The woman was in silent thought for a moment, then she smiled gently beneath her hood. "You may call me...Padmé."

Leia tilted her head in contemplation. The name sounded familiar, as if she had heard it in a dream or perhaps long ago...

After his initial surprise at having an unexpected "visitor" had worn off, Han's blaster was up and pointed accusingly. He repeated his earlier question and coupled it with a new one: "How did you get in here, and what do you want?"

Padmé sighed. The man could have been a lot more diplomatic during his questioning...And her daughter could have done so much better than him...

Those words echoed what she had heard many a time in her past, causing her to feel a pang of guilt for being so quick to judge. She should know better.

Padmé Naberrie had been in hiding from the man she had once called her husband for a long time, ever since she had faked her death with the help of Obi-Wan and Yoda. She had heard word of her son's capture, and, despite a certain Gungan's protests, she had decided to step forward and help. She had left her loyal companion behind in her ship, sensing that it was better she see them alone first.

Though she was no longer queen of the Naboo, she still had many loyal sources. It was through these contacts that she had found the location of her son and husband. She had debated with Jar Jar on whether to reveal her real identity to her daughter, but they had finally decided that she would be met with a lot of skepticism at first, and she didn't think she could handle that. Perhaps she would tell them on the ship, since they wouldn't be able to have her automatically shipped to a prison camp or insane asylum.

Padmé had borrowed a small Imperial shuttle and confiscated a few uniforms, as well as some Stormtrooper armor, from the ship's occupants. Hopefully, when the two Rebels heard what she had to say, they wouldn't automatically turn her down.

She answered simply, "I want to help."

"I'll believe that when I see some proof, sister," Han snarled. He didn't like the thought that she could sneak in as easily as she did.

Padmé sighed. "Do you want assistance in finding Luke Skywalker or not?"

That got the smuggler's attention. Han straightened but remained suspicious nevertheless. "How do we know you're not lying?"

"You don't," the ex-queen stated truthfully. "But do you have any other choice?"

Leia stepped forward a little, giving a sidewards glance towards Han. "Do you know where he is? What's the price?"

"Yes, I have his location." Padmé was reluctant to address her daughter's question about payment. She didn't want to be paid, but if she said so, then they would be even more suspicious. "We shall discuss the price in my ship."

The smuggler pointed his finger at her. "Uh uh. I ain't ridin' in no ship but mine."

Padmé Naberrie fixed him with a cold stare that he could not see because of the hood that covered her face. But he could feel it. "Then I suggest you stay here, Solo. To be honest, the ship isn't really mine, I just borrowed it from a few careless Imperials and had it modified...I'm sure you understand." This Han Solo sure has a knack for bringing out the worst in people, Padmé thought. She didn't want to seem heartless, but the smuggler had practically asked for it.

He opened his mouth to say something, then he thought better of it.

"Do you have a rescue plan?" the Alderaanian princess asked.

"Now what kind of woman would I be without a rescue plan?"

As Padmé lifted the Imperial shuttle, Raalian, off the planet, she heard Han grumble, "I still don't see why we can't bring Chewie."

Though his complaint wasn't meant for her ears, Padmé answered anyway, "I told you, Captain Solo, a single Wookiee prisoner is enough to make any Imperial officer suspicious. News of what you did on the first Death Star spread like wildfire. One prisoner is enough."

"Wait a minute," Han stated. "One prisoner?"

Padmé feigned confusion, "Yes, didn't I—" she stopped mid-sentence. "I haven't told you of our disguises yet, have I?" She turned slightly, and both shook their heads. She turned back to the ship's controls and flicked the hyperspace lever. "Leia Organa and I are both going to wear Stormtrooper armor, which I've had modified to fit our smaller statures without changing the actual size. The helmets have voice-modifiers in them as a precaution, since female Stormtroopers would raise suspicion. You, young man," she looked at Han, "—are to wear an Imperial uniform that I've acquired, and we will trim your hair to meet Imperial standards, as well as dye it."

Han's eyes widened. "But—"

"To get even remotely near Skywalker, we shall have to carry out this charade to the fullest."

The smuggler slumped, then straightened as a thought occurred to him. "Who's the prisoner?"

She gave a brief glance to her daughter, whose eyes were closed in concentration, a look that she had seen on Anakin when he was contacting Obi-Wan through the Force. She mentally flung aside the name Anakin. Her husband was gone, and in his place was the beast Darth Vader. Is Leia trying to find Luke? Padmé wondered. After a moment, she replied to Han's question, "My faithful companion, Jar Jar Binks."

Upon hearing the not-so-subtle codephrase that they had worked out, the Gungan popped out of the back of the ship and promptly fell flat on his face. He moved his long ears out of his face and gave the two startled passengers a sheepish grin.

"Mesa JaJa Binks," the rubbery amphibian offered with an embarrassed smile as he picked himself up off the floor.

"You have got to be kidding," Han gaped. "That's not a prisoner! That's...That's...an overgrown palottbunnie! Why in space would Imperials believe that was worth taking captive?"

"How wude!" Jar Jar exclaimed, sticking out his tongue and blowing a raspberry at the smuggler.

"I'll show you rude, you little—" Han was rising out of his chair when a stern hand from Leia forced him to sit back down.

"Han," she stated calmly. "Leave the poor creature alone. You're going to give it a complex."

"A complex?" Han shouted at the same time Jar Jar gurgled, "Compleck?"

Padmé laughed. "Calm down, you two before you both have a nervous breakdown."

Jar Jar peered at Han. The years had darkened the Jar Jar's skin, and the gangly Gungan she had met many years ago had gained a little weight with age. "Okeyday, Sena—" Binks cut himself off with something between a cough and a gargle, "—ahm, Missy Padmé."

This time it was Solo's turn to peer through slitted eyes. Padmé cleared her throat and received Han and Leia's attention. It's now or never, she told herself. "I'm sure you've been wondering a bit at my identity and the reason I'm trying to help you." Taking a deep breath, she pulled her hood down, watching their faces.

Han merely looked at her blankly, but in Leia's eyes sparked an almost-recognition. She wasn't as young as she used to be, but her beauty was still intact. She still had qualms about whether she should tell Leia about how their relation or not, so it was best for her to do it now before she lost the nerve. "I go by the simple name of Padmé among those that I do not know, but I used to be known as...Queen Amidala of the Naboo." Han was instantly skeptical—why would a queen from a planet he'd never heard of want to help them?—and Leia seemed to be recalling words from her past. "You probably don't remember me, Leia...I was only allowed on Alderaan for a short while before Obi-Wan ushered me and Jar Jar away to safety. I assume Bail told you that I was dead."

The Gungan nodded in confirmation. "Yousa jus' a wil' bitty ting den!"

Leia's facial expression changed as she searched her feelings and realized the truth in what the woman had said. Leia slowly rose and stepped forward. "Is it really you?"

Padmé nodded and smiled gently, her eyes revealing love, sadness, regret, pain...and loneliness. Leia wished she could wipe away all the sorrow that Vader had caused her. She enveloped her mother in a comforting hug to let her know that she was there for her.

Padmé couldn't help it—tears of longing and happiness fell in a silent stream down her face.

Han awkwardly remained in his seat, unsure of what was going on. He threw a glare at the Gungan for good measure, and Jar Jar swung his head around and hmphed, his ears incidentally smacking the smuggler in the face.

"Ow!" Han exclaimed.

Leia laughed and slowly pulled back from her embrace. "I remember those big ears, too, distantly..."

"Yes," Padmé smiled, her eyes shimmering. "He'd hang his ears down over you, and you would grab them in your little bitty fists..."

Han grumbled a few Huttese curses—while Padmé reminisced—that made Jar Jar tilt his head. "Mesa no knowin' what yousa sayin', but mesa no liken it."

Ignoring him, Solo demanded, "What's going on?"

Padmé turned away to dab at her face and regain her composure, while Leia answered, "Han, this is my mother."

"Your mother?" Han was incredulous.

"Yes, Han. And I would advise you to be nice to her."

"So, how did you find out where the Imps are?" Han inquired, still suspicious.

Padmé smiled sweetly. "You're not the only one with sources, young Captain of the Bria. Oh, my apologies, Captain of the Falcon."

Han paled at the mention of his traitorous ex-girlfriend, and instantly interested himself in his hands. Leia, however, instantly pounced on the subject: "Bria?"

Figuring that her prospective son-in-law had been tortured enough, Padmé changed the subject. "I'm scared for him, Leia." Her daughter nodded. So was she. "I'm sure Luke is a strong young man, but there's only so much that one person can take from...Darth Vader, " Padmé took a breath, "—and the Emperor's combined efforts." Every time that Padmé heard or said the name Darth Vader, she wanted to curl up and die. The only thing that had kept her going through the years was the thought of her children. Well, Jar Jar Binks' enthusiasm and constant unpurposeful comedy routine had helped matters a bit.

"You think they're trying to turn him?" Leia looked in her mother's eyes for an honest answer.

Padmé nodded. "And I'm not sure how long he can hold out."