I am so sorry I took so long getting you this post and I am sorry I posted no replies with the last chapter. I've been having computer problems and I figured you would rather have an update with no relpies than have to wait for the next chapter.

My computer is doing much better now, so I can finally reply to all of you.

Okay, those of you who have been so great and left reviews for chapters 6&7, I'm combining my coments for the sake of not making this note longer than the chapter.

REV042175: Han is coming, have no doubt about that! You'll be seeing a lot more flashbacks, or at least a few of them. As for Naboo and Queen Amidala, You are right about the type of people the Naboo are. They are peacful. of course, there are always exception (feature Palpatine) but over all, most of hte population would be so ashamed they would fall into depression. At least, that's my take on it. :-) As Kazzy said, creative liscence. I'm not sure where Telia is going, but it won't be far in this story. She's playing a supporting role here.

Crista of Herac: Checked out your story, it was interesting, see my review. Glad you are liking this story so much. Han is comming, don't worry. I think you'll like that part.

Kazzy: The way I see it, the Empire did more than detsroy planets, it destroyed people. I mean, imagine if that happened in real life, you go from being this grand democracy to this vile thing and everyone just stood by and let it happen. Talk about killing your self-respect. I mean, if my freinds and family and neihbors and I did that, I don't know if I'd be able to live with myself later. Naboo is a good example of that, too, because like you said, it was so beatiful and such an idyllic place. A good portion of the galaxy held Naboo in high regard, and it's leaders played such a crucial role in putting Palpatine in power. Even with good intentions, it's still a horrible thing. The thing is, Naboo wouldn't blame Amidala or Jar Jar, the people would blame themselves.

At lest, that's the way I see it. :-) The blaster thing, that's not even a Skywalker thing, it's a people in high places thing. Amidala was in a position where threat of attack would be a daily issue. Leia has been too, even though Alderaan was supposedly peaceful. That's something she would have learned in the war at least. (I keep pulling to mind that image in the beginning of ANH where she's in her gown firing at the storm troopers. I never could help wonering where she got the blaster.) "Walk softly but carry a big stick."

Mara Angel: Thanks, you jsut saved me having to read what everybody has told me is the worst book ever! I've never even read Epiode II so I'm relying on repeated viewings of my now very worn out videotapes for this. I think I wore out the parts in Theed palace trying to see enough of that to describe it. :-) Waht I'm trying to say is thank you so much for your input. I really rely on you guys to tell me what I'm messing up, :-)

SSG Michael B Jackson: Yeah, I think strangely sometimes. I know I replied to you via e-mail but you brought up some good points and I would like to post my replies. There are some more of Padme's thoughts int his chapter and more with my original characters. I create original characters because it's way too much work to not only learn about but work into a story, an existing character. I could have put an old handmaiden in Telia's place, (I almost did) but One, I couldn't figure out who, two, I couldn't think of wich one I knew anything about, and three, I hate when authors force a character into a story, just to put them there. I was afraid that last one is what it would feel like. It's like when someone does an AU starting with ANH and they squeeze every EU character they can think of in there. Mara was not in ANH, so why are you trying to put her there? I"m sorry my OC's feel so real, they were supposed to be filler, but I just think dynamically. :-)

Other point, yeah, the conversation was supposed to sound contrived. I would think it would be nearly impossible to have a real conversation here. I mean, Luke and Leia just found out (a couple of months ago) that they are related, but they've known each other for years and now their mother whom they haven't seen since before they could remember. In that instance, yes, they would try to have light conversations but it wouldn't be easy. I'm glad you liked the Padme/Luke conversation. I think everybody kind of ignores their relationship and I'm trying to highlight it. Leia's withdrawn somewhat so it's natural that they would draw on each other in her absense. They both know different parts of her.

Nautica7mk: I'm glad you are enjoying this and I'm sorry to make a liar out of you. :-) I meant to take care of this, honest! Here's that update, however.

owpheonix: Hi, and thanks.

Beornthryth: Glad to hear from you again! I thought I had lost you for a while there. I'm glad you liked my explination. I was afraid it would feel contrived. BTW, we get to see more of Redge in t his chapter. Actually, this may be all we see of him, so I hope you like it!

Okay, I think that's everybody. Whew, that is plenty enough from me, now on to Chapter eight!

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Sorrow Multiplied

Chapter 8

From just outside the doorway, she watched little Leia playing dress up with several dolls and a tiny chest of darawers that held her accesories. This one was put into a ball gown and that one needed her hair done. Or so Leia said, as she played.

She spent several minutes just watching her little girl. At six standard years, the holos she'd gotten from Bail had showed little Leia curtseying or playing hostess at a small luncheon. Padmè blessed the man for each and every second of footage. Each holo, each video, they were all precious; all the more so for being far and few between.

Four times over the last two years she and Redge had made it to Alderaan. The old man had been exactly what Bail had told her and more. He was kind and generous, with those he trusted. He hadn't seemed that way at first though. At first he'd seemed cruel and uncaring, even a bit mean. He'd been harsh with her, especially when she'd made mistakes.

She hadn't really been much help the first few months with him, though she had tried her best. Desperate, she'd resorted to doing housework. What ever it took to make herself useful, if not indespensible. She'd spent hours scrubbing ever surface of the ship, deck to ceiling. Redge's laundry had miraculously disappeared from his floor only to reappear in his storage bins, freshly laundered and neatly folded. Meals showed up in his cabin or the cockpit at the regular times and the dishes made the same miraculous journey as his clothes.

Padmè drew on her time as queen often during those first few months. Not for her royal training, but the training she'd required for her haindmaiden ruse. She'd needed to be as convincing a handmaiden as Sabè had been a Queen in order for the game to work. That meant she cleaned, cooked, sewed, and scrubbed along with everyone else.

It wasn't until nearly three months after the first day they had met that Redge showed his other side. She'd been scrubbing desperately at a stain on the deck that she'd noticed Redge glaring at a few hours ago. But despite her every effort, the stain remained. She'd tried every cleaning product on the ship and had resorted to actually scraping layers of metal off the floor panel in an attempt to remove the offending stain. Unfortunately, she had no experience with such a procedure and ended up taking a layer of skin off her hands in the process. Reduced to frustrated tears, sitting in a growing puddle of her own blood was how the old pilot had found her. He'd pulled her up off the floor and taken her to medstation where he'd bandaged her hands and given her painkillers, all the while trying to talk her down.

Once she'd calmed down a bit, which was probably more due to the painkillers than anything else, Redge went back to the corridor to clean up the blood. He returned a few minutes later and asked her what was wrong. Despite he best efforts to shake it off, he insisted on knowing what had happened.

It turned out, Redge hadn't known her story in the least. He knew her name and that she was a friend of Bail's, but he'd assumed she was some dignitaries secretary or something. The large stipend Bail had sent him regularly had only proved that to him. Now, he heard her out while she explained, in hurried tones, why she had no where else to go and how much she needed for him to keep her on.

"You have to belive me!" she'd pleaded when his expression remained incredulous.

He'd barked a rough laugh and Padmè had known he would throw her out. "Of course I believe you hon, no one could make up a story like that. I just can't believe the crowd I'm stuck hanging around with these days! Imagine, old Uncle Redge has a Queen scrubbin' his deck!"

Padmè's face fell and she lowered her head and nodded, only to have the old man raise her chin again, so he could look her in the eye. "No more scrubbin, got that!"

In disbelief, she answered, "Yes, Redge."

"And you don't have to worry about me, I'll keep your secret. There is one condition, though." He grinned. "You have to learn to fly this baby correctly. If I'm gonna have a copilot, she's gonna have to be able to pilot."

A year and a half later, the old man had died. He'd just gone to bed one night and hadn't gotten up the next morning. When she'd gone through his belongings, looking for anyone she should contact, she'd found a note telling her that he was leaving everything he owned to his niece. He hadn't listed her name, but he'd included a holo image and a fingerprint ident chip that proved she was his heir. If anyone had asked, he'd have told them he didn't want "no beuracrate touchin' his stuff, makin' hisself rich from old Redges pain and suffrin'." Padmè wondered though, when he'd left her a small fortune in irradium ingots in a box in his cabin, with the note adressed to her, by name.

Now, just four months after his death, she was making all his schedualed runs, identifying herself as Redge's niece and recieving sympathy from all his regulars for her loss. This was her fifth run to Alderaan since she'd died. Each time she brought a largish package from a private art collector on Tatooine with hand deliver instructions to Bail Organa. Her old friend always slipped her a large tip in a tiny silvered case, so as to disguise it and she took the back way out of the palace for conveniences sake. So far, no one had noticed how large the case was, nor how it took her nearly two hours to make her way to the rear exit.

She really needed to leave now. The precious case had been tucked carfully against her own body and if she stood in this corridor much longer someone was going to call security. Somehow, she just couldn't make her tired muscles move. It was too comfortable, to lean against the door frame and watch little Leia Organa play.

So caught up in watching the child's actions, Padmè didn't notice when little Leia noticed her. Even when the girl stood and trotted toward the door, Padmè didn't realise what was happening until the child curtsied prettily. "Hello, my name is Leia, what is yours?"

Frozen in place, the former queen realized she was being rude and tried to respond in kind. "Good Afternoon, Princess. My name is... Sabè. Have you had a good day?"

Little Leia grinned. "Yes, I got a new Kettin. I named her ST. That way she goes with my other Kettin. She's named AT."

The girl was smiling proudly and Padmè bet that she'd come up with the names herself. "How clever!" Relizing that this encounter had to end soon, Padmè excused herself. "I apologize for leaving so quickly, Princess, but I must continue on my way. I am on an errand for your father. I am glad to have had to opportunity to meet you finally. Your father has told me much of you."

"Oh, you're a friend of Father! Perhaps you could come and play sometime?"

Though her heart was breaking, Padmè declined as firmly as she could. "I'm afraid I am not often on planet, Princess. However, If I am ever here and you are available, I'm sure we could arrange something."

"That would be lovely, thank you Lady Sabè"

Padmè curtsied, despite her shipsuit, and said, "I would be my pleasure, Princess." The former queen hurried away after that, afraid she would start crying before she made it around the corner and out of sight.

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They asked Telia to join them, but she refused. She did accept the pastries gleefully enough to make Padmè wonder, once agian, how often she had the chance to eat. Instead of borrowing Telia's speeder again, Padmè decided they sould walk to the govenor's office. It wasn't that far and she still wanted to show the city to her children. Of all the places she'd called home over the years, Naboo was the only place she had ever loved. This was her home and whatever decrepitude it had fallen to, she was still willing to show it off with pride.

In order for Luke and Leia to get the full impact the way she had, they left through the front doors again. It meant a long trek through the dim corridors, but Padmè felt it was worth it. At least, she did until she was rudely reminded why her security had only ever let her leave this way the one time. Standing on the front steps was a mob. There was no nice word for it. A throng of people that created enough noise to be considered a roar, just by standing still. When Padmè stepped out the front door, She was assaulted by the cheers that instantly erupted. Before Luke and Leia could even exit the building, the cheers died to be replaced with a chant of "Long live the Queen." Not only inappropriate but inaccurate, the chanting made Padmè frown in distaste.

Padmè started to step forward and say something, but Luke laid on hand on her arm. She turned and smiled at him, then gently lifted his hand off her arm and stepped forward anyway. When she raised her hands, the crowd instantly fell silent. "I would like to thank you all for your warm welcome home, however, I must ask that you cease at once. My children and I did not work for so long to secure your freedoms to hear such drivel upon my first trip home.

"Times have been difficult for all of us the past few years but I come bearing wonderous news. For those of you who haven't heard, the charlatan Palpatine has been destroyed. The Alliance is now working to rebuild the Republic and Naboo has been invited to join and send her representatives to the new Senate!"

The crowd cheered again and Padmè bowed her head reagally. She then raised her hands again for silence. "There is one minor problem, however. Before we can join the New Republic, we must elect new leaders. My children and I are on our way, even now, to arrange a meeting with the remaining local govenors in hopes that together we can make some sort of arrangement. Are there any questions about either of these announcements?"

A young woman stepped forward with a holo camera. "Olah Te'esh, Galagtic News, you mentioned your children?"

Smiling, Padmè glanced from Luke to Leia only to find that the latter was shaking her head violently. Padmè whispered, "Let a mother have her ten minutes of pride!" And Leia sighed.

"People of Naboo," Padmè began. "I would like to present my children." She gestured toward Leia, "Leia Organa Skywalker, Princess of Alderaan and Alliance Leader, working to build the New Republic." Gesturing toward Luke, she continued. "And this is my son, Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. He is working to restore the Jedi as protectors of peace in the galaxy. Both are decorated war heros and were instrumental in bringing down the galactic empire."

A large bellied man stepped out of the crowd and appreoached the step where Padmè stood, now silent. "Your Majesty, " He began, only to be cut off.

"That title is no longer mine to bear. My term as your leader ended decades ago."

"Very well." He began agian, "Ambassadors, as representative for the city of Theed, I, Rivem Lisk, would like to welcome you home and offer my assistance in any way that I can. I think I can safely say that the people would very much like to rejoin the Republic. We are gratefull you have returned to lead us back to a dignified position in the galaxy."

His words were met with cheers and he stepped up once more so he could speak to her without announcing it to the crowd. "I have some plans I would like to implement that should help restore the people's confidence, but I will need your help, milady."

"Perhaps we should discuss them someplace a bit more quiet?" Padmè suggested with no small amount of amusement. She gestured toward the door behind then and Lisk nodded. Turning around to face the crowd again, Lisk said, "Gentlebeings, if there are any more questions, comments, or suggestions, please leave them with my office a few streets down. My assistants have a press release ready and will take your information so that we may give each of your requests the attention it deserves."

As the four of them re-entered the palace, Leia turned to the representative. "Is that true, about the press release?"

He gave her a wink. "It will be by the time anyone gets there. Infact, it should have been ready as soon as I said the words. It will, essentially, be a transcript of what happened outside. I have very effiecient staff, for all they are worth at the moment."

"What do you mean?"

"What good is a staff if the people no longer support the government?" He shrugged. "Despite my best efforts, the people of Naboo just don't care anymore. I think it's shame. We created one of the most vile men in the galaxy and sent him to the senate when he should have been locked up in our foulest prison."

Leia shook her head with a wicked grin. "I thought all senators were criminals?"

Lisk smiled sadly in return. "While I appreciate your humor, this is no laughing matter, milady. I, myself, have difficulty beliving Palpatine fooled us all for so long. I am deeply shamed that someone from Naboo could commit such heinous crimes."

"There is no way any of you could have known what he was." Luke said vehemently. "From what I understand, he fooled the jedi too. My own teacher met the man on several occasions and missed it. The dark side is very good at concealing itself."

"I appreciate your point, Knight Skywalker, but it is still difficult."

So far, Padmè hadn't contributed, but now she glanced back from where she had been leading the party to say, "Govenor Lisk, this is our opportunity to redeem ourselves. The Alliance is struggling, much as we are. There is much Naboo could contribute."

"Most definitely!" Leia agreed. "Naboo was once a well respected member of the Republic. Senators from this planet have been responsible for most of the major changes in the galaxy, the good ones as well as the bad. Speaking for Alliance high command, I don't feel anyone is going to hold Palpatine against you. Believe it or not, he did much good for galaxy, however unintentionally."

Lisk nearly didn't hear her startling statement, he was too busy looking around him as they walked. He'd never been inside the Palace before but somehow, he didn't think they were going to just any meeting room. "I beg your pardon, milady, but where are we going."

Padmè stopped before a pair of large doors. "Nowhere, we are here." With a shove, she forced the decrepit mechanism to work and the doors slid open. The huge room was circular in shape and held only one piece of furnature, a huge golden throne.

With a smile, Padmè said, "It seemed fitting that we should meet here."

"Indeed." Lisk responded with a dazed expression, taking in the grandois space. Leia only gave it a cursory examination, but Luke, like Lisk, was enthralled.

Snapping him out of his trance, the former Queen said, "You said you had a few ideas that would help morale amoung out people, Govenor?"

"Yes, your- Ambassdor."

Knowing Leia would fill him in later, Luke allowed his attention to waver from the current discussion. Despit his recent experiences, Luke still felt himself a gawking farmboy. For all he'd been through, nothing had prepared him for this place. On Tatooine, people had built small structures, mostly underground. It was cheaper to built and the style conserved energy. It was infinitely cheaper to cool a small, underground house than a larger structure.

But this? Of course, he'd asked Leia about Alderaan and she'd told him of the places she'd grown up, but with no real reference point his imagination hadn't been able to concieve anything quite so grand. Even yesterday, this place hadn't seemed quite so large. Or rather, it had seemed more real. He'd been actively searching for something and watching out for trouble. He hadn't had time to be in awe of anything. Now, there was pleanty of time and the Jedi found himself overwhelmed.

I might have grown up here! Luke realized suddenly. If things had turned out differently, he might have lived here. If not, he might have visited frequently like Telia. His family might have spent their time travelling between here and Coruscant. Living in grand apartments with mother and father...

Shaking himself out of that line of thinking, Luke wandered toward the door to take a better look at the outer hall. More huge pillars and enormouse windows. The floor was a creamy marble like that of the throne room and near the opposite end of the hall was a large platform that looked like it had once been used to display something.

"A statue." Padmè said, as if she'd been reading his thoughts.

"How did you..."

"It is the only thing in the room to draw anyone's interest. A statue of one of our former rulers used to rest there. If I know my people, a statue of me will probably replace it. But not until I'm dead. I won't allow it."

Luke looked at her questioningly. "Why not?"

"I have done very little I would like to be remembered."

Unable to find a response to that, Luke changed the subject. "Shouldn't you be in there?"

Padmè smiled. "Your sister is quite the... diplomat."

"Leia is something else. I'm not surprised she took control of the situation."

"I'm glad she did, I was getting tired of being called 'your highness'."

Luke frowned. "I feel so out of place here. Although that has become the norm for me. Everyone here is so formal..." Realising his comments might be construed as an insult, Luke quickly clarified. "I mean, I'm... I..."

Laughter stopped him. "Relax, Luke. I'm a country girl too, remember? I was still very young when I made my first trip into the city. I fell in love with it and decided to go into politics, but I felt out of place for a long time. You'll get used to it and not everybody is so formal. People will relax when you are not with me."

"I sure hope so. It'll be bad for my jedi image if I mess up here." Luke said with a grin.

His mother laughed. "That is exactly the sort of thing your father would have said. You remind me so much of him... Although I don't think Anakin Skywalker felt out of place anywhere."

"I wish I could have known him."

"Me too."

After gazing for another moment at the large pedestal, Luke turned back toward the room they had just left. "We'd better check on Govenor Lisk. It's not a good Idea to leave Leia alone too long with a beuracrate."

"Oh, horor of horors! We'd better rescue the poor man." Padmè agreed with a laugh, following her son into the throne room.