Captain Panaka continued herding us into the sleek silver ship amidst the
ever-strong firing of the battle droids. Even inside the sealed ship I
could smell the air; heavy with the scent of blasters and burning metal.
The Queen was out of immediate danger but I dare not lower my guard just
yet. If I have learned anything from my training, it was that tragedy
struck when you weren't looking - when your eyes were closed.
Crowding together in a circular chamber near the back of the craft I mentally counted my party.
Rabé to my left.The Queen.Eirtaé! Eirtaé is missing!
Frantically I looked around the chamber again as the ship's metal floor beneath me began to shudder and a low rumble replaced the sound of blasters. The ship was taking off.without Eirtaé.
"Eirtaé!" My panicked voice called out to Rabé. "Where's Eirtaé?!"
The huge headdress began to slip backward off my head - its weight pulling my hair with burning pain as the glowing lights above our heads flickered for a moment, and finally plunged us into darkness. Distant alarms rung in the distance as a hand reached out toward mine and gripped tightly; their fingernails embedding themselves deep into my palm.
"Sabé! I'm here, Sabé." A small voice called from my left.
The ship took another blow and we were thrown to the ground as the lights flashed back to life. Rabé clutched the walls with whitened fingers as her other held on tightly to the Queen - suddenly I wondered if this was the end. I would die as Queen, and the Queen would die as a handmaiden - was that justice? For all she worked for did I have the right to take her place in death?
If only I could be in the cockpit - anything would be better than being thrown around in a pitch-black room, while certain doom lie just outside your vision. With another jolt from the ship I realized that I don't even know about Rabé's family. The fellow handmaiden was always quiet and concentrated on her training. I never sought out the time to ask her, and now it looked as if I never would.
The ship stabilized for a moment and silence engulfed us all, drowning any conscious thought. Closing my eyes I tried to control my breathing and convince myself that I was still alive.
"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Eirtaé, always the caring, questioned with a hushed voice.
"Yes." Came the firm reply as Rabé helped the Queen to her feet. If only I could be as confidence in my well being as she was.
Captain Panaka - looking as beat as I felt - entered the now brightly light room followed by a rather smoky-smelling astrodroid, and the two Jedi. Quickly positioning my bothersome headdress and pulling all the strength that I had buried deep within me, I tried to make myself presentable. After all, now I had to switch from razzled handmaiden to poised Queen once again and communicate with the crazy Jedi.
At least we were past the blockade and on our way to Coruscant.
"You're Highness, may I introduce Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn." The elder two of the Jedi slightly bowed his head. "And his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi." The youngest, who I recognized as the brave fool who volunteered to set the pilots free in the hanger, bowed deeply - his thin braid flowing as he did so. He seemed more at ease then he did when I first saw him. No wonder, we weren't surrounded by hostile droids who carried blasters.
"We've successfully crossed the blockade, Your Highness." Panaka continued with a somber voice. "An extremely well put together droid here helped us greatly by repairing the shields. Without a doubt it saved the ship, as well as our lives." Finishing he gestured to the blue droid - covered from wheels to dome in smoke and ash.
"It is to be commended then. What is its number?" Anything to help Naboo and the Queen deserves such credit.
"R2-D2, Your Highness." In the back of my mind I wondered just how many times the Queen was addressed as 'Your Highness' in a day.
"Thank you, R2-D2."
The droid emitted a beep as I tried to soften my voice.
"Padmé." The Queen stepped forward. "Clean this droid up as best you can. It deserves our gratitude." Secretly I felt some humor deep within me about commanding the Queen to do a ordinary house-task - but at least it would give her something to do other than sit around worrying about the Trade Federation. Oddly enough, I felt as if it were not only my responsibility to keep the Queen alive; but also to take some of her pain away.
"Continue, Captain."
Panaka then turned to the sturdy Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He seemed unhurt and unfazed despite the near-death experiences we had all shared together.
"With your permission, Your Highness, we are heading for a remote planet called Tatooine."
Tatooine? Hadn't he said he was escorting us to Coruscant? It seemed the more I was around this man - the more insane ideas he proposed.
"It's far beyond the reaches of the Trade Federation," he assured me. "We must land and repair the ship."
"I do not agree with the Jedi on this," Panaka interjected.
"You will have to respect my judgment," was Qui-Gon's final words. His apprentice, Obi-Wan, stood nearby motionless.
"Thank you, Jedi Master. I hope that your judgment proves useful." With that I nodded to them as a dismissal.
The citizens of Naboo were suffering - dying - while we were traveling to a planet to waste time. No matter how much I wanted to trust Qui-Gon, to close my eyes and just convince myself that it was not my place to disagree with the Jedi or take it upon myself to save Naboo - I just couldn't.
***
What a relief.
Finally after what seemed like years, I was able to remove the heavy royal
headdress as well as the soft white powder that encased my face. I still wore the crimson mark of Remembrance on my lip - I was still the Queen, even in private and unceremonious times. I suppose this is the way it will always be until this trivial dispute has ended. Then again it will start when another boils to the surface. It is a never-ending life.
With the powder off, I took comfort in even the recycled air of the ship; the cool breeze striking my cheeks, giving them rosy color again. I had changed into a simple dress, far less formal than the previous one. Deep green velvet material woven intricately with black floral design labeled it a fine piece of Naboo fashion. Its neck came up to my thin chin in a tight turtleneck. It was amazing how liberated I felt after tedious hours in my motion limited previous attire.
"I still do not think that this is wise, Sabé." Rabé's soft accented voice startled me as I reeled around to face the young woman. Her eyes were soft, as were her features. Wise in formality and etiquette, she was an astute handmaiden and good friend.
Sighing, I allowed a small smile.
"We know nothing about this planet.nothing about what could be out there. We cannot protect her!" she continued, her face stern.
"The Jedi is with her. We must trust him."
My voice sounded unconvincing to even me. I held great fear for the Queen also - of course I did! But I also understood her desire to go with the Jedi Master on the planet's surface. I could hardly contain myself sitting in this air-conditioned and lush royal ship, while blood flowed from the fountains of Naboo and innocent people died needless deaths, and mass- produced hunks of steel walked in the graveyard of bodies. It was all I could do to contain myself from running to the cockpit and piloting the ship myself back to Naboo - anything was better than waiting here, doing nothing.
Rabé's face showed no change. "You didn't trust the Jedi before, what makes you change your mind now?"
Closing my eyes for a moment I thought seriously about her question. In times like these it was emanate to trust no one - broken trust lead to something far more fatal in times of war.
"Because." My voice cracked and I struggled to keep composed. "Because there is nothing else left to do, no one else to turn to."
I reached out to take Rabé's soft hand and gently squeeze it for reassurance - both for herself and I.
"We must trust that these men will lead the Queen safely back to Coruscant, and that we have helped Naboo. Without that, we might as well sign our lives over to the Trade Federation right now and let them take away everything that we have worked so hard to achieve..."
Her face immediately softened. I recognized unfallen tears masking her deep brown eyes. Embracing each other we hoped that our faith was well placed.
Crowding together in a circular chamber near the back of the craft I mentally counted my party.
Rabé to my left.The Queen.Eirtaé! Eirtaé is missing!
Frantically I looked around the chamber again as the ship's metal floor beneath me began to shudder and a low rumble replaced the sound of blasters. The ship was taking off.without Eirtaé.
"Eirtaé!" My panicked voice called out to Rabé. "Where's Eirtaé?!"
The huge headdress began to slip backward off my head - its weight pulling my hair with burning pain as the glowing lights above our heads flickered for a moment, and finally plunged us into darkness. Distant alarms rung in the distance as a hand reached out toward mine and gripped tightly; their fingernails embedding themselves deep into my palm.
"Sabé! I'm here, Sabé." A small voice called from my left.
The ship took another blow and we were thrown to the ground as the lights flashed back to life. Rabé clutched the walls with whitened fingers as her other held on tightly to the Queen - suddenly I wondered if this was the end. I would die as Queen, and the Queen would die as a handmaiden - was that justice? For all she worked for did I have the right to take her place in death?
If only I could be in the cockpit - anything would be better than being thrown around in a pitch-black room, while certain doom lie just outside your vision. With another jolt from the ship I realized that I don't even know about Rabé's family. The fellow handmaiden was always quiet and concentrated on her training. I never sought out the time to ask her, and now it looked as if I never would.
The ship stabilized for a moment and silence engulfed us all, drowning any conscious thought. Closing my eyes I tried to control my breathing and convince myself that I was still alive.
"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Eirtaé, always the caring, questioned with a hushed voice.
"Yes." Came the firm reply as Rabé helped the Queen to her feet. If only I could be as confidence in my well being as she was.
Captain Panaka - looking as beat as I felt - entered the now brightly light room followed by a rather smoky-smelling astrodroid, and the two Jedi. Quickly positioning my bothersome headdress and pulling all the strength that I had buried deep within me, I tried to make myself presentable. After all, now I had to switch from razzled handmaiden to poised Queen once again and communicate with the crazy Jedi.
At least we were past the blockade and on our way to Coruscant.
"You're Highness, may I introduce Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn." The elder two of the Jedi slightly bowed his head. "And his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi." The youngest, who I recognized as the brave fool who volunteered to set the pilots free in the hanger, bowed deeply - his thin braid flowing as he did so. He seemed more at ease then he did when I first saw him. No wonder, we weren't surrounded by hostile droids who carried blasters.
"We've successfully crossed the blockade, Your Highness." Panaka continued with a somber voice. "An extremely well put together droid here helped us greatly by repairing the shields. Without a doubt it saved the ship, as well as our lives." Finishing he gestured to the blue droid - covered from wheels to dome in smoke and ash.
"It is to be commended then. What is its number?" Anything to help Naboo and the Queen deserves such credit.
"R2-D2, Your Highness." In the back of my mind I wondered just how many times the Queen was addressed as 'Your Highness' in a day.
"Thank you, R2-D2."
The droid emitted a beep as I tried to soften my voice.
"Padmé." The Queen stepped forward. "Clean this droid up as best you can. It deserves our gratitude." Secretly I felt some humor deep within me about commanding the Queen to do a ordinary house-task - but at least it would give her something to do other than sit around worrying about the Trade Federation. Oddly enough, I felt as if it were not only my responsibility to keep the Queen alive; but also to take some of her pain away.
"Continue, Captain."
Panaka then turned to the sturdy Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He seemed unhurt and unfazed despite the near-death experiences we had all shared together.
"With your permission, Your Highness, we are heading for a remote planet called Tatooine."
Tatooine? Hadn't he said he was escorting us to Coruscant? It seemed the more I was around this man - the more insane ideas he proposed.
"It's far beyond the reaches of the Trade Federation," he assured me. "We must land and repair the ship."
"I do not agree with the Jedi on this," Panaka interjected.
"You will have to respect my judgment," was Qui-Gon's final words. His apprentice, Obi-Wan, stood nearby motionless.
"Thank you, Jedi Master. I hope that your judgment proves useful." With that I nodded to them as a dismissal.
The citizens of Naboo were suffering - dying - while we were traveling to a planet to waste time. No matter how much I wanted to trust Qui-Gon, to close my eyes and just convince myself that it was not my place to disagree with the Jedi or take it upon myself to save Naboo - I just couldn't.
***
What a relief.
Finally after what seemed like years, I was able to remove the heavy royal
headdress as well as the soft white powder that encased my face. I still wore the crimson mark of Remembrance on my lip - I was still the Queen, even in private and unceremonious times. I suppose this is the way it will always be until this trivial dispute has ended. Then again it will start when another boils to the surface. It is a never-ending life.
With the powder off, I took comfort in even the recycled air of the ship; the cool breeze striking my cheeks, giving them rosy color again. I had changed into a simple dress, far less formal than the previous one. Deep green velvet material woven intricately with black floral design labeled it a fine piece of Naboo fashion. Its neck came up to my thin chin in a tight turtleneck. It was amazing how liberated I felt after tedious hours in my motion limited previous attire.
"I still do not think that this is wise, Sabé." Rabé's soft accented voice startled me as I reeled around to face the young woman. Her eyes were soft, as were her features. Wise in formality and etiquette, she was an astute handmaiden and good friend.
Sighing, I allowed a small smile.
"We know nothing about this planet.nothing about what could be out there. We cannot protect her!" she continued, her face stern.
"The Jedi is with her. We must trust him."
My voice sounded unconvincing to even me. I held great fear for the Queen also - of course I did! But I also understood her desire to go with the Jedi Master on the planet's surface. I could hardly contain myself sitting in this air-conditioned and lush royal ship, while blood flowed from the fountains of Naboo and innocent people died needless deaths, and mass- produced hunks of steel walked in the graveyard of bodies. It was all I could do to contain myself from running to the cockpit and piloting the ship myself back to Naboo - anything was better than waiting here, doing nothing.
Rabé's face showed no change. "You didn't trust the Jedi before, what makes you change your mind now?"
Closing my eyes for a moment I thought seriously about her question. In times like these it was emanate to trust no one - broken trust lead to something far more fatal in times of war.
"Because." My voice cracked and I struggled to keep composed. "Because there is nothing else left to do, no one else to turn to."
I reached out to take Rabé's soft hand and gently squeeze it for reassurance - both for herself and I.
"We must trust that these men will lead the Queen safely back to Coruscant, and that we have helped Naboo. Without that, we might as well sign our lives over to the Trade Federation right now and let them take away everything that we have worked so hard to achieve..."
Her face immediately softened. I recognized unfallen tears masking her deep brown eyes. Embracing each other we hoped that our faith was well placed.