Author's Notes: Sabé would never have known what would result from the day she decided to give herself in to the authorities Chrissie Bligh Normal Chrissie Bligh 2 0 2001-11-02T14:44:00Z 2001-11-02T14:44:00Z 8 2531 14429 HP 120 28 17719 9.2720

Author's Notes: Sabé would never have known what would result from the day she decided to give herself in to the authorities.  But her destiny seemed inescapably entwined with the new queen's, and as their friendship grew, so did their loyalty.  In the days to come, that loyalty and friendship would be all that would keep them alive.  Four people, all with complicated relationships.  Four people, all brought together under the most unusual and discouraging circumstances.  Four people whose destinies could not be separated. 

Disclaimer: I claim anything you don't know, which includes backgrounds, people, places, and most importantly the plot.  Everything else belongs to George Lucas, etc.

Dedication: To Sarah, for having faith in me, and to Lauren, who wouldn't let me give up.

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It was three days after Queen Amidala had been crowned.  The whole planet was still in a state of celebration.  In Theed Palace, dressmakers fluttered around the new queen, who bore their chatter with patience.  In the Palace Armoury, four girls were having their introduction to blaster pistols.

Captain Panaka handed each girl a blaster, and watched with amusement as they hefted the weight of it, finding the most comfortable position for it in their hands.  One girl, Yané, held the gun as if she never had before, and another of the girls, Saché, showed her how to hold it in a firm grip.  The oldest of the new handmaidens, Eirtaé, aimed the blaster at the target, testing its aim, then put it to her side.

"It's a good blaster," Rabé commented thoughtfully.  She hefted its weight.  "Is it a good aim?" she asked Panaka. 

"Fair," he acknowledged.  "Hopefully you won't actually have to use it, but we have to be prepared."  There was a noise from the upper levels of the Armoury, and he glanced up to see nothing.  Saché, who'd also looked up, shrugged slightly, but seemed to pay no attention to it otherwise.

As one of the other guards showed the handmaidens how to aim and shoot, and as they practised, Panaka sat down and regarded the four girls thoughtfully.  Although they were all fast learners, and all utterly loyal to the new queen, for the protection scheme he had thought up none of them would really do.

He'd had the idea that if the queen was ever in danger, one of the handmaidens would stand in for her whilst Amidala posed as a handmaiden.  Although they didn't know it, all the handmaidens had been chosen partly for their resemblance to Amidala – except Eirtaé of course, who had ranked top in her self-defence and martial arts class.

But none of them was really close enough in appearance to Amidala to make such a scheme possible.  Panaka sighed inaudibly.  He'd have to find another handmaiden from somewhere.

The door opened, and one of his guards came up.  "Sir, he started.  "We've apprehended a thief in the gardens."  He hesitated.  "She didn't have anything on her, but her appearance matches the descriptions we have of Sabé Belacque."

Panaka straightened.  Behind him the sounds stopped; the handmaidens were listening.  Everyone had heard of the Belacque family thieves.  The most famous were Randy, the leader, and his daughter Sabé.  Hardly anyone had seen the thieves since they'd started operating, and they seemed to steal all over Naboo.

"Where is she?" he asked quickly.  The guard motioned for him to follow, and Panaka paused only to tell the handmaidens to come with them.

"A good chance for you to see how we work," he told them.  It took them several minutes to reach the small antechamber here the thief was being held.  When they entered, Eirtaé gasped.

The thief looked almost identical to Amidala.  As they entered, the girl lifted her head and looked at them.  Her eyes blazed, but she didn't say anything.

"This is her?" Panaka asked, shocked.  The guard nodded.  "What's your name?" he asked the girl.  She just stared at him.  He sighed.  "Look, this will be a lot easier on you if you just answer our questions."

"Easier how?" she spat.  "I'll get put in jail quicker?"  Panaka stared.  Even her voice was like Amidala's.

"You might get a shorter sentence," he told her gently.  She laughed.  "Me, get a shorter sentence?" she asked bitterly.  "That's rich."

"How old are you?" he asked suddenly.  She stared at him, but after a moment sullenly replied.  "Sixteen."

"You're still a minor," he muttered.  She nodded.  "So, Sabé Belacque, why did you come here?"

Sabé glanced at the guards and at the four women.  "Why else?" she asked.  "I'm a thief."  Panaka stared at her for a moment longer, then turned to the guards.  "Thank you, I'll take it from here."  The guards nodded and disappeared.

Sabé frowned at that, and struggled with her bonds for a moment.  "You might as well stop doing that, you'll only hurt yourself," Panaka told her, a trifle tiredly.  She looked at him, shrugged, and stopped.

"Captain," Yané spoke up.  "She's almost exactly like -,"

"I know, Yané," Panaka told her.  "I've got an idea."  Yané stared at him, then her gaze slid to the thief.  A slow smile crept across her lips as she realised what the captain was getting at.  Saché looked at her and at Sabé, realised what her friend was thinking, and grinned.

"What?" Sabé demanded.  Panaka walked over to stand next to her.  "Sabé, you have a choice.  You can be arrested and put in jail, probably for a minimum of five years, or you can serve the queen as one of her handmaidens."

Sabé stared.  Then she laughed.  "Are you kidding?" she managed finally.  "I'm not serving her.  The family would throw me out if I did."  She paused, thought. "But then again, the family will probably throw me out anyway for getting caught." 

"So you agree?" Panaka asked.  Sabé tilted her head on one side, looking at him seriously.  "I will, with a few conditions," she told him.  He nodded guardedly.

"I won't tell you anything about my family," she told him.  "I may be thrown out, but I won't help do them in.  And I have to be allowed to see them at some point."

"Fine," Panaka allowed.  "Now a few of my own conditions.  You are not to continue being a thief.  You are not allowed to help any members of your family steal.  If you agree to these conditions, you'll be put on trial to see how well you fit in here.  If you don't," he shrugged, "You'll get a jail sentence."

Sabé looked at him.  Her heart was in turmoil.  She was utterly loyal to her father, but then again, she didn't want to get put in jail.  She looked up at Panaka, biting her lip.  She turned slightly to look at the four women who she guessed were handmaidens too.  Then she sighed. 

"My name's Sabé," she said to one of them – Yané, she remembered.  She held out her hands so that Yané could shake one of them.  "What's yours?"

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Queen Amidala stared at her newest handmaiden.  Panaka had just brought her in, introduced them, and left without telling Amidala who Sabé really was.  And now Sabé was standing in front of the young queen, eyes fixed on the floor.  Amidala's other handmaidens were watching the girl surreptitiously.  Amidala got the impression that they knew more about this new handmaiden than she did.

In a strange way, it was like meeting a twin sister you never knew you had, Amidala reflected.  Sabé was almost identical to her.

"Sabé, right?" she asked finally.  The girl nodded.  "Yes, your highness," she replied.  She didn't look up at Amidala.  Yané pursed her lips.

"Sabé," she murmured, low enough that no one else heard.  Sabé looked up at her quickly, and seemed to resign herself.  She looked up and met Amidala's eyes.

"Well, welcome to the palace," Amidala said eventually.  She turned away.  "Rabé, could you help me with my hair?"

Rabé moved to seat her queen in front of a mirror.  Yané motioned for Sabé to come with her through into an another room.   Sabé followed willingly and helped Yané sort through the many new and elaborate gowns.

"Could you at least try to be a little nicer?" Yané hissed at her.  Sabé looked at Yané.  "Look, Yané, I don't want to be here, none of you want me, and I'm just trying to make the best of a bad job," she told the girl hotly.  "I apologise if I'm not nice enough."

Yané stared at her.  "Perhaps you'd prefer a prison cell?" she demanded loudly.  Sabé glared at her.  "Do you want the queen to hear?" she asked in a low voice.  "Because I certainly don't!"

"I'm afraid it's too late," came Amidala's voice from behind them.  Sabé whirled around.  Amidala, re-splendid in her gown and headdress, stood staring at her.  "Sabé, what is going on?"

Saché and Rabé moved silently to stand behind Amidala.  Sabé looked frantically at them, but they gave her no hope, and so she turned back to smoothing the gown.

"Nothing, your highness," she replied, keeping her voice level.  Amidala moved to stand in front of her, her hands halting Sabé's.

"Yané asked if you'd prefer a jail sentence," Amidala observed slowly.  "What did she mean by that?"  Sabé hung her head and didn't reply.

"She was a thief," Saché spoke up.  Sabé's head whirled around to face the handmaiden.  "She's part of the Belacque family.  She's only here because she looks so much like you, your highness; if she works out, she'll act as a decoy for you."

"Is that why you're here?" Amidala asked gently.  "To avoid a prison sentence?"  Sabé wouldn't look in her eyes, and couldn't reply.  "If so, you may as well say it."

"That's not why," Sabé muttered finally.  "I thought – I thought I'd be safe here."  Rabé snorted.  "Safe from a jail sentence?" she asked sneeringly.  Sabé whirled around to face her.

"No," she said coldly.  "But I can't tell you why."  She glanced at Amidala.  "And please don't try to command me to say, because years as a thief have taught me to hold my tongue."  

Amidala met her eyes, measuring the girl, and then nodded slowly.  "I will not ask you," she said softly.  "But I hope that one day you will tell me."  She turned and swept out of the room.  Sabé's face crumpled, and silent tears fell down her face.  The handmaidens looked at her, and left.

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Several hours later

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Sabé watched as Panaka demonstrated how to use the blaster.  She took the proffered weapon, and inspected it.  She raised an eyebrow.  "Good weapon," she commented coolly.  She looked at the target, raised the weapon and shot a round. 

Once the fire had died down, Panaka looked in amazement at the target.  Five bullseyes.  He turned his gaze on Sabé.  She shrugged.  "I've been using a blaster since I was five," she told him shortly, handing back to weapon. 

"Perhaps you could help some of the other handmaidens with their shooting skills," he suggested.  She shrugged.  He let out an exasperated sigh, but said nothing else.  Then the door opened, and Eirtaé entered.

"Sabé, her highness needs you," the handmaiden told the girl.  Sabé nodded quickly.  "Some other time perhaps, Captain," she smiled at Panaka.  Then she followed the other handmaiden out and up to the queen's quarters.

"There's someone who wishes to speak to you," Amidala told her bluntly once she arrived.  Sabé paled and put a hand on a chair to steady herself.

"How can there be?" she heard herself ask.  "No one knows I'm here…unless…"  She hurried over to the comm. console, ignoring Amidala's demands of 'unless what?'  She pressed a button, and a face swirled into view.

"How the hell did you find out I was here?" she hissed, recognising the man.  The man raised an eyebrow.  "How the hell did you end up in the palace?" he countered coolly.  "And no contact?  What are you playing at, Sabé?"

"I got caught," Sabé replied shortly. "You know the rules, Hick.  Don't play games now.  Besides, I quit, remember?"  Hick shook his head.  "Father wants to bend the rules," he said softly.  "You're the best, Sabé.  Don't turn your back on us now."

"Leave me the hell alone, Hick," Sabé told him, shaking violently.  She closed the comm. link, and slammed her fist down on the table.  When she looked up, Amidala and the four handmaidens were looking at her demandingly.

"Who was it?" Amidala asked.  Sabé shook her head.  "I can't tell you," she told the queen.  "Please, your highness, please don't make me tell you!"

"You said that you quit," Rabé spoke up.  "Is that true?  Did you quit before you came to the palace?"

"Yes," Sabé said at last.  "I did."  "Why?" Yané asked, shocked.  Sabé stood suddenly, moving to stare out of the window. 

"I had enough," she said finally, reluctantly.  "I was tired of always running, always hiding.  I figured even jail had to be better than that."  She turned back to face them.  "I've been a thief since as long as I can remember – since I was a tiny child.  I've never known anything else.  And then I realised that there was life outside the family.  I came here to confess everything – where they were, what their plans were."  She sighed.  "But I couldn't go through the guards.  They wouldn't have listened to me – me, Sabé Belacque!"  She gave a bitter laugh.  "So I figured, go over the wall and through the gardens, find Panaka.  I figured he'd listen to me before he clapped me in irons.  But then those damn guards found me and jumped to conclusions."

She sat down in a chair, fiddling with the edge of her dress.  "I was going to confess so that I'd be safe.  But then when Panaka gave me the option of being a handmaiden, I realised that this would be even safer."  She snorted.  "I didn't figure on my cousin's resources."

"I wouldn't exactly call this job safe," Saché remarked.  Sabé looked up at her, a strange smile twisting her lips.  "It's safe compared to what I'm used to," she told them all. 

"What exactly did you want to be safe from?" Amidala asked, moving to sit next to her.  Sabé looked at her briefly, then came to a decision.  She pulled the sleeve of her dress up, revealing a large, hand-shaped bruise that was just turning purple.

"Your father?" Amidala asked softly.  Sabé nodded, dropping the sleeve.  "Oh, Sabé.  You should have said something!"  

"To who?" Sabé demanded.  "Until I came here, I hardly knew anyone outside the family.  And if you'll excuse me saying it, your highness, but none of you have exactly led the kind of life I've led."

"I was abused when I was little," Saché spoke up softly.  "My parents died when I was only three, and I was moved from foster home to foster home until I was adopted when I was eight.  One of my foster fathers physically and mentally abused me."

Sabé looked at her.  The two pairs of eyes connected and something passed between them.  Sabé nodded.  "Okay, you do understand a little," she observed softly.  "But Saché, your highness, all of you, I was involved in a lot of burglaries.  I was the one who stole the Stone of Water, for heaven's sake!"

Amidala stared at her.  "You stole the Stone of Water?" she asked quietly.  Sabé nodded, her eyes closed.  "Where is it now?"

Sabé hesitated, then pulled of her boot to reveal a turquoise blue stone set in copper tied by a string around her ankle.

"Oh Gods," Eirtaé murmured.  Sabé shrugged her shoulders, and pulled her boot back on.  "Father let me keep it because it was my first major steal," she told them.  "That was, what, three years ago?"

"You were just thirteen," Rabé murmured.  Sabé nodded matter-of-factly.  "I was old to start major," she told them.  My brothers and cousins started earlier."

"How many of you are there?" Yané asked.  Sabé counted in her head.  "About fifty direct," she replied.  "But another twenty or so indirect, helping with info and reconnaissance.  I'm not the youngest by a long shot."

"Who's the youngest?" Amidala asked softly.  Sabé considered.  "My nephew, Benny," she told her queen at last.  "He's seven.  But he only does small stuff," she hastened to add.

"Are you going to tell anyone?" the young queen asked her.  Sabé looked up, a small smile on her face.  "I just did, didn't I?" she replied with a query.  Amidala, smiling, nodded.  "What are you going to do?" Sabé whispered.

"If you don't want me to, I can't say anything to Panaka," Amidala told her handmaiden, albeit reluctantly.  "But you must understand that if you tell me anything else, I'll be obligated to tell him."

Sabé nodded slowly.  "Tell him everything," she said at last.  "I don't care any more."

"Where are they?" Saché asked her.  Sabé looked up.  She paused for a moment, then told her the name of a town near Theed.  Saché nodded.  Sabé stood and moved to the window.

"Thank you, Sabé," Amidala said at length.  "This will help Naboo a lot."  Sabé turned back to her.  "This wasn't for Naboo," she replied.  "I couldn't care less about Naboo.  This is for me."  Then she went into her room.   

There was silence in the room as Amidala and her handmaidens comprehended all of what Sabé had just told them.  Then Amidala pulled herself together.  "Eirtaé, fetch Captain Panaka," she ordered the girl quietly.  Eirtaé nodded and left.  Amidala looked at the other three.  "Saché, could you talk to Sabé?" she asked.  Saché nodded, and after a moment followed Sabé's path to her room. 

Rabé and Yané looked at Amidala.  "Help me get changed," Amidala told them after a moment.

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