Leia rubbed her eyes before pulling on a pair of pants and a top. She walked to the training room with her vibro-arbir blades in her hand. Padme was wearing a white top and pants which clung to her body and her hair was in a simple ponytail.
Once they were alone in the training room, Padme sat next to Leia on the floor and began to whisper to her.
"Your father was a force-wielder," Padme said. Leia knew this already but kept quiet. "He had no father – the midichlorians conceived him. That meant he was unbelievably powerful. You and your brother were force conceived as well – my bond with Anakin must have caused it. And that power has been passed on to you."
Leia's eyes widened.
"I know almost nothing about how to use the force. But when you jump and run when you fight – you are instinctively using it. The energy is bouncing off you and you are doing inhuman things. You must control it – meditate, fight and concentrate on it. But be careful. Attract too much attention, and people will be suspicious."
Leia nodded and stood up. She spun her staff in preparation for her exercise while Padme grabbed a training gun. She checked that the blaster contained stun bolts and loaded it before pointing it at Leia who was holding two blades.
Padme pulled the trigger and Leia blocked it. She pulled it again, this time pointing it at Leia's leg. Leia jumped out of the way with a handspring before combining her blades into a staff.
Padme pulled the trigger twice. Leia blocked one in time but couldn't meet her staff to the second. She instinctively put her hand out in front of her as the stun blast came racing to her. The yellow bolt quivered in the air before her hand. Padme looked and smiled at this. Leia had a triumphant smile on her face as she deflected the bolt and sent it racing at a wall where it was absorbed.
"That is what we are looking for. Did you feel the energy?"
Leia nodded and spun her staff as Padme fired again.
Padme woke up early and headed to the handmaiden's chambers which were right next to the Queen's room. Sabé was waiting for her outside.
"I don't like this," Sabé muttered as they walked to the library.
"Trust me," Padme replied as they reached a visual table. Sabé tapped in the royal code which granted them access to every file. The library was deserted, except for the guards that stood at the entrance.
Padme scrolled through to the forbidden section where any Jedi records were kept. The officers of the Empire were going from planet to planet to collect and destroy them. They were scheduled to come to Naboo soon, but Padme needed something.
She bit her lip as she searched further. She found records of diplomatic meetings until she reached the training material. The Jedi had released basic force-training holograms for younglings who were thinking of joining the Order. Padme tapped a few buttons before collecting a chip which popped out from the table.
"Let's go," Sabé said as they walked out of the library, Padme concealing the chip between her thick senatorial robes.
Padme left Luke and Leia in the training room, giving a secretive wink to Leia as she passed the chip to her. Leia nodded before walking to Red who led her into the hologram room. He looked around cautiously before shutting and locking the door behind him.
Padme walked up the ramp of the Naboo cruiser as they set off to Coruscant for another senatorial meeting. She sighed as the stars turned into bright streaks as they shot off into hyperspace. Padme was tired about the meetings. She was no longer a senator – her period had ended long ago. But she had been allocated as advisor – the Queen admired her resolve and the current senator would always listen to her advice.
Today's meeting concerned airspace control – nothing too important so Padme was free to let her mind wander. She sat beside the Naboo senator in their pod as the Senate began to fill. Languages from all over the galaxy began to grow louder. Padme chuckled as she heard the Wookies. She loved their language.
As soon as the senate was filled, the Chancellor's pod rose from the centre of the room. Padme corrected herself. The Emperor's pod.
He was still scarred, but his eyes were still sharp and chilling as they looked around the Senate. A hooded figure was standing beside him – Padme couldn't see the person's face. The Emperor motioned for the Senators to sit as he stepped towards the microphones.
"Greetings senators. Today will not be such a long meeting – it only concerns airspace in the Inner Rim and its trade routes to the other regions. There will be some brief notices on the ongoing democratisation of the planets."
Padme rolled his eyes at his use of the word "democratisation." Democracy had died long ago. What the Emperor meant was the visits from the troopers who marched through the planets, raiding homes and occasionally dragging people back to their ships.
The Emperor detailed some airspace regulations as representatives from those planets came forth to propose new strategies. Padme's attention was focused on the man standing beside Emperor Palpatine. Padme had guessed it was a man – the figure was broad-shouldered, and his left hand looked coarse. His right was covered by a glove.
As the airspace dispute was resolved and the names of the planets that would be "cleansed" the next day were released, including Naboo, the Emperor brought forth the hooded man beside him.
"This is Anakin – he will be accompanying some of the searches. He is a valuable member of this Empire – he was once a Jedi trainee before he realised their treachery and reported it to me."
Padme froze in shock. This was not her Ani.
Anakin pulled down his hood and looked around the Senate. Padme tapped a few buttons on the screen in front of her to gain access to one of the cameras floating in front of the Emperor's pod. She gasped before holding her gloved hand to her mouth. Tears stabbed the corners of her eyes as she fell back into her seat. The other people in the pod looked at her in worry.
"Anakin," she whispered, before the world in front of her eyes began to spin and her head hit the padded back of the chair.
Leia looked at her mother in worry. She was still in her training clothes which were drenched with sweat. She had been sitting in a chair next to Padme's bed for the last half-hour. Padme's eyes fluttered open as she groaned and sat up. Her hair was messy with loose curls falling out of her headpiece. Leia muttered a quiet thanks as she helped her mother lean on the head of the bed.
"How long was I out for?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes.
"Only for the journey back and about 30 minutes after that. The meeting finished right after you passed out." Leia said. "What happened? You've never passed out at senatorial meetings."
"I'll tell you later," Padme said as she saw the handmaidens enter the room before the Queen followed.
"It is good to see that you are alright," the Queen said. She motioned for the handmaidens to leave the room as she sat in the chair next to Leia.
"Réillata," Padme said. She almost never called the Queen by only her name, but today was an exception. "We have a problem."
The Queen motioned for her to continue as Padme explained how she saw Anakin at the senatorial meeting.
"I knew something was wrong all along. I just…" Padme sank back and wiped her tears away.
"Do not worry. When he comes to Naboo, I will make sure that he sees you. Tomorrow, my handmaidens will take you to my quarters and you will dress appropriately – the more familiar you look the better."
Padme nodded in thanks as the Queen's long, red robe disappeared around the corner of the door.
