Chapter 3
"So, have you heard of Naboo?" Han asked Leia as they watched the star lines during their trip through hyperspace. She looked beautiful, as always, but she had begun to shift uncomfortably in her seat the closer they approached their destination. Han wondered if she had discussed any of her feelings with Luke.
"Yes," Leia finally answered several minutes later and he thought she had been reading his mind.
"Did you just do some Jedi thing on my mind?"
"What are you talking about? I'm just answering your question," Leia protested. "Besides, I'm not a Jedi and..."
"Okay, okay, relax sweetheart," Han gestured as he forced her to sit back in the co-pilot's seat. Luke walked through the door. Han looked out again and Leia sat bolt upright.
"Chewie and Artoo are playing Dejarik for old time's sake," Luke said, attempting to break the stiff atmosphere. "Threepio is expounding the woes of the past ten years for Lando."
"Poor Lando," Leia murmured as she wrapped her braid around her head and pinned it securely.
"He's asleep," Luke assured her. "I could have gone to Naboo alone, you know," he said as he broached the task at hand as tactfully as he knew how.
"Don't be crazy," Han replied. "You'd only get into trouble that we'd have to rescue you from any way. This way saves time." The words were spoken lightly but Luke felt reprimanded just the same.
"It's not that kind of place," Leia interrupted their banter. Both looked at her with shocked expressions.
"You've been there?" Han asked.
"Yes, I have. At least, I think I have." Leia looked away. "My father, I mean, my adoptive father took me there once, maybe."
"You don't sound too sure," Han observed.
"I'm not. But the name is familiar and I think..." Leia wasn't sure what she thought. Luke put a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"Clear your mind of confusion, Leia. Let the Force guide you." Han watched skeptically but for once did not interrupt. These moments between Luke and Leia had become more frequent as Leia became Luke's first student. Leia sighed, closed her eyes, and tried to follow Luke's instructions.
"I've been there," she confirmed as she opened her eyes. "I could see a beautiful city so clearly. With waterfalls that impressed me very much. I was just a child." Luke smiled but Han's expression remained cryptic.
"Well, we'll know soon enough," he finally said. "We're coming up on Naboo." Leia looked apologetically at Luke but he merely smiled and fastened himself into his seat for the landing. Han remained one of the best pilots Luke knew but there was no use taking chances.
xXx
"Let me do the talking," Leia instructed. Han had landed the Millennium Falcon smoothly on the platform specified by the city controller. Curious bystanders watched as the crew disembarked. Some muffled cheers greeted Luke. Already his fame had spread through the known galaxy and his distinctive Jedi robes and lightsaber confirmed his identity. Several calls greeted Chewie, Lando, & Han who also could have boasted quite a following had they been so inclined.
"What a joy to visit a civilized world," Threepio gushed. "And the local residents seem quite hospitable." Despite Leia's bold directions she glanced around, trying to decide where to lead her friends. Artoo seized this opportunity to move to the head of the group and they had no choice but to follow the determined droid. The city had obviously seen better days. The distinctive architecture sat in disrepair and Imperial graffiti covered many buildings.
"So this is the place the Emperor was from?" Lando whispered to Han. "Are you sure you're going to be welcome here?"
"Why do you think I made you come?" Han grinned although he never took his eyes off Leia.
"Just stay close to Leia and me," Luke murmured as he noiselessly came along side them. Han hated it when the kid did that. "I sense no reason to worry right now."
"Who's worried?" Han would never concede that Luke could handle whatever might happen. It would certainly take all of them to keep Leia from wandering off on her own.
"He says that he's leading us to the royal palace where we will seek an audience with the queen," Threepio translated for Leia as Artoo forged ahead. "Artoo! What royal palace? What makes you think you would be welcome at a palace? You really must desist with these delusions of grandeur!"
The beautiful palace loomed before them. "It's breathtaking," Leia breathed. Despite the devastation all around, the palace gleamed like a jewel.
"This is our palace, m'lady," a young woman spoke hesitantly to Leia. "Queen Atalya has only just been elected." The girl obviously saw Leia as an important personage. Leia pulled herself up to her full height though, to her dismay, even at that the other woman remained taller. She smoothed her gown and wished she had worn something more regal although her clothes looked to be in better condition than the younger woman's garments.
"What is your name?" Leia asked as Han, Luke, Lando, Chewie and the droids waited behind her.
"Cliaé, m'lady." Cliaé curtsied. Leia's royal upbringing began to emerge.
"I am Princess Leia Organa and these are my companions. We are here representing the provisional New Republic government. Is it possible to have an audience with your queen?" She inclined her head slightly in response to Cliaé's curtsey.
"I would be happy to ask. I am one of her handmaidens," Cliaé replied, as if that should answer their questions. "Please, come out of the street. It is not always this quiet," she informed them as she led them up the steps. "Some Imperial troops attempt to cause problems. Queen Atalya is dealing with the matter."
"How is she dealing with the matter?" Han forgot to let Leia do the talking. Cliaé looked at him with an amused expression sparkling in her green eyes.
"With force, of course," she murmured. "There are still many loyal to Naboo the way it was, although it has not been obvious for these many years," she conceded. Leia took Han's arm, whether for support or to attempt to control him he did not know but it felt nice either way.
"Please forgive our ignorance," Leia said. "We are not familiar with Naboo or its ways." Cliaé's smile displayed much sadness.
"The ways of Naboo were once the ways of the Republic," she asserted. "But it has not been so since my elders were very young." She led them to a waiting room. "Please, take refreshment while I see if her majesty will see you today." The room was small but graciously furnished and a servant girl soon brought cool drinks and a tiny plate of food.
"Forgive us, but our food supplies are still rationed," she murmured almost too quietly to hear. She slipped from the room without further conversation. Luke pace the space as if its dimensions confined him and he did not know what to do with himself. Han, Lando, and Chewie sat in the once finely upholstered chairs and sipped their drinks.
"There is something familiar about this place," Luke whispered as he ran his hand through his hair. Artoo chirped something but Threepio declined to translate.
"They seem very friendly," Threepio observed when the room seemed too quiet. He began to prattle nervously about the draperies and the fabric on the chairs when Han gestured to Leia with a longsuffering look and Leia switched the droid off.
"You haven't been here," Leia said.
"No. Somehow I feel I know this place though," Luke sat in an empty chair and closed his eyes. It seemed a long time to Han and Lando before the door opened and Cliaé slipped back into the room.
"I'm sorry for your wait. Her majesty will see you now. Not all of you," she hastened on as the entire group stood and walked to the door. Han began to protest but Cliaé continued, "She wishes to meet you, Princess Leia, and you, Master Skywalker." Han's protest grew louder.
"It will be okay," Leia soothed him. "There is no harm meant here," she looked to Luke who nodded his agreement.
"Cliaé, might the others wait somewhere else?" Luke suggested.
"The gardens are just outside that door," Cliaé indicated. "I'm afraid they are not as impressive as they once were but you are welcome to walk there." Han exchanged glances with Lando before agreeing, rather ungraciously. Luke and Leia followed Cliaé while the others headed for the gardens.
"Oh, Han?" Leia turned and called. "Don't forget Threepio." She walked away with Cliaé and Luke as quickly as she could, though she could still feel Han's disbelieving stare boring into her back.
"How did you know my name?" Luke asked by way of making conversation as Cliaé led them deeper into the palace.
"Master Skywalker, you are the only Jedi I can name." Cliaé smiled as Luke looked away. The fact that he was the last Jedi in the galaxy did not strike him as humorous. "You are also the only person I know who reportedly travels with two droids, a Wookiee, a princess and smugglers."
"Han's not a smuggler," Leia corrected automatically and she bit her tongue, surprised at her own rudeness. Why do I feel so defensive about Han's profession?
"Former smugglers," Cliaé corrected self consciously. "Not to mention the fact, of course, that you arrived in the Millennium Falcon. I've heard so many stories about that ship I had really started to doubt its existence." Luke laughed softly and Leia smiled. Their smiles disappeared as they entered what could only be the throne room.
"Welcome to Naboo," a soft deep voice called from the throne near the window. Several figures dressed in simple pale green dresses with head coverings, much like Cliaé, sat in tall chairs near the queen and they all watched Luke and Leia carefully. The queen wore a striking crimson gown and an elaborate hairstyle, making it difficult to say exactly how tall she stood. Leia took in the elegance of the outfit and the elaborate white make-up. She squeezed Luke's hand and he bowed as if he had been doing so all his life. Leia dipped in the briefest curtsey she could manage.
"Thank you, your highness. We are here..."
"Representing the provisional New Republic," the queen filled in. "I have been informed of that. Why are you here?" Leia felt relieved that Han had not been allowed in. No telling what he might say to this brusque treatment.
"We are also searching for some personal information, your highness," Luke replied smoothly. "I was told there might be information pertaining to the Jedi here." He tried to read the queen's expression but it remained enigmatic with a deep lying emotion Luke could not define. He knew for sure only that he felt no fear or anger from her.
"I do not believe we have archives or anything of that sort relating to the Jedi," the queen answered.
"Perhaps I have been misinformed," Luke allowed.
"I am concerned that you are here to establish whether we should be punished," Queen Atalya obviously did not believe in hiding her true thoughts. Luke wondered if she suspected him of reading her mind.
"Punished?" Leia could not imagine where an idea like that would come from.
"Emperor Palpatine was from Naboo," the queen elaborated. "There are many here who supported his rule, who would still support him and his Empire." Leia looked at Luke, unsure of what to do or say.
"These are not issues I am authorized or prepared to examine," Leia stammered. "As I am sure your handmaiden informed you, we are not familiar with Naboo. We wish to become familiar with you and your people and seek your association in the New Republic." Leia hoped that those words were the truth.
The queen watched them for several seconds before saying, "Very good. Please, sit." Chairs appeared seemingly from thin air and Luke sat and pulled Leia down to sit beside him.
"Please forgive my suspicion," Queen Atalya said. "My term has only just begun and I am quite cautious in these extraordinary times."
"Very wise," Luke murmured.
"Thank you, Master Skywalker. You say you know little about Naboo so I will explain. Naboo elects our queens. We serve one or two terms. In the past the queen appointed senators to represent us with the Republic. Emperor Palpatine disbanded this practice many years ago. Grand Moffs commanded this system. They appointed our senator until the dissolution." Leia shifted her weight in her seat slightly at this point, remembering those awful days as the Death Star changed the galaxy. "After the news of the Emperor's death the loyalist troops overthrew the governor and attempted to subdue the Imperial presence here. I was elected in the first free Naboo elections in nearly thirty years. I began my term only fifteen standard days ago."
"This is a momentous time in Naboo history," Luke observed.
"Yes. We are very hopeful." The queen looked away from her visitors and out the massive windows, some of which still had makeshift coverings instead of the gleaming transparisteel of former days. "And concerned."
"The New Republic will offer you any assistance you require if you will join us," Leia offered, trying not to sound too eager. "Your great history of serving the Old Republic can be renewed in uniting with the New." The queen turned back and her gaze seemed disapproving.
"We shall see," she responded and Luke felt the strength in her tone. "The wreckage of several decades is not repaired in mere days." Leia thought of Alderaan, her lost family, the confusion surrounding her now, wreckage that would never, could never, be prepared and she was forced to nod in agreement.
"I'm sure we will aid you in any way we can whether you join us or not," Leia amended her comments.
"Your palace is beautiful," Luke said, trying to direct the conversation to a happier note.
"Thank you," the queen actually smiled. "Many of our people have been working very hard to make it so. You have demonstrated impeccable timing," a flash of humor from this enigmatic leader? "We are having a Grand Celebration of Naboo this very night." Luke and Leia murmured their congratulations.
"You will come as my guests?" Though phrased as a question Leia knew a decree when she heard one.
"We would be honored," Leia responded.
"Your friends are welcome as well," the queen smiled graciously. "Naboo needs friends. Tonight will be a remembrance of the past and a dedication for the future and I think you and your mission suit that rather well."
"I hope I can get Han and Chewie to clean up for this," Leia whispered to Luke as they bowed to the queen before leaving.