The young woman who had been known as Liraé held her breath and tried not to let her skin crawl. Her gaze went around the dim chamber. She had been brought here as soon as the prison ship landed on one of Coruscant's many floating platforms. The bare round room contained no decorations that could distract her from her fear of her situation.
She had been told that she would be seeing Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, but she had been alone for a few hours. Tired, and starting feel the first pangs of hunger, she found herself almost longing for his appearance so this could be over with and she would be sent to a relatively comfortable detention center.
A door slid open and two figures entered, both in black hooded robes. The prisoner jumped at their dark presence, then drew herself up in a regal manner.
One of the figures approached her, the other waited by the wall, near the door.
"Well, my dear, what shall we do with you?" the figure in front of her asked. His tone was calm and condescending.
"I am Falmina, true and rightful heir to the throne of Naboo. I will speak to no one but Supreme Chancellor Palpatine."
The man before her uncrossed his arms and lifted his hands to push back his hood. The girl gasped. He was Palpatine!
"Then you will speak now." The look in his eyes chilled her to the bone.
Falmina started to shiver, but kept her bearing. "What is to be done with me? I shall serve my time in one of the Republic's detention centers until I am released. When I have finished my sentence, we shall again work toward reinstating me and my family to our proper rank as rulers of Naboo. My people will no longer have a pretentious elected sovereign."
She hadn't thought it possible that the man could get any colder, so it was a surprise when he indeed did.
"The possibility to assume the position as the Sovereign of Naboo is no longer even a dream for you."
Falmina permitted herself to feel outrage. "But you promised! It was part of our deal! I can get rid of Amidala. Give me another chance!"
Palpatine stared her down. "There will be no more chances. If your ancestors were as foolish as you've been, it's no wonder they lost control of the planet generations ago. No...a different fate is in store for you. I could perhaps forgive you if you had simply made one small error. However, you made several large glaring mistakes and called my reputation into question. I cannot tolerate that."
The young woman collected herself and tried a new approach. "My Lord, you are right. I made mistakes. It was only because I am eager to assume the throne and work with my people."
The powerful man sneered. "Impatient, are you? What do you know of waiting? The Sith have waited for a millenium to regain what was taken. The two hundred years that your family has waited is like nothing to me! You would still have a chance at the throne if you had done as you were instructed. You could have been Queen for many years. Of course you would have answered to me, but it would have been a mutually beneficial relationship."
She started to object, then lowered her head.
"Yes. Now you see. You have ruined my plan. Your self centered appetites drove you to this. First, you had to be so brazen concerning the young Jedi Knight. I'm sure he's quite attractive, but it drew attention to you. Your pitiful attempt at assassination went completely against my orders. I have operatives trained to do it properly when I want it done. Now the Queen is on her guard and will be more cautious than ever. That cannot be overlooked. "
"I'm sorry, My Lord," Falmina whispered. "Will you execute me?"
"Your apology is accepted," Palpatine smiled. "I will continue to be patient. Another opportunity will present itself." He turned and gestured to the waiting figure. "Now, my apprentice will take you Phindar where you will be 'renewed.' When that has been done, you will be returned to me for training. I will help you put your priorities in the proper order." He stroked her red hair, then moved a finger down her cheek to her neck, looking at her with a decidedly unwholesome gleam in his eye.
She gasped as the full weight of what he was saying sunk in. Palpatine would reprogram her and she would be his slave. She would have no prior memory of her life before she became whatever he wished to make of her. Now that she had seen him like this, she wondered if death wasn't a better option.
The apprentice reached out and grasped her arm with long white fingers that had sharp nails. A pale chin with pointed teeth gleamed in high contrast from the shadows created by the hood. "I will not fail you, Master," it said in a silky, yet grim, tone.
"I know you won't, my apprentice." Palpatine raised his hood and turned away.
Falmina made one last attempt. "Please, Lord! Have mercy! I'll do anything, just let me keep my memory!"
The apprentice silenced Falmina with a mind trick as the Sith Master laughed.
She had been told that she would be seeing Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, but she had been alone for a few hours. Tired, and starting feel the first pangs of hunger, she found herself almost longing for his appearance so this could be over with and she would be sent to a relatively comfortable detention center.
A door slid open and two figures entered, both in black hooded robes. The prisoner jumped at their dark presence, then drew herself up in a regal manner.
One of the figures approached her, the other waited by the wall, near the door.
"Well, my dear, what shall we do with you?" the figure in front of her asked. His tone was calm and condescending.
"I am Falmina, true and rightful heir to the throne of Naboo. I will speak to no one but Supreme Chancellor Palpatine."
The man before her uncrossed his arms and lifted his hands to push back his hood. The girl gasped. He was Palpatine!
"Then you will speak now." The look in his eyes chilled her to the bone.
Falmina started to shiver, but kept her bearing. "What is to be done with me? I shall serve my time in one of the Republic's detention centers until I am released. When I have finished my sentence, we shall again work toward reinstating me and my family to our proper rank as rulers of Naboo. My people will no longer have a pretentious elected sovereign."
She hadn't thought it possible that the man could get any colder, so it was a surprise when he indeed did.
"The possibility to assume the position as the Sovereign of Naboo is no longer even a dream for you."
Falmina permitted herself to feel outrage. "But you promised! It was part of our deal! I can get rid of Amidala. Give me another chance!"
Palpatine stared her down. "There will be no more chances. If your ancestors were as foolish as you've been, it's no wonder they lost control of the planet generations ago. No...a different fate is in store for you. I could perhaps forgive you if you had simply made one small error. However, you made several large glaring mistakes and called my reputation into question. I cannot tolerate that."
The young woman collected herself and tried a new approach. "My Lord, you are right. I made mistakes. It was only because I am eager to assume the throne and work with my people."
The powerful man sneered. "Impatient, are you? What do you know of waiting? The Sith have waited for a millenium to regain what was taken. The two hundred years that your family has waited is like nothing to me! You would still have a chance at the throne if you had done as you were instructed. You could have been Queen for many years. Of course you would have answered to me, but it would have been a mutually beneficial relationship."
She started to object, then lowered her head.
"Yes. Now you see. You have ruined my plan. Your self centered appetites drove you to this. First, you had to be so brazen concerning the young Jedi Knight. I'm sure he's quite attractive, but it drew attention to you. Your pitiful attempt at assassination went completely against my orders. I have operatives trained to do it properly when I want it done. Now the Queen is on her guard and will be more cautious than ever. That cannot be overlooked. "
"I'm sorry, My Lord," Falmina whispered. "Will you execute me?"
"Your apology is accepted," Palpatine smiled. "I will continue to be patient. Another opportunity will present itself." He turned and gestured to the waiting figure. "Now, my apprentice will take you Phindar where you will be 'renewed.' When that has been done, you will be returned to me for training. I will help you put your priorities in the proper order." He stroked her red hair, then moved a finger down her cheek to her neck, looking at her with a decidedly unwholesome gleam in his eye.
She gasped as the full weight of what he was saying sunk in. Palpatine would reprogram her and she would be his slave. She would have no prior memory of her life before she became whatever he wished to make of her. Now that she had seen him like this, she wondered if death wasn't a better option.
The apprentice reached out and grasped her arm with long white fingers that had sharp nails. A pale chin with pointed teeth gleamed in high contrast from the shadows created by the hood. "I will not fail you, Master," it said in a silky, yet grim, tone.
"I know you won't, my apprentice." Palpatine raised his hood and turned away.
Falmina made one last attempt. "Please, Lord! Have mercy! I'll do anything, just let me keep my memory!"
The apprentice silenced Falmina with a mind trick as the Sith Master laughed.