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It is over. In a good way, I mean. Padmé returned with the Jedi and gained the support of the Gungans. Great battles were fought and many humans and Gungans died, but we are free of the Trade Federation. And Senator Palpatine has been elected Supreme Chancellor of the Republic! So many exciting things have happened, and yet I am not able to feel that any more than I feel grief for Zac's death.
The Jedi have come here to honor Master Jinn, who also fell in the battle. I suspect they will also be dealing with the other Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the small boy, Anakin Skywalker. Padmé has not said much, but I gather from what she has said that there is something special about the boy, but that there are conflicting opinions about him.
The important thing, though, is that our planet is once again free.
I suppose I should explain more about the battle before I forget. Mostly, it is all a blur to me, as is everything that has happened since Zac died.
There were more executions and we heard that the Gungans had been attacked in their underwater cities and exterminated. That last bit, at least, was propaganda, since many of the Gungans escaped and proved to be our salvation.
Governor Bibble and the other Council members evidently had to watch more executions, but Yané and I were simply placed under house arrest, with battle-droids guarding our rooms.
Apparently, the Neimodians forgot about us.
We spent a couple days like that, trying to gain information in any way we could–usually by watching the courtyards from our window. Every few hours, a group of our people would be led through to be processed and we could tell by their clothing that the resistance was growing in strength, if not in reality, then at least in spirit.
Yané was itching to get out there and fight, but I was just trying to survive. I don't think she ever caught on to how I was feeling.
Then, three days ago, the whole atmosphere changed. Even from our confined space, Yané and I could sense it. She got so impatient I thought she would jump out of her skin.
About midmorning, we heard a clattering sound from the hallway. Yané opened the door and we were just in time to see our guards round the corner at the end of the hall, going roughly in the direction of the throne room.
Yané was back in the room in a flash, removing two blasters from their hiding place in a wall safe behind a huge portrait of a long-dead queen of Naboo. She tossed one of them to me and I looked at it distastefully. I had absolutely no desire to hold a blaster in my hands so soon after my brother was killed with one. Yané's eyes were sparkling with excitement, though. She took off into the corridor, shouting for me to come with her. And since I couldn't let her go alone, I followed.
The next few hours were pure chaos and I barely remember them. We came upon pockets of battle-droids and droidekas and did our best to fight them. Eventually we met up with a group of Royal Security Guards and joined them. I have to admit that it felt sort of good to use the fighting skills I learned. We haven't had much chance to use them in the past months of serving the Queen. Personally, I would much prefer the boredom of peace, though I suspect Yané holds the opposite view.
But it was satisfying, I must admit. Every time I shot down a battle-droid, I imagined it was the one whose shot had killed Zac.
Finally, suddenly, the droids were deactivated, (we learned later that this was thanks to young Skywalker) and the battle was, for the most part, over.
The crowning point of the day was seeing Padmé triumphantly standing in the middle of the throne room, her blaster trained on the Neimodian scum who started all this. She looked at us and immediately came over and embraced us. To hear her saying how glad she was we were still alive, and that she was proud to see that we were fighting for Naboo did send a warmth to my heart. But it still didn't dispel the numbness I'm feeling
In any case, once our planet was regained, it was a matter of waiting. Messages were sent to Senator Palpatine and the Jedi Council. Newly elected *Chancellor* Palapatine and the Jedi arrived yesterday.
I did not expect it to happen so quickly, I must admit. I just made my promise to Zac, and now it is already fulfilled, and I feel empty inside. And alone.
I have to go now. There is to be a great celebration today in the plaza and I must attend. I do not want to, but I must and I will. That celebration will be held in the same plaza where Zac died just a few days ago, and I don't know how I will bear it. He should be getting a memorial service, like the one held for Master Jinn last night, not a celebration. How will I be able to stand it?
If Zac could die so bravely, then I can face the celebration just as bravely, in honor of him.
And while everyone else rejoices for Naboo, I will mourn my brother. If I can just get through this celebration and the dinner in honor of Chancellor Palpatine to follow it, I will be okay. I will be able to find a quiet place this evening to write about everything that happens and think about Zac. I am thinking about sneaking out tonight and taking some flowers to leave in the plaza near the place where Zac died. He always loved mother's Sweet Naboo roses, and we've had dozens of bouquets sent to the Palace for the Queen in the past few days.
I will take them to the plaza and I will say goodbye to Zac and tell him how much I love him and how proud I am to be his sister.
And who knows, maybe I will even cry...
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It is over. In a good way, I mean. Padmé returned with the Jedi and gained the support of the Gungans. Great battles were fought and many humans and Gungans died, but we are free of the Trade Federation. And Senator Palpatine has been elected Supreme Chancellor of the Republic! So many exciting things have happened, and yet I am not able to feel that any more than I feel grief for Zac's death.
The Jedi have come here to honor Master Jinn, who also fell in the battle. I suspect they will also be dealing with the other Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the small boy, Anakin Skywalker. Padmé has not said much, but I gather from what she has said that there is something special about the boy, but that there are conflicting opinions about him.
The important thing, though, is that our planet is once again free.
I suppose I should explain more about the battle before I forget. Mostly, it is all a blur to me, as is everything that has happened since Zac died.
There were more executions and we heard that the Gungans had been attacked in their underwater cities and exterminated. That last bit, at least, was propaganda, since many of the Gungans escaped and proved to be our salvation.
Governor Bibble and the other Council members evidently had to watch more executions, but Yané and I were simply placed under house arrest, with battle-droids guarding our rooms.
Apparently, the Neimodians forgot about us.
We spent a couple days like that, trying to gain information in any way we could–usually by watching the courtyards from our window. Every few hours, a group of our people would be led through to be processed and we could tell by their clothing that the resistance was growing in strength, if not in reality, then at least in spirit.
Yané was itching to get out there and fight, but I was just trying to survive. I don't think she ever caught on to how I was feeling.
Then, three days ago, the whole atmosphere changed. Even from our confined space, Yané and I could sense it. She got so impatient I thought she would jump out of her skin.
About midmorning, we heard a clattering sound from the hallway. Yané opened the door and we were just in time to see our guards round the corner at the end of the hall, going roughly in the direction of the throne room.
Yané was back in the room in a flash, removing two blasters from their hiding place in a wall safe behind a huge portrait of a long-dead queen of Naboo. She tossed one of them to me and I looked at it distastefully. I had absolutely no desire to hold a blaster in my hands so soon after my brother was killed with one. Yané's eyes were sparkling with excitement, though. She took off into the corridor, shouting for me to come with her. And since I couldn't let her go alone, I followed.
The next few hours were pure chaos and I barely remember them. We came upon pockets of battle-droids and droidekas and did our best to fight them. Eventually we met up with a group of Royal Security Guards and joined them. I have to admit that it felt sort of good to use the fighting skills I learned. We haven't had much chance to use them in the past months of serving the Queen. Personally, I would much prefer the boredom of peace, though I suspect Yané holds the opposite view.
But it was satisfying, I must admit. Every time I shot down a battle-droid, I imagined it was the one whose shot had killed Zac.
Finally, suddenly, the droids were deactivated, (we learned later that this was thanks to young Skywalker) and the battle was, for the most part, over.
The crowning point of the day was seeing Padmé triumphantly standing in the middle of the throne room, her blaster trained on the Neimodian scum who started all this. She looked at us and immediately came over and embraced us. To hear her saying how glad she was we were still alive, and that she was proud to see that we were fighting for Naboo did send a warmth to my heart. But it still didn't dispel the numbness I'm feeling
In any case, once our planet was regained, it was a matter of waiting. Messages were sent to Senator Palpatine and the Jedi Council. Newly elected *Chancellor* Palapatine and the Jedi arrived yesterday.
I did not expect it to happen so quickly, I must admit. I just made my promise to Zac, and now it is already fulfilled, and I feel empty inside. And alone.
I have to go now. There is to be a great celebration today in the plaza and I must attend. I do not want to, but I must and I will. That celebration will be held in the same plaza where Zac died just a few days ago, and I don't know how I will bear it. He should be getting a memorial service, like the one held for Master Jinn last night, not a celebration. How will I be able to stand it?
If Zac could die so bravely, then I can face the celebration just as bravely, in honor of him.
And while everyone else rejoices for Naboo, I will mourn my brother. If I can just get through this celebration and the dinner in honor of Chancellor Palpatine to follow it, I will be okay. I will be able to find a quiet place this evening to write about everything that happens and think about Zac. I am thinking about sneaking out tonight and taking some flowers to leave in the plaza near the place where Zac died. He always loved mother's Sweet Naboo roses, and we've had dozens of bouquets sent to the Palace for the Queen in the past few days.
I will take them to the plaza and I will say goodbye to Zac and tell him how much I love him and how proud I am to be his sister.
And who knows, maybe I will even cry...
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