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Darth Buttercup: Thank you very much. I hope I don't disappoint you.
A special gros merci à BarkingdogBARK, my first reviewer. Génial! Vous parlez français aussi! As to your questions, they will be answered in time, my young Padawan… evil grin
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Chapter 2 : More Bad News
"Miss Padmé, this is our information center. Here you will find the latest in Information Technology…"
The droid's voice droned on as Padmé walked past an elderly gentleman staring off into space. She made her way to the nearest holo console to get down to business. She took a deep breath and started typing in the names of the list she had been gathering in her head on the walk over.
Her chest tightened and tears formed in her eyes as she read the information on her husband:
Anakin Skywalker: Jedi Knight. Missing in action. Presumed dead.
"Oh, Ani…." She set her head down on her arms and took a deep breath and let her tears flow.
What happened?
Padmé's tearful outburst took a slight edge off of her heartache, but she didn't want to give in to grief at this moment in such a public place. And there was more that she needed to know. She began typing more names.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Jedi Master. Missing in action. Presumed dead.
Bail Organa: Senator of Alderaan. Deceased. Planetary Disturbance.
Jedi: Superstitious cult that attempted to assassinate the Emperor. Enemies of the Empire. Purged. Extinct.
Then, inspired, she typed: Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker: Enemy of the Empire. Member of Rebel Alliance. Bounty offered. Contact Darth Vader.
Padmé's heart lurched as she read 'Wanted dead or alive.' There was a small holo identification image. She felt a pang in her heart.
Oh, how he looked like Anakin!
Leia Skywalker: File does not exist.
Leia Naberrie: File does not exist.
Leia Kenobi: File does not exist.
"THINK, Padmé…"
Of course. It made sense, she thought.
Leia Organa
Leia Organa: Princess of Alderaan. Enemy of the Empire. Leader in Rebel Alliance. Bounty offered. Contact Darth Vader.
Padmé's eyes misted over . 'Wanted dead or alive.'
The small identification holo of Leia showed her serious face with dark eyes and hair. Padmé smiled as she recognized that determined set of the jaw in own self.
My children are alive!
Padmé paused to let that bit of joy wash over her. Then her thoughts turned to other unpleasant matters.
So, the records and media are heavily biased. No surprise, there. Definitely Palpatine's work. That hideous old despot.
And what about me?
Padmé Naberrie Amidala: Former Queen of Naboo. Senator of Naboo. Deceased. Date Unknown
So, I am dead, she thought wryly, or rather someone wanted to make sure it looked like I was dead. If Padmé Amidala is dead, who am I now? But that could wait. She turned back to the transparent listing of her search and began to read some of the news headlines.
But where are my children, now?
According to the records, Alderaan was destroyed, so Leia was no longer there. And she had no idea where Luke would be.
'Emperor assures peace in Galaxy.' She snorted in disgust as she read that tripe. "If that's Palpatine…" 'Darth Vader victory against the Rebel Alliance.'
"Monsters, both of them," she hissed.
Out of curiosity, she typed in the name 'Darth Vader' into the holonet search.
Immediately a miniature 3-dimensional holo-image of Darth Vader appeared with a very brief biography. She started as she looked at it and felt a frisson of fear and repulsion creep up her spine. It was worse than having a huge, hairy arachnid crawling on her. She barely looked at the description and shut the holo unit off with a shudder.
Suddenly, she felt exhausted and overwhelmed. She lay her forehead down on her folded arms and gathered her thoughts and figure out what to do next. Seek out her children? Perhaps see if she still had family on Naboo? Her breath caught in her throat as she thought of Anakin and their time on Naboo.
"You need to be very careful, my child, with what you seek on these machines…"