Thanks to everyone who is reading, reviewing or lurking. I'm happy to know that you are all enjoying. Here's another chapter for you. Since the holidays are rapidly approaching, this will probably be the last update for awhile. But never fear, I will be working dutifully on the next chapter while enjoying my eggnog. Happy Holidays to Everyone!
Emerald Green Queen: I agree with you that Sabe should have known better, but that's what happens when we fall in love. Brains and good sense tend to get thrown out (e.g., Anakin & Padme). Thanks for the support about JF. I am actually reposting on another site and am starting to get inspired about it. Hopefully we'll see new chapters here soon. Again, thanks for the grammar checks; last chapter I seem to have forgotten how to write in proper English. Hopefully this one will be better. As for Vader being dramatic, that is very 'Anakin' of him and I think that is something that would carry over into his 'Sithly' ways. You make a good point about Palpy; however, when needs be he does ante up so don't put it past him if it serves his purposes. He isn't the puppetmaster for no reason.
You also make a good point about the 'insignificant' rebellion. I agree, if they weren't such a threat, why was Vader hunting them down as he was. I guess like all governments, the adage of deny, deny, deny carries over to the GFFA. And yes, Palpy is trying to buy her off, but as we've seen, he already knows her true intentions. What he will do in response...Again, thanks so much for your lengthy reviews, I do look foward to them :).
Lady Cora: Thank you very much. Glad that you are finding the story exciting. Hope this chapter is equally thrilling!
Sweet Christabel: Glad you like the build up of tension between Sabe and Palpy. It does seem 'inevitable' that they will engage in some sort of conflict. How and under what circumstances, keep reading to find out ;). Thanks again for reading. Hope you enjoy!
The return trip to her office building passed in a blur as she considered everything that had unfolded. Sabé didn't know whom to trust anymore. It was becoming clear that Obi-Wan had not divulged all the facts, nor could she depend upon what Vader told her as being complete. Still, in every lie there is a shred of truth and she was convinced that if she could link Palpatine to the handmaidens' murders, Vader would not impede her from doing her duty. That was not to say that he would be on her side, but he did reveal the identity of his Master.
Darth Sidious.
She remembered first hearing that name in a closed session of Naboo's Royal Court after the liberation. Obi-Wan had dispatched one Sith warrior, but the Jedi Council feared that another had escaped. There had even been speculation that this Sidious manipulated the Trade Federation into the invasion. To know that the man Padmé and she looked to as a father figure had manipulated the most catastrophic events of the previous two decades shook Sabé to her core. If they had only known that they were putting a monster into the central seat of power…
Padmé.
She could not bring herself to believe that she betrayed her husband, especially since they had already violated the Jedi code by getting married. Both were just as culpable if they were caught and there was have no reason to do such a thing.
No, Vader must be lying.
Yet, how did he know so much and why did he urge me to visit the Temple?
Could it be a trap?
She sighed aloud, knowing that she had traveled too far now to quit. The Grand Inquisitor would have to go to the ruins of the once proud Order to learn of the supposed truth that the Sith Lord indicated that existed there in the shadows. The passage of time moved swiftly and without much notice as Sabé returned to her office hours later, without saying anything to her staff. She walked up to her large bay window and stood motionless as she gazed out at the city. Closing her eyes, she silently prayed to the spirits to help her. A soft hand on her shoulder nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. Sabé turned to see Elermaé with a grave expression on her face.
"What's troubling you?"
The handmaiden took a deep breath before answering. "I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Milady, but we received word from Queen Kylantha…Your friend Yané Dayaden was found dead two days ago.
All the blood drained out of Sabé's face as she attempted to hold on to the moment. "How?"
"She was handing out relief aid to several refugees in the Outer Rim when her staff reported her missing after she failed to show up to administer the medicine to some of the children. They found her in her quarters…burned to death."
The Inquisitor trembled as she cautiously made her way to her chair. Her momentary lapse of composure rapidly abated as she returned her attention to the handmaiden. "Signal the garrison commander on Theed. I want him to send a squadron of his best troops to protect both Rabé and Eirtaé and their families."
"Yes, Milady."
Before she left the office, Sabé called out to her. "Did you ever locate Ellé Calliden?"
Elermaé shook her head. "We were never able to find her. Even her family on Naboo had not heard from her in some time."
Sabé exhaled loudly. "Then we must assume that she's already dead."
The handmaiden half bowed, departing to carry out her orders. Meanwhile, the Grand Inquisitor stared at her comlink as she debated her next course of action briefly before activating it.
"Naria?"
"Yes, Your Honor?"
"Please contact the detachment of shocktroopers assigned to the Jedi Temple. Order them to augment the Emperor's personal security at the Imperial Palace on my authority."
"Right away, Milady."
"And prepare my speeder. I need to leave immediately."
The Jedi Temple was viewed as a curiosity, especially after the Emperor decreed that anything associated with the dead Order was seditious. Even after a decade, many on the planet and throughout the entire galaxy harbored strong feelings towards the acclaimed guardians of the peace. Sabé had avoided this place as it reminded her of him and what she lost. Yet now she found herself within the ruined corridors along with Elermaé as they cautiously made their way inside.
Sabé was amazed at the destruction. Lord Vader and his brigade of clone troopers had been thorough in their nighttime raid. After everything she had learned from her investigation, she began to question whether they were truly the mutinous band that they had been labeled by Palpatine. But now was not the time to mourn them. There were still too many unresolved questions, and time was running short. However, if this action proved fruitful, many things in the whole galaxy would be forever changed.
"I believe this is it," Sabé said as she pushed the large door open, which led into the archives.
Elermaé nodded as she shifted her eyes about. "It is amazingly undisturbed compared to the destruction we've seen in the rest of the Temple."
"Let's try one of the terminals. Hopefully we'll get lucky."
The handmaiden complied and sat at the nearest instrument. She pressed several keys and the unit instantly brightened. "I can't believe this…There's still power."
Sabé smiled as she sat next to her assistant. "Now for the moment of truth. Access the Temple's library files."
"We're in," Elermaé responded in amazement. "What next?"
"Run a diagnostic to see what information is still intact."
The handmaiden dutifully obeyed, her fingers dancing quickly across the keyboard. "Several of the storage centers have been damaged, but the main core seems to be functioning. What do you want to look at first?"
"I'm not sure." Sabé admitted, pondering for a moment. Finally deciding, she ordered, "Call up everything concerning Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars."
Elermaé complied, pressing several buttons in response. A long list of information scrolled endlessly down the screen. "That's too much. It would take us days to go through all of that."
"Try narrowing the parameters to the time right before the purges," Sabé thought momentarily. "Track the last positions of their starfighters."
"According to this, both Jedi's ships were together at Coruscant, but then they split. Kenobi's went to Utapau then returned to the Temple while Skywalker's goes to several places on planet and then is last recorded on Mustafar."
"That means that Obi-Wan lied to me about Anakin dying before what happened there. But why?" Sabé reflected.
"Perhaps he couldn't bring himself to face what happened to his friend?"
She shook her head. "There's something more than that."
"But what?" The handmaiden curiously asked.
"Try accessing the security cams."
"The only files that remain are from the raid," she said grimly. "Do you want to watch them?"
Sabé nodded. "We have no choice."
The next hour was filled with images of Darth Vader slicing through scores of attacking Jedi, supported by his detachment of clone troopers. He killed indiscriminately—men, women and children, none mattered as he savagely butchered them. Both Sabé and Elermaé sat in shock as they watched the cruelty with which the Dark Lord carried out his orders. Even though they were branded traitors, they deserved better than to be slaughtered like useless chattel.
Sabé was about to order Elermaé to stop when the images shifted to a recording of Obi-Wan speaking with Master Yoda.
"Stop and play that."
The diminutive Jedi Master sighed fretfully as he walked away from the holoviewer. Obi-Wan stared at him, a pained expression filled his face.
"Gone, the boy you trained is. Consumed by the Darkside, he is."
"I just don't believe it, Master," Obi-Wan said pleadingly. "This has to be a mistake."
Yoda shook his head slightly while looking up to the kneeling Jedi. "Anakin Skywalker is no more…Darth Vader he has become."
Obi-Wan's face contorted as he grimly announced, "Then I have no choice. I must kill him."
Sabé blinked rapidly as the image of the two Jedi became garbled. She then hoarsely asked Elermaé, "See if you can access Anakin Skywalker's personal record."
The handmaiden dutifully obeyed, gasping loudly when his image was called up. There on the monitor appeared the last image Sabé was prepared to see. Elermaé looked up at her with great concern. "Milady…How can this be?"
"I don't know," she uttered, remaining at her place in complete shock.
"Why would he tell you to come here, knowing that you would learn his true identity?"
Sabé shook her head slightly. "Whatever his reason, we've walked straight into his trap."
The handmaiden rose quickly, stumbling on her chair as she tried to run. Sabé helped her to her feet and grabbed her upper arm. "Calm yourself, Elermaé."
"But Milady, he's a murderer. He'll kill us certainly," she screamed.
Sabé shook her head. "If he had wanted us dead, we wouldn't be standing here. No, he has another purpose for us…For me." She corrected.
"What could it be?"
"I don't know, but we won't learn it here," she pointed out. "I must face him…alone."
"Milady, surely you don't mean that. You wouldn't stand a chance."
Sabé gazed upon her grimly as she folded her arms snugly. "I have to try. Besides, he was there with Padmé on Mustafar and I know he had something to do with her fate. "
"Please Sabé, don't do this," Elermaé pleaded. "He'll kill you."
The Inquistor stared blankly for a moment; she then shifted in place, flashing a slight smile. "If that is what he wants to do, then so be it." She turned to her handmaiden to add, "But somehow I believe that is not his intention."
"This is insanity, Milady," Elermaé cried out; however, Sabé had already run out of the room, leaving her alone.
Not wanting to leave her devoted assistant without transportation, the Grand Inquisitor hailed an airtaxi which promptly took her to the Senate rotunda. Within minutes she arrived and hurried her way to the turbolift, taking it up to Vader's chambers. As she reached the top floor, Sabé withdrew her concealed blasters, stealthily making her way inside. Sabé moved them about wildly as she searched around the room, but the Dark Lord was nowhere to be found.
A soft, rhythmic chime erupted from a small holoviewer on Vader's desk. Out of curiosity, Sabé activated the unit, which instantly opened. A flicker of blue light danced about in the air until the life sized image of the Dark Lord stood before her. Slowly withdrawing his hood, he flashed his lopsided grin before speaking:
'Grand Inquisitor Kelaria,
No doubt if you are watching this, you have learned the truth. So now you know and as you have probably guessed, I do know what happened to your friend; but such a conversation should only occur in person. This is why Thomas and your daughter Sienna have 'joined' me so they too can be a part of this inquisition of yours. We shall be waiting for you on the world which holds the answers to your questions. Until then, I bid you safe journey.'
Sabé stood with her mouth agape as Lord Vader's image disappeared. Tears fell from her eyes as she realized that he had taken her family. Quickly, she reached within her cloak to withdraw the small com device that Obi-Wan had given to her on Alderaan. She hesitated to activate its homing circuits, but if she had any hope of rescuing Thomas and Sienna, she was going to need the help of a Jedi Master. Hopefully, he would not arrive too late.
The funeral procession moved slowly out of Theed en route to the final resting place for Padmé Amidala at the Mourner's Pillar. It was at the end of the Path of Kings, the burial site of Naboo's most illustrious rulers. Sabé was in a daze as she walked behind the Naberrie family, not truly believing that her closest friend was gone forever. As she passed her friends who were lined along the side of the road, Sabé saw Moteé and momentarily locked glances with Ellé, but the handmaiden quickly focused her gaze towards the ground.
Why weren't they there for Padmé? Didn't they realize that they were supposed to surrender their lives for her?
Sabé raged within, torn between hating them for surviving, and despising herself for not being at her friend's side at the end. She knew, if given the same opportunity, she would have been the one that lay upon her death carriage, not Padmé. Feeling disassociated from her body when the moment arrived to bid her farewell, it took every ounce of her strength to walk to where Padmé's body rested. Sabé bent over to kiss her forehead, sadly smiling when she looked down to see the wood carving given to her by a smitten little boy rested peacefully in her hands. If only fate had been less cruel…
The throne room was uncharacteristically dark as she sat in silence. The two handmaidens, Moteé and Ellé stood before her nervously while she waited for an answer to her question.
"We don't know where she went." Moteé finally spoke.
"And how can that be? You were her handmaidens. You were always supposed to be by her side."
"Senator Amidala led a very private life, Madam Ambassador," Elle chimed in. "Only a few weeks after our appointments, she secured an apartment within her building, which was down the corridor from hers."
"Did you or Captain Typho question this choice? Given the many threats that had been made on her life I find that hard to believe," Sabé vehemently retorted.
Moteé nodded. "We all objected, but she told us that she had her reasons."
"Which were?"
Both handmaidens shrugged. "The Senator never shared them with us." Moteé answered. "And she made it clear that the new arrangements were not subject to further debate."
"And what of the pregnancy? Her family is beside themselves with grief since they learned that they were going to have a grandchild that they didn't even know about."
"Senator Amidala led a private…"
"…yes, a private life. You mentioned that before. Now I'm asking you both what do you know about this?" Sabé ordered.
Moteé and Ellé glanced at each other sideways before returning their stares to Sabé. "I'm sorry, Milady, but we didn't know that she was expecting."
She shot her head back and flailed her arms in disbelief. "That's preposterous! You were her attendants; surely you helped her dress at least once in the past several months?"
Although Moteé was becoming more upset by the moment, Ellé became more resolute, folding her arms defiantly. "Begging your pardon Milady, but as a former handmaiden you are aware of the oath of loyalty that exists between an attendant and her mistress. Yes there were situations that we witnessed that were questionable, but despite her death, we are bound by honor to never reveal Senator Amidala's secrets, no matter who is asking."
Sabé sighed as she knew that Ellé was correct since she too was bound by those same vows. She then turned in defeat towards Queen Apailana who had remained silent throughout the entire debriefing. "Your Majesty, you could issue a decree to override royal privilege, which would force them to talk."
The young ruler took a long, deep breath before looking at Sabé. "While I am disturbed and distressed at the circumstances surrounding Senator Amidala's death, I feel to make them betray their oath would be a desecration to our beloved Queen's memory." The Ambassador was about to protest as Apailana added, "That being said, there are other alternatives in order to investigate this matter further.
"Of course you are correct, Your Highness." Sabé lamented.
The Queen gave her a slight smile of reassurance. "I know you mourn your friend and want to know what happened. But we must all remember what Padmé Amidala stood for and try our utmost to uphold those principles."
Sabé nodded as she slumped into her chair. Meanwhile, Apailana returned her attention to the two handmaidens. "If there's anything you would care to volunteer so we can get a better understanding of what happened, now is the time."
Moteé and Ellé stood quietly, neither making eye contact with Sabé. With their silence as an indication the Queen then said, "I hereby release you from service to the office of the Senator and you may go about your lives in peace."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." They echoed, bowing humbly before they departed.
When they were left alone, Sabé angrily turned towards the Queen. "I can't believe that you allowed them to leave, Serraé. They both were lying about what they knew."
Apailana sighed deeply while shaking her head. "It is quite possible, Sabé, but they are in mourning too. And recalling these memories is likely painful for the both of them."
"But Your Majesty…"
Serraé lifted her hand to stop her. "Now is not the time for this. With the fall of the Republic and Palpatine declared Emperor, I'm afraid there are greater issues than learning about the intimate details of Padmé's personal life." Noticing she was about to continue to protest, the Queen added, "Besides, even her family did not know about her pregnancy, so we must assume that she had her reasons for not telling them and leave it at that."
Sabé sighed in defeat, rising up from her chair. "Then with your permission, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
Apailana nodded, and Sabé hurriedly left the throne room. As she passed through the antechamber, Moteé and Ellé had remained to speak with one of Queen's handmaidens. Sabé's features darkened and she clenched her jaw while hovering over them. "This isn't over where I am concerned. One day I will learn the truth and if I find that either of you failed in your duty to Padmé, I will make you pay."
A few hours later, Sabé returned to real space as the skiff approached the programmed coordinates. To her complete surprise, the Executor was in parking orbit around Mustafar.
"Naboo skiff to Executor, come in."
A fresh-faced officer appeared on her monitor. "This is the Executor, we are reading you."
"I am Grand Inquisitor Sabé Kelaria and I have urgent business with his lordship, Darth Vader. I must be allowed to speak with him at once."
The officer nodded. "Inquistor Kelaria. Lord Vader has taken a shuttle down to the surface. He ordered us to send you his coordinates so you can rendezvous with him."
Sabé nodded. "My thanks."
The transmission abruptly ended as Vader's landing location was fed into the navicomputer. Sabé allowed it to follow its program, leading her down into the red skies of the planet. She had never before seen such a volatile world.
No wonder the Separatists decided to hide here, she mused. It was far enough away from the Core worlds to not warrant much attention, but strategically located so one could get anywhere in the known galaxy quickly.
She sighed deeply as she thought about her family and how her thirst for the truth had unwittingly involved them. Although she had the opportunity to learn the answers surrounding Padmé's death, her other friends' murderer was safe in his bed back on Imperial City. Sabé gritted her teeth as she knew that she might not be able to bring him to justice. But she would do everything in her power so that she could bring Padmé's soul and hers some peace by confronting Vader.
The sound of the landing struts automatically deploying startled her back into the moment. It appeared that the ship's destination was a small platform adjacent to a derelict mining facility. Upon her arrival, Sabé ran down the gangplank and into the building. Her heart pounded with worry as she searched in vain to find out where Vader could be holding her family. She moved frantically from one building to another, but each appeared to be more deserted than the previous.
Perhaps the Sith Lord wanted her there so he could destroy her from orbit, hiding his involvement?
She sighed as she walked outside and back towards the landing platform. Sabé paused to lean over the railing in order to contemplate what she was going to do. Whatever the Dark Lord intended, she would gladly trade her life for that of her family's. Sabé quickly wiped away a stray tear from her face as she sensed that she was no longer alone. Straightening herself, she could feel him approach her. However, every muscle in her body contorted when instead of Vader's baritone voice she heard a soft feminine voice call out to her.
"My dear Sabé, I was beginning to think you'd never get here."
TBC-Thoughts, comments and suggestions are always appreciated :).