The green blaster bolt screamed through the air and neatly decapitated the droid carrying one of the poles for the banners. As the stricken droid stumbled about sans head it walked into its neighbour. As the women from Vega V screamed and ran the banner collapsed, adding to the confusion.
"Report. We are under attack. Disperse and engage the hostile," said several droids. As one, they reached for the blaster normally stowed on their back. Or they would have, had they not recently been disarmed, a blaster rifle deemed uneccesary to a chicken fryer. There was a chorus of "Uh oh," as the droids realised their predicament. All the while several green bolts rained destruction on the scattering parade.
Anakin was in motion when he heard the shrill tone of the blaster. Quickly he moved and stood in front of Padme, placing a hand on the blaster. Padme attempted to move the blaster, but Anakin held it still, both physically and with the Force.
"Out of my way Anakin," said Padme.
"No, I'm sorry Padme I cannot do that," said Anakin.
"They're here again. I won't make the same mistake twice," Padme pulled and twisted but the blaster remained where it was. "Why are you doing this?"
"Knowledge and defence. Look. Those droids are unarmed. This is not an invasion,"
Padme did as she was bid. The droids were taking cover, true, but they were unarmed. The thorofare was largely empty save for a burning sign.
"Oh, goddess. What have I done!"
Two days later Padme stood before the royal court in Theed.
"By the goddess! What have you done? You opened fire on an unarmed delegation. This is an absolute diplomatic disaster. The delegations from the Separatist Alliance are threatening to withdraw which may lead to them seceding from The Republic entirely! Do you have any explanation for your actions?" thundered the Queen.
Padme had her head bowed as all her dreams of making her the civilisation she so cherished a better place all went tumbling into the matter recycler.
"I am deeply sorry for my actions Your Majesty. I only saw those accursed droids once again marching on our soil. I swore that I would never let that happen again." she said.
"And why were you carrying that blaster? A concealed one at that? We are a peaceful people Padme Amidala! Why are you walking around like some Mandalorian on the Outer Rim?" asked the Prime Minister.
Our world was invaded and conquered in a single afternoon. Twenty thousand of what were then my subjects died as a result. I failed every single one of them and their families and loved ones as a result. The guilt and shame of such failure came to the fore as she started to recall the list of names, Human, Gungan, and aliens all.
The invasion and liberation of Naboo was listed as a 'regrettable, but thankfully bloodless incident' in most accounts. Which it was by Galactic standards. Twenty thousand wasn't even an hour's traffic fatalities on Coruscant. Still, they had been her people and every single one of those deaths was due to their peaceful nature, trusting in the Rule of Law out here at the end of the mid-Rim. So, while she had thought of herself as a pacifist, it was now tempered by experience and that sometimes peace was maintained by having a blaster.
Or, a lightsabre.
However, as she looked at the various courtiers in the chamber she realised that that was not the lesson the others had learned. After all, had not the Trade Federation been repulsed by the actions of their Gungan allies and the Jedi Knights? Which left most Naboo unscathed and unscarred by the fighting and able to maintain the pretense that such pacifism was possible. Not that she blamed them. Had she remained part of the inner court and not been thrust into the hurly-burly that was true Galactic realpolitik by one Anakin Skywalker-Katarn then she too would have believed so.
Not that she could tell them that. After all, it went against all received wisdom! Oh well, in for a credit, in for a talent as a Rimworlder might say.
"This?" she said drawing the offending weapon from the corset holster which she now habitually wore. Her friend Satine had helped her select. "I have carried it since shortly after liberating Naboo," she stated as courtiers gasped and took several steps back. "By curious coincidence, its model is an MA Liberator. So indeed Prime Minister, I am armed like a Mandalorian lady out for a stroll in the Outer Rim,"
Her display was met by shocked silence so she continued.
"I believe that had I not done this then the Separatists would have found some other pretense. Their objective is clearly stated by their name, Separatist. Also, I see that my place is no longer here. I shall retire from this court and persue my desires which is Peace and Justice in another arena,"
With that, Padme turned and walked away from her old life and what she had always thought of as her destiny forever.
The incident, like all affairs of Naboo politics was holocast on a public service channel. Normally, it was unpopular. While free and open most Naboo had little interest in the politics of their typically idyllic world. This particular broadcast had several viewers of note. In particular a classics major, Hutt magnate, Gigeri burger vendor, Mandalorian businessman a Jedi apprentice and the greatest culinary artist in the known Galaxy.
"Heh," said Grissol, "Seems some Naboo are Human to the core after all,"
"It's her heritage. Even a millenia of easy living cannot undo what it is to hail from Mandalore," said Bron.
"Friend Anakin, I commend you on your choice of mate designate. When she eats your brain she will become a mighty matriarch indeed," chittered Ithil.
"Uh, what? Brain eating?" said Anakin in alarm.
"Humans alas do not indulge in such maying rituals Ithil. Mammals pair bond, remember?" said Palpatine gently to the biomechanical terror.
"Of course, of course. It just seems so weird, and perverse," said Ithil.
"Thanks, Ithil, I understand you. Anyways, I bet your prophecies didn't predict this," said Anakin. Padme had seemed as tied to Naboo as she was to her political aspirations. For her to walk away like that was utterly unexpected.
Millicent looked sideways at Palpatine and the two shared a smile, "Do you want to tell him?"
Palaptine returned with one of his characteristic smiles, the one which said somehow, 'All is proceeding as I have foreseen it, "Oh no my dear, be my guest," he said.
Millicent nodded and smiled herself, oh dear she thought this is catching, "There is the Arturian Cycle. Long thought apocryphal, just an addendum to or an adaptation of Le Morte D'Revan," she started.
"Never mind all that, it really predicted this?" said Anakin, interrupting in surprise.
"Yes, no. Prophecy's complicated. Mostly allegorical," attempted Millicent, trying to avoid the delicate matter of how many were right on the money where the young Jedi was concerned.
"Yes? No? which is it?" said Anakin.
"Mostly yes in this case. The Queen of Love and Beauty, that's your girlfriend by the way, shall stand in the Water Palace and choose to take up blade and blaster, which she shall name Liberator and so become, well never mind that bit."
"Never mind what?" said Anakin, remembering what else Millicent had revealed of his future.
"Don't worry my boy. Prophecy is much like a good recipe. We get the ingredients just right and we can make what we want from almost anything," said Palpatine.
"Well, I'm a Jedi. I want Peace and Justice to be maintained across the Galaxy. Um, can I have Padme too, if she wants me that is." Anakin said, his face reddening.
"We all want that my boy, don't we," said Palpatine to the assembled others.
"Can't sell pizza to enemies," rumbled Grissol.
"It is a worthy challenge. I accept," said Bron.
"To be civilised we must incubate civilisation," said Ithil.
"So you see Anakin, our enemies think in terms of ships, troops, blasters. Wheras we chefs," said Palpatine.
"And choclatiers," added Milicent.
"Know better," finished Palpatine.
"Los kolla beth, nam bolo nost," said Grissol.
"Grab the stomach? The heart?" said Anakin attempting to translate the Huttese saying.
"Will follow," said Palpatine with a smile.
"In a surprising turnabout of events, Count Serrano has postponed the withdrawal of the so-called Separatist delegations from the mid-Rim Food Expo following consultation with the redoubtable Gardaram Sai. Mr. Sai, you said there was no question of you leaving?" said the Holonet News reporter currently on Naboo.
The image shifted to display the famous Seranian Chef. "Absofuckinglutely not! To depart the field, leaving it to that fiend Palpatine to claim that it is that abomination he calls Galactic Fusion the pre-eminent cusine of the Galaxy? I told the Count that unless he wanted to eat second-rate food for the rest of his life then he would let us remain to fight it out. Spatula to whisk. Fryer to Osmic oven. You core slobs have never tasted all the delicacies the Rim has to offer and once you have you will kiss Coruscant's ass goodbye as we so intend!"
Sabe sat with her friend on the patio of her villa looking over a lake.
"Okay, goodbye politics, hello life of unbridled luxury and hedonism eh?" she said.
Padme sniffed, "Guess so. Tell me, how does one set about such?"
Sabe shrugged, it had prior to today never looked like an actual option, "Um, big party? Lots of hot guys and girls? Not much clothing? Er, dunno really."
As the two career politicians attempted to figure out how the idle rich went about their affairs they were interrupted by the valet.
"Excuse me Ms Vedurn, Ms Amidala you have a visitor. A Mr Palpatine," said the valet.
"Palpatine! What does he want?" said Padme surprised.
"Just a moment of your time," said Palpatine as he strode in smiling that knowing smile, "I have a small proposition, by way of recompense for the mess I may have caused you,"
"Yes, go on," said Padme.
"I have this small transport fleet, moving foods and ingredients about the Galaxy. Alas I am but a humble restauranteur and am not skilled in such things. I, however, believe you two ladies are currently looking for something to do. Interested?" said Palpatine beaming.
