The continuation. (obviously!)
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SCENE1
The Head Handmaid's office. Depa Billaba is reviewing some papers. Someone
knocks on the door and Sabe's head peeps in.
Depa: Ah, Miss Maberrie! I've been expecting you! (stands up) Well, what on
Naboo are you standing there for? Come in, come in! (Sabe slowly walks in the
room, her face apprehensive, and sits down on the chair that floats up across
the table)
Depa: You missed out on two basic rules of etiquette, Miss Maberrie. You should
have sent for a protocol droid to announce your arrival to me, and not knocking
on doors like some ruffian.
(Sabe winces)
Depa: AND your posture is horrendous, which no doubt you got by climbing all
those trees. I see a tear near your sleeve, and a ghastly mud-stain next to
that. Your face—it's too expressive. If you want to be handmaiden, you have to
be stoic, aloof—so no one would know what your thoughts are.
Sabe: Yes, Head Handmaid. Pardon me, Head Handmaid. (muttering to herself as
she pulls her cheeks) Stoic, aloof, stoic, aloof. How on earth am I going to have
an expressionless face?
Depa: I've been hearing a lot about you…Miss Maberrie.
Sabe: (looks alarmed and stands up) It wasn't me, really! It's that horrid
Sache, always framing me to get me into dreadful scrapes so that she would have
reason to…
Depa: (hold up her hand) But it's YOU who is here, not Sache. You interrupted
me. Really, I'm beginning to think you have already forgotten all the basic
rules in Handmaidenology. And for goodness' sake, SIT DOWN!
Sabe: (sits down, still looking worried)
(reaches for something in her drawers and brings out a big, fat bundle of
papers and places them in front of Sabe.)
Depa: Looks like your antics are good enough to be noted down in Nubian
history. As you probably know, these are the papers that I have compiled—all
the things that put a 'black mark' against you. In short, all the times that
you have screwed up, been late for your meetings, not put on your cloak
properly…
Sabe: Oh, please. I know I'm in here for punishment! Get it over with…please?
Depa: …been rude or uncouth AND interrupted your elders. I see that you are not
disappointing me by not proving all these accusations wrong, Miss Maberrie.
(fixes Sabe a disapproving glare) In fact, I don't even think that you are
really bent on graduating from this school…
Sabe: (looks really scared now) Don't think that! Think of Anakin Skywalker
turning into Darth Vader or Shmi's death, but please, please, please don't
think that! I truly want to graduate, Head Handmaid.
Depa: But with all these papers, I think it calls for some desperate measures!
And desperate is an understatement.
(Depa stands up and walks over one of the windows, deep in thought.)
Depa: Perhaps I will be sending you away, after all.
Sabe: WHAT!
Depa: Silence, child. Let me think. Ah, yes. I know. (walks back to the desk,
and draws out an envelope from her pocket) I've received a letter from the Jedi
Council yesterday…
Sabe: The Jedi Council? Really?
Depa: Quiet! And don't repeat my words, it's annoying. Yes, they sent in a
request for a Handmaiden to aid them with their…
Sabe: Fighting? I'm not very good at protocol, Head Handmaid, but I'm very good
at that!
Depa: Padawans. I'll let that slip for now, Miss Maberrie. The Jedi Council
needs someone to help them with their Padawans as most of the Masters are off
to fight in the Clone Wars.
Sabe: Padawans? You mean those children with high Midichlorian counts?
Depa: Yes. There will be seven of them…
Sabe: SEVEN!
Depa: Yes, do you have a problem with that? Most of them are children. You like
children, Miss Maberrie.
Sabe: Yes, but seven!
Depa: The council has also informed me that you will be aided by a Jedi Knight,
who for some reason or another, is not in the Clone Wars. Perhaps he is too
young? Anyway, you will be helped by the Jedi Knight Obi-wan Kenobi, who, for
now, is the guardian of the Padawans. Do you understand me, Miss Maberrie? Now,
off you go. You must get packed.
Sabe: Packed! I'm leaving now?
Depa: Yes, and if you keep on acting like an impudent child, I will be forced
to find a more difficult job. Perhaps you would like to take care of tauntauns
on the planet Hoth, instead?
Sabe: On second thought…I'm dying to go! I'm going, I'm going! Oh, I won't fail
you, Head Handmaid. I'll come back and I'll be prim and proper, and all
that…stuff.
Depa: Yes, I'm sure the hallways will be very much quiet without you. May the
Force be with you.
Sabe: Oh, no need for that! I'm walking into a job with people just full of
them!
Sabe runs out of the room. Scene ends.
Scene2
Sabe and Rabe's shared sleeping quarters. Rabe is standing nearby while Sabe
packs her bags.
Rabe: It sounds like an awful job, Sabe. And Coruscant! That's so far away.
Sabe: Oh, but it's so kind of the Head Handmaid to volunteer me for taking care
of Padawans! It sounds wonderful, so don't look so woeful. And don't forget to
tell Sache what kind of 'punishment' I got! She'll be stark raving mad!
Rabe: I thought she was stark raving mad a long time ago. Do take care of
yourself! There is a war going on, after all.
Sabe: I will take care of myself. As the best as I know how.
Rabe: Which is usually the worst kind. Be off! And goodbye! You look very
cheerful, and it comforts me!
Sabe: So long! I won't forget to buy you some Coruscant keychains!
Sabe walks out of Theed palace and into the city square. Ric Olie is waiting
for her.
Ric: (eyeing her warily) Getting your punishment at last, eh, Sabe?
Sabe: (cheerfully) Good morning to you, too, Ric. I must inform you that your way
of walking amused the girls so much that when I imitated it…
Ric: Coruscant, right? Right, let's get on going. (grabs her bags and stalks
off)
(Sabe walks after him in the hangar and docking bays Naboo)
Sabe: Really, Ric. You're being a bore. No complimentary peanuts? I'm in a very
important mission, you know.
Ric: Yeah, I do, too. Get you out of here as soon as possible. Queen's orders.
Sabe: You've developed a sense of humor! Congratulate me!
Ric: I'd rather not. Listen, you be quiet during the trip and I may opt not to
drop you off in space.
Sabe: You have my word. Sort of.
Sabe sits down and looks out of her window. All laughter fades in her eyes,
and she looks doubtful.
cue music
What will this day be like
I wonder
What will my future be
I wonder
This day could be so exciting
To be out into space, to be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
the stars turn into lights as the ship goes into lightspeed
Oh what's the matter with me?
I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I never did
Now here I am facing adventure…!
Then why am I so scared?
A Jedi and seven Padawans…
What's so difficult about that!
Oh I must stop all these doubts, all these worries
If I don't, I just know I'll fly back!
I have dreamed of this, I've been seeking…
I am seeking the courage I left
Ric: Hey, we're here. Amazing thing, this lightspeed, eh?
Sabe: Yes, whatever. I haven't even finished my song! (she gets her bags and
walks down the stairs/ramp into Coruscant's starship port)
The courage to serve them with reliance
Face my mistakes without defiance
Show them I'm worthy
And while I show them
I'll show me
So, let them bring on all their Force tricks
I'll do better than my best
I have confidence they'll put me to the test
But I'll make them see I have confidence in me
(flings out her arms, and sends two 'droids crashing and walks on briskly)
Somehow I will impress them
I will be firm but kind
And all those Padawans
The Force bless them!
They will look up to me
And mind me with each step I am more certain
Everything will turn out fine
I have confidence the galaxy can all be mine
They'll have to agree I have confidence in me
I'll have confidence in Coruscant
I had confidence in Theed!
I have confidence—a Handmaid I will be!
Besides which you see the Jedi Council trusts me!
Straight doesn't lie in Senators
Straight doesn't lie in words
Straight comes from peaceful slumbers
And when you wake up…wake up! It's healthy!
It tells me all I need to trust is my instinct
All I trust becomes my own
I have confidence in confidence alone
(Stops and stares at the huge Jedi temple)
…Oh help…
Besides which you see I have confidence in me!
(she walks in)