merely referring to the fact that you are the one who ultimately votes."

"Sorry." Padmé sighed, finally ceasing in her pacing to look at her friend. "I'm just…"

"Irritated, frustrated, growing impatient?" Sabé supplied.

Padmé's lips twitched but she remained firm as she added, "And feeling like I'm still being treated like a child that needs to be protected."

Sabé paused in the middle of smoothing out a black dress to look at Padmé curiously.

Never had such a sentiment fallen from Padmé's lips prior to or since the Naboo battle. Despite the fact that back then she had indeed been a child, Padmé had always been the type to push past stereotypes. Rather than fight against or even deign to acknowledge the fact that some people tried to treat her like a little girl out of her depth, Padmé was always one to bend those who tried to put her into a gilded cage to her whim instead. She had only expressed similar discontent that one time when - in order to maintain her cover as a handmaiden and in the face of a battle none of them least of all a child Queen was prepared for - she had been forced to do what she liked least: hide.

But this was a very different situation: for one, Padmé was certainly no longer a child although admittedly young to be a Senator. She was by no means the youngest, however, and there were therefore very few who still thought of or treated her as a child. Nor did she need to hide this time. If anything, Padmé was being even more pushy than usual to be in the front line and have her voice heard - hence the escalated assassination attempt. And lastly, while the vote was extremely stressful and important, this was a political fight, something Padmé had trained almost her entire life for and which she was ready to engage in. It was not a war to free a captured planet.

So what had wound her up so badly this time?

"Padmé? Did something else happen? When you met the Chancellor, perhaps?" Sabé asked tentatively.

Padmé nodded curtly.

"Chancellor Palpatine felt that rather than addressing who was behind the attack and the Separtist movement, what we needed was to provide me with more protection."

Sabé was certain Padmé would have spat the last word if it had been within the controlled politician's ability to do something so undignified. At least now Sabé knew why Padmé was so upset. Ever since Sabé had known her, Padmé had hated wasting energy on her own protection and loathed having to ask people to place their lives on the line for her. Even when she had been Queen, the most powerful person she could be on all of Naboo, Padmé had only grudgingly given in to the idea of having a decoy because she knew that a planet needed it's Queen safe first and foremost. As a Senator, Padmé felt it was less and less necessary - creating a correspondingly increasing headache for her bodyguards. Sabé included.

"The Chancellor therefore asked the Jedi to assist Captain Typho."

Sabé started at Padmé's words.

"The Jedi?" She repeated in surprise and Padmé nodded.

"Master Windu and Master Yoda were in the room and they agreed with the Chancellor's idea that I should have yet one more guard." Padmé sighed.

Sabé meanwhile was still reeling from the news. It was unexpected and almost unorthodox - the Jedi were renowned for being keepers of the peace, not bodyguards or soldiers.

'Do they really think Padmé is in that much danger? And almost as importantly...'

"Who?" Sabé asked, admittedly weakly.

Padmé opened her mouth to respond but they were interrupted as the answer to Sabé's question came in the unexpected form of a very familiar and very excited Gungan voice.

"Senator Padmé! Mesa palos here!"

Obi-Wan. It was Obi-Wan, Sabé was certain. There was no way Jar Jar (or Representative Binks, as he was now known) would sound that excited if it were anyone other than the Jedi who was his friend. Padmé had immediately switched into friendly but still professional mode as she swept out of her room to greet their guest. Sabé however took one moment to take a deep breath and calm her nerves.

'It's okay. It's been ten years and you're no longer a silly sixteen year old girl who is in way above her head.' Sabé told herself as she exhaled deeply. 'He's just a good friend you haven't seen in a long time. You'll be okay.'

With that pep talk in mind, Sabé briskly walked out behind Padmé into the large sitting room. As she had expected, in the center of the room was Jar Jar Binks, beaming proudly as he announced the arrival of their guest. What was unexpected was that there were two guests instead of one and Sabé vaguely noted that the taller of the two had the short hair with a single long braid down the back that marked him a Padawan learner. But her foremost attention was instantly captured by the blond man who stood partially in front of the other. Wavy long blond hair framed a bearded face in an unfamiliar way but there was no way Sabé would ever mistake the piercing blue eyes that focused almost instantly on her as she entered and Sabé found herself staring right into the familiar gaze of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

'I am not going to be okay.'