It is a dark time in the Galaxy. Emboldened by shadowy forces the HUTT FREE ECONOMIC ZONE is aggressively expanding, bringing slavery and oppression to the free peoples of the Galaxy. On the conquered world of Exchalal an embattled and desperate resistance movement prays for a miracle.
She opened her eyes. What had happened? She had embraced oblivion, welcomed it and now? She was alive, floating in the lake by the shore where a universe away he had let her go. Righting herself she struggled to the shore. As she lay there panting, she realised what she had to do. Exchalal was under control of the Hutts and the Republic would be coming apart at the seams. Never mind. She would find him. He existed here too, after all.
She stood up and shivered. A light dressing gown over hospital wear was not sufficient for a brisk stroll by the lakeside on a chill morning while soaked. Fortunately the lake house was not far. Stumbling and shaking she began to make her way there.
She had enjoyed walking round the lakes when she was younger. She would go on long walks, composing imaginary addresses to the Galactic Senate when she was younger, moving on to actual debate topics and other talks as she grew up. Of course back then she had had shoes and clothing, a jacket if it was snowing. It was much harder, when freezing and barefoot. Still, it was only a little further.
Rounding the small bluff she was confronted with a crater where the house should be. She could see it already was being colonised by various local plants but the house was gone, obliterated. There were no other scars visible so it had been a deliberate shot. Why?
To hurt her. But why? On the strange off chance her former master dragged her to this world? Had that been his plan? She looked over her shoulder, hoping against hope to see the ship that had inadvertently abandoned her here. That ship was however another universe away, she was all alone.
She sank to her knees. She was tired, cold and alone. Tears ran down her face as she screamed at the injustice of it all. Was this some sick joke on behalf of the universe? Just another torment? Hadn't she had enough already?
Padme screamed and sobbed in frustration. Unnoticed by her, small ripples in the ground spread out from where she lay.
Karan was startled awake by the beeping from the sensor display. He stared blearily at the display. It did not make any sense. He watched it for a while hoping it would conveniently go away. It didn't.
"Laina!" he yelled. Soon a tired woman wandered over to look at the screen.
"What is it?" she said.
"Seismic trace. I would say the symps are doing another sweep, but it's odd. Too irregular, and it's not moving. Damn strange." said Karan.
Laina starred at the screen. "What could be doing that?" she said.
Karan shrugged. 'Big laruk head-butting a tree? But they don't live here. If it's a walker then the pilot's being damn weird. It would almost be like they were trying to get our attention."
"Well, they have that." Laina said as she wandered aver to a recumbent form and gave them a gentle prod with her boot. "Borric! Wake up. We're going on patrol."
The man named Borric stirred. "Good morning to you too. What's so important? Can't it wait till after I wake up and have breakfast?" he said.
"No, because it may be gone by then. Get moving!" said Laina.
Borric got up, shifted the clothes he had been sleeping in and gave Laina a mock salute before grabbing his blaster. He grumbled as they left.
"Be quiet." hissed Laina.
"Don't see why not. Could play a drum and still sneak up on a walker." said Borric.
It was a short hike to what was still called 'The Old Lakehouse'. It was of course a crater now, but at least it had stopped smoking. No-one knew why the Hutts had singled out the local aristos. It wasn't like they were particularly active in opposing the occupation while not being symps. Maybe they were just the ones to be made examples of. Even so, why them? Surely being nearer a major city would of been better to serve as an example.
Laina scanned the area from a nearby ridge. No walker and definitely no laruk. There was nothing, wait what was that, a splash of green and white. Twitching. She focused, it was a person.
"Come on." she said to Borric.
The pair of them approached the crater. A young woman lay where she had collapsed. Lightly dressed, she was in danger of dying from exposure. Borric bent down and wrinkled his nose.
"Bacta? Hospital gown? Royal Naboo Hospital?" he said as he read the insignia on the woman's clothing. She was thin, malnourished and the recent medical treatment had not totally erased the scars visible on her legs and arms. "Who are you?" he added as he lifted her up.
"What are you doing?" said Laina.
Borric shifted his weight and began walking back. "Taking her back to camp. Or do you want her to die out here?"
"What if it's a trap?" said Laina following and scanning the area for an ambush.
"Damn weirdest trap I ever saw. Let's take a risk." said Borric.
Slowly, they returned to their camp.
"Who is she?"
"What was she doing there?"
"It's like she fell out of an ambulance."
"That makes no sense."
"Who is she? Look, she's waking up."
Padme awoke from the strangest dream yet. Her memories were a bit fuzzy, she was somewhere, different. Where was she? The lighting was reminiscent of The Palace, but quieter. No screams or sobbing as was usual in the slave quarters. The room also seemed familiar, half remembered. It was then that she noticed the people, two humans, dressed like mercs. Instinctively she shrank away from them.
"Hey, don't be scared. We just want to ask you some questions." said one.
Fine. Whatever. She sat up and moved away from them squeezing into the corner and pulling the covers up around her.
"What would you like to know?" she said playing along. The longer they were talking the better.
"Well, for a start a name would be great. Then some clue as to how you ended up at the Old Lakehouse." said the first merc.
"Yeah, we can't go round calling you 'that mystery woman'" said the other. "Oh, where are my manners? Would you like some food?"
The Old Lakehouse? What was going on? Also, their accents were familiar. What was going on? She settled on nodding.
"Yes, I am hungry. Where, where am I?" she said.
The second merc ran off. The other crouched down so he didn't loom over her.
"Okay, it's obvious you don't trust us. Can't say I blame you. I'm guessing you escaped. My name is Borric. You were, a pleasure slave?" said Borric.
Padme nodded. "I never gave them any. Not willingly."
Borric met her stare for a moment. "I believe you. We still need a name, even a fake one."
Padme remained silent.
"Okay. How about I tell you where we found you? In the Old Lakehouse crater by Lake Varykino. Your now safe, in some weird bunker the local aristos must of made."
Padme remembered the ruins she had discovered when she was ten. A buried underground complex, probably dating from a much earlier part of Naboo's history. She remembered walking through them, wondering who had built them and why. Something of that recognition must of registered on her face.
"You know about this place? That's, that's not possible. Who are you?" said Borric. He rose and left with a worried look.
"She knows of this place?"
"Don't ask me how but yes, she does."
"It's a trap."
"She's terrified of us. Some infiltrator."
"Could be carrying a tracker, and a bomb."
"What a nasty, suspicious mind you have."
"We're still alive, aren't we."
Karan returned with a steaming bowl and a spoon. He offered it to the mystery woman.
"Here, smeep stew. Fresh, this morning. Hunting laser half cooks them before they go into the pot." he said.
Smeep were small furry creatures that Padme had previously filed under cute and pet, not dinner. That was her old life though, she was hungry and took the bowl and sppon. Karan retreated to a chair and watched her eat.
"Old Borric says you were a slave but also that you're from here. They're all getting worried. Also, how did you set up that signal? They just found you in the crater."
The stranger paused to look fearfully over the bowl at him.
"You don't need to be scared of us. We're the resistance, we're going to kick the Hutts off our planet. Someday." Karan tried to remain hopeful, what had seemed like a glorious adventure had turned out to be long, cold, fearful nights with bad food.
"Varykino thanks you for your service." said the stranger.
A half remembered memory bubbled to the service. It was awards night for the Pathfinders. The local aristos had sent their daughter to make the presentations and give a speech. Karan remembers being bored. He had tuned out most of the speech until the end which meant they could stop standing and go have the food. That speech had ended with the same words and he swore, the same voice. His eyes widened.
"No." he said disbelievingly.
Before Karan could say anything else Talea walked in carrying her bag.
"Thank you Karan." she said as she unpacked a scanner and probe. "That means you leave the room now." she added with a sigh.
"But..." began Karan.
"No buts. Out." Talea said pointing.
As Karan left she turned back to her patient.
"Okay. My name is Doctor Talea. I'm going to just do a quick medical check. This, is a medscanner. Same as any across the Galaxy." she said holding up the boxy device. She then held up the probe. "And this is a medprobe. I'm betting you know all this but given what you've been through I figured we should go slowly with no surprises. I'm not here to hurt you but I do need to make sure you're okay and that there are no nasty surprises. You okay with that?"
Her patient nodded.
"Alright. Quick scan first. Will need you to lower your knees. Thank you. Got a name dear? Oh. Sorry. Tell us when you're ready then." Talea said as she ran the scanner over the patient. "Hmm, recent tank treatment. Hey I know that signature! You were at the Royal?"
Another nod.
"Did you escape from there? That would explain the hospital wear but not how you got halfway across Aureka with no transport. They removed something there, that's weird, looks like they took out your slave implant. Why would the symps do that? Turn your head please."
Talea continued the examination keeping up the one way conversation in an effort to draw her out.
"Do you have anyone? Family, friends?" she said.
"Anakin. Skywalker." said her patient reluctantly.
"Skywalker? That's, not local. Could you extend your left arm please?" said Talea. As the patient complied she ran the scanner over the limb. "Did, he help you escape?"
Another nod.
"So, where is he now?"
The patient snatched her arm back
"He's vanished! Gone! He left me all alone and it's all my fault!" said the patient curling up into a ball. Talea packed the equipment.
"I know this must be terrible for you but believe me when I tell you we mean no harm." she said before sitting down to watch over her patient.
A few hours later Talea organised for Karan to keep an eye on the patient.
"Just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't harm herself." she advised.
"Why would she do that?" said Karan a little confused.
"Karan, just do it." said Talea.
Karan shrugged and sat down to watch the patient.
Padme peeked over her folded arms at the newcomer. It was the young man, Karan. She wondered what he had been looking forward to before she had ruined everything.
"Hey there. How are you feeling?" Karan said noticing her look up.
"I'm sorry." Padme said.
"For what? Escaping from the slugs? Everyone says they did horrible things to you. No shame in escaping." Karan said.
"No, for everything, the invasion..." began Padme.
Karan reached out a hand and Padme flinched away from it.
"It's not your fault. No matter how much you blame yourself, the invasion, the occupation, you being a slave is not your fault." said Karan.
Padme shook her head.
"No. It is all my fault. I ran left instead of right. Then, they captured me." Padme said.
"Well, that is not your fault either. Please believe me. What was done to you was horrific. Something no one should endure, but you did not deserve it. You were not being punished. It is not your fault that they caught you."
"What if it was though?" said Padme.
Karan sighed. How could he convince her that she was a victim of the occupation. She was an aristo, some of them did take their responsibilities seriously. Clearly, she believed that she had failed her society by being physically unable to stop the invaders. Half remembered lessons from what seemed a lifetime ago came to mind. Find out what the patient believes.
"Very well. Can you tell me what happened? Why is it all your fault?" he said.
Padme just stared.
"You will not believe me." she said.
"You don't know that. Trust me. Why is everything your fault?" said Karan.
Padme looked into Karan's eyes.
"You don't want to hear this." she said.
"Probably not, but you do need to tell someone. It's the first step."
Karan held out his hand palm up. Padme stared at it like it contained a grenade. He was right she decided eventually. She had to trust someone. She began her tale.
"Very well. There was an accident, we had to divert to Tatooine. We went into the local settlement to find help and we were attacked. I got separated from the others and..."